Graphical Substrate Processing Recipe Manager
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional semiconductor manufacturing equipment is inflexible and costly, with limited ability to rapidly change process materials and integrate multiple chemicals or sequences, making it unsuitable for material exploration and integration in advanced silicon integrated circuit development.
Innovation Solution
A software tool and system for creating substrate processing recipes using graphical interfaces, such as Gantt charts and pie charts, that allow users to intuitively set and synchronize processing operations and chemical compositions, enabling flexible recipe creation and conversion to various substrate processing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional semiconductor manufacturing equipment is used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but adaptability and ease of operation deteriorate due to inflexible process configuration and difficulty in rapidly changing process materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses graphical representations (Gantt charts, pie charts) as visual copies of the recipe structure and chemical compositions. These graphical models allow users to intuitively create and visualize processing sequences without directly programming complex equipment, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The software tool acts as an intermediary between the user and the substrate processing equipment. It translates high-level graphical recipe definitions into detailed equipment control commands, shielding users from equipment complexity while enabling flexible material exploration and processing sequence integration.
2Ease of operation
If traditional semiconductor manufacturing equipment is used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to limited ability to integrate and sequence multiple materials or chemicals
Solution Approach 1:
The software tool provides universal functionality for creating recipes that can accommodate multiple materials, chemicals, and processing sequences through a single unified graphical interface. The system can handle diverse substrate processing operations (deposition, etching, cleaning) with the same tool, improving versatility while maintaining ease of operation through consistent interaction methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the recipe creation process into distinct graphical components: Gantt charts for temporal sequencing of operations and pie charts for chemical composition ratios. This segmentation allows users to independently configure different aspects of processing (timing, materials, sequences) and easily integrate them, enhancing both ease of operation and versatility.
3Ease of operation
If graphical interfaces with Gantt charts are used for recipe creation, then ease of operation improves through intuitive visualization, but device complexity increases due to software requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical interface automatically performs complex tasks such as synchronizing processing operations, calculating timing relationships in Gantt charts, and converting graphical representations into equipment control commands. The system serves itself by handling the computational complexity behind the scenes while presenting a simple visual interface to users, thereby improving ease of operation without requiring users to manage software complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If flexible recipe creation is enabled for material exploration, then adaptability improves, but manufacturing precision may deteriorate due to less controlled process configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical interface provides visual feedback through Gantt charts that display the complete processing sequence, timing, and synchronization points. Users can review and verify their recipe configurations before execution, ensuring that even flexible, exploratory processes maintain the precision required for valid experimental results. The system validates recipe logic and displays potential conflicts or timing issues.
Data Source
AI summary
A method to graphically create a recipe for processing a substrate includes displaying graphical images that present processing operations to be performed on the substrate, allowing a user to set properties of the processing operations by manipulating the graphical images, and generating the recipe based on the properties of the processing operations set by the user and synchronizing the plurality of processing operations based on the properties. The graphical images may be time-bars in a Gantt-like chart that allows the user to see the sequence, the timing, and the durations of the processing operations.