Process Systems Engineering in Semiconductor Processing

GRADUATE SEMINARProfessor S. Joe Qin
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Texas, AustinAbstract:The semiconductor industry is in the midst of a technology transition from 200mm to 300mm wafers to gain manufacturing efficiency and reduce manufacturing cost per chip. These technological changes present a unique opportunity to optimally design the control systems to achieve fab-wide control.In this seminar we introduce systems engineering approaches to semiconductor manufacturing and present a hierarchical optimization and control framework for semiconductor fab control. The equipment level control involves real-time feedback control of tool parameters. The next level run-to-run control involves sharing information from multiple steps to achieve feedforward and predictive control. The top level of the hierarchy is the fab-wide control which is the highest level optimization to achieve desired electrical properties by recalculating the optimal targets for the lower level. Challenges due to multiple, different tools in each module and multiple products being processed in the same module of tools are discussed. Stability analysis results are given for single product runs and mixed product runs. Fault detection and process monitoring needs at various levels are discussed as well. In summary, various systems engineering issues and opportunities are demonstrated in the large scale but nano-sized semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Location: Hedco Pertroleum and Chemical Engineering Building (HED) - 116

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Petra Pearce