KR20230059926A - Explosion protection system and method for operating thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an explosion prevention system for ensuring the stability of high-concentration hydrogen use processes and an operating method thereof. The explosion prevention system according to the present invention includes: detection means including a first node, which is a pipe connecting a chamber of semiconductor equipment and a pump, a second node, which is inside the pump, a third node, which is a discharge pipe connecting the pump and a scrubber, and an oxygen sensor, which detects the internal oxygen (O2) concentration of at least one of the fourth nodes inside the scrubber; and control means to stop the driving of the semiconductor equipment when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds a preset value.

Description

Explosion prevention system and its operation method for securing the stability of high-concentration hydrogen use process {EXPLOSION PROTECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THEREOF}

The present invention relates to an explosion prevention system and its operating method for securing the stability of a process using high concentration hydrogen.

As shown in FIG. 1 , high-concentration hydrogen is used in various semiconductor processes, and a chemical vapor deposition W (CVD W) process used for contact plugs and metal wires is a typical example. The CVD W process is a process of depositing tungsten (W) on a wafer by reacting WF6 with H2, SiH4, etc., and the use of H2 reacting with WF6, especially high-concentration hydrogen, is essential to obtain a W film quality.

This high-concentration hydrogen is one of PSM (Process Safety Management) targets, and as the amount of high-concentration hydrogen increases, risk factors at the end of equipment (particularly piping) and pumps tend to increase.

In particular, typical risk cases of a process using high concentration hydrogen include an explosion due to inflow of oxygen (O2) when a pipe under negative pressure leaks, and an explosion due to hydrogen leakage from the H ₂ connection to the N ₂ pipe connection. Accordingly, according to Articles 230 to 232 of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards, the use of high-concentration hydrogen of 1% or more is restricted only when explosion prevention facilities are installed.

As a conventional hydrogen explosion-proof system, NDU (N2 Dilution Unit) is representative. NDU is a method of diluting hydrogen with nitrogen, an inert gas, to maintain a concentration of less than 1%. However, when using high-concentration hydrogen, there is a limit to dilution of hydrogen using NDU. As the amount of high-concentration hydrogen increases, the amount of nitrogen used to dilute it also increases, which exceeds the capacity limit of the scrubber. Aside from this, problems such as the long-term development of explosion-proof products for each pump company, the development period for explosion-proof products, and the burden of purchase costs remain.

In particular, when risk factors for each node (section) were analyzed through P&ID (Piping and Instrumentation Diagram), the node where the inflow of outside air and the outflow of air most frequently occur is the pipe connecting the chamber of semiconductor equipment and the pump. The first node, the second node inside the pump, the third node, the discharge pipe connecting the pump and the scrubber, and the fourth node inside the scrubber were identified. appeared highest.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for an explosion prevention system that can prevent explosions due to inflow and outflow of outside air, and in particular, as the amount of high-concentration hydrogen increases, the need for an explosion prevention system that can improve the existing NDU method is reconsidered. .

On the other hand, as a conventional technology capable of preventing hydrogen leakage, there is Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0905106, which realizes explosion prevention by detecting hydrogen gas.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to prevent an explosion due to inflow of outside air (oxygen) or leakage of hydrogen in a semiconductor process using high concentration hydrogen.

Explosion prevention system according to the present invention for the purpose of solving the above problems, a first node that is a pipe connecting a chamber and a pump of the semiconductor equipment, a second node inside the pump, and connecting the pump and a scrubber A detection means including an oxygen sensor for detecting an internal oxygen (O2) concentration of at least one of a third node, which is a discharge pipe, and a fourth node, which is inside the scrubber, and when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds a preset value, the semiconductor It may include a control means for stopping the operation of the equipment.

In addition, the oxygen sensor may be configured to detect at least one oxygen concentration including the third node.

In addition, the control means may be configured to stop driving the semiconductor device when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds 1.1% in terms of mole ratio.

In addition, the detecting means further includes a pressure sensor for detecting an internal pressure of at least one of the second node, the third node, and the fourth node, and the control means detects that the detected internal pressure exceeds a preset value. In this case, it is characterized in that it can be configured to stop the driving of the semiconductor equipment.

In addition, the pressure sensor may be configured to detect the internal pressure of the third node.

In addition, the pressure sensor may be configured to further detect the internal pressure of the fourth node.

In addition, the control means may be configured to stop driving of the semiconductor equipment when the detected internal pressure is equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure (760 Torr).

And the operation method of the explosion prevention system according to the present invention, the first node, which is a pipe connecting the pump and the chamber of the semiconductor equipment from the oxygen sensor, the second node inside the pump, connecting the pump and the scrubber An oxygen detection step of detecting an internal oxygen (O2) concentration of at least one of a third node, which is a discharge pipe, and a fourth node, which is inside the scrubber, and when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds a preset value, a control means of the semiconductor equipment An emergency stop step including a process of stopping driving, and a driving resume step of restarting driving of the semiconductor device after the cause of the increase in oxygen concentration is resolved.

In addition, the detecting step may be configured to detect at least one oxygen concentration including the third node.

In addition, the emergency stop step is characterized in that the control means may be configured to stop the driving of the semiconductor equipment when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds 1.1% in terms of mole ratio.

In addition, a pressure detection step of detecting an internal pressure of at least one of the second node, the third node, and the fourth node from a pressure sensor, wherein the emergency stop step is performed when the detected internal pressure exceeds a preset value. In this case, the control unit may further include a step of stopping driving of the semiconductor device.

In addition, the emergency stop step is characterized in that the control unit may be configured to stop the driving of the semiconductor equipment when the detected internal pressure is equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure (760 Torr).

According to the present invention having the above configuration, steps and characteristics, by detecting the oxygen concentration of each node in the exhaust process through an oxygen sensor, it is possible to prevent an explosion due to the inflow of outside air (oxygen) in a semiconductor process using high concentration hydrogen. can

In addition, by detecting the internal pressure through the pressure sensor, it is possible to prevent an explosion due to inflow of oxygen or leakage of hydrogen.

In addition, in the process of constructing and operating an explosion prevention system, it relieves the burden of development period and development cost, enables universal application, and is particularly compact for specific nodes where leaks occur most frequently. It is possible to detect one, and it is possible to provide an explosion prevention system that improves the existing NDU method.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a CVD W process;
Figure 2 is an embodiment related to the oxygen concentration detection of the present invention.
3 is an embodiment related to pressure detection of the present invention.
4 is an embodiment in which the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 are mixed and applied.
5 is a block diagram illustrating an implementation of an operating method of the present system;
6 is a block diagram showing the implementation of the inspection/calibration step;
7 is a block diagram showing another implementation of the operating method of the present system;

Since the present invention can have various changes and various forms, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to a specific form disclosed, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Terms used in this specification are used only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and terms used in the description of the present invention are features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification. However, it should be understood that it does not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and unless explicitly defined in the present application, they should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning. don't

~First~, ~Second~, etc. described in this specification will only be referred to to distinguish different components from each other, regardless of the manufacturing order, and the names in the detailed description and claims of the invention may not match.

The present invention relates to an explosion prevention system (hereinafter referred to as the present system) and a method for operating the same (hereinafter referred to as the present method) for securing stability in a process using high concentration hydrogen. It includes a control means to emergency stop the equipment.

The main purpose of this system is to prevent an explosion due to inflow of outside air (oxygen) or an explosion due to leakage of hydrogen in a semiconductor process using high-concentration hydrogen.

Hereinafter, each configuration of the present system will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, this system is provided in semiconductor equipment E involving a process of using high concentration hydrogen, and includes a detection means 5 for detecting an explosion factor, and an emergency stop of the equipment when an explosion factor is detected. It includes control means (6). The above explosion factors include cases in which the oxygen concentration inside the facility increases with the inflow of outside air or cases in which high-concentration hydrogen flows out of the facility due to an increase in internal pressure. This system detects the inflow of oxygen and leakage of hydrogen If the danger level is exceeded, shut down the equipment until the cause of the explosion is eliminated.

For each configuration, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the detection means 5 detects the concentration of at least one internal oxygen (O2) of the first to fourth nodes (1) (2) (3) (4). A sensor 51 is included. And the control means (6) is configured to stop driving the semiconductor device (E) when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds a predetermined value. In the above, stopping the operation of the semiconductor device E may include stopping the process and cutting off the gas being supplied.

If a gap occurs in each node due to damage or other reasons, outside air flows in through the gap, increasing the oxygen concentration in the pump (P), pipe, and scrubber (Sc). Since an explosion may occur when exposed to an ignition source, it is necessary to manage the oxygen concentration in the facility below the standard value. The oxygen sensor 51 described above is provided to detect an increase in oxygen concentration due to the inflow of outside air.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the first node 1 may be set as a pipe connecting the chamber C of the semiconductor device E and the pump P, and the second node 2 is inside the pump P. , the third node 3 may be set as a discharge pipe connecting the pump P and the scrubber Sc, and the fourth node 4 may be set inside the scrubber Sc. can The setting of these nodes takes into account the areas with the highest risk factors identified through P&ID. In the above, the oxygen sensor 51 may be physically provided directly or indirectly connected to each node.

The oxygen sensor 51 detects the internal oxygen concentration of at least one of the first to fourth nodes (1) (2) (3) (4). etc.) is preferably provided in an explosion-proof type capable of withstanding internal pressure explosion in order to prevent explosion. The detection unit 5 including the oxygen sensor 51 allows the control unit 6 to establish an interlock with the semiconductor equipment E. In the above, the interlock between the detection means 5 by the control means 6 and the semiconductor equipment E collects and analyzes data in real time to detect and monitor faults in the facility in real time. FDC (Fault Detection Classification) ) is preferably constructed as an interlock.

According to one embodiment, the oxygen sensor 51 may be configured to detect at least one oxygen concentration including the third node 3 . That is, the oxygen sensor 51 is necessarily configured to detect the oxygen concentration for the third node 3, and the third node 3 connecting the pump P and the scrubber Sc is This is the most frequently occurring part, because the third node 3 must be detected.

According to one embodiment, the control means 6 of the present system may be configured to stop driving the semiconductor device E when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds 1.1% in terms of mole ratio. Specifically, the minimum oxygen concentration (MOC(H ₂ ), Minimum Oxygen Concentration) required for hydrogen to be ignited can be calculated through Equation 1 below, and the value is about 1.848%.

At this time, the oxygen concentration to ensure sufficient stability is 60% of the MOC, and a concentration of 1.1% is derived. Accordingly, the control means 6 of the present system may be configured to stop driving the semiconductor device E when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds 1.1% in terms of mole ratio.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the detection means 5 is at least one of the second node 2, the third node 3, and the fourth node 4 A pressure sensor 52 for detecting the internal pressure of may be further included. Also, the control unit 6 may be configured to stop driving the semiconductor device E when the detected internal pressure exceeds a predetermined value.

When excessive internal pressure is formed in each node, a gap is formed and high concentration hydrogen (H2) leaks through the gap and comes into contact with oxygen in the outside air. At this time, when exposed to an ignition source, an explosion may occur. need to be managed with The pressure sensor 52 described above is provided to detect outflow of high-concentration hydrogen according to an increase in internal pressure. Or, conversely, even when outside air flows into the facility, the internal pressure can increase, which can be used as a means of detecting the inflow of oxygen by assisting the concentration detection by the oxygen sensor 51.

In particular, the detection of the internal pressure described above can provide an excellent effect as a secondary safety measure when the pump capable of preventing clogging of the pipe is applied in a state in which the pump is primarily preventing the clogging of the pipe by removing the powder. In the above, as a pump capable of preventing clogging of the pipe, there is a ReGIS pump that removes by-products by generating Fluorine Ion in the pump to prevent powder accumulation in the pipe.

The pressure sensor 52 detects the internal pressure of at least one of the second to fourth nodes 2, 3, and 4, and the type or form need not be particularly limited. The detection unit 5 including the pressure sensor 52 allows the control unit 6 to establish an interlock with the semiconductor equipment E. In the above, it is preferable that the interlock between the detection means 5 by the control means 6 and the semiconductor equipment E is built as an FDC interlock as mentioned above.

According to one embodiment, the pressure sensor 52 may be configured to detect the internal pressure of the third node 3 . That is, the pressure sensor 52 is configured to detect at least one internal pressure including the third node 3, the third node 3 connecting the pump P and the scrubber Sc to the external air inlet and This is because the detection of the third node (3) must be performed because the bet leak occurs most frequently.

According to one embodiment, the pressure sensor 52 may be configured to further detect the internal pressure of the fourth node 4 . That is, the pressure sensor 52 is configured to detect at least two internal pressures including the third node 3 and the fourth node 4. This is because it contributes to a significant part of the spill. Therefore, when considering the possibility of hydrogen leakage, the detection of the internal pressure of the third node 3 and the fourth node 4 becomes the most important task.

According to one embodiment, the control means 6 of the present system may be configured to stop driving the semiconductor equipment E when the detected internal pressure is equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure (760 Torr). If the internal pressure is greater than the atmospheric pressure, the bet can flow out, so the internal pressure of each node can be maintained lower than the atmospheric pressure of 760 Torr.

4 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which the detection means 5 includes both an oxygen sensor 51 and a pressure sensor 52, and the two embodiments may be applied individually or together. It can be seen that there may be

Hereinafter, the operating method of the present system will be described. The description of the present system described above can be a feature of the present method, and the description of the present method below will be described on the premise that it can be a feature of the present system.

This method is a method of operating an explosion prevention system provided in semiconductor equipment E accompanied by a process of using high-concentration hydrogen, and may largely include an oxygen detection step, an emergency stop step, and a driving resume step.

The oxygen detection step is a step of detecting the internal oxygen concentration, and the first node 1, which is a pipe connecting the chamber C of the semiconductor device E and the pump P from the oxygen sensor 51, and the pump P ) At least one of the second node (2) inside, the third node (3), which is a discharge pipe connecting the pump (P) and the scrubber (Sc), and the fourth node (4) inside the scrubber (Sc) In this step, the internal oxygen (O2) concentration is detected.

As dealt with in the description of the present system above, the detecting step may be configured to detect the oxygen concentration of at least one including the third node (3). This is because the third node 3 connecting the pump P and the scrubber Sc is the part where the inflow of outside air and the outflow of indoor air occur most frequently.

In addition, as described in the description of the present system, the emergency stop step is configured so that the control means 6 stops driving the semiconductor equipment E when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds 1.1% in terms of mole ratio. It can be. This is to manage the internal oxygen concentration to the minimum concentration required to ignite the flammable material.

Meanwhile, the method may further include a pressure detection step of detecting an internal pressure of at least one of the second node 2, the third node 3, and the fourth node 4 from the pressure sensor 52. there is. Accordingly, the emergency stop step may further include a process in which the control unit 6 stops driving the semiconductor device E when the detected internal pressure exceeds a predetermined value. Considering that clogging by powder is the main cause of increasing the internal pressure in detecting the internal pressure, the increase in pressure at the first node 1 occurs relatively infrequently, so the facility efficiency aspects such as cost It is preferable to perform pressure detection on the second to fourth nodes (2) (3) (4) except for the first node (1), it is not necessarily limited to this, and in some cases, the first node ( Pressure detection for 1) can also be performed together.

As described in the description of the present system, the emergency stop step may be configured so that the control means 6 stops driving the semiconductor equipment E when the detected internal pressure is equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure (760 Torr). This is to ensure that the internal pressure of each node can be maintained lower than the atmospheric pressure of 760 Torr, since bets can leak out if the internal pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure.

Next, the emergency stop step is a step of stopping the operation of the semiconductor device E when the risk factor is greater than the reference value, and when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds a preset value, the control means 6 controls the operation of the semiconductor device E. Including the process of stopping driving.

Next, the driving resume step is a step in which driving of the semiconductor device E is resumed after the cause of the increase in oxygen concentration is resolved.

Referring to FIG. 5, the operation method of the present method described above is described in detail. When the exhaust operation procedure of the chamber (C) is performed, the cooling (Temp down) and purge operation are performed, and the chamber (C) Of automatic venting (Vent) is performed. Thereafter, the above-described oxygen detection step and the above-described pressure detection step are performed to prevent explosion due to oxygen remaining after operation. Thereafter, the operation of the pump (P) is stopped, stabilization is performed for a predetermined time (eg, 1 hour), and the necessary work is performed, and then the pump (P) is operated. Thereafter, the above-described oxygen detection step and the above-described pressure detection step are performed again to prevent explosion due to oxygen introduced after the operation. After that, the work is completed through stabilization and re-leakage confirmation. That is, the present method can be concluded that the oxygen detecting step and the pressure detecting step are performed immediately before the operation of the pump P is stopped and immediately after the operation of the pump P is started.

Meanwhile, the present method according to an embodiment may further include an inspection/calibration step of detecting the internal oxygen concentration and internal pressure of the third node 3 when the pump P is installed or replaced. In the operation of this system, the oxygen sensor 51 and the pressure sensor 52 are components that must not malfunction because they play the most essential role in leak detection. Accordingly, this method prevents the risk of explosion due to the installation of the pump (P) by detecting the oxygen concentration and internal pressure of the input side of the pump (P) and the scrubber (Sc) at the time of installation and replacement of the pump (P). . More specifically, it is preferable that the inspection/calibration step be performed before pipe installation.

Referring to FIG. 6, in the calibration/calibration step, the oxygen measurement mode may include a measurement mode (CAL MODE), an alarm mode (ALARM MODE), and a setting mode (OPTION MODE), and conversion of each mode requires operation of a switch. The order can be made in the order of measurement mode-alarm mode-setting mode or setting mode-alarm mode-measurement mode, and the progress of each mode can be cycled. In addition, a reset function may be provided to perform calibration/calibration including a process of reinitializing the oxygen measurement mode.

On the other hand, this method according to an embodiment can provide management reflecting an inspection sequence between driving and stopping the pump P, which can apply this method even in a situation where operation is started after maintenance or regular maintenance. that it can

The specific procedure may refer to FIG. 7, which is the same as the installation and replacement of the pump (P) described above, and further includes upper work, piping work, AGV replacement, P & S and SMC checks according to maintenance or regular maintenance. can be configured. In particular, it is desirable that the above inspection/calibration step be included in the work procedure and operated as a core process in facility operation.

In addition, in the application of the above method, it can be used for measures in case the facility is out of the safe operating range, preventive measures for hazardous substance leakage, and measures for emergencies, so the application range is very diverse. .

In conclusion, this method enables to secure stability for operation and maintenance of semiconductor equipment (E) using high concentration hydrogen, secures safety in advance through the PSM procedure before setup of equipment, and enables various processes It has excellent scalability that can be used universally for

The present invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings is capable of various modifications and changes by those skilled in the art, and such modifications and changes not limited by the claims should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

E: semiconductor equipment C: chamber
P: Pump Sc: Scrubber
1: first node 2: second node
3: 3rd node 4: 4th node
5: detection means
51: oxygen sensor 52: pressure sensor
6: control means

Claims (14)

In the explosion prevention system provided in semiconductor equipment involving a process of using high concentration hydrogen,
At least one of a first node that is a pipe connecting the chamber of the semiconductor device and a pump, a second node that is inside the pump, a third node that is a discharge pipe that connects the pump and a scrubber, and a fourth node that is inside the scrubber. Detecting means including an oxygen sensor for detecting an internal oxygen (O2) concentration of the; and
a control means for stopping driving of the semiconductor device when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds a predetermined value;
Explosion protection system comprising a.
The method of claim 1,
The explosion prevention system, characterized in that the oxygen sensor is configured to detect at least one oxygen concentration including the third node.
The method of claim 1,
The explosion prevention system, characterized in that the control means stops the operation of the semiconductor equipment when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds 1.1% in terms of mole ratio.
The method of claim 1,
The detecting means further comprises a pressure sensor for detecting an internal pressure of at least one of the second node, the third node, and the fourth node,
The control means is an explosion prevention system, characterized in that for stopping the driving of the semiconductor equipment when the detected internal pressure exceeds a predetermined value.
The method of claim 4,
The explosion prevention system, characterized in that the pressure sensor is configured to detect the internal pressure of the third node.
The method of claim 5,
The explosion prevention system, characterized in that the pressure sensor is configured to further detect the internal pressure of the fourth node.
According to any one of claims 4 to 6,
Explosion prevention system, characterized in that the control means stops the driving of the semiconductor equipment when the detected internal pressure is above atmospheric pressure (760 Torr).
In the operating method of an explosion prevention system provided in semiconductor equipment involving a process of using high concentration hydrogen,
The first node, which is a pipe connecting the pump and the chamber of the semiconductor equipment from the oxygen sensor, the second node, which is inside the pump, the third node, which is a discharge pipe connecting the pump and the scrubber, and the fourth node, which is inside the scrubber an oxygen detection step in which at least one internal oxygen (O2) concentration is detected;
an emergency stop step including a step of stopping the operation of the semiconductor device by a control unit when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds a preset value; and
a driving resume step of resuming driving of the semiconductor device after the cause of the increase in oxygen concentration is resolved;
Explosion protection system operating method comprising a.
The method of claim 8,
The method of operating an explosion prevention system, characterized in that the detecting step is configured to detect at least one oxygen concentration including the third node.
The method of claim 8,
The emergency stop step is an operation method of an explosion prevention system, characterized in that the control means is configured to stop the driving of the semiconductor equipment when the detected oxygen concentration exceeds 1.1% in terms of mole ratio.
The method of claim 8,
Further comprising a pressure detection step of detecting an internal pressure of at least one of the second node, the third node, and the fourth node from a pressure sensor,
The emergency stop step is a method of operating an explosion prevention system, characterized in that it further comprises a step of stopping the driving of the semiconductor equipment by the control means when the detected internal pressure exceeds a preset value.
The method of claim 11,
The emergency stop step is an operation method of an explosion prevention system, characterized in that the control means is configured to stop the driving of the semiconductor equipment when the detected internal pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure (760 Torr).
The method of claim 11,
The operation method of the explosion prevention system, characterized in that the oxygen detecting step and the pressure detecting step are performed immediately before the operation of the pump is stopped and immediately after the operation of the pump is started.
The method of claim 11,
Explosion prevention system operation method further comprising a calibration / calibration step of detecting the internal oxygen concentration and internal pressure of the third node when installing and replacing the pump.

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