Graphical representation of a wafer processing process

A method for graphically representing the progress of one or more wafers being processed in a plurality of process stations comprising:

• determining the start of a first process performed on one or more wafers in one of the plurality of process stations;
• initiating the generation of a first line segment in a first direction corresponding to the start of the process in one of the plurality of process stations;
• determining the end of the first process in one of the plurality of process stations;
• terminating the first line segment;
• determining the start of a transfer of one or more wafers from one of the plurality of process stations to another one of the plurality of process stations;
• initiating the formation of a second line segment in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first line segment and connected to the first line segment;
• determining the completion of the transfer of the one or more wafers;
• terminating the formation of the second line segment;
• and
• repeating the step of determining the start of a process.

A display coupled to a controller for showing a graphical representation of a process involving a plurality of process stations in the manufacture of one or more work pieces comprising:

• a graph area to display the graphical representation, the graphical representation comprising:
• a plurality of line segments in a first direction, the length of the line segments in the first direction indicative of the time one or more work pieces spend in one of the plurality of process stations;
• and
• a plurality of line segments in a second direction, the line segments in the second direction connecting the line segments in the first direction, the line segments in the second direction representing the transfer of one or more work pieces from one of the plurality of process stations to another one of the plurality of process stations.

A manufacturing system comprising:

• a process tool having a plurality of process stations that perform manufacturing steps on a plurality of work pieces;
• a controller coupled to the process tool to send control commands to the process tool;
• a display coupled to the controller, the display receiving data from the controller regarding the processing of the plurality of work pieces in the process tool, the display having a graph area to display a graphical representation of the processing of the work pieces, the graphical representation comprising:
• a plurality of line segments in a first direction, the length of the line segments in the first direction indicative of the time one or more work pieces spend in one of the plurality of process stations;
• and
• a plurality of line segments in a second direction, the line segments in the second direction connecting the line segments in the first direction, the line segments in the second direction representing the transfer of one or more work pieces from one of the plurality of process stations to another one of the plurality of process stations.

A semiconductor wafer manufacturing system comprising:

• a cluster tool having a plurality of process stations that perform manufacturing steps on a plurality of semiconductor wafers;
• a controller coupled to the cluster tool to send control commands to the cluster tool;
• a display coupled to the controller, the display receiving data from the controller regarding the processing of the plurality of semiconductor wafers in the process tool, the display having a graph area to display a graphical representation of the processing of the semiconductor wafers, the graphical representation comprising:
• a plurality of line segments in a first direction, the length of the line segments in the first direction indicative of the time one or more semiconductor wafer spend in one of the plurality of process stations;
• and
• a plurality of line segments in a second direction, the line segments in the second direction connecting the line segments in the first direction, the line segments in the second direction representing the transfer of one or more semiconductor wafer from one of the plurality of process stations to another one of the plurality of process stations.

A program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method for generating a graphical representation of a processing system in which one or more work pieces are processed in a number of process stations comprising:
• computer readable program code for forming a first line segment in a first direction, the first line segment indicating the time one or more work pieces spends in a first process station;
• and
• computer readable program code for forming a second line segment connected to the first line segment in a second direction, the second line segment representing the transfer of the one or more work pieces from the first process station to a second process station.