System for providing integrated monitoring, control and diagnostics functions for semiconductor spray process tools

Apparatus for providing integrated monitor and control functions for a semiconductor spray process tool, the apparatus comprising:

• means connected to said spray process tool for collecting equipment status and process data generated by said spray process tool during each process run;
• means for storing said collected equipment status and process data and a plurality of process recipes executable by said spray process tool;
• means for causing said receiving means to download a designated one of said process recipes to said spray process tool for execution thereby;
• means for receiving said equipment status and process data from said collection means and for displaying said equipment status and process data in at least one user-selected format.

A system for providing integrated monitor and control functions for a plurality of semiconductor spray process tools, the system comprising:

• a plurality of supervisor computers each associated with one of said spray process tools for collecting and storing on a hard disk drive of said supervisor computer equipment status and process data generated by said associated spray process tool during each process run and for storing a plurality of process recipes executable by said associated spray process tool;
• an engineer computer electrically connected to said supervisor computers for generating control signals to said spray process tools via said associated supervisor computers, said control signals including process recipe download requests for causing said supervisor computers to download requested ones of said process recipes to said associated spray process tools for execution, said engineer computer receiving said collected equipment status and process data from said supervisor computers and being capable of displaying said received equipment status and process data for selected ones of said spray process tools in at least one user-selected format;
• a bridge computer electrically connected to said supervisor computers and said engineer computer, said bridge computer providing a communications link between said system and an upstream host, said upstream host being capable of generating control signals to said spray process tools via said associated supervisor computers;
• and
• an archive computer electrically connected to said supervisor computers and said engineer computer, said archive computer comprising a hard disk drive having substantially more storage capacity than said supervisor computer hard disk drive, said archive computer hard disk drive for storing data files comprising said collected equipment status and process data and backup copies of said process recipes.

A method of providing integrated monitor and control functions for a semiconductor spray process tool, the method comprising:

• collecting equipment status and process data generated by said spray process tool during each process run;
• storing said collected equipment status and process data and a plurality of process recipes executable by said spray process tool on a first storage device;
• generating control signals to said spray process tool for controlling operations thereof, said control signals including process recipe download requests for causing requested ones of said process recipes to be downloaded from said first storage device to said spray process tool for execution;
• and
• displaying said collected equipment status and process data in at least one user-selected format.

A method of providing integrated monitor and control functions for a semiconductor spray process tool, the method comprising:

• collecting equipment status and process data generated by said spray process tool during each process run;
• storing said collected equipment status and process data and a plurality of process recipes executable by said spray process tool on a first hard disk drive;
• generating control signals to said spray process tool for controlling operations thereof, said control signals including process recipe download requests for causing requested ones of said process recipes to be downloaded from said first hard disk drive to said spray process tool for execution;
• displaying said collected equipment status and process data in at least one user-selected format;
• providing a communications link between said spray process tool and an upstream host, said upstream host generating control signals to said spray process tool for controlling operations thereof;
• and
• periodically archiving data files comprising said collected equipment status and process data and backup copies of said process recipes on a second hard disk drive having substantially more storage capacity than said first hard disk drive.