Contact Window Arranging Apparatus for Semiconductor Yield

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Solution Overview

Problem

In semiconductor manufacturing, the increasing density of integrated circuits requires more contact windows to reduce contact resistance and avoid edge proximity errors, but manual placement is inefficient and prone to errors, leading to reduced yield and high resistance between conductive layers.

Innovation Solution

A contact window arranging apparatus and method that determines optimal contact window positions using preset distances and boundaries, calculating arrangement numbers based on these distances to minimize resistance and avoid edge proximity, with a processing unit arranging windows along centerlines to maximize contact points while ensuring adequate spacing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual placement of contact windows is used, then flexibility in positioning is maintained, but placement efficiency is low and errors are prone to occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact window placement efficiencyVSAvoidmanual placement requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical placement with an automated computer-based system that calculates and positions contact windows according to preset distances and boundary conditions, eliminating human error and significantly improving placement efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically determines optimal contact window positions based on predefined parameters and constraints, allowing the contact window arrangement to self-optimize without requiring manual intervention or expert judgment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Area of stationary object

If contact windows are positioned close to edges of conductive layers, then area utilization is improved, but position error tolerance is exceeded and yield is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechip surface area utilizationVSAvoidcontact window position error tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-establishes boundary conditions and preset distances that define safe positioning zones for contact windows, ensuring that windows are automatically positioned at optimal distances from edges before the actual placement occurs, preventing position errors from arising in the first place

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If number of contact windows is increased, then contact resistance is reduced, but arrangement complexity increases and manual positioning becomes impractical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact resistanceVSAvoidcontact window arrangement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the chip surface into multiple regions defined by boundaries and centers, systematically arranging contact windows in segments according to preset patterns, which simplifies the overall arrangement process while maximizing the number of windows that can be placed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses adjustable parameters including preset distances between contact windows and boundaries, allowing optimization of the number of contact windows based on specific resistance requirements while maintaining manageable arrangement complexity through automated parameter adjustment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9378319B2Contact window arranging apparatus and contact window arranging method thereof

Publication Date: 2016.06.28 WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP

AI summary

A contact window arranging apparatus and a contact window arranging method thereof are provided. A first contact window arrangement number and a second contact window arrangement number respectively corresponding to a first boundary and a second boundary are determined according to a first preset distance, and a third contact window arrangement number and a fourth contact window arrangement number respectively corresponding to the first boundary and the second boundary are determined according to a second preset distance, so as to select a total contact window arrangement number with more contact windows. Through taking a horizontal center line and a vertical center line of a rectangular area as benchmarks the contact windows are arranged in a manner corresponding to the total contact window arrangement number.