Objective
The manufacturing process of ICs has special requirements concerning the establishment of long-term strategy on software and hardware packages for its full automation. The objective of this project was to satisfy those requirements within an advanced integrated manufacturing system concept. In particular, attention was paid to problems associated with increased fabrication complexity, small device geometries, large chip-size, flexibility (process, product, equipment, facility, etc), increased yield (maintenance concepts, process stability, people and process-production interactions), increased wafer diameter, new process concepts, automation, and fast materials cycle time.
The following topics were addressed:
-production information systems
-networking, communications, interfaces
-automation island definition and experiment
-facility monitoring systems
-materials handling systems
-manufacturing line integration
-manufacturing requirements with emphasis on quality, service and production cost issues.
Advanced manufacturing system (AMS) was a development programme to explore the software requirements and the automation concepts, to provide capability and competitiveness to the European semiconductor industry.
Without supplying new products (software, equipment), AMS tested packages and developed experimental tools in real industrial situations, to demonstrate the potential benefits by defining specifications for interfaces and communication protocols, as well as for software functions.
The objective of this project was to satisfy these requirements for automation of an advanced integrated manufacturing system concept. In particular, attention was paid to problems associated with increased fabrication complexity, small device geometries, large chip size, flexibility, increased yield, increased wafer diameter, new process concepts, automation, and fast materials cycle time. The following topics were addressed: production information systems; networking, communications, interfaces; automation island definition and experiment; facility monitoring systems; materials handling systems; manufacturing line integration; and manufacturing requirements with emphasis on quality, service and production cost issues. Comprehensive studies and requirement analyses were carried out, and reports delivered on the application model and functional architecture of the production information system, statistical process modelling, definition of network requirements and evaluation of software packages, connection of equipment with host computers, linkage of equipment in the photolithography area, analysis and requirements for material handling systems, and software and hardware flexibility for automated very large scale integration (VLSI) manufacturing. An initial demonstrator was set up in the photolithography area. A common model of a computer aided manufacture CAM system was defined with equipment interfacing, automation island, software and sensors for facility monitoring, wafer storage and transportation, wafer marking, modelling and fab simulation. Subsequently, detailed specifications of common CAM system requirements, and the development of specific modules for tracking products and equipment recipes were produced, as were interface modules for equipment connection and distributed databases. Cell controller definition, development and implementation in different environments and experimental robot installations were carried out. An expert system was developed for o perator help in 2 applications, and a software tool for wafer fab modelling/simulation. The system demonstration was centred around 2 automation islands, photolithography and diffusion.
During the first year of the project, comprehensive studies and requirement analyses were carried out, and reports delivered on the application model and functional architecture of the production information system, statistical process modelling, definiti on of network requirements and evaluation of software packages, connection of equipment with host computers, linkage of equipment in the photolithography area, analysis and requirements for material handling systems, and software and hardware flexibility for automated VLSI manufacturing. An initial demonstrator was set up in the photolithography area.
In the second year and the first half of the third year, work was mainly devoted to the definition of a common model of CAM system, equipment interfacing, automation island, software and sensors for facility monitoring, wafer storage and transportation, wafer marking, modelling and fab simulation.
Highlights of the third year's progress were:
-detailed specifications of common CAM system requirements, and the development of specific modules for tracking products and equipment recipes
-interface modules for equipment connection and distributed databases
-cell controller definition, development and implementation in different environments and experimental robot installations
-export system development for operator help in two applications
-software tool for wafer fab modelling/simulation.
During the fourth and last year of the project, the participants have consolidated and completed the work planed on the technical topics mentioned above.
The system demonstration was centred around two automation islands, photolithography and diffusion.
Exploitation
Process line integration/automation has now become one of the key factors of success in the manufacturing of commodity or specialised (ASIC) ICs.
The exploitation of the project's results will help the Community IC manufacturers concerned to improve their manufacturing capabilities. A technical interest group on VLSI manufacturing automation has been set up as part of the project, organising regular workshops to which other Community organisations are invited to attend. In this way it is expected to ensure a higher degree of harmonisation and to further increase the impact of the project.
The results of the project are also being used in the Manufacturing Science and Technology project (number 5081).
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering manufacturing engineering
- social sciences sociology industrial relations automation
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence expert systems
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
- natural sciences computer and information sciences software software applications
You need to log in or register to use this function
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Data not available
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Data not available
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Data not available
Coordinator
38340 Grenoble
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.