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 ANKUSH OBERAI & SAMUEL TAM, Knights Technology, Sunnyvale, CA, USA

ABSTRACT

In the highly-competitive LCD manufacturing business, small percentage differences in yields can spell the difference between success and failure. By applying the same automated yield management tools that have been available for years to the semiconductor industry, manufacturers can increase yields by rapidly identifying specific problems in their production lines. LCD manufacturing poses a number of unique problems not present in the semiconductor industry, and these challenges must be solved to create a useful yield management system. LCD and semiconductor manufacturing share some similar features. Both depend on a series of complex procedures performed under exacting controls to create sophisticated devices. Multiple items are fabricated on a single substrate using lithography, deposition, and etch technologies. And unfortunately, the processes are not perfect, and defects can occur that may render the final product useless.