Asml Netherlands B.v.

Roel Boumen

Johannes Onvlee

Norbertus Josephus Martinus Van Den Nieuwelaar

Jacobus Eelkman Rooda

Robert Jozef Dumont

Henricus Petrus Johannus Van Lierop

A method of controlling a track apparatus in a lithocell apparatus arrangement, is presented herein. The lithocell includes a lithographic exposure apparatus configured to expose substrates and a track apparatus configured to prepare substrates before exposure and develop substrates after exposure. The method includes predicting times at which the lithographic exposure apparatus will be available to accept a prepared substrate for exposure from the track apparatus, and adjusting a rate at which the track apparatus prepares substrates so that a substrate is prepared in time for acceptance by the lithographic exposure apparatus.

Method of controlling a lithographic processing cell, device manufacturing method, lithographic apparatus, track unit, lithographic processing, cell and computer program

A method of planning tasks to be performed in a machine derives a precedence graph by linking subsidiary tasks to a sequence of key tasks to create a scheduling problem that can be solved by an automated scheduler.

Method of planning tasks in a machine, method of controlling a machine, supervisory machine control system, lithographic apparatus, lithographic processing cell and computer program

A method of controlling a track apparatus in a lithocell apparatus arrangement, is presented herein. The lithocell includes a lithographic exposure apparatus configured to expose substrates and a track apparatus configured to prepare substrates before exposure and develop substrates after exposure. The method includes predicting times at which the lithographic exposure apparatus will be available to accept a prepared substrate for exposure from the track apparatus, and adjusting a rate at which the track apparatus prepares substrates so that a substrate is prepared in time for acceptance by the lithographic exposure apparatus. By adjusting the track rate so that substrates are ready just as the lithographic exposure apparatus needs them, the use of the buffer in the track can be largely avoided or even eliminated entirely.

Method of controlling a lithographic processing cell, device manufacturing method, lithographic apparatus, track unit, lithographic processing cell, and computer program

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Venlo, Netherlands

Roel Boumen