Flexible recipe modeling system

A method for using a recipe cluster management system to perform the steps comprising:

• providing a complete set of recipe clusters capable of being processed on a plurality of associated fabrication equipment;
• using a graphical user interface to provide a recipe list for a particular fabrication process to be performed according to requirements of a recipe cluster;
• assigning a recipe cluster from the complete set of recipe clusters to a specified piece of equipment according to an equipment's processing capacity;
• accessing a recipe cluster for modification of the recipe cluster according to the processing capacity requirements of an associated piece of fabrication equipment
• cooperating with a run-time floor database and a specification database to determine processing requirements for a next lot order, wherein the specification database is in communication with the run-time floor database, and wherein the run-time floor database is in communication with a RTD system to receive the next lot order;
• inquiring about a current lot order's processing status;
• tracking in of a lot order from the RTD system to a specified piece of fabrication equipment for processing of the lot order in accordance with a predefined recipe function setup;
• and
• translating a recipe specified in the specification database for use in an associated piece of fabrication equipment according to a processing capacity of the equipment.

A method of using a recipe cluster management system to add a new process or a new piece of fabrication equipment to a fabrication process performing the steps comprising:

• A) determining whether at least one of a piece of new equipment and a new process is added to a fabrication;
• B) performing a plurality of new process substeps when a new process is added to a fabrication process, the new process substeps including
• i) defining a recipe cluster for a new process,
• ii) identifying fabrication equipment capable of accepting the recipe cluster,
• iii) sequentially turning on or off access to the recipe cluster to identified pieces of fabrication equipment in accordance with a predefined processing schedule,
• iv) assigning the recipe cluster to an identified piece of fabrication equipment for allowing processing using the recipe cluster in the identified piece of fabrication equipment;
• v) repeating steps Bi-v until a new process is no longer added;
• and
• C) performing a plurality of new equipment substeps when a new piece of fabrication equipment is added to a fabrication process, the new equipment substeps including
• i) emulating an existing equipment's processing parameters for a new piece of fabrication equipment,
• ii) identifying at least one defined recipe cluster to be processed by a new piece of fabrication equipment,
• iii) adding the recipe cluster to the new piece of fabrication equipment in accordance with the new piece of fabrication equipment's processing capability, and
• iv) adjusting a recipe cluster operating parameters to optimize the new piece of fabrication equipment's processing capability.