Patent · US Expired

Fault detection and virtual sensor methods for tool fault monitoring

US6895293B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
8References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 11, 2001
Grant dateMay 17, 2005
Priority date—
Expiry dateSep 13, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P90/02
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Fault detection of a semiconductor processing tool employs several techniques to improve accuracy. One technique is sensor grouping, wherein a fault detection index is calculated from a group of tool operational parameters that correlate with one another. Another technique is sensor ranking, wherein sensors are accorded different weights in calculating the fault detection index. Improved accuracy in fault detection may be accomplished by employing a variety of sensor types to predict behavior of the semiconductor processing tool. Examples of such sensor types include active sensors, cluster sensors, passive/inclusive sensors, and synthetic sensors.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.