Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080241969 | In-line lithography and etch system - The invention can provide a method of processing a wafer using Site-Dependent (S-D) processing sequences that can include S-D creation procedures, S-D evaluation procedures, and S-D transfer sequences. The S-D creation procedures can be performed using S-D processing elements, the S-D evaluation procedures can be performed using S-D evaluation elements, and S-D transfer sequences can be performed using site-dependent transfer subsystems. Site-dependent data can be stored in site-dependent libraries and/or databases. | 10-02-2008 |
20080241970 | Method and apparatus for performing a site-dependent dual damascene procedure - The present invention includes a method of performing a dual damascene procedure using Site-Dependent (S-D) procedures, the method including receiving a plurality of wafers and associated data by a S-D transfer subsystem coupled to a lithography-related subsystem, determining S-D wafer data for each wafer, establishing a first Dual Damascene processing sequence, determining a first set of S-D processing wafers to be processed, establishing real-time operational states for a plurality of first S-D processing elements in the lithography-related subsystem, transferring a first number of the first set of S-D processing wafers to a first number of the first S-D processing elements in the lithography-related subsystem and delaying other S-D wafers in the first set of S-D processing wafers for a first amount of time. | 10-02-2008 |
20080241971 | Method and apparatus for performing a site-dependent dual patterning procedure - The present invention includes a method of performing a double-patterning (DP) processing sequence using a plurality of Site-Dependent (S-D) procedures, the method including receiving a first set of wafers by one or more subsystems in a processing system, creating one or more first patterned layers on a first set of patterned wafers, establishing first confidence data for the first set of patterned wafers, establishing a first set of high confidence wafers, creating one or more second patterned layers on a second set of patterned wafers, establishing second confidence data for the second set of patterned wafers and establishing a second set of high confidence wafers. | 10-02-2008 |
20080243294 | Method and apparatus for verifying a site-dependent procedure - The present invention includes a method of verifying a Site-Dependent (S-D) processing procedure, the method including receiving a plurality of wafers by a S-D transfer system, determining S-D wafer state data for each wafer; establishing a first set of verification wafers, determining a number of required verification sites for each verification wafer, determining a number of visited verification sites, determining a number of remaining verification sites for each verification wafer, establishing a first procedure-verification sequence, determining a first S-D verification procedure, transferring the first verification wafer to a first S-D processing element and delaying the first verification wafer for a first period of time. | 10-02-2008 |
20080243295 | Method and apparatus for creating a site-dependent evaluation library - The present invention includes a method of creating a Site-Dependent (S-D) evaluation library including receiving a plurality of S-D wafers by one or more S-D transfer subsystems in a processing system, establishing wafer state data for each S-D wafer, establishing a library-creation processing sequence for creating a library of S-D evaluation data, determining a first number of S-D process wafers to be processed, establishing first operational states for a plurality of S-D processing elements in one or more processing subsystems, determining a first number of available processing elements, establishing a first S-D transfer sequence, transferring the first number of S-D process wafers to the first number of available processing elements therein and applying a first corrective action. | 10-02-2008 |
20080243297 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VERIFYING A SITE-DEPENDENT WAFER - The present invention includes a method of verifying a Site-Dependent (S-D) wafer that includes receiving a first set of S-D wafers by one or more S-D processing elements in one or more processing subsystems, creating a first set of unverified S-D wafers by performing a first S-D creation procedure, establishing S-D wafer state data for each unverified S-D wafer, establishing a first set of evaluation wafers comprising a first number of the unverified S-D wafers, establishing first operational states for a plurality of S-D evaluation elements, determining a first number of available evaluation elements, establishing a first S-D transfer sequence, transferring the first set of S-D evaluation wafers to the first number of available evaluation elements in one or more evaluation subsystems and applying a first corrective action when the number of S-D evaluation wafers is greater than the first number of available evaluation elements. | 10-02-2008 |
20090177311 | IN-LINE LITHOGRAPHY AND ETCH SYSTEM - The invention can provide a method of processing a wafer using Site-Dependent (S-D) processing sequences that can include S-D creation procedures, S-D evaluation procedures, and S-D transfer sequences. The S-D creation procedures can be performed using S-D processing elements, the S-D evaluation procedures can be performed using S-D evaluation elements, and S-D transfer sequences can be performed using site-dependent transfer subsystems. Site-dependent data can be stored in site-dependent libraries and/or databases. | 07-09-2009 |
20090211602 | System and Method For Removing Edge-Bead Material - Embodiments of the invention provide edge-bead removal systems and methods for removing edge-bead material from one or more surfaces of semiconductor wafers. Embodiments of the invention may be applied to process wafers at different points in a manufacturing cycle, and the wafers can include one or more metal layers. | 08-27-2009 |
20090211603 | System and Method For Removing Post-Etch Residue - Embodiments of the invention provide post-etch cleaning systems and methods for removing post-etch residue material from one or more surfaces of semiconductor wafers. Embodiments of the invention may be applied to process wafers at different points in a manufacturing cycle, and the wafers can include one or more metal layers. | 08-27-2009 |
20090211604 | System and Method For Removing Edge-Bead Material - Embodiments of the invention provide edge-bead removal systems and methods for removing edge-bead material from one or more surfaces of semiconductor wafers. Embodiments of the invention may be applied to process wafers at different points in a manufacturing cycle, and the wafers can include one or more metal layers. | 08-27-2009 |