Abstract:
Disclosed is a semiconductor processing apparatus for processing batches of wafers with variable numbers of wafer lots. The apparatus includes an operator interface server adapted to receive batch information for a track-in operation, an equipment management server adapted to store data used to process the batch of wafers, and a device interface server adapted to control a selected unit of processing equipment used to process the batch of wafers. The batch information is transmitted from the operator interface server to the device interface server, and the device interface server attempts to set a sub-recipe in the selected unit of processing equipment based on the batch information. After the sub-recipe is set in the selected unit of processing equipment, the device interface server then attempts to set a process recipe in the device interface server.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to semiconductor wafer processing apparatuses and associated methods. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to semiconductor production apparatuses capable of processing batches of wafers including variable numbers of wafer lots.  
         [0003]     A claim of priority is made to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0074253, filed Aug. 12, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
         [0004]     2. Discussion of Related Art  
         [0005]     Semiconductor devices are manufactured by constructing layers of insulating and conducting materials on wafers of silicon to form intricate circuit patterns giving the devices their functionality. The manufacturing processes used to form the layers typically include hundreds of different processing steps performed under a variety of different processing conditions. These steps include, for example, cleaning, diffusion, photoresist coating, exposure, developing, etching, ion implantation, and so on. The processing steps generally require intricate timing and process flow specifications including interrelationships between the different steps.  
         [0006]     A “recipe” is a codified description that provides some or all of the ingredients, process steps, and machine and equipment operations involved in manufacturing a particular semiconductor device. Due to the large number of processing steps and the interrelatedness of processing inputs involved in most recipes, it is often difficult to specify optimal ranges for all of the inputs to a recipe. Moreover, there may be variation in the way that different pieces of processing equipment perform different processing steps according to a particular recipe. Accordingly, empirical evaluations of a recipe&#39;s performance with respect to a particular piece of processing equipment are often carried out after performing selected processing steps so that adjustments to the recipe can be made to improve its performance in subsequent wafer processing.  
         [0007]     For example, after a recipe is carried out to produce a semiconductor device, the device may be inspected for defects. If the inspection indicates that the recipe produces defective devices, the processing equipment used to carry out the recipe will typically halt execution and generate a warning so that an engineer can evaluate the cause of the defects and attempt to resolve them by making adjustments to the recipe or the processing equipment. If the engineer is able to resolve the defects through adjusting the recipe or the processing equipment, then the processing equipment is allowed to resume performing its functions.  
         [0008]     The recipes used with a set of semiconductor processing equipment are typically stored in a database connected to the equipment. For example, most modern semiconductor processing equipment comprises a host computer adapted to store the recipes.  
         [0009]     Semiconductor manufacturing processes are often carried out on many wafers at a time. A group of semiconductor wafers that are processed together is commonly referred to as a “wafer lot.” A typical wafer lot includes between 20 and 25 wafers. In addition, some semiconductor manufacturing processes are carried out on batches of wafers, where a batch includes multiple lots of wafers. A typical batch of wafers includes between 1 and 6 wafer lots.  
         [0010]     When many wafers are processed at the same time, one of the wafers may be designated as,a monitoring wafer. The monitoring wafer may be inspected and the inspection of the monitoring wafer may be used to infer the quality of processes concurrently performed on other wafers.  
         [0011]     Semiconductor processing equipment used to process multiple batches of wafers at a time will be referred to as “batch-type semiconductor processing equipment” in this written description. A single unit of batch-type semiconductor processing equipment can often be used to process variable-sized batches of wafers, or in other words, batches of wafers having a variable number of lots.  
         [0012]     Most batch-type semiconductor processing equipment operates according to a table that specifies the number of lots processed and whether or not a monitoring wafer is used to judge the quality of the processed wafers. In the absence of such a table, the wafers may be inappropriately processed because the process settings for processing one number of lots (e.g., 4) is different from the process settings used to process a different number of lots (e.g., 6).  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     According to one embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus capable of processing a batch of wafers having a variable number of wafer lots is provided. The apparatus comprises an operator interface, an equipment management server, and a device interface server connected to a plurality of processing equipment units. The operator interface server receives inputs indicating process conditions for processing the batch of wafers in a selected unit of wafer processing equipment, the number of wafer lots in the batch of wafers, and whether or not to use a monitor wafer when processing the batch of wafers. The equipment management server provides the operator interface server with process condition data used to derive the process conditions. The device interface server provides a communication interface between the operator interface server and the selected unit of processing equipment, receives batch information for a track-in operation from the operator interface server, and sets a recipe in the selected unit of processing equipment based on the batch information.  
         [0014]     According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of processing a batch wafers having a variable number of wafer lots is provided. The method is performed in a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus comprising an operator interface server adapted to receive batch information for a track-in operation, an equipment management server adapted to store data used to process the batch of wafers, and a device interface server adapted to control a selected unit of processing equipment used to process the batch of wafers. The method comprises inputting the batch information for the track-in operation to the operator interface server, transmitting the batch information to the device interface server and updating the batch information in the device interface server; setting a sub-recipe in the selected unit of the processing equipment after updating the batch information, setting a process recipe in the selected unit of processing equipment after setting the sub-recipe, and processing the batch of wafers in the selected unit of processing equipment based on the process recipe.  
         [0015]     According to another embodiment of the invention, another method of processing a batch of wafers containing a variable number of wafer lots is provided. The method is performed in a semiconductor apparatus comprising an operator interface server adapted to receive batch information for a track-in operation, an equipment management server adapted to store data used to process the batch of wafers, and a device interface server adapted to control a selected unit of processing equipment used to process the batch of wafers. The method comprises inputting batch information to the operator interface server. The batch information indicates the number of wafer lots in the batch of wafers and whether or not to use a monitor wafer to monitor the processes performed on the batch of wafers. The method further comprises transmitting the batch information to the device interface server and updating the batch information in a device interface server, determining whether a sub-recipe is stored in a selected unit of processing equipment after updating the batch information, and performing failure processing when the sub-recipe is not present in the selected unit of processing equipment. The method further comprises setting the sub-recipe in the selected unit of processing equipment when the sub-recipe is present in the selected processing equipment, determining whether or not the selected unit of processing equipment becomes converted into a standby mode after the sub-recipe is set, determining whether or not a process recipe is stored in the selected unit of processing equipment after the selected unit of processing equipment is converted into the standby mode, setting the process recipe in the selected unit of processing equipment when the process recipe is stored in the selected unit of processing equipment, determining whether or not the selected unit of processing equipment becomes converted into the standby mode after the process recipe is set, and processing the batch of wafers according to the process recipe when the selected unit of processing equipment is converted into the standby mode. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     The invention is described below in relation to several embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings like reference numbers indicate like exemplary elements, components, or steps. In the drawings:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a system for managing several units of processing equipment in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the processing of a batch of wafer lots having a variable number of lots;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface for an operator interface server used to communicate information to a device interface server regarding how to process a batch of wafer lots; and,  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is an example of a table illustrating sub-recipes used to process a batch of wafer lots. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the corresponding drawings. These embodiments are presented as teaching examples. The actual scope of the invention is defined by the claims that follow.  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a system for managing several units of processing equipment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the system comprises an operator interface server  10 , a user interface server  12 , an equipment management server  14 , a data collection server  16 , a device interface server  18 , and several units of processing equipment  20  used to process semiconductor wafers during the manufacture of semiconductor devices.  
         [0024]     Operator interface server  10  receives inputs defining process conditions for various processes to be performed by the units of processing equipment  20 . In addition, operator interface server  10  also receives inputs indicating whether a monitoring wafer will be used to monitor wafers processed by the various processes, the number of wafer lots to be processed by the processes, and the positions of slots where the wafers will be inserted into the units of processing equipment  20  before performing the various processes. Operator interface server is operatively connected to equipment management server  14 , data collection server  16 , and user interface server  12 .  
         [0025]     User interface server  12  provides a user interface that allows an engineer to inspect various states of processing equipment  20  from a remote location. User interface server  12  is operatively connected to operator interface server  10 , equipment management server  14 , and data collection server  16 .  
         [0026]     Data collection server  16  receives commands from operator interface server  10  to start processes in processing equipment  20 , and transmits the received commands to device interface server  18 . Data collection server  16  also collects data generated during the processes performed by processing equipment  20  in real time, and transmits the collected data to equipment management server  14 . Equipment management server  14  provides process condition data for the processes to operator interface server  10 .  
         [0027]     Device interface server  18  provides an interface between the units of process equipment  20  and other components in the system. In particular, device interface server  18  is connected between the units of process equipment  20  and data collection server  16 . Device interface server  18  receives process condition data from data collection server  16  and communicates the process condition data from data collection server  16  to process equipment  20 .  
         [0028]     Equipment management server  14  includes a database for storing the process condition data. The process condition data typically includes data such as statistical process control (SPC) data used to perform various processes.  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling the processing of a batch of wafer lots containing a variable number of lots in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an example of a user interface for operator interface server  10  used to communicate information to device interface server  18  regarding how to process a batch of wafer lots. Finally,  FIG. 4  is an example of a table illustrating sub-recipes used to process a batch of wafer lots in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The operation of various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 4 .  
         [0030]     Operator interface server  10  receives a number of wafer lots designated to be loaded onto a selected unit of processing equipment  20  through an EPID-Specific Process Registration screen shown in  FIG. 3 . Operator interface server  10  then sends batch information to device interface server  18  via data collection server  16  to indicate whether or not to use a monitor wafer, and how many wafer lots are to be processed in each unit of processing equipment  20 . Device interface server  18  uses the batch information to select recipes for processes to be performed in the respective units of processing equipment  20 . In the recipes selected by device interface server  18 , each batch is designated to have between  1  and  6  wafer lots.  
         [0031]     Each piece of processing equipment  20  is connected with device interface server  18  through a local area network (LAN) cable. Device interface server  18  sets a sub-recipe having a specified name, number of wafer lots per batch, monitoring wafer indication, and associated processing conditions, in each unit of processing equipment  20  on the basis of the batch information received from operator interface server  10 . The sub-recipes are set in processing equipment  20  while each unit of processing equipment  20  is in an idle mode.  
         [0032]     The process of “setting” a sub-recipe in a unit of processing equipment  20  typically includes checking whether the sub-recipe is stored in the unit of processing equipment  20 , and then upon determining that the sub-recipe is stored therein, selecting the sub-recipe for use in performing corresponding wafer processing functions.  
         [0033]     Once a sub-recipe is successfully set in a corresponding a unit of processing equipment  20 , the unit of processing equipment  20  is converted into a standby mode. Once all units of processing equipment  20  are converted into the standby mode, process recipes are set in the units of processing equipment  20  and the process recipes are used to carry out processing operations in the units of processing equipment  20 . The process of “setting” a process recipe in a unit of processing equipment  20  is similar to the process of setting a sub-recipe in processing equipment  20 ; it includes checking whether the process recipe is stored in the unit processing equipment  20  and then upon determining that the process recipe is stored therein, selecting the process recipe for use in performing corresponding wafer processing functions.  
         [0034]     At least one distinction between the sub-recipes and the process recipes mentioned above is that the sub-recipes are typically used to perform track-in operations, and the process recipes are generally used for other wafer processing operations performed by processing equipment  20 .  
         [0035]     Unfortunately, some sub-recipes may fail to be set in corresponding units of processing equipment  20 . One reason for such failures may be that some sub-recipes are not stored in the corresponding units of processing equipment  20 . Another reason is for the failure is that memories storing the sub-recipes in the units of processing equipment  20  may have been modified or corrupted so that even if a sub-recipe is present in the memory, device server  18  may not be able to select the sub-recipe. Generally, if device interface server  18  is unable to select a sub-recipe stored in a unit of processing equipment  20  after repeated attempts, then the unit will remain in the idle mode, thus delaying wafer processing. To address this problem, device interface server  18  may reset the memories of units where it is unsuccessful in selecting sub-recipes.  
         [0036]     Once sub-recipes are set in all units of processing equipment  20 , all of the units are converted to the standby mode, allowing wafer processing to proceed.  
         [0037]      FIG. 4  shows a table structure for sub-recipes set by device interface server  18  in the units of processing equipment  20 . The table can take various alternative forms and  FIG. 4  shows one of these forms. In  FIG. 4 , a sub-recipe with the specified name USE-MW 1  is set in a unit of processing equipment  20  when the batch information from operator interface server  10  indicates that a batch containing  1  lot of wafers and using a monitoring wafer will be loaded into the unit. Similarly, a sub-recipe with the specified name NO-MW 2  is set in a unit of processing equipment  20  when the batch information from operator interface server  10  indicates that a batch containing  2  lots of wafers and not using a monitoring wafer will be loaded into the unit. Other sub-recipes are similarly labeled in the table shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0038]     A method of controlling the processing of a batch of wafer lots using the system illustrated in  FIG. 1  will be described in further detail below with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Referring to  FIG. 2A , in a step  101 , batch information for a track-in operation is input to operator interface server  10 . The term “track-in” here denotes the placing of lots of wafers into a wafer track. For example, the batch information for the track-in operation contains the number of wafer lots that will be loaded into a wafer track, and whether or not a monitoring wafer will be used to monitor the wafers in those lots. The batch information is transferred from operator interface server  10  to data collection server  16 , and from data collection server  16  to device interface server  18 .  
         [0039]     The batch information can be input to operator interface server  10  through a user interface such as the one shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, an operator using operator interface server  10  can choose to register an EPID-specific processes to bring up an EPID-Specific Process Registration screen such as that shown in  FIG. 3 . The screen provides EPID and EQPTYPE selection controls, wafer lot ID entry forms, and a recipe entry form, all of which allow the operator to control how processing equipment  20  will function during the wafer processing. A registration button is provided to control sending the batch information from operator interface server  10  to data collection server  16  through the bus. The batch information is transferred from data collection server  16  to device interface server  18  through a bus.  
         [0040]     In a step  102 , device interface server  18  receives and updates the batch information. The batch information used for track-in typically designates a number of wafer lots and use and non-use of the monitor wafer. In a step  103 , device interface server  18  starts to control processing equipment  20 . Then, in a step  104 , device interface server  18  checks whether or not a selected sub-recipe is stored in a corresponding selected unit of processing equipment  20 . If the selected sub-recipe is not stored in the selected unit of processing equipment  20 , device interface server  18  performs failure processing in a step  105 . The failure processing typically includes, for example, terminating the method and providing an indication of the failure to the operator through operator interface server  10 . On the other hand, if the selected sub-recipe is stored in the selected unit of processing equipment  20 , device interface server  18  proceeds to a step  106  and sets the selected sub-recipe in processing equipment  20 .  
         [0041]     Subsequently, device interface server  18  proceeds to a step  107  where it checks whether the selected unit of processing equipment  20  is converted into the standby mode or not. If the selected unit of processing equipment  20  is not converted into the standby mode, device interface server  18  repeats step  106 . However, if the selected unit of processing equipment  20  is converted into the standby mode, device interface server  18  proceeds to a step  108 .  
         [0042]     In step  108 , device interface server  18  checks whether or not a process recipe is stored in the in the selected unit of processing equipment  20 . Where the process recipe is not stored in the selected unit of processing equipment  20 , device interface server  18  proceeds to step  109  and performs failure processing similar to that performed in step  105 . However, if the process recipe is stored in the selected unit of processing equipment  20 , device interface server  18  proceeds to a step  110  to set the process recipe for the selected unit of processing equipment  20 , and then proceeds to a step  111 .  
         [0043]     In step  111 , device interface server  18  checks whether the selected unit of processing equipment  20  is converted into a standby mode or not. If the selected unit of processing equipment  20  is not converted into the standby mode, device interface server  18  repeats step  110 . However, if the selected unit of processing equipment  20  is converted into the standby mode, device interface server  18  proceeds to a step  112  and causes the selected unit of processing equipment  20  to perform the process.  
         [0044]     As mentioned above, embodiments of the present invention allow batch-type semiconductor processing equipment to adapt to a varying number of wafer lots per batch, and to the use or non-use of a monitoring wafer during wafer processing.  
         [0045]     The foregoing preferred embodiments are teaching examples. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various changes in form and details may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.