Wafer movement control macros

• US 7,680,559 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Thorgrimsson, Christopher Fryer
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGESS, RAMYA PRAKASAM
• Application Number:
  US11/054,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213, 700/245, 700/121
• US Class Current: 700/213
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67745 characterized by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for creating a set of wafer transfer instructions configured to transfer a wafer between an origination wafer-holding location and a destination wafer-holding location in a plasma cluster tool, which has a plurality of wafer-holding locations. The method includes receiving a first user-provided location indicator and a second user-provided location indicator, which graphically identify the origination wafer-holding location and the destination wafer-holding location respectively on the on-screen graphical representation of the plasma cluster tool. The method further includes ascertaining data pertaining to a path between the first user-provided location indicator and the second user-provided location indicator. The method further includes forming the set of wafer transfer instructions responsive to the data pertaining to the path. The set of wafer transfer instructions is configured to transfer the wafer along a set of wafer-holding locations associated with the path.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a set of wafer transfer instructions configured to transfer a wafer between an origination wafer-holding location and a destination wafer-holding location in a plasma cluster tool, said plasma cluster tool having a plurality of wafer-holding locations, said method comprising:

receiving a first user-provided location indicator, said first user-provided location indicator graphically identifying said origination wafer-holding location on an on-screen graphical representation of said plasma cluster tool;

receiving a second user-provided location indicator, said second user-provided location indicator graphically identifying said destination wafer-holding location on said on-screen graphical representation of said plasma cluster tool;

ascertaining data pertaining to a path between said first user-provided location indicator and said second user-provided location indicator;

using a sensor associated with a first wafer-holding location to report said first-wafer holding location as unsuitable for accepting said wafer;

flagging at least said first wafer-holding location of said plasma cluster tool as being excludable;

excluding said first wafer-holding location from a list of nodes used for forming said path; and

forming said set of wafer transfer instructions responsive to said data pertaining to said path, said set of wafer transfer instructions being configured to transfer said wafer along a set of wafer-holding locations associated with said path.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first user-provided location indicator and said second user-provided location indicator are indicated by a user using a drag-and-drop operation on said graphical representation of said plasma cluster tool.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining said data pertaining to said path employs a “

breadth-first”

traversal algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said set of wafer transfer instructions represents a set of macros.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether said first wafer-holding location is able to accept said wafer; and

performing said flagging based on said determining.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first wafer-holding location represents a given node of a given module in said plasma cluster tool.

7. A computer-implemented method for creating a set of wafer transfer instructions configured to transfer a wafer between an origination wafer-holding location and a destination wafer-holding location in a plasma cluster tool, said plasma cluster tool having a plurality of wafer-holding locations, said method comprising:

receiving a first user-provided location indicator, said first user-provided location indicator graphically identifying said origination wafer-holding location on an on-screen graphical representation of said plasma cluster tool;

receiving a second user-provided location indicator, said second user-provided location indicator graphically identifying said destination wafer-holding location on said on-screen graphical representation of said plasma cluster tool;

ascertaining data pertaining to a path between said first user-provided location indicator and said second user-provided location indicator, said path traversing at least one other wafer-holding location other than said origination wafer-holding location and said destination wafer-holding location, said path including identities of wafer-holding locations between said origination wafer-holding location and said destination wafer-holding locations;

using a sensor associated with a first wafer-holding location to report said first-wafer holding location as unsuitable for accepting said wafer;

flagging at least said first wafer-holding location of said plasma cluster tool as being excludable;

excluding said first wafer-holding location from a list of nodes used for forming said path; and

forming said set of wafer transfer instructions responsive to said data pertaining to said path, said set of wafer transfer instructions being configured to transfer said wafer along said wafer-holding locations associated with said path.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said first user-provided location indicator and said second user-provided location indicator are indicated by a user using a drag-and-drop operation on said graphical representation of said plasma cluster tool.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said ascertaining said data pertaining to said path employs a “

breadth-first”

traversal algorithm.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said set of wafer transfer instructions represents a set of macros.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining whether said first wafer-holding location is able to accept said wafer; and

performing said flagging based on said determining.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said first wafer-holding location represents a given node of a given module in said plasma cluster tool.

13. A computer-implemented method for creating a set of wafer transfer instructions configured to transfer a wafer between an origination wafer-holding location and a destination wafer-holding location in a plasma cluster tool, said plasma cluster tool having a plurality of wafer-holding locations, said method comprising:

ascertaining said origination wafer-holding location;

ascertaining said destination wafer-holding location;

automatically ascertaining data pertaining to a path between said origination wafer-holding location and said destination wafer-holding location, said path traversing at least one other wafer-holding location other than said origination wafer-holding location and said destination wafer-holding location, said path including identities of wafer-holding locations between said origination wafer-holding location and said destination wafer-holding locations;

using a sensor associated with a first wafer-holding location to report said first-wafer holding location as unsuitable for accepting said wafer;

flagging at least said first wafer-holding location of said plasma cluster tool as being excludable;

excluding said first wafer-holding location from list of nodes used for forming said path; and

automatically forming said set of wafer transfer instructions responsive to said data pertaining to said path, said set of wafer transfer instructions being configured to transfer said wafer along said wafer-holding locations associated with said path.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said ascertaining said data pertaining to said path employs a “

breadth-first”

traversal algorithm.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said set of wafer transfer instructions represents a set of macros.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining whether said first wafer-holding location is able to accept said wafer; and

performing said flagging based on said determining.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said set of wafer transfer instructions is configured to evacuate wafers from said plasma cluster tool, said ascertaining said origination wafer-holding location including obtaining sensor data identifying the current location of a first wafer, ascertaining said destination wafer-holding location including designating an output port associated with said plasma cluster tool.