System and method for monitoring sensor linearity as part of a production process

Abstract

Methods and systems for automated monitoring of sensors associated with a tool used in a manufacturing process are described. Sensor health may be evaluated based on the sensor's actual responses to set point changes. Rather than interrupt operation of the tool to determine whether one or more sensors are behaving in a predictable manner over an applicable range of operating conditions, pairs of set point values and sensor responses may be collected during the manufacturing process and stored in a time-indexed manner. A virtual model may be created for each sensor using selected ones of the indexed pairs and represented as points in an orthogonal coordinate system to identify a predictable operating region corresponding to the operating range. If a sensor response to a set point change, reflected in a stored, time indexed pair, is non-linear or offset relative to the predictable operating region, an alarm may be generated.