Distribution output device and operating method

A method for identifying defects on a plurality of semiconductor devices, the method comprising:

• performing, using at least one of one or more external computing devices, a quality evaluation process by selectively applying at least one of a test voltage or a test current to each of a plurality of wafers;
• generating, using the at least one of one or more external computing devices, defect information data of defect characteristics identified in the plurality of wafers on which the quality evaluation process is performed;
• establishing, using a communication interface of a distribution output device, data communication with the at least one of the one or more external computing devices;
• receiving, using the communication interface and from the at least one of the one or more external computing devices, the defect information data of defect characteristics identified in the plurality of wafers, the defect information data including defect times associated with the defect characteristics;
• generating, using at least one processor of the distribution output device, data number sets for data groups corresponding to different defect characteristics among the defect characteristics, each of the data number sets comprising a specified number of defect times for each of the data groups;
• grouping, using the at least one processor of the distribution output device, the defect times according to an order in which corresponding defect characteristics occurred in relation to each of the data number sets;
• identifying, using the at least one processor of the distribution output device, a maximum likelihood summation among likelihood summations respectively corresponding to the data number sets in relation to defect times grouped in accordance with the data number sets;
• determining, using the at least one processor of the distribution output device, optimal population parameter data for each of the data groups in relation to the maximum likelihood summation;
• and
• transmitting, using the communication interface and to at least one of the one or more external computing devices, a Weibull distribution for each of the data groups corresponding to the different defect characteristics in relation to the optimal population parameter data for each of the data groups, and
• controlling at least one of the one or more external computing devices to, based on the Weibull distribution, generate a comparative visualization of probability distributions of defect times for the defect characteristics identified in the plurality of wafers for each of the data groups corresponding to the different defect characteristics.

A device for outputting a data distribution, the device comprising:

• a communication interface configured to establish data communication with at least one of one or more external computing devices configured to perform a quality evaluation process by selectively applying at least one of a test voltage or a test current to each of a plurality of wafers and generate defect information data of defect characteristics identified in the plurality of wafer on which the quality evaluation process is performed;
• at least one processor configured to implement a calculation unit, a population parameter determining unit, and a distribution outputting unit,
• the calculation unit configured to:
• receive, using the communication interface and from the at least one of the one or more external computing devices, the defect information data of defect characteristics identified in the plurality of wafers, the defect information data including defect times associated with the defect characteristics,
• generate a data number set for data groups respectively classified according to an order of occurrence for the defect times and corresponding to different defect characteristics among the defect characteristics, the data number set comprising a specified number of defect times for each of the data groups,
• designate the defect times across the data groups based on the data number set, and
• determine whether a likelihood summation based on summing likelihoods respectively corresponding to the data groups replaces a maximum likelihood summation;
• the population parameter determining unit configured to determine optimal population parameter data for each of the data groups in relation to the maximum likelihood summation;
• the distribution outputting unit configured to transmit, using the communication interface and to at least one of the one or more external computing devices, a Weibull distribution of each of the data groups in relation to the optimal population parameter data for each data group corresponding to the different defect characteristics, wherein at least one of the one or more external computing devices is configured to generate, based on the Weibull distribution, a comparative visualization of probability distributions of defect times for the defect characteristics identified in the wafers for each of the data groups corresponding to the different defect characteristics;
• and
• a memory configured to store, as stored information, at least one of the defect times, the likelihood summations, and the maximum likelihood summation and further configured to provide the stored information in response to a request from at least one of the calculation unit, the population parameter determining unit, or the distribution outputting unit.