Server Sub-Recipe Measurement Selection for Semiconductor Monitoring

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional server devices in semiconductor manufacturing systems fail to appropriately acquire and output measurement values for sub-recipes, especially when they are executed multiple times, leading to incomplete monitoring and fault detection inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A server device with a measurement information storage unit, an instruction receiving unit, a measurement information acquisition unit, an output information composing unit, and an output unit that allows selective output of measurement information based on the number of times a sub-recipe is executed, enabling targeted monitoring and fault detection by designating specific execution times and counting repeated measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If conventional server devices acquire measurement information from manufacturing apparatuses, then measurement data is collected for monitoring, but measurement values of sub-recipes executed multiple times cannot be appropriately acquired and output

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement information of sub-recipesVSAvoidrecipe structure with nested sub-recipes

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the recipe structure into hierarchical levels (recipe → recipe steps → sub-recipes → sub-recipe steps). Each level is independently identifiable with unique identifiers. The measurement information acquisition unit segments the acquisition process by selectively targeting specific sub-recipes based on execution time designations, allowing precise retrieval of measurement values from particular sub-recipe executions without being overwhelmed by the complete nested structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary instruction receiving unit that processes output instructions containing execution time designations before the measurement information is acquired. This intermediary layer translates user requirements (which sub-recipe execution to monitor) into specific acquisition parameters, mediating between the complex nested recipe structure and the measurement information storage unit to enable precise information retrieval.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If all measurement information is acquired for monitoring, then complete data is obtained, but it becomes difficult to selectively acquire measurement values from specific sub-recipe executions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault detection accuracyVSAvoidselective acquisition of measurement information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-organizing measurement information in the storage unit with metadata that includes execution time designations and sub-recipe identifiers. This preliminary structuring of data allows subsequent selective acquisition operations to efficiently retrieve only the needed measurement values without processing or filtering through all available data, making selective acquisition both easy to operate and reliable for fault detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If measurement information is stored for all recipe executions, then comprehensive monitoring data is available, but storage requirements and data processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring coverageVSAvoidmeasurement data volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and stores only the essential identification parameters (recipe identifiers, sub-recipe identifiers, execution time designations) alongside measurement values in the storage unit. Rather than storing complete redundant recipe definitions with each measurement entry, the system extracts minimal necessary metadata for identification and retrieval. This reduction in stored data volume maintains comprehensive monitoring coverage while significantly decreasing storage requirements and processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS7974729B2Server device and program with sub-recipe measurement communication

Publication Date: 2011.07.05 TOKYO ELECTRON LTD

AI summary

A server device is provided with a measurement information storage unit 1201 which can store plural measurement information, i.e., information having a measurement value and time information indicating time; an instruction receiving unit for receiving an output instruction of the measurement information; a measurement information acquisition unit for acquiring, from the measurement information storage unit, the measurement information designated by the output instruction; an output information composing unit for composing output information by using the acquired measurement information; and an output unit for outputting the output information composed by the output information composing unit. The output instruction includes an instruction for designating one or more desired number of times of execution of a sub-recipe among plural number of times of execution of the sub-recipe in the recipe and the measurement information acquisition unit acquires measurement information corresponding to the sub-recipe designated by the output instruction.