Method and apparatus for developing, improving and verifying virtual metrology models in a manufacturing system

A computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform a method comprising:

• developing a first non-adaptive virtual metrology (VM) model for a manufacturing process based on performing a first regression using a first data set;
• upon determining that an accuracy of the first non-adaptive VM model satisfies a first quality criterion, developing an adaptive VM model for the manufacturing process based on performing a second regression using at least one of the first data set or a second data set;
• evaluating an accuracy of the adaptive VM model using a third data set that is at least one of a) larger than the first data set and the second data set or b) representative of a current application environment;
• and
• determining that the adaptive VM model is ready for use in production upon determining that an accuracy of the adaptive VM model satisfies a second quality criterion that is more stringent than the first quality criterion.

A computing apparatus comprising:

• a memory to store instructions for a virtual metrology component;
• and
• a processing device to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause the processing device to:
• develop a first non-adaptive virtual metrology (VM) model for a manufacturing process based on performing a first regression using a first data set;
• upon determining that an accuracy of the first non-adaptive VM model satisfies a first quality criterion, develop an adaptive VM model for the manufacturing process based on performing a second regression using at least one of the first data set or a second data set;
• evaluate an accuracy of the adaptive VM model using a third data set that is at least one of a) larger than the first data set and the second data set or b) representative of a current application environment;
• and
• determine that the adaptive VM model is ready for use in production upon determining that an accuracy of the adaptive VM model satisfies a second quality criterion that is more stringent than the first quality criterion.