Pattern-Based Design Manufacturing for Electronic Circuit Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern integrated circuit manufacturing faces challenges with yield limiters, limited resolution and accuracy of manufacturing tools, and the difficulty in systematically analyzing and communicating defects between electronic circuit design and fabrication processes, leading to inefficiencies and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for pattern-based design enabled manufacturing, which indexes a manufacturing analysis database with patterns to identify DFM data, correlates design topologies with failures and solutions, and provides precise location information to manufacturing tools, enhancing their performance and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional manufacturing tools and processes are used for integrated circuit fabrication, then the manufacturing process can be completed with existing equipment, but the resolution and accuracy of defect detection are limited, leading to yield limiters and resource wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces pattern analysis algorithms as an intermediary between the manufacturing process and defect detection. These algorithms analyze design patterns before fabrication and correlate them with manufacturing data, acting as a mediator that enhances the capability of existing manufacturing tools without requiring new equipment. This resolves the contradiction by improving measurement precision through software-based pattern recognition rather than hardware upgrades.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs pattern analysis and defect prediction before the actual manufacturing process. By identifying potential yield limiters and defect-prone patterns in the design stage and correlating them with manufacturing data in advance, the system prepares correction strategies beforehand. This preliminary action improves defect detection accuracy without slowing down the actual manufacturing execution, thus maintaining productivity.
2Loss of information
If systematic analysis of defects and violations is implemented between electronic circuit design and fabrication, then the accuracy of defect localization is improved, but the complexity of data processing and analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the defect analysis system into distinct functional modules: pattern extraction from design data, pattern matching against manufacturing data, defect correlation analysis, and solution recommendation. Each module handles a specific aspect of the analysis, reducing the complexity of the overall system while improving information communication. This modular segmentation allows the system to process defect information systematically without overwhelming complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates pattern models and representations of design features that can be copied and correlated across different manufacturing datasets. Instead of analyzing raw design and manufacturing data directly, the system uses pattern copies and abstractions that simplify the correlation process. This copying approach reduces information loss while managing data analysis complexity through standardized pattern representations.
3Measurement precision
If pattern analysis and correlation is performed on electronic designs, then the precision of locating failures and violations is enhanced, but the time and computational resources required for analysis increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and stores design patterns in advance before manufacturing data becomes available. By pre-processing design data to identify and catalog relevant patterns, the system avoids the need for time-consuming pattern recognition during defect analysis. When manufacturing data arrives, the system simply correlates it with pre-extracted patterns, significantly reducing analysis time while maintaining high failure location precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent focuses pattern analysis on specific local regions and patterns that are most relevant to manufacturing defects, rather than analyzing the entire design uniformly. By identifying and concentrating computational resources on defect-prone areas and critical patterns, the system achieves high precision in failure location while minimizing overall analysis time. This local quality approach avoids wasting computational resources on areas that do not contribute to defect detection.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments correlate various manufacturing or design information or data with patterns used to represent electronic designs and provide pertinent pattern-based information to metrology, fabrication, or testing tools to enhance their performances of their intended functions. Some embodiments further utilize cross-design or cross-process analytics to perform various pattern-based analysis on electronic designs. Some embodiments perform squish analysis with a squish pattern library on an electronic design to represent the electronic design with squish patterns by performing pattern matching, pattern decomposition, and pattern classification process.