Vacuum apparatus for semiconductor device

• US 5,760,693 A
• Filed: 04/30/1996
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chae, Hee-sun
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/640,403
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 340/584, 340/603, 340/626, 340/521, 340/540, 340/442, 340/445, 340/679, 340/588, 73/709, 73/4 V, 73/749, 364/556, 364/557, 364/558, 364/551.01
• US Class Current: 340/588
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/20 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

A vacuum controlling apparatus is provided. The vacuum level of a vacuum chamber can be accurately maintained by measuring and controlling the vacuum level of the vacuum chamber by using six parameters: desired pressure, predetermined time for reaching the desired pressure, predetermined temperature, actual pressure, actual time for reaching the desired pressure, and actual temperature.

Claims

1. A vacuum apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas input controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a ventilating unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a device controlling unit connected to a vacuum chamber; and

a vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber for measuring actual values for a plurality of vacuum parameters, comparing the actual values with respective predetermined values for the plurality of vacuum parameters, and for stopping the gas input controlling unit from functioning when one of the actual values for the plurality of vacuum parameters is smaller than the respective predetermined value for the one of the plurality of vacuum parameters,

wherein the plurality of vacuum parameters comprise pressure and time for reaching a desired pressure.

2. A vacuum apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit measures the vacuum parameters and stops the gas input controlling unit from functioning by using a microcomputer.

3. A vacuum apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas input controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a ventilating unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a device controlling unit connected to a vacuum chamber; and

a vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber for measuring actual values for a plurality of vacuum parameters, comparing the actual values with respective predetermined values for the plurality of vacuum parameters, and controlling the gas input controlling and the ventilating unit according to the results of the comparison,

wherein the plurality of vacuum parameters are pressure, time for reaching a desired pressure, and temperature.

4. A vacuum apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the vacuum chamber operates when the pressure is equal to the desired pressure, the actual time for reaching the desired pressure is larger than a predetermined time for reaching the desired pressure, and the actual temperature is larger than the predetermined temperature, and

the vacuum chamber stops operating when one of the actual time for reaching a desired pressure is smaller than the predetermined time for reaching the desired, or the actual temperature is smaller than the predetermined temperature.

5. A method for controlling a vacuum apparatus having a vacuum chamber, a device control unit, and a vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit, comprising the steps of:

pumping gas out of the vacuum chamber until the vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit determines that a desired pressure is reached;

measuring an actual time until the vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit determines that the desired pressure is reached;

measuring an actual temperature in the vacuum chamber after the vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit determines that the desired pressure is reached;

comparing the actual temperature with a predetermined;

comparing the actual time to reach the desired pressure with a predetermined time to reach the desired pressure;

stopping processing if the actual temperature is smaller than the predetermined temperature; and

stopping processing if the actual time to reach the desired pressure is smaller than the predetermined time to reach the desired pressure.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of sounding an alarm if the actual temperature is smaller than the predetermined temperature.

7. A method for controlling a vacuum apparatus having a vacuum chamber, a device control unit, and a vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit, comprising the steps of:

pumping gas out of the vacuum chamber until the vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit determines that a desired pressure is reached;

measuring an actual time until the vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit determines that the desired pressure is reached;

measuring an actual temperature in the vacuum chamber after the vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit determines that the desired pressure is reached;

comparing the actual temperature with a predetermined temperature;

comparing the actual time to reach the desired pressure with a predetermined time to reach the desired pressure; and

stopping processing if the actual time to reach the desired pressure is smaller than the predetermined time to reach the desired pressure.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of sounding an alarm if the actual time to reach the desired pressure is smaller than the predetermined time to reach the desired pressure.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of stopping processing if the actual temperature is smaller than the predetermined temperature.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of sounding an alarm if the actual temperature is smaller than the predetermined temperature.

11. A vacuum apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas input controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a ventilating unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a device controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

an alarm mechanism for indicating a malfunction; and

a vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber for measuring actual values for a plurality of vacuum parameters, comparing the actual values with respective predetermined values for the plurality of vacuum parameters, for controlling the gas input controlling unit and the ventilating unit according to the result of the comparison, and for activating the alarm mechanism when one of the actual values for the plurality of vacuum parameters is smaller than the respective predetermined value for the one of the plurality of vacuum parameters,

wherein the plurality of vacuum parameters comprise pressure and time for reaching a desired pressure.

12. A vacuum apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas input controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a ventilating unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a device controlling unit connected to a vacuum chamber; and

a vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber for measuring actual values for a plurality of vacuum parameters, comparing the actual values with respective predetermined values for the plurality of vacuum parameters, and for stopping the gas input controlling unit from functioning when one of the actual values for the plurality of vacuum parameters is smaller than the respective predetermined value for the one of the plurality of vacuum parameters,

wherein the plurality of vacuum parameters comprise temperature and time for reaching a desired pressure.

13. A vacuum apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas input controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a ventilating unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

a device controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber;

an alarm mechanism for indicating a malfunction; and

a vacuum parameter measuring and controlling unit connected to the vacuum chamber for measuring actual values for a plurality of vacuum parameters, comparing the actual values with respective predetermined values for the plurality of vacuum parameters, for controlling the gas input controlling unit and the ventilating unit according to the result of the comparison and for activating the alarm mechanism when one of the actual values for the plurality of vacuum parameters is smaller than the respective predetermined value for the one of the plurality of vacuum parameters,

wherein the plurality of vacuum parameters comprise temperature and time for reaching a desired pressure.