Managing multi-chamber tool productivity

Multi-chamber tools have enabled significant technical breakthroughs in wafer processing in the last decade. Expenditures for these tools are increasing as a percentage of the total capital base. Fully one-third of the capital dollars invested in 0.4 μm technology processing equipment will be spent on multi-chamber tools. These tools also present some special productivity problems, as a significant portion of the tool can fail to produce wafers while the remaining portions of the tool still are able to do so at a reduced run rate. Classical measures of tool availability and run rates are insufficient to account for reduced output when part of the tool is down. This paper presents measurements, operating scenarios and operating guidelines to maximize multi-chamber tool productivity in a volume manufacturing environment.