System and method for using first-principles simulation to characterize a semiconductor manufacturing process
First Claim
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1. A method of facilitating a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool, comprising:
- inputting a first principles physical model including a set of computer-encoded differential equations, the first principles physical model describing at least one of a basic physical or chemical attribute of the semiconductor processing tool and including
1) a spatially resolved model of a physical geometry of the semiconductor processing tool and
2) a grid set addressing the semiconductor processing tool or a geometry of the semiconductor processing tool;
inputting process data related to an actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool;
setting boundary conditions for the spatially resolved model of a physical geometry of the semiconductor processing tool based on said process data related to the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool;
storing in a fab-level library known simulation results obtained from simulation modules in a device manufacturing fab and distributing the known simulation results to other semiconductor processing tools in the device manufacturing fab;
solving the computer-encoded differential equations of the first principles physical model for the spatially resolved model concurrently with the actual process being performed by; and
in a time frame shorter in time than the actual process being performed by;
using code parallelization techniques on multiple simulation modules in the device manufacturing fab, andre-using known simulation solutions as initial conditions for the first principles simulation,wherein re-using known simulation solutions comprises searching in the fab-level library for a closest fitting solution which if used for the initial condition would reduce the number of iterations required by the simulation module;
providing from the solution of the computer-encoded differential equations solved concurrently with the actual process being performed a first principles simulation result; and
using the simulation results as part of a data set that characterizes the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool.
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Abstract
A method, system and computer readable medium for facilitating a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool. The method includes inputting data relating to a process performed by the semiconductor processing tool, and inputting a first principles physical model relating to the semiconductor processing tool. First principles simulation is then performed using the input data and the physical model to provide a simulation result for the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool, and the simulation result is used as part of a data set that characterizes the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool.
79 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool, comprising:
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inputting a first principles physical model including a set of computer-encoded differential equations, the first principles physical model describing at least one of a basic physical or chemical attribute of the semiconductor processing tool and including
1) a spatially resolved model of a physical geometry of the semiconductor processing tool and
2) a grid set addressing the semiconductor processing tool or a geometry of the semiconductor processing tool;inputting process data related to an actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool; setting boundary conditions for the spatially resolved model of a physical geometry of the semiconductor processing tool based on said process data related to the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool; storing in a fab-level library known simulation results obtained from simulation modules in a device manufacturing fab and distributing the known simulation results to other semiconductor processing tools in the device manufacturing fab; solving the computer-encoded differential equations of the first principles physical model for the spatially resolved model concurrently with the actual process being performed by; and
in a time frame shorter in time than the actual process being performed by;using code parallelization techniques on multiple simulation modules in the device manufacturing fab, and re-using known simulation solutions as initial conditions for the first principles simulation, wherein re-using known simulation solutions comprises searching in the fab-level library for a closest fitting solution which if used for the initial condition would reduce the number of iterations required by the simulation module; providing from the solution of the computer-encoded differential equations solved concurrently with the actual process being performed a first principles simulation result; and using the simulation results as part of a data set that characterizes the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a semiconductor processing tool configured to perform an actual process; a fab-level library storing known simulation results obtained from simulation modules in a device manufacturing fab; a fab-level process controller distributing the known simulation results to other semiconductor processing tools in the device manufacturing fab; a first principles simulation processor configured to input a first principles physical model including a set of computer-encoded differential equations describing at least one of a basic physical or chemical attribute the semiconductor processing tool and including
1) a spatially resolved model of a physical geometry of the semiconductor processing tool and
2) a grid set addressing the semiconductor processing tool or a geometry of the semiconductor processing tool;an input device configured to input process data related to an actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool; and said first principles simulation processor further configured to; set boundary conditions for the spatially resolved model of a physical geometry of the semiconductor processing tool based on said process data related to the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool, solve the computer-encoded differential equations of the first principles physical model for the spatially resolved model concurrently with the actual process being performed by; and
in a time frame shorter in time than the actual process being performed by;using code parallelization techniques on multiple simulation modules in the device manufacturing fab, and re-using known simulation solutions as initial conditions for the first principles simulation, wherein re-using know simulation solutions comprises searching in the fab-level library for a closest fitting solution which if used for the initial condition would reduce the number of iterations required by the simulation module, provide from the solution of the computer-encoded differential equations solved concurrently with the actual process being performed a first principles simulation result, and wherein the simulation result is used as part of a data set that characterizes the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. At least one of non-volatile media and volatile media containing program instructions for execution on a processor, which when executed by the computer system, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
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inputting a first principles physical model including a set of computer-encoded differential equations, the first principles physical model describing at least one of a basic physical or chemical attribute of the semiconductor processing tool and including
1) a spatially resolved model of a physical geometry of the semiconductor processing tool and
2) a grid set addressing the semiconductor processing tool or a geometry of the semiconductor processing tool;inputting process data related to an actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool; setting boundary conditions for the spatially resolved model of a physical geometry of the semiconductor processing tool based on said process data related to the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool; storing in a fab-level library known simulation results obtained from simulation modules in a device manufacturing fab and distributing the known simulation results to other semiconductor processing tools in the device manufacturing fab; solving the computer-encoded differential equations of the first principles physical model for the spatially resolved model concurrently with the actual process being performed and in a time frame shorter in time than the actual process being performed by; using code parallelization techniques on multiple simulation modules in the device manufacturing fab, and re-using known simulation solutions as initial conditions for the first principles simulation, wherein re-using known simulation solutions comprises searching in the fab-level library for a closest fitting solution which if used for the initial condition would reduce the number of iterations required by the simulation module; providing from the solution of the computer-encoded differential equations solved concurrently with the actual process being performed a first principles simulation result; and using the simulation result as part of a data set that characterizes the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool.
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Specification