Troubleshooting and Recovery

What to do in case of computer (monitor) freeze-up.

Reboot – When terminal keyboard ( main keyboard- add photo) locks up, etc.

1.     If the terminal keyboard is not responding, first make sure the NO SCRL key was not pressed (add photo). This gives the appearance that the keyboard is locked up but the screen has just been paused.

2.     On the terminal keyboard press type Ctrl + ]     (Press Ctrl first then ]  )                     

This exits the terminal and returns control to the MOP PC(#1).- add photo

3.     Pullout the PC keyboard (upper keyboard, add photo) and press button Scroll Lock twice. This toggles the KVM switch from the Smart Set PC (#2) to the MOP PC (#1).

4.     Using the mouse (next to upper keyboard) , select ALT + X to exit (bottom off the screen). You can also type ALT + X on the keyboard. A window will open (on the top monitor, add photo) asking to power down the Stepper, click OK. The PC will exit to DOS.

5.     At this point you can either restart the software from DOS or turn the MOP PC (#1) off and on ( add photo). To restart from DOS, enter stepper at the DOS prompt.

6.     The main menu for the MOP PC (#1) should appear on the top monitor once the software/PC boots up. Pullout the PC keyboard ( upper keyboard)and using the mouse, select Operate Stepper -> Start. Put the keyboard away.

7.     The terminal will ask you to enter the time (24hr) and Date (e.g. 30-APR-19).

Please try these things in this order.

1) Try CTRL C followed by A and Enter. This will abort any command that may have hung up

2) Press RESET on small monitor keyboard.

3) Follow this sequence:

• a) Pull out upper keyboard.
• b) Hit “Scroll Lock” button twice followed by the number 2.

This switches the upper monitor from the smart-set computer to the PC control computer. Try a second time if this doesn’t work. You should see a black screen with “Ready” near the top or you will see a menu driven screen. If the monitor switching does not work, go up to the gray interface box on top of the stepper control rack. Press the gray flash button. This is located in the area where the cables all plug in.

• c) Push in upper keyboard.
• d) Lift up plastic flap over lower keyboard and press break
• e) Turn off lower monitor by pulling out the monitor box and using the switch on the top right front corner of the box (DO NOT TURN OFF SYSTEM POWER SWITCH ON MONITOR! This will shut down the whole system)
• f) Wait 1 minute and turn the monitor back on.
• g) Let monitor warm up until you see a cursor on the screen.
• h) Hit the Set Up key on the stepper keyboard (lower keyboard)
• i) Hit Line/Local key (number 4) so that the on-line LED lights.
• j) Hit the Set Up key again. You should have a cursor on the screen.
• k) Pull out upper keyboard and press the Alt button and “O” at the same time.
• l) Hit Return to start the program.
• m) Push in upper keyboard.
• n) At the prompt on the lower monitor, enter the time and date as specified (10:25 19-NOV-02)
• o) Stepper will finish booting up.
• p) Pull out upper keyboard and hit “Scroll Lock” button twice followed by the number 1 to transfer monitor back to the smart-set computer. Try a couple times if this does not work and use the flash button (see instruction b) if needed.
• q) You are ready to Log In.

4) Follow this sequence:

a) Follow system shut down sequence, but DO NOT TURN OFF LAMP OR ENVIRONMENTAL UNIT

b) Wait 5 minutes.

c) Follow system start-up sequence except for instructions on lamp or environmental unit.

What to do if the local alignment or wafer exposure mapping hangs up on the upper monitor.

1) Reset lower Advent computer and wait for reboot.

What to do in case of unplanned power outage.

1) CR Staff will take care of the system in the morning.

Errors job related

What to do for alignment error.

1) Verify that correct alignment key offset is being used

2) Verify that the mask is aligned

3) Verify that the baseline is correct (check values in MODE against the last calibration in the calibration notebook)

4) If you have DFAS alignment marks, perform a MAP job to verify alignment.

What to do for focus resolution problems.

1) Verify system focus using the MODE command

2) Perform a focus optimization job (using command EXPO job name). You will enter exposure time, and focus will vary, You need to enter the increment step. Use one of your jobs that is already written. Use the same type of wafer that you will be using for your real job (substrate type, and thickness). If you need to optimize both (exposure time and focus), you will use the same command EXPO job name, and will enter starting exposure time, and focus, and increment step.

3) Verify that your wafer is not bowed (i.e. under stress from some process)

What to do in case of mask vacuum problem.

1) Check that small pump is running in back of system. Make sure vacuum level is above 20” Hg.

2) Push foot down onto mask with hand so that the vacuum holds the mask.

What to do in case of focus getting stuck and system hanging up.

1) Adjust manual focus knob so that a negative number appears on voltmeter.

2) Note die on computer screen at right of system. Abort using Ctrl-C followed by A. Edit the program and drop out the problem die. If you have exposed some die already, you may want to drop them out too for the second run.

What to do in case of the stage limit going too far (red stage limit light will be lit inside the stepper chamber next to the joystick.

1) Press the lit limit switch to release the stage.

Reporting the error/issue

Who to call if you cannot undo the problem or need some help with Stepper

1) Biljana Stamenic ( if it is related to the job or stepper use)

2) Lee Sawyer (if there is the issue with the tool, something not working/broken)

2) Mike Silva (if neither Lee or Biljana can be reached)

3) NOTE: Leave a note that stepper is down. E-mail nanofab@ece.ucsb.edu to report a problem.