Patent · US Expired

Technique for optimizing the number of IC chips obtainable from a wafer

US5699260A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
5References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 1995
Grant dateDec 16, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The yield of good die from wafers is optimized by positioning the first level mask with respect to the wafer in accordance with a calculated alignment relationship based on physical characteristics of the wafer and the size of the die to be formed in the wafer. The calculated alignment relationship establishes the offset between the wafer and the mask which will result in the maximum available die. This offset is calculated by a computer which examines a number of prospective offsets between the center of one of the die and the center of the wafer. The number of available die is calculated for each such offset, and the offset which maximizes the available die from the wafer is determined.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.