IP Library Granted Patent US 12,228,905
Granted Patent B2
US 12,228,905 · App. 17/548,334 · Granted Feb 18, 2025

Eco-efficiency monitoring and exploration platform for semiconductor manufacturing

Inventors: Ala Moradian (San Jose, CA); Umesh Madhav Kelkar (Cupertino, CA); Elizabeth Neville (Sunnyvale, CA); Orlando Trejo (Santa Clara, CA); Sergey Meirovich (Austin, TX); Kartik B. Shah (Saratoga, CA); Shreyas Suresh Kher (Campbell, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
G05B19/188G05B19/406G05B2219/32128G05B2219/45031
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,228,905
App. No.
17/548,334
Granted
Feb 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Technologies directed to an eco-efficiency monitoring and exploration platform for semiconductor manufacturing. One method includes receiving, by a processing device, first data indicating an update to a substrate fabrication system having a first configuration of manufacturing equipment and operating to one or more process procedures. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, using the first data with a digital replica, environmental resource data. The digital replica includes a digital reproduction of the substrate fabrication system. The environmental resource usage data indicates an environment resource consumption that corresponds to performing the one or more process procedures by the substrate fabrication system incorporating the update. The method further includes providing, by the processing device, the environmental resource usage data for display on a graphical user interface (GUI).

Claims (54)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processing device, first data indicating an update to a substrate fabrication system comprising a first configuration of manufacturing equipment and operating according to one or more process procedures, wherein the update comprises at least one of:

i.) an alteration of a first scheduled operational mode of a support asset of the substrate fabrication system to a shared operational mode;

or

ii.) a modification of a first gas to a second gas to be used by the substrate fabrication system;

inputting, by the processing device, the first data and process data associated with the one or more process procedures into a digital replica configured to estimate environmental resource usage data indicative of an amount of one or more resources consumed, wherein the digital replica comprises a digital reproduction of the substrate fabrication system, and wherein the digital replica is further configured to estimate the environmental resource usage data based at least in part on processing the first data and the process data using one or more of a multivariate statistical analysis or a mechanistic analysis of the substrate fabrication system in view of the update;

receiving, by the processing device, estimated environmental resource usage data output from the digital replica, wherein the estimated environmental resource usage data indicates estimated environmental resource consumption corresponding to performing the one or more process procedures by the substrate fabrication system incorporating the update; and

providing, by the processing device, the estimated environmental resource usage data for display on a graphical user interface (GUI).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the update further comprises replacing a first hardware subsystem device with a second hardware subsystem device having one or more operational specifications different from the first hardware subsystem device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the update further comprises altering the first configuration of manufacturing equipment to a second configuration of manufacturing equipment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the update further comprises altering a second scheduled operational mode of a physical asset of the substrate fabrication system, wherein the scheduled operational mode comprises a reduced power mode or an idle state.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the update comprises altering the scheduled operational mode of the support asset of the substrate fabrication system to the shared operational mode, wherein the support asset operating in the shared operational mode alternates carrying out a support function for multiple physical assets of the substrate fabrication system carrying out the one or more process procedures.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital replica comprises a physics-based model of one or more physical assets of the substrate fabrication system.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the physics-based model indicates a relationship between a size and a geometry of a substrate process chamber and the estimated environment resource consumption, and wherein the update further comprises a modification to at least one of the size or the geometry of the substrate processing chamber.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the physics-based model indicates a relationship between a type of gas used within the substrate fabrication system and the estimated environment resource consumption, wherein the update comprises the modification of the first gas to the second gas, wherein the first gas and the second gas comprise at least one of a purge gas, a reactive gas, or an etchant gas.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the physics-based model indicates a relationship between a heat extraction procedure from the substrate fabrication system and the estimated environment resource consumption, wherein the update further comprises a modification to at least one of a heat exhaust device, a gas abatement device, a water cooling device, or a gas vent structure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the estimated environmental resource usage data comprises:

computing estimated environmental resource consumption metrics for a plurality of tools of a selection of manufacturing equipment; and

aggregating the estimated environmental resource consumption metrics for the plurality of tools to determine the estimated environmental resource usage data.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, using the digital replica, second environmental resource usage data indicating an environment resource consumption corresponding to performing the one or more process procedures; and

determining a value indicating an eco-efficiency impact of the update based on a comparison between the estimated environmental resource usage data and the second environment resource usage data.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the substrate fabrication system comprises a processing chamber, wherein the physics-based model indicates:

one or more gases that enter the processing chamber;

one or more reactions occurring on a substrate disposed within the processing chamber; and

one or more relationships between the one or more gases and the one or more reactions occurring on the substrate;

the update corresponds to a modification to a flow of the one or more gases; and

the estimated environment resource consumption indicates one or more quantities of the one or more gases lost through abatement.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimated environmental resource usage data comprises at least one of an energy consumption, a gas consumption, or a water consumption associated with the substrate fabrication system performing the one or more process procedures.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, using the estimated environmental resource usage data, carbon footprint data associated with the fabrication system incorporating the update.

15. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device, coupled to the memory, to:

receive first data indicating an update to a substrate fabrication system comprising a first configuration of manufacturing equipment and operating according to one or more process procedures, wherein the update comprises at least one of:

i.) an alteration of a scheduled operational mode of a support asset of the substrate fabrication system to a shared operational mode;

or

ii.) a modification of a first gas to a second gas to be used by the substrate fabrication system;

input the first data and process data associated with the one or more process procedures into a digital replica configured to estimate environmental resource usage data indicative of an amount of one or more resources consumed, wherein the digital replica comprises a digital reproduction of the substrate fabrication system, and wherein the digital replica is further configured to estimate the environmental resource usage data based at least in part on processing the first data and the process data using one or more of a multivariate statistical analysis or a mechanistic analysis of the substrate fabrication system in view of the update;

receive estimated environmental resource usage data output from the digital replica, wherein the estimated environmental resource usage data indicates estimated environmental resource consumption corresponding to performing the one or more process procedures by the substrate fabrication system incorporating the update; and

provide the estimated environmental resource usage data for display on a graphical user interface (GUI).

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the digital replica comprises a physics-based model that indicates a relationship between a type of gas used within the substrate fabrication system and the estimated environment resource consumption, wherein the update comprises the modification of the first gas to the second gas, and wherein the first gas and the second gas comprise at least one of a purge gas, a reactive gas, or an etchant gas.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the digital replica comprises a physics-based model that indicates a relationship between at least one of a heat extraction procedure from the substrate fabrication system and the estimated environment resource consumption, wherein the update further comprises a modification to at least one of a heat exhaust device, a gas abatement device, a water cooling device, or a gas vent structure.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the estimated environmental resource usage data comprises at least one of an energy consumption, a gas consumption, a water consumption, or a carbon footprint indicator associated with the substrate fabrication system performing the one or more process procedures.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

receive first data indicating an update to a substrate fabrication system comprising a first configuration of manufacturing equipment and operating according to one or more process procedures, wherein the update comprises at least one of:

i.) an alteration of a scheduled operational mode of a support asset of the substrate fabrication system to a shared operational mode;

or

ii.) a modification of a first gas to a second gas to be used by the substrate fabrication system;

input the first data and process data associated with the one or more process procedures into a digital replica configured to estimate environmental resource usage data indicative of an amount of one or more resources consumed, wherein the digital replica comprises a digital reproduction of the substrate fabrication system, and wherein the digital replica is further configured to estimate the environmental resource usage data based at least in part on processing the first data and the process data using one or more of a multivariate statistical analysis or a mechanistic analysis of the substrate fabrication system in view of the update;

receive estimated environmental resource usage data output from the digital replica, wherein the estimated environmental resource usage data indicates estimated environmental resource consumption corresponding to performing the one or more process procedures by the substrate fabrication system incorporating the update; and

provide the estimated environmental resource usage data for display on a graphical user interface (GUI).

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the estimated environmental resource usage data comprises at least one of an energy consumption, a gas consumption, a water consumption, or a carbon footprint indicator associated with the substrate fabrication system performing the one or more process procedures.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2022
From: MORADIAN, ALA; KELKAR, UMESH MADHAV; NEVILLE, ELIZABETH; TREJO, ORLANDO; MEIROVICH, SERGEY; SHAH, KARTIK B.; KHER, SHREYAS SURESH
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061815/0189 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230185268A1 · Jun 15, 2023
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