Integration of fault detection with run-to-run control

• US 7,337,019 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Reiss, Terry P., Schwarm, Alexander T., Shanmugasundram, Arulkumar P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight; Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Sunray
• Application Number:
  US10/135,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,127 Days
• Field of Search: 700/51, 700117-123, 700/108, 700/110, 700/21, 714/47, 714/48, 438/5, 438 7- 10, 438/12, 438/14, 438/16, 219490-497
• US Class Current: 700/21
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31357 Observer based fault detection, use model
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31443 Keep track of nc program, recipe program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45031 Manufacturing semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0286 Modifications to the monitored process, e.g. stopping operation or adapting control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Semiconductor wafers are processed in conjunction with a manufacturing execution system using a run-to-run controller and a fault detection system. A recipe is received from the manufacturing execution system by the run-to-run controller for controlling a tool. The recipe includes a setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties. Processing of the wafers is monitored by measuring processing attributes including fault conditions and wafer properties using the fault detection system and one or more sensors. Setpoints of the recipe may be modified at the run-to-run controller according to the processing attributes to maintain the target wafer properties, except in cases when a fault condition is detected by the fault detection system. Thus, data acquired in the presence of tool or wafer fault conditions are not used for feedback purposes. In addition, fault detection models may be used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition. In these cases, the fault detection models may be modified to incorporate, as parameters, setpoints of a recipe modified by a run-to-run controller.

Claims

1. A method for processing wafers in a manufacturing execution system using a run-to-run controller with a fault detection system, said method comprising:

1) receiving, into said run-to-run controller, a recipe for controlling a tool, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

2) monitoring processing of said wafers by measuring processing attributes including wafer properties and fault conditions identified by said fault detection system;

3) forwarding said processing attributes to said run-to-run controller;

4) modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller according to said measured processing attributes to maintain said target wafer properties, except when a fault condition is detected by said fault detection system in which case the at least one setpoint of said recipe is not modified according to said measured processing attributes; and

5) incorporating said modified setpoint of said recipe as a parameter in said fault detection system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring wafer properties before execution of processing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a fault detection index from said measured processing attributes, and forwarding said index to said run-to-run controller for purposes of modifying said at least one setpoint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying comprises comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool specification limit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying comprises comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool range.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating said processing upon detection of a fault condition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one setpoint comprises two or more setpoints.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one setpoint comprises at least one of temperature, pressure, power, processing time, lift position and flow rate of a material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said fault condition comprises a tool fault.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said fault condition comprises a wafer property fault.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein incorporating said modified setpoint comprises incorporating said at least one setpoint of said recipe in one or more fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said measured wafer properties are not used to modify said recipe when a wafer fault is detected.

13. A method for processing wafers, said method comprising:

1) processing said wafers according to a recipe, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

2) measuring wafer properties;

3) detecting conditions indicative of a fault condition using a fault detection system;

4) modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe according to said measured wafer properties to maintain said target wafer properties in the absence of a fault condition, and not modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe according to said measured wafer properties in the presence of a fault condition; and

5) incorporating said modified setpoint of said recipe as a parameter in said fault detection system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein processing is terminated if a fault condition is detected.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said measuring occurs during processing.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said measuring occurs after processing.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said at least one setpoint of said recipe is incorporated as a parameter into fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition.

18. A system for processing wafers in a manufacturing execution system, said system comprising

a run-to-run controller for controlling a tool according to a recipe received from said manufacturing execution system, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

a sensor for measuring processing attributes including wafer properties;

a fault detector for monitoring said wafer properties to detect conditions indicative of a fault condition and forwarding said conditions to said run-to-run controller;

wherein said at least one setpoint of said recipe is modified according to said processing attributes to maintain said target wafer properties, except when a fault condition is detected by said fault detector in which case the at least one setpoint is not modified according to said processing attributes; and

wherein said modified setpoint of said recipe is incorporated as a parameter in said fault detector.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a sensor for measuring wafer properties before execution of processing.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said fault detector generates a fault detection index from said measured processing attributes, and forwards said index to said run-to-run controller for purposes of modifying said at least one setpoint.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said run-to-run controller modifies said at least one setpoint by comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool specification limit.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said run-to-run controller modifies said at least one setpoint by comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool range.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein said run-to-run controller terminates processing upon detection of a fault condition.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein said at least one setpoint comprises two or more setpoints.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein said at least one setpoint comprises at least one of temperature, pressure, power, processing time, lift position and flow rate of a material.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein said fault condition comprises a tool fault.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein said fault condition comprises a wafer property fault.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition, wherein said fault detection models are modified to incorporate, as parameters, said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller.

29. A system for processing wafers in a manufacturing execution system using a run-to-run controller with a fault detection system, said system comprising:

means for receiving, into said run-to-run controller, a recipe for controlling a tool, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

means for monitoring processing of said wafers by measuring processing attributes including wafer properties and fault conditions identified by said fault detection system;

means for forwarding said processing attributes to said run-to-run controller; and

means for modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller according to said processing attributes to maintain said target wafer properties, except when a fault condition is detected by said fault detection system in which case the at least one setpoint of said recipe is not modified according to said processing attributes, said modified setpoint of said recipe being incorporated as a parameter in said fault detection system.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for measuring wafer properties before execution of processing.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for generating a fault detection index from said measured processing attributes, and means for forwarding said index to said run-to-run controller for purposes of modifying said setpoints.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for modifying comprises means for comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool specification limit.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for modifying comprises means for comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool range.

34. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for terminating said processing upon detection of a fault condition.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein said fault condition comprises a tool fault.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein said fault condition comprises a wafer property fault.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition are modified to incorporate, as parameters, said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller.

38. A system for processing wafers, said system comprising:

means for processing said wafers according to a recipe, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

means for measuring wafer properties;

means for detecting conditions indicative of a fault condition; and

means for modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe according to said measured wafer properties to maintain said target wafer properties in the absence of a fault condition, and not modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe according to said measured wafer properties in the presence of a fault condition, wherein said modified setpoint of said recipe is incorporated as a parameter in said means for detecting conditions indicative of a fault condition.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein processing is terminated if a fault condition is detected.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition are modified to incorporate, as parameters, said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller.

41. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for processing wafers in a manufacturing execution system using a run-to-run controller with a fault detection system, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer readable instructions for receiving, into said run-to-run controller, a recipe for controlling a tool, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

computer readable instructions for monitoring processing of said wafers by measuring processing attributes including wafer properties and fault conditions identified by said fault detection system;

computer readable instructions for forwarding said processing attributes to said run-to-run controller; and

computer readable instructions for modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller according to said measured processing attributes to maintain said target wafer properties, except when a fault condition is detected by said fault detection system in which case the at least one setpoint of said recipe is not modified according to said measured processing attributes, wherein said modified setpoint is incorporated as a parameter in said fault detection system.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, further comprising computer readable instructions for measuring wafer properties before execution of processing.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, further comprising computer readable instructions for generating a fault detection index from said measured processing attributes, and computer readable instructions for forwarding said index to said run-to-run controller for purposes of modifying said setpoints.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein said computer readable instructions for modifying comprises computer readable instructions for comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool specification limit.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein said computer readable instructions for modifying comprises computer readable instructions for comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool range.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, further comprising computer readable instructions for terminating said processing upon detection of a fault condition.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein said fault condition comprises a tool fault.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein said fault condition comprises a wafer property fault.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition are modified to incorporate, as parameters, said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller.

50. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for processing wafers, said computer-readable medium comprising:

computer readable instructions for processing said wafers according to a recipe, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

computer readable instructions for measuring wafer properties;

computer readable instructions for detecting conditions indicative of a fault condition; and

computer readable instructions for modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe according to said measured wafer properties to maintain said target wafer properties in the absence of a fault condition, and not modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe according to said measured wafer properties in the presence of a fault condition, wherein said modified setpoint is incorporated as a parameter in a fault detection system.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 50, wherein processing is terminated if a fault condition is detected.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition are modified to incorporate, as parameters, said at least one setpoint of said recipe.

53. A method for processing wafers in a manufacturing execution system using a run-to-run controller with a fault detection system, said method comprising:

1) receiving, into said run-to-run controller, a recipe for controlling a tool, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

2) monitoring processing of said wafers by measuring processing attributes including wafer properties and fault conditions identified by said fault detection system;

3) forwarding said processing attributes to said run-to-run controller;

4) modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller according to said measured processing attributes to maintain said target wafer properties when no fault condition is detected by said fault detection system; and

5) refraining from modifying said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller according to said measured processing attributes when a fault condition not requiring termination of said processing is detected by said fault detection system.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising measuring wafer properties before execution of processing.

55. The method of claim 53, further comprising generating a fault detection index from said measured processing attributes, and forwarding said index to said run-to-run controller for purposes of modifying said at least one setpoint.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein said modifying comprises comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool specification limit.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein said modifying comprises comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool range.

58. The method of claim 53, further comprising terminating said processing upon detection of a fault condition.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein said at least one setpoint comprises two or more setpoints.

60. The method of claim 53, wherein said at least one setpoint comprises at least one of temperature, pressure, power, processing time, lift position and flow rate of a material.

61. The method of claim 53, wherein said fault condition comprises a tool fault.

62. The method of claim 53, wherein said fault condition comprises a wafer property fault.

63. The method of claim 53, wherein fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition are modified to incorporate, as parameters, said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller.

64. The method of claim 53, wherein said measured wafer properties are not used to modify said recipe when a wafer fault is detected.

65. A system for processing wafers in a manufacturing execution system, said system comprising

a run-to-run controller for controlling a tool according to a recipe received from said manufacturing execution system, wherein said recipe includes at least one setpoint for obtaining one or more target wafer properties;

a sensor for measuring processing attributes including wafer properties;

a fault detector for monitoring said wafer properties to detect conditions indicative of a fault condition and forwarding said conditions to said run-to-run controller; and

wherein said at least one setpoint of said recipe is modified according to said processing attributes to maintain said target wafer properties when no fault condition is detected by said fault detector, and wherein said at least one setpoint of said recipe is refrained from being modified according to said measured processing attributes when a fault condition not requiring termination of said processing is detected by said fault detector.

66. The system of claim 65, further comprising a sensor for measuring wafer properties before execution of processing.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein said fault detector generates a fault detection index from said measured processing attributes, and forwards said index to said run-to-run controller for purposes of modifying said at least one setpoint.

68. The system of claim 65, wherein said run-to-run controller modifies said at least one setpoint by comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool specification limit.

69. The system of claim 65, wherein said run-to-run controller modifies said at least one setpoint by comparing a predicted output against an acceptable tool range.

70. The system of claim 65, wherein said run-to-run controller terminates processing upon detection of a fault condition.

71. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one setpoint comprises two or more setpoints.

72. The system of claim 65, wherein said at least one setpoint comprises at least one of temperature, pressure, power, processing time, lift position and flow rate of a material.

73. The system of claim 65, wherein said fault condition comprises a tool fault.

74. The system of claim 65, wherein said fault condition comprises a wafer property fault.

75. The system of claim 65, wherein fault detection models used to define a range of conditions indicative of a fault condition are modified to incorporate, as parameters, said at least one setpoint of said recipe at said run-to-run controller.