Process monitoring system for real time statistical process control
First Claim
1. A process parameter monitoring system for real time SPC, and comprising:
- a) production control computer connected to wafer fabrication machinery to monitor key parameters and provide control signals,b) said production control computer containing a database for storage and retrieval of process data collected from the wafer fabrication machinery,c) said production control computer connected to a data server,d) said production control computer having a display monitor upon which various data and parameter limits are displayed,e) said data server connecting the production control computer to a company wide network,f) said company wide network connected to a production manufacturing information system,g) said data server providing process data and information to the production control computer from the production manufacturing information system through the company wide network,h) said production control computer collecting process parameter data from the wafer fabrication machinery for each processing lot throughout the process,i) said process parameter data placed into the database contained within the production control computer.
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Abstract
This invention describes a method to monitor process parameters from multiple process machines to provide real time statistical process control (SPC). The particular implementation was derived from ion implantation of wafers, but has wide applicability where there are a number of process machines having a number of process parameters and close continuous sampling of data is required. The process parameters are collected on a single computer over a single RS 485 network, and each parameters is analyzed and displayed separately for each process and process machine. Statistical variables like Cp and Cpk arc calculated and presented on the computer screen along with graphs of the various parameters for a particular process machine. Data is aged out of the computer to an archival data base under the control of a manufacturing information system and connected to a company wide network.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A process parameter monitoring system for real time SPC, and comprising:
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a) production control computer connected to wafer fabrication machinery to monitor key parameters and provide control signals, b) said production control computer containing a database for storage and retrieval of process data collected from the wafer fabrication machinery, c) said production control computer connected to a data server, d) said production control computer having a display monitor upon which various data and parameter limits are displayed, e) said data server connecting the production control computer to a company wide network, f) said company wide network connected to a production manufacturing information system, g) said data server providing process data and information to the production control computer from the production manufacturing information system through the company wide network, h) said production control computer collecting process parameter data from the wafer fabrication machinery for each processing lot throughout the process, i) said process parameter data placed into the database contained within the production control computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A process control and data collection system for wafer fabrication process SPC, and comprising:
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a) a production control computer connected to a RS 485 network through a RS 485 adapter, b) a RS 485 to digital converter connecting control data from the RS 485 network to each wafer fabrication process machine, c) an analog to RS 485 converter connecting process parameter data from the wafer fabrication process machinery to the production control computer by means of the RS 485 network, d) said process parameter data from the wafer fabrication process machinery providing real time process data, e) said real time process data compared to SPC limits in the production control computer to determine a probability of yield from the process, f) adjustments made to the process depending upon the real time process data as compared to the SPC limits and the probability of yield from the process. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for real time process control by means of a process control computer connected to wafer fabrication machinery through a network, and comprising:
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a) collecting process parameter data by a production control computer connected to one or more wafer process machines by means of a network, b) storing real time process parameter data into a data base, c) computing an average value for each parameter of each product batch, d) storing said average values in an historical data file, e) determining process control limits from said historical data file, f) monitoring wafer fabrication process parameters and comparing to said process control limits. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification