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.