Method and system for controlling transport sequencing in a process tool by a look-ahead mode

US8126588B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Kilian Schmidt · Dresden, DE
• Matthias Becker · Herzogenaurach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 16, 2008
• Grant date: Feb 28, 2012
• Expiry date: Aug 28, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P90/02
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

By providing a look-ahead functionality for a tool internal substrate handling system of process tools on the basis of a process history, the tool internal substrate sequencing may be significantly enhanced. The look-ahead functionality enables a prediction of process time of substrates currently being processed in a respective process module, thereby enabling the initiation of transport activity for substrate load operations in order to significantly reduce the overall idle time of process modules occurring during substrate exchange.