Method and system for synchronizing chamber down times by controlling transport sequencing in a process tool
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorKilian Schmidt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cluster tool may be operated on the basis of an enhanced sequencing regime in which the supply of substrates is controlled such that a planned time of maintenance is reached for two or more process chambers simultaneously. Consequently, the occurrence of non-correlated sequential down times of various process chambers may be significantly reduced, thereby enhancing throughput and availability of complex cluster tools.
Claims20
A method of processing substrates in a manufacturing environment according to a sequence of interrelated process steps, the method comprising:
- determining a first metric for a first process chamber of a first plurality of process chambers used to perform a first process step of said sequence of interrelated process steps, said first metric indicating a time to a first planned maintenance event for said first process chamber;
- determining a second metric for a second process chamber of a second plurality of process chambers used to perform a second process step of said sequence of interrelated process steps, said second metric indicating a time to a second planned maintenance event for said second process chamber;
- and
- controlling supply of substrates to said first and second plurality of process chambers on the basis of said first and second metrics so as to synchronize said first and second planned maintenance events.
A method of sequencing substrates in a cluster tool, the method comprising:
- determining a time to maintenance for two or more of a plurality of process chambers of said cluster tool, said plurality of process chambers performing two or more interrelated process steps, said two or more of the plurality of process chambers being used for performing at least two different process steps of said plurality of interrelated process steps;
- and
- controlling supply of substrates to said two or more process chambers so as to synchronize said time to maintenance for said two or more process chambers.
A control system, comprising:
- a maintenance monitor operatively connectable to a plurality of process chambers used to process substrates according to at least two different process steps, said maintenance monitor being configured to provide a value indicating a time to a planned maintenance for each of said plurality of process chambers;
- and
- a synchronizing unit operatively connected to said maintenance unit and configured to determine a sequencing regime for said plurality of process chambers so as to synchronize the time to a planned maintenance for at least two of said plurality of process chambers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.