Methods and apparatus for data analysis

A test data analysis system for analyzing test data generated by an automatic test equipment for a set of semiconductor components fabricated and tested using a fabrication process and identifying a problem in the fabrication process, comprising:

• a diagnostic system, the diagnostic system comprising a classifier including a neural network, the diagnostic system being configured to automatically identify a characteristic in the fabrication process;
• and
• additionally being configured to recognize a pattern in the test data,
• wherein the classifier classifies the pattern using the neural network, and
• identifies the characteristic in the fabrication process based upon an analysis of the test data.

A test data analysis system for analyzing test data generated by an automatic test equipment for a set of semiconductor components fabricated using a fabrication process and identifying a problem in the fabrication process, comprising:

• a processor obtaining the test data for the semiconductor components and implementing a neural network;
• and
• a memory for storing the test data;
• wherein the processor further implements a diagnostic system, wherein the diagnostic system:
• searches the test data for a pattern in the test data corresponding to a spatial pattern of semiconductor components when the test data is superimposed onto a wafermap of the corresponding semiconductor components on a wafer;
• compares the spatial pattern to a known pattern associated with the problem;
• classifies, with the neural network, the recognized pattern according to the known pattern;
• identifies the problem in the fabrication process based on the classification;
• and
• produces a report including the identified problem in the fabrication process.

A computer-implemented method for identifying a problem in a fabrication process using test data generated by an automatic test equipment testing at least one set of semiconductor components fabricated on a wafer using the fabrication process, comprising:

• obtaining test data for the semiconductor components generated by the automatic test equipment;
• storing the test data in a memory;
• searching, with a processor, the test data for a pattern in the test data corresponding to a spatial pattern of semiconductor components when the test data is superimposed onto a wafermap of the corresponding semiconductor components on the wafer;
• comparing, with the processor, the spatial pattern to a known pattern associated with the problem;
• classifying, with a neural network, the recognized pattern according to the known pattern;
• identifying, with the processor, the problem in the fabrication process based on the classification;
• and
• reporting the identified problem in the fabrication process.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform the steps comprising:

• obtaining test data for the semiconductor components generated by the automatic test equipment;
• storing the test data in a memory;
• searching the test data for a pattern in the test data corresponding to a spatial pattern of semiconductor components when the test data is superimposed onto a wafermap of the corresponding semiconductor components on the wafer;
• comparing the spatial pattern to a known pattern associated with the problem;
• classifying, with a neural network, the recognized pattern according to the known pattern;
• identifying the problem in the fabrication process based on the classification;
• and
• reporting the identified problem in the fabrication process.