Method for automatic configuration of processing system

• US 7,213,478 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Yue, Hongyu, Harada, Satoshi, Lam, Hieu A, Chamness, Kevin Andrew, Willis, James E, Hume, Edward C. III, Fatke, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, RODNEY T
• Application Number:
  US10/776,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 73/10.1, 738/659, 700/121
• US Class Current: 73/865.9
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41845 characterised by system universality, reconfigurability, modularity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31334 Database with devices, configuration, of plant
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32191 Real time statistical process monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A method of automatically configuring an Advanced Process Control (APC) system for a semiconductor manufacturing environment in which an auto-configuration script is generated for executing an auto-configuration program. The auto-configuration script activates default values for input to the auto-configuration program. The auto-configuration script is executed to generate an enabled parameter file output from the auto-configuration program. The enabled parameter file identifies parameters for statistical process control (SPC) chart generation.

Claims

1. A method of automatically configuring an Advanced Process Control (APC) system for a semiconductor manufacturing environment comprising:

generating an auto-configuration script for executing an auto-configuration program, wherein said auto-configuration script activates default values for input to said auto-configuration program;

executing said auto-configuration script to generate an enabled parameter file output from said auto-configuration program, wherein said enabled parameter file identifies parameters for statistical process control (SPC) chart generation; and

generating control limits for at least one of said at least one SPC charts, wherein said generating comprises automatic calculation of said control limits per the execution of said auto-configuration script.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

generating an auto-configuration data tile configured to be read by said auto-configuration program, wherein said auto-configuration data file comprises at least one of a list of enabled parameters and flags for overriding said default values.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

generating &

least one SPC chart for at least one of said enabled parameters, wherein said generating comprises automatic creation of said SPC chart per the execution of said auto-configuration script.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said control limits comprise at least one of an upper control limit and a lower control limit.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said control limits are automatically calculated once a required number of data points are achieved in said SPC chart.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein outliers of said required number of data points are removed.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said control limits are calculated based upon a percentage of a mean of said required number of data points in said SPC chart.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said control limits are calculated based upon a multiplication of a factor and a standard deviation of said required number of data points in said SPC chart.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said upper control limit (UCL) is determined by UCL=mean+percentage*mean, and said lower control limit (LCL) is determined by LCL=mean−

percentage*mean.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said upper control limit (UCL) is determined by UCL=mean+factor*standard deviation, and said lower control limit (LCL) is determined by LCL=mean−

factor*standard deviation.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said percentage is user specified.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said percentage is specified using a spreadsheet.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said percentage is specified using a GUI.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said factor is user specified.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said factor is specified using a spreadsheet.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said factor is specified using a GUI.

17. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said required number of data points is user specified.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said required number of data points is specified using a spreadsheet.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said required number of data points is specified using a GUI.

20. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said required number of data points comprises a number of data points acquired during a pre-population of the APC system.

21. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

configuring run rule evaluations for said at least one SPC chart; and

enabling said run rule evaluations.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said rim rule evaluations are configured by a user.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein said factor is specified using a spreadsheet.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein said factor is specified using a GUI.

25. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said automatically calculated control limits are determined for a current substrate run and are utilized to update old control limits from a prior substrate run.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein a new control limit is equivalent to (1−

λ

)*said old value+λ

*(said calculated value), said λ

is a filter constant and ranges from a value of 0 to 1.

27. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said determined upper control limit (UCL) is determined for a current substrate run and is utilized to update an old upper control limit from a prior substrate run.

28. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said determined upper control limit (UCL) is determined for a current substrate run and is utilized to update an old upper control limit from a prior substrate run.

29. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein a new upper control limit is equivalent to (1−

λ

)*said old upper control limit+λ

*(said determined upper control limit), said λ

is a filter constant and ranges from a value of 0 to 1.

30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein a new upper control limit is equivalent to (1−

λ

)*said old upper control limit+λ

*(said determined upper control limit), said λ

is a filter constant and ranges from a value of 0 to 1.

31. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said determined lower control limit (LCL) is determined for a current substrate run and is utilized to update an old lower control limit from a prior substrate run.

32. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said determined lower control limit (LCL) is determined for a current substrate run and is utilized to update an old lower control limit from a prior substrate run.

33. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein a new lower control limit is equivalent to (1−

λ

)*said old lower control limit+λ

*(said determined lower control limit), said λ

is a filter constant and ranges from a value of 0 to 1.

34. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein a new lower control limit is equivalent to (1−

λ

) said old lower control limit+λ

*(said determined lower control limit), said λ

is a filter constant and ranges from a value of 0 to 1.

35. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said at least one SPC chart is accessible remotely via the Internet.

36. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said control limits are accessible via the Internet.