System and method for using first-principles simulation to control a semiconductor manufacturing process via a simulation result or a derived empirical model
First Claim
1. A method of controlling 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 and in a time frame shorter in time than the actual process being performed to produce a first principles simulation 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 first principles simulation result obtained during performance of the actual process to build an empirical model; and
selecting at least one of the first principles simulation result and the empirical model to control the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system and computer readable medium for controlling a process performed by a semiconductor processing tool. The method includes inputting data relating to a process performed by the semiconductor processing tool, inputting a first principles physical model relating to the semiconductor processing tool, performing first principles simulation using the input data and the physical model to provide a first principles simulation result. The first principles simulation result is used to build an empirical model, and at least one of the first principles simulation result and the empirical model is selected to control the process performed by the semiconductor processing tool.
58 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of controlling 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 and in a time frame shorter in time than the actual process being performed to produce a first principles simulation 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 first principles simulation result obtained during performance of the actual process to build an empirical model; and selecting at least one of the first principles simulation result and the empirical model to control 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, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system comprising:
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a semiconductor processing tool configured to perform a 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 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;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 and in a time frame shorter in time than the actual process being performed to produce a first principles simulation 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, and provide from the solution of the computer-encoded differential equations solved concurrently with the actual process being performed a first principles simulation result, and use the first principles simulation result obtained during performance of the actual process to build an empirical model, wherein at least one of said first principles simulation result and said empirical model is selected to control the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. 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 o f 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 to produce a first principles simulation 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 first principles simulation result obtained during performance of the actual process to build an empirical model; and selecting at least one of the first principles simulation result and the empirical model to control the actual process being performed by the semiconductor processing tool.
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Specification