Advanced workpiece finishing

• US 20080057830A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semcon Tech LLC (IPNav)
• Original Assignee: Charles J. Molnar
• Inventors: Molnar, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,878,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 451/5
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/042 operating processes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31265 Control process by combining history and real time data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31415 Cost calculation in real time for a product manufactured
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

An apparatus for planarizing is disclosed. A methods of planarizing are disclosed. The methods and apparatus, can help improve yield and lower the cost of manufacture for planarizing of workpieces having extremely close tolerances such as semiconductor wafers. Cost of manufacture information are used for control. Methods to determine preferred changes to process control parameters are disclosed. Cost of manufacture models can be used and are disclosed. Process models can be used and are disclosed. A method to use business calculations combined with physical measurements to improve control is discussed. Use of business calculations to change the cost of planarizing and finishing semiconductor wafers is discussed. Activity based accounting can be used for some applications. Electro-planarizing and electro-processing for adding and removing material is disclosed. Use of current cost of manufacture information including activity based accounting information for improving manufacture, cost of manufacture, and profitability is discussed.

Claims

1. A factory for processing a workpiece comprising:

an at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

for a planarizing operation;

an at least one piece of workpiece fabrication machinery “

B”

other than the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

;

an at least one piece of metrology equipment;

an at least one processor;

an at least one processor readable memory device;

an at least one operative computerized network connecting the at least one processor, the at least one processor readable memory device, the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

, the at least one piece of workpiece fabrication machinery “

B”

, and the at least one piece of metrology equipment;

an at least one operative sensor for sensing an in situ planarizing information; and

wherein the at least one processor readable memory device includes stored information comprising;

(i) at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part an activity based cost information related at least in part to the planarizing operation,

(ii) the in situ planarizing information,

(iii) at least in part an at least one process model related at least in part to the planarizing operation,

(iv) an information from the at least one piece of metrology equipment related at least in part to the planarizing operation, and

(v) an information at least in part related to the at least one workpiece fabrication machinery “

B” and

at least in part related to the planarizing operation; and

an at least one operative controller for controlling a manufacturing operation operatively connected at least in part to the stored information.

2. The factory according to claim 1 wherein the stored information additionally includes encoded instructions that if executed by the at least one processor determines a manufacturing control for the at least one operative controller using:

(i) at least in part the at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part the activity based cost information related at least in part to the planarizing operation,

(ii) the in situ information related at least in part to the planarizing operation,

(iii) at least in part the at least one process model related at least in part to the planarizing operation,

(iv) the information from the at least one piece of metrology equipment related at least in part to the planarizing operation, and

(v) the information at least in part related to the at least one workpiece fabrication machinery “

B” and

at least in part related to the planarizing operation.

3. The factory according to claim 1 wherein the stored information additionally includes encoded instructions that if executed by the at least one processor determines a real time manufacturing control for the at least one operative controller using:

(i) at least in part the at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part the activity based cost information related at least in part to the planarizing operation,

(ii) the in situ information related at least in part to the planarizing operation,

(iii) at least in part the at least one process model related at least in part to the planarizing operation,

(iv) the information from the at least one piece of metrology equipment related at least in part to the planarizing operation in the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

, and

(v) the information at least in part related to the at least one workpiece fabrication machinery “

B” and

at least in part related to the planarizing operation.

4. The factory according to claim 1 wherein the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

comprises an apparatus for applying an electrochemical energy for removing a material from the workpiece.

5. The factory according to claim 1 wherein the at least one cost of manufacture model comprises an at least one cost of manufacture model including an at least one real time cost of manufacture information wherein the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

comprises an apparatus for applying an electrochemical energy for adding a material to the workpiece.

6. The factory according to claim 1 wherein the activity based cost information comprises a multiplicity of activity based cost information from a multiple of different levels of activity costs and a multiple of different cost drivers in each of the multiple of different levels of activity costs.

7. A method for processing a workpiece in a factory, the method comprising:

providing i) an at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

, ii) an at least one piece of workpiece fabrication machinery “

B”

other than the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

, iii) an at least one piece of metrology equipment, iv) an at least one processor readable memory device, v) an at least one operative computerized network connecting the at least one processor readable memory device, the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

, the at least one piece of workpiece fabrication machinery “

B”

, and the at least one piece of metrology equipment;

applying a planarizing energy to the workpiece during a planarizing operation with the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

;

sensing an in situ processing information related to the planarizing operation with an operative sensor;

determining a change for a process control using an at least one processor, the at least one operative computerized network, and a family of processing information comprising (i) at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part an activity based cost information related at least in part to the planarizing operation, (ii) the in situ information related at least in part to the planarizing operation, (iii) at least in part an at least one process model related at least in part to the planarizing operation, (iv) an information from the at least one piece of metrology equipment related at least in part to the planarizing operation, and (v) an information at least in part related to the at least one workpiece fabrication machinery “

B” and

at least in part related to the planarizing operation, and

changing the process control with an at least one operative controller for controlling a manufacturing operation related at least in part to the planarizing operation.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein applying the planarizing energy to the workpiece comprises applying at least in part an electrochemical energy for removing a material from the workpiece.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein applying the planarizing energy to the workpiece comprises applying at least in part an electrochemical energy for removing a material from the workpiece and an electrochemical energy for adding the material to the workpiece.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the activity based cost information comprises a multiplicity of activity based cost information from a multiple of different levels of activity costs and a multiple of different cost drivers in each of the multiple of different levels of activity costs.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one cost of manufacture model additionally includes an at least one cost of manufacture information related to quality.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the process control comprises a real time process control and wherein the activity based cost information includes an at least one real time cost of manufacture information.

13. A method for processing a workpiece, the method comprising:

providing a manufacturing process control information for a planarizing operation previously used by an at least one processor for an at least one process control and wherein the manufacturing process control information comprises manufacturing process control information at least in part from an operative network including an at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

for an at least one planarizing operation, an at least one piece of workpiece fabrication machinery “

B”

other than the at least one planarizing apparatus “

A”

, and an at least one piece of metrology equipment and wherein the manufacturing process control information includes information members comprising (i) at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part an activity based cost information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation, (ii) an in situ information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation, (iii) at least in part an at least one process model related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation, (iv) an information from the at least one piece of metrology equipment related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation, and (v) an information at least in part related to the at least one workpiece fabrication machinery “

B” and

at least in part related to the at least one planarizing operation; and

supplying the manufacturing process control information to an at least one computer;

using the at least one computer to determine a change to an at least one information member in the manufacturing process control information;

changing the at least one information member in the manufacturing process control information forming a changed manufacturing process control information; and

supplying the changed manufacturing process control information for an at least one changed process control for use in an at least one operative controller for controlling a manufacturing operation at least in part related to the at least one planarizing operation.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one planarizing operation comprises at least in part an electrochemical energy for removing a material from the workpiece and wherein at least in part the at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part the activity based cost information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation comprises at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part an activity based cost information related at least in part to the electrochemical energy for removing the material from the workpiece.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one planarizing operation comprises at least in part an electrochemical energy for adding a material to the workpiece and wherein at least in part the at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part the activity based cost information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation comprises at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part an activity based cost information related at least in part to the electrochemical energy adding the material to the workpiece and wherein the activity based cost information comprises a tracked and updated activity based cost information.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the in situ information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation comprises an in situ planarizing information and wherein the activity based cost information comprises a tracked and updated activity based cost information from a multiple of different levels of activity costs and a multiple of different cost drivers in each of the multiple of different levels of activity costs and wherein the workpiece comprises a semiconductor wafer.

17. The method of claim 16 additionally comprising:

storing the changed manufacturing process control information; and

using the changed manufacturing control information for the changed process control during the manufacture operation at least in part related to the at least one planarizing operation.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one cost of manufacture model comprises an at least one cost of manufacture model including an at least one real time cost of manufacture information and wherein the process control comprises a real time process control and wherein the changed process control comprises a changed real time process control.

19. The method of claim 13 additionally comprising:

storing the changed manufacturing process control information; and

using the changed manufacturing control information for the changed process control during the manufacture operation at least in part related to the at least one planarizing operation.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the in situ information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation comprises an in situ planarizing information and wherein the at least one planarizing operation comprises at least in part an electrochemical energy for removing a material from the workpiece and wherein at least in part the at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part the activity based cost information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation comprises at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part a tracked and updated activity based cost information related at least in part to the electrochemical energy for removing the material from the workpiece and wherein workpiece comprises a semiconductor wafer having a diameter of at least 300 millimeters.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the in situ information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation comprises an in situ planarizing information and wherein the at least one planarizing operation comprises at least in part an electrochemical energy for adding a material to the workpiece and wherein at least in part the at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part the activity based cost information related at least in part to the at least one planarizing operation comprises at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part a tracked activity based cost information related at least in part to the electrochemical energy for adding the material to the workpiece and wherein workpiece comprises a semiconductor wafer having a diameter of at least 300 millimeters.

22. A method for manufacturing a workpiece, the method comprising:

providing a manufacturing process control information related at least in part to an at least one polishing operation previously used by an at least one processor for an at least one process control and wherein the manufacturing process control information comprises manufacturing process control information at least in part from an operative network including an at least one polishing apparatus “

A”

, an at least one piece of workpiece fabrication machinery “

B”

other than the at least one polishing apparatus “

A”

, and an at least one piece of metrology equipment and wherein the manufacturing process control information includes information members comprising (i) at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part an activity based cost information related at least in part to the at least one polishing operation, (ii) an in situ information related at least in part to the at least one polishing operation, (iii) at least in part an at least one process model related at least in part to the at least one polishing operation, (iv) an information from the at least one piece of metrology equipment related at least in part to the at least one polishing operation, and (v) an information at least in part related to the at least one workpiece fabrication machinery “

B” and

at least in part related to the at least one polishing operation; and

supplying the manufacturing process control information to an at least one computer;

using the at least one computer to determine a change to an at least one information member in the manufacturing process control information;

changing the at least one information member in the manufacturing process control information forming a changed manufacturing process control information; and

supplying the changed manufacturing process control information for an at least one changed process control for use in an at least one operative controller for controlling a manufacturing related to the at least one polishing operation.

23. The method of claim 22 additionally comprising:

storing the changed manufacturing process control information; and

using the changed manufacturing control information for the changed process control during the manufacture operation at least in part related to the at least one planarizing operation.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the activity based cost information comprises a tracked and updated activity based cost information from a multiple of different levels of activity costs and a multiple of different cost drivers in each of the multiple of different levels of activity costs.

25. A method for processing a workpiece in a factory, the method comprising:

providing i) an at least one polishing apparatus “

A”

, ii) an at least one piece of workpiece fabrication machinery “

B”

other than the at least one polishing apparatus “

A”

, iii) an at least one piece of metrology equipment, iv) an at least one processor readable memory device, v) an at least one operative computerized network connecting the at least one processor readable memory device, the at least one polishing apparatus “

A”

, the at least one piece of workpiece fabrication machinery “

B”

, and the at least one piece of metrology equipment;

applying polishing energy to the workpiece during a polishing operation;

sensing an in situ processing information related to the polishing operation with an operative sensor;

determining a change for a process control using an at least one processor, the at least one operative computerized network, and a family of processing information comprising (i) at least in part an at least one cost of manufacture model including at least in part an activity based cost information related at least in part to the polishing operation, (ii) the in situ information related at least in part to the polishing operation, (iii) at least in part an at least one process model related at least in part to the polishing operation, (iv) an information from the at least one piece of metrology equipment related at least in part to the polishing operation, and (v) an information at least in part related to the at least one workpiece fabrication machinery “

B” and

at least in part related to the polishing operation; and

changing the process control with an at least one operative controller for controlling a manufacturing operation related at least in part to the polishing operation.