JPH11330200A - Lot supplying method and system thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable effective change of processing condition. SOLUTION: When a reticle is changed as the change of treatment condition in a stepper 6, a reservation condition informing means 16 of the stepper 6 informs a newly set reticle as a reservation reticle to a supply control unit 10, prior to the change of reticle. When a reservation reticle is informed from the reservation condition informing means 16, a delivery control means 24 of the supply control unit 10 indicates supply of a lot conformable to the reticle to a stocker 4. That is, before the stepper 6 changes the reticle, a lot to be treated with a new reticle is delivered from the stocker 4. In the stepper 6, all the lots supplied to the stepper 6 which contains the lot to be treated with the reticle before the change can be treated by changing to the new reticle, in the step that the new lot is supplied.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and a system for efficiently supplying lots, such as semiconductor substrates, stored in a stocker to a processing device when the lots are sequentially processed by a processing device such as a stepper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional lot supply system. The lot supply system 102 shown in FIG. 8 includes a stocker 104, a processing device 106, a supply device 108, and a supply control device 110. The stocker 104 stores a plurality of lots, for example, semiconductor substrates, and stores, for example, the processing apparatus 10 as a stepper.
6 sequentially exposes a lot continuously supplied from the stocker 104 by a predetermined reticle. Stocker 1
The transfer of the lot from 04 to the processing device 106 is performed by the supply device 1
08 is performed under the control of the supply control device 110.
The supply control device 110 selects a lot according to which reticle is used for processing in the processing device 106, and controls the stocker 104 to supply the lot to the processing device 106. The stocker 104 supplies a lot to the supply device 108 based on an instruction from the supply control device 110. In FIG. 8, reference numerals 1A, 2C, 3B, 4A, 5A, 6B
Represents each lot, the alphabet A attached to the code,
B and C represent the difference in the type of each lot. In the example of FIG. 8, the lot 1A is currently processed in the processing device 106, and the lot 4A of the same type is
In the middle of transportation. Lots 2C, 3B, 5A, and 6B are stored in the stocker 104.

In such a lot supply system 102, when the processing unit 106 changes processing conditions, that is, when the reticle to be used is changed, the processing unit 106
Informs supply controller 110 which reticle to use. Upon receiving the notification, the supply control device 110 selects a lot to be processed by the notified reticle, and sends the lot of that type to the stocker 104.
To instruct. Based on this instruction, the stocker 104 successively supplies lots conforming to the changed reticle to the supply device 108, and the supply device 108
Is transported to the processing device 106 and supplied.

[0004] Therefore, the processing unit 106 is, for example, FIG.
After the processing of the lot 1A shown in the above is completed, the reticle to be used is changed to a reticle for processing the lots 3B, 6B, etc., and the fact is notified to the supply control device 110. Lots 3B and 6B are delivered. The change of the reticle is required, for example, when many lots of a specific type remain in the stocker 104 and the number of lots is to be equalized among lot types. For example, in the example of FIG. 8, by changing to a reticle that conforms to the lots 3B and 6B, the number of stocks of that type of lot in the stocker 104 decreases.

[0005]

However, the processing apparatus 10
Even if the reticle is changed after finishing the processing of the lot 1A, the lot 4A is in the process of being conveyed as shown in FIG.
Will be supplied to Of course, this lot 4A cannot be processed with the changed reticle, and thus such a lot was conventionally returned to the stocker 104 manually. In FIG. 8, as an example, only the lot 4A is shown as a lot being transported. However, in actuality, there are many lots being transported, and some lots are waiting in the processing device 106.
The operation of returning these lots to the stocker 104 has been very troublesome.

In order to solve this problem, a processing unit 106
When changing the reticle, it is also possible to adopt a method in which the delivery of the lot from the stocker 104 is stopped prior to the change, and the reticle is changed after all the lots being conveyed or waiting are processed. However, in this case, when processing is started with a new reticle, the processing device 106 is in a standby state until the first lot matching the reticle is supplied from the stocker 104 to the processing device 106. This causes a new problem that the operation efficiency of the processing device 106 is reduced.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and its object is to change the processing conditions.
An object of the present invention is to provide a lot supply method and a lot supply system in which all lots that have left stockers can be processed by the processing device without lowering the operation rate of the processing device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a stocker for storing a plurality of lots, a processing device for sequentially processing the lots sequentially supplied from the stocker under predetermined processing conditions, A supply device that transports the lot from the stocker and supplies it to the processing device; and a supply control device that controls the stocker to supply the lot that meets the processing conditions in the processing device to the processing device. A method for controlling the supply of a lot from the stocker to the processing device in a system in which the stocker selects the lot based on an instruction from the supply control device and supplies the lot to the supply device; When the processing condition is changed, a processing condition newly set prior to the change of the processing condition is set as a reservation processing condition. A reservation condition notifying step of notifying the supply control device from the above, and when the processing device notifies the supply control device of the reservation processing condition, supply of the lot conforming to the processing condition, from the supply control device, A delivery control step for instructing a stocker.

Further, the present invention provides a stocker for storing a plurality of lots, a processing device for sequentially processing the lots sequentially supplied from the stocker under predetermined processing conditions, and A supply device for supplying to the processing device, and a supply control device for controlling the stocker to supply the lot conforming to the processing condition in the processing device to the processing device, wherein the stocker is provided from the supply control device. A lot supply system that selects the lot based on an instruction and supplies the selected lot to the supply device, wherein the processing device reserves the processing condition to be newly set prior to the change of the processing condition when the processing condition is changed. A reservation condition notifying unit for notifying the supply control device as a condition, wherein the supply control device transmits the reservation condition notification of the processing device. When the reservation processing condition is notified from the unit, characterized in that it comprises a goods issue control means for instructing the supply of matching the lot on the process conditions to the stocker.

In the lot supply method according to the present invention, in the reservation condition notifying step, when the processing condition is changed in the processing device, a processing condition newly set prior to the change of the processing condition is notified from the processing device to the supply control device as a reservation processing condition. When the processing device notifies the supply control device of the reservation processing condition in the delivery control step, the supply control device instructs the stocker to supply a lot conforming to the reservation processing condition. Further, in the lot supply system according to the present invention, the reservation condition notifying means of the processing device includes, when the processing condition in the processing device is changed, the processing condition newly set prior to the change of the processing condition as the reservation processing condition. When the reservation processing condition is notified from the reservation condition notification means, the delivery control means of the supply control device instructs the stocker to supply a lot conforming to the reservation processing condition.

Therefore, before the processing device changes the processing condition, the stocker issues a lot to be processed under the new processing condition from the stocker, and the processing device changes the processing condition to the new processing condition when the lot is supplied. Thus, all the lots to be processed under the processing conditions before the change and the lots supplied to the processing apparatus can be processed. Therefore, it is not necessary to manually return the lot supplied to the processing apparatus to the stocker after the processing condition is changed as in the related art. Also,
Since the lot to be processed under the old processing condition and the lot to be processed under the new processing condition are continuously supplied without any interval, the operation rate of the processing apparatus does not decrease.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a lot supply system according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the lot supply system of FIG. Hereinafter, an embodiment of a lot supply system according to the present invention will be described with reference to these drawings, and at the same time, an embodiment of a lot supply method according to the present invention will be described. In addition,
In the figure, the same elements as those in FIG. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lot supply system 2 of the present embodiment includes a stocker 4, a stepper 6 (a processing device according to the present invention), a supply device 8 (AGV8), and a supply control device 10. It is configured. The stocker 4 stores a plurality of lots, and the stepper 6 stores the lottery.
The sequentially supplied lots are sequentially processed under a predetermined processing condition, that is, using a predetermined reticle. The lot is a semiconductor substrate in the present embodiment, and the stepper 6 performs an exposure process using a reticle on a lot sequentially supplied from the stocker 4.

The transfer of the lot from the stocker 4 to the stepper 6 is performed by the supply device 8 under the control of the supply control device 10. The supply control device 10 selects a lot according to which reticle is used for processing by the stepper 6, and controls the stocker 4 to supply the lot to the stepper 6. Then, the stocker 4 supplies the lot specified by the supply control device 10 to the supply device 8. In the present embodiment, the supply device 8 is specifically an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) with a robot arm.
Vehicle).

As shown in more detail in FIG. 1, the stepper 6 has two ports 12, 14,
Processing is performed alternately on the lots arranged above. That is, for example, when processing is performed on the lot of the port 12 and another lot is conveyed, that lot is arranged on the port 14 and enters a standby state. When the processing for the lot of the port 12 is completed, the stepper 6
Then processes the lot at port 14. By providing the stepper 6 with a plurality of ports in this manner, the stepper 6
Can process lots one after another without waiting for the lots to arrive, and the operation efficiency of the stepper 6 is improved.

As shown in FIG. 1, the stepper 6 supplies processing conditions, that is, a reticle to be newly set prior to the change of the reticle when changing the reticle to be used (here, also referred to as a reserved reticle). The stepper 6 further includes a reservation condition notifying unit 16 for notifying the reservation reticle and a reservation reticle separately from a current reticle (here, also referred to as an actual reticle).
Condition switching means 20 for switching the real reticle to the reservation reticle set by the reservation condition setting means 18 when a lot to be processed is supplied by the reservation reticle, and supply control for supplying a new real reticle when the real reticle is updated. The current condition notifying means 22 for notifying the device 10 is further included. The reservation condition notifying unit 16 notifies the supply control device 10 of a reservation reticle newly set by the reservation condition setting unit 18 when the reservation condition setting unit 18 updates the setting content.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, when a new reservation reticle is notified from the reservation condition notifying means 16 of the stepper 6, as shown in FIG. 1, the supply of a lot conforming to the reticle is supplied to the stocker 4. Delivery control means 2 to instruct
4 and the delivery control means 24 includes the reservation condition notifying means 16
The condition storage means 26 stores the reservation reticle notified from the reticle and the name of the real reticle notified from the current condition notification means 22. If the condition storage means 26 stores only the actual reticle name, it matches the real reticle. And the stocker control means 28 for instructing the stocker 4 to supply a lot conforming to the reserved reticle when the condition storage means 26 stores the reserved reticle name. I have. The reservation condition notifying means 16 and the current condition notifying means 22 of the stepper 6 and the retrieval control means 24 of the supply control device 10 are specifically, for example, a CPU, a ROM in which program data for operating the CPU is stored, and It can be constituted by a microcomputer having a RAM or the like.

In this embodiment, each lot is provided with a bar code serving as lot identification information (ID), and the stocker 4 and the stepper 6 use a bar code reader (not shown) to display the bar code of each lot. By reading the code, the type of the lot, that is, which reticle is to be processed by the reticle can be identified.
The condition switching means 20 identifies the supplied lot by this function, and switches to a reticle suitable for the identified lot. In order to find a suitable reticle from the identification information read from the bar code, for example, a method of inquiring a host computer using lot identification information as a key can be adopted. As a method of identifying the type of a lot, besides using a barcode, for example, an ID card having a data storage function is attached to each lot, and data for identifying the lot is attached to the ID card.
It is also possible to store the data of the reticle to be used, and the stocker 4 and the stepper 6 to read the data.

Next, the operation of switching the reticle in the lot supply system 2 configured as described above will be described. FIGS. 3 to 5A to 5D are operation explanatory diagrams showing states of the stocker and the stepper in each operation stage of the lot supply system, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the lot supply system. Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to these drawings as appropriate. As shown in FIG. 3A, initially, the two ports 12, 1
No. 4 is not provided with a lot, and the reticle is a reticle A for processing lots 1A, 4A and the like.
Is set as the actual reticle, and the reserved reticle is not set. The stocker 4 has lot 1
A, 2A, 3A, 4C, 5B, and 6B are stored. On the other hand, in the supply control device 10, it is assumed that the condition storage unit 26 stores only the name of the reticle A as the actual reticle according to the notification from the stepper 6.

In this state, when the stepper 6 requests the supply controller 10 to supply a lot, the supply controller 10
Since the condition storage means 26 stores only the name of the reticle A, the stocker control means 28 searches the stocker 4 for a lot conforming to the reticle A, and finds the lot 1A having the longest waiting time among the lots. Choose. And stocker 4
To the AGV 8 to supply the lot 1A to the stepper 6. As a result, the stocker 4 supplies the lot 1A to the AGV 8, and the AGV 8 conveys the lot 1A to the stepper 6 ((B) in FIG. 3).

When the lot 1A arrives at the stepper 6, the stepper 6 places the lot at the port 12 and starts processing, while the other port 14 is free, so that
The stepper 6 sends a supply request for the next lot to the supply controller 10.
(FIG. 3C). On the other hand, the stocker control means 28 of the supply control device 10
A lot matching the reticle A is searched for in the stocker 4, and as a result, the stocker 4 and the AGV 8 are instructed to supply the lot 2A to the stepper 6. The stocker 4 unloads the lot 2A based on the instruction, and the AGV 8 conveys the lot 2A toward the stepper 6 ((D) in FIG. 3).

At this point, it is assumed that the operator decides to change the reticle of the stepper 6 from the reticle A to the reticle B. The reticle exchange is performed, for example, when the number of lots of each type waiting to be processed in the stocker 4 is leveled among types, or when priority processing of a specific type lot is requested. At this time, the operator reserves the reticle B with the stepper 6 by a predetermined operation, and as a result, the reservation condition setting means 18 of the stepper 6 sets the reticle B as a reservation reticle separately from the actual reticle (step S1). Along with this setting, the reservation condition notifying means 16 supplies the reservation reticle newly set by the reservation condition setting means 18, that is, the reticle B, to the supply control device 1.
0 (FIG. 4A; step S2).

In the supply control device 10, this notification is received by the condition storage means 26 of the delivery control means 24, and the name of the reticle B, which is the already stored reticle A, is stored as the name of the reserved reticle. (Step S3). Thereafter, when the lot 2A arrives at the stepper 6, the lot 2A is arranged on the port 14 of the stepper 6 and enters a standby state (FIG. 4B). Then, when the processing of the lot 1A is completed in the stepper 6, the processing of the lot 2A is subsequently started, and the processed lot 1A is removed from the port of the stepper 6.
As a method of removing the processed lot from the stepper 6, for example, a method of removing the lot by the AGV 8 and transporting it to the stocker 4 again can be adopted.

When the port 12 becomes empty, the stepper 6 requests the supply control device 10 to supply the next lot ((C) in FIG. 4). In the supply control device 10, the stocker control means 28 of the delivery control means 24 receives this request, and first checks the contents stored in the condition storage means 26. In this case, since the name of the reticle B is stored as the reserved reticle, the stocker control means 28 instructs the stocker 4 to take out a lot conforming to the reticle B (step S4). The stocker 4 selects the lot 5B based on this instruction and supplies the lot 5B to the AGV 8. The AGV 8 transports the lot 5B to the stepper 6 under the control of the supply control device 10 and supplies the lot 5B to the stepper 6. (D in FIG. 4 and (A) in FIG. 5).

When the processing of the lot 2A is completed in the stepper 6, the lot 2A is removed from the stepper 6, and thereafter, the stepper 6 starts processing the lot 5B arranged in the port 12. In the stepper 6, the processing target is the lot 5B, and this lot is a reservation reticle, that is, a lot to be processed by the reticle B. Therefore, the condition switching unit 20 sets the actual reticle from the reticle A to the reservation condition setting unit 18 from the reticle A. It switches to the reserved reticle, that is, reticle B (step S5).

At this time, the current condition notifying means 22
Since the actual reticle has been updated, a new actual reticle, that is, reticle B, is notified to the supply control device 10 (step S).
6) In the supply control device 10, the condition storage means 26 receives this notification and rewrites the name of the stored real reticle from reticle A to reticle B ((B) in FIG. 5;
Step S7). Further, at this time, the reticle is switched by the condition switching means 20 and the setting of the reservation reticle by the reservation condition setting means 18 is canceled. Therefore, the reservation condition notifying means 16 notifies the supply control device that the setting of the reservation reticle has been canceled. Notify 10. Thus, in the supply control device 10, the condition storage unit 26 deletes the name of the reticle B stored as the reserved reticle.

The stepper 6 requests the supply control device 10 to supply the next lot because the port 14 has become vacant (FIG. 5C). In the supply control device 10, this request is received by the stocker control means 28, and in this case, the condition storage means 2
Numeral 6 stores the name of reticle B as an actual reticle, while it does not store the name of a reserved reticle, and instructs the stocker 4 to supply a lot to be processed by reticle B. As a result, the stocker 4 selects the lot 6B and leaves it ((D) in FIG. 5). Thus, the operation of switching the reticle from reticle A to reticle B is completed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the reticle is changed in the stepper 6, the reticle newly set is notified to the supply control device 10 as a reservation reticle prior to the change of the reticle. ,
Upon receiving this notification, the stocker 4 is instructed to supply a lot conforming to the reserved reticle. Therefore, the processing device 1
Before the reticle is changed by 06, a lot to be processed with the reserved reticle is delivered from the stocker 4, and the processing device 106
While the lot to be processed by the reticle before the change is supplied, the lot is processed by the reticle, and then, when the lot to be processed by the new reticle is supplied, the reticle is changed to a new reticle.

Therefore, the lot to be processed with the reticle before the change and all the lots supplied to the stepper 6 can be processed, and the lot supplied to the stepper 6 after the reticle change is manually transferred to the stocker 4 as in the conventional case. There is no need to return it. Further, since the lot to be processed by the reticle before the change and the lot to be processed by the reticle after the change are continuously supplied without an interval, the operation rate of the stepper 6 does not decrease.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that only one stepper 6 is included. However, a plurality of steppers are provided, and each stepper is controlled by the stocker 4 through the AGV 8 under the control of the supply control device 10. Of course, the present invention is also effective in the case of a lot supply system for supplying lots in the same manner.
In the case of such a lot supply system, the delivery control means 24 of the supply control device 10 includes a condition storage means 26 for each stepper, and each stepper notifies its own identification information to the supply control device 10, and The stocker control unit 28 of the control device 10 may check the storage contents of the corresponding condition storage unit 26 using the identification information notified from the stepper and perform the above-described lot delivery control.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing the second embodiment. In the figure, the same elements as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted here. Lot supply system 30 of the second embodiment shown in FIG.
However, the difference from the lot supply system 2 is that the supply control device 10 further includes a reservation condition instructing means 32, and the reservation condition setting means 18 in the stepper 6 uses the reservation condition setting means 34.
(It also functions as the second reservation condition setting means according to the present invention). FIG.
Although only one stepper 6 is shown, the lot supply system 30 actually includes a plurality of steppers 6, and the delivery control means 24 of the supply control device 10 requires the condition storage means 26 ( 1) is provided to control the supply of the lot to each stepper 6.

The reservation condition instructing means 32 instructs the stepper 6 on a reservation reticle to be set according to the lot storage condition in the stocker 4, while the reservation condition setting means 34
Sets the reservation reticle specified by the reservation condition specifying means 32. The reservation condition instructing means 32 specifically searches for a lot whose storage period in the stocker 4 exceeds the reference, and instructs the reservation condition setting means 34 to set a reservation reticle suitable for the lot. The reservation condition setting means 34 has the function of the reservation condition setting means 18 in addition to the function of setting the reservation reticle based on the instruction from the reservation condition instruction means 32.

In this embodiment, the stepper 6 is
When a reservation reticle designated by the reservation condition instructing means 32 does not exist in the stepper 6 when the reservation condition setting means 34 sets a reservation reticle, it is connected to a reticle storage shelf 36 in which a plurality of types of reticles are stored. The reservation condition setting means 34 obtains a corresponding reticle from the reticle storage shelf 36. In the second embodiment, the stocker 4 has a function of reporting the entry of a lot into the stocker 4 and the exit of the lot from the stocker 4 to the supply control device 10.

In this embodiment, the reservation condition instructing means 32 selects a reservation reticle and instructs the setting of the reservation reticle in the following manner. That is, the reservation condition instructing means 32 stores the scheduled processing time in the stepper 6 for each lot, and periodically determines whether there is a lot in which the difference between the scheduled processing time of the lot and the current time exceeds a certain value. Monitoring. If a lot exceeding a certain value is found, it is checked whether a reticle to be used for processing the lot is currently set as an actual reticle or a reserved reticle in any of the steppers 6.

As a result of this investigation, if the target reticle is set as either a real reticle or a reservation reticle by any of the steppers 6, the reservation condition instructing means 32 instructs the reservation condition setting means 34 to set the reservation reticle. do not do. However, when the setting is not made in any of the steppers 6, the stepper 6 is instructed to set the reticle as the reservation reticle. At this time, which stepper 6 is instructed to set the reservation reticle is determined as follows. That is, if there is a stepper 6 in which the actual reticle is not set among all the steppers 6, the setting instruction of the reservation reticle is instructed to the stepper 6. On the other hand, when the actual reticles are set in all the steppers 6,
The smallest lot in the stocker 4 is found, and the setting of the reservation reticle is instructed to the stepper 6 which uses the reticle for processing the lot as the real reticle.

The reservation condition setting means 3 of the stepper 6
4 sets a reservation reticle based on such an instruction from the reservation condition instruction means 32. Subsequent operations are the same as in the case of the above-described lot supply system 2. When a reservation reticle is newly set, the fact is notified from the stepper 6 to the supply control device 10, and as a result, the stocker 4 starts supplying the supply control device. Under control of 10, a lot conforming to the reserved reticle is unloaded, and under control of the supply control device 10, the AGV 8 conveys the lot to the stepper 6 in which the reserved reticle is set. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the reticle is automatically switched in the stepper 6, so that no manual operation is required for the reticle switching. This is advantageous for labor saving. In the second embodiment, the stepper 6 and the reticle storage shelf 36 are directly connected to each other. However, for example, similarly to the transfer of a lot from the stocker 4 to the stepper 6, a supply device such as an AGV is used. Alternatively, the reticle may be transported to the stepper 6 by using a reticle.

[0037]

As described above, in the lot supply method of the present invention, in the reservation condition notifying step, when the processing condition is changed in the processing apparatus, the processing condition newly set prior to the change of the processing condition is processed as the reservation processing condition. When the processing device notifies the supply control device of the reservation processing condition in the delivery control step, the supply control device instructs the stocker to supply a lot conforming to the reservation processing condition. Further, in the lot supply system according to the present invention, the reservation condition notifying means of the processing device includes, when the processing condition in the processing device is changed, the processing condition newly set prior to the change of the processing condition as the reservation processing condition. When the reservation processing condition is notified from the reservation condition notification means, the delivery control means of the supply control device instructs the stocker to supply a lot conforming to the reservation processing condition.

Therefore, before the processing apparatus changes the processing conditions, the stocker issues a lot to be processed under the new processing conditions from the stocker, and the processing apparatus changes the processing conditions to the new processing conditions when the lot is supplied. Thus, all the lots to be processed under the processing conditions before the change and the lots supplied to the processing apparatus can be processed. Therefore, it is not necessary to manually return the lot supplied to the processing apparatus to the stocker after the processing condition is changed as in the related art. Also,
Since the lot to be processed under the old processing condition and the lot to be processed under the new processing condition are continuously supplied without any interval, the operation rate of the processing apparatus does not decrease.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a lot supply system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating the lot supply system of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A to 3D are operation explanatory diagrams showing states of a stocker and a stepper in each operation stage of the lot supply system.

FIGS. 4A to 4D are operation explanatory diagrams showing states of a stocker and a stepper in each operation stage of the lot supply system.

FIGS. 5A to 5D are operation explanatory diagrams showing states of a stocker and a stepper in each operation stage of the lot supply system.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the lot supply system.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a conventional lot supply system.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 lot supply system 4 stocker 6 stepper 8 supply device (AGV) 10 supply control device 12 port 14 port 16 notification means for reservation condition .. 18 reservation condition setting means 20 condition switching means 22 current condition notification means 24 delivery control means 26 condition storage means 28 stocker control means 30 lot supply System, 32: reservation condition indicating means, 34: reservation condition setting means, 36: reticle storage shelf, 102: lot supply system, 104
.., Stocker 106, processing device 108, supply device 110, supply control device.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A stocker for storing a plurality of lots, a processing device for sequentially processing the lots sequentially supplied from the stocker under predetermined processing conditions, and a transfer of the lot from the stocker to supply to the processing device A supply device to
A supply control device that controls the stocker to supply the lot that meets the processing conditions in the processing device to the processing device, wherein the stocker selects the lot based on an instruction from the supply control device. A method for controlling the supply of a lot from the stocker to the processing device in a system for supplying to the supply device, the processing condition being newly set prior to the change of the processing condition when the processing condition is changed in the processing device. A reservation condition notifying step of notifying the supply control device from the processing device as a reservation processing condition, and supplying the lot conforming to the processing condition when the processing device notifies the supply control device of the reservation processing condition. A shipping control step of instructing the stocker from the supply control device. Lot supply how to. 2. A reservation condition setting step of setting the reservation processing condition separately from a current processing condition, and, when the lot to be processed according to the reservation processing condition is supplied, the current processing condition is changed to a reservation condition. A condition switching step of switching to the reservation processing condition set by the setting means; and a current condition notification step of notifying the supply control device of a newly set processing condition when a current processing condition is updated. In the reservation condition notifying step, when the setting content is updated in the reservation condition setting step, the reservation control condition newly set in the reservation condition setting step is notified to the supply control device, and the delivery control step is performed. The reservation processing condition notified to the supply control device in the reservation condition notification step, and the previous processing condition in the current condition notification step A condition storing step of storing the current processing condition notified to the supply control device in a storage unit, and supplying the lot conforming to the current processing condition when the condition storage unit stores only the current processing condition. From the supply control device to the stocker, and when the condition storage means stores the reservation processing condition, the supply control device instructs the stocker to supply the lot conforming to the reservation processing condition. 2. The lot supply method according to claim 1, further comprising a stocker control step. 3. A reservation condition instructing step in which the supply control device instructs the processing device to perform a reservation process condition to be set according to a storage status of the lot in the stocker; and a reservation instructed in the reservation condition instructing step. 2. A lot supply method according to claim 1, further comprising a second reservation condition setting step of causing the processing device to set processing conditions. 4. In the reservation condition instructing step, the supply control device searches the lot for which the storage period in the stocker exceeds a reference, and determines a reservation processing condition suitable for the lot searched by the supply control device. 4. The lot supply method according to claim 3, wherein a reservation processing condition to be set is set. 5. When there are a plurality of processing devices, and when the processing conditions are notified from the processing devices to the supply control device in the reservation condition notifying step, identification information of the processing devices assigned to each processing device. Together with the processing condition, and in the delivery control step, the supply control device controls the supply of the lot for each processing device based on the identification information notified from the processing device. 1. The lot supply method according to 1. 6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said lot is a semiconductor substrate, said processing apparatus constitutes a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate using a reticle, and said processing condition is a type of a reticle. The lot supply method described. 7. A stocker for storing a plurality of lots, a processing device for sequentially processing the lots sequentially supplied from the stocker under predetermined processing conditions, and a transfer of the lot from the stocker to supply to the processing device. A supply device to
A supply control device that controls the stocker to supply the lot that meets the processing conditions in the processing device to the processing device, wherein the stocker selects the lot based on an instruction from the supply control device. In the lot supply system for supplying to the supply device, the processing device notifies the supply control device of a newly set processing condition as a reserved processing condition prior to the change of the processing condition when the processing condition is changed. A reservation condition notifying means, wherein the supply control device, when notified of the reservation processing condition from the reservation condition notifying means of the processing device, instructs the stocker to supply the lot conforming to the processing condition to the stocker; A lot supply system comprising control means. 8. The processing apparatus, further comprising: a reservation condition setting unit configured to set the reservation processing condition separately from the current processing condition; and when the lot to be processed according to the reservation processing condition is supplied, A condition switching unit that switches the processing condition to the reservation processing condition set by the reservation condition setting unit; and notifies the supply control device of the newly set processing condition when the current processing condition is updated. A current condition notifying unit, further comprising: the reservation condition notifying unit of the processing device, wherein when the reservation condition setting unit updates the setting content, the reservation condition setting unit newly sets the reservation processing condition. Notifying the supply control device, the retrieval control means, the reservation processing condition notified from the reservation condition notification means, and the current condition notification means Condition storage means for storing the current processing condition; and when the condition storage means stores only the current processing condition, instructs the stocker to supply the lot conforming to the current processing condition to the stocker. 8. The lot supply system according to claim 7, further comprising: a stocker control unit that instructs the stocker to supply the lot conforming to the reservation processing condition when the reservation processing condition is stored. 9. The supply control device further includes a reservation condition instructing unit that instructs the processing device to perform a reservation processing condition to be set in accordance with a storage state of the lot in the stocker, wherein the processing device further includes: 8. The lot supply system according to claim 7, further comprising second reservation condition setting means for setting a reservation processing condition instructed by the reservation condition instruction means. 10. The reservation condition instructing means searches for the lot whose storage period in the stocker exceeds a reference, and instructs the second reservation condition setting means to set a reservation processing condition suitable for the lot. 10. The lot supply system according to claim 9, wherein: 11. A processing apparatus comprising a plurality of processing apparatuses, wherein the reservation condition notifying means of each processing apparatus notifies the supply control apparatus of the processing condition when identifying information of the processing apparatus assigned to each processing apparatus. 8. The delivery control means of the supply control device controls the supply of the lot for each of the processing devices based on the identification information notified from the processing device.
The described lot supply system. 12. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein said lot is a semiconductor substrate, said processing apparatus constitutes a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate using a reticle, and said processing condition is a type of a reticle. The described lot supply system.