Die-level traceability mechanism for semiconductor assembly and test facility

• US 7,343,214 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Koh, Horne Loong
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard; Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US11/247,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 700108-110, 700/115, 700/121, 700/215, 700/225, 700228-230
• US Class Current: 700/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel method, system and computer program product for tracing die units during material transfer from, for example, one factory or lot to another (and efficiently maintaining correspondence between die data and an individual die during, e.g., a lot transfer process). One or more embodiments of the present invention are intended to improve the mechanism of die-level traceability by assigning individual die IDs to each die unit in, e.g., each lot, and associating a range of die IDs with a corresponding index string. When, for example, some dies are transferred from, e.g., a first lot to a second lot, the entire die information associated with the first lot is copied to the second lot, and a different index string is assigned to the second lot to indicate the actual dies or range of dies that have been transferred. The first lot'"'"'s index string is then adjusted to indicate the dies remaining after the transfer.

Claims

1. A method for tracing die units during manufacturing operations, comprising:

assigning a first index string to a plurality of die strings that are in one-to-one correspondence to a plurality of die units, wherein the plurality of die units is associated with a source object, wherein ranges of indices encompassed by the first index string identify corresponding die strings of said plurality of die strings;

upon transferring at least some of the die units from the source object to a receiving object, copying the plurality of die strings associated with the plurality of die units from the source object to a receiving object;

assigning a second index string to the die strings associated with the die units transferred from the source object to the receiving object to indicate die units transferred to the receiving object;

adjusting the first index string assigned to the plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units associated with the source object to create a third index string to indicate die units remaining in the source object; and

associating the third index string with a plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units remaining in the source object.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising assigning a plurality of user-defined strings in one-to-one correspondence to said plurality of die strings.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising assigning a die picking order in one-to-one correspondence to said plurality of die string.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the die strings include wafer ID and die coordinates.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein each die coordinates includes an X-coordinate and Y-coordinate.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the die strings include wafer ID and a range of number sequence.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the source object is a plurality of wafers and the receiving object is a plurality of lead frames.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the source object is a first plurality of lead frames and the receiving object is a second plurality of magazines.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the die strings are generated from a die map of the source object.

10. A method for tracing die units during manufacturing operations, comprising:

uniquely assigning a plurality of die strings and user-defined strings in one-to-one correspondence to a plurality of die units, wherein said plurality of die units is associated with a source object;

assigning a first index string to the plurality of die strings and user-defined strings, wherein ranges of indices encompassed by the first index string identify corresponding die strings of said plurality of die strings and user-defined strings associated with the die units;

upon transferring at least some of the die units from the source object to a receiving object, copying the plurality of die strings and user-defined strings associated with the plurality of die units from the source object to a receiving object;

assigning a second index string to the die strings and user-defined strings associated with the die units transferred from the source object to the receiving object to indicate die units transferred to the receiving object;

adjusting the first index string assigned to the plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units associated with the source object to create a third index string to indicate die units remaining in the source object; and

associating the third index string with a plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units remaining in the source object.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising assigning a die picking order in one-to-one correspondence to said plurality of die string.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the die strings include wafer ID and die coordinates.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein each die coordinates includes an X-coordinate and Y-coordinate.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the die strings include wafer ID and a range of number sequence.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the source object is a plurality of wafers and the receiving object is a plurality of lead frames.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the source object is a plurality of lead frames and the receiving object is a plurality of magazines.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the die strings are generated from a die map of the source object.

18. A system for tracing die units during manufacturing operations comprising:

a processor to assign a first index string to a uniquely assigned plurality of die strings in one-to-one correspondence to a plurality of die units, wherein said plurality of die units is associated with a source object, wherein indices within the first index string identify corresponding die strings of said plurality of die strings;

a tracking mechanism to track at least some die units transferred from the source object to a receiving object, wherein said tracking mechanism;

copies at least some die strings associated with the die units transferred from the source object to the receiving object;

assigns a second index string to the die strings associated with the die units transferred from the source object to the receiving object;

adjusts the first index string assigned to the plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units associated with the source object to create a third index string to indicate die units remaining in the source object; and

associates the third index string with a plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units remaining in the source object.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a die bonder device for generating die strings from a die map of the source object.

20. A system for tracing die units during manufacturing operations comprising:

means for assigning a first index string to a uniquely assigned plurality of die strings in one-to-one correspondence to a plurality of die units, wherein said plurality of die units is associated with a source object, wherein ranges of indices encompassed by the first index string identify corresponding die strings of said plurality of die strings;

means for, upon transferring at least some of the die units from the source object to a receiving object, copying the plurality of die strings associated with the plurality of die units from the source object to a receiving object;

means for assigning a second index string to the die strings associated with the die units transferred from the source object to the receiving object to indicate die units transferred to the receiving object;

means for adjusting the first index string assigned to the plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units associated with the source object to create a third index string to indicate die units remaining in the source object; and

means for associating the third index string with a plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units remaining in the source object.

21. The system according to claim 20, further comprising means for assigning a plurality of user-defined strings in one-to-one correspondence to said plurality of die strings.

22. The system according to claim 20, further comprising means for assigning a die picking order in one-to-one correspondence to said plurality of die string.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein the die strings include wafer ID and die coordinates.

24. The system according to claim 20, wherein the die coordinates include X-coordinate and Y-coordinate.

25. The system according to claim 20, wherein the die strings include wafer ID and a range of number sequence.

26. The system according to claim 20, wherein the source object is a plurality of wafers and the receiving object is a plurality of lead frames.

27. The system according to claim 20, wherein the source object is a plurality of lead frames and the receiving object is a plurality of magazines.

28. The system according to claim 20, wherein the die strings are generated from a die map of the source object.

29. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

assign a first index string to a uniquely assigned plurality of die strings in one-to-one correspondence to a plurality of die units, wherein said plurality of die units is associated with a source object, wherein ranges of indices encompassed by the first index string identify corresponding die strings of said plurality of die strings;

upon transferring at least some of the die units from the source object to a receiving object, copy the plurality of die strings associated with the plurality of die units from the source object to a receiving object;

assign a second index string to the die strings associated with the die units transferred from the source object to the receiving object to indicate die units transferred to the receiving object;

adjusting the first index string assigned to the plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units associated with the source object to create a third index string to indicate die units remaining in the source object; and

associating the third index string with a plurality of die strings corresponding to the plurality of die units remaining in the source object.

30. The computer program product according to claim 29, further comprising instructions for causing computer to assign a plurality of user-defined strings in one-to-one correspondence to said plurality of die strings.

31. The computer program product according to claim 29, further comprising instructions for causing computer to assign a die picking order in one-to-one correspondence to said plurality of die string.