System and software for data collection and process control in semiconductor manufacturing and method thereof
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- entering semiconductor process parameters into a statistical process control system;
receiving a request from an equipment interface for a data collection plan; and
configuring the equipment interface, using the statistical process control system, to collect the semiconductor process parameters, wherein configuring includes providing the data collection plan to the equipment interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In its various embodiments, the method collects data from process and metrology tools in a semiconductor manufacturing environment, generates statistics from that data, detects tool failures, processing errors, and other conditions that can jeopardize product output, and performs high level process control in the form of tool shutdowns, lot holds, and lot releases. One method as disclosed automates the collection and recording of data from process and metrology tools, automates configuration of data collection, and automates process equipment shut downs, all within the existing framework of existing MES systems and engineering data collection systems. Automation of configurations and data collection is conducted by creation of data collection plans, data collection capability specifications, and other versioned documents within a process control and data collection system as disclosed herein. These versioned documents may be generated through a common graphical user interface and presented via an Internet web browser or other network interface.
272 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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entering semiconductor process parameters into a statistical process control system;
receiving a request from an equipment interface for a data collection plan; and
configuring the equipment interface, using the statistical process control system, to collect the semiconductor process parameters, wherein configuring includes providing the data collection plan to the equipment interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method comprising:
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establishing a data collection plan using a statistical process control system, the data collection plan identifying data to collect from a semiconductor tool;
receiving a request from an equipment interface to receive a data collection plan; and
providing the data collection plan to the equipment interface of the semiconductor tool through the statistical process control system in response to receiving the request from the equipment interface. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions, said program of instructions including instructions to:
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establish a data collection plan using a statistical process control system, the data collection plan identifying data to collect from a semiconductor tool;
receive a request from an equipment interface to receive a data collection plan; and
provide the data collection plan to the equipment interface of the semiconductor tool through the statistical process control system.
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13. A system comprising:
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a user interface to;
receive a capability specification identifying a data collection capability of a semiconductor tool;
receive a data collection plan, the data collection plan used in conjunction with the capability specification to identify data to be collected from a semiconductor tool; and
receive a process control strategy;
a communications port to configure an equipment interface of a semiconductor tool to collect measurement data from the semiconductor tool;
a communications port to obtain measurement data from the equipment interface;
a data broker to;
receive the measurement data from the communications port; and
provide the measurement data to a statistical process client; and
a statistical process client to evaluate the measurement data in accordance with the process control strategy. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a statistical process control system, a capability specification identifying a data collection capability of a semiconductor tool;
receiving a data collection plan at the statistical process control system, the data collection plan used in conjunction with the capability specification to identify data to be collected from a semiconductor tool;
configuring an equipment interface, using the statistical process control system, to collect measurement data from the semiconductor tool;
obtaining the measurement data from the semiconductor tool;
providing the measurement data to a statistical process client through a data broker, the statistical process client being part of the statistical process control system;
receiving a process control strategy at the statistical process control system; and
evaluating the measurement data in accordance with the process control strategy using the statistical process control client. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification