Masking plate dispatching method, system, device, storage medium and program product thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a mask reticle scheduling method and system, a computer device and a storage medium. The mask reticle scheduling method comprises: obtaining a plurality of to-be-manufactured batches in a target period; pre-scheduling the plurality of to-be-manufactured batches; obtaining initial scheduling running information of the to-be-manufactured batches and corresponding mask reticles based on the pre-scheduling, and modifying the pre-scheduling into stage scheduling according to the initial scheduling running information; and scheduling the mask reticles in real time according to the stage scheduling. The present disclosure is used for improving the automation degree of mask reticle scheduling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a mask dispatching method, system, apparatus, storage medium, and program product thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Semiconductor manufacturing is part of a complex industrial manufacturing chain, typically comprising four production stages: wafer fabrication, wafer sorting, product packaging, and product testing. Wafer fabrication, in particular, is extremely complex, requiring hundreds or even thousands of process steps, making job scheduling one of the most critical issues in semiconductor manufacturing.

[0003] For example, job scheduling refers to the process of n workpieces being processed on m machines in an assembly line. Each machine can only process one workpiece at a time, and the processing time of each workpiece on each machine may be different. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the processing sequence of each workpiece on each machine and the start time of each process, so as to achieve the optimal production indicators through scheduling.

[0004] However, in current semiconductor manufacturing, photomasks used for lithography are still manually assigned, meaning that operators need to manually check the results of the lithography scheduling system and perform mask transfer operations. Therefore, with the increasing automation of semiconductor manufacturing processes, the manual assignment of photomasks is no longer sufficient to meet the demands of semiconductor manufacturing automation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, embodiments of this disclosure provide a mask dispatching method and system, computer equipment, storage medium, and program product to improve the automation level of mask dispatching, so as to meet the needs of the development of semiconductor manufacturing automation, and at the same time help to improve production efficiency and production yield.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, some embodiments of this disclosure provide a mask dispatching method. This mask dispatching method includes the following steps.

[0007] Obtain multiple batches of products to be manufactured within the target period.

[0008] Pre-schedule multiple batches of work-in-process.

[0009] The initial work order information for the batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask is obtained based on the pre-scheduling, and the pre-scheduling is modified into a staged scheduling based on the initial work order information.

[0010] In addition, the mask is assigned in real time according to the stage schedule.

[0011] In some embodiments, the pre-scheduling of multiple batches of work-in-process further includes: determining the sorting weight of each batch of work-in-process; and pre-scheduling the batches of work-in-process according to the sorting weight from high to low.

[0012] In some embodiments, the ranking weight is determined based on at least one of the importance of the assignment, the number of rework attempts, or the urgency of the waiting time.

[0013] In some embodiments, determining the ranking weight of each batch of products to be manufactured further includes: determining the weight coefficient of the item with the highest correlation to the batch of products to be manufactured from the importance of dispatch, the number of reworks, and the urgency of waiting time as the ranking weight of the batch of products to be manufactured; or, determining the weight coefficients of at least two of the importance of dispatch, the number of reworks, or the urgency of waiting time for the batch of products to be manufactured, and using the sum of the weight coefficients of the at least two items corresponding to the same batch of products to be manufactured as the ranking weight.

[0014] In some embodiments, the step of obtaining the initial dispatching operation information of the batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask based on the pre-scheduling and modifying the pre-scheduling into a staged scheduling based on the initial dispatching operation information further includes the following steps.

[0015] Based on the pre-schedule, obtain the arrival time of each batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask.

[0016] Determine the correlation between each batch of products and the mask based on their arrival times.

[0017] Based on the sorting weight of the batch to be processed and the correlation between the batch to be processed and the mask, the real-time dispatching information of the mask is determined and the pre-schedule is modified into a stage schedule.

[0018] In some embodiments, the degree of correlation between the batch of products to be manufactured and the mask is determined based on the correspondence between the batch of products to be manufactured and the mask, which is included in at least one of the following principles: continuous operation of mask, first-to-arrive principle, or human intervention greater than system dispatch principle.

[0019] In some embodiments, determining the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifying the pre-schedule to a phased schedule further includes the following steps.

[0020] The order of batches of products with a sorting weight greater than the target threshold will remain unchanged in the pre-scheduling process.

[0021] The first target batch of products to be manufactured is moved to the order before the second target batch of products to be manufactured in the pre-scheduling process. The first target batch of products to be manufactured is the batch of products to be manufactured when both the product batch and the mask have arrived at the station. The second target batch of products to be manufactured is the batch of products to be manufactured when at least one of the product batch and the mask has not arrived at the station.

[0022] In addition, the real-time dispatching information of the mask is determined based on the adjusted sorting of each batch of products to be produced, and the pre-schedule is modified into a stage schedule.

[0023] In some embodiments, the mask dispatching method further includes adding functional labels to batches of workpieces whose sorting weight is greater than a target threshold.

[0024] Accordingly, determining the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifying the pre-schedule to a phased schedule further includes the following steps.

[0025] Determine whether each first target batch of workpieces uses the same mask as the batch of workpieces with added functional labels.

[0026] In response to the fact that each first target work-in-process batch and the work-in-process batch with added functional tags use the same mask, the order of the third target work-in-process batch in the pre-scheduling is moved before the order of the fourth target work-in-process batch in the pre-scheduling. The third target work-in-process batch is the first target work-in-process batch that uses the same mask as the work-in-process batch with added functional tags, and the fourth target work-in-process batch is the first target work-in-process batch that uses a different mask than the work-in-process batch with added functional tags.

[0027] In some embodiments, determining the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifying the pre-schedule to a phased schedule further includes the following steps.

[0028] Determine whether multiple second-target batches of products with the same order in the pre-schedule have arrived at the station.

[0029] In response to the arrival of the second target batch of products, determine whether the mask corresponding to the arrived second target batch of products is located in the storage box.

[0030] In response to the fact that the mask corresponding to the second target batch of products that has arrived is located in the storage box, the order of the fifth target batch of products in the pre-scheduling is moved to before the order of the sixth target batch of products in the pre-scheduling, wherein the fifth target batch of products is the second target batch of products that has arrived whose mask is located in the storage box, and the sixth target batch of products is the second target batch of products that has arrived whose mask is not located in the storage box and / or the second target batch of products that has arrived whose mask is not located in the storage box and / or the second target batch of products that has arrived but has not arrived.

[0031] In some embodiments, after obtaining multiple batches of workpieces within a target period, the mask dispatching method further includes: determining whether pre-scheduling of the multiple batches of workpieces is required based on the batches of workpieces; in response to the need for pre-scheduling of the multiple batches of workpieces, performing the steps of pre-scheduling of the multiple batches of workpieces, obtaining initial dispatching operation information of the batches of workpieces and corresponding masks based on the pre-scheduling, modifying the pre-scheduling to staged scheduling based on the initial dispatching operation information, and performing real-time dispatching of masks based on the staged scheduling; in response to the need for pre-scheduling of the multiple batches of workpieces, performing normal scheduling of the multiple batches of workpieces.

[0032] In a second aspect, this disclosure also provides a computer device. The computer device includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the method steps described in any one of the first aspects.

[0033] Thirdly, this disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method steps described in any one of the first aspects.

[0034] Fourthly, this disclosure also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method steps described in any one of the first aspects.

[0035] The embodiments disclosed herein may have, or at least have, the following advantages:

[0036] In this embodiment of the disclosure, after acquiring multiple batches of work-in-process within the target period and pre-scheduling each batch, initial dispatching information for the batches and corresponding photomasks can be obtained based on the pre-scheduling. The pre-scheduling is then modified into a phased scheduling based on this initial dispatching information. Thus, this embodiment of the disclosure can simultaneously consider both the pre-scheduling of the work-in-process batches and the real-time dispatching information for the photomasks. This allows for real-time dispatching of photomasks based on the phased scheduling, effectively improving the automation level of photomask dispatching, significantly reducing manual mechanized operations, and effectively mitigating the risk of wasted machine capacity due to human error. This meets the needs of semiconductor manufacturing automation development, thereby improving production efficiency and yield.

[0037] Details of one or more embodiments of this disclosure are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or conventional technologies of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or conventional technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a mask dispatching method in some embodiments;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a pre-scheduling step for multiple batches of products in some embodiments;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a stage scheduling acquisition step in some embodiments;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a step for obtaining real-time dispatching operation information of a mask in some embodiments;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating another mask dispatching method in some embodiments;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another step in the real-time dispatching operation information acquisition process for a mask in some embodiments;

[0045] Figure 7 This is an internal structural diagram of a computer device in some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features described therein can be combined with each other.

[0047] Some exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative purposes. It should be understood that the invention may be implemented in other ways not specifically shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0048] To facilitate understanding of this disclosure, a more complete description will now be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. However, this disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete.

[0049] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure.

[0050] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "adjacent to," or "connected to" other elements or layers, it may be directly on, adjacent to, connected to, or coupled to other elements or layers, or there may be intervening elements or layers. It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, doping types, and / or portions, these elements, components, regions, layers, doping types, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, doping type, or portion from another element, component, region, layer, doping type, or portion. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of this disclosure, the first element, component, region, layer, doping type, or portion discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or portion.

[0051] When used herein, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” may also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when the terms “comprise” and / or “comprising” are used in this specification, the presence of the stated feature, integer, step, operation, element, and / or part is established, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts, and / or groups is not excluded. Meanwhile, when used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0052] Embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to cross-sectional views that serve as schematic diagrams of preferred embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the present disclosure, thus allowing for the anticipation of variations in the illustrated shapes due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Embodiments of the present disclosure should not be limited to the specific shapes of the regions shown herein, but rather include shape deviations due to, for example, manufacturing techniques. Therefore, the regions shown in the figures are substantially schematic, and their shapes do not represent the actual shapes of regions of the device, nor do they limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] Please see Figure 1This disclosure provides a mask assignment method, which may include the following steps S100~S400.

[0054] S100: Obtain multiple lots of work-in-progress within the target period.

[0055] For example, the target period may include, but is not limited to, 12 hours. Furthermore, the target period changes in real time with the current moment; that is, the calculation begins at the current moment.

[0056] S200 performs pre-scheduling of multiple batches of work-in-process.

[0057] For example, after obtaining each batch of products to be manufactured, each batch can be pre-scheduled based on the lithography scheduling system of the lithography machine (LITHO).

[0058] S300 obtains the initial dispatching information of the batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask based on the pre-scheduling, and modifies the pre-scheduling into a staged scheduling according to the initial dispatching information.

[0059] For example, modifications to the pre-schedule can be made in stages, such as at preset intervals of minutes.

[0060] The S400 dispatches photomasks in real time according to the stage schedule.

[0061] For example, a lithography machine or an Automatic Material Handling System (AMHS) can execute the dispatching instructions output in step S400 when dispatching the mask in real time according to the stage schedule.

[0062] In this embodiment of the disclosure, after acquiring multiple batches of work-in-process within the target period and pre-scheduling each batch, initial dispatching information for the batches and corresponding photomasks can be obtained based on the pre-scheduling. The pre-scheduling is then modified into a phased scheduling based on this initial dispatching information. Thus, this embodiment of the disclosure can simultaneously consider both the pre-scheduling of the work-in-process batches and the real-time dispatching information for the photomasks. This allows for real-time dispatching of photomasks based on the phased scheduling, effectively improving the automation level of photomask dispatching, significantly reducing manual mechanized operations, and effectively mitigating the risk of wasted machine capacity due to human error. This meets the needs of semiconductor manufacturing automation development, thereby improving production efficiency and yield.

[0063] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 Step S200 pre-schedules multiple batches of products to be manufactured, and may further include the following steps S210~S220.

[0064] S210, determine the sorting weight of each batch of products to be produced.

[0065] For example, the sorting weight of the batch of work to be produced is determined based on at least one of the following: the importance of dispatch, the number of reworks, or the urgency of the waiting time (Q-Time).

[0066] Accordingly, in some examples, step S210 can be expressed as: determining the weight coefficient of the item with the highest relevance to the batch of work to be processed from the importance of dispatch, the number of reworks, and the urgency of waiting time as the sorting weight of the batch of work to be processed.

[0067] Here, the correlation between the importance of the work assignment, the number of rework attempts, and the urgency of the waiting time and the batch of products to be processed can be determined by comprehensively considering indicators such as the process flow, process parameters, and process quality of the batch of products to be processed. This disclosed embodiment does not limit this aspect.

[0068] In other examples, step S210 may also be expressed as: determining the weight coefficients of at least two of the following: the importance of dispatching, the number of reworks, or the urgency of waiting time for the batch of work to be processed, and using the sum of the weight coefficients of the at least two items corresponding to the same batch of work to be processed as the sorting weight.

[0069] It is understood that the method for determining the sorting weights of the batches to be manufactured can be implemented in various ways to meet specific needs. This disclosure provides only a few exemplary embodiments. For example, the sorting weights of the batches to be manufactured can be determined according to rules or principles established by the manufacturing and engineering departments. In particular, for example, the weight coefficients involved in the aforementioned process of determining the sorting weights of the batches to be manufactured can be pre-selected and set.

[0070] Table 1 provides an example of setting the weight coefficients for sorting batches of products. Different functional labels and weight coefficients can be set for different states such as the importance of dispatch, the number of rework attempts, and the urgency of waiting time.

[0071]

[0072] Table 1

[0073] In some examples, if the sorting weight of the batch to be processed is represented by the weight coefficient of the item with the highest correlation, as shown in Table 1, if the weight coefficient of the batch to be processed is greater than 1.9, the sorting of the batch to be processed can break the Mask running rule, that is, the mask dispatching can be performed according to the sorting of the batch to be processed, such as in the subsequent step S10.

[0074] S220 pre-schedules the batch of work-in-process according to the sorting weight from high to low.

[0075] It should be added that during the pre-scheduling of the batch of products to be manufactured, it is not necessary to consider whether the batch of products to be manufactured is in the current station or whether the mask required by the batch of products to be manufactured is in the machine. Only the feasibility of the manufacturing process of the batch of products to be manufactured and the sorting weight of the batch of products to be manufactured need to be considered.

[0076] It is worth mentioning that when modifying the pre-schedule to a staged schedule in step S300, the preset mask dispatching principles can be followed, such as the principle of continuous operation of the mask, the principle of dispatching on arrival first, and the principle that human intervention is greater than system dispatching.

[0077] For example, the principle of continuous operation of the mask includes, but is not limited to:

[0078] (1) Based on the schedule of the batches to be produced, use the same mask to run more batches to be produced in the same time period, such as producing more wafers.

[0079] (2) If the mask has arrived at the station, then the production of the batch of products that has arrived at the station and corresponds to the mask shall be run first.

[0080] For example, the principle of "first come, first served" includes, but is not limited to, prioritizing the production of batches of products that have already arrived at the station. For instance, prioritizing batches of products that have already arrived at the station and are ready for production (e.g., the batch of products and the corresponding mask are both already at the station) to avoid the problem of other batches of products that have arrived at the station being idle due to the principle of continuous operation of mask.

[0081] For example, the principle of human intervention outweighs system-assigned tasks, including but not limited to:

[0082] (1) To ensure the waiting time (Q-Time), the mask can be manually transferred. For example, the mask can be manually moved directly from machine A to machine B.

[0083] (2) To ensure continuous operation of temperature-controlled batches, the mask corresponding to the batches of products with the same temperature requirement that are about to arrive at the station is manually transferred to the target machine. Here, continuous operation of temperature-controlled batches refers to using the same mask to produce as many batches of products as possible within the same time period for batches of products with the same process temperature requirements.

[0084] (3) Manually lock the mask of the specified process stage so that all batches of products to be produced in the specified process stage can be run through the same mask.

[0085] It should be noted that, under special circumstances, real-time assignment of the mask can be prioritized through manual intervention. Furthermore, during the manual intervention phase, the real-time automatic assignment of the mask according to the stage schedule in step S400 can be interrupted first, so that step S400 can be resumed after the manual intervention is completed.

[0086] Furthermore, considering the principles that can be followed when modifying the pre-schedule to a phased schedule in step S300 above, step S300 can be implemented in various ways.

[0087] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 Step S300 obtains the initial dispatching information of the batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask based on the pre-scheduling, and modifies the pre-scheduling into a staged scheduling according to the initial dispatching information. This further includes the following steps S310 to S330.

[0088] S310: Based on the pre-schedule, obtain the arrival time of each batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask.

[0089] S320, determine the correlation between each batch of products and the mask based on the arrival time of each batch of products and the mask.

[0090] S330, based on the sorting weight of the batch to be processed and the correlation between the batch to be processed and the mask, determine the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modify the pre-schedule to a staged schedule.

[0091] It is understood that, in some embodiments, the degree of correlation between the batch of products and the mask in step S330 can be determined based on the correspondence between the batch of products and the mask included in at least one of the following principles: continuous operation of mask, first-to-arrive dispatch, or human intervention greater than system dispatch. The following embodiments of this disclosure exemplify some possible implementation methods.

[0092] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 Step S330, which determines the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifies the pre-schedule to a stage schedule, may further include the following steps S10 to S30.

[0093] S10, keep the sorting order of the batches of products with a sorting weight greater than the target threshold unchanged in the pre-scheduling.

[0094] S20, move the first target batch of products to be processed in the pre-scheduling to the order before the second target batch of products to be processed in the pre-scheduling, wherein the first target batch of products to be processed is the batch of products to be processed when both the batch of products to be processed and the mask have arrived at the station, and the second target batch of products to be processed is the batch of products to be processed when at least one of the batch of products to be processed and the mask has not arrived at the station.

[0095] S30 determines the real-time dispatching information of the mask based on the adjusted sorting of each batch of products to be produced, and modifies the pre-schedule to a staged schedule.

[0096] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 The mask assignment method also includes S15.

[0097] S15, add a function label to the batch of products to be processed that has a sorting weight greater than the target threshold.

[0098] For example, feature labels include, but are not limited to, urgency level labels.

[0099] It should be noted here, in conjunction with Table 1, that functional labels can also be added to batches of products whose sorting weight is less than or equal to the target threshold (the target threshold is, for example, 1.9). However, the functional labels of each batch of products must be clearly distinguishable to effectively identify whether the sorting of that batch needs to be adjusted. Of course, the functional labels of each batch of products can also match other identification or descriptive functions as required, etc., and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0100] Accordingly, step S330, which involves determining the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifying the pre-schedule to a phased schedule, may further include the following steps S40 and S50.

[0101] S40, determine whether each first target batch of workpieces uses the same mask as the batch of workpieces with added functional labels.

[0102] S50, in response to each first target work-in-process batch using the same mask as the work-in-process batch with added functional tags, the sorting of the third target work-in-process batch in the pre-scheduling is moved before the sorting of the fourth target work-in-process batch in the pre-scheduling, wherein the third target work-in-process batch is the first target work-in-process batch that uses the same mask as the work-in-process batch with added functional tags, and the fourth target work-in-process batch is the first target work-in-process batch that uses a different mask than the work-in-process batch with added functional tags.

[0103] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 Step S330, which determines the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifies the pre-schedule to a stage schedule, may further include the following steps S60~S80.

[0104] S60 determines whether multiple second target batches of products with the same order in the pre-scheduling have arrived at the station.

[0105] S70, in response to the arrival of the second target batch of products, determines whether the mask corresponding to the arrived second target batch of products is located in the storage box.

[0106] S80, in response to the mask corresponding to the second target batch of products that has arrived being located in the storage box, the order of the fifth target batch of products in the pre-scheduling is moved to before the order of the sixth target batch of products in the pre-scheduling, wherein the fifth target batch of products is the second target batch of products that has arrived with the corresponding mask located in the storage box, and the sixth target batch of products is the second target batch of products that has arrived with the corresponding mask not located in the storage box and / or the second target batch of products that has arrived with the mask but has not yet arrived.

[0107] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above may include multiple steps or multiple stages. These steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages of other steps.

[0108] To more clearly illustrate the mask assignment method provided in the above embodiments, the specific implementation of the mask assignment method is described in detail below with reference to some embodiments.

[0109] Combining the steps of the aforementioned mask scheduling method, the scheduling logic of the mask can be summarized as including but not limited to the following:

[0110] (1) The pre-scheduling of the batch of products to be manufactured must meet various weight factors. For example, the batch of products to be manufactured with a larger sorting weight will be ranked earlier in the pre-scheduling, and the batch of products to be manufactured with a smaller sorting weight will be ranked later in the pre-scheduling; and, in the stage scheduling, the batch of products to be manufactured with a sorting weight greater than the target threshold can retain its sorting in the pre-scheduling unchanged.

[0111] (2) In the stage scheduling, based on the arrival time of each batch of products and the principle of continuous operation of the mask, the principle of dispatching first upon arrival, etc., each batch of products that arrive at the same time can be bundled together and production can be prioritized by the corresponding mask that has arrived.

[0112] (3) The sorting of the batches to be produced in the pre-schedule can be modified by breaking existing rules or principles. For example, when the sorting weight of the batch to be produced is greater than the target threshold, the sorting of the batch to be produced can break the principle of continuous operation of the mask, so that the corresponding mask can be directly retrieved to the machine for production according to the sorting of the batch to be produced.

[0113] Table 2 provides an example list of real-time dispatching information for some batches of work-in-progress corresponding to mask templates.

[0114]

[0115] Table 2

[0116] Table 2 illustrates the process using six lithography machines and one photomask as an example. The six lithography machines are designated APAXC1, APAXC2, APAXC3, APAXC4, APAXC5, and APAXC6. The photomask's code (ID) is A. The cell containing A represents the photomask's real-time location, and the time corresponding to cell A is the photomask's arrival time. The scheduling of photomask A follows the principles of continuous operation and first-come-first-served.

[0117] According to Table 2, mask A can be scheduled to produce two batches of finished products at machine APAXC1. Since the batches at machine APAXC1 have not yet arrived, mask A can be transferred to other machines to produce the batches that have arrived. For example, it can continuously produce three batches at machine APAXC2. Similarly, since the batches at machines APAXC1 through APAXC5 have not yet arrived, mask A can be transferred to machine APAXC6 to produce the batches that have arrived. Since the batches at machines APAXC1, APAXC2, APAXC3, APAXC5, and APAXC6 have not yet arrived, mask A can be transferred to machine APAXC4 to produce the batches that have arrived. Since the batches of products awaiting production at machines APAXC2 to APAXC6 have not yet arrived, mask A can be directly transferred to machine APAXC1 to produce the batches of products that have arrived after the batches of products awaiting production at machine APAXC1 have arrived.

[0118] Table 3 provides an example list of some pending batches within the target cycle.

[0119]

[0120] Table 3

[0121] Table 4 provides an example list of stage schedules for some batches of work-in-progress.

[0122]

[0123] Table 4

[0124] Based on the above, and combining Tables 3 and 4, after obtaining each batch of products to be manufactured within the target period, the sorting weight of each batch can be identified according to its functional label, and sorting can be performed on each batch to obtain a pre-schedule. Here, if the sorting of each batch of products to be manufactured in Table 3 follows the order of sorting weight from high to low, then Table 3 can be regarded as the pre-schedule list of each batch of products to be manufactured. Subsequently, based on the functional labels of each batch of products to be manufactured, batches of products to be manufactured with a sorting weight greater than the target threshold can also be identified. The mask scheduling corresponding to these batches of products to be manufactured has broken the principle of continuous mask operation and can maintain the same sorting sequence number as the pre-schedule in the stage scheduling, such as the batches of products to be manufactured (A, B, C, D, and E) sorted from 1 to 5 in Table 4. That is, even if the mask is not at the current station, the mask corresponding to the batch to be produced can be forcibly retrieved from other machines to ensure that the batches to be produced in sequence 1 to 5 (A, B, C, D and E) can be put into production; in extreme cases, the aforementioned retrieved mask may be in use on other machines.

[0125] After performing the steps of the aforementioned mask assignment method, the order of work-in-process batches F to K in the pre-scheduling can be adjusted as follows to obtain the stage scheduling.

[0126] For example, if the mask corresponding to batch F has arrived at the station, but batch F has not yet arrived, batch F can be reordered after the batches whose mask and batch have both arrived. Specifically, the initial order of batch F is 6, and it can be reordered to 8 within the stage exclusion.

[0127] For example, if the mask corresponding to batch G has arrived at the station, but batch G itself has not yet arrived, batch G can be reordered after batches whose masks and other batches have arrived. However, based on the functional label of batch G, it can be determined that the sorting weight of batch G is lower than that of batch F. Therefore, the specific reordering adjustment of batch G is as follows: batch G is ranked 7 in the pre-scheduling process, and 9 in the stage exclusion process after the adjustment.

[0128] For example, if the mask corresponding to batch H has not yet arrived, but batch H itself has, batch H can be reordered after the batches currently in production. However, based on the functional label of batch H, it can be determined that the sorting weight of batch H is lower than that of batches F and G. Therefore, the sorting adjustment of batch H is specifically manifested as follows: batch H is ranked 8 in the pre-scheduling, and after adjustment, it is ranked 10 in the stage exclusion.

[0129] For example, if both batch I and its corresponding mask have arrived at the station, batch I can be reordered to precede batches where at least one of the batches or the mask has not yet arrived. Specifically, the reordering of batch I is as follows: its pre-scheduled order is 9, and its reordered order within the stage exclusion is 7.

[0130] For example, if batch J and batch H have the same sorting weight, their sorting in the pre-scheduling is indistinguishable. However, if batch H has arrived but the mask has not, and batch J has not arrived but the mask has, the sorting between batch H and batch J can be determined by checking if the mask corresponding to batch H is in the storage box. Taking the example that the mask corresponding to batch H is in the storage box, batch H's sorting takes precedence over batch J's. Specifically, the sorting adjustment for batch H is as follows: batch J's sorting in the pre-scheduling is 10, and its sorting in the stage exclusion is 11 after adjustment.

[0131] For example, if batch K has no functional tags, its sorting weight is low, and it will be ranked last in the pre-schedule. However, if both batch K and its mask have arrived, batch K's ranking in the stage schedule can be adjusted to at least precede the ranking of batches whose batches and masks have not yet arrived. Furthermore, if batch K uses the same mask as batch A, which has violated the mask continuity principle, batch K can be re-ranked according to the mask continuity principle to precede batch I, which is ranked 7 in the stage schedule. Specifically, batch K's ranking in the pre-schedule is 11, and its ranking in the stage schedule is 6.

[0132] In summary, the mask assignment method provided in this disclosure has high processing and transmission speed, ensuring that the machine can handle transmission commands from multiple machines after startup (Ramping). Furthermore, the mask assignment method provided in this disclosure is highly accurate; its final mask assignment transmission command comes entirely from the calculation results of the system scheduling, representing the optimal result after considering multiple factors, and easily avoids risks such as errors caused by human error in mask assignment.

[0133] In addition, it should be added that, in some embodiments, after obtaining multiple batches of workpieces within the target period in step S100, the mask dispatching method may also include the following step S110.

[0134] S110, determine whether pre-scheduling of multiple batches of work-in-process is required based on the batch of work-in-process.

[0135] Accordingly, in response to the need to pre-schedule multiple batches of work-in-process, i.e., to pre-schedule, the aforementioned steps S200 to S400 are executed.

[0136] In response to the fact that it is not necessary to pre-schedule multiple batches of work-in-process, i.e., no pre-scheduling is required, step S160 is executed.

[0137] S160 performs general scheduling for multiple batches of work-in-process.

[0138] Here, ordinary scheduling refers to the original routine scheduling that does not involve pre-scheduling or stage scheduling. For example, it can be scheduled based solely on whether the batch of products is at the current station and whether the mask required for that batch of products is at the machine.

[0139] Optionally, whether or not pre-scheduling of multiple batches of work-in-process is required can be determined comprehensively based on factors such as the type of batch, production cycle, and production yield indicators. This disclosure does not specifically limit this aspect.

[0140] In this embodiment of the disclosure, ordinary scheduling or a combination of pre-scheduling and stage scheduling can be selectively executed, which can better adapt to the diverse changes in manufacturing processes, so as to carry out more precise and efficient manufacturing, thereby further improving production efficiency and production yield.

[0141] It is worth mentioning that this embodiment also provides a work dispatching interface, which may include at least the list of function labels and mask codes shown in Table 5, for displaying and facilitating operators to understand the real-time work dispatching schedule and intervention operations of the mask in a timely manner. Furthermore, this work dispatching interface can be configured with various display information to match requirements, such as serial number, machine task code, batch code of pending products, weight coefficient, running status, estimated arrival time, etc., which are not limited in this embodiment.

[0142]

[0143] Table 5

[0144] The dispatching interface provided in this embodiment allows operators to directly observe and confirm whether the mask scheduling of the mask dispatching system is correct, logical, and meets the dispatching requirements of real-time mask changes. In case of an abnormal state (such as the aforementioned determination of no), the mask scheduling can be modified immediately through manual intervention to avoid capacity loss and waste.

[0145] It should be added that, in the embodiments of this disclosure, different font colors can also be set in the above-mentioned dispatching interface to distinguish different information. For example, white font indicates that the machine is running and producing a batch of products awaiting delivery, red font indicates that a batch of products awaiting delivery has been pre-assigned, and blue font indicates that a batch of products awaiting delivery is in the process of scheduling (including pre-scheduling and stage scheduling). For example, black font indicates that the product has arrived at the station, and gray font indicates that the product has not yet arrived at the station, and so on.

[0146] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the dispatching interface provided in this disclosure can also be differentiated based on tool IDs. For example, a separate page can be set up for a pick-and-place machine (NXT) or a deep ultraviolet processing device (DUV) to monitor in real time whether the dispatching of masks meets the dispatching requirements. At the same time, it is convenient to understand the historical records of the corresponding machine's operation and production, and analyze the machine's operating logic so as to formulate more reasonable mask dispatching principles.

[0147] In some embodiments, this disclosure also provides a computer device including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the mask dispatching method involved in the above embodiments.

[0148] For example, the computer device may be a terminal, and its internal structure diagram may be as follows: Figure 7 As shown.

[0149] The computer device includes a processor, memory, input / output interfaces, a communication interface, a display unit, and an input device. The processor, memory, and input / output interfaces are connected via a system bus, and the communication interface, display unit, and input device are also connected to the system bus via the input / output interfaces. The processor provides computational and control capabilities. The memory includes non-volatile storage media and internal memory. The non-volatile storage media stores the operating system and computer programs. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs stored in the non-volatile storage media. The input / output interfaces are used for exchanging information between the processor and external devices. The communication interface is used for wired or wireless communication with external terminals; wireless communication can be achieved through Wi-Fi, mobile cellular networks, NFC (Near Field Communication), or other technologies. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the aforementioned film thickness measurement method. The display unit is used to form a visually visible image and can be a display screen, a projection device, or a virtual reality imaging device. The display screen can be an LCD screen or an e-ink screen. The input device of the computer device can be a touch layer covering the display screen, or buttons, trackballs, or touchpads set on the casing of the computer device, or external keyboards, touchpads, or mice, etc.

[0150] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 7 The structure shown is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the present disclosure and does not constitute a limitation on the computer device to which the present disclosure is applied. A specific computer device may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0151] In some embodiments, this disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the mask dispatching method involved in the above embodiments.

[0152] In some embodiments, this disclosure also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the mask dispatching method involved in the above embodiments.

[0153] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this disclosure can include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can take many forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases involved in the embodiments provided in this disclosure may include at least one type of relational database and non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, blockchain-based distributed databases. The processors involved in the embodiments provided in this disclosure may be general-purpose processors, central processing units, graphics processing units, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, quantum computing-based data processing logic devices, etc., and are not limited to these.

[0154] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0155] The embodiments described above are merely examples of several implementation methods of this disclosure, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this disclosure, and these all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for dispatching photomasks, characterized in that, include: Acquire multiple batches of work-in-process within the target timeframe; Pre-schedule multiple batches of the aforementioned products; Based on the pre-scheduling, the initial dispatching operation information of the batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask is obtained, and the pre-scheduling is modified into a stage scheduling according to the initial dispatching operation information. as well as The mask is assigned in real time according to the stage schedule.

2. The mask assignment method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-scheduling of multiple batches of products to be manufactured further includes: Determine the sorting weight of each batch of products to be manufactured; The batch of products to be manufactured is pre-scheduled according to the sorting weight from high to low.

3. The mask assignment method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ranking weights are determined based on at least one of the following: the importance of the assignment, the number of rework attempts, or the urgency of the waiting time.

4. The mask assignment method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The determination of the sorting weight for each of the batches of products to be manufactured further includes: The weight coefficient of the item with the highest relevance to the batch of pending products is determined from the factors of work assignment importance, rework frequency, and waiting time urgency, and is used as the ranking weight of the batch of pending products; or Determine the weight coefficients of at least two of the following: the importance of dispatching, the number of rework attempts, or the urgency of waiting time for the batch of products to be processed. Then, use the sum of the weight coefficients of the at least two items corresponding to the same batch of products to be processed as the sorting weight.

5. The mask assignment method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the initial dispatching information of the batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask based on the pre-scheduling, and modifying the pre-scheduling into a staged scheduling according to the initial dispatching information, further includes: According to the pre-schedule, obtain the arrival time of each batch of products to be manufactured and the corresponding mask. Based on the arrival time of each batch of products and the mask, determine the degree of correlation between each batch of products and the mask; Based on the sorting weight of the batch of products to be manufactured and the correlation between the batch of products to be manufactured and the mask, the real-time dispatching information of the mask is determined and the pre-schedule is modified into a stage schedule.

6. The mask assignment method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The degree of correlation between the batch of products to be manufactured and the mask is determined based on the correspondence between the batch of products to be manufactured and the mask, which is included in at least one of the following principles: continuous operation of mask, first-to-arrive principle, or human intervention greater than system dispatch principle.

7. The mask assignment method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The steps of determining the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifying the pre-schedule to a phased schedule further include: The order of the batches of products whose sorting weight is greater than the target threshold in the pre-schedule remains unchanged; The first target batch of products to be manufactured is moved from its position in the pre-scheduling to its position before the second target batch of products to be manufactured in the pre-scheduling, wherein the first target batch of products to be manufactured is the batch of products to be manufactured when both the batch of products to be manufactured and the mask have arrived at the destination, and the second target batch of products to be manufactured is the batch of products to be manufactured when at least one of the batch of products to be manufactured and the mask has not arrived at the destination; and The real-time dispatching information of the mask is determined based on the adjusted sorting of each batch of products to be manufactured, and the pre-schedule is modified into a staged schedule.

8. The mask assignment method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: Add functional tags to the batches of products whose sorting weight is greater than the target threshold. The steps of determining the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifying the pre-schedule to a phased schedule further include: Determine whether each of the first target batches of products uses the same mask as the batch of products with the added functional label; In response to each of the first target work-in-process batches and the work-in-process batches with the added function tag using the same mask, the order of the third target work-in-process batch in the pre-scheduling is moved before the order of the fourth target work-in-process batch in the pre-scheduling, wherein the third target work-in-process batch is the first target work-in-process batch that uses the same mask as the work-in-process batches with the added function tag, and the fourth target work-in-process batch is the first target work-in-process batch that uses a different mask than the work-in-process batches with the added function tag.

9. The mask assignment method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The steps of determining the real-time dispatching information of the mask and modifying the pre-schedule to a phased schedule further include: Determine whether multiple second target batches of products that are ordered identically in the pre-scheduling have arrived at the station; In response to the arrival of the second target batch of products, it is determined whether the mask corresponding to the arrived second target batch of products is located in the storage box; In response to the fact that the mask corresponding to the second target batch of products that has arrived at the station is located in the storage box, the order of the fifth target batch of products in the pre-scheduling is moved to before the order of the sixth target batch of products in the pre-scheduling, wherein the fifth target batch of products is the second target batch of products that has arrived at the station corresponding to the mask being located in the storage box, and the sixth target batch of products is the second target batch of products that has arrived at the station corresponding to the mask not being located in the storage box and / or the second target batch of products that has arrived at the station but has not yet arrived.

10. The mask dispatching method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, After acquiring multiple batches of workpieces within the target cycle, the mask dispatching method further includes: Determine whether pre-scheduling is required for multiple batches of the work to be processed based on the batches to be processed. In response to the need to pre-schedule multiple batches of work-in-process, the steps of pre-scheduling multiple batches of work-in-process, obtaining initial dispatching operation information of the batches of work-in-process and corresponding mask plates based on the pre-scheduling, modifying the pre-scheduling into a stage scheduling according to the initial dispatching operation information, and performing real-time dispatching of mask plates according to the stage scheduling are performed. In response to the lack of need for pre-scheduling of multiple batches of work-in-process, normal scheduling is performed on multiple batches of work-in-process.

11. A computer device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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