System and method for searching for patterns of semiconductor wafer features in semiconductor wafer data

A method for searching for patterns of semiconductor wafer features for use in silicon manufacturing and device fabrication processes, comprising the steps of:

• communicating over a communications path;
• acquiring scan data from differing types of semiconductor wafer scanning tools using a data acquisition system, the data acquisition system being capable of communicating over the communications path;
• providing temporary storage and fault tolerance for scan data transmitted over the communications path from the data acquisition system by using a buffer system;
• providing storage for the scan data transmitted from the buffer system over the communications path using a server system, the server system converting the scan data into a format used by and stored in a database management system;
• and
• analyzing scan data using an analysis system client station including a display and communicating with the server system over the communications path, the analysis system and the server system providing scan data structuring and query operations and scan data transfer operations, wherein the analysis system comprises a multiple default wafer layout module which permits a user to designate a default layout from multiple wafer layouts;
• wherein the step of providing scan data structuring and query operations further comprises the step of using dataset parameters for selecting scan data to be used to create a dataset for pattern search purposes, so that scan data can be reused and selectively retained and retrieved from different types of wafer scanning tools;
• wherein the step of providing scan data transfer operations further comprises the step of communicating and sharing scan data;
• and
• wherein the step of communicating and sharing scan data further comprises the step of enabling a user to select scan data from at least two different wafer manufacturing and fabrication processes to search for patterns in scan data from the selected processes.

A software program product implemented on a processor readable medium including instructions performed on a data processor for searching for patterns of semiconductor wafer features for use in silicon manufacturing and device fabrication processes, the instructions comprising:

• instructions for communicating over a communications path;
• instructions for acquiring scan data from differing types of semiconductor wafer scanning using a data acquisition system, the data acquisition system being capable of communicating over the communications path;
• instructions for providing temporary storage and fault tolerance for scan data transmitted over the communications path from the data acquisition system by using a buffer system;
• instructions for providing storage for the scan data transmitted from the buffer system over the communications path using a server system, the server system converting the scan data into a format used by and stored in a database management system;
• and
• instructions for analyzing scan data using an analysis system client station including a display and communicating with the server system over the communications path, the analysis system and the sewer system providing scan data structuring and query operations and scan data transfer operations, wherein the analysis system comprises a multiple default wafer layout module which permits a user to designate a default layout from multiple wafer layouts;
• wherein the instruction for providing scan data structuring and query operations further comprises instructions for using dataset parameters for selecting scan data to be used to create a dataset for pattern search purposes, so that scan data can be reused and selectively retained and retrieved from different types of wafer scanning tools;
• wherein the instruction for providing scan data transfer operations further comprises the instruction for communicating and sharing scan data;
• and
• wherein the instruction for communicating and sharing scan data further comprises the step of enabling a user to select scan data from at least two different wafer manufacturing and fabrication processes instructions to search for patterns in scan data from the selected processes.