Effective Chip Mapping for Faster Lithography Alignment Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor exposure equipment lacks the ability to optimize exposure conditions specifically for effective chip regions, particularly in the outer circumferential imperfect shot regions, requiring excessive time for manual adjustments based on other effective chip regions.
Innovation Solution
A lithography information processing apparatus that displays the layout of shot regions and positions of effective chips within each shot region, enabling automatic selection and display of alignment marks for efficient recipe setting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If exposure conditions are optimized for all shot regions including imperfect peripheral regions, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to excessive adjustment time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the substrate into multiple shot regions and further into chip regions, allowing independent optimization of exposure conditions for each segment. The system identifies effective chip regions versus ineffective peripheral regions and applies different exposure parameters accordingly, enabling precise control without unnecessary adjustments in imperfect areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by applying different exposure conditions to different regions of the substrate. Effective chip regions receive optimized exposure parameters for manufacturing precision, while ineffective peripheral regions are excluded from such adjustments, preventing wasted time and improving overall productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual adjustment of alignment marks is performed for each shot region, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to excessive manual work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the system to automatically identify and select appropriate alignment marks based on the shot region layout and chip region effectiveness. The system autonomously determines which alignment marks are relevant for each region, eliminating the need for manual search and selection, thus reducing adjustment time while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-identifying effective chip regions and their corresponding alignment marks before the actual alignment adjustment process. This advance preparation allows the system to directly proceed to necessary adjustments without time-consuming manual exploration, reducing overall adjustment time.
3Ease of operation
If all chip regions are displayed in the layout information, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of time increases due to unnecessary information processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary information (effective chip regions) from the complete shot region layout and presents this filtered information to the user. By removing ineffective peripheral regions from the display, the system reduces information processing time while maintaining ease of operation through clear, focused visualization of relevant areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by displaying only the partial information related to effective chip regions rather than all chip regions. This selective display approach reduces the cognitive load and processing time for the user while still providing sufficient information for accurate alignment adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
In order to provide a lithography information processing apparatus that can optimize, for example, adjustment of alignment at an outer circumferential part of a substrate, the lithography information processing apparatus includes a display control unit that causes a layout of a shot region of the substrate used in a lithography apparatus to be displayed and causes a position of an effective chip in each of the shot regions to be displayed according to the number of chips included in each of the shot regions.