Methods and systems for controlling a semiconductor fabrication process
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a neural network enabled controller for controlling the operation of a semiconductor manufacturing system to schedule processing of one or more workpieces, wherein the neural network receives as inputs data from the semiconductor manufacturing system, where the data from the semiconductor manufacturing system embodies a position identification of an isolation valve within the system through which workpieces pass and that selectively isolates an environment of process tool from a shared vacuum environment of the system that transfers the workpieces to the process tool; and
a workpiece data structure, the data structure including an identity of the workpiece and one or more fields for storing information relating to the workpiece.
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Abstract
Software for controlling processes in a heterogeneous semiconductor manufacturing environment may include a wafer-centric database, a real-time scheduler using a neural network, and a graphical user interface displaying simulated operation of the system. These features may be employed alone or in combination to offer improved usability and computational efficiency for real time control and monitoring of a semiconductor manufacturing process. More generally, these techniques may be usefully employed in a variety of real time control systems, particularly systems requiring complex scheduling decisions or heterogeneous systems constructed of hardware from numerous independent vendors.
142 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a neural network enabled controller for controlling the operation of a semiconductor manufacturing system to schedule processing of one or more workpieces, wherein the neural network receives as inputs data from the semiconductor manufacturing system, where the data from the semiconductor manufacturing system embodies a position identification of an isolation valve within the system through which workpieces pass and that selectively isolates an environment of process tool from a shared vacuum environment of the system that transfers the workpieces to the process tool; and a workpiece data structure, the data structure including an identity of the workpiece and one or more fields for storing information relating to the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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controlling operation of a semiconductor manufacturing system with a neural network to schedule coordinated processing of one or more workpieces; creating a data structure for one of the one or more workpieces, the data structure including an identity of the one workpiece and one or more fields for storing information relating to the one workpiece; and receiving data from the semiconductor manufacturing system as an input to the neural network, where the data from the semiconductor manufacturing system embodies a position identification of an isolation valve within the system through which workpieces pass and that selectively isolates an environment of process tool from a shared vacuum environment of the system that transfers the workpieces to the process tool. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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a neural network enabled controller for controlling the operation of a semiconductor manufacturing system to schedule processing of one or more workpieces, wherein the neural network receives as inputs data from the semiconductor manufacturing system, where the inputs include a transition time and the transition time includes one or more of a pump down to vacuum time and a vent to atmosphere time; and a workpiece data structure, the data structure including an identity of the workpiece and one or more fields for storing information relating to the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification