Patent · US Active

Predicting process fail limits

US9471743B1 · kind B1 · utility

0Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 31, 2015
Grant dateOct 18, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P90/02
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In an approach for predicting a process fail limit for a semiconductor manufacturing process, a computer determines a potential working process condition for each of a plurality of process parameters varied in forming a test wafer feature. The computer determines a process sigma value for each of the plurality of process parameters in forming the test wafer feature and a measurement sigma value. The computer evaluates a set of measurements of the test wafer feature compared to an acceptable wafer feature dimension, where each measurement of the set of measurements is a pass or fail as compared to the acceptable wafer feature dimension. The computer determines whether one or more fails are evaluated compared to the acceptable wafer feature dimension. The computer produces a predicted process fail limit based, at least in part, on the evaluation of fails, the measurement sigma value, and a desired target sigma value.

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