Method and apparatus for automated rule-based sourcing of substrate microfabrication defects
First Claim
1. A method for generating rules for automatic sourcing of substrate microfabrication defects, comprising:
- displaying a wafer map, with a target defect cluster and a grid superimposed on the wafer map;
receiving from a user a set of parameters for defining a set of primitive clusters, using the displayed wafer map, wherein said parameters comprise the maximum allowable distance between grid cells in the same primitive cluster, in which said grid cells contain at least one defect;
selecting a geometric shape to represent said set of primitive clusters;
generating a set of density shape models of said selected geometric shape for the set of primitive clusters defined by the primitive cluster parameters received from the user, the density shape models representing mathematical approximations of the defect distribution and density characteristics of the set of primitive clusters, wherein said density shape models are descriptive of said defect cluster in terms of said geometric shape'"'"'s shape, size, orientation, and location on said wafer map; and
receiving from a user a set of spatial parameters for said density shape model that describe the selected geometric spatial parameters of a defect target cluster associated with said shape'"'"'s shape, size, orientation, and location on said wafer map, wherein said spatial parameters for said geometric shape corresponds to a known physical event that deposits or causes to form defects on a substrate in the microfabrication process.
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Abstract
Automated defect sourcing systems identify root-causes of yield excursions due to contamination, process faults, equipment failure and/or handling. They perform this function in timely manner and provide accurate and timely feedback to address and contain the sources of yield excursion. A signature repository stores known wafer surface manufacturing defect types as set of rules. The signature of a manufacturing defect pattern is associated with the equipment or process that causes the defects, and is used to source the manufacturing defects and to provide process control for changing and/or stopping yield excursion during fabrication. A defect signature rule-based engine matches wafer defects against the signature repository during wafer fabrication. Once the defect signature is detected during fabrication, handling and/or disposing the root-cause of the corresponding defect is facilitated using messages according to an event handling database. Optionally, a real-time process control for wafer fabrication is provided.
15 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for generating rules for automatic sourcing of substrate microfabrication defects, comprising:
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displaying a wafer map, with a target defect cluster and a grid superimposed on the wafer map; receiving from a user a set of parameters for defining a set of primitive clusters, using the displayed wafer map, wherein said parameters comprise the maximum allowable distance between grid cells in the same primitive cluster, in which said grid cells contain at least one defect; selecting a geometric shape to represent said set of primitive clusters; generating a set of density shape models of said selected geometric shape for the set of primitive clusters defined by the primitive cluster parameters received from the user, the density shape models representing mathematical approximations of the defect distribution and density characteristics of the set of primitive clusters, wherein said density shape models are descriptive of said defect cluster in terms of said geometric shape'"'"'s shape, size, orientation, and location on said wafer map; and receiving from a user a set of spatial parameters for said density shape model that describe the selected geometric spatial parameters of a defect target cluster associated with said shape'"'"'s shape, size, orientation, and location on said wafer map, wherein said spatial parameters for said geometric shape corresponds to a known physical event that deposits or causes to form defects on a substrate in the microfabrication process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for generating rules for automatic sourcing of substrate microfabrication defects, comprising:
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displaying a wafer map and superimposing a grid thereon; drawing a boundary around a defect cluster, wherein said drawing is performed by a user; assigning values to one or more parameters such that the values define a set of grid cells which comprise defects and approximate the drawn boundary, wherein said parameters comprise defect density, distance between adjacent defects, and one or more geometric shape; fitting a geometric density shape model to the set of grid cells; and generating an if-then rule for recognizing the defect cluster, the rule comprising the assigned values and one or more attributes of the geometric density shape model, wherein said rule further comprises a shape, size, orientation, and location of said geometric density shape model. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for applying rules for automatic sourcing of substrate microfabrication defects, comprising:
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superimposing a grid on a set of wafer defects indicated by a results file; applying an if-then rule to the results file to determine one or more defect clusters in the set of wafer defects, the rule comprising values assigned to one or more parameters; fitting a geometric density shape model to the defect clusters determined by the if-then rules, using geometric parameters provided by the user, the fitting resulting in one or more density shape model attributes; and looking up the density shape model attributes in a library of signatures; comparing said signatures to said geometric density shape model, thereby enabling determination of substrate microfabrication defect source. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26)
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25. The method of 19, wherein the applying step is restricted to defects within a particular wafer region.
Specification