Yield prediction feedback for controlling an equipment engineering system
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsJames Moyne, Nicholas Ward, Richard Stafford
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Abstract
A yield prediction is received by a run-to-run controller that includes an intra-process run-to-run control module that specifies process performance targets, wherein the yield prediction is associated with at least one of a manufacturing tool, a product or a process. The run-to-run control module adjusts first parameters associated with intra-process run-to-run control based on the yield prediction, wherein the first parameters include processing parameters of a process recipe.
Claims15
A method comprising:
- receiving a yield prediction by a run-to-run controller that includes an intra-process run-to-run control module that specifies process performance targets, wherein the yield prediction is associated with at least one of a manufacturing tool, a product or a process;
- adjusting first parameters associated with intra-process run-to-run control by the intra-process run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the first parameters include processing parameters of a process recipe, wherein the run-to-run controller includes an inter-process run-to-run control module that specifies inter-process performance targets between different processes, wherein the yield prediction includes a yield prediction quality value;
- and
- determining an adjustment for the first parameters based on a combination of the yield prediction and the yield prediction quality value, wherein a degree of adjustment is decreased as the yield prediction quality value is decreased.
A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:
- receiving a yield prediction by a run-to-run controller that includes an intra-process run-to-run control module that specifies process performance targets, wherein the yield prediction is associated with at least one of a manufacturing tool, a product or a process;
- adjusting first parameters associated with intra-process run-to-run control by the intra-process run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the first parameters include processing parameters of a process recipe, wherein the run-to-run controller includes an inter-process run-to-run control module that specifies inter-process performance targets between different processes, wherein the yield prediction includes a yield prediction quality value;
- and
- determining an adjustment for the first parameters based on a combination of the yield prediction and the yield prediction quality value, wherein a degree of adjustment is decreased as the yield prediction quality value is decreased.
An equipment engineering system comprising:
- a computing device including a processor to execute instructions for a run-to-run controller, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
- receive a yield excursion indication from a yield predictor, wherein the yield excursion includes a yield prediction quality value and the yield excursion is associated with at least one of a manufacturing tool, a product or a process;
- identify first deviations between first measured values and process performance targets used for intra-process run-to-run control, wherein the first deviations contributed to the yield excursion;
- adjust first parameters associated with the intra-process run-to-run control based on the identified first deviations, wherein the first parameters include processing parameters of a process recipe, wherein the run-to-run controller includes an inter-process run-to-run control module that specifies inter-process performance targets between different processes;
- and
- determine an adjustment for the first parameters based on a combination of the yield excursion and the yield prediction quality value, wherein a degree of adjustment is decreased as the yield prediction quality value is decreased.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.