Determining die performance by incorporating neighboring die performance metrics

• US 8,190,391 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Inventors: Kadosh, Daniel, Cherry, Gregory A., De La Fuente, Luis, Vijayaraghavan, Rajesh, Bowen, Carl I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nghiem, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ngon, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US11/692,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 702 57- 59, 702 81- 84, 702182-185, 702/117, 702/118, 702/108, 702/127, 702/179, 438 15- 17, 700/108, 700/97, 700121-123, 700 95- 96, 324/765, 324/754, 324/759, 324/719
• US Class Current: 702/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/287 Procedures; Software aspects

Abstract

A method includes receiving a first set of parameters associated with a plurality of die. A first die performance metric associated with a selected die is determined based on the first set of parameters. At least one neighborhood die performance metric associated with a set comprised of a plurality of die that neighbor the selected die is determined based on the first set of parameters. A second die performance metric is determined for the selected die based on the first die performance metric and the neighborhood die performance metric.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first set of parameters measured for a plurality of die in a computing device;

determining a first die non-yield performance metric for a selected die based on a first subset of the first set of parameters in the computing device, the first subset including parameters measured for the selected die;

determining at least one neighborhood die non-yield performance metric associated with a set comprised of a plurality of additional die that neighbor the selected die based on a second subset of the first set of parameters in the computing device, the second subset including parameters measured for the additional die; and

determining a second die performance metric for the selected die based on a combination of the first die non-yield performance metric and the neighborhood die non-yield performance metric in the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of neighboring die includes die disposed proximate the selected die.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of neighboring die includes die disposed at a common radial position on a wafer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of neighboring die includes die in a common position in a lithography reticle cluster.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of neighboring die includes die from a group of wafers disposed in a common wafer grid position.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second die performance metric further comprises at least one of a speed metric, a leakage metric, a minimum voltage metric, and an overall performance metric.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second die performance metric comprises an overall performance metric including at least one non-yield performance component and at least one yield component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of parameters is associated with a subset of a plurality of die on a wafer subjected to testing and determining the first die non-yield performance metric and the neighborhood die non-yield performance metric further comprises:

expanding the first set of parameters to generate estimated values for the first set of parameters for at least one untested die not included in the subset; and

determining at least one of the first die non-yield performance metric and the neighborhood die non-yield performance metric based on the first set of parameters including the estimated values.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein expanding the first set of parameters further comprises expanding the first set of parameters using a splined interpolation.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a wafer mean value of a wafer for a selected parameter;

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

placing the wafer mean value at a plurality of predetermined positions 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 mean values at the positions defined by the wafer map.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a second set of parameters associated with the plurality of die, the second set of parameters comprising SORT parameters and the first set of parameters comprising final wafer electrical test (FWET) parameters; and

determining at least one of the first die non-yield performance metric and the neighborhood die non-yield performance metric based on the first set of parameters including the estimated values and the second set of parameters.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising testing the selected die, wherein a protocol of the testing is determined based on the second die performance metric.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the testing protocol comprises burn-in testing.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the testing protocol comprises at least one of reduced time burn-in testing and reduced temperature burn-in testing.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining at least one of the first die non-yield performance metric and the neighborhood die non-yield performance metric using a multivariate statistical model.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the model comprises at least one of a principal components analysis model, a recursive principal components analysis model, and a k-nearest neighbor model.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a market segment code to the selected die based on the second die performance metric.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the market segment code comprises at least one of a server segment, a mobile segment, and a desktop segment.

19. A system, comprising:

a first metrology tool operable to measure a first set of parameters associated with a plurality of die; and

a die performance unit operable to determine a first die non-yield performance metric for a selected die from the plurality of die based on a first subset of the first set of parameters, the first subset including parameters measured for the selected die, determine at least one neighborhood die non-yield performance metric associated with a set comprised of a plurality of die that neighbor the selected die based on a second subset of the first set of parameters, the second subset including parameters measured for the additional die, and determine a second die performance metric for the selected die based on a combination of the first die non-yield performance metric and the neighborhood die non-yield performance metric.

20. A system, comprising:

means for measuring a first set of parameters associated with a plurality of die;

means for determining a first die non-yield performance metric for a selected die based on a first subset of the first set of parameters in the computing device, the first subset including parameters measured for the selected die;

means for determining at least one neighborhood die non-yield performance metric associated with a set comprised of a plurality of additional die that neighbor the selected die based on a second subset of the first set of parameters in the computing device, the second subset including parameters measured for the additional die; and

means for determining a second die performance metric for the selected die based on a combination of the first die non-yield performance metric and the neighborhood die non-yield performance metric.