JPH11176717A - Production method for semiconductor device, production management method/device for the semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a production method for a semiconductor device, especially which can substantially shorten the production lead time of a wafer process, reduce work in process, and supply the semiconductor device in a form which is close to just-in-time. SOLUTION: A work process for producing respective semiconductor devices is extricate, based on the production plan of the semiconductor device (step S1). Then, the work process is sequentially divided into work blocks which are the group of processes within a prescribed limited time (step S2). Actual scheduling is executed at respective scenes, so that the processing of the respective work blocks is advanced in synchronization with prescribed common reference time divided for respective line ducts at all the scenes in a line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the production of an arbitrary semiconductor integrated circuit, and more particularly to a method of producing a semiconductor device capable of shortening the production lead time and reducing the number of products in process. The present invention relates to a production management method and an apparatus therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As semiconductor technology and integration technology progress,
In recent years, all types of electronic circuits have been configured as semiconductor devices and incorporated in devices, contributing to improved reliability, reduced size, and lower prices of the devices. Such a semiconductor device has a very long and complicated manufacturing process, and therefore has a very long production lead time, usually one month or more. However, recently, the life of a set product has been shortened, and there is an increasing demand for a timely supply of semiconductor products. Therefore, a large number of in-process products (intermediate inventories) are provided in the manufacturing process, thereby responding to a request from a manufacturing site of a set product. In particular, in a wafer process that greatly affects the production lead time, semiconductor devices are manufactured in such a state that wafers are flowed in large batch lots and have a large number of in-process products.

[0003]

However, in a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having such a large number of in-process products, a semiconductor device cannot be efficiently produced as a result, and improvement is required.

[0004] For example, in the above-described wafer process, since the process is complicated, rules for the flow of wafers for leveling the in-process in the entire process are not determined, and the cost of manufacturing equipment is high. There is a tendency to collectively process the same product in order to increase the production yield in order to recover the product as soon as possible, resulting in a large batch lot of wafers being washed away and having an excessive intermediate stock. A wafer lot flown in a large batch without a flow rule necessarily causes a longer production lead time, and thus a problem arises in that the number of wafer lots out of demand prediction is increased. Once the demand forecast is deviated, the intermediate inventory must be depreciated or written down, resulting in a large loss and, consequently, an increase in the unit price of properly supplied semiconductor products. I have.

[0005] Further, once a product is started in the wafer process, processing is started with priority given to a product with high accuracy of order information, which further confuses the site and causes a large variation in a long production lead time of the wafer process. Is generated. These facts make it difficult to grasp process control and process capability. Further, in such a semiconductor device production method, the supply of the semiconductor device to the end user is also roughly performed, and the amount of the supplied semiconductor device is also large at once. Parts cannot be supplied properly to the set-office establishments that have

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device capable of providing a semiconductor device in a form close to just-in-time, in which the production lead time of a wafer process is significantly reduced, the number of products in process is reduced, and the like. To provide a production method. Another object of the present invention is to significantly reduce the production lead time in the production of semiconductor devices, particularly in the wafer process, reduce the number of products in progress, and supply semiconductor devices in a form close to just-in-time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device production management method and an apparatus therefor.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, each step of the wafer process is classified into steps for each predetermined unit time, and a manufacturing process is performed at each stage based on the unit time. The product was allowed to flow to the next process every hour.

Therefore, the method for producing a semiconductor device according to the present invention extracts a process for producing a desired semiconductor device, and converts the extracted process into a work block in which the entire processing time is within a predetermined time. In each of the time zones that are sequentially divided into blocks and separated by the predetermined time,
The process of each step of each of the blocked work blocks is performed, and the result of the process is transferred to a subsequent work block at the time zone delimiter to produce the semiconductor device.

Further, according to the production control method of a semiconductor device of the present invention, a process for producing a desired semiconductor device is extracted.
The extracted steps are sequentially blocked into work blocks such that the entire processing time is within a predetermined time, and a time zone divided for each of the predetermined times is set. Properly performed every time period,
The production state of the semiconductor device is managed so that the result of each step is transferred to a subsequent work block at the time zone break.

Further, the semiconductor device production management device of the present invention comprises a process extracting means for extracting a process for producing a desired semiconductor device, and a process extracting device for setting the entire process time within a predetermined time. Blocking means for sequentially blocking the work blocks into such work blocks as described above, and each of the blocked work blocks is appropriately performed in each of the time zones divided by the predetermined time, and the result of each of the steps is obtained. And a management means for managing a production state of the semiconductor device so that the semiconductor device is moved to a subsequent work block at the time zone break.

Preferably, the extracted steps are divided into blocks by the types of equipment used in each step, the presence / absence of equipment commonly used in a plurality of steps, the number of wafers suitable for loading into each equipment, This is performed based on all, any one, or any plurality of conditions, such as the arrangement of each facility and the number of managers required to manage the blocked process. Specifically, the predetermined time Y is obtained by Expression 3.

[0012]

Y = (production time during a predetermined period) / (amount of wafers to be produced during the predetermined period) × (processed wafer amount in one time zone) (3)

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a semiconductor device production management method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, an outline of a semiconductor device production management method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a production management method for the semiconductor device. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, processes such as work extraction (step S1), work blocking (step S2), and scheduling (step S3) are performed on a semiconductor device to be produced, and the production is performed. Manage.

First, a work process for producing each semiconductor device is extracted based on a production plan established based on demand for the semiconductor device and the like (step S1). At this time, conditions such as the time required for each process, the equipment used in each process, and the number of lots that are efficient for performing each process are also extracted and grasped at the same time.

Next, the work process is sequentially divided into work blocks which are a group of processes within a predetermined time limit (step S2). For that purpose, first, the time limit (hereinafter, this is referred to as line tact) is determined based on the amount of wafer production at a semiconductor factory. This line tact is obtained by Expression 4 assuming that the production volume of the line is X lots per day.

[0016]

(Line tact) = (factory operating time) / X (4)

Then, each process obtained in step S1 is divided into blocks each having a processing time within the line tact. At this time, 1 block contains 1
Steps that can be processed by the operator are collectively blocked. If there are a plurality of processes using the same equipment, the process is divided into blocks while considering that all processes of a plurality of work blocks including the processes can be processed in one line tact. Specifically, each of these work blocks is a work block with a margin. If the process does not complete within the line tact, or if it is better to collect multiple lots in order to perform the process efficiently, add a flag or comment to that effect. 1 work block.

Finally, the work actually performed at each site is scheduled (step S3). Actual scheduling is performed at each site so that the processing of each work block proceeds in synchronization with a predetermined reference time that is common to all sites in the line and is divided for each line tact. Normally, at each site, processing of each step of the assigned work block for the lot to be processed may be performed from the beginning of each line tact period. On the other hand, at a site having a facility in which a process for using the facility is set in a plurality of work blocks, scheduling such as the order in which the plurality of work blocks are performed in the line tact is performed. . Further, at a site where a predetermined work block is performed over a plurality of line tact periods, a work schedule or the like over a plurality of line tact periods at the site based on a situation where products are provided from a previous process. To determine.

The work is performed at each site based on the schedules determined as described above, whereby the production of semiconductor devices is performed in a properly managed state.

Next, a production control method for the semiconductor device will be described with reference to a specific example. First, when a production plan is set for a certain semiconductor device, in step S1, for example, a production process of the semiconductor device as shown in FIG. 2 is extracted. Each step in FIG. 2 is performed in order from the previous step by patterning (LCS.
PR), visual inspection of the pattern (LCS.OPT), automatic inspection of the pattern (LCS.MES), nitride etching (SIN.ET), automatic inspection of the pattern (SI
N. MES), etching (SN.ET), visual inspection (SN.OPT), automatic inspection (SN.MES),
Cleaning in the P-well formation step (PWL.WSH), its patterning (PWL.PR), and its visual inspection (PWL.O)
PT), ion implantation (PWL.II) and the like.

Next, the line tact is calculated. Here, in the normal wafer process, 2 lots (1 lot is 25 sheets, 2 lots = 2 × 25 sheets = 50 sheets)
In many cases, line tact is considered in units of two lots. For example, if the number of production lots per day is 16 lots, Equation 3
Although the line tact is 1.5 h, the line tact is 3 h because two lots are used as a reference.

Then, the respective steps shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 shows the result of sequentially forming blocks for each process that can be performed within (180 minutes). Hereinafter, each of these work blocks will be referred to as a kitchen.

Finally, at each manufacturing site, scheduling is performed for sequentially completing assigned work within line tact. When the equipment to be used is used for only one process and there is no work block, as shown in FIG. 4, the process of the process using the equipment for the work block is started from the start time of each line tact. You can do it.

On the other hand, at a site having equipment commonly used by a plurality of processes set in a plurality of work blocks, a diagram is provided so that the plurality of processes can be completed within a line tact period. As shown in FIG. 5, the line tact period is further time-divided, and the processing for the site or the facility is scheduled. For example, such expensive scheduling such as an implant is often set.

On the other hand, at a site having equipment for performing batch processing in units of lots exceeding two lots as a processing unit, a plurality of line tact periods for acquiring a lot to be processed are extracted, as shown in FIG. Then, the operation schedule of the facility is determined in accordance with the schedule, that is, the processing is scheduled.

Then, based on the plan thus scheduled, the production of the semiconductor device is started.
At each site, the work blocks set as shown in FIG. 3 are sequentially processed within the line tact period, and the intermediate products resulting from the processing are sequentially provided to subsequent processes in synchronization with the line tact period. Such a processing flow is schematically shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the management of these processes is performed based on the line tact period and the work block in units of these.

When it is necessary to supply a small number of lots, such as prototypes and urgent lots, to the production line in such a form, the scheduling is already performed as shown in FIG. The start time of the processing may be moved within the line tact period, for example, an idle time spanning two line tact periods may be created, and the lot may be flown there. In this way, it is possible to easily know a method of passing a small lot without affecting the production of the main lot.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by managing the production of semiconductor devices in such a manner, for example, the progress of each lot can be managed based on the line tact period and the work block. It can be easily performed and simple and detailed management is possible. In addition, since the production lead time (= line tact time × the number of work blocks) and the number of in-process works (= the number of work blocks) can be clearly grasped, unnecessary work in progress is reduced and the production lead time is reduced. It can be significantly reduced. As a result of applying this management method to actual lines,
Compared to the conventional method, both the production lead time and the number of processes in process could be reduced to 以下 or less.

The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, the semiconductor device production management method described above can be implemented as an apparatus in any form. For example, an apparatus having a configuration such as an ordinary personal computer having an arbitrary input / output unit, a storage unit, and an arithmetic processing unit includes a production process for each type of semiconductor device, a time required for each process, equipment used in each process, If data such as the arrangement status of the equipment is stored, and the above-described management method is set as a program, only inputting a semiconductor device to be produced can be performed to identify processes, form work blocks, and schedule. Can be automatically performed.

Further, such processing may be performed as a dedicated management device. Also, in such a device,
The method of outputting the result of the scheduling may be any method. The scheduling result may be printed out on paper or may be displayed on a display. Alternatively, only the scheduling result of the relevant location may be directly displayed on the site of each work block to give the support to the worker. Further, the obtained result may be further processed to output, for example, a work instruction to a worker as shown in FIG.

[0031]

As described above, according to the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention, the production lead time is greatly reduced, the number of products in process is greatly reduced, and just-in-
A semiconductor device can be manufactured in a form close to time. In addition, the use of the semiconductor device production management method and the device of the present invention significantly reduces the production lead time,
The number of products in process can be significantly reduced, and the production of semiconductor devices can be managed so that the semiconductor devices can be supplied in a form close to just-in-time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a production management method for a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing process for producing an extracted semiconductor device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state where each step shown in FIG. 2 is blocked.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a scheduling state of normal work in each facility.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a work scheduling state when the same equipment is commonly used in a plurality of steps of a plurality of work blocks.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a work scheduling state for a process in which one batch process exceeds one line tact period.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a production method in units of work blocks.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the production state of a semiconductor device is managed based on a work block and a line tact.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a work scheduling state when an interruption occurs in a small number of lots such as a prototype.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a work time schedule created by an operator based on a scheduling result.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A process for producing a desired semiconductor device is extracted. The extracted processes are sequentially divided into work blocks such that the entire processing time is within a predetermined time. In each of the divided time zones, the processing of each step of each of the divided work blocks is performed, and the result of the processing is transferred to a subsequent work block at the time zone delimiter, For producing semiconductor devices. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracted steps are divided into types of equipment used in each step, presence / absence of equipment commonly used in a plurality of steps, a suitable number of wafers to be supplied to each equipment, 2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement is performed based on all, one, or any of a plurality of conditions necessary for managing the blocked process. Production method. 3. The predetermined time Y dividing the time zone is given by the following equation (1).
2. The method for producing a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein: ## EQU1 ## Y = (production time during predetermined period) / (amount of wafers produced during the predetermined period) × (processed wafer amount during one time period) (1) 4. A process for producing a desired semiconductor device is extracted, and the extracted processes are sequentially divided into work blocks such that the entire processing time is within a predetermined time. Each of the divided work blocks is appropriately performed for each of the time zones, and the result of each process is transferred to a subsequent work block at the time zone delimiter. Thus, a semiconductor device production management method for managing the production state of the semiconductor device. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the extracted steps are classified into a type of equipment used in each step, presence or absence of equipment commonly used in a plurality of steps, a suitable number of wafers to be put into each equipment, 5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the arrangement is performed based on all, one, or any of a plurality of conditions necessary for managing the blocked process. Production control method. 6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined time Y is obtained by Expression 2. Y = (production time during a predetermined period) / (amount of wafers to be produced during the predetermined period) × (processed wafer amount in one time zone) (2) 7. A process extracting means for extracting a process for producing a desired semiconductor device, and a block for sequentially dividing the extracted process into work blocks whose entire processing time is within a predetermined time. Means, and each of the blocked work blocks is appropriately performed in each of the time zones delimited by the predetermined time, and the result of each step is a work block of a subsequent stage at the time zone delimiter. And a management unit for managing a production state of the semiconductor device.