Systems and methods for similarity-based semiconductor process control

A method for modeling semiconductor device fabrication, the method comprising:

• receiving a first semiconductor device wafer, the first semiconductor device wafer having a first patterned material layer thereon and being fabricated under a set of parameters;
• receiving a second semiconductor device wafer, the second semiconductor device wafer having a patterned material layer on a surface thereof, the first and second patterned material layers being patterned with a common mask;
• collecting metrology data from the first and second semiconductor device wafers;
• comparing the metrology data with modeled data provided by a computer model generated from a layout of the common mask to generate a first correction map associated with the first semiconductor device wafer and a second correction map associated with the second semiconductor device wafer;
• determining a similarity index by comparison of the first and second correction maps;
• and
• updating the computer model when the similarity index is above a threshold value.

A semiconductor device fabrication process control system comprising:

• one or more processors, the one or more processors being in communication with a memory;
• one or more system inputs configured to facilitate control by an operator and communication with external devices;
• one or more system outputs configured to facilitate use by the operator, at least one system output providing communication to a display;
• a metrology data acquisition module configured to acquire metrology data from plurality of semiconductor device wafers that includes a first semiconductor device wafer and a control wafer, the metrology data from the first semiconductor device wafer and the control wafer being used to generate a first set of vectors describing the semiconductor device wafer and a second set of vectors describing the control wafer, the first and second sets of vectors being stored in the memory;
• a similarity check module configured to determine a similarity index of a first semiconductor device wafer by comparing the first semiconductor device wafer to a control wafer, the similarity check module further configured to output an indication of whether the similarity index is above a threshold value.