Lam Analysis Corp. this week launched Dextro, its first collaborative robotic arm designed to optimize essential upkeep duties on semiconductor wafer fabrication tools. The Fremont, Calif.-based firm introduced that a number of superior wafer fabs all over the world have deployed Dextro.
As fabs proceed to develop in measurement, geographic range, and tools complexity, chipmakers must optimize the effectiveness of their human engineers by growing automation, famous Lam Analysis. That is turning into much more necessary because the variety of semiconductor positions worldwide continues to outpace the supply of expert engineers.
Precision is essential in device upkeep, the place the correct reassembly of subsystems interprets to the underside line, the firm mentioned. Attaining first-time proper (FTR) saves time and value, it asserted. Repeatable upkeep may cut back waste related to consumable components, labor and manufacturing downtime, resulting in much less variability and better yield in manufacturing.
“When manufacturing tools requires upkeep, the work have to be performed shortly and effectively to keep away from prolonged device downtime and wasted price,” mentioned Younger Ju Kim, vice chairman and head of the Reminiscence Etch Know-how Group at Samsung Electronics. “Error-free upkeep by Dextro helps drive enhancements in manufacturing variability and yield. That is an thrilling milestone in Samsung’s journey to the autonomous fab.”
Lam Analysis helps semiconductor accuracy
Almost each superior chip immediately is constructed with Lam expertise, claimed the corporate. It mentioned it designed Dextro to reduce device downtime and manufacturing variability.
Inside a fab, accuracy issues. Semiconductor manufacturing operates with nanoscale accuracy, and whereas Dextro doesn’t have that stage of accuracy, Lam Analysis mentioned its process is to keep up the instruments to persistently produce at nanoscale. The result’s important FTR outcomes that may improve yield.
Lam mentioned it designed Dextro to handle tons of of course of instruments, every requiring common, complicated upkeep. These essential duties require repeatability with sub-micron precision. There is no such thing as a financial use case for a devoted cobot at every course of device. As an alternative, the new system may be repositioned across the fab as the method instruments are taken offline for upkeep.
“Dextro is a cellular cart that’s guided and docked to a bit of kit, then operated remotely by a fab engineer or technician,” defined Russel Dover, basic supervisor of the Buyer Help Enterprise Group at Lam Analysis. “The cart accommodates the cobot’s management techniques and accommodates a lot of the core expertise.”
When requested in regards to the typical upkeep cycle, Dover replied, “The size of time varies relying on the applying. A single utility might take as much as half-hour together with docking and undocking time. Carried out manually, it may possibly usually take two to 4 instances longer. A single Dextro unit can service as much as 100 Lam Flex chambers at a upkeep frequency of 1 time per 30 days.”
UR5e cobot on the middle of Dextro
On the coronary heart of Dextro is aUR5e cobot arm from Common Robots. The UR5e has a attain of 850 mm (33.5 in.) and a payload of 5 kg (11 lb.). Geared up with a fast change end-of-arm wrist, Dextro can shortly choose the suitable finish effector for the particular upkeep ask, comparable to:
- It exactly installs and compresses consumable parts with greater than two instances the accuracy of guide utility. Exact meeting helps management etch efficiency on the wafer edge, bettering yield.
- Dextro tightens vacuum-sealing, high-precision bolts to precise specs, relieving fab engineers of a repetitive process with as much as a 5% error fee when performed manually. Precisely assembly specs eradicate chamber temperature deviations that will take a device out of manufacturing and affect die yield, mentioned Lam Analysis.
- Utilizing automation and cleansing expertise, Dextro removes side-wall polymer build-up inside the chamber, with out the burden of disassembly of the decrease chamber. Importantly, it does this at decrease threat to people who require heavy protecting respiration tools to carry out the duty manually.
Automation guarantees to scale back downtime
“With the large improve in demand that AI is bringing to the semiconductor market, it’s essential for chipmakers to maintain all their manufacturing tools working as effectively as doable to reduce downtime,” famous Bob O’Donnell, president of TECHnalysis Analysis. “Dextro can automate tedious, time-consuming, and sometimes intricate cleansing and upkeep duties on chip fabrication tools in order that manufacturing output may be maximized. It presents an enormous profit for corporations that select to deploy it.”
“Dextro is an thrilling leap ahead in semiconductor manufacturing tools upkeep” mentioned Chris Carter, group vice chairman of the Buyer Help Enterprise Group at Lam Analysis.
“Constructed to work aspect by aspect with fab engineers, it executes complicated upkeep duties with precision and repeatability which are past human functionality alone, enabling larger device uptime and manufacturing yield,” he defined. “It’s a highly effective addition to Lam’s in depth portfolio of instruments and companies designed to assist chipmakers optimize their fabs for price and productiveness.”
Lam’s Flex G and H collection dielectric etch instruments are supported by Dextro, which can increase to further instruments in 2025 and past.
Dextro joins a portfolio of Lam techniques supposed to boost effectivity and cut back the price of operations for semiconductor fabs. It contains the Lam Tools Intelligence course of instruments with autonomous calibration and self-adapting upkeep capabilities.
The portfolio additionally contains Lam’s Tools Intelligence Providers, which use knowledge, machine studying, synthetic intelligence, and Lam area data to realize higher productiveness outcomes.
Dextro cobot in a semiconductor fab workcell. Supply: Lam Analysis
