Determining die test protocols based on process health

• US 8,041,518 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Inventors: McIntyre, Michael G., Lensing, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENSON, MISCHITA L
• Application Number:
  US11/745,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 702 57- 59, 702/35, 702/36, 702 81- 84, 702/117, 702/118, 702/127, 702/179, 702/182, 702/183, 702/185, 702/187, 438/14, 438/16, 438/122, 700/108
• US Class Current: 702/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2894 Aspects of quality control [QC] G01R31/31718 takes precedence; program control for QC G05B19/41875

Abstract

A method includes receiving a first set of parameters associated with a subset of a plurality of die on a wafer. A die health metric is determined for at least a portion of the plurality of die based on the first set of parameters. The die health metric includes at least one process component associated with the fabrication of the die and at least one performance component associated with an electrical performance characteristic of the die. At least one of the die is tested. A protocol of the testing is determined based on the associated die health metric.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first set of parameters associated with a subset of a plurality of die on a wafer;

determining a die health metric for at least a portion of the plurality of die based on the first set of parameters, the die health metric including at least one process component generated using parameters associated with the fabrication of the die and at least one non-yield performance component generated using parameters associated with an electrical performance characteristic of the die; and

performing electrical performance testing of at least one of the die after completion of the fabrication of the die, wherein a protocol of the testing is determined based on said die health metric to provide a first testing protocol for die having said die health metric greater than a predetermined threshold and a second testing protocol for die having said die health metric less than the predetermined threshold, wherein the first testing protocol has a reduced scope as compared to the second testing protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

expanding the first set of parameters to generate an estimated value for at least one parameter in the first set of parameters; and

determining the die health metric based on the expanded first set of parameters.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein expanding said first set of parameters further comprises expanding said first set of parameters using a splined interpolation.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a wafer aggregate value for a selected parameter in the first set of parameters;

defining a wafer map including the wafer, the wafer map including measured values for the selected parameter located in positions corresponding to measured die;

placing the wafer aggregate value at least one predetermined position on the wafer map outside a portion of the wafer map including the wafer; and

performing the splined interpolation using the measured values and the wafer aggregate value at the positions defined by the wafer map.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second testing protocol specifies burn-in testing requirements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first testing protocol specifies reduced burn-in testing requirements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the testing protocol specifies system level testing requirements.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the die health metric using a multivariate statistical model incorporating the first set of parameters.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of parameters includes sort data and the die performance component incorporates said sort data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of parameters includes final wafer electrical test data and the die performance component incorporates the final wafer electrical test data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the die health metric incorporates at least one yield component.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the process component incorporates at least one yield parameter.

13. A system, comprising:

a plurality of metrology tools operable to measure a first set of parameters associated with a subset of a plurality of die on a wafer;

a die health unit implemented by a computing device operable to determine a die health metric for at least a portion of the plurality of die based on the first set of parameters, the die health metric including at least one process component generated using parameters associated with the fabrication of the die and at least one non-yield performance component generated using parameters associated with an electrical performance characteristic of the die; and

a test unit operable perform an electrical performance test on test at least one of the die after completion of the fabrication of the die, wherein a protocol of the testing is determined based on said die health metric to provide a first testing protocol for die having said die health metric greater than a predetermined threshold and a second testing protocol for die having said die health metric less than the predetermined threshold, wherein the first testing protocol has a reduced scope as compared to the second testing protocol.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

expanding the first set of parameters to generate an estimated value for at least one parameter in the first set of parameters; and

determining the die health metric based on the expanded first set of parameters.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein expanding said first set of parameters further comprises expanding said first set of parameters using a splined interpolation.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second testing protocols specify burn-in testing requirements.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second testing protocols specify system level testing requirements.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising determining the die health metric using a multivariate statistical model incorporating the first set of parameters.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first set of parameters includes sort data and the die performance component incorporates said sort data.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the first set of parameters includes final wafer electrical test data and the die performance component incorporates the final wafer electrical test data.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the die health metric incorporates at least one yield component.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the process component incorporates at least one yield parameter.

23. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a first set of parameters associated with a subset of a plurality of die on a wafer;

means for determining a die health metric for at least a portion of the plurality of die based on the first set of parameters, the die health metric including at least one process component generated using parameters associated with the fabrication of the die and at least one non-yield performance component generated using parameters associated with an electrical performance characteristic of the die; and

means for performing electrical performance testing of at least one of the die after completion of the fabrication of the die, wherein a protocol of the testing is determined based on said die health metric to provide a first testing protocol for die having said die health metric greater than a predetermined threshold and a second testing protocol for die having said die health metric less than the predetermined threshold, wherein the first testing protocol has a reduced scope as compared to the second testing protocol.