Feed-forward for silicon inspections (DFM2CFM : design to silicon) and feed-back for weakpoint predictor decks (CFM2DFM : silicon to design) guided by marker classification, sampling, and higher dimensional analysis

A method comprising:

• forming layers in a silicon (Si) wafer;
• generating markers for the wafer from a plurality of design for manufacturing (DFM) decks, each DFM deck based on rules and patterns;
• generating universal compact format (UCF) Indexes based on representative markers, unique set of values of properties of each generated marker, and an occurrence count of the unique set of values of properties;
• determining whether a representative marker corresponding to a UCF Index is a candidate for weak point (WP) prediction on the wafer;
• extracting all of the markers corresponding to that UCF-Index (universal extended format (UEF) data set) from a WP prediction candidate, the UEF data set based on the values of the properties at each marker location on the wafer;
• stacking UEF data sets based on a same location identified on different layers of the wafer and/or by different DFM decks;
• determining whether the same location passes a criteria for being a critical WP;
• adding the same location to a sitelist if the same location passes the criteria;
• sending the sitelist to a foundry to perform metrology analysis using metrology equipment on sitelist locations;
• and
• adding the sitelist locations and corresponding UCF Index and metrology parameters to a design analysis database for analyzing other Si wafers and/or other UCF Indexes.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
• form layers in a silicon (Si) wafer;
• generate markers for the Si wafer from a design for manufacturing (DFM) deck or from a plurality of DFM decks, each DFM deck based on rules and patterns;
• generate universal compact format (UCF) Indexes based on representative markers, unique set of values of properties of each generated marker, and an occurrence count of the unique set of values of properties;
• determine whether a representative marker corresponding to a UCF Index is a candidate for weak point (WP) prediction on the wafer;
• extract all of the markers corresponding to that UCF-Index (universal extended format (UEF) data set) from a WP prediction candidate, the UEF data set based on the values of the properties at each marker location on the wafer;
• performing a UCF-Index-based sampling on the extracted UEF data set if a number of markers in the extracted UEF data set is larger than an inspection requirement and the markers are generated by the DFM deck or stack UEF data sets based on a same location identified on different layers of the wafer and/or by different DFM decks if the markers are generated by the plurality of DFM decks;
• determine whether the same location passes a criteria for being a critical WP if the plurality of markers are generated by the plurality of DFM decks;
• add a location of each marker or group of markers in the extracted UEF data set to a sitelist after the UCF-Index-based sampling the markers are generated by the DFM deck or the same location to the sitelist if the same location passes the criteria and the markers are generated by the plurality of DFM decks;
• send the sitelist a foundry for metrology analysis using metrology equipment on the sitelist locations;
• and
• add the sitelist locations and corresponding UCF Index and metrology parameters to a design analysis database for analyzing other Si wafers and/or other UCF Indexes.