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Product Briefing Outline: PDF Solutions has launched its new yield analysis software aimed at the IC Memory market. The Memory Yield Enhancement solution is based on PDF Solutions' tools, methods, and services that are designed to accelerate yield ramps and optimize mature yields. PDF Solutions said that is has successfully deployed the Memory Yield Enhancement solution at Elpida Memory Inc., a leading Japanese DRAM manufacturer. The continuing engagement, which began in 2006, covers two advanced DRAM process nodes at Elpida's fab in Hiroshima Japan and includes optimizing yield learning during both ramp and mass production.

Problem: The new offering addresses the special challenges and constraints that memory IC manufacturers face as they strive to reduce the duration of new node ramps and achieve higher mature yields during mass production.

Solution: The Memory Yield Enhancement engagement encompasses deployment of PDF Solutions' ‘Characterization Vehicle' (CV) Infrastructure combined with enhanced product engineering tools and methods tailored for memory IC products, to more rapidly reduce yield loss due to random and systematic defectivity and process-design interactions. The result is a significant increase in the speed at which yield learning can occur during the process ramp, as well as enabling higher and more stable yields during subsequent mass production, the company claims. PDF Solutions' Integrated Yield Ramp (IYR) and Mass Production engagements also include a cross-functional team of engineers that works on-site collaboratively with the client to improve client profitability through accelerated yield learning and improved product performance at every stage of IC manufacturing, from early ramp through mass production. PDF Solutions' offering for the memory market includes the Back-End-Of-Line short-flow CV test chip as well as the patented Scribe CV, an array of highly-dense test structures that are placed directly in the scribe on product wafers to provide detailed information on variability in the manufacturing line.

Applications: Memory manufacturers - 200mm and 300mm fabs.

Platform: PDF Solutions offers two additional products for the IC memory market: dataPOWER, PDF Solutions' market-leading Yield Management System (YMS) software, and Maestria®, PDF Solutions' market-leading Fault Detection and Classification (FDC) software. When used in conjunction with PDF Solutions' CV test structures and chips, these tools are designed to provide a comprehensive, integrated mass production solution for memory IC manufacturers.

Availability: May 2007 onwards.