Processing method and device

• US 20070004051A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Karasawa, Wataru, Okumoto, Yasuhiro
• Application Number:
  US10/539,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004051A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/5
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32209 Stop production line
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67271 Sorting devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A processing system has a processing section for continuously processing a member to be processed; an inspection section for inspecting a processed state of the member processed by the processing section; a processed state determination section for determining whether the processed state is defective/nondefective, on the basis of a result of inspection performed by the inspection section; a continuity determination section for determining whether or not a defective determination is continuously made when the processed state is determined to be defective by the processed state determination section; and a processing control section for controlling processing so as to stop processing of the member continuously performed by the processing section when the continuity determination section determines that the defective determination is continuously made.

Claims

1. A processing method comprising:

a processing step of continuously processing a member to be processed;

an inspection step of inspecting a processed state of said member processed through said processing step;

a processing state determination step of determining whether said processing state is defective or nondefective, on the basis of a result of inspection performed through said inspection step;

a continuity determination step of determining whether or not defective determination is continuously made when said processed state has been determined to be defective through said processing state determination step; and

a processing control step of controlling processing such that processing of said member continuously performed through said processing step is stopped when a defective determination is determined to have been continuously made through said continuity determination step.

2. The processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reinspection step of reinspecting said processed member; and

an inspection state determination step of determining said inspected state acquired through said inspection step, on the basis of a result of inspection performed through said reinspection step.

3. The processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a defective level determination step of determining a defective level determined through said processing state determination step, wherein, when said defective state is determined to have reached a predetermined level in said defective level determination step, processing of said member continuously performed in said processing step is halted during said processing control step.

4. The processing method according to claim 1, wherein, when said defective determination is determined to continue in said continuity determination step, processing of said member continuously performed in said processing step is temporarily suspended in order to await an external command for said processing control step, and

wherein the continuous processing is suspended in said processing control step in accordance with said external command.

5. The processing method according to claim 1, further including a processing condition change step of performing control for changing conditions employed in said processing step to process said member when said defective determination has been determined to be continuously made in said continuity determination step.

6. A processing system comprising:

a processing section for continuously processing a member to be processed;

an inspection section for inspecting a processed state of said member processed by said processing section;

a processed state determination section for determining whether said processed state is defective/nondefective on the basis of a result of inspection performed by said inspection section;

a continuity determination section for determining whether or not a defective determination is continuously made when said processed state is determined to be defective by said processed state determination section; and

a processing control section for controlling processing so as to stop processing of said member continuously performed by said processing section when said continuity determination section determines that said defective determination is continuously made.

7. The processing system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a reinspection section for reinspecting said processed member; and

an inspection state determination section for determining said inspected state determined by said inspection section, on the basis of a result of inspection performed through said reinspection section.

8. The processing system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a defective level determination section for determining a defective level determined by said processing state determination section, wherein, when said defective level determination section determines that said defective state has reached a predetermined level, processing of said member continuously performed by said processing section is halted by said processing control section.

9. The processing system according to claim 6, wherein, when said continuity determination section determines that said defective determination is continuously made, processing of said member continuously performed by said processing section is temporarily suspended for awaiting an external command for said processing control section, and

wherein the continuous processing is suspended by said processing control section in accordance with said external command.

10. The processing system according to claim 6, further comprising a processing condition change control section which performs control for changing conditions employed by said processing system to process said member when said continuity determination section has determined that said defective determination is continuously made.

11. A computer-readable recording medium with a program recorded thereon for controlling said processing system, having a processing section for continuously processing a member to be processed, and an inspection section for inspecting a processed state of a member processed by said processing section, the program causing said computer to perform processing comprising:

a processing state determination step of determining whether said processing state defective or nondefective on the basis of a result of inspection performed by said inspection section;

a continuity determination step of determining whether or not defective determination is continuously made when said processed state has been determined to be defective through said processing state determination step; and

a processing control step of controlling processing such that processing of said member continuously performed through said processing step is stopped when a defective determination is determined to have been continuously made through said processing section.