Wafer map host system

• US 20030220706A1
• Filed: 05/24/2002
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Abenes, Elmer M., Calles, James R., Subramanian, Balamurugan
• Application Number:
  US10/153,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/96
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4187 by tool management
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31325 Machine selection support, use of database
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31426 Real time database management for production control
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54453 for use prior to dicing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A wafer map host system and methodology that supports the use of and manipulation of wafer map information for multiple semiconductor processes is disclosed. The system includes a database for storing wafer maps; an interface for providing interfaces to a plurality of wafer manufacturing processes and/or equipment; and a wafer map processor coupled between said database and said interface for managing relationships of various tasks during a wafer map data transaction between the processes and/or equipment and the database. The tasks include deciding which wafer map is required, which equipment is involved, what is the manufacturing flow being used, how to re-map the various bin assignments considering the next manufacturing process, and merging two or more wafer map data for the next manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A wafer map host system comprising:

a database for storing wafer maps;

an interface for providing interfaces to a plurality of wafer manufacturing processes and/or equipment; and

a

wafer map processor coupled between said database and said interface wherein various manufacturing process steps and/or equipment use wafer map data and update the data based on the operational functions of the plurality of manufacturing processes and/or equipment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said wafer map processor system provides flexibility in defining and configuring various elements involved in handling wafer map in a workflow.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said wafer map processor supports different bin mapping setups.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said wafer map processor performs manufacturing process work flow definitions.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said wafer map processor performs wafer map merge management.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said wafer map processor supports different bin mapping setups.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said wafer map processor performs manufacturing process work flow definitions.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said wafer map processor performs the following tasks:

lot and wafer definition,

product (device) type management,

manufacturing process work flow definitions,

bin map management,

wafer map merge management,

manufacturing process definition, and

management of equipment identification and their respective types.

9. A wafer manufacturing method that provides flexibility in defining and configuring various elements in a wafer map in a workflow comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of manufacturing processes and/or equipment of a wafer;

receiving wafer map data at one of said manufacturing processes and/or equipment;

performing said manufacturing and/or equipment processes; and

updating said wafer map and sending said updated wafer map from said manufacturing process and/or equipment and making it available to the other manufacturing processes and/or equipment in the work flow.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said updating step includes bin map management.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said updating step includes wafer map management.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said updating step includes manufacturing process work flow definitions.

13. A wafer map host system comprising:

a database for storing wafer maps;

an interface for providing interfaces to a plurality of wafer manufacturing processes and/or equipment; and

a wafer map processor coupled between said database and said interface for managing relationships of various tasks during a wafer map data transaction between the processes and/or equipment and the database.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said tasks include deciding which wafer map is required.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said tasks include which equipment is involved.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said tasks include what is the manufacturing flow being used.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said tasks include how to re-map the various bin assignments considering the next manufacturing process.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said tasks include merging two or more wafer map data for the next manufacturing process.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said tasks include deciding which wafer map is required, which equipment is involved, what is the manufacturing flow being used, how to re-map the various bin assignments considering the next manufacturing process, and merging two or more wafer map data for the next manufacturing process.