Cluster tools, each of which consists of multiple processing modules, one material handling
robot, and loadlocks, are widely used for wafer fabrication processes, such as lithography …

Cluster tools are automated production cells which are largely used for semiconductor
manufacturing. They consist of several processing modules (PMs) and a transportation …

In the semiconductor manufacturing industry, the lot size currently tends to be extremely
small, even being only 5-8 wafers, whereas conventional lots have 25 identical wafers. The …

Cluster tools have been extensively used for many semiconductor manufacturing processes
such as lithograph, etching, deposition, and testing. Most previous studies on cluster tool …

Complex multi-cluster tools have been extensively used in semiconductor manufacturing. It
is crucial to increase their productivity by their effective operation. With structural complexity …

We examine a scheduling problem of cluster tools that concurrently process two wafer types
in a cyclic operational sequence. Whereas the process steps for different wafer types are …

Modern semiconductor manufacturing industry tends to reduce the lot size; that is, a lot has a
small number of identical wafers, because of demands for small lots and an increased die …

We examine a cyclic scheduling problem of sequentially connected cluster tools with a
single input and output module, which includes multi-cluster tools and linear cluster tools …

Due to the trends of larger wafer diameters and smaller lot sizes, cluster tools need to switch
from processing one lot of wafers to another frequently. This leads to more transient periods …

Modern cluster tools tend to clean the chambers each time a specified number of wafers
have been processed. Such cleaning processes are intended to reduce the quality risk due …