METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING PROCESS JOBS IN A SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION FACILITY

• US 20100087941A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Kuttannair, Krishna, Rhee, Adrian, Flores, Robert D., Hickey, Brendan, Park, Song J., Babu, Venkatesh, Assaf, Shay, Wang, Chongyang Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,527,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method and system for managing process jobs in a semiconductor fabrication facility is described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of process jobs associated with one or more priorities. The method further includes executing the plurality of process jobs in an order reflecting the priorities. The order is modifiable in real time upon receiving a new process job with a priority higher than the priorities of the plurality of process jobs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing process jobs in semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of process jobs associated with one or more priorities; and

executing the plurality of process jobs in an order reflecting the priorities, wherein the order is modifiable in real time upon receiving a new process job with a priority higher than the priorities of the plurality of process jobs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each process job is associated with a recipe for processing a substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the priorities are assigned by a user through a host system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the new process job with a higher priority;

placing the new process job in a queue ahead of process jobs with lower priorities or no priority; and

executing the new process job immediately after an execution of a current process job is completed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each process job is associated with a control job, and the new process job is executed after an execution of a current control job is completed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the plurality of process jobs comprises:

sorting the plurality of process jobs in a queue according to the priorities;

checking if a processing resource is available for a next process job in the queue;

sending out a notice that the next process job is to be performed when the processing resource is available;

receiving a confirmation in response to the notice; and

starting to perform the next process job.

7. A computer-implemented method for managing process jobs in semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:

checking a plurality of process jobs to determine whether one or more priorities are associated with the plurality of process jobs;

preparing job information including the priorities; and

sending out the job information for the plurality of process jobs to be executed in an order reflecting the priorities, wherein the order is modifiable in real time when a new process job with a priority higher than the priorities of the plurality of process jobs is added to be executed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each process job is associated with a recipe for processing a substrate.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the priorities are assigned by a user through a host computer.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a request for a confirmation to execute a next process job; and

sending out the confirmation for an execution of the next process job.

11. A system for managing process jobs in semiconductor fabrication, the system comprising:

a queue to queue process jobs; and

a real-time sequencer, coupled to the queue, to receive a plurality of process jobs associated with one or more priorities, and to execute the plurality of process jobs in the queue in an order reflecting the priorities, wherein the order is modifiable in real time upon receiving a new process job with a priority higher than the priorities of the plurality of process jobs.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the real-time sequencer is to receive the new process job with a higher priority, to place the new process job in the queue ahead of process jobs with lower priorities or no priority, and to execute the new process job immediately after an execution of a current process job is completed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each process job is associated with a control job, and the real-time sequencer is to execute the new process job after an execution of a current control job is completed.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the real-time sequencer is to check if processing resource is available for a next process job in the queue, to send out a notice that the next process job is to be executed when the processing resource is available, to receive a confirmation in response to the notice, and to execute the next process job.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a front-end subsystem, coupled to the real-time sequencer, to check the plurality of process jobs, to determine whether one or more priorities are associated with the plurality of process jobs, to prepare job information regarding the plurality of process jobs and the priorities, and to send out the job information to the real-time sequencer.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the front-end subsystem is further to receive the notice, to determine whether the next process job is to be executed, and to send out the confirmation upon determining that the next process job is to be executed.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for managing process jobs in semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of process jobs associated with one or more priorities; and

executing the plurality of process jobs in an order reflecting the priorities, wherein the order is modifiable in real time upon receiving a new process job with a priority higher than the priorities of the plurality of process jobs.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the new process job with a higher priority;

placing the new process job in a queue ahead of process jobs with lower priorities or no priority; and

executing the new process job immediately after an execution of a current process job is completed.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein each process job is associated with a control job, and the new process job is executed after an execution of a current control job is completed.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein executing the plurality of process jobs comprises:

sorting the plurality of process jobs in a queue according to the priorities;

checking if a processing resource is available for a next process job in the queue;

sending out a notice that the next process job is to be performed when the processing resource is available;

receiving a confirmation in response to the notice; and

starting to perform the next process job.