A system and method for learning and/or optimizing processes related to semiconductor manufacturing is provided. A learning component generates a set of candidate process models based on process data associated with one or more fabrication tools. The learning component also selects a particular process model from the set of candidate process models that is associated with lowest error. An optimization component generates a set of candidate solutions associated with the particular process model. The optimization component also selects a particular solution from the set of candidate solutions based on a target output value and an output value associated with the particular solution.

A work management device includes an operator information memory section, a work item memory section, an operator detection sections, and a work instruction section. The operator detection sections are installed at a plurality of spots of the electronic component mounting line and detect the operators near the spots. In a case in which the operator detection section detects the operator, when operator information regarding the operator is identical to operator information in the operator information memory section and the work item group of the work item memory section includes one work item or a plurality of work items which are able to be performed by the operator detected by the operator detection section, the work instruction section instructs the operator detected by the operator detection section in one work item or a plurality of work items selected from the one work item or the plurality of work items.

The present application relates to a wafer transfer module in a semiconductor manufacturing machine, relating to semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing machines, wherein two sets of transmitter/receivers are provide on sidewalls of the wafer transfer module to monitor the travel position of an elevator, two sets of transmitter/receivers are provide on the sidewalls of the wafer transfer module to monitor the position of a transfer arm, a signal received by the receiver is transmitted to a control system such that the control system determines, according to the travel position of the elevator and the transfer arm position, whether the transfer arm can obtain a to-be-transferred wafer, thereby preventing the problem of a wafer scratch caused by an elevator position deviation or a transfer arm position deviation.

A system for controlling a robot moving vertically and horizontally using a motor is provided. The system includes a detector suitable for generating a feedback signal by detecting physical status of the motor; and a controller suitable for detecting loading of a substrate on the robot based on the feedback signal during a vertical moving interval of the robot, and generating a control command in accordance with the detection of the loading of the substrate.

A teaching method for a transfer mechanism is provided. The teaching method includes (a) placing a first substrate or an edge ring on a fork of the transfer mechanism, transferring the first substrate or the edge ring to a target position, and placing the first substrate or the edge ring onto the target position; (b) placing a second substrate having a position detection sensor on the fork, and transferring the second substrate to a position directly above or below the target position; (c) detecting an amount of deviation between the first substrate or the edge ring and the target position using the position detection sensor of the second substrate; and (d) correcting transfer position data of the transfer mechanism for the first substrate or the edge ring to be transferred next, based on the detected amount of deviation.

A wafer processing apparatus includes a controller connected to a first robot and a second robot. The controller controls the first robot so that the wafer is placed on a first load lock stage in such a way that the center of the wafer is shifted from the center of the first load lock stage by a first position shift amount and another wafer is placed on a second load lock stage in such a way that the center of the wafer is shifted from the center of the second load lock stage by a second position shift amount. The controller controls the second robot so that the second robot simultaneously conveys two wafers between the first and second load lock stages, and a first processing stage and a second processing stage.

A method for determining abnormal equipment in semiconductor manufacturing system includes processing wafers. A measurement data relating to wafers at respective processing steps and at each tool stack run count for respective tools is provided. The method also includes performing statistical and correlation analysis on the production history data and the measurement data to determine multiple parameters including bad ratio (Rb) and good ratio (Rg) for each tool. A first bad-to-good probability ratio (R1) for each tool is obtained by dividing Rb by Rg at the tool stack run count. A second bad-to-good probability ratio (R2) of each tool is an overall probability ratio of Rb to Rg of each tool. A first correlation coefficient (C1) is provided for the measurement data corresponding to the tool stack run count. A second correlation coefficient (C2) is provided for the first bad-to-good probability ratio (R1) corresponding to the tool stack run count.

A method of processing a target substrate includes a process of serially executing multiple processes including a main process and first to M-th subprocesses (where M is a positive integer). An index value indicating one execution of the main process is accumulated for each execution of the main process. The main process is executed multiple times in the process of serially executing multiple processes. An i-th subprocess (where i is a positive integer that satisfies 1iM) is executed once or multiple times in the process of serially executing multiple processes, and is executed subsequent to one or multiple consecutive executions of the main process. The i-th application and execution conditions are changeable.

A substrate transfer apparatus to transfer a circular substrate provided with a cutout at an edge portion thereof, includes: a sensor part including three light source parts applying light to positions different from one another at the edge portion, and three light receiving parts paired with the light source parts; and a drive part for moving the substrate holding part, wherein the three light source parts apply light to the light receiving parts so that whether or not a detection range of the sensor part overlaps with the cutout of the substrate is determined on the basis of an amount of received light by each light receiving part, and when it is determined that there is an overlap at any position, positions of the edge portion of the substrate are further detected with the position of the substrate displaced with respect to the sensor part.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methodology to match and calibrate processing chamber performance in a processing chamber. In one embodiment, a method for calibrating a processing chamber for semiconductor manufacturing process includes performing a first predetermined process in a processing chamber, collecting a first set of signals transmitted from a first group of sensors disposed in the processing chamber to a controller while performing the predetermined process, analyzing the collected first set of signals, comparing the collected first set of signals with database stored in the controller to check sensor responses from the first group of sensors, calibrating sensors based on the collected first set of signals when a mismatch sensor response is found, subsequently performing a first series of processes in the processing chamber, and collecting a second set of signals transmitted from the sensors to the controller while performing the series of processes.