A semiconductor photolithography mask early warning management system and method

Abstract

The application provides a semiconductor lithography mask early warning management system and method, relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, and comprises a production data docking module, which is used for acquiring the flow information of all in-process wafer batches and the state data of target masks corresponding to the in-process wafer batches in real time; an early warning triggering module, which is used for generating a trigger signal based on the comparison result of a preset threshold and the flow information of the current batch; a mask state acquisition module, which is used for generating a verification result according to the state information of the target mask extracted from the state data in response to the trigger signal; and a hierarchical early warning pushing module, which is used for generating early warning information of different levels according to the verification result and pushing the early warning information to a specified terminal. The application realizes early prediction and automatic management of the state of the mask by means of multi-system data docking, double-threshold early warning triggering, mask full-state acquisition verification, hierarchical early warning pushing and emergency batch priority processing, and solves the problem of waiting for materials and stopping the line in the lithography process from the root.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system and method. Background Technology

[0002] In the photolithography process of semiconductor wafer fabrication, the photomask is a core precision material that determines the accuracy of pattern transfer. Currently, especially in 8-inch wafer fabs and some 12-inch wafer fabs lacking automated photomask management systems, photomask management is generally done manually. For example, during the production scheduling stage, production line planners cannot know in advance whether the photomasks have arrived at the factory, whether they have completed inspection, and whether they are in a qualified and usable state. Usually, operators can only manually query and verify through multiple independent systems (such as MES, quality inspection system, and WMS) before the production lot officially enters the photolithography station.

[0003] However, the traditional "post-production verification" model has many drawbacks: First, because the completeness of photomasks cannot be known during production scheduling, it often leads to the discovery that photomasks are missing, uninspected, or unqualified only after the batch arrives at the station, causing production line stoppages due to material shortages and severely impacting production efficiency. Second, for urgent production batches marked "Bullet Lot," the lag in manual verification is particularly prominent due to their tight delivery schedules and fast turnover, frequently resulting in delays in the delivery of urgent orders due to abnormal photomask conditions. Furthermore, the MES, quality inspection, and warehousing systems operate independently, forming data silos, making manual cross-system queries not only inefficient but also prone to errors and omissions. Therefore, the entire management process lacks fixed pre-emptive warning nodes and automatic system reminder mechanisms, relying entirely on personal experience, making it difficult to meet the stability requirements of large-scale, high-paced mass production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a semiconductor lithography mask early warning management system and method to solve the problems of traditional solutions lacking early warning, having isolated information from various systems, and being unable to meet current production needs.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system, the system comprising: The production data interface module is used to interface with the MES production execution system, photomask quality inspection system, and WMS warehouse management system to obtain real-time flow information of all in-process wafer batches and the status data of the target photomask corresponding to the in-process wafer batches; the flow information includes the remaining time and the number of remaining process steps of the current batch before the scheduled lithography station; The early warning triggering module is used to generate a trigger signal based on the comparison result between a preset threshold and the current batch's flow information; the preset threshold includes a time threshold and a process step threshold. The photomask status acquisition module is used to generate verification results in response to trigger signals based on the status information of the target photomask extracted from the status data. The status information includes arrival registration status, quality inspection completion status, quality inspection qualified status, storage location status, and material availability status. The status information of the target photomask also includes lifecycle information and environmental adaptation information. Among them, the lifecycle information includes the cumulative number of exposures and the current cleaning cycle, and the environmental adaptation information includes whether the photomask has completed the parameter adaptation calibration of the current lithography machine. The tiered early warning push module is used to generate different levels of early warning or reminder information based on the verification results and push them to designated terminals. The photomask status acquisition module is also used to: after completing the basic verification of arrival, quality inspection, storage location and availability status, compare the life cycle information and the environmental adaptation information with the production process requirements of the current batch. If at least one of the life cycle information and the environmental adaptation information does not meet the production process requirements, the verification result is judged as abnormal.

[0006] In some feasible embodiments, when the early warning triggering module generates a trigger signal, it is specifically used for: A trigger signal is generated when the remaining time is less than or equal to the time threshold, and / or the remaining number of process steps is less than or equal to the process step threshold.

[0007] In some feasible embodiments, it also includes: The emergency batch processing module is used to identify emergency production batches from the MES system in all wafer batches in production. When an emergency production batch is identified, the warning trigger module is controlled to prioritize the acquisition of the flow information of the emergency production batch and the comparison result with the preset threshold and generate a priority signal. The photomask status acquisition module is also used to: when responding to both a trigger signal and a priority signal, prioritize the status verification of the target photomask corresponding to the emergency production batch in order to obtain the verification result.

[0008] In some feasible embodiments, the early warning triggering module includes an adaptive threshold adjustment unit; The adaptive threshold adjustment unit is used to obtain the average time of the same type of batch under different production line loads in historical production data, as well as the real-time load rate of the current production line; based on the average time and real-time load rate, it updates the values ​​of the time threshold and process step threshold; the changes in the time threshold and process step threshold are proportional to the changes in the real-time load rate.

[0009] In some feasible embodiments, the adaptive threshold adjustment unit is also used for: When the emergency batch processing module identifies an emergency production batch, it updates the values ​​of the time threshold and process step threshold based on the threshold acceleration command sent by the emergency batch processing module and the preset acceleration coefficient. The preset acceleration coefficient is used to make the time threshold and process step threshold greater than other in-process wafer batches under the same conditions.

[0010] In some feasible embodiments, it also includes: The visualization module is connected to the production data docking module, the photomask status acquisition module, and the hierarchical early warning push module, respectively, and is used to centrally visualize the flow information, status information, verification results, and early warning information.

[0011] In some feasible embodiments, an exception record storage module is also included; The anomaly record storage module is used to generate a control ledger based on flow information, status information, verification results and early warning information; the control ledger also records the time of anomaly discovery, early warning push record, time of confirmation by responsible personnel, handling measures and final closure time.

[0012] In some feasible embodiments, after the control mask status acquisition module obtains the verification result and before the graded early warning push module pushes the early warning information, the emergency batch processing module is also specifically used for: Send a photomask locking request to the WMS warehouse management system to mark the corresponding target photomask as reserved in the system; Send an expedited inspection request to the photomask quality inspection system to initiate an expedited inspection process for the target photomask that has not yet completed quality inspection; At the same time, a machine reservation request is sent to the MES (Manufacturing Execution System) to reserve a specific time slot for the lithography machine for emergency production batches.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management method, applied to the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system of the first aspect, the method comprising: Real-time acquisition of flow information for all in-process wafer batches and status data of the target photomask corresponding to the in-process wafer batches; A trigger signal is generated based on the comparison results between the preset threshold and the current batch's flow information; the preset threshold includes a time threshold and a process step threshold. In response to the trigger signal, a verification result is generated based on the status information of the target photomask extracted from the status data; the status information includes arrival registration status, quality inspection completion status, quality inspection qualified status, storage location status, and material availability status; Based on the verification results, different levels of early warning or reminder information are generated and pushed to designated terminals.

[0014] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a chip for performing the methods described above.

[0015] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a computer, implement the method described above.

[0016] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a program product including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described above.

[0017] The technical solution illustrated in this application uses multi-system data integration, dual-threshold pre-warning triggering, full-state photomask acquisition and verification, hierarchical early warning push, and priority processing of emergency batches to achieve pre-judgment and automated management of photomask status, thereby fundamentally solving the problem of line stoppage due to material shortage in the lithography process.

[0018] The solution provided in this application, through the organic coupling of the above four functional modules and relying on multi-system data fusion and automated early warning mechanism, fundamentally solves the problems of lack of early warning, information fragmentation, low efficiency and error-proneness of manual verification in traditional photomask management, and significantly enhances the stability of lithography production and order delivery efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a first architecture diagram of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a second architecture diagram of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a third architecture diagram of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a fourth architecture diagram of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating the workflow of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in this application embodiment; Figure 6 A flowchart of a semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management method provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] It should be noted that, in this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being described as an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0023] First, the concepts involved in the embodiments of this application are explained as follows: Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is an information system in a semiconductor manufacturing plant used to track and manage the production process. It is responsible for core functions such as order placement, process flow control, work-in-process (WIP) tracking, equipment status monitoring, and production data acquisition. In this application, the MES system is the primary data source for obtaining wafer batch flow information and also the source system for identifying bullet lots.

[0024] A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is an information system used to manage the receipt, issuance, location allocation, inventory counting, and material status tracking of materials in a factory warehouse. In semiconductor manufacturing, the WMS is responsible for managing the storage information of precision materials such as photomasks, including the storage location of the photomasks, issuance records, and the current status of the materials (e.g., idle, issued, installed, under maintenance). In this application, the WMS system is an important data source for obtaining photomask storage status data, and also the target system for performing photomask locking operations.

[0025] A photomask (also known as a lithography mask) is a high-precision optical template used in semiconductor photolithography to transfer circuit patterns onto the surface of a wafer. The quality and usability of the photomask directly determine the accuracy of the lithographic pattern transfer, making it one of the most critical precision materials in the photolithography process. Each batch of wafers is typically paired with a dedicated photomask, and the arrival, inspection, storage, and usability of the photomask directly affect whether production can proceed smoothly.

[0026] Photomask quality inspection system: This is an information system specifically designed for the quality inspection of incoming photomasks. It is responsible for conducting comprehensive inspections of the photomasks' appearance, precision, cleanliness, and other indicators, and outputting quality inspection report results. In this application, the photomask quality inspection system is an important data source for obtaining photomask quality inspection status data, and also the target system for receiving expedited inspection requests.

[0027] Lot (production batch): In semiconductor manufacturing, a Lot is the basic production management unit for wafer products. A Lot usually contains multiple wafers and flows as a whole between various processes during the production process. Each Lot has a unique batch number and is bound to a corresponding exclusive photomask number.

[0028] Bullet Lot (urgent production batch): In semiconductor manufacturing, this is a special production batch that has an urgent delivery time and needs to be prioritized. Bullet Lots usually have the highest production priority, with fast flow between processes. They have extremely high requirements for the timely arrival of key materials such as photomasks. If the photomask is in abnormal condition, it will directly lead to the delay of urgent orders.

[0029] Lithography Station: This is the production station in a semiconductor wafer production line that performs the lithography process. It is a critical node in the wafer batch flow path. Before a batch arrives at the lithography station, it is necessary to ensure that the corresponding photomask has arrived, passed inspection, and is in a usable state; otherwise, it will lead to a production line stoppage due to material shortage.

[0030] Process Step: In semiconductor manufacturing, a process step is a unit of measurement for the production process. The number of process steps a wafer batch needs to go through from its current process step to the lithography station is called the number of remaining process steps. The fewer the number of remaining process steps, the closer the batch is to the lithography station and the higher the urgency of photomask preparation.

[0031] Production Line Load Rate: This is an indicator that reflects the current production load of a semiconductor production line. It is usually represented by the ratio of the number of batches currently in production to the maximum designed capacity of the production line. The higher the production line load rate, the busier the production line is currently, and the flow rate of each batch may be affected. It is necessary to adjust the warning threshold accordingly to reserve more photomask preparation time in advance.

[0032] In the photolithography process of semiconductor wafer fabrication, the photomask is a core precision material that determines the accuracy of pattern transfer. Currently, especially in 8-inch wafer fabs and some 12-inch wafer fabs lacking automated photomask management systems, photomask management is generally done manually. Production line planners cannot know in advance whether the photomasks have arrived at the factory, whether they have completed inspection, and whether they are in a qualified and usable state. Usually, operators can only manually check and verify the information through multiple independent systems (such as MES, quality control system, and WMS) before the production batch (lot) officially enters the photolithography station.

[0033] Traditional solutions typically suffer from several drawbacks in practical applications: First, they lack an early warning mechanism. Traditional photomask management uses a "post-event verification" approach, meaning that photomask status is checked only after a batch arrives at the station, rather than being predicted in advance during the production scheduling phase. Because the completeness of the photomasks cannot be known during scheduling, it often leads to the discovery that photomasks are missing, uninspected, or unqualified only after the batch arrives at the station, causing production line stoppages due to material shortages and severely impacting production efficiency. Second, the problem of data silos is prominent. MES, quality inspection, and warehousing systems operate independently, forming data silos. Manual cross-system queries are not only inefficient but also prone to errors and omissions. The lack of a unified interface and real-time data synchronization mechanism between systems results in scattered and untimely photomask status information. Third, they have poor adaptability to urgent batches. For emergency production batches marked "Bullet Lot," the lag in manual verification is particularly pronounced due to their tight delivery schedules and rapid turnover. Delays in emergency order delivery frequently occur due to abnormal photomask conditions. However, the existing system cannot prioritize emergency batches, resulting in an inability to effectively reduce material preparation time for them. Fourth, the management process relies on manual experience. The entire management process lacks fixed early warning nodes and automatic system reminder mechanisms, relying entirely on personal experience, which makes it difficult to meet the stability requirements of large-scale, high-paced mass production.

[0034] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system and method. Through multi-system data integration, dual-threshold pre-warning triggering, full-state mask acquisition and verification, tiered pre-warning push, and priority processing of emergency batches, it achieves pre-judgment and automated management of mask status, fundamentally solving the problem of lithography process downtime due to material shortages. The specific implementation methods of this application are described in detail below.

[0035] See Figure 1 This is a first architecture diagram of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0036] This application provides a semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system, such as... Figure 1As shown, the system may include a production data integration module, an early warning triggering module, a photomask status acquisition module, and a tiered early warning push module.

[0037] The production data interface module is used to interface with the MES (Manufacturing Execution System), photomask quality inspection system, and WMS (Warehouse Management System) to obtain real-time flow information of all in-process wafer batches and the status data of the target photomasks corresponding to the in-process wafer batches.

[0038] In practical applications, the production data integration module can first be integrated and debugged with the existing MES (Manufacturing Execution System), photomask incoming material inspection system, and WMS (Warehouse Management System) in the semiconductor wafer manufacturing plant to ensure that various production data, material data, and quality inspection data can be transmitted synchronously in real time. Specifically, the production data integration module captures the batch numbers, process flow paths, real-time flow progress, and estimated arrival times at lithography stations for all wafer production lotes in the plant around the clock, as well as the unique photomask number associated with each batch. Simultaneously, it acquires core data such as the arrival and warehousing time of the corresponding photomask, the completion status of quality inspection items, quality inspection reports, specific storage locations, and material requisition records.

[0039] For example, an 8-inch wafer production line currently has 20 batches in production. The production data docking module can obtain data including: the current process position of each batch (such as thin film deposition process), the estimated time to arrive at the photolithography station (such as 3 days and 12 hours remaining), the number of remaining process steps (such as 48 steps remaining), as well as the arrival registration status of the corresponding photomask (arrived / not arrived), the quality inspection completion status (completed / not completed), the quality inspection pass status (passed / failed / pending re-inspection), the storage location status (such as 3 rows and 2 layers in warehouse area A), and the material availability status (idle / requisitioned / on the machine / under maintenance), etc., which are all-dimensional status data.

[0040] The early warning triggering module is used to generate a trigger signal based on the comparison results between a preset threshold and the current batch's flow information. The preset thresholds include time thresholds and process step thresholds.

[0041] Specifically, the early warning triggering module can be pre-set with fixed early warning parameters (i.e., preset thresholds) in the background, including parameters in two dimensions: time and process steps. Taking an 8-inch manual lithography production line as an example, in a normal production scenario, the time threshold can be set to 3 days before the batch arrives at the lithography station, and the process step threshold can be set to 50 production steps remaining before the batch arrives at the lithography station. In some embodiments, the system can traverse the progress of all in-process production batches in real time. When a batch meets the preset threshold conditions, a trigger signal is immediately and automatically generated, and the photomask status pre-check process is initiated.

[0042] The photomask status acquisition module is used to respond to the trigger signal and generate verification results based on the status information of the target photomask extracted from the status data. The status information includes arrival registration status, quality inspection completion status, quality inspection qualified status, storage location status, and material availability status.

[0043] Specifically, after receiving the trigger signal, the photomask status acquisition module can quickly retrieve all the information of the corresponding numbered photomask and verify in sequence whether the photomask has completed the incoming goods registration, whether it has completed the full-item quality inspection of appearance / precision / cleanliness, whether the quality inspection results are qualified, the specific storage cabinet and warehouse location of the material, the current status of the material, and whether the photomask specifications and models match the process requirements of the current production batch. After completing the verification of all dimensions, it can automatically generate standardized verification results.

[0044] The tiered early warning push module is used to generate different levels of early warning or reminder information based on the verification results and push them to designated terminals.

[0045] Specifically, the tiered early warning push module can generate warning or reminder information based on the verification results, which may include: if the verification results show that all the statuses of the photomask meet the standards, a routine pre-preparation reminder can be pushed to the lithography workshop operators and material handlers; if the verification finds abnormal problems such as the photomask not arriving, not completing quality inspection, failing quality inspection, or model mismatch, an emergency warning will be pushed immediately, clearly indicating the type of abnormality and the remaining preparation time, urging relevant personnel to coordinate and handle the matter urgently.

[0046] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the system provided in this application firstly breaks down the data silos between MES, quality inspection system, and WMS based on the production data docking module. This centralizes and synchronizes production data and photomask status data, which were originally scattered across various independent systems, in real time. This allows production line planners to obtain comprehensive photomask status information during the scheduling phase, eliminating the need for temporary verification after batches arrive at the lithography station, thus solving the problems of data dispersion and lag at the source. Secondly, based on the dual judgment logic of time thresholds and process step thresholds configured in the early warning triggering module, the photomask status verification process is initiated before the batch arrives at the lithography station, transforming the traditional "post-verification" mode... The system has been upgraded to a "pre-emptive judgment" mode, which allows sufficient time for the arrival, inspection, and preparation of photomasks, effectively preventing production line stoppages due to material shortages. Secondly, based on the photomask status acquisition module, a comprehensive verification is conducted across five dimensions: photomask arrival registration, quality inspection completion, quality inspection qualification, storage location, and material availability. This ensures complete and accurate results, avoiding omissions that can occur with manual verification, while significantly improving processing efficiency through automated verification. Finally, a tiered early warning push module categorizes verification results into two levels: normal material preparation reminders and abnormal emergency warnings. This allows relevant personnel to take targeted measures according to the warning level, improving response efficiency and processing accuracy.

[0047] The system provided in this application, through the organic coupling of the above four functional modules and relying on multi-system data fusion and automated early warning mechanism, fundamentally solves the problems of lack of early warning, information fragmentation, low efficiency and error-proneness of manual verification in traditional photomask management, and significantly enhances the stability of lithography production and order delivery efficiency.

[0048] In some embodiments, the current batch flow information includes the remaining time from the predetermined lithography station and the remaining number of process steps. When the early warning trigger module generates a trigger signal, it is specifically used to generate a trigger signal when the remaining time is less than or equal to a time threshold, and / or when the remaining number of process steps is less than or equal to a process step threshold.

[0049] Specifically, the current batch flow information includes two key quantitative indicators: first, the remaining time, which is the estimated time distance for the batch to arrive at the lithography station, calculated based on factors such as the current batch's position in the process, the standard processing time of each process, and queuing time; and second, the remaining number of process steps, which is the number of process steps the current batch still needs to go through from its current process to the lithography station. When determining whether to generate a trigger signal, the warning trigger module can compare these two quantitative indicators with preset time thresholds and process step thresholds, respectively, using "OR" logic for judgment. That is, as long as the remaining time is less than or equal to the time threshold, or the remaining number of process steps is less than or equal to the process step threshold, a trigger signal is generated if either condition is met.

[0050] For example, assuming the time threshold is set to 3 days and the process step threshold is set to 50 steps, if a batch is 4 days away from the lithography station but has only 45 process steps remaining (due to some processes having short time consumption, there is ample time, but the number of steps is approaching), then because the remaining number of process steps (45) is less than the threshold (50), the system will still generate a trigger signal to start the photomask status verification. Conversely, if a batch is 2 days away from the lithography station but has 55 process steps remaining (due to some processes having long waiting times, there is tight time, but the number of steps is large), then because the remaining time (2 days) is less than the threshold (3 days), the system will also generate a trigger signal.

[0051] In this application embodiment, by using a dual threshold determination based on two dimensions—remaining time and remaining process steps—it is possible to more comprehensively cover the early warning needs under different production scenarios. Compared with using a single dimension for judgment, this application can avoid missing early warning scenarios where there is still enough time but the steps are close due to queuing of processes, which may be caused by using a single time dimension. It also avoids missing early warning scenarios where there are still many steps but time is tight due to differences in process time consumption, which may be caused by using a single step dimension.

[0052] The dual-dimensional judgment logic ensures that verification is triggered as long as either dimension meets the warning conditions, effectively avoiding the problem of missed warnings that may occur with single-dimensional judgment, improving the coverage and reliability of advance warnings, and thus providing more accurate time guarantees for the photomask preparation stage.

[0053] See Figure 2 This is a second architecture diagram of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0054] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the system also includes an emergency batch processing module, which is used to identify emergency production batches from the MES system in all wafer batches under manufacturing. When an emergency production batch is identified, the system controls the early warning triggering module to prioritize the acquisition of the flow information of the emergency production batch and the comparison result with the preset threshold and generate a priority signal. The photomask status acquisition module is also used to: when responding to both the trigger signal and the priority signal, prioritize the status verification of the target photomask corresponding to the emergency production batch to obtain the verification result.

[0055] Specifically, the emergency batch processing module continuously monitors the production priority markers of each batch in the MES system and automatically identifies emergency production batches marked "Bullet Lot". In semiconductor manufacturing, Bullet Lots are typically customer expedited orders or engineering verification batches, with the highest production priority and shortest delivery time requirements. When the emergency batch processing module identifies one or more emergency production batches, it immediately controls the early warning triggering module to prioritize obtaining the flow information of these emergency batches and compare it with a preset threshold. At the same time, it generates a priority signal. It should be noted that in this embodiment, it is called a priority signal for easy distinction from the trigger signal. In essence, it can be regarded as a trigger signal with a specific marker added, and its signal type can be the same as the trigger signal.

[0056] When the photomask status acquisition module receives both a trigger signal and a priority signal simultaneously, it can insert the photomask status verification tasks for the emergency batches at the front of the processing queue, skipping the waiting time for ordinary batches and prioritizing the full-dimensional status verification of the target photomasks corresponding to the emergency batches. For example, assuming that there are currently 5 ordinary batches and 2 Bullet Lot emergency batches in the system that simultaneously meet the threshold triggering conditions, the emergency batch processing module will first control the early warning triggering module to generate priority signals for the 2 emergency batches. The photomask status acquisition module will then prioritize processing the photomask status verification of these 2 emergency batches. After the emergency batch verification is completed, the remaining 5 ordinary batches will be processed sequentially.

[0057] In this embodiment, considering that emergency batches have a faster turnover and tighter delivery schedules, the requirements for timely verification of photomask status and handling of anomalies are much higher than those for ordinary batches. If processed according to the queuing order of ordinary batches, emergency batches may arrive at the lithography station while waiting for verification, resulting in production line stoppage due to unprepared photomasks. By adding an emergency batch processing module and its coordinated linkage with the early warning triggering module and photomask status acquisition module, the technical solution of this embodiment effectively solves the problem of delayed material preparation due to queuing in the traditional management model for emergency production batches. Through a priority signal mechanism, emergency batches skip the ordinary queuing process, maximizing the compression of material preparation time for emergency batches, ensuring priority production of expedited orders, and significantly improving the delivery timeliness and reliability of emergency orders.

[0058] In some embodiments, the status information of the target photomask also includes lifecycle information and environmental adaptation information; wherein, the lifecycle information includes the cumulative number of exposures and the current cleaning cycle, and the environmental adaptation information includes whether the photomask has completed the parameter adaptation calibration of the current lithography machine.

[0059] The photomask status acquisition module is also used to: after completing the basic verification of arrival, quality inspection, storage location and availability status, compare the life cycle information and environmental adaptation information with the production process requirements of the current batch. If at least one of the life cycle information and environmental adaptation information does not meet the production process requirements, the verification result will be judged as abnormal.

[0060] Specifically, based on the basic verification (five dimensions: arrival registration, quality inspection completion, quality inspection qualification, storage location, and material availability) described in the aforementioned embodiments, the photomask status acquisition module can further perform in-depth verification of the photomask's lifecycle information and environmental adaptability information. The lifecycle information includes, but is not limited to, the cumulative exposure count and current cleaning cycle. For example, if a photomask has a designed exposure lifespan of 20,000 exposures, and the current cumulative exposure count has reached 18,500, while the current batch's production process requires the photomask to have a remaining exposure lifespan of no less than 3,000 exposures, then the cumulative exposure count of the photomask does not meet the production process requirements, posing a risk of decreased accuracy. In this case, an abnormal verification result is still required. Similarly, if a photomask's cleaning cycle limit is 500 exposures, and it has been exposed 480 times since the last cleaning, while the current batch is expected to require 50 exposures, then the current cleaning cycle of the photomask is about to reach its limit. It may exceed the cleaning cycle during the current batch's use, affecting lithography quality, and an abnormal verification result is also required.

[0061] In some embodiments, environmental adaptation information is not limited to whether the photomask has completed parameter adaptation calibration for the current lithography machine. For example, a photomask was previously used and calibrated on machine A, but the lithography machine specified for the current batch is machine B. Due to the differences in optical characteristics (such as exposure energy, focal length, alignment accuracy, etc.) between different machines, the photomask has not yet completed parameter adaptation calibration on machine B. Therefore, the environmental adaptation information does not meet the production process requirements. In order to ensure high product quality, it can also be judged as an abnormal verification result.

[0062] In this embodiment, traditional manual verification typically focuses only on basic conditions such as whether the photomask has arrived, passed inspection, and is in stock, neglecting deeper factors like the photomask's lifespan and machine compatibility. This can lead to photolithography quality issues during actual use, even if the photomask is in good basic condition, due to insufficient precision or machine incompatibility, potentially requiring photomask replacement and causing production line stoppages. This embodiment elevates photomask status verification from a basic "usability" level to a precise "suitability for the current batch" level by adding lifecycle and environmental adaptability information verification on top of basic verification. By comparing the cumulative exposure count, cleaning cycle, and parameter calibration status with the production process requirements of the current batch, it ensures that the photomask not only meets basic requirements but also fully satisfies the process requirements of the current batch in terms of lifespan and machine compatibility. This eliminates potential photolithography quality risks at the pre-verification stage, further enhancing the verification depth and preventative capabilities of the pre-warning system.

[0063] In some embodiments, the early warning triggering module includes an adaptive threshold adjustment unit; the adaptive threshold adjustment unit is used to obtain the average time spent by the same type of batch under different production line loads in historical production data, as well as the real-time load rate of the current production line; and update the values ​​of the time threshold and the process step threshold according to the average time spent and the real-time load rate; the changes in the time threshold and the process step threshold are proportional to the changes in the real-time load rate.

[0064] Specifically, the adaptive threshold adjustment unit analyzes historical production data (which can be generated from the MES) to establish an average time model for the same type of batch under different production line load conditions. For example, when the production line load rate is 60%, the average time from triggering the threshold to arriving at the lithography station for a certain type of wafer batch is 2.5 days; when the production line load rate is 80%, the average time increases to 3.5 days due to increased queuing time; and when the production line load rate is 100%, the average time may reach 4.5 days.

[0065] At this point, the adaptive threshold adjustment unit obtains the current production line load rate in real time (e.g., calculated by statistically analyzing the ratio of the current number of batches in production to the production line's designed capacity), and dynamically updates the time threshold and process step threshold based on the historical average time consumption model and the real-time load rate. When the production line load rate increases, the queuing time for each process increases, and the batch turnover speed decreases. In this case, the adaptive threshold adjustment unit can automatically increase the time threshold and process step threshold, shifting the warning trigger time forward and reserving more time for photomask preparation. Conversely, when the production line load rate decreases, the batch turnover speed increases, and the adaptive threshold adjustment unit can automatically decrease the threshold to avoid premature warning triggering and unnecessary resource occupation. For example, the preset proportional relationship can be set as follows: for every 10% increase in the production line load rate, the time threshold increases by 0.5 days and the process step threshold increases by 5 steps; when the production line load rate increases from 60% to 80%, the time threshold is adjusted from 3 days to 4 days, and the process step threshold is adjusted from 50 steps to 60 steps, ensuring sufficient photomask preparation time even under high load conditions.

[0066] In this embodiment, considering that in actual semiconductor manufacturing, production line load rates frequently change due to factors such as order volume, equipment maintenance plans, and seasonal demand fluctuations, fixed thresholds cannot adapt to production rhythms under different load conditions: when the load rate is high, the fixed threshold may cause delayed warnings due to insufficient allowance time; when the load rate is low, the fixed threshold may cause premature warnings and resource waste due to excessive allowance time. This embodiment introduces an adaptive threshold adjustment unit, so that the warning threshold is no longer a fixed static parameter, but an adaptive parameter that can be dynamically adjusted according to the actual load conditions of the production line. This adaptive threshold adjustment mechanism ensures that the warning triggering timing always matches the actual production rhythm of the current production line, guaranteeing sufficient photomask preparation time while avoiding unnecessary premature warnings, significantly improving the flexibility and scenario adaptability of the pre-warning system.

[0067] In some embodiments, the adaptive threshold adjustment unit is further configured to: when the emergency batch processing module identifies an emergency production batch, update the values ​​of the time threshold and the process step threshold based on the threshold acceleration instruction sent by the emergency batch processing module and a preset acceleration coefficient; the preset acceleration coefficient is used to make the time threshold and the process step threshold greater than other in-process wafer batches under the same conditions.

[0068] Specifically, when the emergency batch processing module identifies an emergency production batch of Bullet Lot in the MES system, in addition to generating a priority signal to control the photomask status acquisition module to perform priority verification, it can also send a threshold acceleration command to the adaptive threshold adjustment unit. After receiving the command, the adaptive threshold adjustment unit can further increase and adjust the current time threshold and process step threshold based on the preset acceleration coefficient, so that the warning threshold of the emergency batch is greater than the warning threshold of the ordinary batch under the same production line load conditions.

[0069] For example, assuming the current production line load is 80%, the time threshold for a normal batch is 4 days, and the process step threshold is 60 steps. With a preset acceleration factor of 1.5, the time threshold for an emergency batch is adjusted to 4 × 1.5 = 6 days, and the process step threshold is adjusted to 60 × 1.5 = 90 steps. This means that an emergency batch triggers an alert 6 days or 90 process steps before reaching the lithography station, initiating the mask status verification and preparation process approximately 2 days or 30 process steps earlier than a normal batch. Through this acceleration mechanism, emergency batches gain a longer mask preparation time window than normal batches, reserving more processing time for time-consuming steps such as mask arrival expediting, accelerated inspection, and machine adaptation calibration.

[0070] In this embodiment, by introducing an emergency batch acceleration mechanism in the adaptive threshold adjustment unit, differentiated processing of emergency batches and ordinary batches in terms of early warning triggering timing is achieved. By presetting an acceleration coefficient, the early warning threshold of emergency batches is made significantly higher than that of ordinary batches under the same conditions, ensuring that emergency batches start photomask status verification and anomaly handling processes at an earlier time point. This provides sufficient response time for possible abnormal situations such as delivery delays, quality inspection failures, and machine incompatibility, minimizing the risk of delayed delivery of emergency batches due to photomask issues.

[0071] See Figure 3 This is a third architecture diagram of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0072] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the system also includes a visualization module, which is connected to the production data docking module, the photomask status acquisition module, and the hierarchical early warning push module, respectively, to centrally visualize the flow information, status information, verification results, and early warning information.

[0073] Specifically, the visualization module obtains the flow information of all batches in production from the production data integration module, the status information and verification results of the target photomasks for each batch from the photomask status acquisition module, and the pushed warnings and reminders from the tiered early warning push module. This multi-dimensional data is then centrally visualized on a unified interface. In practical applications, the visualization module can display information through both the workshop back-end screen and individual workstation terminals.

[0074] In some embodiments, the back-end large screen can be in the form of a dashboard, displaying the current process position, estimated arrival time, remaining process steps, multi-dimensional basic status of the corresponding photomask (arrival / quality inspection / qualified / warehouse location / available), lifecycle information (cumulative exposure times / cleaning cycle), and environmental adaptation status of each batch in production, and using color coding to distinguish different statuses (e.g., green indicates all qualified, yellow indicates some pending confirmation, and red indicates anomalies).

[0075] In some embodiments, terminals located at workstations can display batch and photomask information related to a specific workstation. For example, a material handler's terminal can display the location information and collection priority of photomasks to be collected, while a lithography operator's terminal can display the preparation status of photomasks for batches about to arrive at the station. Furthermore, the visualization module can also support filtering and sorting by batch number, photomask number, alert level, and other criteria, facilitating managers to quickly locate batches or anomalies of interest.

[0076] In this embodiment, considering that under the traditional management model, managers need to log into multiple independent systems such as MES, quality inspection system, and WMS to query information, which is not only time-consuming and laborious but also makes it difficult to obtain a global view, this embodiment adds a visualization module to centrally and uniformly present multi-dimensional data scattered in various modules. This allows workshop managers to fully grasp key information such as the preparation progress of photomasks for all batches to be delivered and the rectification progress of abnormal materials through a single interface. The centralized presentation of the visualization module breaks down information barriers between systems, providing a one-stop information support platform for managers to coordinate production and material allocation, and significantly improving the timeliness and accuracy of management decisions.

[0077] See Figure 4 This is a fourth architecture diagram of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0078] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the system also includes an anomaly record storage module; the anomaly record storage module is used to generate a control ledger based on flow information, status information, verification results and early warning information; the control ledger also records the time of anomaly discovery, early warning push record, time of confirmation by responsible personnel, handling measures and final closure time.

[0079] Specifically, the anomaly log storage module can structurally record all critical events generated during system operation, forming a complete control ledger. The control ledger uses anomaly events as the recording unit, and each record includes, but is not limited to, the following fields: anomaly discovery time (i.e., the timestamp of the anomaly verification result generated by the photomask status acquisition module), batch number and photomask number, anomaly type (e.g., not received / quality inspection unqualified / mismatched storage location / lifecycle exceeded / machine not calibrated, etc.), early warning push record (including push time, push level, receiving terminal, and receiving personnel), responsible personnel confirmation time (i.e., the time when the responsible personnel received the early warning and confirmed its response), handling measures (e.g., expediting delivery, expedited re-inspection, photomask replacement, arranging machine calibration, etc.), handling process record, and final closure time (i.e., the time when the anomaly problem was resolved and the photomask was confirmed to be usable).

[0080] For example, the control log record for a certain abnormal event is as follows: Abnormality discovery time: August 11, 2026, 09:15; Batch number: Lot-2026081101; Photomask number: RET-A0327; Abnormality type: "Quality inspection failure"; Warning push record: "Red emergency warning pushed to material handler Zhang San's terminal at 09:16"; Responsible person confirmation time: "09:22"; Handling measures: "Arrange expedited re-inspection and simultaneously select alternative photomask RET-A0328"; Final closure time: "Re-inspection passed and confirmed usable at 14:30 on August 11". It should be noted that the control log supports querying and statistics by time range, abnormality type, batch number, etc., which facilitates subsequent production review and management optimization.

[0081] In this embodiment, by adding an anomaly record storage module and generating a structured management ledger, the entire process of photomask anomaly events, from discovery to closure, can be traced and managed. The generation of the management ledger ensures that the complete processing chain of each anomaly event is traceable, providing production management personnel with data-driven review basis. This helps to identify high-frequency anomaly types, analyze the root causes of anomalies, and optimize the processing flow, thereby forming a closed-loop management model of "prediction-alert-processing-archiving-optimization" to continuously improve the standardization and effectiveness of photomask management.

[0082] In some embodiments, after the control mask status acquisition module obtains the verification result and before the graded early warning push module pushes the early warning information, the emergency batch processing module is further specifically used to: send a mask locking request to the WMS warehouse management system to mark the corresponding target mask as reserved in the system; send an expedited inspection request to the mask quality inspection system to start the expedited inspection process for the target mask that has not yet completed quality inspection; and simultaneously send a machine reservation request to the MES production execution system to reserve a specified lithography machine time slot for the emergency production batch.

[0083] Specifically, the emergency batch processing module sends a mask locking request to the WMS warehouse management system and marks the target mask to prevent the mask from being used or transferred by other ordinary batches.

[0084] The emergency batch processing module sends an expedited inspection request to the photomask quality inspection system, initiating an expedited inspection process for target photomasks that have not yet completed quality inspection or whose quality inspection results are pending re-inspection, prioritizing them over the quality inspection tasks of ordinary batches. Simultaneously, the emergency batch processing module sends a machine reservation request to the MES (Manufacturing Execution System) to reserve designated lithography machine time slots for emergency production batches, ensuring that machines are available when emergency batches arrive at the station.

[0085] See Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0086] like Figure 5 As shown in the embodiments of this application, in practical applications, the system first connects to the MES production system, photomask quality inspection system, and WMS warehousing system to collect and synchronize multi-source data; then it enters the core judgment stage, first performing dual threshold judgment. If no warning is triggered, it enters continuous monitoring state. If a warning is triggered, it further verifies whether the photomask status is qualified. If it is unqualified, it is also returned to continuous monitoring; under the premise that the status is qualified, the system will determine whether the batch is an emergency batch. If so, it will perform emergency batch priority scheduling; otherwise, it will perform normal batch processing and issue a routine material preparation reminder; finally, all processing results will be integrated into the customized display module for content output, and at the same time, the abnormal records in the process will be synchronously fed back to the relevant systems, thereby forming a complete closed-loop management system.

[0087] In this embodiment, by adding a linkage operation with the corresponding system and machine between the verification completion and the early warning push, the entire chain of emergency batch photomask preparation can be automated. The emergency batch processing module automatically sends a locking request, an expedited inspection request, and a machine reservation request to the three systems respectively. Photomask locking ensures that materials are not snatched, expedited inspection ensures that quality inspection results are obtained in a timely manner, and machine reservation ensures that the machine is available when the equipment enters the station. The three operations work together to provide comprehensive protection for the smooth production of emergency batches from the three dimensions of materials, quality inspection, and equipment, and significantly reduce the risk of delays in emergency batches due to poor coordination.

[0088] See Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0089] This application also provides a semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management method, applicable to the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system of any of the above embodiments, such as... Figure 6As shown, the method includes the following steps: S100: Real-time acquisition of the flow information of all in-process wafer batches and the status data of the target photomask corresponding to the in-process wafer batch; S200: Generate a trigger signal based on the comparison result between the preset threshold and the current batch flow information. The preset threshold includes a time threshold and a process step threshold. S300: In response to the trigger signal, it generates a verification result based on the status information of the target photomask extracted from the status data. The status information includes arrival registration status, quality inspection completion status, quality inspection qualified status, storage location status, and material availability status. S400: Generates different levels of early warning or reminder information based on the verification results and pushes them to designated terminals.

[0090] Through the above method embodiments, this application achieves the technical effects corresponding to the system embodiments: eliminating information silos through real-time multi-system data integration; transforming photomask status verification from post-verification to pre-judgment through dual-threshold pre-warning triggering; ensuring the comprehensiveness and accuracy of verification through five-dimensional full-state data collection and verification; and achieving differentiated processing responses through tiered early warning pushes. This method embodiment standardizes and automates the pre-warning management process for semiconductor lithography photomasks, effectively solving the problems of lack of pre-warning, information isolation, low verification efficiency, and high error rate under the traditional manual management model, thereby improving the stability of lithography production and order delivery efficiency.

[0091] The technical effects of the method provided in this application embodiment during application can be found in the description of the foregoing system embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0092] Some embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one executable instruction that, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to perform the methods described above.

[0093] This application provides a chip system in several embodiments, which is applied to a server. The chip system includes one or more interface circuits and one or more processors. The interface circuits and processors are interconnected via lines. The interface circuits are used to receive signals from the server's memory and send signals to the processors, the signals including computer instructions stored in the memory. When the processor executes the computer instructions, the server performs the method shown in the above embodiments.

[0094] The beneficial effects that the readable storage medium provided in some embodiments of this application can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the corresponding methods provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0095] The above specific embodiments further illustrate the purpose, technical solution and beneficial effects of this application. It should be understood that the above are only specific embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made on the basis of the technical solution of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system, characterized in that, include: The production data interface module is used to interface with the MES production execution system, photomask quality inspection system, and WMS warehouse management system to obtain real-time flow information of all wafer batches in production and the status data of the target photomask corresponding to the wafer batches in production; the flow information includes the remaining time and the number of remaining process steps of the current batch before the scheduled lithography station. The early warning triggering module is used to generate a trigger signal based on the comparison result between a preset threshold and the current batch's circulation information; The preset thresholds include time thresholds and process step thresholds; The photomask status acquisition module is used to generate a verification result based on the status information of the target photomask extracted from the status data in response to the trigger signal. The status information includes arrival registration status, quality inspection completion status, quality inspection qualified status, storage location status, and material availability status. The status information of the target photomask also includes lifecycle information and environmental adaptation information. The lifecycle information includes the cumulative number of exposures and the current cleaning cycle, and the environmental adaptation information includes whether the photomask has completed the parameter adaptation calibration of the current lithography machine. The tiered early warning push module is used to generate different levels of early warning or reminder information based on the verification results and push them to designated terminals. The photomask status acquisition module is also used to: after completing the basic verification of arrival, quality inspection, storage location and availability status, compare the life cycle information and the environmental adaptation information with the production process requirements of the current batch. If at least one of the life cycle information and the environmental adaptation information does not meet the production process requirements, the verification result is judged as abnormal.

2. The semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the warning triggering module generates a trigger signal, it is specifically used for: The trigger signal is generated when the remaining time is less than or equal to the time threshold, and / or when the remaining number of process steps is less than or equal to the process step threshold.

3. The semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: An emergency batch processing module is used to identify emergency production batches from the MES system among all in-process wafer batches, and when the emergency production batch is identified, control the early warning triggering module to prioritize obtaining the flow information of the emergency production batch and the comparison result with the preset threshold and generate a priority signal. The photomask status acquisition module is also used to: when responding to both the trigger signal and the priority signal, prioritize the status verification of the target photomask corresponding to the emergency production batch to obtain the verification result.

4. The semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The early warning triggering module includes an adaptive threshold adjustment unit; The adaptive threshold adjustment unit is used to obtain the average time consumed by the same type of batch under different production line loads in historical production data, as well as the real-time load rate of the current production line; and to update the values ​​of the time threshold and the process step threshold according to the average time consumed and the real-time load rate; the changes in the time threshold and the process step threshold are proportional to the changes in the real-time load rate.

5. The semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The adaptive threshold adjustment unit is also used for: When the emergency batch processing module identifies an emergency production batch, it updates the values ​​of the time threshold and the process step threshold based on the threshold acceleration command sent by the emergency batch processing module and a preset acceleration coefficient. The preset acceleration coefficient is used to make the time threshold and the process step threshold greater than other in-process wafer batches under the same conditions.

6. The semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The visualization module is connected to the production data docking module, the photomask status acquisition module, and the hierarchical early warning push module, respectively, and is used to centrally visualize the flow information, status information, verification results, and early warning information.

7. The semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes an exception record storage module; The anomaly record storage module is used to generate a control ledger based on the flow information, status information, verification results and early warning information; the control ledger also records the anomaly discovery time, early warning push record, responsible personnel confirmation time, handling measures and final closure time.

8. The semiconductor photolithography mask pre-warning management system according to claim 3, characterized in that, After the photomask status acquisition module obtains the verification result, and before the graded early warning push module pushes the early warning information, the emergency batch processing module is further specifically used for: Send a photomask locking request to the WMS warehouse management system to mark the corresponding target photomask as reserved in the system; Send an expedited inspection request to the photomask quality inspection system to initiate an expedited inspection process for the target photomask that has not yet completed quality inspection; Simultaneously, a machine reservation request is sent to the MES production execution system to reserve a specified lithography machine time slot for the emergency production batch.

9. A semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management method, applied to the semiconductor lithography mask pre-warning management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The method includes: Real-time acquisition of flow information for all in-process wafer batches and status data of the target photomask corresponding to the in-process wafer batch; A trigger signal is generated based on the comparison result between a preset threshold and the current batch's flow information; the preset threshold includes a time threshold and a process step threshold. In response to the trigger signal, a verification result is generated based on the status information of the target photomask extracted from the status data; the status information includes arrival registration status, quality inspection completion status, quality inspection qualified status, storage location status, and material availability status. Based on the verification results, different levels of early warning or reminder information are generated and pushed to designated terminals.

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