Variable speed pump control

• US 20040013531A1
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Lu, Danny Cam Toan, Greenbank, Daniel Paul, Curry, Mark William
• Granted Patent: US 6,966,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/42
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/04 specially adapted to the production of a high vacuum, e.g. molecular pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/0261 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring operating characteristics and/or control signals of a system comprising a variable speed vacuum pump. Operating characteristics and/or control signals of the system may be monitored, and the pumping speed of the variable speed vacuum pump may be altered responsive to the monitored operating characteristics and/or control signals.

Claims

1. A pump speed controller for controlling the pumping speed of a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to a semiconductor processing system, the pump speed controller comprising:

a processor;

a sensor interface coupled to the processor for receiving sensor input from at least one sensor, wherein each of the at least one sensors is configured to monitor one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system;

instructions for configuring the processor to generate a pump speed control signal in response to the monitored control signals; and

a pump interface for transmitting the pump speed control signal to the variable speed vacuum pump.

2. The pump speed controller of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor monitors an electrical control signal within the semiconductor processing system.

3. The pump speed controller of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor monitors a pneumatic control signal within the semiconductor processing system.

4. The pump speed controller of claim 1, wherein the pump speed control signal controls the pumping speed of the variable speed vacuum pump.

5. The pump speed controller of claim 1, wherein the instructions comprise a plurality of selectable algorithms.

6. A pump speed controller for controlling the pumping speed of a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to a semiconductor processing system, the pump speed controller comprising:

a sensor interface for receiving sensor input from at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor monitors one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system;

a processor coupled to the sensor interface, wherein the processor receives at least one sensor signal from the sensor interface, and wherein the processor uses one or more algorithms to determine a pump speed responsive to the at least one sensor signal; and

a pump interface coupled to the processor for transmitting a pump speed control signal generated by the processor to the variable speed vacuum pump, wherein the pump speed control signal corresponds to the determined pump speed.

7. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor monitors an electrical control signal within the semiconductor processing system.

8. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor monitors a pneumatic control signal within the semiconductor processing system.

9. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system control a vent valve coupled to a vacuum chamber.

10. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system control a purge valve coupled to a vacuum chamber.

11. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system control a slow pump valve disposed between a vacuum chamber and the variable speed vacuum pump.

12. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more control signals within the semiconductor processing system control a fast pump valve disposed between a vacuum chamber and the variable speed vacuum pump.

13. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the pump speed control signal generated by the processor controls the pumping speed of the variable speed vacuum pump.

14. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more algorithms are configured as software in a memory coupled to the processor.

15. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more algorithms are configured as firmware in the processor.

16. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the pump speed controller further comprises a user selectable switch for selecting one of the one or more algorithms.

17. The pump speed controller of claim 16, wherein the user selectable switch comprises a dip-switch.

18. The pump speed controller of claim 6, wherein the processor determines the pump speed by selecting a predefined setpoint.

19. A semiconductor processing system comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to the vacuum chamber;

a system controller coupled to the vacuum chamber, wherein the system controller transmits control signals to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber; and

a pump speed controller coupled to the variable speed vacuum pump, wherein the pump speed controller monitors the control signals transmitted by the system controller, and wherein the pump speed controller determines a pump speed responsive to the monitored control signals.

20. The semiconductor processing system of claim 19, wherein the pump speed controller uses one or more algorithms to determine the pump speed.

21. The semiconductor processing system of claim 20, wherein the pump speed controller includes a user selectable switch for selecting one of the one or more algorithms.

22. The semiconductor processing system of claim 19, wherein the control signals transmitted to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber comprise electrical control signals.

23. The semiconductor processing system of claim 19, wherein the control signals transmitted to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber comprise pneumatic control signals.

24. The semiconductor processing system of claim 19, wherein the pump speed controller uses one or more sensors for monitoring the control signals transmitted by the system controller to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber.

25. The semiconductor processing system of claim 19, wherein the control signals transmitted by the system controller to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber control a vent valve coupled to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber.

26. The semiconductor processing system of claim 19, wherein the control signals transmitted by the system controller to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber control a slow pump valve disposed between the vacuum chamber and the variable speed vacuum pump.

27. The semiconductor processing system of claim 19, wherein the control signals transmitted by the system controller to apparatus servicing the vacuum chamber control a fast pump valve disposed between the vacuum chamber and the variable speed vacuum pump.

28. The semiconductor processing system of claim 19, wherein the pump speed controller transmits a pump speed control signal proportional to the determined pump speed to the variable speed vacuum pump.

29. A method of operating a variable speed vacuum pump coupled to a semiconductor processing system, the method comprising:

monitoring a first control signal of the semiconductor processing system;

determining a pump speed in response to the monitored first control signal; and

transmitting a second control signal to the variable speed vacuum pump, wherein the second control signal corresponds to the pump speed, whereby a speed of the variable speed vacuum pump is changed to operate at the pump speed.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein monitoring the first control signal comprises sensing the first control signal with a sensor.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein an algorithm determines the pump speed.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the first control signal controls the operation of a vent valve coupled to a vacuum chamber.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the first control signal controls the operation of a pump valve disposed between a vacuum chamber and the variable speed vacuum pump.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising monitoring a sensor signal of the semiconductor processing system and determining a pump speed in response to the monitored first control signal and monitored sensor signal.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first control signal controls the operation of a vent valve coupled to a vacuum chamber, and the sensor signal corresponds to a pressure within the vacuum chamber.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the first control signal controls the operation of a pump valve disposed between a vacuum chamber and the variable speed vacuum pump, and the sensor signal corresponds to a pressure within the vacuum chamber.

37. A computer readable medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for controlling a variable speed pump in a semiconductor processing system comprising a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the variable speed pump, the operation comprising:

monitoring a first control signal of the semiconductor processing system;

determining a pump speed in response to the monitored first control signal; and

transmitting a second control signal to the variable speed vacuum pump, wherein the second control signal corresponds to the pump speed, whereby a speed of the variable speed vacuum pump is changed to operate at the pump speed.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein monitoring the first control signal comprises sensing the first control signal with a sensor.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein an algorithm determines the pump speed.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first control signal controls the operation of a vent valve coupled to a vacuum chamber.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first control signal controls the operation of a pump valve disposed between a vacuum chamber and the variable speed vacuum pump.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 37, further comprising monitoring a sensor signal of the semiconductor processing system and determining a pump speed in response to the monitored first control signal and monitored sensor signal.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the first control signal controls the operation of a vent valve coupled to a vacuum chamber, and the sensor signal corresponds to a pressure within the vacuum chamber.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the first control signal controls the operation of a pump valve disposed between a vacuum chamber and the variable speed vacuum pump, and the sensor signal corresponds to a pressure within the vacuum chamber.