Cycle time analysis of dual-arm cluster tools for wafer fabrication processes with multiple wafer revisiting times

For some wafer fabrication processes, the wafers need to visit some processing modules for a number of times, which is referred to as the revisiting process. With wafer revisiting, it is very complicated to analyze the cycle time of a dual-arm cluster tool. Due to the fact that atomic layer deposition (ALD) process is a typical revisiting process in the semiconductor industry, study is conducted on cycle time analysis of dual-arm cluster tools for the ALD process with multiple revisiting times. The system is modeled by a type of Petri net. With this model, it is revealed that the system may never reach a steady state. Based on this finding, a method is presented to analyze the cycle time and analytical expressions are derived to calculate the cycle time for different cases. Several illustrative examples are given to show the applications of the proposed approach.

[1]  Michel Gourgand,et al.  Scheduling multiple robots in a no-wait re-entrant robotic flowshop , 2012 .

[2]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Petri Net Modeling and Wafer Sojourn Time Analysis of Single-Arm Cluster Tools With Residency Time Constraints and Activity Time Variation , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing.

[3]  R. S. Gyurcsik,et al.  Single-wafer cluster tool performance: an analysis of throughput , 1994 .

[4]  Tae-Eog Lee,et al.  Scheduling single-armed cluster tools with reentrant wafer flows , 2006 .

[5]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Modeling, Analysis and Control of Dual-Arm Cluster Tools With Residency Time Constraint and Activity Time Variation Based on Petri Nets , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.

[6]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Avoiding deadlock and reducing starvation and blocking in automated manufacturing systems , 2001, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[7]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Modeling, Simulation, and Control of Flexible Manufacturing Systems - A Petri Net Approach , 1999, Series in Intelligent Control and Intelligent Automation.

[8]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  A Closed-Form Solution for Schedulability and Optimal Scheduling of Dual-Arm Cluster Tools With Wafer Residency Time Constraint Based on Steady Schedule Analysis , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.

[9]  Tadao Murata,et al.  Petri nets: Properties, analysis and applications , 1989, Proc. IEEE.

[10]  R. S. Gyurcsik,et al.  Single-wafer cluster tool performance: an analysis of the effects of redundant chambers and revisitation sequences on throughput , 1996 .

[11]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Modeling and deadlock avoidance of automated manufacturing systems with multiple automated guided vehicles , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part B (Cybernetics).

[12]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  A Petri-Net-Based Scheduling Strategy for Dual-Arm Cluster Tools With Wafer Revisiting , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems.

[13]  MuDer Jeng,et al.  Petri net modeling and lagrangian relaxation approach to vehicle scheduling in 300mm semiconductor manufacturing , 2004, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2004. Proceedings. ICRA '04. 2004.

[14]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Parallel and sequential mutual exclusions for petri net modeling of manufacturing systems with shared resources , 1991, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[15]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Schedulability Analysis and Optimal Scheduling of Dual-Arm Cluster Tools With Residency Time Constraint and Activity Time Variation , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.

[16]  Vladimir Kats,et al.  A strongly polynomial algorithm for no-wait cyclic robotic flowshop scheduling , 1997, Oper. Res. Lett..

[17]  Naiqi Wu,et al.  Necessary and sufficient conditions for deadlock-free operation in flexible manufacturing systems using a colored Petri net model , 1999, IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern. Part C.

[18]  Chengbin Chu,et al.  A polynomial algorithm for no-wait cyclic hoist scheduling in an extended electroplating line , 2005, Oper. Res. Lett..

[19]  Wlodzimierz M. Zuberek,et al.  Timed Petri nets in modeling and analysis of cluster tools , 2001, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[20]  S. Venkatesh,et al.  A steady-state throughput analysis of cluster tools: dual-blade versus single-blade robots , 1997 .

[21]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  A hybrid methodology for synthesis of Petri net models for manufacturing systems , 1992, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[22]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Real-time deadlock-free scheduling for semiconductor track systems based on colored timed Petri nets , 2007, OR Spectr..

[23]  Y. Narahari,et al.  Deadlock prevention and deadlock avoidance in flexible manufacturing systems using Petri net models , 1990, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[24]  S. C. Wood,et al.  Systems of multiple cluster tools: configuration, reliability, and performance , 2003 .

[25]  NaiQi Wu,et al.  Colored timed Petri nets for modeling and analysis of cluser tools , 2010, Asian Journal of Control.

[26]  Chengbin Chu,et al.  Cyclic hoist scheduling in large real-life electroplating lines , 2007, OR Spectr..

[27]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Deadlock avoidance in semiconductor track systems , 2002, Proceedings 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.02CH37292).

[28]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Modeling, analysis, simulation, scheduling, and control of semiconductor manufacturing systems: A Petri net approach , 1998 .

[29]  Kouroush Jenab,et al.  Cycle time analysis in reentrant robotic cells with swap ability , 2012 .

[30]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Petri Net-Based Scheduling of Single-Arm Cluster Tools With Reentrant Atomic Layer Deposition Processes , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.

[31]  Tae-Eog Lee,et al.  Scheduling analysis of time-constrained dual-armed cluster tools , 2003 .

[32]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Petri Net Modeling and Cycle-Time Analysis of Dual-Arm Cluster Tools With Wafer Revisiting , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems.

[33]  Naiqi Wu,et al.  Modeling and deadlock control of automated guided vehicle systems , 2004 .

[34]  Shengwei Ding,et al.  Multicluster tools scheduling: an integrated event graph and network model approach , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing.

[35]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  Real-Time Scheduling of Single-Arm Cluster Tools Subject to Residency Time Constraints and Bounded Activity Time Variation , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.

[36]  Shengwei Ding,et al.  Steady-State Throughput and Scheduling Analysis of Multicluster Tools: A Decomposition Approach , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.

[37]  W.M. Zuberek,et al.  Cluster tools with chamber revisiting-modeling and analysis using timed Petri nets , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing.

[38]  MengChu Zhou,et al.  A Petri Net-Based Novel Scheduling Approach and Its Cycle Time Analysis for Dual-Arm Cluster Tools With Wafer Revisiting , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing.

[39]  Naiqi Wu,et al.  System Modeling and Control with Resource-Oriented Petri Nets , 2009 .

[40]  Tae-Eog Lee,et al.  Modeling and implementing a real-time scheduler for dual-armed cluster tools , 2001, Comput. Ind..

[41]  Tae-Eog Lee,et al.  Schedule stabilization and robust timing control for time-constrained cluster tools , 2003, 2003 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.03CH37422).

[42]  Wai Kin Chan,et al.  Optimal Scheduling of Multicluster Tools With Constant Robot Moving Times, Part I: Two-Cluster Analysis , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.