Method, computer program product and apparatus for scheduling maintenance actions in a substrate processing system

• US 6,879,866 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Auer-Jongepier, Suzan Leonie, Rossing, Harm Roelof, Tel, Wim Tjibbe
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): JARRETT, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/633,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 700 99-103, 700/121, 702/177, 702/184
• US Class Current: 700/100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32233 Scheduling repair
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418

Abstract

A method of scheduling one or more maintenance actions in at least a part of a substrate processing system is provided. According to an embodiment, the method includes determining a gap in the flow of substrates in a part of the substrate processing system and scheduling one or more maintenance actions to be performed in another part of the substrate processing during a period associated with the gap. An increase of productivity of substrate processing can be achieved through a reduction in downtime in a substrate processing system by appropriate scheduling of maintenance actions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of scheduling one or more maintenance actions in at least a part of a substrate processing system, comprising:

determining a gap in the flow of substrates in a part of the substrate processing system, other than a gap in the flow of substrates caused at introduction of substrates into the substrate processing system; and

scheduling one or more maintenance actions to be performed in a part of the substrate processing system during a period associated with the gap.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a gap comprises monitoring for a gap in the flow of substrates through the substrata processing system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gap is determined using information about the performance of a maintenance action, another activity provided by one or more parts of the substrate processsing system, or both.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gap is determined using a scheduler and the method further comprises controlling the performance of the one or more maintenance actions in a part of the substrate processing system using she scheduler.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flow of substrates in all or part of the substrata processing system is stopped upon the occurrence of the gap and said scheduling comprises scheduling one or more maintenance actions to be performed in a part of the substrate processing system such that the one or more maintenance actions occur at least partly in parallel with the gap.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flow of substrates continues in another pert of the substrate processing system upon the occurrence of the gap and said scheduling comprises scheduling one or more maintenance actions to be performed when at least a pert of the gap is at a part of the substrate processing system where the scheduled one or more maintenance actions are to be performed.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substrate processing system comprises a lithographic apparatus and a track.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein said scheduling is performed externally from the lithographic apparatus and the track.

9. A computer program product to schedule one or more maintenance actions in at least a part of a substrata processing system, comprising:

software code configured to determine a gap in the flow of substrates in a part of the substrate processing system other than a gap in the flow of substrates caused at in introduction of substrates into the substrate processing system; and

software code configured to schedule one or more maintenance actions to be performed in a part of the substrate processing system during a period associated with the gap.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the code configured to determine a gap comprises code configured to monitor for a gap in the flow of substrates through the substrate processing system.

11. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the code configured to determine a gap comprises code to determine the guy using information about the performance of a maintenance action, another activity provided by one or more parts of the substrate processing system, or both.

12. The computer program product according to claim 9, comprising a scheduler configured to determine the gap and to control the performance of the one or more maintenance actions in part of the substrate processing system.

13. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the flow of substrates in all or pan at the substrate processing system is stopped upon the occurrence of the gap and said code configured to schedule comprises coda configured to schedule one or more maintenance actions to be performed in a part of the substrate processing system such that the one or one or more maintenance actions occur at least partly in parallel with the cap.

14. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the flow of substrates continues in another part of the substrate processing system upon the occurrence of the gap and said code configured to schedule comprises code configured to schedule one or more maintenance actions to be performed when at least a part of the gap is at a part of the substrate processing system where the scheduled one or more maintenance actions are to be performed.

15. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein said substrate processing system comprises a lithographic apparatus and a track.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, whereto said computer program product is operated externally from the lithographic apparatus and the track.

17. A lithographic apparatus comprising:

an illumination system configured to provide a projection beam of radiation;

a support structure configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured the project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and

a processing unit configured to determine a gap in the flow of substrates in a part of a substrate processing system other than a gap in the flow of substrates caused at introduction of substrates into the substrate processing system, and to schedule one or more maintenance actions to be performed in the lithographic apparatus during a period associated with the gap.

18. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the processing unit is configured to monitor for a gap in the flow of substrates through the substrate processing system.

19. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the gap using information about the performance of a maintenance action, and another activity provided by one or more parts of the substrate processing system, or both.

20. The lithographic apparatus according claim 17, wherein th processing tout comprises a scheduler the scheduler being configured to determine the gap and to control the performance of the one or more maintenance actions in the lithographic apparatus.

21. A track comprising:

a coater configured to apply a layer of radiation-sensitive material to a substrate;

a developer configured to develop an exposed substrate; and

a processing unit configured to determine a gap in the flow of substrates in a part of a substrate processing system and to schedule one or more maintenance actions to be performed in the track during a period associated with the gap.

22. The track according to claim 21, wherein the processing unit is configured to monitor for a gap in the flow of substrates through the substrate processing system.

23. The track according to claim 21, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the gap using information about the performance of a maintenance action and another activity provided by one or more pans of the substrate processing system, or both.

24. The track according to claim 21, wherein the processing unit comprises a scheduler, the scheduler configured to determine the gap and to control the performance of the one or more maintenance actions in the track.

25. A computer implemented method for initiating execution of maintenance actions in attack and a lithographic apparatus, comprising:

determining a gap in the flow of substrates in a part of one of the track and the lithographic apparatus, other than a gap in the flew of substrates caused at introduction of substrates into the track and lithographic apparatus; and

scheduling one or more maintenance actions to be performed in a part of the other of the track and the lithographic apparatus during a period associated with the gap.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein determining a gap comprises monitoring for a gap in the flow of substrates through the track, the lithographic apparatus or both.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the gap is determined using information about the performance of a maintenance action, another activity provided by one or more parts of the truck and/or the lithographic apparatus, or both.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the gap is determined using a scheduler and the method farther comprises controlling the performance of the one or more maintenance actions in the other oldie track and the lithographic apparatus using the scheduler.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein said scheduling is performed externally from the lithographic apparatus and the track.

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein the flow of substrates in all or port of the truck, the lithographic apparatus, or both is stopped upon the occurrence of the gap and said scheduling comprises scheduling one or more maintenance action, to be performed in the other of the track and the lithographic apparatus such that the one or more maintenance actions occur at least partly in parallel with the gap.

31. The method according to claim 25, wherein the flow of substrates continues in another part of the substrate processing system upon the occurrence of the gap and said scheduling comprises scheduling one or more maintenance actions to be performed when at least a part of the gap is ar a part of the substrate processing system where the scheduled one or more maintenance actions are to be performed.