A semiconductor process line of the dispatching method and system

Technical Field

The invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacture, in particular to a semiconductor process line of the dispatching method and system.

Background Art

At present, in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, the wafer (wafer) to sequentially from several hundred procedures of process flow only can be made into the final product, different procedures in different machine, such as is used for implementing the lithography process of the stepper; is used to deposit a material layer on a semiconductor structure deposition machine, such as the chemical vapor deposition reactor, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor, used for implementing the physical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition and/or rotary coating apparatus; for the implementation of the etching process of the etching machine, for example dry etching and wet etching; for the implementation for example oxidation, annealing and various clean process of the manufacturing process of the machine; and for monitoring the process and in the process of each of the phase detection defect of the semiconductor device of the measuring machine. To complete the same process of one or more of the machine a radio station group. When the wafer together after the completion of the current process, will be according to the process of the implementation of the process is sent to the next procedure of processing in the machine. Different product uses different production processes, the production of the same processes a number known as the crystal disk group or sheet to the wafer (Lot), each Lot will in accordance with its specific processes, respectively enter into a machine for the implementation of different process of processing, to each machine, the machine will be by the implementation of the current procedure known as Lot Lot to be treated. Carrying tools can be used (vehicle) and on the basis of the availability of a specific machine (availability), process restrictions, and the order of the sheet to be imposed in the sheet to the wafer in the movement between the machine and the machine. Wherein process constraints can include maximum can allow the deferred time (queuing time, queue time, Q - time), to allow for short time.

In semiconductor manufacturing every product have a standard production process flow, this production process flow is continuously adjusted by test eventually develop down, each time whether the change of the flow or the changes of the parameters must be the same with relevant experimental multiple authentication, so will not be frequent changes. The procedure in the formulation of the production process, the user will use the software to establish a a process site, its content includes this process designated by the machine, the machine program number, measurement and so on parameter, then the process between the sites through the development path connecting a complete flow. When there is a variation in process or procedure, the need for version control, through the version upgrade to finish changing and, at this time also the need for the production of the product is also version upgrade, so as to achieve product the use of the new process producing. The upgrading of the processing changes very complex and impact, especially in the case of large-scale production has been, so the production process flow once a stable, very little modification. In actual production, in order to obtain a higher product yield or performance, the customer to the production process of the reform process in many aspects of the update, is directed to these changes, on the production line at any time to change the already issued in place of the process flow, then it would be the use of the experimental system to verify whether it is reasonable that these changes, while at the same time will also verify the yield or performance to the requirements of the more effective the process conditions, the processing in the production of abnormal, adjust the product attribute, ensure its normal output, so as to achieve the purpose of the reform of the new, this process is called a RunCard (flow card) processing, this process will produce a Runcard (flow card) to a detailed description of the corresponding information, the number of the equipment such as the semiconductor, the number of wafer (Wafer), wafer number, better processes (Recipe), or is the reticle of the experiment (Reticle) and the like.

However, most of the existing production line generally followed [...] to mass production lot on the principle of priority operation, cannot be automatically suspended production process flow to the experimental lot of priority boycotting goods, this will in turn affect the process of experimental lot, lead to the experimental lot line up to a too long time, some of the key to thereby influence the reliability of the support, for example: for very thin gate oxide layer (Gox), on the assumption that 25 angstroms of Gox, stay put for more than 4 hours may be thickening 0.3 angstroms, will at the same time moisture absorption of the particle (granular defect) such as, to very great impact on the reliability of the Gox, finally make experimental lot test failure, rework rework rate higher.

In addition, in dealing with the situation when the Runcard, most of the paper is to Runcard information, and to the artificial way in equipment on the machine and the designated process sequence number using the manual mode to deal with the Runcard lot, so that the delay in the manufacturing process, contrary to the trend of factory automation.

Content of the invention

The purpose of this invention is to provide a semiconductor process method and system of the production line, the production line on the basis of the existing dispatching, can effectively control experiment of the sheet to be [...] and work flow, to ensure that the reliability of the experimental process, and reduce the experimental flow rate.

In order to solve the above problem, the invention proposes a kind of semiconductor process dispatching method of the production line, the production line on the mass flow comprises the overflow and experimental process, the send work method is used in the experiment procedure on a production line of the dispatching control, comprising the following steps:

The experiment procedure is the allowable time, the allowed time including process cannot time out of the limitation to allow time;

In the quantity of the sheet to be cut-off overflow after a certain site after entering the experimental process, monitoring the goods batch in the residence time of the experiment procedure in, when the dwell time approaching or exceeding the limits of the allowed time, suspend the cargo of the batch experiment flow process, and to the operating personnel in alarm, the operating personnel to select the goods batch of rework or release in order to continue the implementation of pilot flow, when choosing the sheet to release in order to continue the implementation of the experiment the procedure, the goods that serve as emergency processing events, to give priority to the flow of the sheet to be dispatching operation test is carried out, the completion of the goods batch of experimental process.

Further, the experimental process and in the arrangement of the monitoring are realized in the experimental setting up the system, and when the sheet to be in the experiment procedure the staying time of the approaching and exceeding the limits of the allowed time, through in the experiment set system display interface display different color prompting, in order to to the operating personnel in alarm.

Further, the restricted to allow time including:

The maximum allowable time: sheet to complete the whole experiment procedure time limit;

Switching to allow time: goods batch from the beginning of the experimental process overflow reaches the site of the machine and sheet to time limit from the experimental flow return to the overflow of the time limit specified site of the machine.

Further, the restricted to allow time also including the designation of allowed time, including experimental process in more than two consecutive site of a period of time limit of the process, from the experiment procedure before a certain overflow of the experiment procedure in the site to a site of the time limit of the process, from the experimental process in which a site to the experiment procedure after a certain overflow of the site of the time limit of the process.

Further, when the sheet to be in the experiment procedure the staying time of the approaching and exceeding the maximum allowable time, switching to allow time or designated to allow time, suspend the cargo of the batch experiment flow process, and to the operating personnel in alarm.

Further, the permitted time also includes the process cannot be allowed a little time of such demand, the demand such to allow time includes a minimum allowed time, namely goods batch has been sent to the experimental process in a certain site machine before the need to wait for the time.

Further, when the sheet to be in a certain site the experiment procedure in the machine before the dwell time is less than the minimum allowable time, the experiment procedure in this site to reject the sheet to be, forced the goods batch continue to wait.

The invention also provides a method of the above-mentioned application of the dispatching of semiconductor production line dispatching system, including:

Allow time setting and management module, for setting and management experimental process the allowable time, the allowed time including process cannot time out of the limitation to allow time;

Send labor management module, according to the experiment procedure and setting of the dispatching rules to experimental process in the queue on the ERR sheet to be represented;

Monitoring and alarm module, used for any goods batch of specific cut-off overflow of a site after the experiment procedure after entering, monitoring the goods batch in the residence time of the experiment procedure in, when the dwell time approaching or exceeding the limits of the allowed time, suspend the cargo of the batch experiment flow process, and to the operating personnel in alarm;

Emergency processing module, used for realizing the alarm of the sheet to be rework or released so as to continue to carry out the experiment procedure, and in the alarm of the sheet to be released, the goods that serve as emergency processing event, causes the faction labor management module to suspend its represented the unsold stock approves of the ERR, to give priority to the ERR on the sheet to be represented, the completion of the goods batch of experimental process.

Further, the monitoring and alarm module comprises a different color of the alarm display interface, when the sheet to be in the experiment procedure the staying time of the approaching and exceeding the limits of the allowed time, through in the experiment set system display interface display different color prompting, in order to to the operating personnel in alarm.

Further, the labor management module [...] dispatching rules comprises a priority to have the limitation of allowed time goods batch dispatching, and according to the limitation in the length of time to allow the sheet to be sent to the team arrangements in the priority level of the columns, and emergency processing module to said alarm after the sheet to dispatching priority, the deletion of the goods number of labor management module in the represented by the priority level.

Further, the restricted to allow time including:

The maximum allowable time: sheet to complete the whole experiment procedure time limit;

Switching to allow time: goods batch from the beginning of the experimental process overflow reaches the site of the machine and sheet to time limit from the experimental flow return to the overflow of the time limit specified site of the machine;

Designated allow time, including experimental process in more than two consecutive site of a period of time limit of the process, from the experiment procedure before a certain overflow of the experiment procedure in the site to a site of the time limit of the process, from the experimental process in which a site to the experiment procedure after a certain overflow of the site of the time limit of the process;

The allowed time also includes the process cannot be allowed a little time of such demand, the demand such to allow time includes a minimum allowed time, namely goods batch has been sent to the experimental process in a certain site machine before the need to wait for the time, when the experiment procedure in the sheet to be in a certain site machine before the dwell time is less than the minimum allowable time, the experiment procedure in this site to reject the sheet to be, forced the goods batch continue to wait.

Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a semiconductor process method and system of the production line, the production line on the basis of the existing dispatching, the experiment procedure is set up in advance for various allow time, in order to control the sheet to be in the residence time of the experiment procedure in whether such to allow time exceeds the limit, once the sheet to the dwell time of the exceeds the setting restricted to allow the time value, will stop the goods batch of experimental process operation, and in a timely manner to the operating personnel in alarm, once the operating personnel for the continuing operation of the release of the goods batch after, production line will be the goods batch will be as emergency processing event, to give priority to the ERR is represented, so as to effectively control experiment of the sheet to be [...] and work flow, to ensure that the manufacturing process of the sheet to the reliability of the experiment, at the same time also can be in the time sheet to dispatching operation after the set time is, the rework rate reduces the experimental process, improves the efficiency of the experimental implementation.

Description of drawings

Figure 1 is the dispatching method flow chart of the present invention to the specific embodiment of the semiconductor production line;

Figure 2 A and 2 B is the invention to the particular embodiments set the allowable time schematic view;

Figure 3 is the structure diagram of the invention to the particular embodiments of the semiconductor production line dispatching system.

Mode of execution

The core idea of the invention is effective in the experimental setting system in the experiment procedure of setting process and process between the overflow and a certain allowable time between with the experimental process to allow the time (hereinafter referred to as queue time Q - time), accommodate the cargo system to have the Q - time of Lot management rules, priority implementation of Q - time control experiment Lot, and according to the length of the Q - time of timely arrangements lot priority level of, at the same time ensuring that once found Lot dwell time approximation reaches but exceeds the set Q - time (for example to the [...] is already very approaching maximum allowed time reaches but has exceeded the maximum allowed time) when, to the operating personnel in alarm, to ensure that the lot in more than Q - time to stop operation, the person is for judging the rework lot, or release to continue to the implementation of the experimental process. Once the continuing operation of the determined after release, to send cargo system will more than Q - time of emergency processing Lot Lot as, priority to send ERR. This can be avoided by some process because the residence time of the impact of the yield rate of the Lot too long, even scrap.

In order for the purpose of this invention, the characteristic is more obvious and easy to understand, the Figure below to specific embodiments of the present invention further clarification, however, the invention can be used in different forms to achieve, should not is limited in the embodiment.

Please reference view 1 and Figure 2 A, 2 B, the present invention provides a semiconductor process dispatching method of the production line, the production line on the mass flow comprises the overflow and experimental process, the send work method is used in the experiment procedure on a production line of the dispatching control, including S11 to S14 and S21 to S26 step. As follows:

S11, set up the experiment procedure and its allowable time, the allowed time including process can not timeout of restricted to allow a little time and process can not be such to allow the requirements of time, in particular, step S11 can be in the Runcard system (experimental setting system) add setting Q - time (to allow time) of the man-machine interactive interface to realize the, the main setting mass between the overflow to the experimental process a certain site of Q - Time control and experimental process in several site between a (namely a certain period of process) of Q - Time control, can be set based on the demand corresponding Q - Time categories: restricted to allow time (Max) or such to allow time demand (Min) and each to allow time for specific the quantity, on the basis of these setting, send cargo system (generally DSP system) will be Q - Time according to the type and the length of the experiment Lot priority arrangements and lined up in the operation of the priority level of the, avoiding the experimental Lot stay too long on the production line the impact the reliability of the process flow. Such Max Q - Time is allowed a certain period of process time of the maximum value, is a time limit, when the Lot from the end of the upper section of the process to the end of the site of this process the final site end during this period should not exceed the set maximum Q - Time, otherwise it will alarm. The Min such Q - Time means the minimum value of the allowed time, is a demand time, from the end of the immediately preceding a site to another site that initial period need to stay this time, can only be stated another site for operation, otherwise the system will refuse to work, such as some high-temperature process after the completion of the operation must be cooled to a certain temperature before it can proceed with the next step of the operation, so setting a Min Q - Time, remind [...] system can not during this period of time the high-temperature process after the end of the lot to send the items to the next step of the operation, so as to ensure that the reliability of the experimental lot process, at the same time can be timely is [...] operation, improves the efficiency of the experimental implementation.

This embodiment steps S11 of the limitation is to allow time including:

The maximum allowable time Q - Tmax: sheet to complete the whole experiment procedure time limit;

Switching to allow time: goods batch from the beginning of the experimental process overflow reaches the site of the machine Q - Tchange 1 is limited and the flow returns to the sheet to overflow from the experiment to the designated site of the machine Q - Tchange 2 time limit;

Designated to allow time: experimental process in more than two consecutive site period of process time limit Q - Td3, from the experiment procedure before a certain overflow of the experiment procedure in the site to a site of the time limit of the process Q - Td1, from the experimental process in which a site to the experiment procedure after a certain overflow site of the manufacturing process of the time limit of the Q - Td2.

This embodiment steps S11 is such to allow the requirements of time includes a minimum allowed time Q - Tmin, namely goods batch has been sent to the experimental process in a certain site machine before the need to wait for the time.

S12, a goods batch lot into the production line, and processing in accordance with the overflow.

S13, the lot of the process in accordance with the overflow stand 11 is a dispatching processing.

S21, in execute the lunch in the procedure in after a specific site, will be artificial whether it was sent to the experimental process, if it is, then enter the experimental process in the queue waiting to be processed, if not, then waiting to enter into the overflow to the next process station. For example chart 2 A and 2 B in, a Lot in the implementation of the procedure in the lunch A site 1 after, can manually choose to continue in the overflow A site 2, can also be selected manually switching the implementation of pilot flow, under normal conditions and subject to the implementation of the end experimental process Lot B site of 1 to return to the site after the x B designated overflow of K A site.

S22, Lot after entering the experimental process, the need for dispatching rules in accordance with the experiment procedure of processing, usually require the experimental procedure of each station in the queue waiting to be processed before the machine, each site machine is generally according to the queue order of queuing Lot processing one by one. It should be explained that, under normal conditions, a machine may be a plurality of the procedure site, therefore send cargo system priority dispatching rules generally is to have the Q - Time Lot of dispatching, and according to each of the Q - Time Lot arrangements in the length of the queue sends the engineering unit lot priority levels.

S23, monitoring Lot in the staying time of the experimental procedure, judge whether its dwell time approaches or exceeds the limit of the allowed time, please Figure 2 A and 2 B, can be according to different to allow time setting to achieve different alarm processing. For example Lot throughout the experiment procedure the staying time of the (complete the whole experiment procedure time) or experimental process in any site of the dwell time between the two station point or period of the dwell time of the process, shall not exceed the maximum permissible time Q - Tmax (namely overflow A site 1 to overflow A site-K); or the requirements of the experiment procedure of Lot from entering the experiment procedure from the beginning to the end of the J B site of the dwell time in the experimental process or Lot J B site before any one section of the dwell time of the process shall not be more than a specified to allow time Q - Td1; or the requirements of the experiment procedure of the Lot B site 2 to the site J the staying time of the designated to allow time shall not exceed the Q - Td3; or request from the experimental flow Lot B site 2 to overflow the staying time of the A site n shall not exceed the allowed time designated Q - Td2. The runcard system of this embodiment may be realized in the following way:

1. Q - Time between the beginning and end the experiment procedure, so that the whole experiment procedure will be affected by this section Q - time control, for example chart 2 A Q - Tmax in;

2. Q - Time in experimental process in the beginning of a certain site, in the end of the overflow of a certain site, then starting from the beginning of the site affected by this section Q - Time control, for example chart 2 B Q - Td2 in;

3. Q - Time began in the overflow of a certain site, in the end of the experiment procedure of a certain site, during this period affected by this section Q - Time control, for example chart 2 B Q - Td1 in;

4. Q - Time beginning and end are in the experimental process, then in the course of experiment this several site affected by this section Q - Time control, for example chart 2 B in Q - Td3.

S24, if it is determined that approach the lot set Q - Time (for example greater than or equal to the set Q - Time value of 90%, warning Q - Time) or exceeds the set Q - Time (over Q - Time), the number of suspension of the goods in the process of the experiment procedure, and timely to the operating personnel in alarm. In this embodiment the residence time to reach the lot warning Q - Time (dwell time not to reaches but has been very approximate to the maximum value of the allowed time) or when the over Q - Time (more than the maximum value of the allowed time) when, Runcard system display interface are color prompt.

S25, the operating personnel after receiving the alarm, the choice of the goods batch of rework or released to continue to carry out the experiment procedure, this is a manual judgment process.

S26, once the decision to release after the continuing operation of the lot, send cargo system will over Q - Time Lot as emergency processing lot, priority to send ERR, namely the queue processing.

S14, Lot experimental procedure finished, overflow of the designated site, then completing the remaining processing, the final analysis, to verify the experiment procedure on behalf of the innovative technical programmes can be higher product yield or performance.

In addition, in this embodiment, the method also monitoring Lot states sends the labor of dwell time reaches the set Q - Tmin, if Lot in target site if the demand is not to Q - Tmin time, will be rejected Lot we now proceed to the target site to send the tabling, forced the goods batch to continue waiting in the line up, so as to ensure that the reliability of the experimental Lot process, while at the same time through the above-mentioned MAX such Q - time monitoring and timely [...] operation is, improves the efficiency of the experimental implementation.

Please reference view 3, the invention also provides a method of the above-mentioned application of the dispatching of semiconductor production line dispatching system, is in essence of the present system is an improvement on the Runcard, comprises sequentially connected to allow time setting and a management module 31, send labor management module 32, monitoring and alarm module 33, emergency processing module 34 and a man-machine interactive interface 35, emergency processing module 34 also connection faction labor management module 32 to its feedback control, human-computer interaction interface 35 is connected with the rest of the module, in order to provide the operator with each module the interactive interface, each module for data management.

The operating personnel through the man-machine interactive interface 35 to allow time setting and a management module 31 is arranged the experiment procedure and its allowable time, to allow time setting and a management module 31 storage and management of the experiment procedure and its allowable time, the allowed time including process cannot time out of the limitation of time and needs to allow to allow time, this embodiment of the demand type to allow time includes a minimum allowed time Q - Tmin, that the goods batch has been sent to the experimental process in a certain site machine before the need to wait for the time. While the restricted to allow time including:

The maximum allowable time Q - Tmax: sheet to complete the whole experiment procedure time limit;

Switching to allow time: goods batch from the beginning of the experimental process overflow reaches the site of the machine Q - Tchange 1 is limited and the flow returns to the sheet to overflow from the experiment to the designated site of the machine Q - Tchange 2 time limit;

Designated to allow time: experimental process in more than two consecutive site period of process time limit Q - Td3, from the experiment procedure before a certain overflow of the experiment procedure in the site to a site of the time limit of the process Q - Td1, from the experimental process in which a site to the experiment procedure after a certain overflow site of the manufacturing process of the time limit of the Q - Td2.

The operating personnel through the man-machine interactive interface 35 is sent labor management module 32 dispatching rules set, send labor management module 32 for based on the allowed time setting and a management module 31 set the experiment procedure and dispatching rules set up of the experiment procedure in the queue to send ERR goods batch lot management. Its dispatching rules including: priority to have the limitation of the number of goods to allow time dispatching, according to the limitation in the length of time to allow the sheet to be sent to the team arrangements in the row of the priority level, in order to limit as far as possible to allow time for the completion of the designated process; in the target site when the Lot residence time does not reach the set requirement such to allow time, rejection of the lot in the target site to send the tabling, forced the Lot continue to waiting in the parade.

Monitoring and alarm module 33 actually monitoring send labor management module 32 of the dispatching effect, namely in any goods batch of specific cut-off overflow of a site after the experiment procedure after entering, monitoring the goods batch in the residence time of the experiment procedure in, when the dwell time approaching or exceeding the limits of the allowed time, suspend the cargo of the batch experiment flow process, and to the operating personnel in alarm. The embodiment of the monitoring and alarm module 33 according to the alarm condition in the man-machine interactive interface 35 different interface displayed on the color, to to the operating personnel in alarm.

The operating personnel through the man-machine interactive interface 35 access emergency processing module 34, selecting the alarm lot rework or release in order to continue the implementation of pilot flow, emergency processing module 34 in the alarm of the sheet to be released, the goods that serve as emergency processing event, causes the faction labor management module 32 to suspend its paid off number represented in the target site of the ERR, to give priority to the target sheet to the station selects and assigns the ERR, to finally complete the goods batch of experimental process. And emergency processing module 34 to the alarm of the sheet to be carried out after the priority dispatching, the deletion of the goods represented number of labor management module 32 to the target site in the priority level, the [...] labor management module 32 is not in the target site of the lot represented the maximum allowable time ERR: sheet to complete the whole experiment procedure time limit;

To sum up, the present invention provides a semiconductor process method and system of the production line, the production line on the basis of the existing dispatching, the experiment procedure is set up in advance for various allow time, in order to control the sheet to be in the residence time of the experiment procedure in whether such to allow time exceeds the limit, once the sheet to the dwell time of the exceeds the setting restricted to allow the time value, will stop the goods batch of experimental process operation, and in a timely manner to the operating personnel in alarm, once the operating personnel for the continuing operation of the release of the goods batch after, production line will be the goods batch will be as emergency processing event, to give priority to the ERR is represented, so as to effectively control experiment of the sheet to be [...] and work flow, to ensure that the manufacturing process of the sheet to the reliability of the experiment, at the same time also can be in the time sheet to dispatching operation after the set time is, the rework rate reduces the experimental process, improves the efficiency of the experimental implementation.

Clearly, the technical personnel to the field of this invention can be various modifications and modify can not be separated from the spirit and scope of the invention. In this way, if the invention of these changes and modify belongs to the invention claim and its equivalent within the scope of the technology, the intention of the present invention also includes those changes and modify the inner.