Method and apparatus for monitoring consumable performance
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring consumable performance in a processing tool, comprising:
- storing a performance model of the processing tool;
receiving a consumable item characteristic of a consumable item in the processing tool;
determining a predicted processing rate for the processing tool based on the consumable item characteristic and the performance model;
determining an actual processing rate of the processing tool; and
determining a replacement interval for the consumable item based on at least the actual processing rate.
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Abstract
A method for monitoring consumable performance in a processing tool comprises storing a performance model of the processing tool; receiving a consumable item characteristic of a consumable item in the processing tool; determining a predicted processing rate for the processing tool based on the consumable item characteristic and the performance model; determining an actual processing rate of the processing tool; and determining a replacement interval for the consumable item based on at least the actual processing rate. A processing system includes a processing tool and an automatic process controller. The processing tool is adapted to process wafers and includes a consumable item.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring consumable performance in a processing tool, comprising:
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storing a performance model of the processing tool;
receiving a consumable item characteristic of a consumable item in the processing tool;
determining a predicted processing rate for the processing tool based on the consumable item characteristic and the performance model;
determining an actual processing rate of the processing tool; and
determining a replacement interval for the consumable item based on at least the actual processing rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
processing wafers in the processing tool; and
measuring a characteristic of the processed wafers to determine the actual processing rate.
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3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining operating recipe parameters for the processing tool based on the predicted processing rate.
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4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the replacement interval for the consumable item includes determining the replacement interval based on the actual processing rate and the predicted processing rate.
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5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving scheduling information associated with the processing tool, and wherein determining the replacement interval for the consumable item includes determining the replacement interval based on the actual processing rate and the scheduling information.
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6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing tool comprises a polishing tool including a polishing pad and determining the replacement interval for the consumable item includes determining the replacement interval for the polishing pad.
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7. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing tool comprises a polishing tool including a carrier and determining the replacement interval for the consumable item includes determining the replacement interval for the carrier.
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8. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing tool comprises a sputter deposition tool including a target and determining the replacement interval for the consumable item includes determining the replacement interval for the target.
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9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the consumable item characteristic includes receiving an age of the consumable item.
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10. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the actual processing rate includes measuring a characteristic of the wafers prior to being processed in the processing tool.
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11. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the performance model based on the characteristic of the processed wafers.
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12. The method of claim 3, further comprising processing wafers in the processing tool based on the operating recipe parameters.
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13. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving the scheduling information includes monitoring the idle time of the processing tool.
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14. A processing system, comprising:
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a processing tool adapted to process wafers, the processing tool including a consumable item; and
a processing device programmed with instructions that, when executed, perform a method for monitoring consumable performance in the processing tool, the method including;
storing a performance model of the processing tool;
receiving a consumable item characteristic of a consumable item in the processing tool;
determining a predicted processing rate for the processing tool based on the consumable item characteristic and the performance model;
determining an actual processing rate of the processing tool; and
determining a replacement interval for the consumable item based on at least the actual processing rate. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A processing system, comprising:
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a processing tool adapted to process wafers, the processing tool including a consumable item; and
an automatic process controller adapted to store a performance model of the processing tool, receive a consumable item characteristic of the consumable item in the processing tool, determine a predicted processing rate for the processing tool based on the consumable item characteristic and the performance model, determine an actual processing rate of the processing tool, and determine a replacement interval for the consumable item based on at least the actual processing rate. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A processing system, comprising:
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a processing tool adapted to process wafers, the processing tool including a consumable item;
means for storing a performance model of the processing tool;
means for receiving a consumable item characteristic of a consumable item in the processing tool;
means for determining a predicted processing rate for the processing tool based on the consumable item characteristic and the performance model;
means for determining an actual processing rate of the processing tool; and
means for determining a replacement interval for the consumable item based on at least the actual processing rate.
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Specification