Method and manufacturing system

A method for transporting a group of semiconductor wafers in a semiconductor processing facility, the method comprising:

• providing a semiconductor processing facility with i) a stocker and a processing equipment, and ii) a transport system that transports the group of semiconductor wafers from the stocker to the processing equipment;
• collecting real time information, wherein the real time information includes:
• information on a current process executing in the semiconductor processing facility, the information on the current process including first data that indicates an amount of time required to complete the current process, wherein the current process includes a plurality of steps, and
• information on a transfer time, the information on the transfer time including second data that indicates an amount of time required to transport the group of semiconductor wafers from the stocker to the processing equipment;
• determining, using the real time information, a critical stage for the current process, the critical stage being a particular step of the plurality of steps, wherein the particular step limits a throughput of the current process more than all other steps of the plurality of steps;
• determining a time for issuing a request to the transport system using the real time information and the critical stage;
• and
• issuing the request to the transport system at the determined time to effect the transportation of the group of semiconductor wafers from the stocker to the processing equipment, wherein the transport system transports i) the group of semiconductor wafers, and ii) a second group of semiconductor wafers from the first destination to the second destination, the method further comprising;
• determining a first critical step in the processing of the group of semiconductor wafers that limits a throughput more than all other steps in the processing of the group;
• determining a second critical step in the processing of the second group of semiconductor wafers that limits a throughput more than all other steps in the processing of the second group;
• and determining a temporal ordering using the first and second critical steps, wherein the temporal ordering dictates whether the group of semiconductor wafers is placed on the transport system before the second group is placed on the transport system.

A manufacturing system for a semiconductor processing facility, the manufacturing system comprising:

• a semiconductor processing facility that includes:
• a first destination and a second destination, and
• a transport system that transports a group of semiconductor wafers from the first destination to the second destination;
• and
• a controller, wherein the controller
• collects real time information, wherein the real time information includes:
• information on a current process executing in the semiconductor processing facility, the information on the current process including first data that indicates an amount of time required to complete the current process, and
• information on a transfer time, the information on the transfer time including second data that indicates an amount of time required to transport the group of semiconductor wafers from the first destination to the second destination;
• determines a time for issuing a request to the transport system using the first data and the second data;
• and
• issues the request to the transport system at the determined time to effect the transportation of the group of semiconductor wafers from the first destination to the second destination, wherein the transport system transports i) the group of semiconductor wafers, and ii) a second group of semiconductor wafers from the first destination to the second destination, determining a first critical step in the processing of the group of semiconductor wafers that limits a throughput more than all other steps in the processing of the group;
• determining a second critical step in the processing of the second group of semiconductor wafers that limits a throughput more than all other steps in the processing of the second group;
• and determining a temporal ordering using the first and second critical steps, wherein the temporal ordering dictates whether the group of semiconductor wafers is placed on the transport system before the second group is placed on the transport system.