Yield prediction feedback for controlling an equipment engineering system

1. A method comprising:

receiving a yield prediction by a run-to-run controller that includes an intra-process run-to-run control module that specifies process performance targets, wherein the yield prediction is associated with at least one of a manufacturing tool, a product or a process;

adjusting first parameters associated with intra-process run-to-run control by the intra-process run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the first parameters include processing parameters of a process recipe, wherein the run-to-run controller includes an inter-process run-to-run control module that specifies inter-process performance targets between different processes, wherein the yield prediction includes a yield prediction quality value; and

determining an adjustment for the first parameters based on a combination of the yield prediction and the yield prediction quality value, wherein a degree of adjustment is decreased as the yield prediction quality value is decreased.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting second parameters associated with inter-process run-to-run control by the inter-process run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the second parameters include inter-process level quality parameters; and

adjusting the first parameters in response to adjusting the second parameters.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the run-to-run controller includes a factory-wide run-to-run control module that specifies one or more factory wide performance targets, the method further comprising:

adjusting third parameters associated with factory wide run-to-run control by the factory-wide run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the third parameters include factory level quality parameters;

adjusting the second parameters in response to adjusting the third parameters; and

adjusting the first parameters in response to adjusting the second parameters and the third parameters.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the run-to-run controller includes a factory-wide run-to-run control module that specifies one or more factory wide performance targets, the method further comprising:

adjusting third parameters associated with factory wide run-to-run control by the factory-wide run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the third parameters include one or more of the process performance targets of the intra-process run-to-run control module; and

adjusting the first parameters in response to adjusting the third parameters.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

collecting data by an equipment engineering system, the data pertaining to at least one of the manufacturing tool or the product; and

determining the yield prediction for the product by applying the collected data to a yield prediction model.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving a yield prediction by a run-to-run controller that includes an intra-process run-to-run control module that specifies process performance targets, wherein the yield prediction is associated with at least one of a manufacturing tool, a product or a process;

adjusting first parameters associated with intra-process run-to-run control by the intra-process run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the first parameters include processing parameters of a process recipe, wherein the run-to-run controller includes an inter-process run-to-run control module that specifies inter-process performance targets between different processes, wherein the yield prediction includes a yield prediction quality value; and

determining an adjustment for the first parameters based on a combination of the yield prediction and the yield prediction quality value, wherein a degree of adjustment is decreased as the yield prediction quality value is decreased.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , further comprising:

adjusting second parameters associated with inter-process run-to-run control by the inter-process run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the second parameters include inter-process level quality parameters; and

adjusting the first parameters in response to adjusting the second parameters.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the run-to-run controller includes a factory-wide run-to-run control module that specifies one or more factory wide performance targets, the method further comprising:

adjusting third parameters associated with factory wide run-to-run control by the factory-wide run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the third parameters include factory level quality parameters;

adjusting the second parameters in response to adjusting the third parameters; and

adjusting the first parameters in response to adjusting the second parameters and the third parameters.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the run-to-run controller includes a factory-wide run-to-run control module that specifies one or more factory wide performance targets, the method further comprising:

adjusting third parameters associated with factory wide run-to-run control by the factory-wide run-to-run control module based on the yield prediction, wherein the third parameters include one or more of the process performance targets of the intra-process run-to-run control module; and

adjusting the first parameters in response to adjusting the third parameters.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , the method further comprising:

collecting data by an equipment engineering system, the data pertaining to at least one of the manufacturing tool or the product; and

determining the yield prediction for the product by applying the collected data to a yield prediction model.

11. An equipment engineering system comprising:

a computing device including a processor to execute instructions for a run-to-run controller, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

receive a yield excursion indication from a yield predictor, wherein the yield excursion includes a yield prediction quality value and the yield excursion is associated with at least one of a manufacturing tool, a product or a process;

identify first deviations between first measured values and process performance targets used for intra-process run-to-run control, wherein the first deviations contributed to the yield excursion;

adjust first parameters associated with the intra-process run-to-run control based on the identified first deviations, wherein the first parameters include processing parameters of a process recipe, wherein the run-to-run controller includes an inter-process run-to-run control module that specifies inter-process performance targets between different processes; and

determine an adjustment for the first parameters based on a combination of the yield excursion and the yield prediction quality value, wherein a degree of adjustment is decreased as the yield prediction quality value is decreased.

12. The equipment engineering system of claim 11 , further comprising the instructions to cause the processor to:

identify second deviations between second measured values and inter-process performance targets used for inter-process run-to-run control, wherein the second deviations contributed to the yield excursion;

adjust second parameters associated with the inter-process run-to-run control based on the identified second deviations, wherein the second parameters include inter-process level quality parameters; and

adjust the first parameters in response to adjusting the second parameters.

13. The equipment engineering system of claim 12 , further comprising the instructions to cause the processor to:

adjust third parameters associated with factory wide run-to-run control based on the yield excursion, wherein the third parameters include factory level quality parameters;

adjust the second parameters in response to adjusting the third parameters; and

adjust the first parameters in response to adjusting the second parameters and the third parameters.

14. The equipment engineering system of claim 11 , further comprising the instructions to cause the processor to:

adjust third parameters associated with factory wide run-to-run control based on the yield excursion, wherein the third parameters include one or more of the process performance targets; and

adjust the first parameters in response to adjusting the third parameters.

15. The equipment engineering system of claim 11 , further comprising the instructions to cause the processor to:

collect data pertaining to at least one of the manufacturing tool or the product; and

forward the data to the yield predictor, wherein the yield predictor determines the yield excursion for the product by applying the collected data to a yield prediction model.