News
2024 Review
In 2024, our primary focus was on customer projects. At the same time, we made significant progress in enhancing lithoApc. To achieve even more precise results, we integrated R as an additional solver into our system. This allows us to leverage the extensive mathematical capabilities of R, including LP and NLP systems. The implementation was carried out seamlessly, ensuring full stability and security for our customers. Over the past 12 months, the system has been running continuously without interruption, delivering consistently smooth response behavior. With this foundation in place, we are now set to tackle complex NLP challenges in the coming months.
Another key milestone was the modularization of our Wafer Layout Views. While these have always been separate modules, they are now evolving into a standalone product. This enables other users to effortlessly visualize wafer layouts and associated data. Additionally, export functionality for PNG, SVG, and PDF formats is already in place, making data sharing and analysis even more efficient.
Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to push boundaries in process optimization and visualization!
2023 Review
This year was very busy. We worked on a couple of new functions and migrated the whole project to a new build system with focus on a new platform. in detail I would like to show some of the new improvements:
– first of all we extended the list of plugs with the new Cvd plugin. Now the apc platform covers
- Litho
- cd,
- overlay,
- cmp and
- plasma
- etch,
- cvd.
This includes the compete analysis and r2r functionality for each module.
– also we introduced new statistical views to give a faster feedback about the measurement data
– the offline overlay analysis, which consumes the original IVS data files, are now accepting also the youngest version of such files. It is a full replacement for the IVS viewer.
– now the apc system allows to connect to a R-server as backbone. This opens the door for a new level of data analysis and prediction quality.
– the build system is migrated from intellij based files to maven.
– as platform we migrated from Java 1.8 to Java 17, which allows to use all modern features provided with the JDK and Jvm based libraries.
During the next weeks we focus on testing and minor changes. Some of the used models will benefit from the new R-server integration.
August 2021
The next APC module is in its final development stages. We are going to start our system test with real data. Again, the BlueLine APC platform has shown, that the integration of new processes is down within less development effort and with optimal results. Of course, we had to connect to all sensors (measurement tools) and to the process tool itself.
As usual, the data flow was one of the most important steps. This part consists of the data input, data output, and the correct merge of several pieces of the data. The merge step contains often process-specific functionality, which needs the appropriate implementation. A common example is the send-a-head (pilot) handling in the litho department and the rework flow.
With the new APC module, BlueLine now supports the major semiconductor processes.
February 06, 2021
Diese Woche haben wir erfolgreich mehrere Kindergärten per VPN miteinander verbunden. Damit dann der Träger der Kindergärten von jedem Standort auf den zentralen Datenbestand zugreifen. Die Zielstellung war unter Beachtung der Kosten, die Stabilität und Übertragungsgeschwindigkeit des Systems. Wir haben dazu eine eigene BlueLine VPN Box entwickelt, die basierend auf OpenSource Software eine Verbindung aufbaut, die gegenüber Angriffen von Außen immun ist.
Dieser Verbund stellt die Grundlage der mehr als 200 Netzwerk-Geräte, Telefonanlagen und mehr als 100 Nutzer des Trägers. Die Wartung erfolgt fast ausschließlich als Fernwartung.
January 25, 2021
BlueLine AG starts the development of the next big APC module. After the platform concept has proven itself, the next process area will be addressed on this architecture. The plan is to start system testing in the middle of 2021 and to start production in the early fall.
At the same time, the existing modules for overlay, critical dimension (lithoApc) and polish (cmpApc) will be expanded with new functions. The platform and the simple expandability of the APC solution result in the best synergy effects, which directly benefit the user.
December 2020
Two new modules are ready and are now being intensively tested in the system test. The IA (Internal Automation) module supports the delayed processing of incoming messages. This means that the process can also be completely retraced retrospectively. This feature is very useful for testing, support and synchronization of APC databases.
The DR (Data Removal) module deletes all data that leaves a predefined time range. This helps to keep the data volume and response time of the APC solution constant. The deletion is performed with minimal load on the database and without affecting the behavior of the APC solution.
cmpApc is released
A few weeks ago cmpAPC has been activated for production.
After 10 months of hard work we are proud to see that this new APC module fully meets the requirements of a Logic FAB in the High-Mix/ Low-Volume area.
During the last months we have already seen the promising forecasts during the tests – but there is a difference if you only look at the numbers or if you observe the influence on the production. Now this question is answered – the support of the CMP process with all facets of the process is shown.
cmpAPC is now a full-fledged part of the BlueLine APC product family.