KR20070081492A - Method and apparatus for monitoring quality bad state of semiconductor exposure device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A monitoring apparatus for checking quality failure of semiconductor exposure equipment and a method thereof are provided to prevent the generation of quality failure accidents by checking detailed information on a quality failure state using a user interface server or an operator interface server. A monitoring apparatus includes an operator interface server, a data collection server, an equipment management server and an apparatus interface controller. The operator interface server(10) is used for monitoring a quality state of each semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The data collection server(16) is used for collecting the data generated from each equipment under a manufacturing process. The equipment management server(14) is used for supplying process condition data to the operator interface server and controlling the generation of interlock by receiving interlock generation data from the data collection server. The apparatus interface controller(18) interfaces data between the data collection server and each equipment for communicating each other.

Description

Monitoring device and method for checking quality defect of semiconductor exposure equipment {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING QUALITY BAD STATE OF SEMICONDUCTOR EXPOSURE DEVICE THEREOF}

1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a trend of measuring a quality state after a conventional exposure process.

2 is a system configuration diagram for managing a semiconductor manufacturing facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is an exemplary view of a trend measuring the quality state after the exposure process of the nickname

              Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: operator interface server 12: user interface server

14: facility management server 16: data collection server

18: device interface controller 20: semiconductor manufacturing equipment

22: Device Server 24: Database

The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus and method for checking the quality defect status of semiconductor exposure equipment, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for checking the quality defect status of a semiconductor wafer after the exposure process by the stepper equipment.

In general, a wafer for manufacturing a semiconductor device is repeatedly subjected to processes such as cleaning, diffusion, photoresist coating, exposure, development, etching, and ion implantation, and equipment for performing the corresponding process is used for each of these processes.

Among these facilities, the stepper exposes the photoresist coated on the wafer with the light scanned from the light source to form a desired pattern on the wafer through subsequent development and etching processes.

The photoresist-coated wafer is loaded on a carrier in predetermined quantity units, and the carrier is loaded onto a table inside the stepper. In general, the wafer is exposed in a single unit in the stepper, so when the exposure starts, the fetch arm enters the carrier to pick up the wafers one by one. In this state, the table is down by one pitch. As down, the wafer is taken out of the carrier. When the wafer is pulled out of the carrier, the shock slider is moved to receive the wafer of the fetch arm, and the wafer is loaded on the transverse slider to the point for exposure. The stepper used to form a predetermined pattern on the wafer forms the pattern by performing alignment and exposure on the wafer for each unit chip.

An exposure apparatus for processing such a process is arranged to process each unit process, and during each unit process, approximately 20 to 25 wafers are processed in one unit lot, and the process is selected as an optimal process condition. . Parameters generated when the unit process of each step is in progress are communicated online, and are stored in the base of the facility and host computer where the unit process of each step is performed. In the process of the conventional semiconductor equipment, the process proceeds to each step, and then the interlock is applied to the corresponding equipment for each step if it is determined that the product is defective in the measurement process. To do that.

Normally, when an interlock is applied to the facility, an alarm signal is generated on the alarm device attached to the facility, and the operator acknowledges the alarm and informs the engineer that the interlock has been applied to the facility. The engineer, who has received an interlock condition, takes a series of measures to solve the problem and informs the operator. Then, the operator releases the interlock and reenters the process.

However, as semiconductor processes become more sophisticated and more integrated, DCOP (Data Collection of Parameter), Statistical Process Control (Interlock) standards become more tight and complex, and double interlocks that force interlocking. I appear up to).

1 is a diagram illustrating a trend of measuring a quality state after a conventional exposure process.

Conventional exposure equipment is operated in the operator interface server after the exposure process.

After selecting a monitor and selecting a report chart, as shown in FIG. 1, the quality status of each exposure unit is displayed.

By the way, the conventional exposure equipment was able to confirm pure data only by using CD, OVERLAY, and DCOP data when checking the quality state after the exposure process, but it was difficult to solve the quality defect problem because it could not grasp the cause of the quality defect.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to monitor the quality defects that can prevent the occurrence of quality defects by accurately identifying the cause of the quality defects after the exposure in the exposure equipment for semiconductor manufacturing to solve the above problems and its In providing a method.

Monitoring method for checking the quality defect of the semiconductor exposure equipment of the present invention for achieving the above object, the step of storing the quality failure occurrence information for each equipment during the exposure process, and the process for each equipment when the exposure process is completed Displaying progress data on an operator interface server, displaying an item having a quality defect when placing an icon on the display data among the displayed process data, and one of the items having a quality defect When it is selected, characterized in that the step consisting of displaying the detailed information of the poor quality of the selected item.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

 2 is a system configuration diagram for managing a semiconductor manufacturing facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Many semiconductor manufacturing facilities 20 inject a wafer to perform a semiconductor exposure process. The operator interface server 10 inputs process conditions for performing the exposure process to start the exposure process, and instructs the process to proceed by releasing the interlock when an interlock of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 20 occurs. The user interface server 12 allows the engineer to query the status of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 20 from a remote location or to be notified of an interlock occurrence and to monitor the quality status of each semiconductor manufacturing equipment after the exposure process is completed. The data collection server 16 is connected to a bus, receives a command for starting an exposure process from the operator interface server 10, transfers the data to the semiconductor manufacturing facility 20, and is generated during the manufacturing process from the semiconductor manufacturing facility 20. It collects data in real time and checks for the occurrence of interlock, and transmits the state of interlock generation to the facility management server 14 when an interlock occurs. The facility management server 14 provides the process condition data for the process to the operator interface server 10 or the user interface server 12, receives the interlock generation data, controls the interlock to be generated, and after the exposure process is completed. When the quality status confirmation command is received from the operator interface server 10 or the user interface server 12, the quality status information of the exposure process is transmitted to the operator interface server 10 or the user interface server 12. The device interface controller 18 interfaces data so that communication between the data collection server 16 and the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 20 is performed.

The facility management server 14 stores process condition data (SPC: Statistic process control) for performing an exposure process, a database 24 for storing various parameter values subjected to an exposure process, and an interlock process. The interlock module 26 includes a program and receives an interlock message from the data collection server 16 to shut down the corresponding equipment in which the interlock is generated, and at the same time, to approve the interlock generation message to the device server 22. The interlock generation data is received from the data collection server 16 and the interlock is controlled to be applied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and the operator interface server 10 or the user receives various parameter values subjected to the exposure process stored in the database 24. It consists of the device server 22 which transmits to the interface server 12. As shown in FIG.

Figure 3 is an exemplary view of measuring the quality after the exposure process progress of the present invention.

First, when the operator interface server 10 starts by inputting various parameters required for the process, the operator interface server 10 is applied to the data collection server 14 through the bus. The parameters input through the bus are interfaced by the data acquisition server 16 through the device interface controller 18 and applied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 20 to proceed with the process. At this time, the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 20 uses the device interface controller 18.

By sending the parameter data according to the process progress generated during the process to the data collection server 16 to collect the parameter data. Then, the data collection server 16 receives the parameters according to the process progress and checks whether they are out of the optimal process condition parameter SPC. As shown in FIG. 3, the controller checks whether the SPC OUT is out of the upper specification limit (USL) or the lower specification limit (LSL). At this time, when the SPC OUT, the data collection server 16 transmits an interlock message to the interlock module 26 of the facility management server 14. Then, the interlock module 26 generates an interlock, transmits an interlock generation message to the device server 22, and interlocks the corresponding semiconductor manufacturing equipment. At this time, the device server 22 stores the SPEC OUT message and the process progress state data of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment in which the interlock has occurred in the database 24. Then, the semiconductor manufacturing equipment that has an interlock is operated by the engineer to operate the operator interface server 10 to be put back into the process when the problem of receiving a series of measures by the engineer is solved.

After the etching process is completed, the engineer clicks MASS PROCESS through the operator interface server 10 or the user interface server 12. When the monitor is selected in the screen of FIG. 3, the process progress state data is displayed as shown in FIG. Mark on. 3 is a view showing the quality state according to the process progress of each unit by the date of the etching process, the quality state displayed in the upper specification limit (USL) or lower specification limit (LSL) range of the control limit deviation line shown in FIG. When the icon is placed on the information, item information in which quality defects occur is displayed, and when one of the item information in which quality defects occur is selected and clicked, detailed information on the item of poor quality can be checked. If it is within the upper specification limit (USL) or lower specification limit (LSL) range, which is the control limit deviation line shown in FIG. 3, no quality defect occurs, and the quality item information is not displayed even if the icon is placed on the quality information. . However, the quality defect item information is displayed as shown in FIG. 3 when the boundary line of the upper specification limit (USL) or lower specification limit (LSL) range, which is a management limit deviation line shown in FIG. 3, is displayed.

1. Is there any change in equipment & process?

2. With or without SPC INTERLOCK?

3. LOT FLOW presence or absence?

4. TRACK IN PREVENT?

5. ECN, EIN?

6. Previous YIELD DROP?

7. Do you have an aerodrome after a long period of time?

If a desired item is selected and clicked among the items displayed as described above, detailed information on the quality defect is displayed.

△, □, +, etc. shown in FIG. 3 indicate each unit of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

As described above, the present invention checks the quality defect status information through the user interface server or the operator interface server after the exposure process in the exposure equipment for semiconductor manufacturing to identify the cause of the quality defect, thereby preventing the quality defect in advance. There is an advantage to that.

Claims (3)

A large number of equipments for injecting wafers and performing semiconductor exposure processes; A process condition for performing an exposure process is input to start an exposure process, and when an interlock of the plurality of equipment is generated, the interlock is released to instruct the process to continue, and the state of the plurality of equipment is inquired or interlocked. An operator interface server to notify the occurrence and to monitor the quality status of each semiconductor manufacturing facility after the exposure process is completed, Receives a command to start the exposure process from the operator interface server and delivers to the plurality of facilities and collects the data generated during the manufacturing process from the plurality of facilities in real time to check the presence of interlock occurrence facility management server A data collection server for transmitting an interlock occurrence state to Providing the process condition data for the process to the operator interface server, receiving the interlock generation data, controlling the interlock to occur, and the quality of the exposure process when a quality status check command is received from the operator interface server after the exposure process is completed. A facility management server for transmitting status information to the operator interface server; And a device interface controller for interfacing data to communicate between the data collection server and the plurality of facilities. In the quality defect confirmation method of semiconductor exposure equipment, Storing the quality defect occurrence information for each facility during the exposure process; Displaying process progress data for each facility on an operator interface server when the exposure process is completed; Displaying an item having a poor quality when placing an icon on the display data among the displayed process data; And displaying detailed information on the quality defects of the selected items when selecting one of the items in which the quality defects have occurred. The method of claim 2, wherein the bad item information is Equipment & Process Change, No, SPC INTERLOCK, No, LOT FLOW, No, TRACK IN PREVENT, No, ECN, EIN, No, Previous YIELD DROP, No, Monitoring method for checking the quality defect of semiconductor exposure equipment, characterized by the presence or absence of aerobic information.

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