Collaborative Scheduling for Single-Arm Cluster Tools With an Equipment Front-End Module Subject to Chamber Cleaning Requirements

被引:2
作者
Huang, Baoying [1 ,2 ]
Song, Tairan [1 ,2 ]
Wu, Naiqi [1 ,2 ]
Qiao, Yan [1 ,2 ]
机构
[1] Macau Univ Sci & Technol, Macao Inst Syst Engn, Macau, Peoples R China
[2] Macau Univ Sci & Technol, Collaborat Lab Intelligent Sci & Syst, Macau, Peoples R China
来源
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SYSTEMS MAN CYBERNETICS-SYSTEMS | 2024年 / 54卷 / 10期
关键词
Cluster tool; equipment front-end module (EFEM); scheduling; semiconductor manufacturing; RESIDENCY TIME CONSTRAINTS; WAFER TYPES; OPERATIONS; ALGORITHM;
D O I
10.1109/TSMC.2024.3409727
中图分类号
TP [自动化技术、计算机技术];
学科分类号
0812 ;
摘要
In semiconductor manufacturing, cluster tools tend to integrate a vacuum module (VM), a loadlock module (LLM), and an equipment front-end module (EFEM). While scheduling techniques exist for cluster tools without EFEM, the collaboration among these modules introduces additional challenges for tools with EFEM. In such tools, LLM acting as a shared module plays a crucial role in operating a cluster tool. Moreover, modern fabs have adopted the practice of chamber cleaning after processing each wafer to eliminate chemical residue that may remain within chambers. This article addresses a cyclic scheduling problem of a single-arm cluster tool with EFEM, while considering chamber cleaning requirements. We propose a conflict-free loadlock (LL) state transformation sequence of One-in and One-out LLs to describe the transformations resulted from LL operations. We then present cooperative strategies for robots to access LLM during the state transformation. Based on these strategies, we derive closed-form algorithms to find feasible and optimal schedules in terms of tool cycle time, allowing for an analysis of the best-performing strategy combinations. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by experimental results.
引用
收藏
页码:5912 / 5924
页数:13
相关论文
共 43 条
[31]   Petri Net Modeling and Scheduling of a Close-Down Process for Time-Constrained Single-Arm Cluster Tools [J].
Zhu, QingHua ;
Zhou, MengChu ;
Qiao, Yan ;
Wu, Naiqi .
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SYSTEMS MAN CYBERNETICS-SYSTEMS, 2018, 48 (03) :389-400
[32]   Cyclic scheduling of multi-type wafers concurrent processing in single-arm cluster tools with residency time constraints [J].
Li, Xin ;
Yang, Wen .
EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS, 2025, 269
[33]   Scheduling Transient Processes for Time-Constrained Single-Arm Robotic Multi-Cluster Tools [J].
Zhu, QingHua ;
Zhou, MengChu ;
Qiao, Yan ;
Wu, Naiqi .
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING, 2017, 30 (03) :261-269
[34]   Petri Net-based Response Policies to Process Module Failure in Time-constrained Single-arm Cluster Tools [J].
Qiao, Yan ;
Wu, NaiQi ;
Pan, ChunRong ;
Zhou, MengChu .
2014 IEEE 11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NETWORKING, SENSING AND CONTROL (ICNSC), 2014, :144-149
[35]   Petri Net Modeling and One-Wafer Scheduling of Single-Arm Tree-like Multi-Cluster Tools [J].
Zhu, QingHua ;
Qiao, Yan ;
Zhou, MengChu .
2015 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AUTOMATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (CASE), 2015, :292-297
[36]   Time-Constrained Single-Armed Cluster Tools Requiring Chamber Cleaning Operations: Schedulability Analysis and Scheduling Approaches [J].
Zhen, Lu ;
Zhang, Xiaoqin ;
Yang, Fajun ;
Zhou, MengChu ;
Al-Turki, Yusuf .
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SYSTEMS MAN CYBERNETICS-SYSTEMS, 2025, 55 (07) :4552-4561
[37]   Petri Net-Based Scheduling of Single-Arm Cluster Tools With Reentrant Atomic Layer Deposition Processes [J].
Wu, NaiQi ;
Chu, Feng ;
Chu, Chengbin ;
Zhou, MengChu .
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AUTOMATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, 2011, 8 (01) :42-55
[38]   Efficient Approach to Scheduling of Transient Processes for Time-Constrained Single-Arm Cluster Tools With Parallel Chambers [J].
Yang, FaJun ;
Qiao, Yan ;
Gao, KaiZhou ;
Wu, NaiQi ;
Zhu, YuTing ;
Simon, Ian Ware ;
Su, Rong .
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SYSTEMS MAN CYBERNETICS-SYSTEMS, 2020, 50 (10) :3646-3657
[39]   Scheduling and Control of Start-up Process for Time-Constrained Single-Arm Cluster Tools with Parallel Chambers [J].
Yang, FaJun ;
Qiao, Yan ;
Gao, KaiZhou ;
Wu, NaiQi ;
Zhu, YuTing ;
Simon, Ian Ware ;
Su, Rong .
IFAC PAPERSONLINE, 2018, 51 (07) :251-256
[40]   Scheduling single-arm multi-cluster tools connected by one-space buffer modules beyond the schedulability assumption [J].
Li, Xin ;
Qian, Xiaohu .
FLEXIBLE SERVICES AND MANUFACTURING JOURNAL, 2024,