KR20060136033A - Vacuum system of a apparatus of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate and monitoring method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

In a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus and a monitoring method thereof, a vacuum pump for adjusting the vacuum degree of a process chamber is provided. An on / off valve for opening and closing the vacuum line connected to the process chamber and the vacuum pump is provided. A current detector for detecting a drive current for operating the vacuum pump is provided. When the detected driving current exceeds a preset range, a control unit is provided to block the opening / closing valve to prevent backflow in the vacuum line. A method of monitoring a vacuum system of the semiconductor substrate processing apparatus is disclosed to prevent backflow in the vacuum line. Therefore, when an error occurs in the vacuum pump, the on-off valve is automatically shut off by the control unit, thereby preventing the pumped material from flowing back into the process chamber.

Description

Vacuum System of Semiconductor Substrate Processing Equipment and Monitoring Method Thereof {VACUUM SYSTEM OF A APPARATUS OF MANUFACTURING A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE AND MONITORING METHOD OF THE SAME}

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus according to the prior art.

2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a monitoring method of the vacuum system shown in FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: vacuum system 110: process chamber

112: supply line 114: discharge line

116: first on-off valve 118: second on-off valve

120: vacuum pump 122: vacuum line

124: third opening and closing valve 130: current detection unit

140: control unit

The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and a monitoring method thereof, and more particularly, to a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus and a monitoring method thereof.

The semiconductor substrate processing apparatus repeatedly and selectively performs unit processes such as a deposition process, a diffusion process, an etching process, an ion implantation process, and a polishing process on the semiconductor substrate.

The unit processes are generally performed in a vacuum state to prevent contamination of the semiconductor substrate by outside air, generation of impurities by reaction of the outside air and the substrate, and formation of unnecessary film quality. Accordingly, semiconductor substrate processing apparatuses for performing the unit processes include a vacuum system for forming the interior of the process chamber and the load lock chamber in a vacuum state.

The degree of vacuum required for each unit process is different for each process, and one or more vacuum pumps are used depending on the degree of vacuum required.

In particular, in order to maintain or form a low pressure in the chamber during the diffusion or deposition process of the semiconductor manufacturing process, a pump equipment is required, and the vacuum pump of the pump equipment basically generates a vacuum by the rotational force of the rotor. Let's do it.

An example of a vacuum system of a semiconductor facility using the vacuum pump is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1998-039943.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus according to the prior art.

Referring to FIG. 1, a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber in which a semiconductor manufacturing process is performed, a supply line for supplying process gas to the process chamber, a first open / close valve for opening and closing the supply line, and the process It includes a vacuum pump for adjusting the degree of vacuum of the chamber, a vacuum line connecting the process chamber and the vacuum pump and a second on-off valve for opening and closing the vacuum line.

For example, the vacuum system can be used in low pressure vapor deposition equipment. In such a low pressure vapor deposition apparatus, a toxic gas such as SiH ₄ , PH ₃ , SiH ₂ Cl ₂ , NH ₃ is used in the deposition process.

In this case, when an error occurs in the vacuum pump due to a problem such as leakage of the vacuum pump, the pressure of the vacuum line increases or powder solidified in the rotor of the vacuum pump due to the toxic gas. Is generated.

The powder causes scratches on the rotor of the vacuum pump, and the current value of the vacuum pump increases due to the overload caused by friction. When the current value rises, a pump trip occurs in which the operation of the vacuum pump is stopped.

When the pump trip occurs, a pressure rises at an input portion of the vacuum pump, causing a back stream phenomenon into the deposition chamber. The reverse flow phenomenon causes a problem that causes a large amount of particles in the semiconductor substrate in the deposition chamber.

Accordingly, continuous methods for preventing the pump trip have been devised. However, despite this effort, the pump trip still occurs.

Therefore, measures are required to sense the air of the vacuum pump before the pump trip occurs.

A first object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus having an improved structure that can automatically control the vacuum system in the event of an error of the vacuum pump.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a method for monitoring a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus having an improved structure.

Vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the first object, the vacuum pump for adjusting the degree of vacuum of the process chamber, and opening and closing the vacuum line connected to the process chamber and the vacuum pump An on / off valve, a current detector for detecting a drive current for operating the vacuum pump, and a shutoff valve to prevent backflow in the vacuum line when the detected drive current exceeds a preset range. And a control unit.

Here, the predetermined range may be set differently according to the process step performed in the process chamber.

In the method for monitoring a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the second object, a step of operating a vacuum pump to adjust the degree of vacuum of the process chamber. Detecting a drive current for operating the vacuum pump. When the detected driving current exceeds a preset range, the vacuum line between the process chamber and the vacuum pump is blocked.

According to an embodiment of the present invention as described above, the material containing the process gas discharged from the process chamber is brought into the process chamber due to a pump trip in which the operating vacuum pump suddenly stops due to an error of the vacuum pump. Backflow can be prevented.

Accordingly, process defects such as damage to the semiconductor substrate inside the process chamber in which the semiconductor manufacturing process is performed can be prevented.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the vacuum system 100 according to the present embodiment includes a process chamber 110 in which a semiconductor manufacturing process is performed, a supply line 112 for providing a process gas to the process chamber 110, and A first opening / closing valve 116 for opening and closing the supply line 112, a discharge line 114 for discharging the material remaining in the supply line 112, and opening and closing the discharge line 114. A second on / off valve 118, a vacuum pump 120 for adjusting a degree of vacuum in the process chamber 110, and a vacuum line 122 connecting the process chamber 110 and the vacuum pump 120. ), A third open / close valve 124 for opening and closing the vacuum line 122, a current detector 130 for detecting a driving current provided to the vacuum pump 120, the current detector 130, and the And a control unit 140 connected to the on / off valves 116, 118, and 124.

The vacuum system 100 is used in a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus that performs various unit processes such as a deposition process, an etching process, and a diffusion process.

Specifically, the process chamber 110 provides a space for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process. The supply line 112 for supplying a process gas to the process chamber 110 is connected to the process chamber 110.

The discharge line 114 is connected to the supply line 112 and the vacuum pump 120. Here, the discharge line 114 remains in the supply line 112 in the process chamber 110 by the pumping operation of the vacuum pump 120 or after the semiconductor manufacturing process is in progress. To discharge the process gas.

The first opening / closing valve 116 and the second opening / closing valve 118 are respectively installed in the supply line 112 and the discharge line 114. The first open / close valve 116 opens and closes the supply line 112, and the second open / close valve 118 opens and closes the discharge line 114.

Specifically, when the semiconductor manufacturing process performed in the process chamber 110 is terminated to discharge the process gas remaining in the supply line 112, the first opening / closing valve 116 is closed and the second The open / close valve 118 is open. At this time, the process gas remaining in the supply line 112 is discharged by the operation of the vacuum pump 120.

Here, the first on-off valve 116, the second on-off valve 118 and the vacuum pump 120 are connected to the control unit 140. Accordingly, the organic operating relationship between the first open / close valve 116, the second open / close valve 118, and the vacuum pump 120 is automatically adjusted by the controller 140.

The vacuum pump 120 is installed on the vacuum line 122 connected to the process chamber 110 in which the semiconductor manufacturing process is performed. Although not shown, the vacuum pump 120 may be composed of a low vacuum pump and a high vacuum pump. The vacuum pump 120 pumps the inside of the process chamber 110 to adjust the degree of vacuum inside the process chamber 110 so that the semiconductor manufacturing process may be performed in the process chamber 110.

The degree of vacuum inside the process chamber 110 changes slightly when the process gases for forming a film on a semiconductor substrate are supplied. Accordingly, the vacuum pump 120 pumps the inside of the process chamber 110 to maintain the vacuum degree inside the process chamber 110 at a vacuum degree capable of performing a semiconductor manufacturing process.

The third on-off valve 124 provided in the vacuum line 122 opens and closes the vacuum line 122. Specifically, the third on-off valve 124 opens and closes the vacuum line 122 to maintain the degree of vacuum in the process chamber 110 by the operation of the vacuum pump 120 to the degree of vacuum required for the semiconductor manufacturing process. Let's do it.

Accordingly, when the degree of vacuum in the process chamber 110 is adjusted to the degree of vacuum required for the semiconductor manufacturing process by the operation of the vacuum pump 120, the third opening / closing valve 124 opens the vacuum line 122. Close it. On the contrary, when it is necessary to adjust the degree of vacuum inside the process chamber 110 to the degree of vacuum required for the semiconductor manufacturing process, the vacuum line is pumped so that the inside of the process chamber 110 is pumped by the operation of the vacuum pump 120. Open 122.

The third open / close valve 124 and the vacuum pump 120 are connected to the control unit 140. Accordingly, the organic operating relationship between the vacuum pump 120 and the third open / close valve 124 is automatically adjusted by the controller 140.

In addition, the controller 140 is connected to the current detector 130 connected to the vacuum pump 120. The current detector 130 detects a driving current (hereinafter, referred to as 'first current') supplied to the vacuum pump 120 to operate the vacuum pump 120. Here, the first current has a predetermined range, and when the current within the range is supplied to the vacuum pump 120, the vacuum pump 120 operates normally without an error.

Here, as the vacuum pump 120 is used for a long time, powder is accumulated in the vacuum pump 120 or a bearing which is a constituent member of the vacuum pump 120 is worn or the vacuum pump 120 is stopped. When an error occurs in the vacuum pump 120 such as an overload occurs in the vacuum pump 120 due to the deterioration of the driven motor, the vacuum pump 120 is supplied to the vacuum pump 120 to operate the vacuum pump 120. The first current is higher than the first current supplied to the vacuum pump 120 when the vacuum pump 120 is in a normal state.

Accordingly, when the first current supplied to the normally operated vacuum pump 120 rises, an error occurs in the vacuum pump 120, and thus the operating vacuum pump 120 is caused by the error. A pump trip can occur that suddenly stops operating. When the pump trip occurs, a back flow phenomenon may occur in the vacuum line 122, and the particles may damage the semiconductor substrate inside the vacuum system 100 and the process chamber 110.

Therefore, as a countermeasure for preventing the pump trip, the vacuum system 100 is configured such that the current detector 130 and the controller 140 interoperate with each other.

Specifically, when the error occurs in the vacuum pump 120, the elevated first current supplied to the vacuum pump 120 to operate the vacuum pump 120 is set to a second current, the second The current is stored in the controller 140. Therefore, the second current has a current value larger than the first current value supplied to the vacuum pump 120 in the normal state of the vacuum pump 120.

In the state where the second current value is stored in the controller 140, the current detector 130 detects the first current value supplied to the vacuum pump 120, and the controller 140 detects the detected current value. A first current value is received from the current detector 130 and compared with the second current value.

In this case, when the first current value exceeds the second current value, since the vacuum pump 120 is in an abnormal state, the controller 140 opens the third on / off valve 124 before the pump trip occurs. Block it. Thus, backflow of material from the vacuum line 122 to the process chamber 110 can be prevented.

Here, the second current value may be set differently according to the process step performed in the process chamber 110.

In detail, since the degree of vacuum in the process chamber 110 may be different for each unit process such as a deposition process, an etching process, and a diffusion process in the process chamber 110, the vacuum pump 120 may be applied to each unit process. The first current value provided to the vacuum pump 120 may be different for each unit process so as to perform the operation.

Accordingly, when an error occurs in the vacuum pump 120, the first current value supplied to the vacuum pump 120 for performing each unit process may be different for each unit process.

Therefore, even when an error occurs in the vacuum pump 120, the first current value supplied to the vacuum pump 120 may be different for each unit process, so that the second current stored in the controller 140 may be different. Values may also vary for each unit process.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a monitoring method of a vacuum system of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus having the above configuration.

Referring to FIG. 3, the vacuum pump 120 pumps the inside of the process chamber 110 to adjust the degree of vacuum inside the process chamber 110 so that the semiconductor manufacturing process may be performed in the process chamber 110. (Step S100).

Specifically, when the semiconductor substrate on which the semiconductor manufacturing process is to be loaded is loaded into a chuck (not shown) provided in the process chamber 110, the vacuum pump 120 starts to pump the inside of the process chamber 110. . The vacuum pump 120 may be composed of a high vacuum pump and a low vacuum pump, the interior of the process chamber 110 by the operation of the low vacuum pump is primarily formed of low vacuum, after the high vacuum pump High vacuum is formed by the operation. In this case, the degree of opening and closing of the vacuum line 122 is controlled by the third opening / closing valve 124 to control the degree of vacuum inside the process chamber 110.

A heater provided in the chuck heats the substrate to a reaction temperature, and a film quality is formed on the substrate by a chemical reaction of a process gas supplied into the process chamber 110.

The current detector detects the first current value supplied to the vacuum pump to operate the vacuum pump pumping the inside of the process chamber (step S110).

The controller 140 determines that the first current value supplied to the vacuum pump 120 exceeds the second current value stored in the controller 140 to determine whether the vacuum pump 120 has an error. It is determined whether or not (step S120).

Specifically, when an error occurs in the vacuum pump 120 and the vacuum pump 120 operates in an abnormal state, the first current value of the vacuum pump 120 detected by the current detector 130 is When the vacuum pump 120 performs a forward operation in a normal state, the vacuum pump 120 has a current value that is higher than the first current value of the vacuum pump 120 detected by the current detector 130.

Therefore, before an error occurs in the vacuum pump 120 and a pump trip occurs in which the vacuum pump 120 stops operating, the controller 140 may provide the first current value provided from the current detector 130. It is determined whether the second current value is exceeded.

In this case, if the first current value of the vacuum pump 120 exceeds the second current value, a back stream in which the material inside the vacuum line 122 flows back into the process chamber 110 may be removed. In order to prevent the control unit 140 blocks the third on-off valve 124 (step S130).

Subsequently, the control unit 140 stops the pumping operation of the vacuum pump 120 in a state where the third open / close valve 124 is blocked (step S140).

In contrast, if the first current value of the vacuum pump 120 does not exceed the second current value, the operation of the vacuum pump 120 is continuously performed since the vacuum pump 120 is in a normal state. do.

Specifically, the case in which the first current value reaches the second current value will be described in detail. When a time elapses after the first current value of the vacuum pump 120 reaches the second current value, the pump trip As this occurs, it is necessary to be able to eliminate the elements that can cause a process failure before the pump trip occurs.

Accordingly, the controller 140 closes the supply line 112 to prevent the process gas from flowing into the process chamber 110 by blocking the first opening / closing valve 116. In addition, the controller 140 blocks the second on / off valve 118 to prevent the process gas remaining in the supply line 112 from being introduced into the vacuum pump 120.

In addition, the control unit 140 may return a material including the process gas discharged from the inside of the process chamber 110 to the vacuum line 122 by the operation of the vacuum pump 120 to the process chamber 110. The third on-off valve 124 is blocked so as not to flow.

Thus, it is possible to eliminate the elements that can cause a process failure before the pump trip occurs. Thus, when the elements that may cause a process failure are removed, the control unit 140 may stop the operation of the vacuum pump 120 and sound an alarm to notify the worker. In this way, the operator checks the vacuum system 100.

As such, since the operation of the vacuum pump 120 is not stopped in the state in which the elements causing the process failure are removed, the residue including the process gas discharged from the process chamber 110 is stored in the process chamber 110. It is possible to prevent the reverse flow into.

Therefore, when the first current value of the vacuum pump 120 detected by the current detector 130 exceeds the second current value stored in the controller 140, the pump trip occurs before the pump trip occurs. The control unit 140 blocks the on / off valves 116, 118, and 124 and removes elements that may cause a process defect, so that the residue containing the process gas is caused by the pump trip to the process chamber 110. It can prevent the inflow into the inside.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention as described above, the current detection unit detects the first current value supplied to the vacuum pump to operate the vacuum pump. The first current value has a current value in a predetermined range in which the vacuum pump can be operated. Here, when the first current value supplied to the vacuum pump exceeds the current value in the predetermined range, it means that an error occurs in the vacuum pump.

Accordingly, in order to determine whether the vacuum pump has an error, a current value having a maximum magnitude among the current values in the predetermined range is set as a second current value and stored in the controller.

Therefore, when the first current value detected by the current detector exceeds the second current value stored in the controller, a pump trip occurs in which the operation of the vacuum pump is stopped because the vacuum pump is in an abnormal state. Can be.

Thus, when the controller determines that the first current value exceeds the second current value, the controller shuts off the open / close valves before the pump trip occurs. As a result, the pumped material in the process chamber may be prevented from flowing back into the process chamber from the vacuum line.

Accordingly, process defects can be prevented by preventing a backflow phenomenon from the vacuum line to the process chamber.

Although described above with reference to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art various modifications and variations of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below I can understand that you can.

Claims (3)

A vacuum pump for adjusting the vacuum degree of the process chamber; An on / off valve for opening and closing the vacuum line connected to the process chamber and the vacuum pump; A current detector for detecting a drive current for operating the vacuum pump; And And a control unit for blocking the opening / closing valve to prevent backflow in the vacuum line when the detected driving current exceeds a preset range. The vacuum system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined range is set differently according to a process step performed in the process chamber. Operating a vacuum pump to adjust the vacuum level of the process chamber; Detecting a drive current for operating the vacuum pump; And Blocking the vacuum line between the process chamber and the vacuum pump when the detected drive current exceeds a preset range.

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