Throughput Analysis of Linear Cluster Tools

In this paper, we analyze steady-state throughput and scheduling of linear cluster tools with single-blade robots in semiconductor manufacturing. We extend the existing research results in throughput and scheduling analysis for regular cluster tools to linear cluster tools. We analyze the tool´s throughput for typical single and separate input/output configurations. We also consider a general distribution of the parallel process modules. We present a few examples of linear cluster tools to illustrate the proposed decomposition method and algorithms. The numerical results demonstrate that the proposed approach provides a powerful method to analyze the throughput and robot schedules of newly developed linear cluster tools.