Granted Patent B2

US 7,571,397 · App. 11/265,040 · Granted Aug 4, 2009

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A method for design based process control optimization, comprising:

creating, by using a computer, a circuit layout database including a design rule set;

querying by employing at least one algorithm, the circuit layout database to calculate at least one process specification limit;

comparing the calculated at least one process specification limit with at least one predefined technology process to determine if the at least one process specification limit allows for a manufacturable process;

recalculating the at least one process specification limit, if the at least one process specification limit does not allow for the manufacturable process;

performing a manufacturing process step for a semiconductor device according to the at least one process specification limit;

feeding at least one output specification result of the manufacturing process step to a downstream manufacturing process step;

comparing the at least one output specification result of the manufacturing process step with at least one predefined technology process to determine if the at least one output specification result allows for the manufacturable process;

calculating at least one process specification limit for the downstream manufacturing process step, if the at least one output specification result does not allow for the manufacturable process; and

performing a manufacturing process step for a semiconductor device according to the at least one process specification limit for the downstream manufacturing process step.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manufacturable process is user defined and quantifiable by measurements.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined technology process includes an estimated process tool.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method for design based process control optimization is employed for semiconductor manufacturing.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising evaluating the at least one process specification limit to determine if the at least one process specification limit complies with a defined design for yield requirement.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the creating a circuit layout database is constructed by use of software.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the software adheres to the design rule set, the design rule set indicating at least one of an allowable feature dimension, an allowable feature spacing, or an allowable feature density.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for design based process control optimization, the method comprising:

creating a circuit layout database including a design rule set;

querying by employing at least one algorithm, the circuit layout database to calculate at least one process specification limit;

comparing the calculated at least one process specification limit with at least one predefined technology process to determine if the at least one process specification limit allows for a manufacturable process;

recalculating the at least one process specification limit, if the at least one process specification limit does not allow for the manufacturable process;

performing a manufacturing process step for a semiconductor device according to the at least one process specification limit;

feeding at least one output specification result of the manufacturing process step to a downstream manufacturing process step;

comparing the at least one output specification result of the manufacturing process step with at least one predefined technology process to determine if the at least one output specification result allows for the manufacturable process;

calculating at least one process specification limit for the downstream manufacturing process step, if the at least one output specification result does not allow for the manufacturable process; and

performing a manufacturing process step for a semiconductor device according to the at least one process specification limit for the downstream manufacturing process step.

9. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the manufacturable process is user defined and quantifiable by measurements.

10. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one predefined technology process includes an estimated process tool capability.

11. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the method for design based process control optimization is employed for semiconductor manufacturing.

12. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises evaluating the at least one process specification limit to determine if the at least one process specification limit complies with a defined design for yield requirement.

13. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the design rule set indicates at least one of an allowable feature dimension, an allowable feature spacing, or an allowable feature density.

14. A method for design based process control optimization, comprising:

creating, by using a computer, a design rule set, the design rule set including at least one technology process requirement, manufacturing requirement or design for yield requirement;

employing at least one algorithm to query the design rule set to calculate at least one process specification limit;

comparing the at least one process specification limit with the at least one technology process requirement, manufacturing requirement, or design for yield requirement to determine if the at least one process specification limit complies with the at least one technology process requirement, manufacturing requirement, or design for yield requirement;

recalculating the at least one process specification limit, if the at least one process specification limit does not comply with the at least one technology process requirement, manufacturing requirement, or design for yield requirement

performing a manufacturing process step for a device according to the at least one process specification limit;

feeding at least one output specification result of the manufacturing process step to a downstream manufacturing process step;

comparing the at least one output specification result of the manufacturing process step with a second at least one technology process requirement, manufacturing requirement, or design for yield requirement to determine if the at least one output specification result complies with the second at least one technology process requirement, manufacturing requirement, or design for yield requirement;

calculating at least one process specification limit for the downstream manufacturing process step, if the at least one output specification result does not comply with the second at least one technology process requirement, manufacturing requirement, or design for yield requirement; and

performing a second manufacturing process step for the device according to the at least one process specification limit for the downstream manufacturing process step.

15. The method for design based process control optimization as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the design rule set includes at least one device specific process requirement.

16. The method for design based process control optimization as claimed in 15 , further comprising comparing the at least one process specification limit with the at least one device specific process requirement.

17. The method for design based process control optimization as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the method for design based process control optimization is employed for semiconductor manufacturing.

Assignments (11)