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US 8,229,691 B2Granted
Method for using real-time APC information for an enhanced lot sampling engine
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsGary W. Behm, Malek Ben Salem, Yue Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes passing a lot through a production process and evaluating a statistical quality of the production process. Additionally, the method includes calculating an advanced process control (APC) recipe parameter adjustment (RPA) distribution value and determining if sampling is indicated. Furthermore, the method includes, if sampling is indicated, performing a measurement process of the lot.
Claims16
A method comprising:
- passing a lot through a production process;
- calculating an advanced process control recipe parameter adjustment (RPA) distribution value using an advanced process controller (APC);
- calculating an APC calculated process capability (Cpk) value using the APC;
- communicating the RPA and the Cpk value to a lot sampling engine (LSE);
- utilizing the LSE to correlate the RPA and the Cpk value in conjunction with a historical Cpk value calculated by the LSE to determine if sampling of the lot is indicated;
- and
- if sampling of the lot is indicated, performing a measurement process of the lot.
4 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a wafer processing station;
- an advanced process control (APC);
- and
- an enhanced lot sampling engine (ELSE) in communication with the APC and configured to receive APC recipe parameter adjustment (RPA) information and APC calculated process capability (Cpk) information from the APC, and is further configured to determine a sampling rate for a lot based on historical Cpk information, the APC RPA information from the APC and the APC calculated Cpk information from the APC,
- wherein the system utilizes real-time advance process control (APC) information and the ELSE utilizes the APC information to determine an optimized sample plan for processing the lot.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.