Integrated lithographic fabrication cluster
First Claim
1. An integrated lithographic fabrication cluster system, comprising:
- an exposure apparatus configured to expose a pattern onto a substrate;
an exposure controller to control said exposure apparatus;
a track apparatus interconnecting a plurality of processing modules;
a track controller to control said track apparatus;
a wafer handling apparatus coupled to said exposure apparatus and said track apparatus and configured to transfer substrates between processing modules utilized by said exposure apparatus and said track apparatus;
a wafer handling controller to control said wafer handling apparatus; and
a cluster controller, wherein said cluster controller communicates output control information to at least one of said exposure controller, said track controller, and said wafer handling controller to manage operations of said exposure apparatus, said track apparatus, and said wafer handling apparatus.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated lithographic fabrication cluster system, as presented herein, comprises an exposure apparatus to expose a pattern onto a substrate with an associated exposure controller to control the exposure apparatus and a track apparatus interconnecting a plurality of processing modules with an associated track controller to control the track apparatus. The cluster system also comprises a wafer handling apparatus coupled to the exposure apparatus and track apparatus that is configured to transfer substrates between the processing modules utilized by the exposure apparatus and track apparatus and a wafer handling controller to control the wafer handling apparatus. The cluster system further comprises a cluster controller that communicates control information to at least one of the exposure controller, the track controller, and the wafer handling controller to manage operations of the exposure apparatus, the track apparatus, and the wafer handling apparatus during the lithographic fabrication process.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An integrated lithographic fabrication cluster system, comprising:
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an exposure apparatus configured to expose a pattern onto a substrate;
an exposure controller to control said exposure apparatus;
a track apparatus interconnecting a plurality of processing modules;
a track controller to control said track apparatus;
a wafer handling apparatus coupled to said exposure apparatus and said track apparatus and configured to transfer substrates between processing modules utilized by said exposure apparatus and said track apparatus;
a wafer handling controller to control said wafer handling apparatus; and
a cluster controller, wherein said cluster controller communicates output control information to at least one of said exposure controller, said track controller, and said wafer handling controller to manage operations of said exposure apparatus, said track apparatus, and said wafer handling apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An integrated lithographic fabrication cluster system, comprising:
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an exposure apparatus configured to expose a pattern onto a substrate;
an exposure controller to control said exposure apparatus;
a track apparatus interconnecting a post-exposure baking station and a chill station;
a track controller to control said track apparatus;
a wafer handling apparatus coupled to said exposure apparatus and said track apparatus and configured to transfer substrates between processing modules utilized by said exposure apparatus and said track apparatus;
a wafer handling controller to control said wafer handling apparatus; and
a cluster controller configured to communicate control information to at least one of said exposure controller, said track controller, and said wafer handling controller to manage operations of said exposure apparatus, said track apparatus, and said wafer handling apparatus during the fabrication process, wherein said exposure apparatus, said exposure controller, said track apparatus, said track controller, said wafer handling apparatus, and said wafer handling controller are housed within a common structure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A substrate manufacturing method employing a lithographic fabrication cluster integrating a cluster controller, an exposure apparatus controller configured to control and communicate with an exposure apparatus, a wafer handling apparatus controller configured to control and communicate with a wafer handling apparatus, and a wafer track apparatus controller configured to control and communicate with a wafer track apparatus, said method comprising:
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defining a substrate manufacturing process identifying and initializing operating parameters for at least one of said exposure apparatus, said wafer handling apparatus, and said wafer track apparatus;
accessing, by said cluster controller, input control data from at least one of said exposure apparatus controller, said wafer handling apparatus controller, and said wafer track apparatus controller, to determine information required for operations by at least one of said exposure apparatus, said wafer handling apparatus, and said wafer track apparatus, respectively;
generating, by said cluster controller, optimized output control data configured to optimize operations of at least one of said exposure apparatus, said wafer handling apparatus, and said wafer track apparatus;
communicating, by said cluster controller, said optimized output control data to at least one of said exposure apparatus controller, said wafer handling apparatus controller, and said wafer track apparatus controller; and
processing said substrate, by said of at least one of said exposure apparatus, said wafer handling apparatus, and said wafer track apparatus, in accordance with said optimized output control data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification