Reticle stocking and sorting management system

• US 6,403,905 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices SDN Berhad (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Coss, Jr., Elfido, Shirley, Russel, Conboy, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan N.
• Application Number:
  US09/496,874
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 209/577, 209/583, 209/630, 209/559, 209/563, 209/933, 250/548
• US Class Current: 209/563
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70741 Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67271 Sorting devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/933 Accumulation receiving separated items

Abstract

A system and method for stocking and sorting reticles used in a semiconductor fabrication facility, the facility having a material handling system that presents a reticle to a photolithography process area. In an example embodiment of the reticle management system, a reticle storage system and a reticle sorting apparatus are coupled to a host system that is adapted to track and control the movement of reticles in the material handling system. The host system is capable of interfacing with a management input module that integrates management directives into the reticle flow plan in the manufacturing process. The result is a reticle management system that is flexible enough to manage a finite number of reticles and pods in minimizing the delivery time of a reticle to the desired location while responding to changing conditions external to the manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A mask stocking and sorting management system for use in a manufacturing facility having a material handling system that presents a mask to a photolithography process area, comprising:

an arrangement of pods, each of the pods including at least one mask; and

a host system adapted to rearrange the pods at a mask storage location as a function of a mask identification code and an externally provided directive indicating a masking sequence change.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a management input module coupled to the host system for integrating management directives that will change the selection of masks used in the manufacturing process.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the host system reduces the delivery time of a mask to the photolithography area and reduces the number of buffer pods used in the material handling.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the host system is programmed to diminish conflict problems when more than one location in the photolithography area requires use of the same mask at about the same time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the host system tracks the movement of masks and stores the information in a database.

6. The system of claim 1, further including an additional mask storage location system that is coupled to the host system and to the material handling system.

7. A mask stocking and sorting management system for use in a manufacturing facility having a material handling system that presents a mask to a photolithography process area, comprising:

an arrangement of pods, each of the pods including at least one mask;

at least one mask sorting apparatus coupled to the material handling system; and

a host system adapted to rearrange the pods at a mask storage location and the mask sorting apparatus as a function of a mask identification code and an externally provided directive indicating a masking sequence change.

8. The system of claim 7, further including a management input module coupled to the host system for integrating management directives that will change the selection of masks used in the manufacturing process.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the masks are selected based on product types, the masks being associated with a particular wafer lot.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the host system tracks the movement of masks and stores the information in a database.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of pods and masks include a predetermined number of pods and masks.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of masks includes a plurality of reticles.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the host system reduces the delivery time of a mask to the photolithography area and reduces the number of buffer pods used in the material handling.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the management input module is coupled to subsystems that include empty cassette management, test wafer management, carrier management and business rules module.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the management input module assists in out of order processing management of masks and wafers.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein the host system is programmed to diminish conflict problems when more than one location in the photolithography area requires use of the same mask at about the same time.

17. A system for stocking and storing masks for use in a manufacturing facility having a material handling system for presenting a mask to a photolithography area, comprising:

means for providing an arrangement of pods, each of the pods including at least one mask; and

means for rearranging the pods at a mask storage location as a function of a mask identification code and an externally provided directive indicating a masking sequence change.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein mask rearranging means includes rearranging pods at a mask sorting apparatus.

19. A method of stocking and sorting masks used in a manufacturing facility having a material handling system for presenting a mask to a photolithography process area, the method comprising:

providing an arrangement of pods, each of the pods including at least one mask; and

rearranging the pods at a mask storage location as a function of a mask identification code and an externally provided directive indicating a masking sequence change.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein rearranging the pods includes the step of integrating management directives indicating a masking sequence change.

21. The method of claim 19, further including the step of sorting masks proximate to the photolithography area.

22. The method of claim 19, further including the step of providing an additional mask storage location.

23. A method of stocking and sorting masks in a manufacturing process having a photolithography process area and a material handling system, the method comprising:

conducting a status check of masks in the manufacturing process;

preparing a mix of masks within a mask storage system to be transported to the photolithography area via the material handling system;

polling a host system to determine existence of an instruction change that can change the flow of masks in the manufacturing process;

using masks in the photolithography process; and

returning masks to the storage location and communicating status to the host system.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of polling the host system includes polling the management input module to determine existence of an instruction change that can change the selection of masks to be used in the manufacturing process.

25. The method of claim 23, further including the step of transporting the masks to a mask sorter apparatus after preparing the mix of masks.