Abstract:
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which processes a lot in accordance with the content of a queue table in which a process of a lot is reserved includes a volatile memory configured to store the queue table, and a controller configured to store, in a nonvolatile memory, the content of the queue table stored in the volatile memory.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus, a processing method and a device manufacturing method.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Because of a reduction in the production quality and an increase in the number of types of semiconductors, a new tendency in semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is emerging, more particularly, in semiconductor exposure apparatuses which handle a reduced number of wafers per lot and a lot count increase. Under such condition, semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses need to efficiently switch between lots at high speed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-217098 (FIG. 4, paragraph No. 0031) allows a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to reserve lots to be processed, using a queue table to register the lot processing conditions and lot processing order.  
         [0003]     Unfortunately, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-217098, the contents of the queue table are lost when, e.g., the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is reactivated while lot information is registered in the queue table. Therefore, if the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus must be reactivated due to an unexpected accident, lot information needs to be re-registered in the queue table to continue the lot process. As a result, the production efficiency of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus diminishes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention has been made in consideration of the above background, and has as its exemplary object to make it possible to restore the contents of a queue table.  
         [0005]     The first aspect of the present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus which processes a lot in accordance with a content of a queue table in which a process of a lot is reserved, the apparatus comprising a volatile memory configured to store the queue table, and a controller configured to store, in a nonvolatile memory, the content of the queue table stored in the volatile memory.  
         [0006]     The second aspect of the present invention relates to a processing method of processing a lot in accordance with a content of a queue table in which a process of a lot is reserved, the method comprising steps of storing reservation information of a process of a lot in the queue table in a volatile memory, and storing, in a nonvolatile memory, the content of the queue table stored in the volatile memory.  
         [0007]     The third aspect of the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a device, wherein the method comprising steps of exposing a substrate to a pattern the above manufacturing apparatus, developing the exposed substrate, and processing the developed substrate to manufacture the device.  
         [0008]     Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a view showing an example of the contents of pieces of lot information according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view showing an example of lot state transition according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a view showing an example of a queue table restoration window according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus control method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing the flow of the overall semiconductor device manufacturing process. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0000]     [Semiconductor Manufacturing Apparatus] 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises, e.g., a volatile storage area  2 , nonvolatile storage area  3 , terminal unit  4 , communication unit  5 , and semiconductor manufacturing unit  8 . The volatile or nonvolatile storage area can be appropriately selected from various kinds of volatile or nonvolatile storage devices or storage units.  
         [0018]     The volatile storage area  2  is used to rewrite, hold, and read out various kinds of stored information used in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 . The information stored in the volatile storage area  2  is lost upon shutting down the power supply. A queue table  11  which registers information (e.g., the processing conditions and processing order of a plurality of lots) of lots to be processed is normally stored in the volatile storage area  2 .  
         [0019]     The nonvolatile storage area  3  is used to save the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the volatile storage area  2 , and read out the stored contents of the queue table  11  at the time of reactivating the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 . Although the nonvolatile storage area  3  is arranged inside the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  in  FIG. 1 , the present invention is not limited to this. A nonvolatile storage area arranged outside the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  and connected to be communicable with the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  may be used.  
         [0020]     The terminal unit  4  has a user interface attached to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 . The operator can operate the units in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  via the terminal unit  4  and refer to the device information in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 . The terminal unit  4  inputs, to a controller  10 , an instruction to restore, in the volatile storage area  2 , the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3 . The terminal unit  4  also comprises a display unit  9  to display the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3 . The operator can confirm, via the display unit  9 , the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3 .  
         [0021]     The communication unit  5  connects the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  and a host computer  7  via a communication line  6  compatible to a standard such as RS-232C. This makes it possible to control the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  even from the host computer  7 . The communication unit  5  notifies the host computer  7  of the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3 .  
         [0022]     The semiconductor manufacturing unit  8  may be an apparatus including a semiconductor processing device to execute a semiconductor exposure process, semiconductor cleaning process, and various other semiconductor processes (various processes associated with the wafer process to be described later).  
         [0023]     The controller  10  controls the overall operation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  to execute a lot process in accordance with the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the volatile storage area  2 . The controller  10  causes, in accordance with an instruction from the terminal unit  4 , the display unit  9  of the terminal unit  4  to display the contents of the queue table  11  saved in the nonvolatile storage area  3 , at the time of activating the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a view showing an example of pieces of lot information  20  registered in the queue table  11 . Reference numeral  20 - 1  denotes the name of a lot as a processing unit. Reference numeral  20 - 2  denotes the name of a recipe used in the process. Reference numeral  20 - 3  denotes the name of a mask used in, e.g., a semiconductor exposure apparatus. Reference numeral  20 - 4  denotes a parameter unique to the controller  10  to control the overall process of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 . Reference numeral  20 - 5  denotes the current lot processing state. The contents of the pieces of lot information  20 - 1  to  20 - 5  registered in the queue table  11  can be rewritten by the controller  10 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a view showing a concrete example of the processing state  20 - 5  in  FIG. 2 . The processing state changes in the order of  30 - 1 ,  30 - 2 ,  30 - 3 , and  30 - 4  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The processing state  20 - 5  in  FIG. 2  registers the current processing state out of  30 - 1  to  30 - 4 . Reference numeral  30 - 1  denotes a standby state in which the lot information  20  is merely registered in the queue table  11 . Reference numeral  30 - 2  denotes an in-preparation state in which a wafer to be used in a lot is being transported. Reference numeral  30 - 3  denotes an in-progress state in which the wafer is being processed. Reference numeral  30 - 4  denotes a process completion state in which processing of the entire wafer in the lot is complete.  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a view showing an example of a restoration window  40  when the contents of the queue table  11  saved in the nonvolatile storage area  3  are restored on the display unit  9  of the terminal unit  4 . The restoration window  40  is used in restoring, as the current queue table  11 , the contents of the queue table  11  saved in the nonvolatile storage area  3 . A window region  40 - 1  displays the saved contents contained in the queue table  11 . Saved contents  40 - 2  are contained in the queue table  11 . The contents  40 - 2  may comprise one or a plurality of pieces of lot information  20  (see  FIG. 2 ). As an example, the pieces of lot information  20  associated with four lots, i.e., LOT-A, LOT-B, LOT-C, and LOT-D are shown in  FIG. 4 . LOT-A exhibits “Recipe 01 ” as the used recipe name  20 - 2 , “Mask 01 ” as the used mask name  20 - 3 , and “in-progress” as the processing state  20 - 5 . LOT-B exhibits “Recipe 03 ” as the used recipe name  20 - 2 , “Mask 02 ” as the used mask name  20 - 3 , and “in-preparation” as the processing state  20 - 5 . LOT-C exhibits “Recipe 01 ” as the used recipe name  20 - 2 , “Mask 01 ” as the used mask name  20 - 3 , and “standby state” as the processing state  20 - 5 . LOT-D exhibits “Recipe 02 ” as the used recipe name  20 - 2 , “Mask 05 ” as the used mask name  20 - 3 , and “standby state” as the processing state  20 - 5 .  
         [0027]     Check boxes  40 - 3  allow the operator to select pieces of lot information  20  as restoration targets in restoring the contents of the queue table  11 . A button  40 - 4  allows the operator to restore the contents of the queue table  11 . When the operator presses the button  40 - 4  using the terminal unit  4 , lot information  20  selected through the check boxes  40 - 3  is restored on the current queue table  11 . After the queue table  11  is restored, the window  40  is closed. Reference numeral  40 - 5  denotes a cancel button. When the operator presses the button  40 - 5  using the terminal unit  4 , the window  40  is closed without restoring the contents of the queue table  11 .  
         [0028]     In the manufacture using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the operator or host computer  7  registers lot information  20  as processing targets. Then, the controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  monitors the contents of the queue table  11 , and executes a lot process in turn using the registered pieces of lot information  20 . The controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  writes the current processing states  30  of the lots in the pieces of lot information  20  registered in the queue table  11 .  
         [0029]     Every time the contents of the queue table  11  change, the controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  saves them in the nonvolatile storage area  3 . If the queue table  11  becomes empty, the controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  erases the contents saved in the nonvolatile storage area  3 .  
         [0030]     During the manufacture by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  sometimes needs to be reactivated while lot information  20  is registered in the queue table  11 . In this case, the controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  erases the contents of the queue table  11  once at the time of activation. However, the controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  does not change the information saved in the nonvolatile storage area  3 . Therefore, after activating the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  is completed, the controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  displays the window  40  on the terminal unit  4 . This makes it possible to cause the controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  to present the contents of the queue table  11  saved in the nonvolatile storage area  3  to the operator. The contents of the queue table  11  presented here are identical to those immediately before reactivating the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 .  
         [0031]     The operator having confirmed the contents of the window  40  presses the restoration button  40 - 4  after checking the check box  40 - 3  of the lot information to be restored. With this operation, the selected lot information  20  is restored on the queue table  11  and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  continues the lot process. If the operator does not want to restore lot information  20 , he/she presses the cancel button  40 - 5  on the window  40 . Accordingly, the queue table  11  is kept empty. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  is held in a standby state until new lot information  20  is registered.  
         [0032]     The above embodiment has exemplified a case wherein the operator restores the contents of the queue table  11 . However, the restoration operation may be executed by the host computer  7 . In this case, the contents of the queue table  11  saved in the nonvolatile storage area  3  are sent to the host computer  7  by the communication unit  5  via the communication line  6  after activation of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  is completed. Upon receiving the notification, the host computer  7  instructs the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  which lot information is to be restored.  
         [0000]     [Semiconductor Manufacturing Apparatus Control Method] 
         [0033]     The flow of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus control method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below. First, a controller  10  stores, in a volatile storage area  2 , a queue table  11  to reserve the processing conditions and processing order of a plurality of lots. Next, the controller  10  stores, in a nonvolatile storage area  3 , the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the volatile storage area  2 . This makes it possible to cause, in accordance with an instruction from a terminal unit  4 , the controller  10  to restore, on a display unit  9  of the terminal unit  4 , the contents of the queue table saved in the nonvolatile storage area  3 , at the time of activating a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing a more detailed flow of control to restore the contents of a queue table saved in a nonvolatile storage area.  
         [0035]     In step S 50 - 1 , the controller  10  of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1  is activated.  
         [0036]     In step S 50 - 2 , the controller  10  determines whether the queue table  11  is stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3 . If the queue table  11  is stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3  (“YES” in step S 50 - 2 ), the flow advances to step S 50 - 3 . If the queue table  11  is not stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3  (“NO” in step S 50 - 2 ), the flow advances to step S 50 - 7 .  
         [0037]     In step S 50 - 3 , the controller  10  causes the display unit  9  of the terminal unit  4  to display the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3 . Alternatively, the controller  10  causes a communication unit  5  to notify a host computer  7  of the contents of the queue table  11  stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3 .  
         [0038]     In step S 50 - 4 , the controller  10  determines whether the terminal unit  4  or host computer  7  has issued an instruction to restore, in the volatile storage area  2 , lot information in the queue table  11  stored in the nonvolatile storage area  3 . If the restoration instruction has been issued (“YES” in step S 50 - 4 ), the flow advances to step S 50 - 5 . If no restoration instruction is issued (“NO” in step S 50 - 4 ), the flow advances to step S 50 - 7 .  
         [0039]     In step S 50 - 5 , the controller  10  generates the queue table  11  in the volatile storage area  2  in accordance with the lot information in the queue table  11 , which is designated in step S 50 - 4 .  
         [0040]     In step S 50 - 6 , the controller  10  updates the queue table  11  in the nonvolatile storage area  3  in accordance with the lot information in the queue table  11 , which is designated in step S 50 - 4 . Lot information in the queue table  11 , which is not designated in step S 50 - 4 , can be erased from the nonvolatile storage area  3 .  
         [0041]     In step S 50 - 7 , the controller  10  determines whether the terminal unit  4  or host computer  7  has issued an instruction to update lot information in the queue table  11 . If the update instruction has been issued (“YES” in step S 50 - 7 ), the flow advances to step S 50 - 8 . If no update instruction is issued (“NO” in step S 50 - 7 ), the flow advances to step S 50 - 9 .  
         [0042]     In step S 50 - 8 , the controller  10  updates the lot information in the volatile storage area  2  and nonvolatile storage area  3  in accordance with the update instruction in step S 50 - 7 .  
         [0043]     In step S 50 - 9 , the controller  10  determines whether the terminal unit  4  or host computer  7  has issued an instruction to shut down the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus  1 . If the shutdown instruction has been issued (“YES” in step S 50 - 9 ), the process is terminated. If no shutdown instruction is issued (“NO” in step S 50 - 9 ), the flow returns to step S 50 - 7 .  
         [0000]     [Semiconductor Device Manufacturing Process] 
         [0044]     A semiconductor device manufacturing process when the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is used as a semiconductor exposure apparatus will be described next.  FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing the flow of the overall semiconductor device manufacturing process. In step S 1  (circuit design), the circuit of a semiconductor device is designed. In step S 2  (mask fabrication), a mask (also called an original or reticle) is fabricated on the basis of the designed circuit pattern. In step S 3  (wafer manufacture), a wafer (also called a substrate) is manufactured using a material such as silicon. In step S 4  (wafer process) called a pre-process, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is caused to form an actual circuit on the wafer by lithography using the mask and wafer. In step S 5  (assembly) called a post-process, a semiconductor chip is formed using the wafer manufactured in step S 4 . This step includes an assembly step (dicing and bonding) and packaging step (chip encapsulation). In step S 6  (inspection), the semiconductor device manufactured in step S 5  undergoes inspections such as an operation confirmation test and durability test. After these steps, the semiconductor device is completed and shipped in step S 7 .  
         [0045]     The wafer process in step S 4  includes: an oxidation step of oxidizing the wafer surface; a CVD step of forming an insulating film on the wafer surface; an electrode formation step of forming an electrode on the wafer by vapor deposition; an ion implantation step of implanting ions in the wafer; a resist processing step of applying a photosensitive agent to the wafer; an exposure step of exposing, using the above-described exposure apparatus, the wafer, which has been subjected to the resist processing step, to light via the mask on which the circuit pattern is formed or to a pattern to form a latent image pattern on the resist; a development step of developing the latent image pattern on the wafer exposed in the exposure step; an etching step of etching portions other than the latent image pattern developed in the development step; and a resist removal step of removing any unnecessary resist remaining after etching. These steps are repeated to form multiple circuit patterns on the wafer.  
         [0046]     As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the claims.  
         [0047]     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-159937 filed on May 31, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.