Information processing system and simulation method

1 . An information processing system comprising:

physical sensor data acquisition circuitry configured to acquire physical sensor data measured in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that executes a process according to a process parameter to control components of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus;

simulation execution circuitry configured to execute a simulation by a simulation model of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with the process parameter as an input to output virtual sensor data and virtual process result data, wherein the simulation is executed by the simulation model in real time while the process is executed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus;

simulation result determination circuitry configured to compare the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data at the same position and time, and determine whether the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data at the same position and time are the same;

a database configured to store the virtual sensor data simulated in real time as well as virtual sensor data simulated previously; and

a display controller configured to visualize a process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus indicating a state of the process executed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and display the process state on a display during an execution of the process using the physical sensor data, the virtual sensor data, and the virtual process result data,

wherein the display controller visualizes on the display: 1) a predicted process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the virtual sensor data and the virtual process result data output from the simulation execution circuitry, and 2) an actual process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the physical sensor data and physical process result data, as substantially similar views of a portion of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, at the same time during the execution of the process, each of the substantially similar views including matching measurement points for the virtual process result data and the physical process result data, after executing the process according to the process parameter, the matching measurement points in a form capable of comparing with each other.

2 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the simulation result determination circuitry further comprise:

process parameter adjusting circuitry configured to adjust the process parameter so that the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data approximate each other.

3 . The information processing system according to claim 2 , further comprising:

simulation model editing circuitry configured to create or update the simulation model so that the physical process result data after the process is executed according to the process parameter and the virtual process result data output from the simulation execution circuitry approximate with each other, and the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data approximate with each other.

4 . The information processing system according to claim 3 , wherein the simulation model editing circuitry create or update the simulation model using the physical process result data, the virtual process result data, the physical sensor data, and the virtual sensor data, of a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses.

5 . The information processing system according to claim 4 , wherein the simulation result determination circuitry further comprise:

failure pre-detection circuitry configured to perform a failure pre-detection of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on at least one of a difference between the physical process result data after the process is executed according to the process parameter and the virtual process result data output from the simulation execution circuitry, and a difference between the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data.

6 . The information processing system according to claim 5 , wherein the failure pre-detection circuitry monitor the difference between the physical process result data and the virtual process result data or the difference between the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data, and perform a failure pre-detection of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using a failure pattern learned from a difference between the physical process result data and the virtual process result data at a time of a known failure, or the difference between the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data.

7 . The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the process parameter adjusting circuitry determine the process parameter such that the virtual process result data approximates the physical process result data, to obtain the physical process result data specified by a user.

8 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

simulation model editing circuitry configured to create or update the simulation model so that the physical process result data after the process is executed according to the process parameter and the virtual process result data output from the simulation execution circuitry approximate each other, and the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data approximate each other.

9 . The information processing system according to claim 8 , wherein the simulation model editing circuitry create or update the simulation model using the physical process result data, the virtual process result data, the physical sensor data, and the virtual sensor data of a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses.

10 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the simulation result determination circuitry further comprise:

failure pre-detection circuitry configured to perform a failure pre-detection of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on at least one of a difference between the physical process result data after the process is executed according to the process parameter and the virtual process result data output from the simulation execution circuitry, and a difference between the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data.

11 . The information processing system according to claim 10 , wherein the failure pre-detection circuitry monitor the difference between the physical process result data and the virtual process result data or the difference between the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data, and perform a failure pre-detection of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using a failure pattern learned from a difference between the physical process result data and the virtual process result data at a time of a known failure, or the difference between the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data.

12 . A simulation method comprising:

acquiring physical sensor data measured in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that executes a process according to a process parameter to control components of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus;

executing a simulation by a simulation model of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with the process parameter as an input to output virtual sensor data and virtual process result data, wherein the simulation is executed by the simulation model in real time while the process is executed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus;

comparing the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data at the same position and time, and determining whether the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data at the same position and time are the same;

storing the virtual sensor data simulated in real time as well as virtual sensor data simulated previously; and

visualizing a process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus indicating a state of the process executed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and displaying the process state on a display during an execution of the process using the physical sensor data, the virtual sensor data, and the virtual process result data,

wherein the visualizing includes displaying: 1) a predicted process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the virtual sensor data and the virtual process result data, and 2) an actual process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the physical sensor data and physical process result data, as substantially similar views of a portion of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, at the same time during the execution of the process, each of the substantially similar views including matching measurement points for the virtual process result data and the physical process result data, after executing the actual process according to the process parameter, the matching measurement points in a form capable of comparing with each other.

13 . The information processing system according to claim 3 , wherein the simulation model editing circuitry update the simulation model by deep learning to be appropriate for the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

14 . The information processing system according to claim 4 , wherein the simulation result determination circuitry further comprise:

failure pre-detection circuitry configured to notify a maintenance time of a specified component of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on at least one of a difference between the physical process result data after the process is executed according to the process parameter and the virtual process result data output from the simulation execution circuitry, and a difference between the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data.

15 . The information processing system according to claim 6 , wherein, when determined that a pre-detected failure is unknown, the failure pre-detection circuitry calculate a transition of a future deviation amount based on a deviation amount between the physical process result data and the virtual process result data from a past to a present or between the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data from a past to a present and execute the simulation by the simulation model with calculated transition of the future deviation amount as an input to output a number of processes or a period of the process.

16 . An information processing system comprising:

a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses;

a management server configured to manage information about the plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses,

wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses includes:

physical sensor data acquisition circuitry configured to acquire physical sensor data measured in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that executes a process according to a process parameter to control components of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus;

simulation execution circuitry configured to execute a simulation by a simulation model of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with the process parameter as an input to output virtual sensor data and virtual process result data, wherein the simulation is executed by the simulation model in real time while the process is executed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus;

simulation result determination circuitry configured to compare the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data at the same position and time, and determine whether the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data at the same position and time are the same;

a database configured to store the virtual sensor data simulated in real time as well as virtual sensor data simulated previously; and

a display controller configured to visualize a process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus indicating a state of the process executed by the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and display the process state on a display during an execution of the process using the physical sensor data, the virtual sensor data, and the virtual process result data,

wherein the display controller visualizes on the display: 1) a predicted process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the virtual sensor data and the virtual process result data output from the simulation execution circuitry, and 2) an actual process state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the physical sensor data and physical process result data, as substantially similar views of a portion of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, at the same time during the execution of the process, each of the substantially similar views including matching measurement points for the virtual process result data and the physical process result data, after executing the process according to the process parameter, the matching measurement points in a form capable of comparing with each other.

17 . The information processing system according to claim 16 , further comprising:

simulation model editing circuitry configured to create or update the simulation model so that the physical process result data after the process is executed according to the process parameter and the virtual process result data output from the simulation execution circuitry approximate with each other, and the physical sensor data and the virtual sensor data approximate with each other.

18 . The information processing system according to claim 17 , wherein the simulation model is edited based on the behavior of the plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses.

19 . The information processing system according to claim 18 , wherein the base of the simulation model is edited to fit each semiconductor manufacturing apparatus by deep learning.

20 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the simulation result determination circuitry is configured to compare the physical sensor data and previously simulated virtual temperature sensor data at the same position, and determine whether the physical sensor data and the previously simulated virtual temperature sensor data at the same position are the same.