The present invention provides a novel distributed factory system framework including a novel factory automation lifecycle ( 200 ) having lifecycle activities for SW developing and integrating ( 210 ), installing and administrating ( 220 ), factory modeling ( 230 ), manufacturing planning ( 240 ), manufacturing controlling, monitoring and tracking ( 250 ) and analyzing of manufacturing results ( 260 ). The factory lifecycle comprises framework components. The distributed factory system framework also includes application components and building blocks. The framework components are adapted to for managing the application components, while the application components are utilized to provide instructions for managing a process such as a wafer fab. The building blocks are adapted for forming or modifying framework and application components. The distributed factory system framework provides computer implemented methods for integrating processing systems and facilitates process and equipment changes.

Computer integrated manufacturing techniques

Systems and methods for monitoring power in power distribution systems are provided. In one aspect, a system for monitoring power includes a power monitoring device that measures a value of at least one characteristic of power provided to a branch of a power distribution system. The power monitoring device includes an output that provides the value measured. The system further includes a controller having an input to receive the value measured and an output that couples to a first device powered by the branch to send a maximum power signal to the first device to command the first device to operate at a percentage of maximum power.

Method and apparatus for preventing overloads of power distribution networks

An eddy current sensor (10) has a sensor coil (100) disposed near a conductive film (6) formed on a semiconductor wafer (W) and a signal source (124) configured to supply an AC signal to the sensor coil (100) to produce an eddy current in the conductive film (6). The eddy current sensor (10) includes a detection circuit operable to detect the eddy current produced in the conductive film (6). The detection circuit is connected to the sensor coil (100). The eddy current sensor (10) also includes a housing (200) made of a material having a high magnetic permeability. The housing (200) accommodates the sensor coil (100) therein. The housing (200) is configured so that the sensor coil (100) forms a path of a magnetic flux (MF) so as to effectively produce an eddy current in the conductive film (6).

Eddy current sensor

This paper proposes a new method to reduce the thermal drift of eddy-current sensors (ECSs) by two orders of magnitude. Theoretical analysis shows that a well-designed bridge will help to decouple two vectors related to the resistance and inductance variations of the sensing coil of ECSs. Experiments show resistance variation has a considerably larger coefficient with temperature change compared to that of inductance variation. Other than being neglected, resistance variation compensates for the influence of temperature on inductance variation, which is used to derive true displacement information. A prototype ECS with high-resolution of sub-nanometer and ultrahigh thermal stability is manufactured and tested. Results show that the thermal drift of the prototype ECS is approximately 2.6 nm/°C, equivalent to 9.7 ppm/°C of the coil's inductance change. This self-temperature compensation method for ECS is simple, low cost, universal, very effective, and has competitive advantages in most applications.

Ultrastable and highly sensitive eddy current displacement sensor using self-temperature compensation

Systems, methods and mediums are provided for dynamic adjustment of sampling plans in connection with a wafer (or other device) to be measured. The invention adjusts the frequency and/or spatial resolution of measurements on an as-needed basis when one or more events occur that are likely to indicate an internal or external change affecting the manufacturing process or results. The dynamic metrology plan adjusts the spatial resolution of sampling within-wafer by adding, subtracting or replacing candidate points from the sampling plan, in response to certain events which suggest that additional or different measurements of the wafer may be desirable. Further, the invention may be used in connection with adjusting the frequency of wafer-to-wafer measurements.

Dynamic metrology schemes and sampling schemes for advanced process control in semiconductor processing

This invention uses a single eddy current coil to measure multiple parameters of conductive target simultaneously using a single fixed frequency. For example, the system consisting of the sensor coil, connecting cable, and signal conditioning electronics, can measure the thickness of a target and the distance of the target from the coil. Alternatively, it could simultaneously measure the distance of the target to the coil, i.e. lift-off, and one of the electrical properties of the target, such as the resistivity. The present system is useful in material characterization of targets where the lift-off information can be used to correct for any lift-off induced error in the apparent resistivity. In general, it can determine any pair of two characteristics of the target/sensor relationship simultaneously. This invention provides significant improvement in accuracy and flexibility of eddy current sensors and can be manufactured at a low cost due to the use of a single coil and a single fixed frequency in the signal conditioning electronics. An alternative sensor configuration utilizing two sensors differentially to produce a cladding insensitive--displacement measurement is also contemplated by the present invention.

Timothy John Danielson

Papers

Multi-Parameter eddy current measuring system with parameter compensation technical field

Verfahren und System zum Messen von physikalischen Parametern eines Werkstückes