Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-02
2001-02-06
Grant, William (Department: 2786)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S003000, C700S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185474
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an exposure unit for the manufacture of a semiconductor device, a semiconductor production system formed by combining a plurality of such exposure units in a communication network, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor based on such a system.
In a standalone type semiconductor exposure unit (stepper) not network-connected by an LAN or the like, in general, it is necessary to provide a data file group such as a required job file or reticle file individually for each stepper. This has caused for an operator a troublesome operation of loading necessary data in a local storage included in a desired stepper arranged in a clean room with the use of a removable storage medium such as a floppy disk (FD) or a photomagnetic disk (MO), for example, storing a necessary data file.
There are conventionally many semiconductor manufacturing plants managed in compliance with a protocol of the Semiconductor Communication Standard (SECS), commonly known as an online system, on the other hand, connected to a host computer by a low-speed serial line such as RS232C. In such an online system, it is possible to perform control of the stepper using a command, status control of the stepper, and partial modification of date files.
In an online system, as described above, a data file such as a job file or a reticle file used for an exposure operation can be switched over by an online command. For a data file itself having a relatively large data capacity, however, the online system employs a low-speed line in many cases, and as a result, a configuration permitting transmission on the line is not used. It is, therefore, necessary to previously provide these files on steppers conducting exposure.
In a general semiconductor production system, therefore, the only function of the host computer is to determine a kind of exposure operation in each of the steppers connected in a communication network, and to request a start of the exposure operation. As a result, a data file containing exposure work information (known also as a job) showing contents of the work to be executed must be present on the stepper to be used for exposing the semiconductor. Consequently, when using a plurality of steppers, all the steppers are required to have all pieces of exposure work information which may be necessary in the individual storage areas.
The configuration as described above is, however, defective in that it is necessary to previously investigate and collect all pieces of exposure work information which may be necessary, causing complicated maintenance and management of exposure work information.
Further, it is probable that the stepper has in the storage area thereof pieces of exposure work information that will never be used. It is, therefore, necessary to increase the capacity of the storage area, thus resulting in economic demerits.
Particularly, hundreds or even thousands of files are required for productions of some sorts of semiconductor devices, and providing all these files on the stepper is heavy on the storage capacity of the stepper and finally leads to a shortage of the capacity. In addition, in the exposure process using a number of data files such as ASIC, there is a demand for smooth and efficient management of these files. Preparing and compiling operations of these data files are conducted outside of a clean room, and in many cases, correction of defects in parameters and modification of trial parameters are performed very often. This leads to a demand for automatic updating of files via a network into the latest ones as requested.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was developed with the foregoing problems in view and has an object to permit easy determination whether or not exposure work information necessary for exposure processing is present in the system with a view to alleviating troubles in maintenance and management of the exposure work information.
Another object of the invention is to permit transmission of exposure work information necessary for exposure processing between units in a system, reduce the memory capacity required for an exposure unit, and facilitate maintenance and management of the exposure work information.
To achieve the foregoing objects of the invention, according to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a network type exposure unit which has storage means storing exposure work information and means for controlling the exposure work by means of the exposure work information for a kind of exposure work specified in response to a request to start the exposure work, and which is connected via a communication network to the other exposure units or an information processor. This exposure unit is provided with work information managing means which determines whether or not the exposure work information for the specified kind of exposure work is in the storage means, inquires of the other exposure unit or the information processor about whether or not there is the exposure work information therein when non-existence is determined, and decides whether or not the exposure work of which the start is requested is executable on the basis of the result thereof.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the aforesaid work information managing means acquires the exposure work information for the specified kind of exposure work from the exposure unit or the information processor having given a positive response to an inquiry.
According to another embodiment of the invention, upon receipt of an inquiry similar to that described above from the other exposure unit, the work information managing means determines whether or not the exposure work information of that inquiry is in the storage means, and transmits the result thereof to the other exposure unit having made the inquiry. When transmitting a positive result to the other exposure unit having made the inquiry, the work information managing means may incorporate the work information regarding the inquiry in the transmitted result.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the work information managing means makes an inquiry as to whether or not there is a particular piece of exposure work information in a sequence of exposure units or information processors from the lowest to higher costs required for acquiring that work information, and acquires that work information from the first positive respondent. Or, according to another embodiment of the invention, the inquiry as to whether or not there is the exposure work information is made to all the other exposure units or information processors as far as possible, and the exposure work information is acquired from the respondent with the lowest cost required for obtaining the exposure work information from among positive respondents.
According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor exposure system having a plurality of network type exposure units as described above and an information processor as described above.
In this semiconductor exposure system, the information processor determines the kind of exposure work in each exposure unit, and requests each exposure unit to start the exposure work. When the exposure work information corresponding to the kind of exposure work instructed along with the start request of the exposure work from the information processor is not present, the exposure unit receiving the work start request inquires of the other exposure units or the information processor about whether or not the same has that exposure work information, determines whether or not the exposure work of the instructed kind is executable on the basis of responses to such an inquiry, and transmits the result thereof to the information processor.
Further, according to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing method in which, when the specified exposure unit has, upon carrying out the exposure work of the instructed kind by the use of the corresponding exposure work information, the work information, the specif
Kyotoku Satoshi
Nakamura Takashi
Yamada Yasuyoshi
Bahta Kidest
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Grant William
LandOfFree
Exposure unit, exposure system and device manufacturing method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Exposure unit, exposure system and device manufacturing method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Exposure unit, exposure system and device manufacturing method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2583495