Priority-Based Job Sequencing in Semiconductor Fab
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor fabrication systems lack the ability to prioritize and dynamically manage process jobs, leading to inefficient execution order and reduced productivity, as they follow a first-come-first-served basis without considering urgency or priority.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with a front-end subsystem and a real-time subsystem that assigns and reorders process jobs based on priority, allowing urgent jobs to be executed ahead of others, utilizing a host subsystem to define jobs and priorities, and a real-time sequencer to reorder queue entries based on priority changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If process jobs are executed on a first-come-first-served basis as specified by SEMI E40, then the system follows standard compliance and maintains simple queue management, but urgent process jobs cannot be prioritized and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The queue management system transitions from a static first-come-first-served order to a dynamic priority-based ordering system. The real-time controller continuously monitors incoming process jobs and reorders the queue based on priority levels, allowing urgent jobs to jump ahead of lower-priority jobs. This dynamic reordering mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling productivity improvement through priority scheduling while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured priority levels and standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a new parameter (priority level) to the process job queue management. Each process job is assigned a priority parameter that determines its execution order. This parameter change transforms the queue from a simple temporal sequence to a multi-dimensional ordering system where jobs can be reordered based on their priority values. The real-time controller adjusts the queue ordering by modifying this priority parameter, enabling urgent jobs to be executed ahead of less critical jobs without fundamentally changing the queue management architecture.
2Loss of time
If the GEM Process software determines the execution order of process jobs, then the system maintains standardized control architecture, but real-time priority adjustments cannot be made and urgent jobs must wait
Solution Approach 1:
The real-time controller acts as an intermediary between the GEM Process software and the fabrication tools. It receives the standard process job queue from the GEM Process software and performs priority-based reordering before execution. This intermediary layer enables real-time priority adjustments without disrupting the standardized control architecture. Urgent jobs can be identified and prioritized by the real-time controller, reducing their waiting time while maintaining compatibility with the existing GEM Process software and automation framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary priority assessment and queue reordering by the real-time controller before process jobs are executed. When a new process job arrives or priority conditions change, the real-time controller proactively reorders the queue to accommodate urgent jobs. This preliminary action prevents urgent jobs from accumulating waiting time by adjusting the execution order in advance, rather than reacting after jobs have already been queued in a fixed sequence.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for managing process jobs in a semiconductor fabrication facility is described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of process jobs associated with one or more priorities. The method further includes executing the plurality of process jobs in an order reflecting the priorities. The order is modifiable in real time upon receiving a new process job with a priority higher than the priorities of the plurality of process jobs.