Optimization of fabrication processes

A method of automatically optimizing fabrication processes, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving a plurality of target wafer specifications to be achieved by a fabrication process;
• (b) providing a first set of process parameters associated with a first experiment to one or more models representing the fabrication process to obtain model results that associate a set of candidate process parameter values with corresponding wafer characteristics data;
• (c) characterizing a statistical uncertainty of predictions made by the one or more models representing the fabrication process using the obtained model results;
• and
• (d) using an acquisition function to select a second set of process parameter values associated with a second experiment, wherein the acquisition function identifies the second set of process parameter values based on:
• (i) a set of points that represents differences between a plurality of predicted wafer characteristics associated with performance of the fabrication process using the second set of process parameter values and the plurality of target wafer specifications;
• and (ii) the statistical uncertainty of the predictions made by the one or more models.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium on which is provided computer executable instructions for causing a computational system to perform a method of automatically optimizing fabrication processes, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a first set of process parameter values associated with a first experiment to one or more models representing a fabrication process to obtain model results that associate a set of candidate process parameter values with corresponding wafer characteristic data, wherein the fabrication process is an etch process or a deposition process;
• (b) characterizing a statistical uncertainty of predictions made by the one or more models representing the fabrication process using the obtained model results;
• (c) using an acquisition function to select a second set of process parameter values associated with a second experiment, wherein the acquisition function identifies the second set of process parameters based on both:
• (i) a difference between predicted wafer characteristics associated with performance of the fabrication process using the second set of process parameter values and a target specification, wherein the predicted wafer characteristics are generated by the one or more models representing the fabrication process using the second set of process parameter values;
• and (ii) the statistical uncertainty of the predictions made by the one or more models;
• (d) receiving results of the fabrication process performed using the second set of process parameter values associated with the second experiment;
• and
• (e) determining whether the performance of the fabrication process using the second set of process parameter values generates a post-processed wafer having one or more wafer characteristics that meet the target specification based on the received results of the fabrication process.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium on which is provided computer executable instructions for causing a computational system to perform a method of automatically optimizing fabrication processes, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving a plurality of target wafer specifications to be achieved by a fabrication process;
• (b) providing a first set of process parameters associated with a first experiment to one or more models representing the fabrication process to obtain model results that associate a set of candidate process parameter values with corresponding wafer characteristics data;
• (c) characterizing a statistical uncertainty of predictions made by the one or more models representing the fabrication process using the obtained model results;
• and
• (d) using an acquisition function to select a second set of process parameter values associated with a second experiment, wherein the acquisition function identifies the second set of process parameter values based on:
• (i) a set of points that represents differences between a plurality of predicted wafer characteristics associated with performance of the fabrication process using the second set of process parameter values and the plurality of target wafer specifications;
• and (ii) the statistical uncertainty of the predictions made by the one or more models.