Applied Materials, Inc.

Andreas Neuber

Ashish Kumar

Michael Johnson

Vijayakumar C Venugopal

Hemant P Mungekar

Jay J Jung

Paul E Fisher

Krishna Vepa

Youssef A Loldj

James Omer L'Heureux

Mehran Moalem

Parris C M Hawkins

Maxime Cayer

Ryan T Downey

Tony H Tong

Ramachandra Murthy Gunturi

Joseph A Van Gompel

Stephen C Wolgast

Niladri Roy

Gino Gerardo Crispieri

John L Koenig

Mike M Huang

Joshua Putz

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting anomalies in a semiconductor processing system. According to certain embodiments, one or more external sensors are mounted to a sub-fab component, communicating with the processing system via a communication channel different than a communication channel utilized by the sub-fab component and providing extrinsic sensor data that the sub-fab component is not configured to provide. The extrinsic sensor data may be combined with sensor data from a processing tool of the system and/or intrinsic sensor data of the sub-fab component to form virtual sensor data. In the event the virtual data exceeds or falls below a threshold, an intervention or a maintenance signal is dispatched, and in certain embodiments, an intervention or maintenance action is taken by the system.

Method and system for detecting anomalies in a semiconductor processing system

Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods for controlling a processing system. Particularly, subfab components of the processing system may be controlled based on the flow of materials into the processing system. In some embodiments, the flow of an inert gas used to dilute the effluent gases may be controlled in accordance with the flow of one or more precursor gases. Thus, the cost of running the processing system is reduced while mitigating critical EHS concerns.

Method for controlling a processing system

Embodiments of a system, a gas panel and method thereof having reduced exhaust requirements for the delivery of gases include distributing an inert gas in at least one interior portion of the gas panel in which a gas to be delivered by the gas panel is present. Embodiments can further include monitoring for leaks in the interior portion of the gas panel and, in response to a detected leak, increasing the distribution of the inert gas in at least the portion of the gas panel in which the leak was detected. Embodiments may further include exhausting gases out of the gas panel. In such embodiments, in response to a detected leak, a rate of the exhausting of the gases is increased. The gas panel can also be sealed to reduce an amount of gas that leaks out of or air that enters into the gas panel.

Gas panel apparatus and method for reducing exhaust requirements

Subfab components of the processing system may be controlled based on the flow of materials into the processing system. In some embodiments, the flow of an inert gas used to dilute the effluent gases may be controlled in accordance with the flow of one or more precursor gases. Thus, the cost of running the processing system is reduced while mitigating critical EHS concerns.

Methods and apparatus for controlling a processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of controlling a processing system may include operating a vacuum pump coupled to a process chamber at a first baseline pump idle speed selected to maintain the process chamber at a pressure equal to a first baseline pump idle pressure; monitoring the pressure in the process chamber while operating the vacuum pump at the first baseline pump idle speed; and determining whether the first baseline pump idle pressure can be maintained in the process chamber when the vacuum pump is operating at the first baseline pump idle speed.

Method and apparatus for controlling a processing system

A resource usage optimization server determines a degradation caused by a first resource. The resource usage optimization server determines a cleaning caused by a second resource. The resource usage optimization server calculates a ratio of the degradation and the cleaning.

Process tool chemical and gas usage optimization

Growing community of inventors

Stuttgart, Germany

Andreas Neuber