Automated In-Line Process Control Guidance for Semiconductor Wafer Marginalities

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for guiding in-line process control of semiconductor wafers are slow, impractical, and lack automation, failing to comprehensively utilize design team knowledge for inspection, review, and metrology, leading to inefficient defect detection and process control.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and system that automatically identifies potential design marginalities and generates information for setting up process control, using computer subsystems to query design databases and modify physical design elements for targeted inspection and metrology, enabling comprehensive and automated guidance for in-line inspection, review, and metrology.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If manual methods are used to generate design guidance for process control, then comprehensive coverage of design team knowledge can be achieved, but the process becomes slow and impractical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign team knowledge coverageVSAvoidguidance generation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic self-generation of design guidance by querying design databases and autonomously identifying marginalities, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining comprehensive knowledge coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical processes of reviewing design data are replaced with automated computer-based systems that query databases and generate guidance, dramatically reducing time while preserving information completeness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If comprehensive design guidance is generated manually, then complete utilization of design team knowledge is achieved, but automation is substantially lacking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign team knowledge utilizationVSAvoidguidance generation automation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic querying of design databases, autonomous identification of marginalities, and self-generation of guidance information, achieving both comprehensive knowledge utilization and full automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual design review processes are replaced with automated computer-based systems that interface with design databases, eliminating manual labor while maintaining complete knowledge utilization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If detailed design analysis is performed, then comprehensive identification of potential marginalities is achieved, but the process becomes slow and impractical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarginality identification accuracyVSAvoidprocess control setup speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs detailed design analysis by querying databases and identifying marginalities without manual intervention, achieving both high precision and fast processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual detailed analysis processes are replaced with automated computer-based systems that rapidly query design databases and identify marginalities with high accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9400865B2Extracting comprehensive design guidance for in-line process control tools and methods

Publication Date: 2016.07.26 KLA CORP

AI summary

Methods and systems for extracting comprehensive design guidance for in-line process control of wafers are provided. One method includes automatically identifying potential marginalities in a design for a device to be formed on a wafer. The method also includes automatically generating information for the potential marginalities. The automatically generated information is used to set up process control for the wafer.