Speed to Insight: Sumitomo Chemical Takes Control of Epitaxial Data

The Challenge

Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technologies (SCAT), based in Phoenix, Arizona, provides development and high-volume production services for epitaxial wafers and related devices. Epitaxial wafer manufacturing is among the most data-intensive processes in the semiconductor industry: intricate reactors must be tuned between every process run by skilled technicians and engineers, and the subsequent characterization of each wafer post-growth is critical to determining which variables should be modified on the reactor to maintain peak efficiency.

The challenge SCAT faced was not a lack of data. It was the time and effort required to collect and use it. Data acquisition was largely manual, relying on technicians to transcribe readings from metrology tools into spreadsheets. Macro-driven Excel workbooks were used to generate trend charts, and producing even a subset of the key characterization metrics for a single reactor could take an engineer 30 to 60 minutes. As large volume customers began requesting more data granularity at higher frequencies to better manage their supply chains, the manual approach became a clear bottleneck.

CRS began implementing ToolTrack at SCAT in July 2020.

The ToolTrack Solution

ToolTrack addressed SCAT's data challenge at two layers: collection and consumption.

Automated data collection via API integration. ToolTrack's Application Program Interfaces (APIs) enabled direct data loading from metrology tool interfaces, eliminating the manual transcription step entirely. The result was cleaner data (no manual typos, no version conflicts between macro workbooks) and a continuous feed of characterization data into the system as each run completed.

Real-time dashboards built for run-to-run analysis. Within weeks of the implementation, CRS worked with SCAT to build multiple interactive real-time dashboards showing key epitaxial characterization metrics for each run, broken out by reactor pocket. Since each reactor can process multiple wafers simultaneously, the dashboards allow the engineering team to instantly spot out-of-control trends across a series of runs, and identify individual pockets that may be more prone to excursions after multiple passes.

The dashboards are configurable by date range, product type, and reactor, and are used every day in SCAT's morning operations meetings. Within a matter of weeks of deployment, the operational logistics for several key products, from raw wafer management to epitaxial growth and characterization, were being managed end-to-end in ToolTrack.

Results

It used to take an engineer 30 to 60 minutes to generate only a subset of the trend charts needed for a morning review. With ToolTrack, the same complete chart set is available in less than 10 seconds, giving the engineering team more time to act on the data rather than gather it. Answers to questions like "What did we learn during that epi run?" that once required manual investigation are now available on demand, directly from the dashboard.