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ANDREW SKUMANICH, Applied Materials, Santa Clara, CA, USA

ABSTRACT

The revenue from good die minus fixed and operating costs largely determines profitability for any fab. However, a fab may have high chip yield, but if device functionality is sub-nominal, then revenue will be decreased in a manner similar to reduced yield. In the past, the main concern was to achieve high yields and avoid stoppages due to particulate contamination. Today, maintaining the expected microcircuit performance is equally important, especially as this becomes increasingly challenging in the sub-100nm realm. Utilising Advanced Process Control (APC) metrology and data mining techniques in a short loop environment offer significantly improved analysis and action times to limit lost profitability and maximise returns.