Advanced process control for semiconductor manufacturing
First Claim
1. A computer program product comprising:
- a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein, the computable readable code including instructions that implement a process control software system capable of controlling a process having a plurality of devices communicating in a network, the devices including a metrology machine, a processing machine, and a controller, the process control software system including;
a metrology machine plan routine capable of controlling operations of the metrology machine, the metrology machine plan routine capable of generating a human readable text describing activities to be exercised by the metrology machine and data to be collected and analyzed by the metrology machine;
a processing machine plan routine capable of controlling operations of the processing machine, the processing machine plan routine capable of generating a human readable text describing activities to be exercised by the processing machine and data to be collected and analyzed by the processing machine; and
a strategy routine controlling operations of the controller, the strategy routine capable of coordinating activities of the metrology machine plan and the processing machine plan that span multiple processing steps of the process.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An Advanced Process Control (APC) Framework performs automatic process control operations through the design and development of a software framework that integrates factory, process, and equipment control systems. The APC Framework benefits semiconductor-manufacturing factories, or “fabs,” throughout the development of the APC Framework by using an iterative development approach. The APC Framework is designed to integrate seamlessly with commercially-available APC tools. The APC Framework specifies components and a component structure that enable multiple vendors to build and sell framework-compatible products using an open architecture that accommodates plug-and-play components. The APC Framework advantageously increases product yield distributions and equipment utilization, and lowers defect densities.
292 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein, the computable readable code including instructions that implement a process control software system capable of controlling a process having a plurality of devices communicating in a network, the devices including a metrology machine, a processing machine, and a controller, the process control software system including;
a metrology machine plan routine capable of controlling operations of the metrology machine, the metrology machine plan routine capable of generating a human readable text describing activities to be exercised by the metrology machine and data to be collected and analyzed by the metrology machine;
a processing machine plan routine capable of controlling operations of the processing machine, the processing machine plan routine capable of generating a human readable text describing activities to be exercised by the processing machine and data to be collected and analyzed by the processing machine; and
a strategy routine controlling operations of the controller, the strategy routine capable of coordinating activities of the metrology machine plan and the processing machine plan that span multiple processing steps of the process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
the metrology machine is a pre-process metrology machine that measures a characteristic of a material prior to supplying the material to the processing machine, the pre-process metrology machine capable of generating a feed-forward measurement data that is communicated from the pre-process metrology machine to the controller; and
the strategy routine utilizes the feed-forward measurement data as an input data to the controller, the strategy routine capable of determining a processing parameter based on the feed-forward measurement data that is applied to the processing machine and determines activities of the processing machine.
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3. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein:
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the metrology machine is a post-process metrology machine that measures a characteristic of a material subsequent to processing the material by the processing machine, the post-process metrology machine capable of generating a feed-back measurement data that is communicated from the post-process metrology machine to the controller; and
the strategy routine utilizes the feed-back measurement data as an input data to the controller, the strategy routine capable of determining a processing parameter based on the feed-back measurement data that is applied to the processing machine and capable of determining activities of the processing machine.
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4. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein:
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the process control software system includes software routines that are;
distributed among the controller, the metrology machine, and the processing machine;
object-oriented; and
based on standards of Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), CORBA services, and CORBA facilities.
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5. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein:
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the process devices further include a database;
the process control software system further includes a data store and a data history;
the metrology machine is a pre-process metrology machine that measures a characteristic of a material prior to supplying the material to the processing machine;
the metrology machine plan routine includes;
a routine capable of directing the metrology machine to measure a material;
a routine capable of receiving measurement data from the metrology machine;
a routine capable of storing the measurement data in the data store for use in a processing step; and
a routine capable of sending the measurement data to the data history.
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6. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein:
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the process devices further include a database;
the process control software system further includes a data store and a data history;
the processing machine plan routine includes;
a routine capable of retrieving a process model from the strategy;
a routine capable of determining a processing parameter based on measurement data received from a metrology machine plan routine;
a routine capable of sending the processing parameter to the processing machine and directing the processing machine to execute a processing activity;
a routine capable of receiving a notification that the processing activity of the processing machine is complete; and
a routine capable of sending determined parameters to the data history.
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7. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein:
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the process devices further include a database;
the process control software system further includes a data store and a data history;
the metrology machine is a post-process metrology machine that measures a characteristic of a material subsequent to processing the material by the processing machine;
the metrology machine plan routine includes;
a routine capable of directing the metrology machine to measure a material;
a routine capable of receiving measurement data from the metrology machine;
a routine capable of retrieving an old version of a process plan;
a routine capable of executing a model update algorithm;
a routine capable of storing the updated model in the data store for use in a processing step; and
a routine capable of sending the updated model data to the data history.
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8. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein:
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the devices include a plurality of processing equipment devices; and
the process control software system supports a run-to-run control scenario using model-based process control operating a plurality of the processing equipment devices, a result of material processing at a processing equipment device being passed on to a subsequent manufacturing step using feed-forward control and being used to influence future processing of the material.
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9. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein:
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the devices include a plurality of processing equipment devices; and
the process control software system supports a fault detection and classification scenario using model-based detection and classification of problems occurring with a processing equipment device, data being collected from a processing equipment device being collected and analyzed using an idealized mathematical process model, a result of the analysis being used to detect an occurrence of a processing equipment device fault and to determine a type of the processing equipment device fault.
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10. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein:
the computer usable medium is a communication signal transmitted over a communication channel.
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11. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein, the computable readable code including instructions that implement a process control software system capable of controlling a process having a controller and a plurality of processing equipment devices and metrology machine devices communicating in a network, the process control software system including;
a plurality of process control framework components capable of controlling activities exercised by the processing equipment devices and controlling data collected and analyzed by the metrology machine devices; and
the process control framework components being developed by an iterative process of a plurality of phases including analysis, design, implementation and deployment phases, the process control framework components being incrementally enhanced and having functionality increased in the plurality of phases. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
the process control framework components include a plan executor capable of controlling operations of a device such as the processing equipment devices and the metrology machine devices, the plan executor capable of generating a human readable text describing activities to be exercised by the device and data to be collected and analyzed by the device; and
the process control framework components implement a strategy coordinating activities of the plurality of devices that span multiple processing steps of the process.
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13. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
the process control framework components are interoperable by a user using a user interface, the user performing coordinating activities for operating the plurality of devices.
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14. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
the process control framework components are substitutable by a user using a user interface, the process control framework components being replacable or upgradable.
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15. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
the process control framework components are extensible by a user using a user interface, the process control framework components having a functionality that is extended to perform additional activities and specialized for special activities.
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16. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components are software routines that are;
distributed among the plurality of devices;
object-oriented; and
based on standards of Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), CORBA services, and CORBA facilities.
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17. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the devices include a plurality of processing equipment devices; and
the process control software system supports a run-to-run control scenario using model-based process control operating a plurality of the processing equipment devices, a result of material processing at a processing equipment device being passed on to a subsequent manufacturing step using feed-forward control and being used to influence future processing of the material.
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18. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the devices include a plurality of processing equipment devices; and
the process control software system supports a fault detection and classification scenario using model-based detection and classification of problems occurring with a processing equipment device, data being collected from a processing equipment device being collected and analyzed using an idealized mathematical process model, a result of the analysis being used to detect an occurrence of a processing equipment device fault and to determine a type of the processing equipment device fault.
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19. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a plan execution component capable of controlling execution of advanced processing control strategies, plans, and process control scripts associated with the control strategies and plans, the plan execution component capable of interacting with other components of the process control framework components as dictated by the scripts to perform selected process control functionalities.
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20. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a fault detection monitoring component capable of supplying an information window into a current state and past states of processing equipment, information in the window including processing activity, alarms, and faults.
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21. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a machine interface component for interfacing between an equipment interface and a process control representation of a fab tool, and for translating between equipment interface communications and a Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA).
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22. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a sensor interface component for interfacing of sensor data acquisition Plug-in applications.
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23. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
an operator interface component for communicating between a wafer fab technician (WFT) and the process control system via a graphical user interface (GUI).
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24. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Document Management component for executing version control operations for extended implementation by associated Document Management components including Data Collection Plan Management, Plug-in Management, and Plan Management.
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25. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Data Collection Plan Management component for configuring and managing data collection plans, associated duration plans, sampling plans, and reporting plans.
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26. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Plug-In Management component for defining, importing, and managing process control Plug-In applications that are developed with tools that are external to the process control system, such as Matlab, Mathematica, and MatrixX.
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27. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Plan Management component for defining, configuring, managing, and defining usage of process control strategies, plans, and scripts.
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28. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Sign-Off Management component for executing chance management, sign-off operations, and supporting other Document Management components.
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29. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Data Store component for storing and retrieving process control models and process control status data.
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30. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Data History component for storing an historical repository and archival of process control data for usage in off-line analysis.
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31. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Component Management component for executing administrative services, configuration services, event services, and state services for servers developed for the process control framework.
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32. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a System Management component for defining, grouping, installing, and managing components in the process control system.
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33. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Logger component for capturing activity and trace information for diagnostic and monitoring operations.
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34. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Registry component for maintaining a centralized repository of component configuration information including setup values, system environment settings, and lists of dependent objects and event channels.
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35. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
an Events component for handling asynchronous event signals including receiving event signals from event suppliers and sending, event signals to event consumers that are decoupled from the event suppliers, the Events component supporting event “
fan-in” and
notification “
fan-out”
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36. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
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the process control framework components include;
a Trader component for handling service-based lookup for components to find other components that perform a selected service.
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37. A computer program product according to claim 11 wherein:
computer usable medium is a communication signal transmitted over a communication channel.
Specification