Method for sequencing a plurality of tasks performed by a processing system and a processing system for implementing the same

A method for a scheduling a plurality of substrate processing tasks performed by a processing system, the method comprising:

• generating a schedule for the plurality of substrate processing tasks by iteratively performing a scheduling process comprising:
• generating a first list of highly constrained tasks from the plurality of substrate processing tasks yet to be scheduled based on a difference between a latest start time and an earliest start time of each respective substrate processing task;
• determining whether a portion of the first list of the highly constrained tasks exceed a capacity of the plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations;
• responsive to determining the portion of the first list does exceed the capacity, assigning a substrate processing task from the first list of highly constrained tasks at a next time on one of the plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations;
• responsive to determining the portion of the first list does not exceed the capacity, assigning a task from the plurality of substrate processing tasks to run at a next time on one of the plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations;
• and
• updating the latest start time and the earliest start time associated with each of the plurality of substrate processing tasks yet to be scheduled based on the assigned substrate processing task;
• and
• processing a plurality of substrates using the plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations according to the schedule.

A semiconductor processing system comprising:

• a plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations;
• and
• a controller coupled to the semiconductor processing equipment stations, the controller configured to:
• generate a schedule by iteratively performing a scheduling process, the scheduling process comprising:
• generating a first list of highly constrained tasks from the plurality of tasks yet to be scheduled based on a difference between a latest start time and an earliest start time of each respective task;
• determining whether a portion of the first list of the highly constrained tasks exceeds a capacity of a plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations comprising the processing system;
• responsive to determining the portion of the first list does exceed the capacity, assigning a task from the first list of highly constrained tasks at a next available time on one of the plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations;
• responsive to determining the portion of the first list does not exceed the capacity, assigning a task from the plurality of tasks to run at a next available time on one of the plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations;
• and
• updating the latest start time and the earliest start time associated with each of the plurality of tasks yet to be scheduled based on the assigned task;
• and
• process a plurality of substrates using the plurality of semiconductor processing equipment stations according to the schedule.