Digital Transformation of High-Voltage Power Supplies for Exposure Machines

Abstract
As semiconductor manufacturing advances toward nanoscale precision, the digital transformation of high-voltage power supplies in exposure machines (e.g., electron-beam or EUV lithography) has become critical for improving patterning quality. Traditional high-voltage power systems face limitations in stability, control accuracy, and compatibility. Digital technologies, however, enable precise parameter adjustment and remote management through multi-protocol communication, modular architecture, and intelligent algorithms, significantly enhancing production yield and efficiency. 
1. Limitations of Traditional High-Voltage Power Supplies
Exposure machines rely on high-voltage power to drive electron guns or plasma sources, directly impacting lithography resolution. Traditional designs suffer from three key challenges: 
1. Instability: Analog circuits are susceptible to temperature drift and electromagnetic interference, causing output voltage ripple (>100 mV) and pattern distortion. 
2. Inflexible Parameters: Voltage/current adjustments require physical potentiometers and manual intervention, hindering rapid transition for multi-product wafer production. 
3. Delayed Diagnostics: Arc discharges or load anomalies trigger only indicator-based alerts, lacking data traceability and prolonging downtime. 
2. Core Technologies for Digital Transformation
2.1 Multi-Protocol Communication Interfaces
• Ethernet, RS-485, or USB interfaces enable real-time communication between power supplies and host systems. For example, Modbus-TCP protocols remotely set output voltages (0–100 kV) with ±0.001% accuracy and monitor microampere-level current fluctuations. 
• Sequential control synchronization ensures millisecond-level coordination between high-voltage activation and electron-beam scanning, avoiding exposure delays. 
2.2 Modular Design and Software Algorithms
• Two-stage regulation: Programmable DC/DC modules perform coarse adjustment (e.g., 400 V→10 kV), while digital signal processors (DSPs) enable fine-tuning (±1 V), suppressing ripple to <70 mV. 
• Dynamic adaptation: Real-time load impedance monitoring triggers instant frequency and duty cycle adjustments. During arcing, voltage drops within 10 ms and recovers incrementally, reducing cleaning cycles by 30%. 
2.3 Intelligent Protection and Predictive Maintenance
• Triple safeguards (overvoltage/overcurrent/arc protection) log transient waveforms and timestamps for diagnostics. 
• AI models trained on historical data predict cathode degradation, triggering maintenance alerts two weeks in advance. 
3. Performance Improvements After Digital Transformation
Metric Traditional Power Digital Power
Voltage Regulation 0.1% 0.001%
Ripple Suppression 100–500 mV <70 mV
Parameter Response Minutes Milliseconds
System Compatibility Standalone IoT Platform Integration
 
(Data sources) 
Case Study: 
A wafer fab deploying digital high-voltage power supplies in ion implanters achieved: 
• 22% improvement in doping uniformity, reducing defect rates from 5% to 0.8%; 
• 65% faster line transitions via remote parameter adjustments. 
4. Future Trends: Digital Twin and Collaborative Control
1. Virtual Mapping: Digital twins simulate extreme conditions (e.g., cold starts at -40°C) to pre-validate stability thresholds. 
2. Multi-Device Synergy: Cloud-based platforms coordinate high-voltage demand across exposure machine clusters, balancing grid load peaks (e.g., scheduling high-energy exposure at night). 
Conclusion
The digital transformation shifts high-voltage power supplies from passive energy providers to active energy controllers. By integrating communication interfaces, algorithms, and predictive maintenance, they resolve precision bottlenecks in exposure machines and enable flexible, intelligent semiconductor manufacturing. As industrial IoT and AI evolve, these power systems will become energy neural hubs in fabs, extending Moore’s Law into the next decade.