In line yield prediction using ADC determined kill ratios die health statistics and die stacking

• US 6,338,001 B1
• Filed: 02/22/1999
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Steffan, Paul J., Yu, Allen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, ELLIOT L
• Application Number:
  US09/255,108
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 700/108-110, 700/121, 438/14, 438/16
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps

Abstract

A method of manufacturing and inspecting semiconductor devices wherein defects on inspection wafers are tabulated in a stacked defect table wherein a defect table for each layer is generated per die number and a calculated cumulative die health statistic using an automatic defect classification system and a kill ratio for each defect. The cumulative die health statistic is carried over to the next defect table generated for the next layer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices, wherein the semiconductor devices are manufactured on a wafer, wherein each wafer includes multiple die each of which may become a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

(a) processing a first layer in a lot of semiconductor wafers;

(b) selecting at least one inspection wafer from the lot of semiconductor wafers;

(c) inspecting the first layer in the at least one inspection wafer for defects in a scan tool;

(d) generating defect data per die number in the scan tool;

(e) sending the defect data to a defect management system;

(f) generating classification data for each defect;

(g) correlating the defect classification data with kill ratio data;

(h) generating a defect table for the first layer and tabulating the die number and kill ratio for each die;

(i) calculating a die health statistic and a cumulative die health for the first layer for each die.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(j) determining if a layer just processed is a last layer on the lot of semiconductor wafers;

(k) if the layer just processed is the last layer go to step (r);

(l) processing a next layer on the lot of semiconductor wafers;

(m) inspect the next layer in the at least one inspection wafer for defects in a scan tool;

(n) repeat steps (d) through (g);

(o) generating a defect table for the next layer and tabulating the die number and kill ratio for each die;

(p) calculating a die health statistic and a cumulative die health for each die incorporating the cumulative die health for each die;

(q) go to step (j); and

(r) stopping processing.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein calculating the die health statistic in step (i) is accomplished by subtracting the kill ratio for the defect from one.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein calculating the cumulative die health statistic for a second defect is calculated as follows:

cumulative die health statistic−

(kill ratio for second defect)(cumulative die health statistic)=cumulative die health statistic for the second defect.