Real-time health monitoring of semiconductor manufacturing equipment
US11036202B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 13, 2018 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 2, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05B2219/45031
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Systems and methods for real time semiconductor manufacturing cluster tool health monitoring are provided via an in-situ sensor. In a method embodiment, an operation procedure for pumping/venting load lock (LL), and LL doors facing vacuum transfer module (VTM) and equipment front end module (EFEM), sensor installation location and operation procedure, and data flow and analysis process are provided. The sensor provides real-time data and monitors airborne particle contamination on EFEM, load lock (LL), and VTM, and plurality of process modules (PMs) simultaneously by correlating door open/close time and vent/pump timing in the loadlock to the particle measurement data. The method further provides an operation for determining that a maintenance procedure is recommended on one of the EFEM, the LL, the VTM, or the plurality of PMs based on the real time measurement data, door state data, and using machine learning algorithms.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.