摘要:
A manufacturing execution system (MES) with virtual-metrology capabilities and a manufacturing system including the MES are provided. The MES is built on a middleware architecture (such as an object request broker architecture), and includes an equipment manager, a virtual metrology system (VMS), a statistical process control (SPC) system, an alarm manager and a scheduler. The manufacturing system includes a first process tool, a second process tool, a metrology tool, the aforementioned MES, a first R2R (Run-to-Run) controller and a second R2R controller.
摘要:
A dual-phase virtual metrology method is disclosed for considering both promptness and accuracy by generating dual-phase virtual metrology (VM) values, wherein a Phase-I conjecture step emphasizes promptness by immediately calculating the Phase-I virtual metrology value (VMI) of a workpiece once the entire process data of the workpiece are completely collected; and a Phase-II conjecture step intensifies accuracy, which does not re-calculate the Phase-II virtual metrology values (VMII) of all the workpieces in the cassette until an actual metrology value (required for tuning or re-training purposes) of a selected workpiece in the same cassette is collected. Besides, the accompanying reliance index (RI) and global similarity index (GSI) of each VMI and VMII are also generated.
摘要:
A dual-phase virtual metrology method is disclosed for considering both promptness and accuracy by generating dual-phase virtual metrology (VM) values, wherein a Phase-I conjecture step emphasizes promptness by immediately calculating the Phase-I virtual metrology value (VMI) of a workpiece once the entire process data of the workpiece are completely collected; and a Phase-II conjecture step intensifies accuracy, which does not re-calculate the Phase-II virtual metrology values (VMII) of all the workpieces in the cassette until an actual metrology value (required for tuning or re-training purposes) of a selected workpiece in the same cassette is collected. Besides, the accompanying reliance index (RI) and global similarity index (GSI) of each VMI and VMII are also generated.
摘要:
An advanced process control (APC) system, an APC method, and a computer program product, which, when executed, performs an APC method are provided for incorporating virtual metrology (VM) into APC. The present inventions uses a reliance index (RI) and a global similarity index (GSI) to adjust at least one controller gain of a run-to-run (R2R) controller when the VM value of a workpiece is adopted to replace the actual measurement value of the workpiece. The RI is used for gauging the reliability of the VM value, and the GSI is used for assessing the degree of similarity between the set of process data for generating the VM value and all the sets of historical process data used for building the conjecturing model.
摘要:
A server, a system and a method for automatic virtual metrology (AVM) are disclosed. The AVM system comprises a model-creation server and a plurality of AVM servers. The model-creation server is used to construct the first set of virtual metrology (VM) models (of a certain equipment type) including a VM conjecture model, a RI (Reliance Index) model, a GSI (Global Similarity Index) model, a DQIx (Process Data Quality Index) model, and a DQIy (Metrology Data Quality Index) model. In the AVM method, the model-creation server also can fan out or port the first set of VM models generated to other AVM servers of the same process apparatus (equipment) type, and each individual fan-out-acceptor's AVM server can perform automatic model refreshing processes so as to gain and maintain its VM models' accuracy.
摘要:
A server, a system and a method for automatic virtual metrology (AVM) are disclosed. The AVM system comprises a model-creation server and a plurality of AVM servers. The model-creation server is used to construct the first set of virtual metrology (VM) models (of a certain equipment type) including a VM conjecture model, a RI (Reliance Index) model, a GSI (Global Similarity Index) model, a DQIx (Process Data Quality Index) model, and a DQIy (Metrology Data Quality Index) model. In the AVM method, the model-creation server also can fan out or port the first set of VM models generated to other AVM servers of the same process apparatus (equipment) type, and each individual fan-out-acceptor's AVM server can perform automatic model refreshing processes so as to gain and maintain its VM models' accuracy.
摘要:
A method for evaluating reliance level of a virtual metrology system is disclosed. In this method, a reliance index (RI) and a RI threshold value are calculated by analyzing the process data of production equipment, thereby determining if the virtual metrology result is reliable. Besides, in this method, a global similarity index (GSI) and individual similarity indexes (ISI) are also provided for defining the degree of similarity between the current set of process data and all of the sets of historical process data used for establishing the conjecture model, thereby assisting the RI in gauging the degree of reliance and locating the key parameter(s) that cause major deviation.
摘要:
A virtual production control system (VPCS), and a virtual production control method and a computer program product thereof are provided. At first, the VPCS processes historical work-in-process (WIP) information and a current shipping plan sent from a supplier side, thereby obtaining a plurality of sets of WIP input/output historical data and a goods output schedule. Then, the VPCS performs an integer programming (IP) method to find the latest output schedule in accordance to the current shipping plan; uses a genetic algorithm (GA) to fit the historical distributed-parameters; adopts a neural network (NN) method to predict the future distributed-parameters of production; and finally utilizes a Petri Nets to simulate and obtain a latest feasible input schedule and a latest feasible output schedule.
摘要:
A generic service management system is disclosed. The generic service management system comprises a registration scheme; a search-and-execution scheme; and a detection-and-replacement scheme, used for detecting and replacing the invalid service provider, such as a semiconductor equipment manager. The present invention provides a GEV (Generic Evaluator) having the capabilities of error-detecting and data backup, and further combines Jini infrastructure and the programming technology of design by contract. The GEV archives the credit values of all the service providers for letting a client (such as a factory manager) to select a service provider having a higher credit value. The GEV periodically backups the execution status and parameters of service providers, so that, in case a service provider has errors, its backup information of execution status and parameters can be assigned to another service provider for continuously executing the unfinished job, thereby enhancing the reliability of distributed object-oriented systems. The present invention can detect abnormal behaviors, such as system crash, errors in transmitting information and degradation of performance, etc., and is suitable for use in production systems that are connected by networks, such as semiconductor manufacturing systems, optical telecommunication production systems, etc.
摘要:
An equipment management method for managing semiconductor equipment via an equipment manager. In the equipment management method, production scenario rules and equipment behavior rules are first defined respectively in a production scenario database of a configuration controller and an equipment behavior database of an equipment driver. Them, a command is received from a manufacturing execution system (MES), and is converted into a production process scenario by looking up the corresponding production scenario rule in the production scenario database. Thereafter, the production process scenario is converted into a GEI (generic equipment interface) message with a GEI message specification, and the GEI message is transmitted to the equipment driver. Then, the GEI message is converted into equipment communication messages regulated by an equipment communication protocol by looking up the corresponding equipment behavior rule in the equipment behavior database. Then, the equipment communication messages are transmitted to equipment.