KR101079487B1 - Method and apparatus for enhanced operation of substrate carrier handlers - Google Patents

Abstract

A system, tool, and method are provided in which a first signal is transmitted from a tool to a fab and all substrates being processed are removed from a particular carrier and the particular carrier is temporarily unloaded from the tool's load port. The second signal is transmitted from the tool to the fab, instructing the particular carrier to return to the tool. The carrier is unloaded from the tool, while the other carrier is loaded on the empty load port. Various features and aspects of the invention are disclosed.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCED OPERATION OF SUBSTRATE CARRIER HANDLERS

This application claims priority to US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 067,302, filed February 25, 2005, and to Preliminary Application No. 60 / 648,838, filed January 28, 2005. Each content of the foregoing applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

Cross References to Related Applications

This application is related to the following commonly assigned and ongoing US applications, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In other words:

US application Ser. No. 11 / 067,311, filed February 25, 2005, entitled " Material Control System Interface Method and Apparatus "

US application Ser. No. 11 / 067,460, filed February 25, 2005, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Transferring Base Carrier in an Electronic Device Manufacturing Facility” (case number; 9142);

US Application No. 11 / 067,303, filed February 25, 2005, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Monitoring and Controlling an Electronic Device Manufacturing System” (case number; 9144);

US Application No. 10 / 650,310, filed February 25, 2005, entitled “System for Substrate Carrier Transport” (Event No. 6900);

US Application No. 10 / 764,982 filed Jan. 26, 2004, entitled " Substrate Carrier Transport Method and Apparatus "

US Application No. 10 / 650,480, filed Aug. 28, 2003, entitled “Substrate Carrier Handler Directly Unloading Substrate Carrier in Mobile Conveyor” (Event No. 7676); And

US Application No. 10 / 987,955 (Event No. 8611), filed November 12, 2004, entitled “Brake-Away Positioning Conveyor Mount for Accepting Conveyor Belt Bends”.

The present application relates to the transfer of substrate carriers between electronic device assembly systems, in particular transfer systems and processing tools in assembly facilities.

Manufacturing an electronic device generally includes a continuous step of the process for substrates such as silicon substrates, glass substrates, semiconductor substrates, etc. (such substrates may be referred to as wafers regardless of whether they are patterned). . Those steps include polishing, positioning, etching, printing, exposure, heat treatment, and the like. In general, a number of different process steps may be performed in one processing system or “tool” that includes multiple processing chambers. However, in general, different treatments need to be performed at different treatment positions in the manufacturing facility, and therefore, the substrate needs to be transferred from one treatment position in the manufacturing facility to another. Depending on the type of electronic device being manufactured, relatively many processing steps need to be performed at many different processing locations within the manufacturing facility.

It is common to transfer substrates from one processing position to another within substrate carriers such as shield pods, cassettes, containers, and the like. In order to move the substrate carrier in a manufacturing facility or to transfer the substrate carrier to or from the substrate carrier transfer device, it is necessary to use an automated substrate carrier transfer device such as an automated guided vehicle, an overhead transfer system, a substrate carrier handling robot, or the like. It is also common.

For individual substrates, the entire assembly process from the formation or receipt of an unprocessed substrate to the cutting of the semiconductor or final substrate to another device requires elapsed time, measured weekly or monthly. Thus, in a typical assembly facility, a large number of substrates may be present at any given time as "in process operations" (WIP). Substrates present in assembly facilities as WIPs represent a large investment in work equipment, which tends to increase manufacturing cost per substrate. Thus, it is desirable to reduce the WIP amount of a given substrate workload for a manufacturing facility. To do so, the total elapsed time for each substrate treatment must be reduced.

In a first aspect of the invention, a method is provided for receiving a first signal indicative of a state of carrier contents associated with a tool. The state indicates whether (a) the carrier comprises one or more substrates to be processed by the tool, or (b) whether the carrier is empty or contains one or more substrates already processed by the tool. . A second signal is received that indicates that the carrier is ready to be removed from the port, and the carrier is transported based on the first and second signals.

In a second aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for transmitting a first signal from a tool indicating that all processed substrates have been removed from a particular carrier and that the particular carrier has been temporarily unloaded from the load port of the tool. A second signal is sent from the tool indicating that the particular carrier has returned to the tool.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method is provided wherein a tool requires a fab to temporarily unload a first in-access carrier from a load port associated with the tool. The tool also requires the fab to load the first inaccessible carrier to the loadport associated with the tool.

In a fourth aspect of the invention, a system is provided that includes a factory comprising at least one tool configured to receive a small lot carrier at a port associated with the tool. The tool is further configured to transmit a first signal indicative of the status of the contents of the carrier at the port. The condition may include (1) whether the carrier comprises one or more substrates processed by the tool, or (2) whether the carrier is empty or contains only one or more substrates already processed by the tool. Display. The tool may transmit a second signal indicating the carrier is ready to be removed from the port. The factory is configured to receive and respond to the first and second signals and to perform carrier transfer based on the signals.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, a communication device is configured to communicate with a fab including a loadport associated with a tool and an automated material handling system configured to load and unload carriers from the loadport and configured to receive signals from the tool. A tool is provided that includes a communication port. The tool transmits a first signal indicating that all substrates being processed have been removed from a particular carrier, and that particular carrier can be temporarily unloaded from the loadport, and the particular carrier can return to the tool. And transmit a second signal indicating that there is.

In a sixth aspect of the invention, a tool is provided having a plurality of loadports associated with a tool and a controller operative to communicate with the fab, the controller being configured to provide the fab with a first inaccessible carrier from the loadport associated with the tool. Request to unload temporarily, and request the fab to load the first inaccessible carrier to the loadport associated with the tool.

Other features and aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, the appended claims, and the drawings.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a control system of an electronic device manufacturing facility according to some embodiments of the invention;

2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a control system of an electronic device manufacturing facility according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

3 is a top end view showing an example of a carrier handler according to some embodiments of the present invention;

4 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for receiving a transfer command before a carrier reaches a carrier handler in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for terminating a transfer command regardless of the command execution state in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for predicting an instruction matrix for finding an instruction that may use an initial arrival that may be used in a carrier support in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

7 is a flow diagram illustrating an example process for storage using execution time for efficiently scheduling commands in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

8 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for removing an empty substrate carrier from a processing tool in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

9 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for recovery from a failed transfer in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

10 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for verifying whether stored state data is correct before performing a transfer in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

11 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for correcting handoff between a carrier handler and a transport system in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

12 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process using the extended capabilities of a modified operational rule in accordance with the present invention;

13 is a block diagram of an E87 loadport transfer state model having a number of deformation and / or expansion characteristics provided in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 14 shows a novel modified and / or expanded exemplary carrier state model that can be used to allow a tool to achieve its pit workload with low loadports and small lot sizes; And

15A-D show exemplary extensions of the carrier state variation definition of conventional SEMI E87.

The present invention provides a system and method for substantially improving the utilization of a tool in an electronic device manufacturing or assembly facility (fab). Conventional fabs generally operate according to a set of standard rules or protocols (ie, SEMI E87) developed basically for use with substrate carriers holding 25 or more substrates. However, the use of smaller lot sizes can provide greater efficiency characteristics. Unfortunately, the usual operating rules hinder the realization of the full benefit of the efficiency characteristics of the use of smaller lot sizes, and in some cases, actually lower the efficiency when smaller lot sizes are used.

The present invention provides a system and method that overcomes the drawbacks of conventional operating rules. The present invention provides modifications and / or extensions of conventional operating rules to allow for higher workloads using existing tools and smaller size lots. These modifications to conventional operating rules are generally characterized by adding two new aspects or capabilities to existing tools / factory or performance. The first extension to normal operating rules is to allow the tool to require the fab to temporarily unload inaccessible carriers at the tool's load port. Temporary unloading is an indication to the fab that a particular substrate carrier needs to be reloaded in the near future. A second extension of the normal operating rules is to allow the tool to require the fab to load a particular carrier into the loadport. This allows the carrier which has already been unloaded using the first capability to return to the tool at an appropriate (ie efficient) time. Together these extended capabilities allow the fab to free the tool's loadport, prevent the tool from waiting on the substrate being processed (ie, prevent the tool from resting), and thus allow the tool to realize maximum throughput To improve. The present invention provides the interface and performance required to operate the tool at peak workloads even when the carrier lot size is reduced below tool performance.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for operating a tool, load port and substrate carrier handler, for example, under the control of a material control system (MCS). The features of the invention are particularly advantageous for the use of single or small lot size substrate carriers. As used herein, the term "small lot size" substrate carrier or "small lot" carrier generally refers to a carrier configured to hold fewer substrates than a conventional "large lot size" carrier that holds 13 or 25 substrates. Means. As one example, the small lot size carrier is configured to hold less than five substrates. In some embodiments, other small lot size carriers (ie, small lot size carriers holding substrates less than one, two, three, four or five or more than the number of large lot size carriers) may be used. In general, each small lot size carrier maintains too few carriers for human transfer of carriers within an electronic device or other manufacturing facility.

In general, the tools of a fab (ie, processing tools, metrology tools, etc.) are designed to handle material (ie, substrates) that have reached the tools by a host or factory of a large lot (ie, lot size of 25 substrates). Large lots are reached by the factory to the tool of the substrate carrier (ie, factory (ie cassette or front-opening unified pod (FOUP)) (ie, human operator and / or automated material handling system (AMHS)). The substrates may be transferred between the substrate carrier and the tool via a port located in the tool, these ports are called load ports, and each load port is configured to receive a substrate carrier. The factory is the subject of the fab that communicates with the tools, and various implementations are possible, such as the MES itself and the cell controller.

Tools generally include a substrate carrier that includes the performance of the tool (ie, the number of substrates that can be processed in the current tool), the amount of work of the tool (ie, the number of substrates processed per hour), and the factory processed substrate. Depending on the number of elements, such as the time required to exchange for a substrate carrier including an unprocessed substrate, the number of load ports is designed to be limited (ie 1 to 4 load ports per tool). In light of the factory's normal operating rules, tool designers always have enough load ports on the tool, so that an unprocessed substrate is always present in the tool's load port, so that the tool can operate at its maximum efficiency and the availability of raw materials is insufficient. I will try not to.

In general, once the substrate carrier reaches the tool (ie, on the load port of the tool), until all the substrates that reach the tool of the substrate carrier for processing are processed by the tool and return to the substrate carrier, The substrate carrier will remain under exclusive control of the tool.

In some fabs, some “batch” tools (ie, tools that process more than one substrate at a time) receive input substrates that reach an unprocessed substrate, and the substrates with different output substrate carriers are processed from the batch tool. It can be used to move. In such a system, the placement tool may suggest to the factory that the processing of the input substrate carrier is complete and the input substrate carrier is empty. In such a placement tool, the factory needs to recognize this aspect and determine when and where to move the empty input substrate carrier. In other words, such a placement tool merely provides a "processing done" signal, and the factory needs to know that the input substrate carrier is empty by this signal.

In order to perform the exchange of substrate carriers (ie loading and unloading substrate carriers), tools and factories generally exchange information and in accordance with standardized normal operating rules commonly used in fabs (ie SEMI E87). Cooperate during the actual exchange of substrate carriers according to a defined set of tasks.

According to such rules, the tool is responsible for determining when one of its loadports becomes "ready ready" or "unloaded ready" of the substrate carrier. When one loadport prepares the substrate carrier to be long sided, the tool sends a message to the factory to prepare the loadport to accept the carrier (ie any carrier that needs processing and not one given carrier). Announce that The message sent by the tool includes a loadport identifier indicating which of the tool's loadports is ready to load. When the processing of the substrate carrier on the load port is complete (ie, processing of all the original substrates of the carrier that has been processed), the tool sends one or more messages to the factory to indicate that the substrate carrier on the load port is ready for unloading. Inform. The information sent to the factory in these messages generally includes a loadport identifier indicating which of the tool loadports are ready for unloading, and a carrier identifier for the particular substrate carrier. Finally, the tool also cooperates with a factory agent (ie, human operator or AMHS) responsible for loading and unloading substrate carriers to perform carrier exchange between the factory and the tool loadport. For example, this collaboration is typically governed by the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) E84 standard, which is named "Specification for Enhanced Carrier Handoff Parallel I / O Interface" in automation factories that use AMHS equipment.

The factory is responsible for receiving messages from tools that indicate that a given loadport is ready for carrier loading or unloading. If the tool loadport is ready for carrier acceptance, the factory determines which carrier must be reached after the tool loadport and then must dispatch an agent (ie, a human operating vehicle or AMHS) to reach that particular carrier. If the tool load port is ready for carrier unloading, the factory should be what the next destination of the carrier (i.e. storage or next processing / measurement tool) should be, unload the carrier from the tool load port and transfer the substrate carrier to the next destination. Decide if it should be placed.

As can be seen from the responsibilities defined by the conventional operating rules described above, the tools are not specific carriers and require any carriers to reach their loadport. The factory determines which carrier should be reached by satisfying this requirement. Similarly, the tools do not require the carrier to be unloaded from the load port until all of the processed carrier substrates have been processed and returned to the carrier. (The exception to this general operating roll set is the placement tools described above, where the destination / output carrier for the processed carrier is different from the source / input carrier, and the factory tells the tool to operate in this mode. As soon as the substrate is removed for processing, the tool requires the input carrier to be unloaded from the load port.)

Thus, based on conventional operating rules, the carrier occupies the tool load port in three distinct stages. That is, (1) a step in which the substrate carrier comprises an unprocessed substrate and the tool recovers these substrates for processing, (2) a step 2 in which the substrate carrier is emptied and awaiting the return of the processed substrate, and (3) the tool is It is three steps to place the processed substrate back to the substrate carrier. The first and third steps may overlap or exist simultaneously. If the first and third steps are present at the same time, the second step does not occur. However, on a tool with high performance (i.e., a tool with a larger number of substrates in the process than the number of substrates required to be processed in a given carrier), a second step takes place and for a long time compared to the first and third steps. Lasts. During this second phase, loadports, which are limited resources on the tool, are not used productively. This condition will be particularly true as the lot size (ie, the number of substrates per carrier) is sequentially reduced in the factory to reduce the fab cycle time and this will gradually worsen. If the lot size is further reduced and also reduced in the fab, conventional operating rules and processes will result in the load port being a bottleneck in tool productivity, and the tool will suffer from the lack of available raw substrate.

One possible solution to the problem that loadports become a bottleneck in tool productivity as lot size decreases is to add more loadports to the tool design. Adding more loadports allows for acceptance of smaller lot sizes, whereas this solution may not be practical unless tools are actually redesigned, manufactured, and re-installed on additional loadport additions. have.

The inventors of the present invention, by modifying and extending the usual operating rules commonly used to govern the interaction between the factory and the tool, reduce the fab resulting in the mainstay of tools equipped with only the usual number of loadports. It has been found that the problem of lot size can be avoided. According to the present invention, the load port utilization efficiency can be greatly improved by the factory and the tools exchanging information and cooperating to modify the normal operation rules in such a way that the load port is minimized the time for the second step described above. have. In particular, the factory / tool interaction is applied and extended so that once all unprocessed substrates are removed and the substrate carrier is waiting for refilling (i.e., otherwise, when the loadport is waiting in the second step described above), the substrate The carrier can be unloaded at the tool load port. The rules are further modified / extended to allow the unloaded substrate carrier to be reloaded into the tool loadport just before the tool places the processed substrate back on the carriers. These variations / extensions facilitate more efficient use of the load port since the amount of time spent by the substrate carrier on the load port in the second step is minimized. Thus, through such variations, tools can operate at peak workload rates with typical load port numbers, even when lot size is reduced.

The major difference between the conventional operating rules and the modified / extended operating rules of the present invention is that (1) the tool requires the factory to unload the carrier when it is empty (or does not contain any unprocessed substrate), The ability to determine if this carrier is needed later, and to inform the factory, and (2) to require that a particular carrier be reloaded onto the load port if the substrates that were originally in the carrier's tool are ready to be returned to the carrier. Is the ability to In this modified mode of operation, the responsibility of the tool and factory is redefined if they are under the usual operating rules described above.

Under the modified operating rules of the present invention, the tool remains with the associated loadports responsible for determining whether the carrier is "ready to load" or "unloaded". However, under modified operating rules, there may be additional situations in which the substrate carrier is loaded onto the load port of the tool. For example, if an additional unprocessed substrate is needed to put the processed substrate back into the substrate carrier, or if a specific substrate carrier (which has already been unloaded from the load port) is needed again, the load port loads the substrate carrier (ie, Ready to accept. In the case where the substrate is returned to a substrate carrier different from the substrate carrier in which the substrate originally reached the tool, the substrate carrier to be used by the tool is limited to the substrate carrier satisfying a predetermined criterion. For example, the tool may be selected to only use an empty substrate carrier or a substrate carrier configured to only receive some form of substrate.

Once the tool determines that the loadport is ready to load (ie, accept) the substrate carrier, the tool sends one or more messages to the factory to inform the factory of the tool's needs. The information exchanged in these messages includes the loadport identifier and the type of substrate carrier on which the loadport is ready for loading (ie, receiving). There may be different forms of substrate carriers. The first form can include any substrate with an unprocessed substrate (in which case the factory can determine the substrate carrier to reach the load port). The second form may comprise a particular substrate carrier. The substrate carrier may be identified by a substrate carrier identifier or other unique number (per substrate carrier) already agreed between the factory and the tool. The third form may include substrate carriers that meet certain criteria, ie, empty substrate carriers, substrate carriers configured to hold copper substrates, non-production (ie, dummy) substrate carriers, and the like. These forms and criteria of substrate carriers can vary between different fabs.

The loadport may be ready to unload the substrate carrier in the tool in a number of different situations. Once the normal substrate carrier has completed its processing, in other words, once all the substrates have been processed and returned to the carrier, the substrate carrier is ready to be unloaded (ie removed) at the load port. In addition, when all of the unprocessed substrates of the substrate carrier are removed for processing and the substrate carrier is no longer needed by the tool (ie, when the input and output substrate carriers for the substrates are different), the substrate carrier is loaded. Ready to unload (ie remove) from the port. In addition, when all unprocessed substrates of the substrate carrier are removed for processing and the substrate carrier is required by the tool after a certain time, the substrate carrier is ready for unloading (ie, removal) in the load port. One example of this situation is that the substrate must return to the same substrate carrier (ie, if the input and output substrate carriers are the same), but the second step for a time sufficient to justify later unloading and reloading of the substrate carrier. Can occur when staying at (described above).

If the tool determines that the substrate carrier can be unloaded at the tool's load port, the tool sends one or more messages to the factory to inform the factory of the tool's needs. The information sent to the factory in these messages includes the loadport identifier of the loadlift ready to be unloaded (ie ready to be removed) and the information belonging to the unloaded substrate carrier. Information pertaining to the substrate carrier being unloaded allows the factory to determine how to perform the required unloading. The information may include, for example, a substrate carrier identifier (ie, substrate carrier IC), an indication of whether the substrate carrier is unloaded later, and an evaluation of the time period before the substrate carrier is reloaded. This information allows the factory to unload the substrate carrier without placing the substrate carrier in the next processing step required under normal operating rules. This information also allows the factory to determine how close it is to the tool that stores the substrate carrier so that the carrier can be retrieved later / if needed.

Under the modified operating rules of the present invention, a factory agent (i.e. human operator, AMHS, etc.) responsible for loading and unloading the substrate carrier may be used to perform the exchange of the substrate carrier between the factory and the load port of the tool. The task remains in the tool. As mentioned above, this is generally governed by the SEMI E84 standard in automation factories using AMHS equipment.

The factory is responsible for receiving a message from a tool indicating whether a given loading port is ready to load or unload a carrier. Depending on the type of substrate carrier the load port of the tool is ready to receive (e.g., based on information sent by the tool), the factory may also provide an agent (e.g., For example, human workers, AMHS, etc.).

Once the tool's load port is ready to unload the substrate carrier, the factory is also responsible for determining how to anticipate the request based on the information provided as part of the "Ready to unload" request. Once the unloaded substrate carrier is complete (e.g. all substrates to be processed are processed and returned to the carrier), the factory will know what is the next destination for the substrate carrier (e.g. the reservoir or the next processing / measuring tool). Determine.

If the substrate carrier to be unloaded will later be reloaded, the factory will move the carrier to the storage location while waiting for a request from the tool to unload the substrate carrier and reload the substrate carrier.

When the tool provides an estimate indicating when the substrate carrier will be needed again, the factory uses this information to determine the preferred access of the storage location (to the tool) that stores the substrate carrier. If the substrate carrier must be stored at a significant distance from the tool, the estimated reload time also indicates that the factory pre-positions the substrate carrier closer to the tool prior to the actual reloading request for the substrate carrier, so that the tool It may also be possible to reduce the waiting time during the time that the substrate carrier is transported to the load port of the tool after requesting that the carrier be reloaded.

Once the factory has determined the next destination for the substrate carrier, the factory then dispatches an agent (e.g. human operator, AMHS, etc.) to unload the substrate carrier from the tool's load port to transport the substrate carrier to the next destination. You may.

In addition to the information exchanges described above, the factory may also provide information about the substrate carriers and their contents (ie, substrates) that are planned to be processed in the tool in the near future. This information allows the tool to better manage (ie, improve efficiency) the unloading of the substrate carrier to be reloaded later. For example, if additional substrate carriers are not waiting for processing in a given tool, there is no benefit from unloading the substrate carrier and a room for unprocessed substrate carriers (need to be reloaded later) is created. do. In another example, if the factory informs the tool of the number of unprocessed substrates in the substrate carrier that the factory plans to deliver to the tool, the tool may for example cause other substrate carriers currently in the second state described above to be removed from the tool. You can also decide if it should be loaded.

With reference to another aspect of the present invention, an enhanced carrier handler is suitable for receiving a transfer command for a carrier before the carrier actually reaches within the area of the carrier handler. This avoids having to wait until the carrier arrives and allows the carrier handler to avoid having to wait further for the MCS that issues the transfer command after notifying the MCS of the carrier's arrival. Therefore, using the present invention, the carrier handler can predict the arrival of the carrier and facilitate improved performance and scheduling.

The carrier handler of the present invention may be adapted to accept an end command followed by a previous transfer command that is canceled or aborted regardless of the state of the previous command. In other words, regardless of whether the transfer command is active or standby, a single end command can be used to minimize the standby transfer command or active transfer.

In addition, the carrier handler according to the present invention may be suitable for identifying a wait command that is available and executed using a carrier support that reaches the carrier handler fastest. The identified command is sequentially selected from the wait command for execution. This aspect of the present invention allows for improved throughput of the delivery system and the carrier handler by transporting the carrier more efficiently and avoiding unnecessary circulation around the manufacturing facility. Similarly, to further improve throughput, the wait command may be selected for execution based on actual or estimated time spent performing the selected command. The database may be adapted to store the time required to execute each different transfer and / or command the carrier handler to perform. In some embodiments, the scheduler for the carrier handler does not commit to execute transfer commands to / from the transfer system until the last possible moment before the carrier handler must begin to prepare for transfer based on evaluation / actual time in the database. You may not.

In addition, the carrier handler of the present invention may be suitable for removing empty carriers from associated tools to improve port availability. Therefore, the present invention may remove substrates from a tool in a carrier different from that in which the substrate there reached the tool. Tool “lack” can be avoided because the present invention facilitates ports made available to reach new carriers holding unprocessed substrates.

In some embodiments, the present invention allows the carrier handler to continue to operate even after a faulty transfer. Internal storage locations of the carrier handler of the present invention may be tracked in the database or through the use of other mechanisms. By determining that the transport to (or from) an internal storage location has failed, the internal storage location associated with the wrong transport can be marked as unavailable and removed from the list of unavailable locations.

In an alternative or additional embodiment of the present invention, the carrier handler may include a sensor that demonstrates that the transfer destination is available and unobstructed before actual transfer. That is, the state of the transfer destination can be sensed, for example using an electron mounted to the end effector of the carrier handler. The actual state can be compared with the stored state to detect any proximity and avoid any collisions. Similarly, it is determined whether the pressure sensor / weight transducer comprises a properly supported and / or predicted number of substrates, for example by a carrier handler.

The carrier handler according to the invention can also be adapted for self-calibration carrier handoff to / from the transfer system. Using a “calibration carrier” equipped with sensors and / or communication equipment, the carrier handler may have enough information to calibrate for handoff, for example by moving the calibration carrier past the carrier handler in the transport system. It may be. For example, the calibration carrier emits a signal indicating that the calibration carrier sensed that the end effector of the carrier handler failed to match speed with the calibration carrier at the last pass and the end effector needed to move the fastest. .

An electronics manufacturing or fabrication facility (fab) includes an overhead transport system (OHT system) that includes a plurality of carrier supports or “cradles” coupled to a continuously moving conveyor system suitable for transporting one or more substrate carriers around the facility. Can also be used. In particular, the moving conveyor system may comprise a band and a plurality of drive motors coupled to the band, the motor being suitable for moving the band.

In addition, such facilities may include tools or composite tools suitable for processing substrates during electronic device manufacturing. Each processing tool may be coupled to a respective carrier handler suitable for transferring substrate carriers between the tool and the moving conveyor system. In particular, each processing tool may be coupled to a respective carrier handler suitable for transferring the substrate carrier between the load port of the processing tool and the carrier support coupled to the band of the continuously moving conveyor system. In this manner, the substrate carrier may be transported around the facility.

In addition, the transport system includes a control system that is in communication with the moving conveyor system and suitable for the control operation of the conveyor system, and a plurality of carrier handlers that allow the substrate carrier to move where needed. With reference to FIG. 1, the control system 100 is in bidirectional communication with loading station software 104a-f (LSS) executing at or under the control of the substrate loading station and at each controller of a plurality of respective carrier handlers accommodated under the control. It may include a host or MCS 102. The host may include a manufacturing execution system (MES) that manages the operation of the MCS. The MCS 102 may also be bidirectional communication with a transport system controller 106 (TCS) that maintains operation of a transport system including a drive motor and a conveyor. In some embodiments, each LSS 104a-f may communicate with the TSC 106 to accurately exchange information about the status of the transport system. These parts and their operation are described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 2, it is particularly small and suitable for using a small lot sized substrate carrier such as a substrate carrier that holds significantly less substrates (ie, five or less) than a single substrate or twenty-five substrates. The cited fab 201 includes a high speed transfer system having several features that make it particularly suitable for using small lot carriers, which lot carriers include high speed, low maintenance costs; Constant moving conveyor system, carrier loading / unloading function that does not require the conveyor to stop or slow down; A conveyor used to physically support many carriers at once; A flexible conveyor that is easily adapted to the user in the required transport path; And control software suitable for efficiently managing transfer and conveyance between processing tools. These features are further described below.

United States Patent Application No. 10/650310, filed on August 23, 2003, entitled “System for Carrying Substrate Carriers,” (Representative Listing No. 6900) describes the movement during operation of the fab in which it functions. A substrate carrier transfer system or similar delivery system comprising a conveyor for continuously intended substrate carriers is disclosed. Constantly moving conveyors facilitate the transfer of substrates in the fab to reduce the overall "dwell" of each substrate in the fab.

In order to operate the fab in this manner, a method and apparatus may be provided for unloading a substrate carrier from the conveyor and loading the substrate carrier onto the conveyor while the conveyor is moving. United States Patent Application No. 10 / 650,480, filed August 23, 2003, entitled “Substrate Carrier Handler Unloading Substrate Carrier Directly from Moving Conveyor”, relates to a moving conveyor. Disclosed is a substrate carrier handler in a substrate loading station or " loading station " capable of performing loading / unloading operations.

Referring to FIG. 3, a substrate loading station 300 equipped with a carrier handler 302 includes a horizontal guide 306 that can move vertically along a controller 304, a frame 307, or rails, and a horizontal guide ( An end effector 308 that can move horizontally along 306. Other configurations (ie, robots that can move in more than two dimensions) may be employed to move the end effector 308 to effect the transfer. The carrier handler 302 / substrate loading station 300 may further include an internal storage location 310 or shelf / hanger for temporarily storing the substrate carrier 312. In addition, the port 314 for loading substrates with a processing tool (not shown) may be accessible to the carrier handler 302 or may be part of the substrate loading station 300 that houses the carrier handler 302.

Controller 304 may be implemented using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other similar device. In some embodiments, separate components may be used to implement the controller 304. The controller 304 is suitable for controlling and / or monitoring the operation of the substrate loading station 300 and one or more electrical and mechanical components, a system of the substrate loading station 300 described herein. The controller 304 may be suitable for executing loading station software as described above. In some embodiments, controller 304 may comprise any suitable computer or computer system, or may include any number of computers or computer systems.

In some embodiments, controller 304 may be or include any component or device that is typically used by or in communication with a computer or computer system. Although not shown in FIG. 3, the controller 304 may include one or more central processing units, ROMs, devices, and / or RAM devices. The controller 304 may also include an input device such as a keyboard and / or mouse or other pointing device, and a printer or printer or other device from which data and / or information is obtained, and / or a monitor for displaying information to a user or operator. It includes a display device such as. The controller 304 may be configured to store a transmitter and / or receiver or communication port / system / adapter, such as any suitable data and / or information, such as a LAN adapter to facilitate communication with other system components and / or in a network environment. It also includes any other computer component or system including one or more databases, one or more programs or sets of instructions for carrying out the methods of the present invention, and / or any physical devices.

In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, instructions of a program (ie, controller software) may be read into the memory of the controller 304 from other media, such as from a ROM device to a RAM device or from a LAN adapter to a RAM device. Execution of the series of instructions in the program causes the controller 304 to execute one or more processing steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, wire circuits or integrated circuits may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions for carrying out the processes of the present invention. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to any particular combination of hardware, firmware, and / or software. The memory may execute a software program to store software for a controller suitable for operating in accordance with the present invention, in particular the method of the present invention described in detail below. Portions of the invention are programs developed using an object oriented language that allows the modeling of complex systems with modular objects to create concepts representing the real world, physical objects and their correlations. Is embodied. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, as described above, will understand that a wide variety of programming techniques as well as many different ways of using general purpose hardware subsystems or dedicated controllers can be implemented.

The program may be compressed and stored in compiled and / or encrypted form. The program further includes useful program elements such as operating systems, database management systems and device drivers generally to allow the controller to connect computer peripherals and other equipment / components device drivers. Suitable general purpose program elements are known to those skilled in the art and need not be described in detail in the specification.

As noted above, the controller 304 may generate, receive, and / or store a database that includes data related to carrier location, command wait, actual and / or estimated command execution time, and / or internal storage location. have. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the schematic illustrations of the structures and relationships shown in the specification and the appended descriptions are merely exemplary arrangements. Any number of other arrangements may be employed other than those suggested by the prepared examples.

In operation, the substrate carrier 312 from the transport system 316 includes a moving conveyor (also referred to as “substrate carrier conveyor 316”) which transports the substrate carrier 312 and is handed over by the carrier handler 302. End effector 308 allows substrate carrier conveyor 316 to be transported by substrate carrier conveyor 316 (ie, by substantially matching substrate carrier speed in the horizontal direction). Is moved horizontally at a speed that matches the speed of. In addition, the end effector 308 may be maintained at a position adjacent the substrate carrier 312 by transporting the substrate carrier 312. Therefore, the end effector 308 may substantially coincide with the position of the substrate carrier 312, while substantially coinciding with the speed of the substrate carrier 312. Similarly, conveyor position and / or speed are substantially consistent.

While the end effector 308 substantially matches the speed (and / or position) of the substrate carrier, the end effector 308 contacts the substrate carrier 312 to remove the substrate carrier 312 from the substrate carrier conveyor 316. Separate. The substrate carrier 312 may similarly be loaded into the moving substrate carrier conveyor 316 by substantially matching the end effector 308 and the conveyor speed (and / or position) during loading. In at least one embodiment, such substrate carrier handoff between end effector 308 and substrate carrier conveyor 316 is substantially zero speed and / or acceleration between end effector 308 and substrate carrier conveyor 316. Is carried out in a difference.

US patent application Ser. No. 10 / 764,982, filed Jan. 26, 2004, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Transferring Substrate Carrier,” previously transfers substrate carriers between one or more processing tools in an electronic device manufacturing facility. Disclosed is a conveyor system in which the substrate carrier transfer system and / or carrier handler 302 described above may be employed. The conveyor system includes a ribbon (or band) that forms a closed loop in at least a portion of the electronic device manufacturing facility and conveys the substrate carrier therein. In one or more embodiments, the ribbon or band may be stainless steel, polycarbonate, composite material (ie, graphite carbide, glass fiber, etc.), steel or other reinforced polyurethane, epoxy laminate, stainless steel, fiber (ie, carbon fiber, Plastic or polymeric materials including glass fibers, the trademarks Kevlar, polyethylene, steel mesh, etc. available from DuPont, or other rigid materials. By directing the ribbon so that the thick portion of the ribbon remains in the vertical plane and the thin portion is in the horizontal plane, the ribbon is flexible in the horizontal plane and rigid in the vertical plane. This configuration allows the conveyor to be inexpensively configured and implemented. For example, the ribbon requires little material to construct and is easily manufactured and, due to its vertical rigidity / stiffness, supplementary support structure (roller or other similar used in belt conveyor systems conventionally horizontally positioned). Mechanism) to support the weight of multiple substrate carriers. Moreover, the conveyor system can be effectively customized as the ribbon is bent, flexed or otherwise shaped into a myriad of configurations due to its lateral flexibility.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the exemplary fab 201 includes a ribbon or band 203 that forms a simple loop 205 within the fab 201. Ribbon 203 may comprise one of the ribbons disclosed, for example, in US patent application Ser. No. 10/982. The ribbon 203 transfers a substrate carrier (not shown) between the processing tools 209 and includes a straight portion 211 and a curved portion 213 to form a (closed) loop 205. Other numbers of processing tools 209 and / or loop configurations may be employed.

Each processing tool 209 is a moving ribbon 203 of the conveyor system 207 as the ribbon 203 is handed over by a loading station 215 (as disclosed in previously incorporated US patent application Ser. No. 10 / 650,480). Carrier carrier in the substrate loading station or “loading station 215” of the processing tool 209 to unload the substrate carrier from or to load the substrate carrier onto the moving ribbon 203. For example, the end effector 308 (FIG. 3) of the loading station 215 is moved horizontally at a speed that substantially matches the speed of the substrate carrier by transferring the substrate carrier by the ribbon 203 and the substrate carrier being transferred. And ascend to be held in a position adjacent the substrate carrier, such that the end effector contacts the substrate carrier to separate the substrate carrier from the conveyor system 207. The substrate carrier may similarly be loaded onto the ribbon 203 by substantially matching the ribbon speed (and / or position) with the end effector 308 (FIG. 3) during loading.

Each loading station 215 has a substrate or substrate carrier with processing tool 209 and / or processing tool 209 (e.g. one or more docking stations, transfer positions that do not employ docking / undocking movements). It may include one or more ports (eg, load ports) or similar locations that are arranged for transfer from, although may be employed. Various substrate carrier storage locations or shelves may also be provided at each loading station 215 for substrate carrier buffering in the processing tool 209.

The conveyor system 207 may include a TSC 217 for controlling the operation of the ribbon 203. For example, the TSC 217 controls / monitors the speed and / or state of the ribbon 203, assigns carrier support of the ribbon 203 used to support / transfer the substrate carrier, and the state of such carrier support. Can be monitored and provided to each loading station 215 or the like. Similarly, each loading station 215 transfers the substrate carrier to / from the loading port, loading or unloading the substrate carrier to / from the loading station software (LSS, eg, conveyor system 207) for controlling the carrier handler. Or storage location of loading station 215 and / or storage location of loading station 215 and / or processing tool 209 provided by loading station 215). The MCS 221 communicates with the transport system controller 217 and the loading station software 219 of each loading station 215 to effect the same operation. The TSC 217, each LSS 219, and / or the MCS 221 may be a scheduler for controlling a scheduling schedule of operations executed for the TSC 217, each LSS 219, and / or the MCS 221. May not be used).

Process Description

The above-described system comprising hardware and software components is useful for practicing the method of the present invention. However, it will be understood that not all of the above described components are necessary to practice any of the methods of the present invention. In fact, in some embodiments, the above described system is not required to practice the method of the present invention. The above described system is an example of a system useful for practicing the method of the present invention, and a small lot sized substrate carrier such as a substrate carrier that holds a single substrate or in particular significantly less (i.e. 5 or less) substrates than 25 substrates. Very suitable for

4-11, a flow diagram illustrating some embodiments of the present invention that may be implemented using the system described above is illustrated. It is meant that the sequence and order of the exemplary steps of the various methods described herein, as well as the specific arrangement of elements in the flow charts of FIGS. 4-11, impose timing on fixed sequences, orders, amounts and / or steps. Not; Embodiments of the invention may be practiced in any sequence, order and / or in any possible timing.

The subregion where the flow method steps are described is described in detail. It should be noted that not all of these steps are required to practice the method of the present invention, and additional and / or alternative steps are also described below. In addition, the general steps illustrated in the flowcharts represent a feature of only some of the embodiments of the invention, which may be non-sequenced and combined and / or subdivided in a different number of different ways, so that the method of the invention is more numerous. It should be noted that it includes little or no actual steps. For example, in some embodiments, additional steps may be added to update and maintain the database described below. That is, the methods of the present invention may include any number of steps that are practical in carrying out several different inventions described herein.

As noted above, the MCS 221 is a carrier per day by sending orders from various facilities, including substrate loading stations / carrier handlers and transfer stations (the facility performs band transport to a band transferer not shown here). Is responsible for the delivery and storage of In some embodiments, a particular aspect of the carrier handler can be implemented according to an industry standard named SEMI E88-1103 standard “Specifications for AMHS Storage SEM (Stalker SEM), which is specifically controlled for compliant devices. Standardized commands and protocols for e. Similarly, the TSC 117 responsible for controlling the conveyor operation may be implemented according to the SEMI E82-0703 standard “Specifications for Interbay / Intrabay AMHS SEM (INSEM)”. Interaction with the tool's ports can be implemented in accordance with SEMI E84-0703 standard "Specifications for Enhanced Carrier Handoff Parallel I / O Interfaces" and handling of carriers is based on SEMI E87-0703 standard "Carrier Management (CMS)." Can be implemented in detail. These four standards were published by the Semiconductor and Materials International (SEMI, www.semi.org) of San Jose, California, USA, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Embodiments of the invention implement features beyond the functions described in the SEMI standards described above. More specifically, the present invention adds an improved SEMI E88 standard to further improve the efficiency and throughput of fabs using small lot size carriers. The general purpose in single or small lot size substrate processing is to reach a port of a SEMI E88 compliant stocker type device, such as a substrate loading station with a carrier handler, and to instruct the arrival and to move the carrier to the final destination. It is to reduce the delay that follows from the time between sending MCS. For carriers designed to hold a single substrate, the cumulative delay can be significant because the number of carriers that reach the carrier handler is more than 25 times greater than conventional delivery systems. The SEMI E88 specification provides for the arrival of the carrier to the load port of the associated substrate loading station (i.e. the shelf or similar intermediate storage location of the substrate loading station where the carrier can be transferred to the port of the processing tool provided by the substrate loading station). Only afterwards does the HOST / MCS send a transfer command to the carrier handler (ie stocker facility). This requirement is followed by a cumulative delay in moving the carrier to the destination port. According to the SEMI E88 specification, if a transfer command is issued to the stocker and no specific carrier is present in the stocker area, the stocker will respond with an error. Since the stocker performs instructions on the carrier and not in the stocker area, errors are appropriately generated according to the SEMI E88 standard.

SEMI E88  reinforce

Embodiments of the present invention extend SEMI E88 to allow the substrate loading station to accept a transfer command prior to the arrival of the associated carrier (ie, without prior knowledge of the presence of a particular carrier) with the prediction of carrier arrival. This enhanced transfer command can be identified as a "predicted carrier" by the use of additional parameters within that command. The substrate loading station may suspend the processing of this transfer command until a particular carrier enters the area of the substrate loading station. By entering the area of the substrate loading station, the predicted carrier command is processed in order of its priority to the wait of the carrier handler's command.

More specifically, in accordance with some embodiments of the implementation of the enhanced E88 details of the present invention, the substrate loading station may later return a response to the MCS where the command is completed. The substrate loading station may keep the command in the wait of the carrier handler until the carrier arrives, and when the carrier arrives, the command may be executed as MCS. In addition to avoiding introducing a delay wait for the transfer command after carrier arrival, the present invention also allows the scheduler of the substrate loading station to, for example, transfer from a transfer system instead of having to place newly arriving carriers into temporary storage locations. This allows for planning for more efficient carrier transfer to the port of the direct processing tool.

Referring to FIG. 4, an example process 400 is shown for executing a transfer command before the carrier arrives at the carrier handler. Process 400 begins at step 402. In step 404, possibly as a result of the source carrier handler loading the carrier into the transport system, for example, the MCS waits or determines that the carrier is to be delivered to the destination carrier handler. In step 404, before the carrier reaches the destination carrier handler, the MCS issues a transfer command to the destination carrier handler with a “predicted carrier” parameter set. In step 406, the destination carrier handler accepts and accepts the predicted carrier transfer command even though the particular carrier handler has not yet reached the destination carrier handler. In step 408, the processing of the predicted carrier transfer command is delayed until a particular carrier appears in the area of the destination substrate loading station (e.g., reaching the destination carrier handler). In step 410, the predicted carrier transfer command is waited for the command wait of the destination carrier handler to be processed in order based on priority in the wait. In step 412, the exemplary process 400 for accepting a transfer command before the carrier reaches the carrier handler ends.

In some optional embodiments, at step 408, the predicted carrier transfer command may be awaited by an instruction of the destination carrier handler to accept, and at step 410, execution of the predicted carrier transfer command is a prediction of the carrier. Schedules can be scheduled with orders based on the time of arrival.

The SEMI E82 and SEMI E88 standards define many commands for remote operation. In particular, two remote commands are defined for interruption and cancellation for use in terminating a transfer command in an automated material handling system. The abort command terminates the activation of a particular transfer command based on the command identifier while the command is active. The cancel command terminates the activation of a particular transfer command based on the command identifier while the command is in the wait or wait state.

Further improvements of SEMI E88 and E82 according to the present invention entail merging related instructions which were intended to apply different instruction execution states. For example, a stop command intended to end an active command and a cancel command intended to end a wait command may be merged into a single end command. The general purpose of single or small lot size substrate processing is to reduce the number of messages between SEMI E88 compliant stocker-type facilities such as HOST / MCS and substrate loading station. As noted above, the SEMI E88 specification requires the HOST / MCS to send a cancel command to cancel the transfer when in the standby state and to send a stop command to stop the transfer when in the active state. This requirement is followed by cumulative redundant messages, especially when HOST / MCS issues a cancel command and immediately changes the status of the transfer before the stocker processes these commands.

Embodiments of the present invention extend the SEMI E88 specification to allow for a new end command (ie, stop or cancel), which is followed by the cancellation or suspension of transfer depending on whether it is in standby or active state. Therefore, the new end command terminates the activation of a particular transfer command based only on the command identifier, regardless of the command status. As a result, the end command may be used instead of the stop or cancel command regardless of the command status. This usage requires less code to implement some functions.

Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary process 500 is shown for terminating a transfer command regardless of the execution status of the command. Process 500 begins at step 502. At step 504, the end command defines the stop or cancel transfer, whether the transfer is active, waiting or waiting. In step 506, the end command is issued by the MCS. In step 508, the substrate loading station controller receives the end command to determine the status of the transfer command identified in the end command. If a particular transfer command is waiting or waiting, the transfer command is canceled at step 510. If a particular transfer command is active, the transfer command is stopped at step 512. In either case, process 500 ends at step 514.

Estimation of Scheduling for Board Loading Stations

The carrier handler of the substrate loading station aggressively places or removes the carrier on / from a specific location (ie cradle or other support location) of the transfer system. Since the transfer system does not stop at the substrate loading station for such transfer, the carrier handler is in position to perform such transfer before reaching the target carrier support (ie, before the cradle supporting the carrier or the cradle into which the carrier is loaded). can do. The goal of the substrate loading station schedule is to ensure that positioning or removing the carrier on the carrier support of the substrate transfer system takes place first when the carrier support communicates with the substrate loading station.

In order to improve the chance of achieving this goal, the present invention provides a schedule of carrier handlers with expected characteristics in its logic to determine which transfer instruction in the instruction matrix initiates the next step. This expected characteristic is the first to initiate a transfer for loading (locating on a cradle) the carrier on the carrier support of the mobile conveyor or for unloading the carrier from the carrier support of the mobile conveyor (ie removing it from the cradle). Consider the estimated time to reach the support. For example, prior to performing a transfer to / from a port of a processing tool serviced by the substrate loading station, the scheduler logic of the substrate loading station also has the time necessary to perform such a transfer and sufficient time to perform such transfer. And whether the transfer is ready to / from the transfer system using the original arrival carrier support.

Referring to FIG. 6, an example process 600 is shown for estimating an instruction matrix to find an instruction that can use an initial arrival useful for a carrier support. The process 600 begins at step 602. In step 604, the carrier handler / substrate loading station determines or identifies a first arriving carrier support useful for satisfying the matrixed transfer command. If the carrier handler has a formatted transfer command that specifies the transfer of the carrier to the transfer system, the carrier handler will look for the first reached empty carrier support. Similarly, if the carrier handler has a matrixed transfer command that specializes in carrier transfer from the transfer system, the carrier handler will find the first arriving carrier handler that holds the carrier scheduled for the carrier handler.

In step 606, a first command in the matrix that can use the carrier identified from step 604 is determined. In step 608, before the execution of the first command determined in step 606 must begin to use the first arrival carrier support identified in step 604, the carrier handler must have some remaining time to perform another command. Determine whether it exists. If there is time, then at step 610, the carrier handler determines whether any other command can be completed, before the actual arrival identified at step 604 as the first arriving carrier support. If there are instructions that can be completed in time, then at step 612, those instructions are performed and the process flow returns to the determination of step 608. If there are no instructions that can be completed in time, the process flow may include (1) a new instruction added to the instruction matrix that can be completed before the first instruction determined in step 606 must be initiated, or (2) The process proceeds to a flow loop between steps 608 and 610 waiting for one of the passage of time that the first command determined at step 604 should begin to meet the carrier support identified at 604. Returning to step 608, in order to use the first arrival carrier support identified in step 604, there is no carrier time left to perform another command before the first command determined in step 606 must be started. If so, the first command is performed at step 604 and the process 600 ends at step 616.

Storage of transfer time

Another more general goal of the schedule of a substrate loading station is to maximize the number of carriers that can be reached at the port of the process tool involved so that the tool is not "deficient" (ie, the tool waits for the process to arrive at an additional substrate). There is no need to delay ) . The scheduler strives to balance the requirement to supply a new substrate to the tool and the requirement to maximize the number that can be reached (via the transfer system and carrier handler) by the HOST / MCS.

In order to optimize the workload, the scheduler can measure / determine and track the estimated and actual time for each of the movements that the carrier handler can perform or the different types of instructions that the carrier handler can perform. The scheduler's logic for selecting the next matrixed transfer to be initiated is, for example, the transfer time between the storage location and the process tool port, the transfer time between the storage location and the transfer system, the location for the transfer system and the handoff. You can use the time to move inside. In some embodiments, based on the evaluation time / actual time stored in the time tracking database, up to the last possible moment needed to move the carrier handler to a location for such handoff, the scheduler transfers the transfer associated with the handoff to / from the transfer system. The carrier handler may not be used to perform. More generally, the scheduler is associated with an external event (i.e. handoff of the transfer system or completion of substrate processing in the process tool) until the last possible moment before the carrier handler has to start executing commands relating to the external event. The carrier handler may not be used to perform the command. In other words, the execution of a command associated with or not interacting with and not under the control of the external equipment of the carrier handler / substrate loading station is delayed such that the execution of the command is caused by the action of the external device (i.e. reaching the carrier support at the substrate loading station). ) Can be synchronized appropriately.

Referring to FIG. 7, an example process 700 is shown that stores and uses sufficient execution time to schedule commands. The process 700 begins at step 702. In step 704, information relating to the execution time of the various carrier handlers is stored. The information may be a record of the actual execution time measured during the execution of the command. In some embodiments, the information can be an assessment of performance time based on a calculated value or average of the actual measured time. The information may be, for example, the amount of time it takes to transport the carrier between the various storage locations and the various tool ports, and between the various storage locations and the transport system, and the time required to move the carrier handler to a location for handoff with the transport system. (Ie, time to prepare for handoff to / from the transfer system). The information can be stored in a storage device (ie, memory, hard drive, etc.) as a database, table or any other number of structures or formats.

In step 706, the carrier handler selects a transfer command for execution from among the instructions in the command matrix based on the information stored in step 704. For example, a lower priority command that can be completed before the next carrier support arrives at the carrier handler may be selected for execution, such a lower priority command being the most / maximum of the carrier handler at that time. Indicates efficient use (ie instead of just waiting for carrier support to arrive to perform high priority commands).

In step 708, if the selected command is associated with an external event, until the last possible moment at which the selected command that can be completed with respect to the external event begins (i.e., the selected carrier support has to arrive or another command has to be started) Carrier handler may delay the actual execution of the selected command. By delaying the actual execution of the selected command associated with the external event until the last moment, another command can be scheduled before the selected command, thus improving the workload without the risk of negatively impacting the workload. In step 710, process 700 ends.

SEMI E84 Of E87  Reinforcement

 According to SEMI E 84 criteria, once the carrier reaches the load port of the process tool, the tool does not release control of the carrier until all substrates have been processed and returned back to the carrier. The port indicates that the carrier is ready for removal by updating the carrier's SEMI E87 state model and the carrier's SEMI E84 signal associated with the load port. Changes in the SEMI E84 state model indicate to the HOST / MCS that the transport system should be arranged to remove carriers from that port. As mentioned above, this protocol is not suitable for single or small lot size substrate carrier systems, the tool may be deficient and the protocol handles too much between the host and the tool and between the HOST / MCS and the substrate loading station. May result. In addition, operating a protocol with a small lot size can result in load port density (ie, a long wait time for the load port to be useful for accommodating new substrates). In a single substrate carrier system, if the tool can handle more substrates than the number of available ports, the tool may be deficient.

The present invention allows the substrate to reach one carrier which is returned to a different carrier. In order to allow the removal of the carrier as soon as the carrier is emptied, the SEMI E84 state machine is changed in the present invention so that the state machine contains sufficient information so that the substrate loading station can automatically act on this information. In addition, the SEMI E84 state transition signal may be modified to include information about the carrier state as empty / performed. The variation may also implicitly include information about the SEMI E87 state model (ie, "Ready to Load", "Transfer Block", "Unloading Empty Ready", and "Ready to Perform Unloading" of the carrier). According to the present invention, when the carrier is in one of the " unloading empty ready " or " ready to unload performance " state, it does not require a HOST / MCS command to remove the carrier from the port.

Returning to FIG. 8, a process example 800 for removing an empty substrate carrier from a processing tool is shown. The process 800 begins at step 802. In step 804, the carrier handler receives a status signal at the port of the process tool on which the carrier handler operates. The status signal may indicate that (a) the carrier at the port contains at least one unprocessed substrate, or (b) the carrier is empty or only contains a processed substrate. At step 806, the second status signal may be received by the carrier handler from the port. The second status signal may indicate that the carrier is ready to be removed from the port. In step 808, the carrier handler can determine whether the carrier has been removed because the carrier is empty or contains only a substrate processed based on the first signal. Otherwise, in step 810, the carrier handler waits for a new first signal indicating that the contents of the carrier have changed. Once the contents of the carrier have changed, the process returns to step 808 again. If at step 808 it is determined that the carrier is empty or only contains a processed substrate, the carrier handler removes the carrier from the port at step 812. Process 800 ends at step 814.

Number of failed transfers

According to the present invention, the scheduler and the carrier handler recover from most failure conditions to use the substrate loading station as long as the hardware of the carrier handler fails and cannot be moved or the movement of the carrier handler only causes damage to the carrier or the substrate. can do.

If the transfer fails because the carrier handler cannot pick up or locate the carrier from the internal storage location, the location is marked as useless but processing of other transfer requests can be safely moved from the location associated with the failure without damage to the carrier. As long as possible, it can continue. If after a failure, the carrier is still on the end effector of the carrier, the carrier is placed in a different storage location so that the carrier handler can be used to carry out other transfer commands.

 Returning to FIG. 9, a process example 900 for recovery from a failed transfer is shown. The process 900 begins at step 902. In step 904, the carrier handler determines or recognizes that carrier transfer failed at or from an internal storage location of the carrier handler substrate loading station. In some embodiments, for example, the robot of the carrier handler may not be able to position the carrier because movement of the robot is hampered by the carrier present at the target predetermined position. In step 906, information indicating that the internal storage location associated with the failure in step 904 is unavailable may be stored in a memory device (i.e. memory, hard drive, etc.) of a database, table or other structure or format. Can be. In this way, transfer to unusable storage locations can be prevented. In step 908, another optional storage location or other location of the substrate loading station may be determined. In step 910, if the carrier is still present on the carrier handler's robot (ie has not dropped as a result of the failure detected in step 904), the carrier is placed in the optional storage location determined in step 908. Can be located. Process 900 ends at step 912.

Verification of using sensors

If an internal software database error occurs at the controller of the carrier handler, or in some cases the host / MCS, the transfer causes a collision of the two carriers which may damage the substrate. In some embodiments, damage to the carrier / substrate is prevented by the end-effector of the robot / carrier handler to mount a sensor to validate the handoff or transfer prior to actual handoff.

Returning to FIG. 10, a process 1000 of verifying whether suit state data is correct before performing a transfer is shown in FIG. 10. The process 1000 begins at step 1002. In step 1004, the location of each carrier in the carrier handler rule can be tracked and stored in a storage device (ie, memory, hard drive, etc.) as a database, table or any other number of other structures or formats. The governing area of the carrier handler includes all processing tool ports, internal and external storage locations, carrier support loading / unloading areas, end effectors, etc., under the control of the carrier handler. In step 1006, the status of each possible transfer planned position (ie, processing tool port, internal and external storage locations, carrier support loading / unloading area, end effector, etc.) is tracked to a database, table or other structure or format. May be stored in a storage device (ie, memory, hard drive, etc.) as any other number. In step 1008, before the transfer to the target destination is performed, the exact location of the carrier to which the one or more physical sensors are transferred is known, and can be used to verify that the transfer destination is available and ready for access. Process 1000 ends at step 1010.

Correction of handoff

Whenever a substrate loading station with a carrier handler is installed and added to a transfer system, handoff to / from the transfer system is necessary for correction. The correction of such handoffs is preferably done in a way that does not interfere with the continuous operation of the conveying system (ie without stopping the conveyor). In some embodiments, the carrier support on the transport system includes a particular carrier (ie, sensor, camera, other measuring device for use during calibration, a controller and / or communication equipment such as a wireless transmitter and receiver) to enable calibration. For a tooled carrier). The correction of handoff to / from the transfer system can be determined between the TSC software and the loading station software acting on the controller of the carrier hander, without HOST / MCS with any information of the calibration process. The carrier support position, including the "calibration carrier", can be known to both LSS and TSC software.

Returning to FIG. 11, a process 1100 for handoff correction between the carrier handler and the transfer system is shown without stopping the transfer system. The process 1100 begins at step 1102. In step 1104, a carrier handler / substrate loading station is installed near the transfer system. In step 1106, the calibration carrier is moved past the carrier handler of the transfer system. In step 1108, the interaction between the carrier handler and the calibration carrier begins in response to the calibration carrier passing through the carrier handler. In some embodiments, the calibration carrier transmits position and velocity information wirelessly to a carrier handler equipped with a receiver. Alternatively or additionally, for example, various information may be transmitted to the calibration carrier indicating that the calibration carrier approaches the carrier handler and that the calibration carrier is in a loading area such as a carrier handler. In step 1110, the information obtained and / or determined from the calibration carrier moved through the carrier handler may be stored in a storage device (ie, memory, hard drive, etc.) as a table or any other number of other structures or formats. . In step 1112, the carrier handler is corrected based on the information stored in step 1110. Process 1100 ends at step 1114.

12, a method 1200 of using the extended capabilities of the modified actuation rules of the present invention is shown. The method begins at step 1200. In step 1204, the tool requires the fab to temporarily unload an inaccessible carrier (ie, the substrate carrier in the aforementioned second state) from the load port associated with the tool. This capability frees the load port and allows the raw substrate to move into the tool. Normal operating rules do not allow such a request. In addition, conventional placement tools (ie, these tools follow the factory's instructions) that instruct the factory to be removed after the input carrier has been emptied treat such carriers as complete carriers as opposed to inaccessible carriers and such complete carriers are removed. When they are temporarily removed. In other words, the placement tool does not instruct the factory that these carriers require reloading, nor does it instruct any form of carrier that requires "ready to load" in the placement tool.

At step 1206, the tool can optionally indicate to the fab a time period during which inaccessible carriers are temporarily unloaded from the loadport. This allows the factory to make known decisions about how far inaccessible carriers can be stored from the tool without any delay. In some situations, the factory tends to begin the process of moving an inaccessible carrier to an intermediate position or returning an inaccessible carrier to a tool based on this information. In some cases, the factory may determine that no additional carriers may be used to bring the tool to the tool in a time period indicating to temporarily remove inaccessible carriers, and thus the factory may decide not to remove inaccessible carriers.

In step 1208, the fab actually removes the inaccessible carrier from the tool if it is advantageous to do so. The inaccessible carrier is then transported to a storage location possibly determined based on the time period during which the inaccessible carrier is temporarily unloaded from the aforementioned load port.

In step 1209, the tool can determine which carrier will require loading to the factory. This second carrier can be any carrier that the factory wants to reach, a special carrier (ie, already unloaded previously temporarily), or a carrier that meets certain criteria.

In step 1210, in response to the request in step 1209, the second carrier (ie, the unprocessed carrier, the carrier the factory wants to reach, the carrier that meets certain criteria, etc.) has been emptied by the inaccessible carrier. The port is reached. Once the second carrier is empty (possibly the second inaccessible carrier), it is removed (ie temporarily) and transferred to a storage location. In step 1214, the tool requires the fab to load (ie, return) a specific original inaccessible carrier to the tool to receive the processed substrate from the tool. Thus, the request may include a carrier identifier so that a particular carrier can return. In some embodiments, the request may selectively characterize one carrier based on some criteria. For example, the criterion may specialize an empty carrier, a carrier configured to hold a copper substrate, or a carrier that can reach within 20 seconds with the ability to hold at least two substrates. The method 1200 ends at step 1216.

In particular embodiments, the present invention may be implemented as an extension of the SEMI E87 standard (hereinafter "traditional E87"). The completed SEMI E87 standard is available from SEMI ^R (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International), 3081 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95134.

Section 9.5 of conventional E87 provides a loadport transfer state that forms a host view of carrier transfer, and section 9.5.4 includes a loadport transfer stage transition table that forms various variations available under conventional E87. In accordance with the present invention, in order to allow the tool to (host) load a particular carrier or to indicate whether the carrier is temporarily unloaded (ie, because the carrier will be needed in the future), a conventional E87 is defined as "Standard E87 "By adding a loadport transfer state machine that can be modified and / or expanded. These variations and / or extensions are compatible with conventional E87. The modified and / or expanded states described herein provide for load port availability in cases where the lot size is smaller in the carrier (compared to tool capability) and the load port becomes a bottleneck that impacts tool productivity. It is useful to improve.

Figure 13 is a block diagram of an E87 loadport transport state model with various deformation and / or expansion characteristics provided in accordance with the present invention. Expanded and / or modified properties are shown in bold. For example, under conventional E87, with respect to the number of load port transfer state transitions (see E87 9.5.4 Load port transfer state transition table, number 5), when entering the transport ready state, the sub-state Prepares for unloading (if carrier exists), otherwise the sub-state prepares for loading.

According to the invention, when the variation number 5 is deformed and / or expanded to enter the transport ready state, the sub-state is either unload ready or unload-temporary (if a carrier is present), otherwise, The sub-state may be load ready or load-specific ready. That is, additional sub-states of unload-temporary preparation and load-special preparation may be provided.

If the state is load-specific ready, the data needed to be available for this event report includes (1) the port ID, (2) the carrier ID (which identifies the carrier the factory needs to load), and ( 3) carrier properties (if the tool desires any carrier that meets certain properties). The possible values may be, for example, 1: you and 2: empty.

If the status is Unload-Temporary, the data required for use in this event report includes (1) port ID, (2) carrier ID, (3) port transport status, and (4) carrier access status (typically Inaccessible).

Additional variations can also be included in the E87 loadport transport status model. For example, a typical E87 load port transfer state transition table contains ten variations. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, an eleventh variation can be added from the previous state of transfer block to the state of new load special preparation. Similar (or same) triggers used for the variation 8 in the conventional E87 loadport transfer state variation table can be used. However, if the tool is required to load a particular carrier (combined with a special carrier ID or other characteristic) by the HODT, a variation 11 may be taken instead of the variation 8. Certain carriers can now be loaded onto the load port from an external object. The data required to use for this event report includes (1) port ID, (2) port transport status, (3) carrier ID (to identify the carrier the factory needs to load), and (4) carrier characteristics. (The tool wants some carrier that satisfies certain characteristics). This possible value may be, for example, 1: non and 2: empty.

In some embodiments of the invention, a twelfth variation can be added from the previous state of transfer block to the state of new load temporary preparation. Similar (or identical) triggers used for the variation 9 in the conventional E87 loadport transfer state variation table can be used. However, if the tool wants to instruct the HOST that the carrier is temporarily unloaded and needs to be reloaded in the future, a variation 12 may be taken instead of the variation 9. This serves as an indication to keep the carrier close to the tool. The carrier on the load port is now unloaded from the load port to an external object. The data needed to use for this event report includes (1) port ID, (2) carrier ID, (3) port transport status, and (4) carrier access status (which will generally be inaccessible).

Section 10.2.5 of conventional E87 describes carrier object destruction, and section 10.3 of typical E87 describes carrier characteristic definitions relating to hosts and equipment for managing reports and history on carrier objects. According to some embodiments of the invention, modified and / or extended (additional) carrier characteristic definitions may be provided (ie, table 6 of section 10.3.4 of E87). For example, the carrier characteristic may be included as a characteristic that identifies the type of carrier that the tool requires to be loaded on the tool port. This is only necessary if the tool implements the extensions of the present invention. The access of the carrier characteristic may be lead only RO, for example, and the characteristic is not required. The format of the carrier characteristic may be, for example, text of 1 to 80 characters, although other form formats and / or sizes may be used. By default, every fab understands "empty", meaning empty carrier. The text is in free form and meaningful to the fab. For example, the text of "EMPTY-EOL" can be used as a carrier characteristic to indicate an empty carrier that can be used in the EOL area of the fab.

Section 10.7 of a typical E87 describes the carrier state model used to define the host view of the substrate carrier. In accordance with the present invention, FIG. 14 illustrates a novel modified and / or expanded carrier that can be used to allow the tool to reach peak workloads with less loadports and less lot size (ie, 25 wafer lot sizes are commonly used). The state model is shown. This model may be similar (or identical) to the model specialized for SEMI E87-0703, except for the modified and / or expanded states and / or variations provided in accordance with the present invention. Exemplary modifications and / or cremated states and variations are shown in bold in FIG. 14 (ie, variations 21-30).

Section 10.7.4 of typical E87 provides a carrier state variation table that identifies the trigger and expected aspects of the exemplary carrier object. In accordance with the present invention, the modified and / or extended triggers and expected aspects are provided as identified in FIGS. 15A-D, which show an extension of the carrier state variation definition of a typical E87. (Figures 15A-D are also referred to as extension "Table 7" in the definition of the carrier state variation of E87). In particular, extensions of the Carrier State Variation Definitions of E87 Definitions 22-30 in Table 7 provide for the expected aspects of the extended and / or modified triggers and exemplary carrier objects. The number entry in FIGS. 15A-D corresponds to the reference number provided on the arrow in FIG. 14.

In at least one embodiment of the invention, the entries in the Table 7 Carrier State Variation Definitions of E87 Section 10.7.4.1 may be configured not to apply to NEEDS loading (the Carrier State Variation of E87). Extension of Definitions See entry 25 of FIG. 15B of Table 7. Also, if a load request for a carrier in in-access unload is initiated, but if the fab does not have this carrier, or if the fab reaches this carrier but the slot map verification fails, it was originally present from this carrier. It is necessary to reassociate the substrates with different carriers so that they can be unloaded automatically.

Section 19 (Table 37) of a typical E87 defines the variable requirements for CMS equipment. In addition to the variable data definitions provided in Table 37 of section 19 of conventional E87, carrier characteristic variables are provided in accordance with the present invention to identify the type of carrier the tool requires to be loaded on the load port. This is only necessary if the tool implements the extensions specific to it. In at least one embodiment, this variable can be 1 to 80 characters of text, although other shapes and / or lengths may be used. By default, every fab understands an "empty" which means an empty carrier. The text is in free format and useful for fabs. For example, a test of "EMPTY-EOL" can be used as the carrier property to indicate an empty carrier that can be used in the EOL region of the fab. Other variations and / or extensions of conventional E87 may be provided.

The foregoing descriptions describe variations of only certain embodiments of the invention, and variations of the above-described methods and apparatus that fall within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the present invention is directed to transferring and / or processing such substrates and / or whether any form of substrates such as silicon substrates, glass substrates, masks, reticles, wafers, etc. are patterned or unpatterned. Can be used for devices.

Thus, while the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments, it will be understood that other embodiments are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims (22)

As a method, Transmitting from the tool a first signal indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a particular carrier and that the particular carrier can be temporarily unloaded from a loadport of the tool; Transmitting a second signal from the tool indicating that the particular carrier can be returned to the tool; And Performing the transfer of the carrier based on the first and second signals Wherein the step of performing the transfer is adapted to receive the first and second signals and operable to remove an empty carrier to make the load port available for a second carrier. Performed by a carrier handler, Way. The method of claim 1, The first signal may further indicate a period of time during which the particular carrier can be temporarily unloaded from the load port of the tool, Way. The method of claim 1, Removing the particular carrier from the tool and transferring the particular carrier to a storage location, Way. The method of claim 3, wherein Loading another carrier on the load port emptied by the particular carrier, Way. As a device, A load port associated with the tool; And A communication port configured to communicate with a fab including an automated material handling system configured to load and unload carriers from the load port and receive signals from the tool Including, the tool, Transmit a first signal indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a particular carrier and that the particular carrier can be temporarily unloaded from the load port, and And transmit a second signal indicating that the particular carrier can be returned to the tool, The first and second signals are sent to a carrier handler coupled to the tool and configured to perform transfer of the carrier, the carrier handler being configured to remove the empty carrier to make the load port available for the second carrier. Operation, Device. The method of claim 5, The first signal may further indicate a time period during which the particular carrier can be temporarily unloaded from the load port of the tool, Device. The method of claim 5, The fab is configured to remove the particular carrier from the tool, transfer the particular carrier to a storage location, and load another carrier on the load port emptied by the particular carrier, Device. As a method, Requesting a Fab to temporarily unload a first in-access carrier from a loadport associated with the tool; Indicating to the fab a time period during which the first inaccessible carrier is temporarily unloaded from the load port associated with the tool; Removing the first inaccessible carrier from the tool and transporting the first inaccessible carrier to a storage location; Loading an unprocessed carrier on the load port emptied by the first inaccessible carrier; Requesting the fab to load the first inaccessible carrier to a loadport associated with the tool; And Loading the first inaccessible carrier to the load port from the storage location Wherein the removal and loading of the first inaccessible carrier and the unprocessed carrier is configured to receive the requests, and the first inaccessible carrier to make the loadport available for the unprocessed carrier. Performed by a carrier handler operable to remove Way. The method of claim 8, Loading a second inaccessible carrier on the load port emptied by the first inaccessible carrier, Way. As a device, Multiple load ports associated with the tool; And Controllers that operate to communicate with the fab Including, the controller, Request the fab to load a first inaccessible carrier to a loadport associated with the tool, and And request the fab to temporarily unload the first inaccessible carrier from the loadport associated with the tool when all unprocessed substrates in the inaccessible carrier have been removed for processing, The controller is configured to request the fab to load an unprocessed carrier on the loadport emptied by the first inaccessible carrier, A carrier handler is configured to perform the loading and unloading requests, and is operable to unload the first inaccessible carrier such that the loadport is available for the unprocessed carrier, The controller is further configured to indicate to the fab a time period during which the first inaccessible carrier is temporarily unloaded, The controller is further configured to request the fab to load a second inaccessible carrier on the load port emptied by the first inaccessible carrier, Device. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

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