Method, device, computer-readable storage medium and computer program element for the computer-aided monitoring of a process parameter of a manufacturing process of a physical object

• US 7,027,943 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Steinkirchner, Erwin, Maeritz, Jörn
• Primary Examiner(s): BARBEE, MANUEL L
• Application Number:
  US10/712,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 702 81- 84, 702117-121, 702/123, 702/179, 702/180, 702181-185, 702/187, 700108-111, 700/117, 700/121, 438/14
• US Class Current: 702/81
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31359 Object oriented model for fault, quality control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/146 during manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

In the case of the method for the computer-aided monitoring of process parameters of a manufacturing process of a physical object, object data which identify the physical object are assigned to various hierarchical levels, object data of various hierarchical levels are grouped to form hierarchical object data records, limit values for at least one process parameter are stored and respectively assigned to a hierarchical object data record, process data of the at least one process parameter, measured during the manufacture of physical objects, are stored and the hierarchical object data records corresponding to the object data are determined for physical objects manufactured.

Claims

1. A method for the computer aided monitoring of process parameters of a manufacturing process of a physical object comprising:

storing an unspecific value for a hierarchical level if no specific value is stored in an object data record corresponding to the hierarchical level;

storing process data for at least one process parameter for a corresponding hierarchical object date record;

comparing the stored process data with a stored limit value for the corresponding hierarchical object data record having a specific value; and

iteratively processing the hierarchical levels of the object data record having a specific value with the stored process data from a highest hierarchical level to the next-lower hierarchical level, wherein the object data record having a specific value has object data that identifies a logistical level of the physical object, the logistical level assigned to the hierarchical level having a limit value for at least one process parameter being stored and corresponding to the hierarchical object data record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical object is a wafer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical levels correspond to logistical levels of the manufacturing process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an unspecific limit value is stored for a process parameter by using unspecific object data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a value of the at least one process parameter is measured.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical levels are sorted according to a predeterminable sorting criterion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the unspecific value of the hierarchical level of the object record is used in the iteratively processing if the value of the hierarchical level is not stored as a specific value.

8. A device for the computer-aided monitoring of process parameters of a manufacturing process of a physical object, said device comprising:

a processor that is configured to carry out the following method;

storing an unspecific value for a hierarchical level if no specific value is stored in an object data record corresponding to the hierarchical level;

storing process data for at least one process parameter for a corresponding hierarchical object date record;

comparing process data stored for the corresponding object data record with a stored limit value for the corresponding object data record;

iteratively processing the hierarchical level of the object data record of the stored process data according to a predeterminable hierarchy from a highest hierachical level to a next-lower hierarchical level, and repeating the comparing and the iteratively processing until the processing has reached a lowest hierarchical level, wherein the object data record has object data that identifies a logistical level of the physical object, the logistical level assigned to the hierarchical level with a limit value for at least one process parameter being stored and respectively assigned to a hierarchical object date record.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the unspecific value of the hierarchical level of the object record is used in the iteratively processing if the value of the hierarchical level is not stored as a specific value.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the unspecific value of the hierarchical level of the object record is used in the iteratively processing if the value of the hierarchical level is not stored as a specafic value.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, that stores a program for monitoring a manufacturing process of a physical object, the computer-readable storage medium configured to execute the following method:

storing an unspecific value for a hierarchical level if no specific value is stored in an object data record for the hierarchical level;

storing process data for at least one process parameter for a corresponding hierarchical object data record;

comparing process data stored for the corresponding object data record with a stored limit value for the corresponding object data record;

iteratively processing the hierarchical level of the object data record of the stored process data according to a predeterminable hierarchy from a highest hierachical level to a next-lower hierarchical lever, and repeating the comparing and the iteratively processing until the processing has reached a lowest hierarchical level, wherein the object data record has object data that identifies a logistical level of the physical object, the logistical level assigned to the hierarchical level with a limit value for at least one process parameter being stored and respectively assigned to a hierarchical object data record.

12. A computer architecture for monitoring a manufacturing process of a physical object, object data that identifies the physical object being assigned to various hierarchical levels, object data of various hierarchical levels being grouped to form hierarchical object data records, limit values for at least one process parameter being stored and respectively assigned to a hierarchical object data record, process data of the at least one process parameter, measured during the manufacture of the physical object, being stored and the hierarchical object data records corresponding to the object data being determined for the physical object manufactured, the architecture configured to perform the following method:

storing an unspecific value for the hierarchical level if no specific value is stored in the object data record for the hierarchical level;

storing process data for at least one process parameter for a corresponding hierarchical object data record;

comparing the process data stored for the corresponding object data records with the stored limit values for the corresponding object data records;

iteratively processing the hierarchical level of the object data record of the stored process data according to a predeterminable hierarchy from a highest hierachical level to a next-lower hierarchical level, and repeating the comparing and the iteratively processing until the processing has reached a lowest hierarchical level, wherein the object data record has object data that identifies a logistical level of the physical object, the logistical level assigned to the hierarchical level with a limit value for at least one process parameter being stored and respectively assigned to a hierarchical object data record.

13. The computer architecture of claim 12, wherein the unspecific value of the hierarchical level of the object record is used in the iteratively processing if the value of the hierarchical level is not stored as a specific value.