US 6,959,252 B2Granted

Method for analyzing in-line QC test parameters

AssigneePowerchip Semiconductor Corp.

InventorsHung-En Tai, Haw-Jyue Luo

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method for analyzing in-line QCtest parameters is used to analyze a plurality of lots of products, each lot of products having a lot number and being formed using a plurality of equipments. At least one wafer of each lot of products is tested by at least one in-line QC test item to generate an in-line QC test parameter. The in-line QC test item, a sample test item and a wafer test item related to the in-line QC test item are stored in a database. The database further stores the in-line QC test parameter and data of a plurality of lots of high-yield product stocks, such as various test items and test parameters. The method includes the following steps: analyzing the in-line QC test parameter to determine whether the in-line QC test parameter corresponds to a predetermined spec or not; searching the database to find out the sample test item or the wafer test item related to the in-line QC test item when the in-line QC test parameter does not correspond to the predetermined spec; searching the database to find out the corresponding test parameters of the high-yield product stocks according to the in-line QC test item and the searched sample test item or the wafer test item; and generating a correlation to illustrate the relationship between the in-line QC test item and the sample test item, or the relationship between the in-line QC test item and the wafer test item according to the searched high-yield product stocks.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for analyzing in-line quality control (QC) test parameters, the method being used to analyze a plurality of lots of products, each lot of products comprising a lot number, the products being formed using a plurality of equipments, at least one wafer of each lot of products being tested by at least one in-line QC test item to generate an in-line QC test parameter, the in-line QC test item, and its related sample test item and wafer test item being stored in a database, the database further storing the in-line QC test parameter and data of a plurality of lots of high-yield product stocks, such as test items and test parameters, the method comprising:

analyzing the in-line QC test parameter of the wafer to determine whether the in-line QC test parameter corresponds to a predetermined spec or not;
searching the database to find out the sample test item or the wafer test item related to the in-line QC test item when the in-line QC test parameter of the wafer does not correspond to the predetermined spec;
searching the database to find out the corresponding test parameters in the sample test item or the wafer test item of the high-yield product stocks according to the in-line QC test item and the searched sample test item or the wafer test item;
and
using the in-line QC test parameter of the wafer and the searched test parameters in the sample test item of the high-yield product stocks to generate a correlation to illustrate the relationship between the in-line QC test item and the sample test item and using the in-line QC test parameter of the wafer and the correlation to predict a test parameter for the wafer in the sample test item, or using the in-line QC test parameter of the wafer and the searched test parameters in the wafer test item of the high-yield product stocks to generate a correction to illustrate the relationship between the in-line QC test item and the wafer test item and using the in-line QC test parameter of the wafer and the correlation to predict a test parameter for the wafer in the wafer test item.

2 more elements

A method for analyzing in-line quality control test parameters, the method being used to analyze a plurality of lots of products, each lot of products comprising a lot number, the products being formed using a plurality of equipments, at least one wafer of each lot of products being tested by at least one in-line QC test item to generate an in-line QC test parameter, the in-line QC test item, and its related sample test item and wafer test item being stored in a database, the database further storing the in-line QC test parameter, data of a process step related to the in-line QC test item, and data of a plurality of lots of high-yield product stocks, such as test items and test parameters, the method comprising:

classifying the lots of products being tested by the in-line QC test item into two groups according to a first spec, the two groups of products comprising a qualified group of products which has the in-line QC test parameters corresponding to the first spec, and a failed group of products which has the in-line QC test parameters not corresponding to the first spec;
searching the database to find out the process step related to the in-line QC test item;
finding the equipments used in the process step according to the lot numbers of the two groups of products;
determining the equipment through which a probability that the failed group of products have passed is higher than a probability that the qualified group of products have passed, the equipment having the higher probability that the failed group of products have passed through being the possibly faulty equipment:
searching the database to find out the sample test item or the wafer test item related to the in-line QC test item;
searching the database to find out the corresponding test parameters in the sample test item or the wafer test item of the high-yield product stocks according to the in-line QC test item and the searched sample test item or the wafer test item;
and
using the in-line QC test parameters of the failed group of products and the searched test parameters in the sample test item or the wafer test item of the high-yield product stocks to generate a correlation to illustrate the relationship between the in-line QC test item and the sample test item, or the relationship between the in-line QC test item and the wafer test item.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/604,244Filed 3 Jul 2003
Priority: TW 091138166 A31 Dec 2002
Published: US 2005/0004773 A16 Jan 2005
Granted: 25 Oct 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G05B 19/41875
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…
Y02P 90/02
Enabling technologies with a potential contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation: total factory control, e.g. smart factories,…
G05B
Control or regulating systems in general
Y02P
Low-carbon manufacturing