LUMPED PARAMETER MODELING OF THE LITHO CELL

Abstract Litho cells are the most expensive equipment in a wafer fab. To support decision-making on this equipment, accurate simulation models for throughput and flow time are helpful. The simulation models that are typically developed incorporate various shop floor details. To properly model these details, they should be quantified, which is difficult and time consuming. In this paper, a lumped parameter model of the litho cell is proposed for the litho cell. The model consists of two parts: a detailed representation of the processing inside the track and scanner, and an aggregate representation of the factory floor feeding the loadport. The track-scanner is modeled as a tandem flow line with blocking. The shop floor is represented by a delay distribution that incorporates all contributions outside the machine. Simulation results show that the suggested method provides a simple, yet accurate approximation of the litho cell.

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