Running Out of Time: Improvements Required In Current Semiconductor Factory and Equipment Clock Synchronization for Supporting Future Real-Time Data Collection

Published

September 23, 2004

Author(s)

Ya-Shian Li-Baboud, Brad Van Eck, Eric D. Simmon

Abstract

Increasing wafer sizes, decreasing critical dimensions, and new material introduction all challenge higher initial yield, lower manufacturing costs, and time to market demands. Among the key issues driving the challenges are monitoring and maintaining surface uniformity, decreasing process tolerance windows, as well as increasing process and equipment complexity. Solving these issues will require data to be collected and analyzed from the process equipment, in-line metrology, and factory environmental conditions. Timestamps provide a scalable, efficient and technically sound mechanism for merging information retrieved from the rising confluence of heterogeneous data streams. Accurate clock synchronization and timestamps are fundamental to achieving e-Manufacturing paradigms such as Advanced Process Control (APC), e-Diagnostics, real-time control and development of an intelligent automated knowledge base for rapid yield learning. This presentation will elaborate on the potential methods, difficulties, and recommendations for addressing factory and equipment clock synchronization and time stamping and discuss why these are critical to the industry as the upcoming generations of fabrication facilities are being built. It will also enumerate on recommendations for areas of standardization and best practices for clock synchronization and time stamping.

Conference Dates

September 18-23, 2004

Conference Location

Westminster, CO, USA

Conference Title

AEC/APC Symposium XVI

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

APC, clock synchronization, IEEE 1588, NTP, time stamping

Citation

Li-Baboud, Y. , Van Eck, B. and Simmon, E. (2004), Running Out of Time: Improvements Required In Current Semiconductor Factory and Equipment Clock Synchronization for Supporting Future Real-Time Data Collection, AEC/APC Symposium XVI, Westminster, CO, USA (Accessed April 25, 2024)