Process monitoring system for lithography lasers

• US 7,203,562 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2004
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cymer Incorporated (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: Cymer Incorporated (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Watson, Tom A., Patel, Parthiv S., Carlesi, Jason R., Green, Roger L., Conway, Joseph E., Rowan, Christopher G., Moen, Jeffrey W., Tantra, Muljadi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Tuyet
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, JIMMY T
• Application Number:
  US10/767,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20040186609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 372/38, 372/38.1, 372/20, 372/57, 372/103, 700/121, 700/9, 700/108, 700/2, 702/188, 702/179, 702/180
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70525 Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70975 Assembly, maintenance, transport or storage of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70991 Connection with other apparatus, e.g. multiple exposure stations, particular arrangement of exposure apparatus and pre-exposure and/or post-exposure apparatus; Shared apparatus, e.g. having shared radiation source, shared mask or workpiece stage, shared base-plate; Utilities, e.g. cable, pipe or wireless arrangements for data, power, fluids or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31205 Remote transmission of measured values from site, local to host
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31485 Verify and update all related data in relational database
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/005 during manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A system for a monitoring lithography lasers at integrated circuit fabrication plants. Each laser at each fabrication plant has associated with it a terminal server. With respect to each fabrication plant a central control server unit is in communication with each of the lasers through a local area network. Information from the lasers is collected by the central control server unit and the information is used to provide summary information which is made available in a web site format to interested parties having access authorization.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring lithography lasers at at least one integrated circuit fabrication plant, said system, comprising:

A) a plurality of lasers each being configured for use as illumination sources in an integrated circuit lithography process,

B) a terminal server associated with each one of said plurality of lasers;

C) a central fabrication plant server unit in communication through a local area network with each of said plurality of lasers through the respective terminal server;

said central fabrication plant unit being programmed to acquire data from each of said lasers and to store at least portions of the data in raw form and/or summary form;

D) a second server unit providing communication through a communication network between said central Fabrication plant server unit and computers utilized by persons having access authorization to the information stored by said central fabrication plant server unit.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of lasers are narrow band gas discharge lasers.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein each terminal server is provided with a unique internet address.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein said second server is located at a facility of a laser manufacturer.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein said central fabrication plant server unit is programmed with software is selected from a list created in modular form said software comprising:

(a) a data acquisition module

(b) a parser module

(c) a database module and

(d) a user interface module.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein said data acquisition module comprises software components selected from a list comprising:

(a) laser read and write

(b) command write to lasers

(c) command write queue

(d) data read from lasers

(e) master scheduler

(f) interface to parser

(g) database write queue

(h) system error togs and error daemon.

7. A system as in claim 1 wherein data acquired from said lasers is presented at a web site created by said central fabrication plant server unit.

8. A system as in claim 7 wherein said data acquired from said laser is presented in the form of summary charts.

9. A system as in claim 8 wherein said charts are selected From a list comprising:

(a) chamber lifetime charts

(b) LNM charts

(c) Stabilization module charts

(d) Uptime or downtime charts

(e) Maintenance related charts.

10. A system as in claim 7 wherein said web site comprises web pages.

11. A system as in claim 10 wherein said web pages are selected from a list comprising:

(a) art administration page

(b) summary pages regarding particular lasers

(c) service log pages

(d) error pages.

12. A system as in claim 1 wherein said communication network comprises the Internet.

13. A system as in claim 1 wherein said communication network comprises an intranet system.

14. A system as in claim 1 wherein said terminal server comprises an embedded network card.

15. A system as in claim 1 wherein said communication network comprises an intranet system.

16. A system as in claim 1 wherein said terminal server comprises an embedded network card.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the central fabrication plant server means and the plurality of terminal servers are contained inside of at least one network at firewall maintained by the operator of the integrated circuit lithography process;

and, the second server is contained inside of at least one network firewall maintained by a manufacturer of the lasers.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the central fabrication plant server unit is programmed with a data acquisition module.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising the data acquisition module comprises components selected from the list including:

a) laser read and write;

b) command write to lasers'"'"'

c) command write queue;

d) data read from lasers;

e) master scheduler;

f) interface to parser;

g) database write queue;

h) system error log; and

i) error daemon.

20. A system for monitoring lithography lasers at at least one integrated circuit fabrication plant, said system, comprising:

A) a plurality of lasers each being configured for use as illumination sources in an integrated circuit lithography process,

B) a terminal server associated with each one of said plurality of lasers;

C) a central fabrication plant server means in communication through a local area network with each of said plurality of lasers through the respective terminal server;

said central fabrication plant means sewer being programmed to acquire data from each of said lasers and to store at least portions of the data in raw form and/or summary form;

D) a second server means providing communication through a communication network between said central fabrication plant server means and computers utilized by persons having access authorization to the information stored by said central fabrication plant server means.

21. A system as in claim 20 wherein said plurality of lasers are narrow band gas discharge lasers.

22. A system as in claim 20 wherein each terminal sewer is provided with a unique internet address.

23. A system as in claim 20 wherein said second server means is located at a facility of a Laser manufacturer.

24. A system as in claim 20 wherein said central fabrication plant server means is programmed with software created in modular form said software selected from a list comprising:

(a) a data acquisition module

(b) a parser module

(c) a database module and

(d) a user interface module.

25. A system as in claim 24 wherein said data acquisition module comprises software components selected from a list comprising:

(a) laser read and write

(b) command write to lasers

(c) command write queue

(d) data read from lasers

(e) master scheduler

(f) interface to parser

(g) database write queue

(h) system error logs and error daemon.

26. A system as in claim 20 wherein data acquired from said lasers is presented at a web site created by said central fabrication plant server means.

27. A system as in claim 26 wherein said data acquired from said lasers is presented in the form of summary charts.

28. A system as in claim 27 wherein said charts are selected from a list comprise:

(a) chamber lifetime charts

(b) LNM charts

(c) Stabilization module charts

(d) Uptime or downtime charts

(e) Maintenance related charts.

29. A system as in claim 26 wherein said web site comprises web pages.

30. A system as in claim 29 wherein said web pages are selected from a list comprise:

(a) an administration page

(b) summary pages regarding particular lasers

(c) service log pages

(d) error pages.

31. A system as in claim 20 wherein said communication network comprises the Internet.

32. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising the central fabrication plant server means and the plurality of terminal servers are contained inside of at least one network at firewall maintained by the operator of the integrated circuit lithography process;

and, the second server is contained inside of at least one network firewall maintained by a manufacturer of the lasers.

33. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising the central fabrication plant server means is programmed with a data acquisition module.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 farther comprising the data acquisition module comprises components selected from the list including:

a) laser read and write;

b) command write to lasers'"'"'

c) command write queue;

d) data read from lasers;

e) master scheduler;

f) interface to parser;

g) database write queue;

h) system error log; and

i) error daemon.

35. A method for monitoring lithography lasers at at least one integrated circuit fabrication plant, said method, comprising the steps of:

A) using a plurality of lasers as illumination sources in an integrated circuit lithography process,

B) providing a terminal server associated with each one of said plurality of lasers;

C) utilizing a central fabrication plant server unit in communication through a local area network with each of said plurality of lasers through the respective terminal server;

to acquire data from each of said lasers and to store at least portions of the data in raw form and/or summary form;

D) utilizing a second server unit to provide communication through a communication network between said central fabrication plant server unit and computers utilized by persons having access authorization to the information stored by said central fabrication plant server unit.

36. A method as in claim 35 wherein said plurality of lasers are narrow band gas discharge lasers.

37. A method as in claim 35 wherein each terminal server is provided with a unique internet address.

38. A method as in claim 35 wherein said second server is located at a facility of a laser manufacturer.

39. A method as in claim 35 wherein said central fabrication plant server unit is programmed with software created in modular form said software is selected from a list comprising:

(e) a data acquisition module

(f) a parser module

(g) a database module and

(h) a user interface module.

40. A method as in claim 39 wherein said data acquisition module comprises software components are selected from a list comprising:

(a) laser read and write

(b) command write to lasers

(c) command write queue

(d) data read from lasers

(e) master scheduler

(f) interface to parser

(g) database write queue

(h) system error logs and error daemon.

41. A method as in claim 35 further comprising presenting the data acquired from said lasers at a web site created by said central fabrication plant server unit.

42. A method as in claim 41 further comprising presenting data acquired from said Laser in the form of summary charts.

43. A method as in claim 36 wherein said charts are selected from a list comprising:

(a) chamber lifetime charts

(b) LNM charts

(c) Stabilization module charts

(d) Uptime or downtime charts

(e) Maintenance related charts.

44. A method as in claim 41 wherein said web site comprises web pages.

45. A method as in claim 44 wherein said web pages are selected from a list comprising:

(a) an administration page

(b) summary pages regarding particular lasers

(c) service log pages

(d) error pages.

46. A method as in claim 35 wherein said communication network comprises the Internet.

47. A method as in claim 35 wherein said communication network comprises an intranet system.

48. A system as in claim 35 wherein said terminal server comprises an embedded network card.

49. The method of claim 35 and further comprising the central fabrication plant server means and the plurality of terminal servers are contained inside of at least one network at firewall maintained by the operator of the integrated circuit lithography process;

and, the second server is contained inside of at least one network firewall maintained by a manufacturer of the lasers.

50. The method of claim 35 further comprising the central fabrication plant server unit is programmed with a data acquisition module.

51. The method of claim 50 further comprising the data acquisition module comprises components selected from the list including:

a) laser read and write;

b) command write to lasers'"'"'

c) command write queue;

d) data read from lasers;

e) master scheduler;

f) interface to parser;

g) database write queue;

h) system, error log; and

i) error daemon.