System and method for performing real time data acquisition, process modeling and fault detection of wafer fabrication processes
First Claim
1. A system for detecting faults in a process tool, comprising:
- means for receiving process event signals generated by the process tool;
a data acquisition device configured to acquire a sample of process parameter signals during operation of the process tool;
a model configured to receive said sample and generate a prediction error in response to said sample; and
a fault detector in communication with said model configured to receive said sample from said data acquisition device and said process event signals from said receiving means, provide said sample to said model, receive said prediction error from said model, and use said prediction error to detect a fault in the process tool.
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Abstract
A system and method for detecting faults in wafer fabrication process tools by acquiring real-time process parameter signal data samples used to model the process performed by the process tool. The system includes a computer system including a DAQ device, which acquires the data samples, and a fault detector program which employs a process model program to analyze the data samples for the purpose of detecting faults. The model uses data samples in a reference database acquired from previous known good runs of the process tool. The fault detector notifies a process tool operator of any faults which occur thus potentially avoiding wafer scrap and potentially improving mean time between failures. The fault detector also receives notification of the occurrence of process events from the process tool, such as the start or end of processing a wafer, which the fault detector uses to start and stop the data acquisition, respectively. The fault detector also receives notification of the occurrence of a new process recipe and uses the recipe information to select the appropriate model for modeling the data samples. The fault detector employs a standard data exchange interface, such as DDE, between the fault detector and the model, thus facilitating modular selection of models best suited to the particular fabrication process being modeled. Embodiments are contemplated which use a UPM model, a PCA model, or a neural network model.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for detecting faults in a process tool, comprising:
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means for receiving process event signals generated by the process tool; a data acquisition device configured to acquire a sample of process parameter signals during operation of the process tool; a model configured to receive said sample and generate a prediction error in response to said sample; and a fault detector in communication with said model configured to receive said sample from said data acquisition device and said process event signals from said receiving means, provide said sample to said model, receive said prediction error from said model, and use said prediction error to detect a fault in the process tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19)
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15. A system for detecting faults in a process tool, comprising:
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a data acquisition device configured to acquire a sample of process parameter signals during operation of the process tool; a model configured to receive said sample and generate a prediction error in response to said sample, wherein said model is one of a plurality of possible models; and a fault detector in communication with said model configured to receive said sample from said data acquisition device, provide said sample to said model, receive said prediction error from said model, and use said prediction error to detect a fault in the process tool; wherein said fault detector is configured to use said prediction errors to detect a fault independent of which one of said plurality of possible models is used to generate said prediction error. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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20. A system for detecting faults in a process tool, comprising:
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means for receiving process event signals generated by the process tool; a data acquisition device configured to acquire a sample of process parameter signals during operation of the process tool; a model configured to receive said sample and generate a prediction error in response to said sample, wherein said model is one of a plurality of possible models; and a fault detector in communication with said model configured to receive said sample from said data acquisition device and said process event signals from said receiving means, provide said sample to said model, receive said prediction error from said model, and use said prediction error to detect a fault in the process tool; wherein said fault detector is configured to use said prediction errors to detect a fault independent of which one of said plurality of possible models is used to generate said prediction error.
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21. A method for detecting faults in a process tool, comprising:
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receiving process event signals generated by the process tool; acquiring a sample of process parameter signals during operation of the process tool;
generating a prediction error in response to said sample; anddetecting a fault in the process tool using said prediction error. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for detecting faults in a process tool, comprising:
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selecting a model for generating a prediction error in response to a sample of process parameter signals from a plurality of possible models; acquiring said sample during operation of the process tool; said model generating a prediction error in response to said sample; and detecting a fault in the process tool using said prediction error; wherein said detecting a fault in the process tool using said prediction error is performed independent of which one of said plurality of possible models is used to generate said prediction error. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for detecting faults in a process tool, comprising:
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selecting a model for generating a prediction error in response to a sample of process parameter signals from a plurality of possible models; acquiring said sample during operation of the process tool; receiving process event signals generated by the process tool; said model generating a prediction error in response to said sample; and detecting a fault in the process tool using said prediction error; wherein said detecting a fault in the process tool using said prediction error is performed independent of which one of said plurality of possible models is used to generate said prediction error.
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Specification