US 5,495,417 A · System for automatically producing different semiconductor products in different quantities through a plurality of processes along a production line

Abstract

A system for automatically producing semiconductor products has a section for preparing a process flow containing a series of processes and process conditions for producing different semiconductor products in different quantities in a production line; a section for simulating the producing of semiconductor products according to the process flow; a section for feeding a result of the simulation back to the process flow preparation section, which optimizes the process flow according to the simulation result; and a section for producing semiconductor products according to the optimized process flow.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A system for automatically producing semiconductor products, comprising:

means for preparing a process flow containing a series of processes and process conditions for producing different semiconductor products in different quantities in a production line;
means for simulating the producing of semiconductor products according to the process flow;
means for feeding a result of the simulation back to said process flow preparation means, which optimizes the process flow according to the simulation result;
and
means for producing semiconductor products according to the optimized process flow,
the process flow preparation unit including a code management table for hierarchically managing codes and variables that are used to specify processes and process conditions in a process flow.

3 more elements

A system for automatically producing semiconductor products, comprising:

means for preparing a process flow containing a series of processes and process conditions for producing different semiconductor products in different quantities in a production line;
means for simulating the producing of semiconductor products according to the process flow;
means for feeding a result of the simulation back to said process flow preparation means, which optimizes the process flow according to the simulation result;
and
means for producing semiconductor products according to the optimized process flow,
said process flow preparation means including:
a unit for preparing the process flow;
a converter for converting the process flow into one that is processible by said simulation means;
a first checker for checking the process flow;
a second checker for checking the process flow;
a data generator for converting the process flow checked by the first and second checkers into one that is processible by said production means;
and
a verify unit for verifying the process flow provided by the data generator, said first checker including:
a film structure checker for determining whether or not the structure of a film stipulated in an etching process in the process flow is equal to the structure of a actually deposited on a product;
a wafer surface checker for checking the wafer surface of a product according to a wafer surface condition management table;
a process flow input unit for loading the process flow from an external storage unit to a main memory;
a branch data generator for finding branching processes in the process flow, and if there is any branching process, preparing branch data to allot products to branches;
a layer data generator for loading a mask data management table to the main memory and preparing layer data according to the table, the mask data management table managing mask pattern dimensions and resists that are needed by lithography process;
a film structure management table for managing two-dimensional film structures deposited on the wafer surface and back of each product, according to the layer data;
a wafer surface condition management table for managing processes that are permitted or prohibited on a film exposed on the wafer surface of a product;
a back condition management table for managing processes that are permitted or prohibited on a film exposed on the back of a product;
a back checker for checking the back of a product according to the back condition management table;
a substrate condition management table for managing processes that are permitted or prohibited on films deposited on a product;
a substrate checker for checking a product according to the substrate condition management table;
a diffusion condition management table for ranking and managing the contamination levels of diffusion furnaces;
a diffusion checker for checking the process flow according to the diffusion condition management table;
a package condition management table for managing processes that are permitted or prohibited in a package of processes;
a package checker for checking the process flow according to the package condition management table;
a sequence management table for managing a sequence of processes;
a sequence checker for checking the process flow according to the sequence management table;
an off-routine management table for managing unauthorized processes and processes that must not be carried out after a given process;
an off-routine checker for checking the process flow according to the off-routine management table;
a test piece management table for managing the insertion position, extracting position, and kind of a test piece;
a test piece checker for checking the process flow according to the test piece management table;
a chain process management table for managing processes that must be continuously carried out;
a chain process checker for checking the process flow according to the chain process management table;
an error code management table for managing error messages;
an error message generator for generating error messages according to the error code management table;
a check management table for managing whether or not the above-mentioned checkers are activated;
a decision unit for selecting checkers to be activated according to the check management table;
and
a result output unit for providing results of the check operations of the checkers.

39 more elements

A system for automatically producing semiconductor products, comprising:

means for preparing a process flow containing a series of processes and process conditions for producing different semiconductor products in different quantities in a production line;
means for simulating the producing of semiconductor products according to the process flow;
means for feeding a result of the simulation back to said process flow preparation means, which optimizes the process flow according to the simulation result;
and
means for producing semiconductor products according to the optimized process flow,
said process flow preparation means including:
a unit for preparing the process flow;
a converter for converting the process flow into one that is processible by said simulation means;
a first checker for checking the process flow;
a second checker for checking the process flow;
a data generator for converting the process flow checked by the first and second checkers into one that is processible by said production means;
and
a verify unit for verifying the process flow provided by the data generator, said verify unit including:
a data input unit for receiving the process flow;
a data analyzer for determining whether or not the process flow has an error;
an error output unit for providing error information if the data analyzer finds any error;
an error transfer unit for transferring the error information to the process flow preparation unit;
a data fetcher for fetching the process flow if the data analyzer finds no error therein;
a progress prediction unit for predicting production progress in each equipment;
a production condition tester for examining the process flow, the predicted production progress, and the product and equipment data provided by said production means and determining whether or not products stipulated in the process flow are allowed to be charged to the production line;
a product decision unit for determining products to be charged to the production line according to the determination of the production condition tester;
a data sorter for sorting the products to be charged in the process flow;
and
a data transfer unit for transferring the process flow with the products to be charged to said production means.

21 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for automatically producing different semiconductor products in different quantities through a plurality of processes along a production line

Life of this patent

System for automatically producing different semiconductor products in different quantities through a plurality of processes along a production line

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24