Method and apparatus for the integration of sensor data from a process tool in an advanced process control (APC) framework

• US 6,535,783 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fullbrite Capital Partners, LLC
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Bushman, Scott G., Miller, Michael Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US09/799,408
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 700/121, 700/95, 700/108-109, 714/47-48, 438/5
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for integrating tool sensor data in an Advanced Process Control (APC) application. A sensor receives operational state data of a processing tool related to the manufacture of a processing piece. The state data is sent from the sensor to a data server and accumulated therein. The data server processes the state data and forwards the data to an APC framework. The APC framework then forwards the state data to a fault detection unit. The fault detection unit determines if a fault condition exists with the processing tool based upon the state data. A predetermined action is performed on the processing tool in response to the presence of a fault condition. In accordance with one embodiment, the predetermined action is to shutdown the processing tool so as to prevent further production of faulty wafers.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining operational state data of a processing tool related to the manufacture of a processing piece;

collecting the state data at a data server;

processing the state data at the data server by a processor within the data server;

sending the processed state data from the data server to a first interface;

sending the processed state data from the first interface to a fault detection unit;

determining if a fault condition exists with the processing tool based upon the state data; and

performing a predetermined action on the processing tool in response to the presence of a fault condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the processed state data from the first interface to a fault detection unit further comprises:

sending the state data from the first interface to a controller;

accumulating the state data at the controller; and

sending the accumulated state data from the controller to the fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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 was determined by the fault detection unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a predetermined action further comprises:

sending a signal by the process controller to a second interface reflective of the predetermined action.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein performing sending a signal by the process controller to a second interface further comprises:

sending a signal by the process controller to a second interface to shut down the processing tool providing that a faulty condition exists.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

translating the state data at the first interface from a first communications protocol used by the data server to a second communications protocol used by the controller.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving the state data at a third interface from the controller prior to sending the state data to the fault detection unit.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

translating the state 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.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein determining if a fault condition exists, further comprises:

comparing the state data received at the controller to predetermined state data at the fault detection unit.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein sending the accumulated state data from the controller to the fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event, further comprises:

sending the accumulated state data from the controller to the fault detection unit upon completion of a lot of processing pieces processed by the tool.

11. A system, comprising:

a processing tool adapted to manufacture a processing piece;

a sensor adapted to obtain operational state data of the processing tool related to the manufacture of the processing piece;

a data server adapted to collect the state data from the sensor and process the state data, the data server including a processor for processing the state data;

a first interface, coupled to the data server, and adapted to receive the processed state data from the data server;

a fault detection unit adapted to determine if a fault condition exists with the processing tool based on the operational state data; and

a framework, including the first interface, adapted to receive the state data from the data server, to send the data to the fault detection unit, and to perform a predetermined action on the processing tool in response to the presence of a fault condition.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the framework includes:

a controller adapted to receive and accumulate the state data as the data is received by the first interface, and to send the state data to the fault detection unit upon occurrence of a predetermined event.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first interface is further adapted to translate the state data between a first communications protocol used by the data server and a second communications protocol used by the framework.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the framework further includes:

a second interface, coupled between the controller and the fault detection unit, and adapted to receive the state data from the controller prior to sending the data to the fault detection unit.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second interface is further adapted to translate the state data from the second communications protocol used by the framework to a third communications protocol used by the fault detection unit.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the fault detection unit is further adapted to compare the state data of the processing tool to predetermined state data to determine the presence of the fault condition.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing tool is a semiconductor fabrication tool, and the processing piece is a silicon wafer.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the framework is an Advanced Process Control (APC) framework.

19. 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).

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the second interface is further adapted to send an alarm signal to the controller providing that a fault condition was determined by the fault detection unit.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further adapted to send a control signal to a third interface reflective of the predetermined action providing that a fault condition exists.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the predetermined action is to shut down the