Automation Software Solutions for LED Manufacturers

Statistical process control (SPC), combined with MES tracking and throughput data can reveal quality trends, providing an early warning system to prevent production of marginal quality products.

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A common cause of reduced bin yield occurs when two or more process tools, such as MOCVD, PECVD, lithography, or metallization tools provide different output in key parameters such as wavelength, brightness or forward voltage. Traditional root cause analysis, manually comparing the tools and running expensive test lots, is inefficient and can be wasteful.

Using data mining, however, an engineer can easily compare the processing and metrology data sets and determine processing anomalies. The process drift or excursion can then be categorized and the FDC system can be configured to immediately recognize future excursions and flag the issue for attention. The tool would be immediately shut down and fixed, saving thousands of dollars in low yield product and wasted time trying to determine the failure mode.

Maintaining conventional MOCVD reactors is expensive and time consuming because it is required practically every run. With today’s MOCVD reactor designs, this daily maintenance involves process kit and parts cleaning in specialized chemical baths and furnaces, increasing the risk for damage. Since critical LED performance parameters can drop off dramatically as MOCVD process performance degrades, reactor maintenance is often performed earlier than necessary.

By using a FDC model, performance of key parameters such as gas flow, temperature, in-situ metrology and even post-process metrology readings, can be built into the model as baselines. The fault detection system can then be used to optimize the maintenance schedule, thus saving time and investment in spare parts. An additional benefit is that the FDC model can watch for unexpected process degradation and create an alert to force unscheduled maintenance cycle.

Current technologies for MOCVD, lithography, etch, PECVD and metallization process steps can show degraded performance between preventive maintenance cycles. Run-to-run (R2R) control adjusts tool settings between runs. Consistent yield means better predictability of finished goods and higher product output.

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APF Real Time Dispatching and Reporting (RTD) increases operational predictability across an entire manufacturing environment with a consistent set of strategic dispatching decisions based on critical data collected from the factory’s systems. This increased predictability reduces cycle time distributions, lowers active WIP and results in increased throughput. Many customers leverage the benefits of RTD as a competitive advantage.

APF Real Time Dispatching and Reporting utilizes the latest technology to mine the systems in a manufacturing facility for critical data needed to improve efficiency and throughput. This data is then reported in a simple-to-use and easy-to-understand interface, allowing decisions to be made real-time without the programming delays required by other systems. Using RTD maximizes tool utilization rates and balances WIP throughout a facility.

However, key LED performance parameters cannot always be measured immediately so a dip in yield or quality at a midstream process is not caught until product is further down the line, resulting in increased waste and the potential to miss customer delivery targets. The best solution for product improvement couples MES functionality for product quality and tracking with powerful R2R and FDC systems that can provide process control on all the tools in a factory. Compiling critical LED manufacturing data from factory tools into a central system allows real time analysis and problem solving in a unique way that only Applied Materials’ automation software solutions can provide.

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