US6446022B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wafer fabrication system providing measurement data screening
Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices Inc
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Filing: 1999-02-18
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Granted: 2002-09-03
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Expires: 2019-02-18
Abstract
Abstract A wafer fabrication system is presented including a measurement system which screens measurement data prior to dissemination. The measurement system may include an equipment interface computer coupled between a measurement tool and a work-in-process (WIP) server. The measurement tool may perform one of possibly several measurement procedures (i.e., “recipes”) upon one or more semiconductor wafers processed as a lot, thereby producing measurement data. The WIP server may select the measurement recipe and store the measurement data. The equipment interface computer may receive the measurement data produced by the measurement tool and compare the measurement data to a predetermined range of acceptable values in order to determine if the measurement data is within the range of acceptable values. The equipment interface computer may display the measurement data upon a display device such that any portion of the measurement data not within the range of acceptable values is visually flagged (e.g., displayed in flashing type, in bold type, in a color which differs from surrounding text, with a background color which differs from surrounding text, etc.). The equipment interface computer may allow an operator to modify the measurement data, then generate a signal indicating acceptance of the measurement data. Upon receiving the signal indicating acceptance, the equipment interface computer may provide the measurement data to the WIP server. The equipment interface computer may also respond to the acceptance signal by providing the measurement data to an entity server and/or a statistical process control (SPC) server.
Inventors
- 👤 Elfido Coss, Jr.
- 👤 Brian K. Cusson
- 👤 Mike Simpson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:55
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/418; G05B19/41875; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/32; G05B2219/32191; G05B2219/35; G05B2219/35489; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
An apparatus for performing a measurement procedure upon a semiconductor wafer, comprising: a measurement tool configurable to perform one of a plurality of measurement procedures upon said semiconductor wafer, thereby producing measurement data; a work-in-process server for selecting the one of the plurality of measurement procedures and for storing corresponding said measurement data; an equipment interface computer coupled between said measurement tool and said work-in-process server, wherein the equipment interface computer is configured to: receive said measurement data produced by said measurement tool; display said measurement data upon a display device; and provide the measurement data to the work-in-process server in response to a signal indicating acceptance of the measurement data.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
An apparatus for performing a measurement procedure upon a semiconductor wafer, comprising: a measurement tool configurable to perform one of a plurality of measurement procedures upon said semiconductor wafer, thereby producing measurement data; a work-in-process server for selecting the one of the plurality of measurement procedures and for storing corresponding said measurement data; an equipment interface computer coupled between said measurement tool and said work-in-process server, wherein the equipment interface computer is configured to: receive said measurement data produced by said measurement tool; display said measurement data upon a display device; and provide the measurement data to the work-in-process server in response to a signal indicating acceptance of the measurement data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the equipment interface computer is further configured to: determine if said measurement data is within a range of acceptable values; and display said measurement data upon the display device such that a portion of said measurement data not within said range of acceptable values is visually flagged.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the equipment interface computer is further configured to make at least the portion of said measurement data not within said range of acceptable values accessible for modification.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , further comprising a switch coupled between said measurement tool and said equipment interface computer, wherein said switch selectively couples said display device and a keyboard to either said measurement tool or said equipment interface computer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein when said switch couples the display device and the keyboard to the equipment interface computer, the equipment interface computer receives substitute measurement data and said signal indicating acceptance from the keyboard, wherein said substitute measurement data replaces the measurement data produced by said measurement tool.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein when said switch couples the display device and the keyboard to the measurement tool, the measurement tool receives measurement procedure selection information from the keyboard, responds to said measurement procedure selection information by performing the one of the plurality of measurement procedures upon said semiconductor wafer, and provides the resulting measurement data to the display device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 4 , further comprising: a keyboard interface coupled between the keyboard and the switch; a bar code reader coupled to said keyboard interface and configured to read a bar code thereby producing bar code information, and wherein said bar code information identifies said semiconductor wafer; and wherein the keyboard interface couples both the keyboard and the bar code reader to the switch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein when said switch couples the keyboard and the display device to the equipment interface computer, the equipment interface computer receives said bar code information via the keyboard interface and the switch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein said equipment interface computer provides said bar code information to the work-in-process server, and wherein the work 1 in-process server responds to said bar code information by providing measurement procedure selection information to said equipment interface computer, and wherein said measurement procedure selection information specifies the one of the plurality of measurement procedures to be performed by said measurement tool upon said semiconductor wafer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 9 , wherein said equipment interface computer provides said measurement procedure selection information to said measurement tool, and wherein said measurement tool responds to said measurement procedure selection information by performing the one of the plurality of measurement procedures upon said semiconductor wafer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
130 words
An apparatus for performing a process upon a semiconductor wafer, comprising: a transmission medium; a work-in-process server coupled to said transmission medium and configured to schedule said process and to store measurement data; a process tool coupled to said transmission medium and configured to perform said process upon the semiconductor wafer; a measurement tool configurable to perform one of a plurality of measurement procedures upon said semiconductor wafer, thereby producing measurement data; an equipment interface computer coupled between said transmission medium and said measurement tool, wherein the equipment interface computer is configured to: receive said measurement data produced by said measurement tool; display said measurement data upon a display device; and provide the measurement data to the work-in-process server in response to a signal indicating acceptance of the measurement data.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
130 words
An apparatus for performing a process upon a semiconductor wafer, comprising: a transmission medium; a work-in-process server coupled to said transmission medium and configured to schedule said process and to store measurement data; a process tool coupled to said transmission medium and configured to perform said process upon the semiconductor wafer; a measurement tool configurable to perform one of a plurality of measurement procedures upon said semiconductor wafer, thereby producing measurement data; an equipment interface computer coupled between said transmission medium and said measurement tool, wherein the equipment interface computer is configured to: receive said measurement data produced by said measurement tool; display said measurement data upon a display device; and provide the measurement data to the work-in-process server in response to a signal indicating acceptance of the measurement data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the equipment interface computer is further configured to: determine if said measurement data is within a range of acceptable values; and display said measurement data upon the display device such that a portion of said measurement data not within said range of acceptable values is visually flagged.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein the equipment interface computer is further configured to make at least the portion of said measurement data not within said range of acceptable values accessible for modification.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 13 , further comprising a switch coupled between said measurement tool and said equipment interface computer, wherein said switch selectively couples said display device and a keyboard to either said measurement tool or said equipment interface computer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein when said switch couples the display device and the keyboard to the equipment interface computer, the equipment interface computer receives substitute measurement data and said signal indicating acceptance from the keyboard, wherein said substitute measurement data replaces the measurement data produced by said measurement tool.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein when said switch couples the display device and the keyboard to the measurement tool, the measurement tool receives measurement procedure selection information from the keyboard, responds to said measurement procedure selection information by performing the one of the plurality of measurement procedures upon said semiconductor wafer, and provides the resulting measurement data to the display device.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for screening measurement data, comprising: receiving said measurement data; determining if said measurement data is within a range of acceptable values; flagging a portion of said measurement data not within said range of acceptable values; making at least the portion of said measurement data not within said range of acceptable values accessible for modification; and providing said measurement data to a data storage device in response to a signal indicating acceptance of the measurement data.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for screening measurement data, comprising: receiving said measurement data; determining if said measurement data is within a range of acceptable values; flagging a portion of said measurement data not within said range of acceptable values; making at least the portion of said measurement data not within said range of acceptable values accessible for modification; and providing said measurement data to a data storage device in response to a signal indicating acceptance of the measurement data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein said range of acceptable values is determined by statistical analysis of historical measurement data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein said determining comprises comparing the measurement data to said range of acceptable values with the equipment interface computer.
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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) | 2005-09-02 | 2006-03-04 | 2006-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-09-02 | 2010-03-04 | 2010-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-09-02 | 2014-03-04 | 2014-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |