WO2001004748A1

WO2001004748A1 - Front-end user interface for a processing system

Info

Publication number: WO2001004748A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/018614
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mila M. Genov; Eugene G. Bonev; Zlatko M. Sotirov; Stilian I. Pandev; Roumen G. Botev; Vladimir K. Mihailov; Alex D. Todorov
Original assignee: Genmark Automation, Inc.
Priority date: 1999-07-09
Filing date: 2000-07-07
Publication date: 2001-01-18
Also published as: AU5920600A

Abstract

A computer (30) monitors and simulates the operation of a processing or manufacturing system (10) in real-time. An image (50) representative of the simulation is displayed visually on a display (48) and includes an indication of the operating conditions of the processing system (10) and of the components thereof. An operator manipulates a pointer in the image to a particular object in the image, the object representing a corresponding component of the processing system, and selects, by for example clicking a mouse button (54), the object to thereby display a menu of actions possible with respect to the component. Menu options can also include status inquiring enabling extraction of information about the selected object.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

FRONT-END USER INTERFACE FOR A PROCESSING SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to automated manufacturing systems, and more particularly, to apparatus and methods for simulating and controlling such manufacturing systems.

2. Description of Related Art

Modern processing or manufacturing systems, and specifically those pertaining to the manufacture and processing of semiconductor devices, often involve complex automated processes performed under strictly controlled conditions. For instance, during integrated circuit manufacture, a semiconductor wafer representative of the starting material from which the integrated circuit is to be fabricated is manipulated by various devices and conveyed between a series of processing stations using pre-programmed robots. Conditions of contamination, humidity, temperature, vacuum level, and numerous other parameters have to be strictly controlled, along with those of robot motion trajectory and timing. Other devices present in the processing or manufacturing system must similarly be controlled.

It is well known to effect the necessary control automatically, with the use of various feedback and control schemes being recognized in the art. For instance, sensors can be deployed to detect deviations from nominal operating conditions, such as desired temperature and vacuum levels, and corrective action can then be automatically implemented in response to sensor output signals. However, it is also desirable to effect control over the manufacturing process manually and to intervene in the automatic control process, and to at least be able to readily monitor operating conditions in order to anticipate and prevent potential problems, and calibrate and tune instruments and devices. Operators have traditionally effected the monitoring process manually, by for example walking to various areas in the processing region and checking relevant gauges and meters or inspecting and monitoring the equipment itself for proper operation. This is not an ideal situation, however, since often gauges and equipment are inaccessible, because they may be disposed in an over-crowded and/or poorly lit area, or in an "aggressive," unfriendly environment in which the level of risk of harm to the operator or damage to sensitive equipment is elevated. Additionally, gauges and equipment is often disposed at different and widely separated areas in the processing region. The monitoring and control process thus becomes not only dangerous, but laborious and time-consuming as well.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the ubiquity of computer simulation resources and the decreasing cost and increasing capacity of computer processing ability, it is desirable to make use of computer resources, especially graphics resources, to provide a convenient and efficient scheme for monitoring and controlling manufacturing or processing systems. In accordance with the invention, a manufacturing or processing system is simulated in real-time during operation by a computer or related information processor adapted to provide a graphical representation of the real-time operation of the system. The computer receives input signals from various sensors disposed in the system, and from these signals constructs a visual image which is displayed on a computer display, such as a monitor or LCD display. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, system control can be imparted by the operator using for example conventional, mouse-driven software, wherein the mouse is used to drag a pointer on the computer display to the part of the system to be controlled. The part to be thus controlled is then "clicked," and a menu is opened listing the options available to the operator for the control action to be effected on the part clicked, such as specifying a particular motion trajectory, reducing a particular vacuum pressure level, etc. The selected action is transferred to the appropriate control mechanism, such as the electrical controls responsible for motion, or the valves employed to release pressure. The computer also determines when certain undesirable conditions arise and issues visual or auditory indications of such conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Many advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art with a reading of this specification in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals are applied to like elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing an exemplary front-end user interface in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatical representation of an exemplary front-end user interface in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing generally a front-end user interface system in accordance with the invention. The exemplary application of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 is directed to semiconductor processing, but it is to be understood that the front-end user interface system of the invention is more general in its application and can be used in the context of any manufacturing or processing system.

Numeral 10 represents a semiconductor processing system, generally comprising a robot 20 adapted to manipulate semiconductor wafers (not shown) between transport cassettes 12 and a plurality of processing stations 14 (only one is shown). During manufacture, cassettes 12 each containing a plurality of wafers are automatically unloaded such that the wafers contained therein can be transported by the robot 20 to the various processing stations 14 and then back to the cassette.

The robot 20 and the environment in which the wafers are manipulated are enclosed in a chamber 16 in which vacuum conditions are established and from which contaminants are filtered out and other parameters carefully controlled. A filtering system 22 serves to remove contaminants from the chamber 16, while a pump system 24 establishes the proper vacuum conditions. Other environmental controls (not shown) can also be provided, including but not limited to temperature and humidity controls.

Cassettes 12 are in communication with chamber 16 via doors 26 which can be selectively and automatically opened or closed using door mechanisms 28. The process is automated, with the opening and closing being synchronized with the motion of robot 20. A wafer is removed from a cassette 12 by robot 20 and transported to a processing station 14, where a certain task, such as etching, is performed. The wafer is then transported to a second station, where a second task is performed, and so on, until all the necessary processing steps are performed. The wafer is then returned to the cassette, and another wafer retrieved. The process repeats for each wafer, until all the wafers of the cassettes 12 are processed. Of course, it is to be recognized that the tasks are not necessarily performed in a linear fashion, and that tasks may be overlapped, with multi-tasking being common in the semiconductor processing art. Many other variations are contemplated, including multiple robots or multiple-armed robots, etc., with the system of FIG. 1 being described for exemplary purposes only.

Processing system 10 is in communication with an information processor or computer 30. This communication is effected using cables which relay commands and information between computer 30 and various components of processing system 10. The computer 30 receives information about the operation of the processing system 10 from various sensors, such as sensor module 32 for providing temperature, pressure/vacuum level, contaminant level and humidity level within chamber 16, or from sensors 36 for providing information about the open or closed state of doors 26. Cables, such as cable 34 for communicating between the sensor module 32 and computer 30, are provided. The computer 30 also issues commands to effect various operations within the processing system 10, and serves to control operation of robot 2. Examples of commands from computer 30 to the processing system 10 include commands for effecting cooling or changing air circulation rates or increasing vacuum pressure. Other commands and information communicated between the computer 30 and processing system 10 include: door 26 open/closed state sensed by sensors 36 and relayed by cables 38; door mechanism commands relayed by cable 40 to door mechanisms 28; robot position, orientation and power consumption level information relayed by cable 42; processing station 14 operation information and control commands relayed by cable 43; filtering system 22 operation information and control commands relayed by cable 44; and pump system 24 operation information and control commands relayed by cable 46. Of course, although hard wiring using cables is the illustrated communication method between computer 30 and processing system 10, other communication methods are contemplated in accordance with the invention, including "remote" radio frequency (RF) type signaling and optical signaling. Computer 30 simulates in computer code the operation of processing system 10, based on information communicated to the computer from the processing system. The simulation is run in real-time and is displayed graphically on display 48. Computer software is provided to generate an image 50, using for example a suitable graphics card (not shown) in the computer 30 and supporting software. Image 50 is preferably a color image, with the various objects in the image corresponding to the components of processing system 10. Thus the computer 30 simulates and displays the operation of processing system 10, receiving status information from the different components of the processing system. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the image 50 corresponds to the real-time conditions of processing system 10 — for example, the position of the robot and end effector in the image 50 relative to the other components displayed in the image corresponds directly to the position of robot 20 and end effector 56 of the processing system 10 relative to the other components of the processing system. Importantly, other aspects of the operation of processing system 10 as communicated to computer 30 via the illustrated cables are also kept track of and updated in real-time in computer 30 and serve to facilitate access and control as discussed below.

Input devices such as keyboard 52 and mouse 54 provide an interface for a human operator. A PC windows-type format is preferably employed, wherein the operator, using the mouse 54 for example, can manipulate a pointer, or cursor, on the screen of display 48 and "click" on a selected component corresponding to a component of processing system 10. The computer 30 responds by opening a context-sensitive pull-down menu from which one of various menu items can be selected, again by clicking the menu item. The items correspond to actions to be taken regarding the selected component, or information to be extracted regarding that component. The items can themselves branch out to other pull down menus with more items, representative of available options, presented. As an example, the operator can click on one of the doors displayed in the image 50, with these doors corresponding to doors 26 of cassettes 12. A first menu then will appear in response. The menu will present a "Status" menu item and a "Manipulate" menu item, one of which is to be selected. If the operator then clicks on "Status," the computer will display an indication of whether that particular door is open or closed at that particular time (within the processing time limitations, of course, whereby a short but insignificant delay may be inevitable). If the operator instead selects "Manipulate," a second menu of items might then appear, enabling a forced closing or opening of the door 26, or a durational sealing of the door 26 for a prescribed number of cycles.

As another example, the operator can click on the robot appearing in the image 50, corresponding to robot 20 of processing system 10. A menu will then appear with options to view the position, speed, orientation, trajectory, power consumption, vacuum pressure of gripper components, and numerous other parameters indicative of the operation of the robot 20. From these options the viewer can then select the particular parameter to be monitored or controlled. When a control action is selected, the computer 30 translates the operator's selection to appropriate commands which are issued to the robot 20, via cable 42, to effect the necessary control over the robot. Robot control via computer is known in the art and details of same do not form part of the invention and are accordingly omitted from this discussion.

As described above, all the other components of the processing system 10, along with parameters not necessarily detailed but nonetheless falling within the purview of the invention, can similarly be monitored and controlled from the convenience of a single station at which computer 30 is disposed. To that end, the processing stations 14 themselves, along with their operating conditions, can similarly be monitored and controlled. Etching laser beam intensity or chemical conditions in a particular processing step in a processing station 14 can thus be monitored and controlled. When a particular processing station is "clicked" in image 50, menu items pertaining to monitoring and control of the corresponding processing station 14 in processing system 10 are presented to the operator and a selection of one of these items elicits particular information or induces some action, such as increase of electron beam or laser beam intensity, in that processing station.

The image 50 itself can provide status information about the processing system 10. For example, the color of the representation of chamber 16 can be made to correspond to the vacuum level of the chamber, with a blue color corresponding to acceptable vacuum levels, and red indicating loss of vacuum. Warning indicators can be displayed, such as flashing red ball, when certain acceptable operating parameters are exceeded, such as excessive heating of particular components, or pressure build-up in a region in the processing system 10.

It can be seen from the above that generally three categories of simulation and control are involved in the present invention, as diagramed in FIG. 2. The first of these, 62, is the physical manipulation category, which includes the mechanisms such as the robot 20 and the door mechanisms 28. The second, 64, is the environmental category, which includes temperature, pressure/vacuum, contamination/impurities level, vacuum level and humidity level. The third category, 66, is the process category, including the actual processes taking place in the processing stations 14.

A fourth category, 68, can be defined as the "intangible" category, and includes such things as the algorithms employed by the processing system 10, or components of the processing system 10, such as for example the algorithms for the motion trajectories of the end effector 56 of the robot 20, or the speed or acceleration thereof. Another "intangible" involves maintenance tasks associated with the software operating in the computer 30, including information about the version of software being used, or available information download/upload tasks or programming tasks. This fourth, intangible category can also be and accessed and manipulated by the operator in order to centralize control of the processing system 10 and provide for a streamlined, efficient and safe method of control over the processing system.

A preferred implementation of the invention uses computer software, although a hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also contemplated. In a software implementation, computer 30 is provided with a computer-readable medium, such as suitable memory devices or other means of storing program code as is known, such that the computer 30 operates to receive as input information from the sensors disposed in the processing or manufacturing system 10. This information is used to generate and display the simulation on display 48, as image 50. The computer can then receive as further input signals from an input device such as mouse 54 and in response thereto issue control signals to the processing or manufacturing system 10 in the manner described above.

The above are exemplary modes of carrying out the invention and are not intended to be limiting. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that modifications thereto can be made without inventive departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling a robot and other components within a semiconductor processing system at a front-end of said system, the control system comprising:

one or more sensors for generating information representative of the actual, real-time operation of the semiconductor processing system;

a computer for generating a simulation of the semiconductor processing system based on the sensor information;

a display for visually displaying an image representative of the simulation, the image comprising one or more objects each corresponding to a component of the semiconductor processing system; and

a menu associated with at least one object of the simulation, the menu having selectable items whose selection enables control of the component corresponding to the object.

2. The control system of Claim 1, further comprising an input device for manipulating a pointer in the display, the pointer pointing to the object with which the menu is associated.

3. The control system of Claim 1 , wherein the image representative of the simulation comprises information about operating conditions of the semiconductor processing system.

4. The control system of Claim 3, wherein the operating conditions include vacuum level.

5. The control system of Claim 3, wherein the operating conditions include contaminant level.

6. The control system of Claim 1, wherein the image representative of the simulation comprises warning indicators indicating when certain acceptable operating parameters are exceeded.

7. A method for controlling a semiconductor processing system having one or more components, the method comprising:

sensing operating conditions of the processing system;

generating a real-time simulation of the processing system using the sensed operating conditions;

displaying a visual representation of the simulation; and

interacting with the visual representation to thereby induce a change in at least one operating condition of the processing system.

8. The method of Claim 7, wherein the operating condition is of the environment in the processing system.

9. The method of Claim 7, wherein the operating condition is a condition of a component of the processing system.

10. The method of Claim 7, wherein the step of displaying is effected using a monitor or LCD, and wherein the step of interacting comprises manipulating a pointer displayed in said monitor or LCD.

11. The method of Claim 7, wherein the step of displaying comprises displaying representations of the sensed operating conditions.

12. The method of Claim 7, wherein the step of displaying comprising displaying information about operating conditions of the processing or manufacturing system.

13. The method of Claim 7, wherein the step of displaying comprises displaying warning indicators indicating when certain acceptable operating parameters of the processing or manufacturing system are exceeded.

14. A front-end user interface for a processing or manufacturing system having one or more components, the front-end user interface comprising: a computer for receiving information indicative of operating conditions of the processing or manufacturing system and for simulating in real-time said operating conditions; a display for displaying a visual representation of the simulation of the operating conditions; and

an input device for enabling an operator to selectively control at least one particular component of the processing or manufacturing system.

15. The front-end user interface of Claim 14, wherein the visual representation comprises images representative of components of the processing or manufacturing system.

16. The front-end user interface of Claim 15, wherein the input device manipulates a pointer displayed on the display such that the particular component is selectable by the operator when the pointer points to an image thereof.

17. The front-end user interface of Claim 14, wherein the visual representation includes one or more categories of physical manipulation, environment, process and intangibles.

18. The front-end user interface of Claim 14, wherein the processing or manufacturing system comprises a semiconductor wafer processing system.

19. A method for controlling a processing or manufacturing system having one or more components, the method comprising:

sensing operating conditions of the processing or manufacturing system; generating a real-time simulation of the processing or manufacturing system using the sensed operating conditions;

displaying a visual representation of the simulation; and

interacting with the visual representation to thereby induce a change in at least one operating condition.

20. The method of Claim 19, wherein the operating condition is of the environment in the processing or manufacturing system.

21. The method of Claim 19, wherein the operating condition is a condition of a component of the processing or manufacturing system.

22. The method of Claim 19, wherein the step of displaying is effected using a monitor or LCD, and wherein the step of interacting comprises manipulating a pointer displayed in said monitor or LCD.

23. The method of Claim 19, wherein the step of displaying comprises displaying representations of the sensed operating conditions.

24. The method of Claim 19, wherein the processing or manufacturing system comprises a semiconductor wafer processing system.

25. The method of Claim 19, wherein the step of displaying comprising displaying information about operating conditions of the processing or manufacturing system.

26. The method of Claim 19, wherein the step of displaying comprises displaying warning indicators indicating when certain acceptable operating parameters of the processing or manufacturing system are exceeded.

27. A computer-readable medium for a front-end user interface of a processing or manufacturing system having one or more components and one or more sensors for generating information representative of the operating conditions of the processing or manufacturing system, the front-end user interface having an input device and a display, the computer-readable medium containing a program which executes the following procedure:

generating a real-time simulation of the processing or manufacturing system using the information from the sensors;

generating image information for displaying a real-time visual representation of the simulation on the display; and

receiving input information from the input device; and

issuing as output control signals to the processing or manufacturing system to thereby induce a change in at least one operating condition.

28. The computer-readable medium of Claim 27, wherein the operating condition is of the environment in the processing or manufacturing system.

29. The computer-readable medium of Claim 27, wherein the operating condition is a condition of a component of the processing or manufacturing system.

30. The computer-readable medium of Claim 27, wherein the step of generating image information for displaying comprises generating representations of the sensed operating conditions.

31. The computer-readable medium of Claim 27, wherein the processing or manufacturing system comprises a semiconductor wafer processing system.

32. The computer-readable medium of Claim 27, wherein the step of of generating image information for displaying comprises generating representations of warning indicators indicating when certain acceptable operating parameters of the processing or manufacturing system are exceeded.