×

Versatile semiconductor manufacturing controller with statistically repeatable response times

  • US 7,620,516 B2
  • Filed: 04/25/2006
  • Issued: 11/17/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of precisely timed control over semiconductor manufacturing processes using a tool host and a process I/O controller, wherein the process I/O controller includes electrical interfaces to process chamber monitors and controls and supports precisely timed input and output through the electrical interfaces, and the tool host includes a programming environment that symbolically represents the electrical interfaces, the method including:

  • using the tool host, preparing a control program that includes instructions for the process I/O controller to sample inputs and control outputs through the electrical interfaces;

    from the tool host to the process I/O controller, loading the control program;

    and using the process I/O controller, upon receiving a command invoking the control program, running the control program to generate statistically accurate timing of sampling inputs and controlling outputs through the electrical interfaces;

    wherein the sampling inputs and controlling outputs is considered to have statistically accurate timing when variances in a 99.99 percent range of distribution of variances between a target time and actual times are less than or equal to 5 (five) milliseconds.

View all claims
  • 9 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×