Substrate Processing System Group Controller Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing substrate processing systems in semiconductor manufacturing face inefficiencies due to unpredictable processing times and equipment downtime, leading to increased costs and potential product quality issues in photolithography processes, as they lack effective mechanisms to manage the flow of wafers between coating, exposure, and developing apparatuses.

Innovation Solution

A substrate processing system with a group controller that optimizes the combination of processing apparatuses and timing to minimize total processing time, using a common carry-in and carry-out port, exclusive transportation mechanisms, and predictive calculations to ensure timely processing and prevent unnecessary processing, while considering maintenance and processing status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a system of transportation destination of the carrier is automatically determined, then the processing flow is simplified, but when any apparatus is defective or processing is delayed, other apparatuses are influenced accordingly, deteriorating the processing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic determination of transportation destinationVSAvoidprocessing efficiency of the entire resist pattern forming system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically determines the transportation destination of the carrier based on real-time processing status and defects of downstream apparatuses, rather than using a fixed automatic determination. The group controller adjusts the destination selection adaptively to avoid defective apparatuses and maintain optimal processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the group controller continuously monitors the processing status and defects of downstream apparatuses (coating, developing, exposure) and uses this information to dynamically adjust the carrier's transportation destination, preventing propagation of delays and defects through the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If each processing apparatus is constructed independently with sequential transportation, then the system modularity is improved, but if subsequent processing is not performed within a predetermined time, product quality deteriorates and rework is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent construction of processing apparatusesVSAvoidproduct quality in photolithography process

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The group controller preliminarily determines the optimal combination of processing apparatuses and timing before actual processing begins. It calculates predicted processing times and schedules carrier transportation in advance to ensure that subsequent processing (exposure, developing) occurs within the predetermined time window after resist coating, preventing quality deterioration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system ensures continuous processing by coordinating the independent apparatuses to operate without interruption. The group controller manages the timing and sequence of operations across coating, exposure, and developing apparatuses to maintain continuous useful action, preventing delays that would require rework.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If multiple apparatuses are connected in series, then the photolithography process completeness is improved, but the processing time becomes unpredictable due to maintenance and defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of photolithography processVSAvoidunpredictable processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The group controller preliminarily determines the optimal combination of processing apparatuses and timing before actual processing begins. It calculates predicted processing times for each apparatus and schedules carrier transportation in advance to ensure that subsequent processing occurs within the predetermined time window.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the group controller continuously monitors the processing status and defects of downstream apparatuses and uses this information to dynamically adjust the carrier's transportation destination and timing, maintaining predictable processing times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8909364B2Substrate processing system and substrate processing method

Publication Date: 2014.12.09 TOKYO ELECTRON LTD

AI summary

Provided is a substrate processing system including a group controller which determines a combination of processing apparatuses having the shortest total processing time including the processing end time in a final processing apparatus, determines a predictable elapsed time up to a processing start time by a predetermined downstream processing apparatus for a wafer lot from a processing end time of the wafer lot by a predetermined processing apparatus in the combination of the processing apparatuses, and determines a timing of discharging the substrate to the predetermined processing apparatus or an upstream processing apparatus of the predetermined processing apparatus so that the predictable elapsed time is set within a predetermined time when the predictable elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time.