Process and method for continuous, non lot-based integrated circuit manufacturing
First Claim
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1. A process for tracking at least one integrated circuit device of a plurality of integrated circuit devices in a manufacturing process, the process comprising:
- providing each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with at least one identification code;
reading the at least one identification code of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices;
advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the manufacturing process in a substantially continuous manner;
generating data related to the advancement of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices through at least a portion of the manufacturing process;
the data comprising at least one of process variables related to the processing equipment used, the operating personnel present during a manufacturing process, the set-up information for equipment used in the manufacturing process, the time of the manufacturing process, the date of the manufacturing process, performance variables of each integrated circuit device, and any special work request for an integrated circuit device different than that of the manufacturing process; and
associating the data generated for each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with the at least one identification code for an associated integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices.
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Abstract
A method for continuous, non lot-based manufacturing of integrated circuit (IC) devices of the type to each have a unique fuse identification (ID) includes: reading the fuse ID of each of the IC devices; advancing multiple lots of the IC devices through, for example, a test step in the manufacturing process in a substantially continuous manner; generating data, such as test data, related to the advancement of each of the IC devices through the step in the process; and associating the data generated for each of the IC devices with the fuse ID of its associated IC device.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A process for tracking at least one integrated circuit device of a plurality of integrated circuit devices in a manufacturing process, the process comprising:
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providing each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with at least one identification code;
reading the at least one identification code of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices;
advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the manufacturing process in a substantially continuous manner;
generating data related to the advancement of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices through at least a portion of the manufacturing process;
the data comprising at least one of process variables related to the processing equipment used, the operating personnel present during a manufacturing process, the set-up information for equipment used in the manufacturing process, the time of the manufacturing process, the date of the manufacturing process, performance variables of each integrated circuit device, and any special work request for an integrated circuit device different than that of the manufacturing process; and
associating the data generated for each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with the at least one identification code for an associated integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A manufacturing method for an integrated circuit device for tracking a plurality of integrated circuit devices through a plurality of back-end test steps in a manufacturing process, the method comprising:
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programming each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with at least one unique fuse identification code; and
for each back-end test step of the plurality of back-end test steps including;
reading the at least one unique fuse identification code of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices;
advancing each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the plurality of back-end test steps in the manufacturing process in a substantially continuous manner;
generating data related to the advancement of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the plurality of back-end test steps, the data further comprising at least one of process variables related to the processing equipment used, the operating personnel present during a manufacturing process, the set-up information for equipment used in the manufacturing process, the time of the manufacturing process, the date of the manufacturing process, performance variables of each integrated circuit device, and any special work request for an integrated circuit device different than that of the manufacturing process; and
associating the data generated for each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with the at least one unique fuse identification code its associated integrated circuit device.
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13. A manufacturing method for manufacturing a plurality of integrated circuit devices from a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:
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fabricating a plurality of integrated circuit devices on a wafer;
causing each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices to store at least one substantially unique identification code;
separating each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices from the wafer to form one integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices;
reading the at least one unique identification code from each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices;
testing each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices; and
while manufacturing the plurality of integrated circuit devices, the manufacturing process including;
advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices through at least one manufacturing process in a substantially continuous manner;
generating data related to the advancement of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices through the at least one manufacturing process;
the data comprising at least one of process variables related to the processing equipment used, the operating personnel present during a manufacturing process, the set-up information for equipment used in the manufacturing process, the time of the manufacturing process, the date of the manufacturing process, performance variables of each integrated circuit device, and any special work request for an integrated circuit device different than that of the manufacturing process; and
associating the data generated for each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with the at least one substantially unique identification code stored in its associated integrated circuit device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A manufacturing process for an integrated circuit device of a plurality of integrated circuit devices for correlating process-related variables with performance variables related to the performance of each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices during the manufacturing process, the process comprising:
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providing each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with at least two unique identification codes;
reading at least one of the at least two unique identification codes from each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices;
advancing the plurality of integrated circuit devices through at least a portion of the manufacturing process in a substantially continuous manner;
generating data related to at least one process variable associated with the at least a portion of the manufacturing process while the plurality of integrated circuit devices advances through the at least a portion of the manufacturing process, the data comprising at least one of process variables related to the processing equipment used, the operating personnel present during a manufacturing process, the set-up information for equipment used in the manufacturing process, the time of the manufacturing process, the date of the manufacturing process, performance variables of each integrated circuit device, and any special work request for an integrated circuit device different than that of the manufacturing process;
generating data related to performance variables associated with the performance of at least some of the plurality of integrated circuit devices as they advance through the at least a portion of the manufacturing process; and
associating the process variable-related data and the performance variable-related data generated for each integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices with at least one unique identification code of the at least two unique identification codes of an integrated circuit device of the plurality of integrated circuit devices. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A manufacturing process for manufacturing integrated circuit modules from a plurality of semiconductor wafers, the process comprising:
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fabricating a plurality of integrated circuit dice on each wafer of the plurality of semiconductor wafers;
causing each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice on each wafer of the plurality of semiconductor wafers to store at least one unique identification code;
separating each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice on each wafer of the plurality of semiconductor wafers from its wafer to form one of a plurality of integrated circuit dice;
assembling a plurality of integrated circuit modules from the plurality of integrated circuit dice;
reading the at least one unique identification code of each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice in each module of the plurality of integrated circuit modules;
testing each integrated circuit die of the plurality of integrated circuit dice in each module of the plurality of integrated circuit modules;
while manufacturing the plurality of integrated circuit modules;
advancing the plurality of integrated circuit modules through at least a portion of the manufacturing process in a substantially continuous manner;
generating data related to the advancement of the plurality of integrated circuit modules through the at least a portion of the manufacturing process, the data comprising at least one of process variables related to the processing equipment used, the operating personnel present during a manufacturing process, the set-up information for equipment used in the manufacturing process, the time of the manufacturing process, the date of the manufacturing process, performance variables of each integrated circuit device, and any special work request for an integrated circuit device different than that of the manufacturing process; and
associating the data generated for each module of the plurality of integrated circuit modules with the at least one unique identification code of an associated plurality of integrated circuit dice.
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Specification