Patent ID: 8798778
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: G05B,H01L,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of processing substrates in a manufacturing environment according to a sequence of interrelated process steps, the method comprising: determining a first metric for a first process chamber of a first plurality of process chambers used to perform a first process step of said sequence of interrelated process steps, said first metric indicating a first remaining substrate processing capability for said first process chamber, wherein a first planned maintenance event occurs in response to consumption of the first remaining substrate processing capability; determining a second metric for a second process chamber of a second plurality of process chambers used to perform a second process step of said sequence of interrelated process steps, said second metric indicating a second remaining substrate processing capability for said second process chamber, wherein a second planned maintenance event occurs in response to consumption of the second remaining substrate processing capability; controlling supply of substrates to said first and second plurality of process chambers based on said first and second metrics so as to synchronize said first and second planned maintenance events, wherein controlling supply of substrates to said first and second plurality of process chambers comprises determining a percentage of substrates to be supplied to each process chamber to synchronize said first and second planned maintenance events and determining whether or not said percentage is equal to or less than a process capacity of said first and second plurality of process chambers; and performing said first and second planned maintenance events at approximately a same time as performing said first and second process steps in an additional process chamber of the first plurality of process chambers and an additional process chamber of the second plurality of process chambers respectively.