Dual CTC Failover Control for Substrate Processing Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The semiconductor manufacturing process is disrupted when the cluster tool controller (CTC) stops operating due to program errors or maintenance, leading to delays and inefficiencies in the substrate processing system.
Innovation Solution
A dualized controlling apparatus with two CTCs, each having the same software and hardware configuration, where the second CTC takes over control when the first CTC fails, ensuring continuous operation by processing and storing data in synchronization, and generating commands to manage the substrate processing modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single CTC is used to control the substrate processing apparatus, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the system stops operating when the CTC fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a standby CTC that is a complete copy of the active CTC, including identical hardware configuration, software, and operating system. This copy can immediately take over control when the active CTC fails, ensuring system continuity without requiring complex distributed control architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares a standby CTC in advance with synchronized data and identical configuration before any failure occurs. This preemptive preparation ensures that when the active CTC fails, the standby unit can immediately assume control without interruption to substrate processing operations
2Reliability
If data synchronization between two CTCs is implemented, then the reliability is improved through failover capability, but the loss of time increases due to continuous data exchange and synchronization overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the data storage and processing functions of both active and standby CTCs into a unified synchronized system. The standby CTC maintains identical data copies and can immediately execute the same control logic without requiring extensive real-time synchronization during failover, reducing time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The standby CTC continuously maintains synchronized data and operational state in advance before failover is needed. This preliminary preparation ensures that when switching occurs, the transition is rapid with minimal time loss, as no data reconstruction or system initialization is required during the actual failover event
Data Source
AI summary
A controlling apparatus for controlling operation of a substrate processing apparatus includes a first CTC, and a second CTC. When the first CTC stops operating, the second CTC is preset to control each module in the substrate processing apparatus in place of the first CTC. As the first CTC and the second CTC are dualized to provide the controlling apparatus, even when one of the CTCs stops operating, another dualized CTC is used to control the substrate processing apparatus, so that operation-stop of the substrate processing system is prevented and entire process efficiency is increased.