SBIR Phase II: An Integrated Software Tool for Modeling and Model-Based Control of Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a commercial prototype of a novel software tool for integrated model-based control design for Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) systems. Semiconductor process engineers and RTP equipment design engineers will use the tool. Currently, the design and development of advanced process controllers is a relatively slow and complicated process. There is no high-level tool that allows the process engineer to design, tune and deploy advanced controllers and develop low-order, fast physical models to be used for control. Based on customer feedback and its own experience the company has found a strong need for an integrated modeling and control tool that can be customized for a specific process. Phase I results proved the feasibility of such a tool by closed-loop simulations of a generic RTP chamber using a proof-of-concept version of the proposed tool. This Phase II will further develop and implement relevant model-order reduction algorithms, implement the algorithm for speeding up the Monte Carlo ray tracing calculations, develop the user interface, and integrate the tool components. The company will work closely with its industrial partner in testing the prototype tool in the design of next-generation RTP equipment. If successful the proposed software package will result in a tool that will substantially reduce the development time of RTP equipment and processes. The tool also provides components for development of advanced techniques in virtual sensing and fault detection. RTP is the company's initial focus, but will leverage the modular nature of the product to extend its capabilities to other semiconductor equipment (e.g., CMP, CVD, etch, etc.) and even equipment used in other industries. Moreover, devices for MEMS and new nanoscale electronics technologies (e.g. spintronic and molecular computing) are expected to be commercialized using CMOS-like manufacturing processes. Hence, by creating a new way of designing and developing equipment and processes efficiently, this tool will have an impact far beyond RTP. The software will serve as a teaching and training tool that can be used in universities and government laboratories of NIST, DoD, DoE, etc.