US6360132B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus, method and medium for enhancing the throughput of a wafer processing facility using a multi-slot cool down chamber and a priority transfer scheme
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 2001-01-05
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Granted: 2002-03-19
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Expires: 2021-01-05
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus, method and medium is provided for increasing the efficiency with which wafers are transferred among different processing chambers in a wafer processing facility. A multi-slot cooling chamber allows multiple wafers to be cooled while other wafers are subjected to processing steps in other chambers. Each wafer in the processing sequence is assigned a priority level depending on its processing stage, and this priority level is used to sequence the movement of wafers between chambers. A look-ahead feature prevents low-priority wafer transfers from occurring if such transfers would occur just prior to the scheduling of a high-priority wafer transfer.
Inventors
- 👤 Zhihong J. Lin
- 👤 Chongyang Wang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 02:33
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0451; H10P72/0452; H10P72/0454; G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; H10P72/06; H10P72/0612; H10P72/30; H10P72/33; H10P72/3304; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/135; Y10S414/136; Y10S414/137; Y10S414/138; Y10S414/139; Y10S414/14; Y10S414/141; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/53087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A computer-implemented method for transferring one or more wafers in a wafer processing facility comprising a plurality of process chambers, the method comprising the steps of: (1) receiving a plurality of wafers into the wafer processing facility; (2) assigning a different priority level to each of a plurality of wafers in the water processing facility according to a processing stage to which each respective wafer has progressed through the process chambers; (3) determining that a process in one or more of the process chambers has been completed; (4) determining which wafer of the plurality of wafers in the one or more process chambers is assigned a highest priority level; and (5) initiating a wafer transfer between two of the process chambers for the wafer having the highest assigned priority level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A computer-implemented method for transferring one or more wafers in a wafer processing facility comprising a plurality of process chambers, the method comprising the steps of: (1) receiving a plurality of wafers into the wafer processing facility; (2) assigning a different priority level to each of a plurality of wafers in the water processing facility according to a processing stage to which each respective wafer has progressed through the process chambers; (3) determining that a process in one or more of the process chambers has been completed; (4) determining which wafer of the plurality of wafers in the one or more process chambers is assigned a highest priority level; and (5) initiating a wafer transfer between two of the process chambers for the wafer having the highest assigned priority level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the wafer processing facility comprises a cooling chamber for cooling a wafer previously processed in one of the process chambers, wherein step (2) comprises the step of assigning a lower priority level to a wafer which has been transferred to the cooling chamber than to a wafer which has not yet been transferred to the cooling chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising the step of, prior to said step (5). determining whether a latency associated with the transfer to be initiated in said step (5) would exceed a remaining process time for a process occurring in any the plurality of process chambers containing a wafer assigned a higher priority than the wafer associated with said transfer to be initiated, and, responsive to a determination that such a latency would exceed the remaining process time, delaying the transfer in said step (5).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for transferring wafers in a wafer processing facility comprising a plurality of process chambers, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving a plurality of wafers into the wafer processing facility; means for assigning a different priority level to each of a plurality of wafers in the wafer processing facility according to a processing stage to which each respective wafer has progressed through the processing chambers; means for determining that a process in one of the process chambers has been completed and for determining which wafer of the plurality of wafers in the one or more process chambers is assigned a highest priority level; and means for initiating a wafer transfer between two of the process chambers for the wafer having the highest assigned priority level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for transferring wafers in a wafer processing facility comprising a plurality of process chambers, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving a plurality of wafers into the wafer processing facility; means for assigning a different priority level to each of a plurality of wafers in the wafer processing facility according to a processing stage to which each respective wafer has progressed through the processing chambers; means for determining that a process in one of the process chambers has been completed and for determining which wafer of the plurality of wafers in the one or more process chambers is assigned a highest priority level; and means for initiating a wafer transfer between two of the process chambers for the wafer having the highest assigned priority level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the wafer processing facility comprises a cooling chamber for cooling a wafer previously processed in one of the process chambers, wherein said means for assigning comprises means for assigning a lower priority level to a wafer which has been transferred to the cooling chamber than to a wafer which has not yet been transferred to the cooling chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising means for determining whether a latency associated with the transfer to be initiated by said means for initiating would exceed a remaining process time for a process occurring in any the plurality of process chambers containing a wafer assigned a higher priority than the water associated with said transfer to be initiated, and, responsive to a determination that such a latency would exceed the remaining process time, delaying the transfer in said means for initiating.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
134 words
A computer-readable medium containing encoded information for facilitating the transfer of wafers in a wafer processing facility comprising a plurality of process chambers, the computer-readable medium performing the steps of: (1) receiving a plurality of wafers into a water processing facility; (2) assigning a different priority level to each of a plurality of wafers in the wafer processing facility according to a processing stage to which each respective wafer has progressed through the process chambers; (3) determining that a process in one or more of the process chambers has been completed; (4) determining which wafer of the plurality of wafers in the one or more process chambers is assigned a highest priority level; and (5) initiating a wafer transfer between two of the process chambers to the wafer having the highest assigned priority level.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
134 words
A computer-readable medium containing encoded information for facilitating the transfer of wafers in a wafer processing facility comprising a plurality of process chambers, the computer-readable medium performing the steps of: (1) receiving a plurality of wafers into a water processing facility; (2) assigning a different priority level to each of a plurality of wafers in the wafer processing facility according to a processing stage to which each respective wafer has progressed through the process chambers; (3) determining that a process in one or more of the process chambers has been completed; (4) determining which wafer of the plurality of wafers in the one or more process chambers is assigned a highest priority level; and (5) initiating a wafer transfer between two of the process chambers to the wafer having the highest assigned priority level.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
The computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the wafer processing facility comprises a cooling chamber for cooling a wafer previously processed in one of the process chambers, wherein step (2) comprises the step of assigning a lower priority level to a wafer which has been transferred to the cooling chamber than to a wafer which has not yet been transferred to the cooling chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
89 words
The computer readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising the step of, prior to said step (5), determining whether a latency associated with the transfer to be initiated in said step (5) would exceed a remaining process time for a process occurring in any the plurality of process chambers containing a wafer assigned a higher priority than the wafer associated with said transfer to be initiated, and, responsive to a determination that such a latency would exceed the remaining process time, delaying the transfer in said step (5).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-03-18 | 2005-09-17 | 2006-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-03-18 | 2009-09-17 | 2010-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-03-18 | 2013-09-17 | 2014-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |