Reticle management system

• US 20010047222A1
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mariano, Thomas, Wiesler, Oren
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70541 Tagging, i.e. hardware or software tagging of features or components, e.g. using tagging scripts or tagging identifier codes for identification of chips, shots or wafers
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70741 Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries
• 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: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A reticle management system is disclosed that provides data storage and retrieval of data associated with each reticle, reticle carrier, and certain system attributes and also for the efficient movement and storage of reticles and reticle carriers. The reticle management system includes a reticle management controller, a central reticle database, and one or more reticle stockers that include a stocker controller, a stocker database, and a stocker unit. The reticle management controller is coupled to the central reticle database and each of the stocker controllers. Each stocker controller collects data on the reticles, reticle carriers, or both, that are stored within the associated stocker unit and stores this data in the stocker database. The reticle management controller retrieves the data in each stocker database via the associated stocker controller and stores this data in central reticle database. In addition, data attributes for the system, and the reticle carriers within the system may also be stored in the central reticle database.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing data corresponding to a plurality of reticles in a semiconductor manufacturing system including a plurality of processing stages, the apparatus comprising:

a central reticle database configured and arranged to store data associated with each of the plurality of reticles;

a reticle management controller coupled to the central reticle database, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to store and retrieve data from the central reticle database;

a stocker including a stocker controller, a stocker database, and a plurality of storage locations configured and arranged to store at least one of the plurality of reticles, the stocker controller coupled to the stocker database, the stocker controller configured and arranged to store at least a portion of the plurality data corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of reticles stored within the plurality of storage locations within the stocker database; and

the reticle management controller coupled to the stocker controller, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to receive from and to provide, to the stocker controller, at least a portion of the plurality data corresponding to each of the at least one of the plurality of reticles stored within the plurality of storage locations.

2. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle identifying data.

3. The apparatus of

claim 2

wherein the plurality of reticle identifying data includes:

an attribute identifying the reticle;

an attribute identifying the location of the reticle.

4. The apparatus of

claim 3

wherein the plurality of reticle identifying data further includes:

an attribute identifying a reticle carrier housing the reticle;

an attribute identifying a the date and time the reticle was entered into use; and

an attribute identifying a user identifier who created the reticle.

5. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle history data.

6. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle history data includes:

an attribute identifying the number of times the reticle has been retrieved;

an attribute identifying the date the reticle was last retrieved;

an attribute identifying the number of times the reticle has been stored; and

an attribute identifying the date the reticle was last stored.

7. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle history data further includes:

an attribute identifying a user identifier who last selected the reticle; and

an attribute identifying a user identifier who last stored the reticle.

8. The apparatus of

claim 1

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle maintenance data.

9. The apparatus of

claim 8

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle maintenance data includes:

an attribute identifying the number of times the reticle has been cleaned;

an attribute identifying the date on which the reticle was last cleaned;

an attribute identifying the number of times the reticle was inspected; and

an attribute identifying the date on which the reticle was last inspected;

10. The apparatus of

claim 9

wherein the plurality of reticle maintenance data further includes:

an attribute identifying a user identifier who last cleaned the reticle;

an attribute identifying a location where the reticle was last cleaned;

an attribute identifying a user identifier who last inspected the reticle; and

an attribute identifying a location where the reticle was last inspected.

11. The apparatus of

claim 1

further including:

a central system database configured and arranged to store data corresponding to the system requirements of the plurality of reticles; and

the reticle management controller coupled to the central system database, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to store and retrieve system data from the central system database.

12. The apparatus of

claim 11

wherein the data corresponding to the system requirements of the plurality of reticles includes:

an attribute identifying the maximum number of cleanings of a reticle;

an attribute identifying the maximum number of inspections of a reticle;

an attribute identifying the maximum number of uses of a reticle between inspections; and

an attribute identifying the maximum number of uses of a reticle between cleaning.

13. The apparatus of

claim 11

wherein the data corresponding to the system requirements of the plurality of reticles includes:

an attribute identifying the maximum time between inspections of a bare reticle; and

an attribute identifying the maximum time between cleanings of a bare reticle.

14. The apparatus of

claim 11

wherein the data corresponding to the system requirements of the plurality of reticles includes:

an attribute identifying the maximum time between inspections of a kitted reticle; and

an attribute identifying the maximum time between cleanings of a kitted reticle.

15. The apparatus of

claim 1

further including a plurality of stockers, each of the plurality of stockers including a stocker controller, a stocker database, and a plurality of storage locations configured and arranged to store at least one of the plurality of reticles, the stocker controller configured and arranged to collect at least a portion of the plurality data corresponding to each of the at least one of the plurality of reticles stored within the plurality of storage locations and to store the at least a portion of data within the stocker database;

and

the reticle management controller coupled to each of the plurality of stocker controllers, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to receive from each of the plurality of stocker controllers and to provide to each of the plurality of stocker controllers, at least a portion of the plurality data corresponding to each of the at least one of the plurality of reticles stored within the plurality of storage locations corresponding to each of the plurality of stockers.

16. An apparatus for managing a plurality of reticles in a semiconductor manufacturing system including a plurality of processing stages, the apparatus comprising:

a central reticle database configured and arranged to store data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles;

a reticle management controller coupled to the central reticle database, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to store and retrieve data from the central database;

a stocker unit including a stocker controller, a stocker database, and a plurality of storage locations configured and arranged to store at least one of the plurality of reticles, the stocker controller configured and arranged to collect at least a portion of the plurality data corresponding to each of the at least one of the plurality of reticles stored within the plurality of storage locations and to store the at least a portion of data within the stocker database;

the reticle management controller coupled to the stocker controller, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to receive from and to provide to at least a portion of the plurality data corresponding to each of the at least one of the plurality of reticles stored within the plurality of storage locations;

a reticle moving system configured and arranged to load a reticle at the stocker and deliver the reticle to a destination; and

the reticle management controller coupled to the reticle moving system, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to provide one or more move commands to the reticle move system, the reticle move system configured and arranged to receive the one or more move commands and operative to execute the one or more move commands.

17. The apparatus of

claim 16

wherein the stocker unit is a first stocker unit, and wherein move command includes a command to store the reticle at a second stocker unit.

18. The apparatus of

claim 16

wherein the move command includes a command to retrieve the reticle from a second stocker unit.

19. The apparatus of

claim 16

wherein the move command includes a command to retrieve the reticle from a second stocker unit, move the reticle to the first stocker unit, and to store the reticle at the first stocker unit.

20. An apparatus for managing data corresponding to a plurality of reticles in a semiconductor manufacturing system including a plurality of processing stages, the apparatus comprising:

a central reticle database configured and arranged to store data associated with each of the plurality of reticles; and

a reticle management controller coupled to the central reticle database, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to store and retrieve data from the central reticle database.

21. The apparatus of

claim 20

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle identifying data.

22. The apparatus of

claim 21

wherein the plurality of reticle identifying data includes:

an attribute identifying the reticle; and

an attribute identifying the location of the reticle.

23. The apparatus of

claim 22

wherein the plurality of reticle identifying data further includes:

an attribute identifying a reticle carrier housing the reticle;

an attribute identifying a the date and time the reticle was entered into use; and

an attribute identifying a user identifier who created the reticle.

24. The apparatus of

claim 20

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle history data.

25. The apparatus of

claim 20

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle history data includes:

an attribute identifying the number of times the reticle has been retrieved;

an attribute identifying the date the reticle was last retrieved;

an attribute identifying the number of times the reticle has been stored; and

an attribute identifying the date the reticle was last stored.

26. The apparatus of

claim 20

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle history data further includes:

an attribute identifying a user identifier who last selected the reticle; and

an attribute identifying a user identifier who last stored the reticle.

27. The apparatus of

claim 20

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle maintenance data.

28. The apparatus of

claim 27

wherein the data corresponding to each of the plurality of reticles stored in the central reticle database includes a plurality of reticle maintenance data includes:

an attribute identifying the number of times the reticle has been cleaned;

an attribute identifying the date on which the reticle was last cleaned;

an attribute identifying the number of times the reticle was inspected; and

an attribute identifying the date on which the reticle was last inspected;

29. The apparatus of

claim 28

wherein the plurality of reticle maintenance data further includes:

an attribute identifying a user identifier who last cleaned the reticle;

an attribute identifying a location where the reticle was last cleaned;

an attribute identifying a user identifier who last inspected the reticle; and

an attribute identifying a location where the reticle was last inspected.

30. The apparatus of

claim 20

further including:

a central system database configured and arranged to store data corresponding to the system requirements of the plurality of reticles; and

the reticle management controller coupled to the central system database, the reticle management controller configured and arranged to store and retrieve system data from the central system database.

31. The apparatus of

claim 30

wherein the data corresponding to the system requirements of the plurality of reticles includes:

an attribute identifying the maximum number of cleanings of a reticle;

an attribute identifying the maximum number of inspections of a reticle;

an attribute identifying the maximum number of uses of a reticle between inspections; and

an attribute identifying the maximum number of uses of a reticle between cleaning.

32. The apparatus of

claim 30

wherein the data corresponding to the system requirements of the plurality of reticles includes:

an attribute identifying the maximum time between inspections of a bare reticle; and

an attribute identifying the maximum time between cleanings of a bare reticle.

33. The apparatus of

claim 30

wherein the data corresponding to the system requirements of the plurality of reticles includes:

an attribute identifying the maximum time between inspections of a kitted reticle; and

an attribute identifying the maximum time between cleanings of a kitted reticle.