Substrate Transfer Scheduling Around Cleaning Retry Bottlenecks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cleaning processes in semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses face challenges when a retry or extension of the cleaning process is required, leading to reduced throughput and potential substrate corrosion due to prolonged processing times.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a controller that creates a transfer time table to manage substrate processing and transfer between multiple processing modules. When a cleaning retry or extension is anticipated or occurs, the controller sets the affected module as non-usable and updates the transfer time table to reroute subsequent substrates, thereby minimizing throughput reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a retry or extension of cleaning process is performed in a processing module, then cleaning reliability is improved, but throughput is reduced and substrate corrosion risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments processing modules into multiple identical units (first processing module, second processing module, etc.). When one module requires cleaning retry, substrates are rerouted to other available modules of the same type, allowing cleaning operations to be isolated without stopping entire production lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller proactively identifies when cleaning retry is needed and preemptively updates the transfer time table to reroute substrates before the cleaning delay occurs. This prevents substrate waiting and maintains continuous flow through alternative modules.
2Reliability
If a retry or extension of cleaning process is performed in a processing module, then cleaning reliability is improved, but process constraints cannot be kept
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer time table is dynamically updated in real-time based on actual module availability. When cleaning retry occurs, the controller automatically recalculates and adjusts substrate transfer schedules, ensuring that leaving time constraints are maintained even with changing module availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors module status and uses this feedback to adjust the transfer time table. When cleaning completion status changes or retries are needed, the controller receives feedback and immediately updates routing decisions to maintain process constraints.
3Reliability
If substrates wait for cleaning completion in a processing module, then cleaning quality is ensured, but time loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple processing modules of the same type to handle substrate flow simultaneously. While one module undergoes cleaning retry, other modules continue processing substrates, effectively merging capacity across modules to eliminate waiting time.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprises a plurality of processing modules, each configured to perform processing of a substrate; a transfer machine configured to transfer the substrate; and a controller configured to create a transfer time table, which causes the substrate to be transferred between the plurality of processing modules and to be processed, and to control the transfer of the substrate by the transfer machine and control the processing of the substrate in each of the plurality of processing modules, based on the transfer time table, wherein when it is determined that a retry or an extension of a cleaning process is expected to occur or occurs in a first processing module out of the plurality of processing modules, the controller sets the first processing module to be non-usable and updates the transfer time table, such that a subsequent substrate does not pass through the first processing module.