Patent ID: 6799909
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
In a system for manufacturing a multiplicity of semiconductor devices on wafers according to a predetermined order of processing steps, a method of automatically altering said predetermined order for a first group of wafers in a wafer â€œLotâ€  and maintaining said predetermined order of processing steps for a second group of wafers in said â€œLot.â€  said method comprising the steps of:providing a multiplicity of wafer processes individually selectable for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices; defining said predetermined order of processing steps, said processing steps comprising selected ones of said multiplicity of wafer processes; defining a second order of processing steps, said second order of processing steps comprising at least one of said multiplicity of said wafer processes; providing a â€œLotâ€  of wafers for processing, said Lot adapted for being subdivided; processing all of said wafers in said â€œLotâ€  of wafers according to at least one processing step of said predetermined order of processing steps; and then interrupting the processing of said â€œLotâ€  according to said predetermined order of processing steps prior to running a selected one of said multiplicity of wafer processes defined in said predetermined order; separating a first group of wafers of said Lot from a second group of wafers of said Lot and processing only said first group according to said second order of processing steps; and then merging said first group of wafers with said second group of wafers and continuing processing said merged first and second groups of said Lot according to selected final processes of said predetermined order of processing steps.