Method and apparatus for integration of real-time tool data and in-line metrology for fault detection in an advanced process control (APC) framework
First Claim
1. A method for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
- receiving at a first interface operational data of a processing tool related to the manufacture of a processing piece, and product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
sending the operational and product data from the first interface to a second interface;
translating the operational and product data at the second interface from a first communications protocol used by the first interface to a second communications protocol used by a controller;
sending the operational and product data from the second interface to the controller;
accumulating the operational and product data at the controller;
sending the accumulated operational and product data from the controller to a fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event; and
determining if a fault condition exists with the processing tool based upon the operational data and if a fault condition exists with the processing piece based upon the product data at the fault detection unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing near real-time fault detection in a manufacturing process is provided. The apparatus includes a processing tool adapted to manufacture a processing piece and an interface, coupled to the processing tool, for receiving operational data from the processing tool related to the manufacture of the processing piece, and product data defining characteristics of the processing piece. In one embodiment, the processing tool is in the form of semiconductor fabrication equipment and the processing piece is a silicon wafer. A fault detection unit is provided to determine if a fault condition exists with the processing tool from the operational data or with the processing piece from the product data. An Advanced Process Control (APC) framework is further provided to receive the operational and product data from the first interface, and to send the data to the fault detection unit.
93 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
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receiving at a first interface operational data of a processing tool related to the manufacture of a processing piece, and product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
sending the operational and product data from the first interface to a second interface;
translating the operational and product data at the second interface from a first communications protocol used by the first interface to a second communications protocol used by a controller;
sending the operational and product data from the second interface to the controller;
accumulating the operational and product data at the controller;
sending the accumulated operational and product data from the controller to a fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event; and
determining if a fault condition exists with the processing tool based upon the operational data and if a fault condition exists with the processing piece based upon the product data at the fault detection unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
sending an alarm signal indicative of the fault condition to the controller from the fault detection unit providing that a fault condition of the processing tool or processing piece was determined by the fault detection unit.
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3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
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performing a predetermined action to rectify the fault condition providing that the alarm signal is received by the controller; and
sending a signal by the process controller to the first interface reflective of the predetermined action.
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4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a fault condition exists, further comprises:
comparing the operational and product data received at the controller to predetermined operational and product data at the fault detection unit.
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5. A method for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
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receiving at a first interface operational data of a processing tool related to the manufacture of a processing piece, and product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
sending the operational and product data from the first interface to a controller, the operational and product data being received at a second interface from the first interface prior to sending the operational and product data to the controller;
accumulating the operational and product data at the controller; and
sending the accumulated operational and product data from the controller to a fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event, the operational and product data being received at a third interface from the controller prior to sending the operational and product data to the fault detection unit; and
determining if a fault condition exists with the processing tool based upon the operational data and if a fault condition exists with the processing piece based upon the product data at the fault detection unit. - View Dependent Claims (6)
translating the operational and product data at the third interface from the second communications protocol used by the controller to a third communications protocol used by the fault detection unit.
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7. A method for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
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receiving at a first interface operational data of a processing tool to the manufacture of a processing piece, and product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
sending the operational and product data from the first interface to a controller;
receiving additional operational data of the processing tool from a sensor that is coupled to the processing tool at a second interface;
sending the additional operational data to the controller as it is received at the second interface;
accumulating the operational and product data and additional operation data at the controller;
sending the accumulated data from the controller to a fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event; and
determining if a fault condition exists with the processing tool based upon the operational data and if a fault condition exists with the processing piece based upon the product data at the fault detection unit. - View Dependent Claims (8)
translating the operational data at the fourth interface from a first communications protocol used by the sensor to a second communications protocol used by the controller.
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9. A method for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
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receiving at a first interface operational data of a processing tool related to the manufacture of a processing piece, and product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
sending the operational and product data from the first interface to a controller;
accumulating the operational and product data at the controller;
sending the accumulated operational and product data from the controller to a fault detection unit upon completion of a lot of processing pieces processed by the tool; and
determining if a fault condition exists with the processing tool based upon the operational data and if a fault condition exists with the processing piece based upon the product data at the fault detection unit.
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10. A system for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
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a processing tool adapted to manufacture a processing piece;
a first interface, coupled to the processing tool, the first interface adapted to receive operational data of the processing tool related to the manufacture of the processing piece, and to receive product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
a fault detection unit adapted to determine if a fault condition exists with the processing tool and the processing piece; and
a framework adapted to receive the operational and product data from the first interface, and to send the data to the fault detection unit;
wherein the framework includes;
a controller adapted to receive and accumulate the operational and product data as the data is received by the first interface, and to send the operational and product data to the fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event; and
a second interface, coupled between the first interface and the controller, the second interface adapted to receive the operational and product data from the first interface, and to translate the operational and product data between a first communications protocol used by the first interface and a second communications protocol used by the framework. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
a third interface, coupled between the controller and the fault detection unit, and adapted to receive the operational and product data from the controller prior to sending the data to the fault detection unit.
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13. The system of claim 12, wherein the third interface is further adapted to translate the operational and product data from the second communications protocol used by the framework to a third communications protocol used by the fault detection unit.
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14. The system of claim 13, wherein the framework is an Advanced Process Control (APC) framework, and the second communications protocol used by the framework is a Common Object Request Broker Architecture Interface Definition Language (CORBA IDL).
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15. The system of claim 12, wherein the third interface is further adapted to send an alarm signal to the controller providing that a fault condition was determined by the fault detection unit.
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16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller is further adapted to perform a predetermined action to rectify the fault condition providing that the alarm signal is received, and to send a control signal to the first interface reflective of the predetermined action.
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17. The system of claim 10, wherein the fault detection unit is further adapted to compare the operational and product data of the processing tool and processing piece to predetermined operational and product data to determine the presence of the fault condition.
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18. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing tool is a semiconductor fabrication tool, and the processing piece is a silicon wafer.
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19. A system for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
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a processing tool adapted to manufacture a processing piece;
a first interface, coupled to the processing tool, the first interface adapted to receive operational data of the processing tool related to the manufacture of the processing piece, and to receive product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
a fault detection unit adapted to determine if a fault condition exists with the processing tool and the processing piece;
a framework adapted to receive the operational and product data from the first interface, and to send the data to the fault detection unit; and
a sensor coupled to the processing tool, the sensor adapted to receive additional operational data from the processing tool; and
wherein the framework includes;
a controller adapted to receive and accumulate the operational and product data as the data is received by the first interface, and to send the operational and product data to the fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event; and
a second interface, coupled between the sensor and the controller, the second interface adapted to receive the additional operational data from the sensor, and to translate the additional operational data between a first communications protocol used by the sensor and a second communications protocol used by the framework.
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20. A system for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
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a processing tool adapted to manufacture a processing piece;
a first interface, coupled to the processing tool, the first interface adapted to receive operational data of the processing tool related to the manufacture of the processing piece, and to receive product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
a fault detection unit adapted to determine if a fault condition exists with the processing tool and the processing piece; and
an advanced process control (APC) framework adapted to receive the operational and product data from the first interface, and to send the data to the fault detection unit.
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21. A system for providing fault detection in a manufacturing process, comprising:
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a processing tool adapted to manufacture a processing piece;
a first interface, coupled to the processing tool, the first interface adapted to receive operational data of the processing tool related to the manufacture of the processing piece, and to receive product data defining characteristics of the processing piece;
a fault detection unit adapted to determine if a fault condition exists with the processing tool and the processing piece; and
a framework adapted to receive the operational and product data from the first interface, and to send the data to the fault detection unit;
wherein the framework includes;
a controller adapted to receive and accumulate the operational and product data as the data is received by the first interface, and to send the operational and product data to the fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event; and
wherein the predetermined event is the completion of a lot of processing pieces processed the processing tool.
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Specification