Method and apparatus for controlling the flow of wafers through a process flow

摘要

A method for controlling the flow of wafers through a process flow includes monitoring operating states of a plurality of processing tools adapted to process wafers; measuring a characteristic of a particular incoming wafer; identifying a particular processing tool having an operating state complimentary to the measured characteristic; and routing the particular incoming wafer to the particular processing tool for processing. A manufacturing system includes a plurality of processing tools adapted to process wafers and a process control server. The process control server is adapted to access metrology data related to a characteristic of a particular incoming wafer, identify a particular processing tool having an operating state complimentary to the characteristic, and route the particular incoming wafer to the particular processing tool for processing.