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US 7,460,968 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for selecting wafers for sampling
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsRichard P. Good, Matthew A. Purdy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for selecting wafers for sampling. The method includes determining a plurality of sampling rules associated with at least one of a plurality of wafers and selecting at least one wafer for sampling based on the plurality of sampling rules.
Claims25
A method, comprising:
- determining measures of a plurality of sampling rule violations associated with a plurality of sampling rules, each measure indicating whether selecting one of a plurality of wafers for sampling satisfies or violates the corresponding sampling rule;
- selecting at least one of the plurality of wafers for sampling based on the measures of the plurality of sampling rule violations;
- and
- storing a sampling plan including information indicative of said at least one selected wafer.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- determining measures of a plurality of sampling rule violations associated with a plurality of sampling rules, each measure indicating whether selecting one of a plurality of wafers for sampling satisfies or violates the corresponding sampling rule, wherein determining the measures of the plurality of sampling rule violations comprises assigning at least one penalty to each wafer when selection of that wafer violates a sampling rule and assigning a reward to each wafer when selection of that wafer satisfies a sampling rule;
- selecting at least one of the plurality of wafers for sampling based on the measures of the plurality of sampling rule violations;
- and
- storing a sampling plan including information indicative of said at least one selected wafer.
1 more element
An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one metrology tool for sampling wafers;
- a controller configured to:
- determine measures of a plurality of sampling rule violations associated with a plurality of sampling rules, each measure indicating whether selecting one of a plurality of wafers for sampling satisfies or violates the corresponding sampling rule;
- at least one of the plurality of wafers for sampling based on the measures of the plurality of sampling rule violations;
- and
- a memory element for storing a sampling plan including information indicative of said at least one selected wafer.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one metrology tool for sampling wafers;
- a controller configured to:
- determine measures of a plurality of sampling rule violations associated with a plurality of sampling rules, each measure indicating whether selecting one of a plurality of wafers for sampling satisfies or violates the corresponding sampling rule, wherein the controller is configured to assign at least one penalty to each wafer when selection of that wafer violates a sampling rule and assign a reward to each wafer when selection of that wafer satisfies a sampling rule;
- at least one of the plurality of wafers for sampling based on the measures of the plurality of sampling rule violations;
- and
- a memory element for storing a sampling plan including information indicative of said at least one selected wafer.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.