Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-09
2004-10-19
Lee, Diane I. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Reexamination Certificate
active
06805283
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application Ser. No. 90119298, filed Aug. 8, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a lithography rework analysis method and system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lithography rework analysis method and system that utilizes a network database.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a machine station carrying out manufacturing needs to perform a few processing steps in sequence. Hence, a time record of these steps is essential for operators to conduct subsequent analysis.
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram showing the layout of a conventional manufacturing system. As shown in
FIG. 1
, a machine room
100
having a number of production stations is performing a series of steps in sequence. Different machine groups including
120
,
140
and
160
are within the machine room
100
. A machine labeled A in each group may perform a production operation, a machine labeled B in each group may measure product yield of a particular product and the remaining machines in each group may conduct some other post-production treatments. Here, the machine group
120
is used as a typical group of machines that undergo a series of lithography operations. A first raw database
102
and a second raw database
104
record execution time of each machine inside the group
120
during operation. Recorded data includes a station identification number of each machine, necessary equipment in a production process and names of the operators.
All the recorded data remains as the raw data without being sorted and analyzed data within the databases. When a station operator needs to analyze the yield of semi-finished or final product produced by a particular machine, or to analyze the operation timing in each manufacturing stage of a particular product by a particular machine, manual sorting is often required. Due to some unforeseen circumstances such as non-standard specifications, operational errors and incorrectly positioned equipment, a few of the products produced by the machining stations may be defective. These defective products must be reworked or discarded.
In general, the operational timing and related data stored inside the raw databases
102
and
104
may be printed out using a printing device
106
. The printout data includes rework production data so that a machine operator may perform a data comparison or analysis. However, because the printout data contains unprocessed or unanalyzed raw data, the operator has to spend a lot of time sorting and processing the data.
Hence, the aforementioned scheme lacks a reworking decision mechanism that can provide full reworking data to facilitate the finding of reasons for reworking due to each machine. Ultimately, the analysis is often incomplete. In addition, the scheme offers little help to the operator in search for the required information. In general, a special reporting system has to be pre-installed automatically or manually before the required data is obtained.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a lithography rework analysis method capable not only of integrating the reasons for reworking by various stations but also capable of retrieving relevant rework data without much manual manipulation by an operation analyst.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a lithography rework analysis method. The method includes transferring initial data of various machine stations to a network database for storage and inputting analysis time nodes from a browser interface. Thereafter, the analysis time nodes are transmitted to a network server so that the network server can retrieve required data from the network database according to the analysis time nodes and display the required data on the browser interface.
This invention performs a rework data analysis of the data produced by a machine that conducts a lithography development operation. Hence, the rework data within the plurality of rework data tables in the network database contains machine related rework data for conducting lithography operations. Machine related rework data generally includes report table generation time, lot number, production line code, station code, department code, product code, mask, reworking pieces, measuring station, production station, operator name, rework reason code, rework name, current status, chip lot note item, rework time and rework region and so on.
This invention also provides a lithography rework analysis system capable of actualizing the aforementioned lithography rework analysis method. The lithography rework analysis system includes a network server and a user computer. The network server links up with a network database and the user computer includes a browser interface. The browser interface permits the inflow of analysis time nodes and displays the required data retrieved by the network server from the network database according to the analysis time nodes.
In brief, batches of rework data are normally transferred to a network database.
Later on, if a user needs the reason for a particular rework performed at a machine at a particular time, the user may retrieve the information through the network server from the network database.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5625816 (1997-04-01), Burdick et al.
patent: 5872976 (1999-02-01), Yee et al.
patent: 5878190 (1999-03-01), Gloyd et al.
patent: 6192291 (2001-02-01), Kwon
Li Kun-Pei
Li Nai-Chun
Lin Pao-Hsing
Ting Hsiu-Lan
Jianq Chyun IP Office
Lee Diane I.
MACRONIX International Co. Ltd.
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