Claims
- 1. A method for wafer processing comprising:
loading a first plurality of wafers into a wafer cluster tool, wherein the first plurality of wafers are loaded into the cluster tool individually at intervals delimited by a first sending period, and each wafer of the first plurality of wafers is processed according to a first recipe, the first recipe including
a first sequence of process steps a first plurality of process times, wherein each process step in the first sequence of process steps has a corresponding process time in the first plurality of process times; loading a second plurality of wafers into a wafer cluster tool, wherein the second plurality of wafers are loaded into the cluster tool individually at intervals delimited by a second sending period, and each wafer in the second plurality of wafers is processed according to a second recipe, the second recipe including
a second sequence of process steps; a second plurality of process times, wherein each process step in the second sequence of process steps has a corresponding process time in the second plurality of process times; wherein the cluster tool has a transition period, during which the cluster tool processes one or more wafers from the first plurality of wafers according to the first recipe and one or more wafers from the second plurality of wafers according to the second recipe.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sequences of process steps are identical.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first sending period and the second sending period are equal.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second plurality of wafers are processed in a wafer cluster tool.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wafer cluster tool includes a plurality of processing chambers.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein each process step from the first sequence of process steps is performed in a processing chamber from the plurality of processing chambers.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein each wafer of the first plurality of wafers is released from the wafer cluster tool at intervals delimited by the first sending period.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein each wafer of the second plurality of wafers is released from the wafer cluster tool at intervals delimited by a second sending period.
- 9. A computer program product for scheduling a wafer processing system, the computer program product comprising:
resources for scheduling the wafer processing system during a first time period, wherein a first plurality of wafers is processed during the first time period, and each of the first plurality of wafers is processed according to a first recipe; resources for scheduling the wafer processing system during a second time period, wherein a second plurality of wafers is processed during the second time period, and each of the second plurality of wafers is processed according to a second recipe; resources for scheduling the wafer processing system during a third time period, wherein a third plurality of wafers is processed during the third time period, such that one or more wafers from the third plurality are processed according to the first recipe, and one or more wafers from the third plurality are processed according to the second recipe
- 10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer program product resides on a server coupled to the wafer processing system.
- 11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the wafer processing system comprises a wafer cluster tool.
- 12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the wafer cluster tool includes a plurality of robots for transferring the first, second, and third plurality of wafers.
- 13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the wafer cluster tool includes a plurality of process chambers for processing the first, second, and third plurality of wafers.
- 14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer program product schedules the wafer cluster tool to eliminate conflicts amongst the plurality of process chambers for use of the plurality of robots.
- 15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer program product schedules the wafer processing system in real-time during the first, second, and third time periods.
- 16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program product uses a genetic algorithm to schedule the wafer processing system.
- 17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program product uses a linear transformation to schedule the wafer processing system.
- 18. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program product uses a first linear transformation to schedule the wafer processing system during the first time period, uses a second linear transformation to schedule the wafer processing system during the second time period, and uses a genetic algorithm to schedule the wafer processing system during the third time period.
- 19. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of wafers are processed at a first constant rate.
- 20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the second plurality of wafers are processed at a second constant rate.
- 21. A method of operating a wafer cluster tool, wherein the wafer cluster tool includes a plurality of process chambers for processing a plurality of wafers, the method comprising:
loading the plurality of wafers into the wafer cluster tool, wherein each wafer of the plurality of wafers is loaded after an end of one sending period, the sending period comprising a uniform time interval; processing the plurality of wafers in the cluster tool, wherein the plurality of wafers are processed concurrently in the cluster tool according to a plurality of recipes, wherein each recipe of the plurality of recipes includes a plurality of process times for the process chambers in the wafer cluster tool.
- 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of wafers includes two or more wafers which are processed according to a first recipe in the plurality of recipes, and two or more wafers which are processed according to a second recipe in the plurality of recipes.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the wafer cluster tool includes a plurality of robots for transferring the wafers amongst the plurality of process chambers in the wafer cluster tool.
- 24. The method of claim 23, wherein a number of robots in the plurality of robots is less than a number of process chambers in the plurality of process chambers.
- 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:
releasing the plurality of wafers from the wafer cluster tool, wherein each wafer of the plurality of wafers is released from the cluster tool at the end of one sending period.
- 26. A method of scheduling a wafer cluster tool, wherein the wafer cluster tool is coupled to a computer system for scheduling the cluster tool, the method comprising:
inputting a plurality of recipes into the computer system, wherein each recipe of the plurality of recipes includes a plurality of process times for the cluster tool; outputting a schedule for the wafer cluster tool, such that the schedule enables the wafer cluster tool to process a plurality of wafers concurrently using the plurality of recipes, wherein each wafer of the plurality of wafers is processed at a uniform rate.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the schedule includes a plurality of pick-up times for a plurality of robots in the cluster tool
- 28. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of pick-up times eliminate conflicts for the plurality of robots.
- 29. The method of claim 26, wherein the schedule is computed by the computer system while the plurality of wafers is being processed.
- 30. The method of claim 28, wherein a genetic algorithm is used to determine the schedule.
- 31. The method of claim 28, wherein a linear transformation is used to determine the schedule.
- 32. The method of claim 28, wherein a linear transformation and a genetic algorithm are used to determine the schedule.
- 33. A wafer cluster tool comprising:
a plurality of processing chambers for processing a plurality of wafers, wherein the plurality of wafers are processed according to a plurality of recipes, such that each recipe of the plurality of recipes specifies a plurality of process times for a wafer from the plurality of wafers; a plurality of wafer transporters for transporting the plurality of wafers between the process chambers; a scheduler coupled to the wafer cluster tool, the scheduler including a computer program running on a computer system, wherein the scheduler ensures that the cluster tool processes the plurality of wafers concurrently.
- 34. The wafer cluster tool of claim 33, wherein the scheduler determines a schedule for the cluster tool by use of a genetic algorithm encoded in the computer program.
- 35. The wafer cluster tool of claim 33, wherein the scheduler determines a schedule for the cluster tool by use of a linear transform encoded in the computer program.
- 36. The wafer cluster tool of claim 33, wherein the scheduler determines a schedule for the cluster tool in real-time, while the plurality of wafers are processed by the cluster tool.
- 37. The wafer cluster tool of claim 33, wherein the wafer cluster tool processes each wafer of the plurality of wafers at a uniform rate.
- 38. The wafer cluster tool of claim 33, wherein at least one wafer transporter from the plurality of wafer transporters is used by two or more pairs of process chambers from the plurality of process chambers.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/336,275, filed Jun. 18, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/114,422, filed Dec. 31, 1998, both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60114422 |
Dec 1998 |
US |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09521026 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Child |
10685934 |
Oct 2003 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09336275 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Child |
09521026 |
Mar 2000 |
US |