Claims
- 1. An automated method of manufacturing comprising the steps of:
providing a multiplicity of wafer processes selectable for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices; defining a first sequence of actions, said sequence of actions comprising selected ones of said multiplicity of wafer processes of said multiplicity of wafer processes; defining a second sequence of actions, said second sequence of actions comprising at least one of said multiplicity of said wafer processes; providing a “Lot” of wafers suitable for processing according to either of said first and second sequences of actions, said Lot adapted for being subdivided into a first group and a second group; beginning the processing of said “Lot” of wafers according to said first sequence of actions; interrupting the processing of said “Lot” according to said first sequence of actions prior to a selected one of said multiplicity of actions defined in said first sequence; separating said first group of said Lot from said second group and continuing processing said first group according to said second sequence of actions; and merging said first group of said “Lot” with said second group and continuing processing both said first and second groups of said Lot according to said first sequence of actions.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of defining a first sequence of actions includes defining at least one identifiable process wherein said interrupting step occurs prior to starting said at least one identifiable process, wherein processing of said second group of said Lot continues with processing by said at least one identifiable process, and wherein said merging said first group of said Lot with said second group of said Lot occurs subsequent to said second group being processed by said at least one identifiable process.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said at least one identified process comprises at least two of said multiplicity of wafer processes, and said step of rejoining said first group with said second group occurs subsequent to said second group being processed by said at least two of said multiplicity of wafer processes.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein processing of said second group does not continue until after said merging step, and said step of continuing processing of said first and second groups according to said first sequence of actions includes processing by said at least one identified process.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to said merging step, said second group of wafers is further processed by at least one more process step according to said first sequence of processing steps.
- 6. The method of claim 4 wherein said merged first and second group of wafers are further processed together according to said first sequence of processing steps.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein after said interrupting step said second group of wafers is in a “hold” status and does not undergo further processing until said step of merging said first and second group of wafers.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said second sequence of actions is defined by a Split Runcard.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein two or more of said plurality of processes are run on different items of provided processing equipment.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein said automated manufacturing run is for manufacturing semiconductor devices.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/432,479, filed on Dec. 11, 2002, entitled Split Runcard Management System, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60432479 |
Dec 2002 |
US |