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US 7,720,560 B2Granted
Semiconductor manufacturing process monitoring
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsClayton David Menser, Jr., Jeffrey Paul Gilfford
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Abstract
A system and method for monitoring a semiconductor manufacturing process is disclosed. The system communicates with one or more process tools, and monitors each tool during a predetermined process window time. Errors and warnings are provided to users, allowing corrective action to be taken. Additionally, the system of the present invention can initiate automatic adjustment of the process tools to maintain an efficient manufacturing operation.
Claims13
A method for monitoring a semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising the steps of:
- defining at least one process window time (PWT);
- retrieving process data from a process tool;
- storing said process data;
- analyzing said process data;
- generating an action sequence indication based on the outcome of the analyzing step;
- accepting at least one process window time from a user;
- detecting an initiation event;
- initiating a monitoring sequence;
- executing an action sequence;
- issuing at least one operator alert,
- establishing a process window time for a particular process tool;
- associating the process window time with a particular job;
- and
- wherein the step of detecting an initiation event comprises the step of detecting the expiry of the process window time.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.