Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-27
2002-11-26
Black, Thomas (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06487472
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing facility, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device manufacturing facility with a diagnosis system for controlling the operation state of each fabrication system within the facility according to a corresponding process and its operation state, by connecting the diagnosis system with the fabrication systems via a connector and a communication network.
2. Background of the Related Art
Typically, semiconductor device fabrication involves many processes including oxidation, deposition, ion-implantation, photo-etch, inspection, etc. Each of the above processes is becoming automated using statistical process control (SPC) techniques.
Using SPC, processing data for a specific facility is control-managed, and any abnormality of the facility or the process can be detected using accumulated statistical data. Each fabrication facility has a method of monitoring the processing data which is processed therein. The data from the monitoring is used to establish control limits for regularly inspecting various kinds of fabrication facilities, or for detecting and correcting an abnormal operation in a fabrication facility.
Conventionally, data monitoring has been done by a control facility within the fabrication facility. In the meantime, data monitored during processing must be continuously collected and loaded into the control facility, so that the control limits can be continuously updated. The data collected in this manner is essential for controlling the fabrication facility during its operation, but it is difficult to detect the process flow using the parameters needed by an operator while the process is going on in real time.
FIG. 1
shows one embodiment of a conventional data monitoring arrangement in which an oscilloscope
103
is connected to a stepper controller
102
of a stepper
101
so as to temporarily monitor the operation state of an exposure facility in order to detect any abnormality. While the stepper
101
is operated, the signal output from the stepper controller
102
is shown using the oscilloscope
103
. However, it is difficult to detect the point at which the abnormality occurs in the facility just by seeing the monitored data. That is, the data are not analyzed, and it is difficult to establish control limits. Therefore, it is difficult to efficiently control-manage the facilities, and to monitor the fabrication facility in real time.
Therefore, additional computational and analytical steps must be carried out in order to read/understand the monitored data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices provided with a diagnosis system for easily monitoring the operation states of various fabrication systems, and controlling them in case of abnormal operation states by means of a sensing signal from the fabrication systems and a control signal from a control system, which substantially overcomes one or more of the problems due to the limitations and the disadvantages of the related art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices with a diagnosis system allowing for a remote operator to monitor the operation states of the fabrication systems, and control them remotely by interconnecting the control system and the fabrication systems by a communication network.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an etch facility with a diagnosis system for monitoring the operation state of an etch chamber and efficiently controlling it in case of an abnormal operation state by providing a diagnosis system to the etch chamber.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an exposure facility with a diagnosis system for monitoring the operation state of an exposure system and efficiently controlling it in case of an abnormal operation state by providing a diagnosis system to the exposure system.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention as embodied and broadly described, the facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices comprises a plurality of fabrication systems for carrying out fabrication processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices including oxidation, deposition, diffusion, ion-implantation, photo-etch, etc., and outputting a sensing signal showing the operation states of the fabrication processes such as temperature, time, pressure, concentration, power, etc. A control system outputs a control signal to the fabrication systems for controlling their operation states via transmit lines connected thereto according to the sensing signal from the fabrication systems or an input signal from a host computer. A diagnosis system analyzes the sensing signal from the fabrication systems and the control signal from the control system so as to assess the operation states of the fabrication systems. The sensing signal can be signals output from a specific board constituted within the various fabrication facilities, and can be signals output from a specific output port of the facility.
The diagnosis system comprises an input unit for receiving a sensing signal from the fabrication systems indicating the operation states of the systems, and a control signal from the control system. An output unit outputs a control signal for controlling the operation states of the fabrication systems according to the sensing signal therefrom. A control means analyzes the sensing signal received by the input unit, assesses the operation state of each fabrication system, and applies a control signal for controlling the operation state of the fabrication system.
The input unit comprises a first input unit with a plurality of input ports for receiving a sensing signal from the fabrication systems indicating the operation state of the fabrication systems; and a second input unit with a plurality of input ports for receiving a control signal from the control system for controlling the operation state of the fabrication systems.
The control means of the diagnosis system comprises a control part for analyzing the operation state of the fabrication systems with a sensing signal from the fabrication systems and a control signal from the control system, and applying a control signal corresponding thereto. A multiplexer selectively transfers the control signal from the control system and the sensing signal from the fabrication systems, which are received via the input unit, to the control part. A first memory device stores the data for the operation state of the fabrication systems. A display part displays the operation state of the fabrication systems analyzed by the control part. A demultiplexer selectively applies the control signal, which is applied from the control part corresponding to the operation state of the fabrication system, to the fabrication systems.
Preferably, the control means further comprises a channel select part for selecting at least one fabrication system among the plurality of fabrication systems, an alarm part for outputting an alarm signal in case of an abnormal operation state of a specific fabrication system, an input apparatus for receiving programs or data from a storage medium which stores,various programs or data, and a second memory device having a program for performing multi-tasking therein so as to control the operation state of the fabrication systems both by the control system and the diagnosis system.
The diagnosis system is connected to the plurality of fabrication systems via a transmit line having a connector, which is able to be connected/disconnected.
In addition, the control system and the diagnosis system are respectively connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) connected to a communication modem, and the fabrication systems are diagnosed via the communication network. The control system and the diagnosis system are respectively connected to a LAN to which a communication modem connected to an Internet (or Wide Area Network (WAN
Cha Hoon
Kim Dong-cheol
Song Jae-kwan
Won Yoo-keun
Black Thomas
Hartman Jr. Ronald D
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Volentine & Francos, PLLC
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