System for controlling the processing of an integrated circuit chip assembly line

• US 7,818,085 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Chang, Bo Soon
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Paul L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US11/042,701
• Time in Patent Office: 2,094 Days
• Field of Search: 700/121, 700/95, 700/96, 700/117, 156/351, 156/584, 438/106, 438/107, 438110-113, 710/105
• US Class Current: 700/121
• 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 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 Solder alloys

Abstract

A method and system for controlling the processing of an IC chip assembly line using a central computer system and a common communication protocol. In one embodiment, a manufacturing execution system (MES) is used as the computer system and the communications protocol is the standard semi equipment communications standard/generic equipment model (SECS/GEM). One or more equipment cell controllers (CC) may be used to communicate between the MES a plurality of in-line substations which comprise the assembly line. Automated vision camera systems may also communicate information to the MES via the CCs. In one embodiment, the MES maintains a database in memory comprising processing history of a die-strip and results of automated die-strip examination from the vision camera systems. In one embodiment, the die-strip may be of a ball grid array (BGA) type.

Claims

1. A computer control system for a back-end assembly line for IC assembly comprising:

a plurality of integrated substations comprising a front-of-line portion, an end-of-line portion, a test portion, and a finish portion, each substation operable to process a die-strip in an in-line and pipelined fashion such that a first substation processes a first die-strip while a second substation processes a second die-strip, wherein each die-strip comprises a strip and a plurality of dies attached to said strip;

a plurality of automated vision camera systems disposed at said plurality of substations for automatically examining each die-strip, wherein a first automated vision camera system is disposed at said front-of-line portion, a second automated vision camera system is disposed at said end-of-line portion, and a third automated vision camera system is disposed at said finish portion;

a central computer system coupled to said plurality of automated vision camera systems and coupled to said plurality of substations, said central computer system for collecting information from said plurality of automated vision camera systems and for controlling traversal and processing of each die-strip through said plurality of substations in an in-line and pipelined fashion using a common communication protocol; and

a database coupled to said central computer system, wherein said database stores said collected information from said plurality of automated vision camera systems, and wherein said database stores a map representation of each die-strip for maintaining details of each die of each die-strip.

2. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said central computer system is a manufacturing execution system (MES).

3. A system as described in claim 2 wherein said common communication protocol is a version of the standard semi equipment communications standard/generic equipment model (SECS/GEM).

4. A system as described in claim 1 further comprising an equipment cell controller coupled between said plurality of automated vision camera systems and said central computer system and for transferring information therebetween.

5. A system as described in claim 4 wherein said equipment cell controller is also coupled between said central computer system and said plurality of substations for providing communication therebetween.

6. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said plurality of substations comprise:

a first equipment cell controller coupled between said central computer system and a first portion of said plurality of automated vision camera systems of said front-of-line portion and for providing communication therebetween; and

a second equipment cell controller coupled between said central computer system and a second portion of said plurality of automated vision camera systems of said end-of-line portion and for providing communication therebetween.

7. A system as described in claim 6 wherein:

said central computer system is also for communicating first commands and data to said first equipment cell controller to control said front-of-line portion of said plurality of substations; and

said central computer system is also for communicating second commands and data to said second equipment cell controller for controlling said end-of-line portion of said plurality of substations.

8. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said central computer system is also for determining a location of each die-strip by one of said automated vision camera systems reporting an identification of a unique code associated with each die-strip.

9. A system as described in claim 1 wherein:

said end-of-line portion is integrated with said front-of-line portion;

said test portion integrated with said end-of-line portion; and

said finish portion integrated with said test portion.

10. A system as described in claim 9 wherein said front-of-line portion comprises:

a die-attach substation;

a cure substation;

a first plasma substation;

a bond substation and a second plasma substation.

11. A system as described in claim 9 wherein said end-of-line portion comprises:

a mold substation;

a post mold cure substation;

a solder ball attach substation;

a saw substation; and

a sort substation.

12. A system as described in claim 9 wherein said finish portion comprises:

a marking substation;

a final visual inspection substation; and

a tape and reel substation.

13. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said common communication protocol is a version of the standard semi equipment communications standard/generic equipment model (SECS/GEM).

14. A system as described in claim 13 wherein said SECS/GEM communication protocol is established in a hierarchical format.

15. A computer control system for a back-end IC device assembly line comprising:

a plurality of integrated substations comprising a front-of-line portion, an end-of-line portion, a test portion, and a finish portion, each substation operable to process a die-strip in an in-line and pipelined fashion such that a first substation processes a first die-strip while a second substation processes a second die-strip, wherein each die-strip comprises a strip and a plurality of dies attached to said strip;

a plurality of automated vision camera systems disposed at said plurality of substations for automatically examining each die-strip, wherein a first automated vision camera system is disposed at said front-of-line portion, a second automated vision camera system is disposed at said end-of-line portion, and a third automated vision camera system is disposed at said finish portion;

a manufacturing execution system (MES) coupled to said plurality of automated vision camera systems and coupled to said plurality of substations, said MES for collecting information from said plurality of automated vision camera systems and for controlling traversal and processing of each die-strip through said plurality of substations in an in-line and pipelined fashion using commands and data communicated using a common communication protocol being a version of the standard semi equipment communications standard/generic equipment model (SECS/GEM); and

a database coupled to said MES, wherein said database stores said collected information from said plurality of automated vision camera systems, and wherein said database stores a map representation of each die-strip for maintaining details of each die of each die-strip.

16. A system as described in claim 15 wherein said plurality of substations further comprise:

a first equipment cell controller coupled between said MES and a first portion of said plurality of automated vision camera systems of said front-of-line portion and for providing communication therebetween; and

a second equipment cell controller coupled between said MES and a second portion of said plurality of automated vision camera systems of said end-of-line portion and for providing communication therebetween.

17. A system as described in claim 16 wherein:

said MES is also for communicating first commands and data to said first equipment cell controller to control said front-of-line portion of said plurality of substations; and

said MES is also for communicating second commands and data to said second equipment cell controller for controlling said end-of-line portion of said plurality of substations.

18. A system as described in claim 15 wherein said MES is also for determining a location of each die-strip by one of said automated vision camera systems reporting an identification of a unique code associated with each die-strip.

19. A system as described in claim 15 wherein:

said end-of-line portion is integrated with said front-of-line portion;

said test portion is integrated with said end-of-line portion; and

said finish portion is integrated with said test portion.

20. A system as described in claim 19 wherein said front-of-line portion comprises:

a die-attach substation;

a cure substation;

a first plasma substation;

a bond substation and a second plasma substation.

21. A system as described in claim 19 wherein said end-of-line portion comprises:

a mold substation;

a post mold cure substation;

a solder ball attach substation;

a saw substation; and

a sort substation.

22. A system as described in claim 19 wherein said finish portion comprises:

a marking substation;

a final visual inspection substation; and

a tape and reel substation.

23. A system as described in claim 15 wherein said SECS/GEM communication protocol is established in a hierarchical format.