| The objective of this study is the presentation and characterization of the constructs necessary for system design of automated semiconductor manufacturing facilities. This system design is broken into four distinct tasks. The first task is a determination of the appropriate facility structure and subsequent characterization of global facility structure properties. The second task is the development and description of a communication protocol for the automated semiconductor manufacturing facility. The third task is the development of a facility database for process information storage and flow in the facility. The final task is the development and detailed description of a generic architecture for each controller in the facility. A facility automation concept simulation has been developed in parallel with research in the above tasks to support the developed theories from an experimental viewpoint.;A hierarchical facility structure is determined as ideal for the automated facility. Its attractive properties of distribution and separation of knowledge, ease of update (due to a limited scope of influence), modularity and transparency are characterized. Results in facility communication include the SECS Message Service (SMS), an International Standards Organization (ISO) compliant protocol that provides for the high speed communication of messages tailored for the semiconductor manufacturing arena. As a further result of the SMS effort, a methodology has been developed for protocol incorporation of features of a non-ISO protocol into an ISO framework. Results in facility database development include an entity relationship (E-R) model of process recipe information flow in the facility. The model includes new E-R model extensions developed to represent time sequence ordering aspects of the information flow. The interpretation of the model to database implementation is presented. Research in the development of a generic controller architecture has led to a structure that maximizes the generic attributes of the controller. The architecture is conditional upon the facility being hierarchical, the various facility communication protocols being well-defined (e.g., ISO compatible), and the facility message format being well-defined and consistent throughout the facility. The facility automation concept simulation incorporates results from each of the above four areas, shows feasibility of the many concepts presented, and identifies initial performance parameters. |
