Dynamic lot allocation based upon wafer state characteristics, and system for accomplishing same
US6746308B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jun 8, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L22/20
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises providing a plurality of wafer lots, each of the lots comprising a plurality of wafers, performing at least one process operation on at least some of the wafers in each of the plurality of lots, identifying processed wafers having similar characteristics, re-allocating the wafers to lots based upon the identified characteristics, and performing additional processing operations on the identified wafers having similar characteristics in the re-allocated lots. In one illustrative embodiment, the system comprises a first processing tool for performing processing operations on each of a plurality of wafers in each of a plurality of wafer lots, a controller for identifying processed wafers having similar characteristics and re-allocating the wafers to lots based upon the identified characteristics, and a second processing tool adapted to perform additional processing operations on the identified wafers having similar characteristics in the re-allocated lot.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.