US5539752A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and system for automated analysis of semiconductor defect data
Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-30
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Granted: 1996-07-23
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Expires: 2015-06-30
Abstract
Abstract Method and a system for performing semiconductor manufacturing defect analysis in cooperation with wafer scanning tools. The system analyzes data associated with defects on a substrate. First, a subset of defects is selected from subpopulations of the defects according to preclassify rules, such that classification codes indicative of defect type may then be assigned to the selected defects based upon review thereof. Classification codes indicative of defect type are then randomly assigned to a number of unselected ones of the defects in each of the subpopulations, the number, for each defect type, being weighted according to the expected occurence of the defect type extrapolated from the selected defects of the same defect type.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan Berezin
- 👤 Reuben Quintanilla
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:38
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P74/00; H10P74/23
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A computer program for analyzing data associated with defects on a substrate, the program stored on a computer-readable medium, comprising: instructions for selecting a subset of said defects from subpopulations of said defects according to preclassify rules, such that classification codes indicative of defect type may then be assigned to said selected defects based upon review thereof; and instructions for randomly assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to a number of unselected ones of said defects in each of said subpopulations, said number, for each defect type, being weighted according to the expected occurence of the defect type extrapolated from said selected defects of the same defect type.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A computer program for analyzing data associated with defects on a substrate, the program stored on a computer-readable medium, comprising: instructions for selecting a subset of said defects from subpopulations of said defects according to preclassify rules, such that classification codes indicative of defect type may then be assigned to said selected defects based upon review thereof; and instructions for randomly assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to a number of unselected ones of said defects in each of said subpopulations, said number, for each defect type, being weighted according to the expected occurence of the defect type extrapolated from said selected defects of the same defect type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The program of claim 1 further comprising: instructions for, prior to said selecting, declustering said defect data to discard defects associated with the same defect clusters from said selection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The program of claim i further comprising: instructions for testing said code-assigned defects for excessive defects of specified defect type; and instructions for indicating the presence of said excessive defects.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The program of claim 3 wherein said substrate comprises multiple die, and wherein excessive defects of specified defect type exist when the number of die rendered inoperative by said specified defect type exceeds a predetermined number.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The program of claim 3 wherein excessive defects of specified defect type exist when the defect density of said specified defect type exceeds a predetermined number.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The program of claim 1 wherein said subpopulations are defined by defect size ranges.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The program of claim 1 wherein said subpopulations are defined by defect locations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The program of claim 1 wherein said preclassify rules specify a maximum for said selected number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The program of claim 1 wherein said preclassify rules specify a preclassify code to be assigned to said selected defects.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The program of claim 1 wherein said preclassify rules specify a randomization function for selecting defects in each of said subpopulations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The program of claim 10 wherein said randomization function randomly selects any defect in said subpopulation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The program of claim 10 wherein said substrate comprises multiple die and wherein said randomization function randomly selects a die from amongst all die that have a defect or defects that are in said subpopulation, and then randomly selects a defect from within said randomly selected die.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
71 words
The program of claim I wherein said expected occurrence (E) is determined, for each defect type, by the equation E t =(N t /N S )*N T , where N t is the number of said selected defects in said subpopulation of said defect type, N S is the total number of said selected defects in said subpopulation, and N T is the total number of said defects in said subpopulation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
The program of claim 13 wherein said number of defect classification codes randomly assigned to said unclassified defects in each subpopulation, for each defect type, is equal to said expected occurence of said defect type for said subpopulation minus the number of selected defects of said defect type in said subpopulation.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
94 words
A method for analyzing data associated with defects on a substrate, the method comprising: selecting a subset of said defects from subpopulations of said defects according to preclassify rules; assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to said selected defects based upon review thereof; and randomly assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to a number of unselected ones of said defects in each of said subpopulations, said number, for each defect type, being weighted according to the expected occurence of the defect type extrapolated from said selected defects of the same defect type.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
94 words
A method for analyzing data associated with defects on a substrate, the method comprising: selecting a subset of said defects from subpopulations of said defects according to preclassify rules; assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to said selected defects based upon review thereof; and randomly assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to a number of unselected ones of said defects in each of said subpopulations, said number, for each defect type, being weighted according to the expected occurence of the defect type extrapolated from said selected defects of the same defect type.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising: prior to said selecting, declustering said defect data to discard defects associated with the same defect clusters from said selection.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising: testing said code-assigned defects for excessive defects of specified defect type; and indicating the presence of said excessive defects.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said substrate comprises multiple die, and wherein excessive defects of specified defect type exist when the number of die rendered inoperative by said specified defect type exceeds a predetermined number.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 wherein excessive defects of specified defect type exist when the defect density of said specified defect type exceeds a predetermined number.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said subpopulations are defined by defect size ranges.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said subpopulations are defined by defect locations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said review is performed manually on a review station.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said preclassify rules specify a maximum for said selected number.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said pre classify rules specify a preclassify code to be assigned to said selected defects.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said preclassify rules specify a randomization function for selecting defects in each of said subpopulations.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said randomization function randomly selects any defect in said subpopulation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said substrate comprises multiple die and wherein said randomization function randomly selects a die from amongst all die that have a defect or defects that are in said subpopulation, and then randomly selects a defect from within said randomly selected die.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said expected occurrence (E) is determined, for each defect type, by the equation E t =(N t /N S )*N T , where N t is the number of said selected defects in said subpopulation of said defect type, N S is the total number of said selected defects in said subpopulation, and N T is the total number of said defects in said subpopulation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said number of defect classification codes randomly assigned to said unclassified defects in each subpopulation, for each defect type, is equal to said expected occurence of said defect type for said subpopulation minus the number of selected defects of said defect type in said subpopulation.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for analyzing data associated with defects on a substrate, the method comprising: selecting a subset of said defects from subpopulations of said defects according to preclassify rules, said preclassify rules specifying a maximum for said number of said defects to be selected; assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to said selected defects based upon a review thereof; randomly assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to a number of unselected ones of said defects in each of said subpopulations, said number, for each defect type, being weighted according to the expected occurence of the defect type extrapolated from said selected defects of the same defect type; testing said code-assigned defects for excessive defects of specified defect type; and indicating the presence of said excessive defects.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for analyzing data associated with defects on a substrate, the method comprising: selecting a subset of said defects from subpopulations of said defects according to preclassify rules, said preclassify rules specifying a maximum for said number of said defects to be selected; assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to said selected defects based upon a review thereof; randomly assigning classification codes indicative of defect type to a number of unselected ones of said defects in each of said subpopulations, said number, for each defect type, being weighted according to the expected occurence of the defect type extrapolated from said selected defects of the same defect type; testing said code-assigned defects for excessive defects of specified defect type; and indicating the presence of said excessive defects.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said substrate comprises multiple die, and wherein excessive defects of specified defect type exist when the number of die rendered inoperative by said specified defect type exceeds a predetermined number.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 30 wherein excessive defects of specified defect type exist when the defect density of said specified defect type exceeds a predetermined number.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said substrate comprises multiple die, and wherein said random assignment is made according to a randomization function in which a die is first selected from amongst all die that have a defect or defects that are in said subpopulation, and then a defect is randomly selected from within said randomly selected die.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said subpopulations are defined by defect size ranges.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said subpopulations are defined by defect locations.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said review is performed manually on a review station.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said expected occurrence is determined, for each defect type, by the equation E t =(N t /N S )*N T , where E t is the expected occurence for said defect type, N t is the number of said selected defects in said subpopulation of said defect type, N S is the total number of said selected defects in said subpopulation., and N T is the total number of said defects in said subpopulation.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 37 wherein said number of defect classification codes randomly assigned to said unclassified defects in each subpopulation, for each defect type, is equal to said expected occurence of said defect type for said subpopulation minus the number of selected defects of said defect type in said subpopulation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-07-23 | 2000-01-22 | 2000-07-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-07-23 | 2004-01-22 | 2004-07-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-07-23 | 2008-01-22 | 2008-07-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |