Automated diagnosis using wafer tracking databases
First Claim
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1. An automated method for isolating one or more causes of misprocessing in a semiconductor process comprising the steps of:
- a. processing a plurality of wafers;
b. measuring a plurality of process parameters during said processing for each of said plurality of wafers;
c. creating a wafer tracking database which contains said plurality of process parameters and a plurality of identifying information associated with each wafer;
d. generating a first plurality queries wherein each query in said first plurality of queries corresponds to at least one of said plurality of process parameters;
e. applying each query of said first plurality of queries to said wafer tracking database to obtain a set of observations for each query of said first plurality of queries;
f. automatically determining from a pattern of each of said set of observations whether each query of said first plurality of queries is interesting for fault isolation;
g. dividing said first plurality of queries into a second plurality of queries wherein said second plurality contains queries determined to be interesting for fault isolation; and
h. displaying said second group of queries so that at least one cause of misprocessing can be determined.
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Abstract
A system and method for isolating one or more causes of wafer misprocessing. A list of interesting queries (10) is generated. During wafer processing (15), processing parameters are measured (20) and a wafer tracking database (25) is created. The list of queries (10) may be filtered (30) before the queries are tested for interestingness. Interestingness is determined by outlier calculation (35) and trend analysis (40) on data stored in the wafer tracking database (25). Queries found to be interesting are displayed (50).
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An automated method for isolating one or more causes of misprocessing in a semiconductor process comprising the steps of:
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a. processing a plurality of wafers; b. measuring a plurality of process parameters during said processing for each of said plurality of wafers; c. creating a wafer tracking database which contains said plurality of process parameters and a plurality of identifying information associated with each wafer; d. generating a first plurality queries wherein each query in said first plurality of queries corresponds to at least one of said plurality of process parameters; e. applying each query of said first plurality of queries to said wafer tracking database to obtain a set of observations for each query of said first plurality of queries; f. automatically determining from a pattern of each of said set of observations whether each query of said first plurality of queries is interesting for fault isolation; g. dividing said first plurality of queries into a second plurality of queries wherein said second plurality contains queries determined to be interesting for fault isolation; and h. displaying said second group of queries so that at least one cause of misprocessing can be determined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for isolating one or more causes of semiconductor misprocessing comprising the steps of:
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a. creating a wafer tracking database for storing a plurality of process parameters and a plurality of identifying information associated with each wafer; b. generating a first plurality of queries wherein each query is associated with at least one of said plurality of process parameters; c. applying said first plurality of queries to said wafer tracking database to obtain a set of observations for each query of said first plurality of queries; d. filtering said first plurality of queries to create a second plurality of queries having a first predetermined criterion; e. detecting outliers in the set of observations for each of said second plurality of queries; f. creating a third plurality of queries containing queries from said second plurality of queries having outliers; g. detecting trends in the set of observations for each of said second plurality of queries; h. adding queries from said second plurality of queries having a trend to said third plurality of queries; i. filtering said third plurality of queries to create a fourth plurality of queries having a second predetermined criterion; and j. listing said fourth plurality of queries. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for extracting information from a database comprising:
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a. a wafer tracking database for storing a plurality of parameters and a plurality of identifying information associated with a plurality of wafers; b. a query generator for generating a plurality of queries wherein each of said plurality of queries is associated with at least one of said plurality of parameters; and c. a query evaluator connected to said query generator and said wafer tracking database for applying said plurality of queries to said wafer tracking database to determine a set of observations and automatically determining from a pattern in said set of observations whether each of said plurality of queries is interesting for fault isolation.
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12. A system for isolating one or more causes of semiconductor misprocessing comprising:
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a. a wafer tracking database for storing a plurality of process parameters and a plurality of identifying information associated with a plurality of processed wafers; b. a query generator connected to said wafer tracking database and operable to generate a first plurality of queries and apply said first plurality of queries to said wafer tracking database to generate a set of observations for each query; and c. an outlier detector connected to the query generator operable to determine whether the set of observations for each of said first plurality of queries contains outliers as determined by the set of observations. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for isolating one or more causes of semiconductor misprocessing comprising:
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a. a wafer tracking database for storing a plurality of process parameters and a plurality of identifying information associated with each of said plurality of process parameters; b. a query generator connected to said wafer tracking database for generating a first plurality of queries wherein each query is associated with at least one of said plurality of process parameters; c. a first domain filter connected to said query generator for creating a second plurality of queries from said first plurality of queries based on a first predetermined criterion; d. an outlier detector connected to said first domain filter operable to create a third plurality of queries containing queries from said second plurality of queries containing outliers; e. a trend detector connected to said first domain filter operable to add queries from said second plurality of queries having a trend to said third plurality of queries; f. a second domain filter connected to said trend detector for creating a fourth plurality of queries from said third plurality of queries based on a second predetermined criterion; and
,g. a display connected to said second domain filter for listing said fourth plurality of queries. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification