User interface for wafer data analysis and visualization

• US 20040119749A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Luque, Jorge
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/771
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps

Abstract

A wafer viewer system is provided for graphical presentation and analysis of a wafer and a wafer series. More specifically, the wafer viewer system includes a graphical user interface for displaying a wafer, graphically selecting regions of the wafer for analysis, performing analysis on the selected regions of the wafer, and displaying results of the analysis.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data, comprising:

providing a control for selecting a first set of wafer measurement data;

providing a control for selecting a second set of wafer measurement data;

providing a control for performing a mathematical operation between the first set of wafer measurement data and the second set of wafer measurement data, the mathematical operation creating a result set of wafer data; and

displaying the result set of wafer data.

2. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of wafer measurement data and the second set of wafer measurement data are associated with a common wafer.

3. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of wafer measurement data and the second set of wafer measurement data are associated with different wafers.

4. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of wafer measurement data and the second set of wafer measurement data represent wafer thickness measurement data.

5. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of wafer measurement data and the second set of wafer measurement data represent a common subset of wafer measurement data, the common subset of wafer measurement data being associated with a portion of a wafer.

6. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

providing a subset selection control for selecting the common subset of wafer measurement data.

7. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 6, wherein the subset selection control provides for removal of specific wafer measurement data from one of the first set of wafer measurement data, the second set of wafer measurement data, and both the first and second sets of wafer measurement data.

8. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, wherein displaying the result set of wafer data includes displaying a wafer map, the wafer map illustrating the result set of wafer data as a function of location on a wafer surface, differing magnitudes within the result set of wafer data being illustrated using one of a color scale and a monochrome scale.

9. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a control for saving the result set of wafer data.

10. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a control for printing a report of the result set of wafer data.

11. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a control for electronically transferring the result set of wafer data.

12. A graphical user interface for analyzing wafer measurement data as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a control for changing a unit of measure for displaying the result set of wafer data.

13. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data, comprising:

providing a control for selecting the collection of wafer measurement data;

providing a control for performing an evaluation of the collection of wafer measurement data, the evaluation creating a set of evaluation results; and

displaying the set of evaluation results.

14. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

providing a control for adding a set of wafer measurement data to the collection of wafer measurement data.

15. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

providing a control for removing a set of wafer measurement data from the collection of wafer measurement data.

16. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

providing a control for generating the collection of wafer measurement data from a group of wafer measurement data, the group of wafer measurement data including a common type of data measurement for multiple wafers.

17. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

providing a control for generating multiple collections of wafer measurement data from a group of wafer measurement data, the group of wafer measurement data including different types of data measurements for multiple wafers, a separate collection of wafer measurement data being generated for each of the different types of data measurements, each separate collection of wafer measurement data including wafer measurement data for each of the multiple wafers.

18. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

providing a control for saving changes to the collection of wafer measurement data.

19. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, wherein the control for performing evaluation of the collection of wafer measurement data includes a control for selecting a quantity to be evaluated, the quantity being selected from a set of options including a mean, a standard deviation about the mean, a range between a maximum value and a minimum value, the maximum value, and the minimum value.

20. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, wherein the control for performing the evaluation of the collection of wafer measurement data includes a control for selecting a subset of wafer measurement data to be evaluated, the subset of wafer measurement data being associated with a portion of a wafer.

21. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 20, the control for selecting a subset of wafer measurement data including options for selecting wafer measurement data within one of an arbitrary half of the wafer, an arbitrary region outwardly extendable from a center of the wafer, and an annular region selectable at an arbitrary distance from the center of the wafer.

22. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, wherein displaying the set of evaluation results includes providing a graphical display of the set of evaluation results for each set of wafer measurement data in the collection of wafer measurement data.

23. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 22, wherein the graphical display includes a display of control limits, the control limits representing a selected number of standard deviations about a mean of a quantity being displayed in the set of evaluation results.

24. A graphical user interface for managing and evaluating a collection of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 13, wherein displaying the set of evaluation results includes displaying statistical values associated with the set of evaluation results, the statistical values including a mean, a standard deviation about the mean, a range between a maximum value and a minimum value, the maximum value, and the minimum value.

25. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data, comprising:

providing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface providing a control for selecting a subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis;

performing analysis of the subset of the wafer measurement data to create a set of analysis results; and

providing a display of the set of analysis results, the display being presented in the graphical user interface.

26. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 25, wherein the control for selecting the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis is a cross-section selection control, the cross-section selection control allowing the wafer measurement data across a diameter of a wafer to be selected as the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis.

27. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 26, wherein the set of analysis results includes a mean, a standard deviation about the mean, an range between a maximum value and a minimum value, the maximum value, and the minimum value.

28. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 26, wherein the display of the set of analysis results includes a graphical display of the subset of the wafer measurement data across the diameter of the wafer.

29. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 28, wherein differing magnitudes within the subset of the wafer measurement data are illustrated using one of a color scale and a monochrome scale.

30. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 25, wherein the control for selecting the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis is a radial selection control, the radial selection control allowing the wafer measurement data across a radius of a wafer to be selected as the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis.

31. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 30, wherein the set of analysis results includes a mean, a standard deviation about the mean, an range between a maximum value and a minimum value, the maximum value, and the minimum value.

32. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 30, wherein the display of the set of analysis results includes a graphical display of the subset of the wafer measurement data across the radius of the wafer.

33. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 32, wherein differing magnitudes within the subset of the wafer measurement data are illustrated using one of a color scale and a monochrome scale.

34. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 25, wherein the control for selecting the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis is an angular selection control, the angular selection control allowing the wafer measurement data at a constant distance about a center of a wafer to be selected as the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis.

35. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 34, wherein the set of analysis results includes a mean, a standard deviation about the mean, an range between a maximum value and a minimum value, the maximum value, and the minimum value.

36. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 34, wherein the display of the set of analysis results includes a graphical display of the subset of the wafer measurement data at the constant distance about the center of the wafer.

37. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 36, wherein differing magnitudes within the subset of the wafer measurement data are illustrated using one of a color scale and a monochrome scale.

38. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 25, wherein the set of analysis results includes a set of Gaussian analysis results based on the subset of the wafer measurement data.

39. A computer implemented process for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 38, wherein the display of the set of analysis results includes a graphical display of the Gaussian analysis results, the graphical display being a histogram represented by a number of bars, each of the number of bars representing a number of wafer measurement data values within a varying number of standard deviations about a mean value, the graphical display further including an ideal Gaussian distribution plot based on the subset of the wafer measurement data.

40. A graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis, comprising:

displaying an electronic microscope image;

providing controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image; and

providing a graphical measurement control.

41. A graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 40, further comprising:

providing controls for calibrating the graphical measurement control.

42. A graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 40, further comprising:

displaying a profile over the electronic microscope image.

43. A graphical user interface for performing a profile analysis as recited in claim 40, wherein the controls for adjusting the electronic microscope image includes an image zoom control and an image position control.

44. A computer readable media containing program instructions for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data, comprising:

program instructions for providing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface providing a control for selecting a subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis;

program instructions for performing analysis of the subset of the wafer measurement data to create a set of analysis results; and

program instructions for providing a display of the set of analysis results, the display being presented in the graphical user interface.

45. A computer readable media containing program instructions for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 44, wherein the control for selecting the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis is a cross-section selection control, the cross-section selection control allowing the wafer measurement data across a diameter of a wafer to be selected as the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis.

46. A computer readable media containing program instructions for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 45, wherein the display of the set of analysis results includes a graphical display of the subset of the wafer measurement data across the diameter of the wafer.

47. A computer readable media containing program instructions for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 44, wherein the control for selecting the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis is a radial selection control, the radial selection control allowing the wafer measurement data across a radius of a wafer to be selected as the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis.

48. A computer readable media containing program instructions for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 47, wherein the display of the set of analysis results includes a graphical display of the subset of the wafer measurement data across the radius of the wafer.

49. A computer readable media containing program instructions for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 44, wherein the control for selecting the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis is an angular selection control, the angular selection control allowing the wafer measurement data at a constant distance about a center of a wafer to be selected as the subset of the wafer measurement data for analysis.

50. A computer readable media containing program instructions for controlling and performing analysis of wafer measurement data as recited in claim 49, wherein the display of the set of analysis results includes a graphical display of the subset of the wafer measurement data at the constant distance about the center of the wafer.