Detailed simulation for semiconductor manufacturing

A factory model, ACHILLES, has been developed for detailed simulation of semiconductor manufacturing. Data for the model may be automatically collected from existing computer aided manufacturing systems. Use of a model in factory control places stringent requirements on its accuracy and speed. ACHILLES is used to develop accurate factory-specific models which have the necessary rapid execution time on personal computers. Another model called Thor performs detailed simulations of integrated processing tools. These very complex machines may incorporate several process steps into a single tool. They are currently being introduced into the semiconductor industry. There are many design and performance issues associated with production integrated processing equipment (PIPE) that can only be answered by detailed simulation. Progress made in factory modeling is discussed