Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Other

Sematech, Inc.

Yield Dynamics, Inc.

Anthony John Toprac

Christopher Allen Bode

Alexander James Pasadyn

Michael Lee Miller

Joyce S Oey Hewett

Thomas J Sonderman

Anastasia Oshelski Peterson

William Jarrett Campbell

Hongyu Henry Yue

Richard David Edwards

Mark I Gardner

H Jim Fulford

Christopher A Bone

Derick J Wristers

Jon D Cheek

Matthew A Purdy

Joseph William Wiseman

John R Behnke

Subhash Gupta

Terri A Couteau

Curtis Warren Doss

Gerd Franz Christian Marxsen

Douglas John Downey

Elfido Coss, Jr

Douglas J Bonser

Thomas E Spikes, Jr

Jeremy Sam Lansford

Christopher H Raeder

Edward Christopher Stewart

Scott Gregory Bushman

Stuart E Brown

James H Hussey, Jr

Paul W Ackmann

W Jarrett Campbell

Scott Runnels

James Anthony Mullins

Randy Blair

A method is provided for manufacturing, the method including processing a workpiece in a processing step, measuring a parameter characteristic of the processing performed on the workpiece in the processing step, and forming an output signal corresponding to the characteristic parameter measured. The method also includes setting a target value for the processing performed in the processing step based on the output signal.

Method for determining optimal photolithography overlay targets based on process performance and yield in microelectronic fabrication

It has been discovered that all causes of critical dimension variation, both known and unknown, are compensated by adjusting the time of photoresist etch. Accordingly, a control method employs a control system using photoresist etch time as a manipulated variable in either a feedforward or a feedback control configuration to control critical dimension variation during semiconductor fabrication. By controlling critical dimensions through the adjustment of photoresist etch time, many advantages are achieved including a reduced lot-to-lot variation, an increased yield, and increased speed of the fabricated circuits. In one embodiment these advantages are achieved for polysilicon gate critical dimension control in microprocessor circuits. Polysilicon gate linewidth variability is reduced using a control method using either feedforward and feedback or feedback alone. In some embodiments, feedback control is implemented for controlling critical dimensions using photoresist each time as a manipulated variable. In an alternative embodiment, critical dimensions are controlled using RF power as a manipulated variable. A run-to-run control technique is used to drive the critical dimensions of integrated circuits to a set specification. In a run-to-run control technique a wafer test or measurement is made and a process control recipe is adjusted based on the result of the test or measurement on a run-by-run basis. The run-to-run control technique is applied to drive the critical dimensions of a polysilicon gate structure to a target specification. The run-to-run control technique is applied to drive the critical dimensions in an integrated circuit to a defined specification using photoresist etch time as a manipulated variable.

Run to run control process for controlling critical dimensions

A method and an apparatus for organizing production data is provided. The method comprises performing at least one process run of semiconductor devices, and recording at least one manufacturing tag associated with the process run of semiconductor devices. The method further comprises performing metrology upon at least one process run of the semiconductor device for acquiring metrology data and for performing a metrology data stackification process upon the metrology data using the manufacturing tag for organizing and stacking the metrology data. The method further comprises modifying at least one control parameter is modified based upon the stacked metrology data.

Method and apparatus for data stackification for run-to-run control

A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data includes providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; and initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification. A manufacturing system includes a tool and a process controller. The tool is adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe. The process controller is adapted to employ a control model to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control algorithm. The process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification.

Method and apparatus for initializing tool controllers based on tool event data

A method is provided, the method comprising sampling at least one parameter characteristic of processing performed on a workpiece in at least one processing step, and modeling the at least one characteristic parameter sampled using an adaptive sampling processing model, treating sampling as an integrated part of a dynamic control environment, varying the sampling based upon at least one of situational information, upstream events and requirements of run-to-run controllers. The method also comprises applying the adaptive sampling processing model to modify the processing performed in the at least one processing step.

Adaptive sampling method for improved control in semiconductor manufacturing

A method for controlling a manufacturing process includes processing a plurality of workpieces in a tool; monitoring a rework rate associated with the workpieces processed in the tool; and initiating an automatic corrective action in response to the rework rate being greater than a predetermined threshold. A manufacturing system includes a tool adapted to process a plurality of workpieces and a rework controller adapted to monitor a rework rate associated with the workpieces processed in the tool and initiate an automatic corrective action in response to the rework rate being greater than a predetermined threshold.

Method and apparatus for updating control state variables of a process control model based on rework data

A method for controlling a tool adapted to process workpieces in accordance with an operating recipe based on a process target value is provided. The method includes collecting manufacturing characteristic data associated with the workpieces; correlating the manufacturing characteristic data with a first manufacturing metric to generate a first manufacturing metric distribution for the workpieces; and adjusting the process target value based on the first manufacturing metric distribution. A manufacturing system includes a processing tool and a target monitor. The processing tool is adapted to process workpieces in accordance with an operating recipe based on a process target value. The target monitor is adapted to collect manufacturing characteristic data associated with the workpieces, correlate the manufacturing characteristic data with a first manufacturing metric to generate a first manufacturing metric distribution for the workpieces, and adjust the process target value based on the first manufacturing metric distribution.

Method and apparatus for controlling process target values based on manufacturing metrics

A method for distinguishing between sources of process variation includes processing a plurality of manufactured items in a process flow; storing a set of production environment data associated with each of the manufactured items; identifying manufactured items associated with a process drift; generating a plurality of characteristic threads based on the production environment data; comparing the characteristic threads for at least those manufactured items associated with the process drift; and determining at least one potential cause for the process drift based on the comparison of the characteristic threads. A manufacturing system for distinguishing between sources of process variation is also provided. The manufacturing system includes a plurality of tools for processing manufactured items in a process flow, a database server, and a drift monitor.

Method and apparatus for distinguishing between sources of process variation

A method for planarizing the surface of a semiconductor wafer or device during manufacture. Dependencies of polish rate and substrate thickness on process parameters of downforce and polish speed, and on the characteristic product high feature area on the wafer, are explicitly defined and used to control Chemical-Mechanical Polish in Run-to-Run and real-time semiconductor production control applications.

Method for chemical-mechanical polish control in semiconductor manufacturing

The present invention provides for a method and an apparatus for implementing a control simulation environment into a manufacturing environment. A process task is defined. A process simulation function is performed to produce simulation data corresponding to the process task. The simulation data is integrated with a process control environment for controlling a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device.

Method and apparatus for incorporating control simulation environment

A method for controlling a manufacturing system includes processing workpieces in a plurality of tools; initiating a baseline control script for a selected tool of the plurality of tools; providing context information for the baseline control script; determining a tool type based on the context information; selecting a group of control routines for the selected tool based on the tool type; determining required control routines from the group of control routines based on the context information; and executing the required control routines to generate control actions for the selected tool. A manufacturing system includes a plurality of tools adapted to process workpieces, a control execution manager, and a control executor. The control execution manager is adapted to initiate a baseline control script for a selected tool of the plurality of tools and provide context information for the baseline control script. The control executor is adapted to execute the baseline control script, determine a tool type based on the context information, select a group of control routines for the selected tool based on the tool type, determine required control routines from the group of control routines based on the context information, and execute the required control routines to generate control actions for the selected tool.

Method and apparatus for integrating multiple process controllers

A method is provided for compressing data. The method comprises collecting processing data representative of a process. The method further comprises modeling the collected processing data using a control model. The method also comprises applying the control model to compress the collected processing data.

Method of using control models for data compression

A novel method and system for fabricating integrated circuit devices is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining at least one electrical performance characteristic of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed above at least one semiconducting substrate, providing the determined electrical performance characteristics to a controller that determines, based upon the determined electrical characteristics, across-substrate variations in an exposure dose of a stepper exposure process to be performed on at least one subsequently processed substrate, and performing the stepper exposure process comprised of the across-substrate variations in exposure dose on the subsequently processed substrates. The system comprises a metrology tool for determining an electrical performance characteristic of a plurality of semiconductor devices formed above at least one substrate, a controller that determines, based upon the determined electrical performance characteristics, across-substrate variations in an exposure dose of a stepper exposure process to be performed on subsequently processed substrates, and a stepper tool that performs the stepper exposure process comprised of the across-substrate variations in exposure dose on the subsequently processed substrates.

Automated variation of stepper exposure dose based upon across wafer variations in device characteristics, and system for accomplishing same

A method for adaptively scheduling tool maintenance includes controlling an operating recipe of a tool using a plurality of control actions, monitoring the control actions to identify a degraded tool condition, and automatically initiating a tool maintenance recommendation in response to identifying the degraded tool condition. A manufacturing system includes a tool, a process controller, and a tool health monitor. The tool is adapted to process a workpiece in accordance with an operating recipe. The process controller is adapted to control the operating recipe of the tool using a plurality of control actions. The tool health monitor is adapted to monitor the control actions to identify a degraded tool condition and automatically initiate a tool maintenance recommendation in response to identifying the degraded tool condition.

Method and apparatus for adaptively scheduling tool maintenance

The present invention is directed to a method of controlling chemical mechanical polishing operations to control the duration of an endpoint polishing process. The method comprises providing a wafer having a layer of copper formed thereabove, performing a first timed polishing operation for a duration (t ) on the layer of copper at a first platen to remove a majority of the layer of copper, performing an endpoint polishing operation on the layer of copper at a second platen to remove substantially all of the layer of copper, determining a duration (t ) of the endpoint polishing operation performed on the layer of copper at the second platen, and determining, based upon a comparison between the determined duration (t ) of the endpoint polishing operation and a target value for the duration of the endpoint polishing operations, a duration (t ) of the timed polishing operation to be performed on a subsequently processed layer of copper at the first platen. In another embodiment, the invention further comprises modifying, based upon a variance between the determined duration (t ) of the endpoint polishing operation and a target value for the duration (t ) of the endpoint polishing operation, the duration (t ) of the timed polishing operation to be performed on a subsequently processed layer of copper at the first platen.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Anthony John Toprac