In the current era of rapid development in the semiconductor industry, chip manufacturing processes continue to advance toward nanometer and even sub-nanometer levels. The precision and operational stability of semiconductor equipment directly determine product quality and production efficiency. As the "intelligent eyes" of the semiconductor equipment monitoring system, sensors play a crucial role in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of semiconductor production processes, leveraging their core capabilities of precise sensing and real-time feedback.
The operating environment and conditions of semiconductor equipment are extremely demanding. Whether it is the laser power control of lithography equipment, the gas concentration adjustment of etching equipment, or the positioning accuracy of wafer transport systems, all require dynamic monitoring at the millisecond or even microsecond level. Traditional manual inspections and offline detection methods not only struggle to capture subtle parameter changes in the equipment but also fail to provide timely warnings for potential failures, leading to significant losses such as wafer scrap and equipment damage. The application of sensors has fundamentally transformed this situation. For example, temperature sensors can monitor temperature fluctuations in reaction chambers in real time, keeping errors within ±0.1°C to ensure uniform photoresist coating; pressure sensors can accurately detect pressure changes in vacuum systems, preventing wafer defects caused by abnormal pressure; and vibration sensors can capture minute vibrations during motor operation, enabling early identification of issues like bearing wear and component loosening, providing precise data for equipment maintenance.
In the core processes of semiconductor equipment, sensors play an indispensable role. Taking the thin-film deposition process in wafer manufacturing as an example, the thickness and purity of the film directly affect the electrical performance of chips. Here, optical sensors emit light of specific wavelengths and calculate the film thickness in real time based on the intensity and phase changes of the reflected light, achieving nanometer-level precision to ensure each film layer meets design standards. Additionally, in the safety monitoring of semiconductor equipment, gas sensors can quickly detect the presence of toxic and hazardous gas leaks in the production environment, while infrared sensors monitor the temperature of the equipment housing in real time to prevent fire hazards caused by overheating, thereby establishing a safety barrier for operators and the production environment.
As the semiconductor industry advances toward higher process nodes and larger scales, the performance requirements for sensors continue to rise. Today, hybrid sensors with multi-parameter monitoring capabilities, MEMS-based miniaturized sensors, and AI-integrated smart sensors are gradually becoming mainstream. These novel sensors can simultaneously monitor parameters such as temperature, pressure, and humidity, while enabling early fault prediction and intelligent diagnosis through data fusion and analysis, further enhancing the operational efficiency and reliability of semiconductor equipment.
As a core component of the semiconductor equipment monitoring system, sensors are driving the semiconductor industry toward higher quality and greater efficiency with their precise, real-time, and intelligent characteristics. In the future, the deep integration of sensor technology and semiconductor technology will undoubtedly inject stronger momentum into the innovative development of the semiconductor industry.