Cabinet for solid material container

Abstract

A cabinet for a solid material container comprises a main body having a top wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall; an entry/exit portion which is attached to a portion of the main body, for putting in and taking out the solid material container; an exhaust duct attached to a portion of the main body; a heating portion for heating the solid material container; a temperature measuring portion for measuring a temperature of the solid material container, or of the heating portion; and a cooling blower for blowing cooling air toward the solid material container.

Claims

1. A cabinet for a solid material container containing a solid material, the cabinet comprising: a main body having a top wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall; an entry/exit door, which is attached to a portion of the main body of the cabinet, configured to permit putting in and taking out the solid material container to and from the main body of the cabinet; an exhaust duct attached to a portion of the main body of the cabinet; a detachable electric heater jacket configured to heat the solid material container; a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the solid material container, or of the detachable electric heater jacket; a cooling blower configured to blow cooling air toward the solid material container; an operation input portion of an electronic controller configured to input transmit prescribed operational values, and configured to set a first cooling mode that cools the solid material container after removing the detachable electric heater jacket, and a second cooling mode that cools the solid material container without removing the detachable electric heater jacket.

2. The cabinet for a solid material container according to claim 1, wherein, in the cooling blower, an opening surface area of an intake portion and an opening surface area of a blowing portion are the same or substantially the same.

3. The cabinet for a solid material container according to claim 1, wherein, in the cooling blower, an opening surface area of a blowing portion is smaller than an opening surface area of an intake portion.

4. The cabinet for a solid material container according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a hood distal end of a blowing portion of the cooling blower and the solid material container, or the detachable electric heater jacket covering the solid material container, is at most equal to 10 cm.

5. The cabinet for a solid material container according to claim 1, further comprising a touch panel for displaying a temperature measured by the temperature sensor and/or a temperature set in the detachable electric heater jacket.

6. The cabinet for a solid material container according to claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is configured to control the detachable electric heater jacket in such a way that an inside of the solid material container reaches a prescribed temperature.

7. The cabinet for a solid material container according to claim 1, further comprising: an inlet valve and an outlet valve of the solid material container; a carrier gas introduction pipe; a sublimed gas delivery pipe configured to feed a sublimed gas obtained by vaporization of the solid material from the solid material container and a carrier gas to a reaction chamber; a control valve disposed in the sublimed gas delivery pipe; a control valve disposed in the carrier gas introduction pipe; and the electronic controller configured to control to close the control valve disposed in the sublimed gas delivery pipe and/or the outlet valve of the solid material container, and/or to close the control valve disposed in the carrier gas introduction pipe and/or the inlet valve of the solid material container by sending instructions thereto, and stop feeding the sublimed gas and/or the carrier gas to the reaction chamber when a weight of the solid material container or a residual quantity of the solid material in the solid material container becomes equal to or less than a threshold.

8. The cabinet for a solid material container according to claim 1, further comprising an inlet valve and an outlet valve of the solid material container; a carrier gas introduction pipe; a sublimed gas delivery pipe configured to feed a sublimed gas obtained by vaporization of the solid material from the solid material container and a carrier gas to a reaction chamber; a control valve disposed in the sublimed gas delivery pipe; a control valve disposed in the carrier gas introduction pipe; and the electronic controller configured to drive the cooling blower after stopping feeding the sublimed gas and the carrier gas to the reaction chamber, and configured to stop the cooling blower when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor has become equal to or less than a threshold.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a further understanding of the nature and objects for the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are given the same or analogous reference numbers and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1A is a functional block diagram of a semiconductor manufacturing device and a cabinet in Embodiment 1.

(3) FIG. 1B is a functional block diagram of a semiconductor manufacturing device and a cabinet in another embodiment.

(4) FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of the cabinet in Embodiment 1.

(5) FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of the cabinet in another embodiment.

(6) FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of the cabinet in another embodiment.

(7) FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of the cabinet in another embodiment.

(8) FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating cooling time transitions in an exemplary embodiment and in a comparative example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment 1

(9) FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a semiconductor manufacturing device 1 and a cabinet 2 in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 1A, a sublimed gas is fed to the semiconductor manufacturing device 1 together with a carrier gas from a solid material container installed inside the cabinet 2. The configuration of the cabinet 2 is discussed hereinafter.

(10) FIG. 1B illustrates an example of the semiconductor manufacturing device 1 and two cabinets 2 in another embodiment. In order to enable a continuous supply of sublimed gas, a plurality of cabinets (here, two) may be installed in parallel, preparations (start of solid material container heating) may be made to enable supply of the sublimed gas (entrained gas) from a second cabinet before the sublimed gas (entrained gas) from a first cabinet is stopped, and switching control such as opening a pipeline valve may be performed in such a way that the supply of the sublimed gas (entrained gas) from the second cabinet starts when the supply of the sublimed gas (entrained gas) from the first cabinet stops (valve is closed) (or immediately before stopping). This switching control may be performed by a single cabinet control portion, may be performed by cabinet control portions provided in each cabinet, or may be performed by the process control device.

(11) Cabinet

(12) FIG. 2A illustrates the configuration of the cabinet 2. The cabinet 2 is provided with a main body having a top wall 21, a side wall 23, and a bottom wall 22.

(13) A door 231 serving as an entry/exit portion is provided in one surface of the side wall 23, and a solid material container 5 is put into and taken out through the door 231.

(14) An exhaust duct 25 is installed in the top wall 21. The exhaust duct 25 has the function of ventilating the inside of the cabinet 2, and may, for example, include a duct ventilation blower (electric blower for intake and exhaust), a pipe, and a backflow preventing shutter or the like.

(15) The solid material container 5 is accommodated inside the cabinet 2. A detachable electric heater jacket, which is not shown in the drawing, is attached to the solid material container 5 and is heated.

(16) Further, a temperature sensor, which is not shown in the drawing, is attached to the detachable electric heater jacket. The temperature sensor measures an amount of heat applied to the solid material container 5, as a temperature, and feeds the measured temperature to a cabinet control portion, which is not shown in the drawing.

(17) A cooling blower 3 is attached to the door 231. The cooling blower 3 is configured to draw in outside air or cold air from an intake portion 31, and to blow the outside air or the cold air from a blowing portion hood 32 toward a side surface of the solid material container 5.

(18) A shortest distance (d1) from a distal end of the blowing portion hood 32 to the side surface of the solid material container 5 is preferably 1 cm to 10 cm. If the detachable electric heater jacket is attached, the shortest distance (d1) from the distal end of the blowing portion hood 32 to the side surface of the detachable electric heater jacket is preferably 1 cm to 10 cm.

(19) In Embodiment 1, the opening surface area of the intake portion 31 and the opening surface area of the blowing portion hood 32 are the same.

(20) The cooling blower 3 preferably has a flow rate per unit time that is at least 1.5 times, at least 2 times, or at least 3 times as high as that of the duct ventilation blower of the exhaust duct 25.

(21) The structure of the impeller of the cooling blower 3 may, for example, be any of a sirocco, turbo, turbofan, plate, or plate fan structure.

(22) The maximum static pressure is preferably at least equal to 0.5 kPa, more preferably at least equal to 1 kPa, and still more preferably at least equal to 10 kPa, for example.

(23) The maximum flow rate is preferably at least equal to 100 m.sup.3/min, and more preferably at least equal to 150 m.sup.3/min, for example.

(24) The cooling air is atmospheric air, and the temperature thereof is atmospheric temperature, for example.

(25) The cooling air is not limited to atmospheric air, and may, for example, be cold air (10° C. or lower), or dry air. The cold air may be produced using a spot cooler or an air conditioner, for example.

(26) Further, a plurality of types of airflow may be used in stages as the cooling air. For example, outside air from outside the cabinet may be used first, and then cold air used when the temperature has dropped to a prescribed temperature, or vice versa.

(27) The intake portion 31 may include a first intake port for intake of air from the atmosphere, and a second intake port for intake of cold air from a cold air source. Opening valves are installed in each of the first and second intake ports, and the opening valves are configured to be opened and closed by the cabinet control portion.

(28) A touch panel 24 for inputting prescribed operational values (for example, cooling air start/stop, carrier gas introduction start/stop, entrained gas supply start/stop and the like) is installed in the door 231 of the cabinet 2. The touch panel 24 also has the function of displaying various types of data (for example, set temperature, measured temperature, carrier gas flow rate/pressure, entrained gas flow rate/pressure, whether each valve is open or closed, solid material container weight or theoretical residual quantity of solid material, operating state of semiconductor manufacturing device 1, and the like).

(29) The cabinet 2 includes a cabinet control portion (which is not shown in the drawing) for executing various types of control.

(30) The cabinet control portion controls the temperature of the detachable electric heater jacket in such a way that the inside of the solid material container 5 reaches a prescribed temperature (for example, a temperature range in which the solid material vaporises), in accordance with an instruction from the process control device, which controls each semiconductor manufacturing device, or in accordance with a sublimed gas supply start input instruction.

(31) The cabinet control portion receives the measured temperature from the temperature sensor in real-time or with a prescribed timing, and if a prescribed temperature range is reached, controls opening and closing of an inlet valve of the solid material container 5 and/or a control valve disposed in a carrier gas introduction pipe (which is not shown in the drawing) which introduces the carrier gas from a carrier gas source into the solid material container 5, by sending instructions to the valves, in such a way that the carrier gas is introduced into the solid material container 5.

(32) Further, the cabinet control portion receives the measured temperature from the temperature sensor in real-time or with a prescribed timing, and if a prescribed temperature range is reached, controls opening and closing of an outlet valve of the solid material container and/or a control valve disposed in a sublimed gas delivery pipe (which is not shown in the drawing) which feeds an entrained gas of the sublimed gas obtained by vaporisation of the solid material, and the carrier gas, from the solid material container 5 to the semiconductor manufacturing device 1 side, by sending instructions to the valves, in such a way that the sublimed gas and the carrier gas are entrained with one another and are supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing device 1.

(33) Further, as another embodiment, a pressure gauge (which is not shown in the drawing) for measuring the internal pressure (or the entrained gas pressure) in the solid material container 5 may be set in the solid material container, and the cabinet control portion may be configured to receive the measured pressure from the pressure gauge in real-time or with a prescribed timing, and if a prescribed pressure range is reached, to supply the sublimed gas, obtained by vaporisation of the solid material, and the carrier gas to the semiconductor manufacturing device 1.

(34) In Embodiment 1, the sublimed gas delivery pipe is provided with a flow rate regulating portion and/or a pressure regulating portion for flow rate regulation and/or pressure regulation of the entrained gas. The cabinet control portion controls the entrained gas flow rate regulating portion and/or pressure regulating portion in accordance with a demand from the semiconductor manufacturing device 1.

(35) Further, the carrier gas introduction pipe is provided with a carrier gas flow rate regulating portion and/or pressure regulating portion for flow rate regulation and/or pressure regulation of the carrier gas. The cabinet control portion controls the carrier gas flow rate regulating portion and/or pressure regulating portion in accordance with a demand from the semiconductor manufacturing device 1.

(36) Stopping Sublimed Gas Supply

(37) The cabinet control portion obtains the theoretical residual quantity of the solid material in the container by calculation, from the carrier gas flow rate (measured value measured by flow rate regulating portion), the saturated vapour pressure (fixed value depending on solid material), and the entrained gas feeding time (time measured using timer function).

(38) If the theoretical residual quantity becomes equal to or less than a threshold, the cabinet control portion sends information relating thereto, or information indicating that the replacement timing has been reached, to the semiconductor manufacturing device 1. The sublimed gas can then be supplied from another cabinet, as illustrated in FIG. 1B discussed hereinabove.

(39) If the residual quantity becomes equal to or less than a threshold, the cabinet control portion closes the control valve disposed in the sublimed gas delivery pipe and/or the outlet valve of the solid material container by sending instructions thereto, in such a way as to stop the feed of the entrained gas to the semiconductor manufacturing device 1. Further, a control valve disposed in the carrier gas introduction pipe and/or the inlet valve of the solid material container is closed by sending instructions thereto. Here, the “threshold” is, for example, 5% to 8% of the weight of the solid material filling the solid material container 5.

(40) The cabinet control portion stops the supply of electric power to the detachable electric heater jacket.

(41) Cooling of Solid Material Container

(42) A first cooling mode in which cooling is performed after the detachable electric heater jacket has been removed, and a second cooling mode in which cooling is performed without removing the detachable electric heater jacket, can be set. The setting may be set in advance to one of the modes, or the configuration may be such that an operator inputs an instruction from the touch panel 24 when control is performed to stop the supply of the sublimed gas and to carry out cooling.

(43) First Cooling Mode

(44) (1) The cabinet control portion stops the feed of the entrained gas to the semiconductor manufacturing device 1, and stops the supply of electric power to the detachable electric heater jacket.

(45) (2) The operator removes the detachable electric heater jacket from the solid material container 5 in the cabinet 2.

(46) (3) The operator inputs a cooling start instruction using the touch panel 24.

(47) In response to this instruction, the cabinet control portion drives the cooling blower 3.

(48) (4) The cabinet control portion stops the cooling blower 3 when the temperature measured by a thermometer installed in the solid material container, or measured by a non-contact type thermometer installed in the cabinet 2 and set in such a way as to measure an outer surface temperature of the solid material container 5 becomes equal to or less than a threshold. The “threshold” is, for example, 40° or lower, or atmospheric temperature.

(49) (5) The transition of the measured temperature is displayed in real-time on the touch panel 24, and when the temperature has become equal to or less than the threshold, the cabinet control portion may cause the touch panel 24 to display information indicating that cooling is complete, or the configuration may be such that a notification is issued to a mobile terminal of the operator, for example.

(50) Second Cooling Mode

(51) (1) The cabinet control portion stops the feed of the entrained gas to the semiconductor manufacturing device 1, and stops the supply of electric power to the detachable electric heater jacket.

(52) (2) The cabinet control portion drives the cooling blower 3.

(53) (3) The cabinet control portion stops the cooling blower 3 when the temperature measured by the thermometer installed in the solid material container, or measured by the non-contact type thermometer installed in the cabinet 2 and set in such a way as to measure the outer surface temperature of the solid material container 5, becomes equal to or less than a threshold. The “threshold” is, for example, 40° or lower, or atmospheric temperature.

(54) (4) The transition of the measured temperature is displayed in real-time on the touch panel 24, and when the temperature has become equal to or less than the threshold, the cabinet control portion may cause the touch panel 24 to display information indicating that cooling is complete, or the configuration may be such that a notification is issued to a mobile terminal of the operator, for example.

(55) The cabinet control portion can be physically separate from the cabinet 2, and may be implemented using an information processing device (smartphone, tablet, or personal computer, for example, having a communication function) capable of remotely controlling each constituent element by issuing control instructions thereto. The cabinet control portion may be implemented by cooperation between various control programs and processors, or may be configured using dedicated circuits or firmware, or the like, either singly or in various configurations.

(56) The cabinet control portion is configured to be capable of transmitting and receiving (irrespective of whether by wireless or by wire) data to or from the touch panel 24, various instruments (flowmeter, pressure gauge, flow rate regulating portion, pressure regulating portion, temperature sensor, thermometer and the like), and the semiconductor manufacturing device 1.

Other Embodiments

(57) (1) FIG. 2B illustrates a configuration of the cooling blower 3 in which the opening surface area of a blowing portion hood 321 is smaller than the opening surface area of the blowing portion 31. As a result, the wind speed can be increased compared with FIG. 2A, and the cooling effect can be improved.

(58) (2) FIG. 3A illustrates a configuration in which, in addition to the configuration in FIG. 2A, a second cooling blower 4 is installed in the bottom wall 22. The second cooling blower 4 is configured to draw in outside air or cold air from an intake portion, and to blow the outside air or the cold air from a blowing portion hood toward a bottom surface of the solid material container 5. A shortest distance (d2) from a distal end of the blowing portion hood to the bottom surface of the solid material container 5 is preferably 1 cm to 10 cm. If the detachable electric heater jacket is attached to the bottom surface, the shortest distance (d2) from the distal end of the blowing portion hood to the bottom surface of the detachable electric heater jacket is preferably 1 cm to 10 cm. In FIG. 3A, the opening surface area of the intake portion and the opening surface area of the blowing portion hood are the same, but the opening surface area of the blowing portion hood may be smaller.

(59) (3) FIG. 3B illustrates a configuration in which, in addition to the configuration in FIG. 2B, the second cooling blower 4 is installed in the bottom wall 22. The second cooling blower 4 is configured to draw in outside air or cold air from an intake portion, and to blow the outside air or the cold air from a blowing portion hood toward a bottom surface of the solid material container 5. A shortest distance (d2) from a distal end of the blowing portion hood to the bottom surface of the solid material container 5 is preferably 1 cm to 10 cm. If the detachable electric heater jacket is attached to the bottom surface, the shortest distance (d2) from the distal end of the blowing portion hood to the bottom surface of the detachable electric heater jacket is preferably 1 cm to 10 cm. In FIG. 3B, the opening surface area of the blowing portion hood is smaller than the opening surface area of the intake portion, but the opening surface area of the intake portion and the opening surface area of the blowing portion hood may be the same.

(60) (4) The cooling blower 3 is not limited to being installed in the door 231, and may be installed in the side wall or the top wall of the cabinet.

(61) (5) The number of cooling blowers is not limited to one or two, and there may be three or more.

(62) (6) The cooling blower is not limited to having one blowing portion, and may have a plurality of blowing portions, each of which may be installed in such a way as to be capable of blowing from an arbitrarily defined direction on the side surface of the solid material container.

Exemplary Embodiment

(63) FIG. 4 illustrates transitions over time in temperature decreases in an exemplary embodiment in which forced cooling is performed with the configuration in FIG. 2A of Embodiment 1, and in a comparative example in which natural cooling occurs without forced cooling. Cooling was started after the detachable electric heater jacket had been removed.

(64) Solid material container: made from stainless steel, with an internal volume of 18 L and a wall thickness of 0.28 cm Flow rate of cooling blower: 150 m.sup.3/min

(65) Temperature range of supplied fluid (air): 15° C. to 25° C.

(66) Shortest distance (d1): 10 cm

(67) Temperature at start of cooling: 150° C. (measured temperature from temperature sensor)

(68) Exemplary embodiment (forced cooling): Time to decrease to 50° C. was 720 minutes, and time to decrease to 40° C. was 880 minutes.

(69) Comparative example (natural cooling): Time to decrease to 50° C. was 910 minutes, and time to decrease to 40° C. was 1000 minutes.

(70) The exemplary embodiment was able to effect cooling approximately 200 minutes more quickly than the comparative example, and had a high cooling effect. Further, the cooling rate can be increased by increasing the capability of the cooling blower. In addition, the cooling rate can be increased further by employing cold air as the supplied fluid.

EXPLANATION OF THE REFERENCE CODES

(71) 1 Semiconductor manufacturing device

(72) 2 Cabinet

(73) 21 Top wall

(74) 22 Bottom wall

(75) 23 Side wall

(76) 24 Touch panel

(77) 25 Exhaust duct

(78) 3 Cooling blower

(79) 31 Intake portion

(80) 32 Blowing portion (hood)

(81) 5 Solid material container

(82) It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments in the examples given above.