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US 7,454,312 B2Granted
Tool health information monitoring and tool performance analysis in semiconductor processing
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsSusan Weiher, Stefan Soens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer-implemented method, system and computer program device are provided for monitoring production of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions. Equipment based data is collected reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing a plurality of semiconductor products. Also, product level data is collected reflecting product quality for the plurality of semiconductor products processed on the plurality of manufacturing tools. At least a portion of the product level data and at least a portion of the equipment based data are then correlated. At least one report is generated of the correlation of data.
Claims30
A computer-implemented method for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (a) collecting equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (b) collecting product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of manufacturing tools;
- (c) determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein determining the correlation includes:
- receiving an indication of at least one semiconductor product of interest;
- receiving an indication of a selected time period;
- locating, in the equipment based data, at least one of the plurality of manufacturing tools on which said at least one semiconductor product of interest was processed;
- and
- locating, in the product level data, at least one of the product level data corresponding to the at least one semiconductor product of interest, the at least one located manufacturing tool, and including or proximate to the selected time period;
- and
- (d) providing at least one report of said correlation of data.
7 more elements
A computer-implemented method for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (a) collecting equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (b) collecting product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of manufacturing tools;
- (c) determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein determining the correlation includes:
- receiving an indication of at least one semiconductor product of interest;
- receiving an indication of at least one manufacturing tool of interest;
- locating, in the equipment based data, a relevant time period for the at least one manufacturing tool of interest during which said at least one semiconductor product of interest was processed;
- and
- locating, in the product level data, at least one of the product level data corresponding to the at least one semiconductor product of interest, the at least one located manufacturing tool, and including or proximate to the selected time period;
- and
- (d) providing at least one report of said correlation of data.
7 more elements
A computer-implemented method for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (a) collecting equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (b) collecting product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of manufacturing tools;
- (c) determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein determining the correlation includes:
- receiving an indication of at least one manufacturing tool of interest;
- receiving an indication of a selected time period;
- locating, in the equipment based data, information reflecting the at least one manufacturing tool of interest including or proximate to the selected time period;
- and
- locating, in the product level data, at least one of the semiconductor products corresponding to the at least one manufacturing tool of interest, and including or proximate to the selected time period;
- and
- (d) providing at least one report of said correlation of data.
7 more elements
A computer-implemented system for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (A) a first data store to store a collection of equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of the semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (B) a second data store to store a collection of product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools;
- and
- (C) a computer system for determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein the correlation is determined by receiving an indication of at least one semiconductor product of interest, receiving an indication of a selected time period, locating, in the equipment based data, at least one of the plurality of manufacturing tools on which said at least one semiconductor product of interest was processed, and locating, in the product level data, at least one of the product level data corresponding to the at least one semiconductor product of interest, the at least one located manufacturing tool, and including or proximate to the selected time period, said computer system also generating at least one report of said correlation of data.
1 more element
A computer-implemented system for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (A) a first data store to store a collection of equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of the semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (B) a second data store to store a collection of product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools;
- and
- (C) a computer system for determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein the correlation is determined by receiving an indication of at least one semiconductor product of interest, receiving an indication of at least one manufacturing tool of interest, locating, in the equipment based data, a relevant time period for the at least one manufacturing tool of interest during which said at least one semiconductor product of interest was processed, and locating, in the product level data, at least one of the product level data corresponding to the at least one semiconductor product of interest, the at least one located manufacturing tool, and including or proximate to the selected time period, said computer system also generating at least one report of said correlation of data.
1 more element
A computer-implemented system for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (A) a first data store to store a collection of equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of the semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (B) a second data store to store a collection of product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools;
- and
- (C) a computer system for determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein the correlation is determined by receiving an indication of at least one manufacturing tool of interest, receiving an indication of a selected time period, locating, in the equipment based data, information reflecting the at least one manufacturing tool of interest including or proximate to the selected time period, and locating, in the product level data, at least one of the semiconductor products corresponding to the at least one manufacturing tool of interest, and including or proximate to the selected time period, said computer system also generating at least one report of said correlation of data.
1 more element
A computer program for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (a) at least one computer readable medium;
- (b) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for collecting equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of the semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (c) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for collecting product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools;
- (d) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein the instructions for determining include instructions for:
- receiving an indication of at least one semiconductor product of interest;
- receiving an indication of a selected time period;
- locating, in the equipment based data, at least one of the plurality of manufacturing tools on which said at least one semiconductor product of interest was processed;
- and
- locating, in the product level data, at least one of the product level data corresponding to the at least one semiconductor product of interest, the at least one located manufacturing tool, and including or proximate to the selected time period;
- and
- (e) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for providing, at least one report of said correlation of data.
8 more elements
A computer program for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (a) at least one computer readable medium;
- (b) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for collecting equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of the semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (c) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for collecting product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools;
- (d) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein the instructions for determining include instructions for:
- receiving an indication of at least one semiconductor product of interest;
- receiving an indication of at least one manufacturing tool of interest;
- locating, in the equipment based data, a relevant time period for the at least one manufacturing tool of interest during which said at least one semiconductor product of interest was processed;
- and
- locating, in the product level data, at least one of the product level data corresponding to the at least one semiconductor product of interest, the at least one located manufacturing tool, and including or proximate to the selected time period;
- and
- (e) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for providing, at least one report of said correlation of data.
8 more elements
A computer program for monitoring production of a plurality of semiconductor products to detect potential defect excursions, comprising:
- (a) at least one computer readable medium;
- (b) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for collecting equipment based data reflecting equipment performance for a plurality of the semiconductor manufacturing tools used for processing the plurality of semiconductor products;
- (c) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for collecting product level data reflecting product quality for said plurality of semiconductor products processed on said plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools;
- (d) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for determining a correlation of at least a portion of said product level data and at least a portion of said equipment based data, wherein the instructions for determining include instructions for:
- receiving an indication of at least one manufacturing tool of interest;
- receiving an indication of a selected time period;
- locating, in the equipment based data, information reflecting the at least one manufacturing tool of interest including or proximate to the selected time period;
- and
- locating, in the product level data, at least one of the semiconductor products corresponding to the at least one manufacturing tool of interest, and including or proximate to the selected time period;
- and
- (e) instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for providing, at least one report of said correlation of data.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.