Using reverse arrangement for trend test in statistical process control for manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits

Abstract

A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices or other types of devices and/or entities. The method includes providing a process (e.g., etching, deposition, implantation) associated with a manufacture of a semiconductor device/The method includes collecting a plurality information (e.g., data) having a non-monotonic trend of at least one parameter associated with the process over a determined period. The method includes processing the plurality of information having the non-monotonic trend. The method includes detecting an increasing or a decreasing trend from the processed plurality of information having the non-monotonic trend. The method includes performing an action based upon at least the detected increasing or decreasing trend.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified flow chart illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a table (Table 1) illustrating a frequency distribution of sigma for values of N from 1 to 6;

FIG. 3 is a table (Table 2) illustrating an accumulated frequency and corresponding probability for each R and signal;

FIG. 4 is a table (Table 4) listing minimum and maximum total reverse arrangements for up and down trend test and their corresponding p-values (i.e., the false alarm rate);

FIG. 5 is a simplified control chart for example 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a simplified control chart for example 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a simplified chart applying RAT according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a simplified flow chart illustrating a method of RAT according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a simplified computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a simplified block diagram of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices, the method comprising: providing a process associated with a manufacture of a semiconductor device;collecting a plurality information having a non-monotonic trend of at least one parameter associated with the process over a determined period;processing the plurality of information having the non-monotonic trend;detecting an increasing or a decreasing trend from the processed plurality of information having the non-monotonic trend; andperforming an action based upon at least the detected increasing or decreasing trend.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined period comprises a time period.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined period comprises a spatial frequency.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing and detecting comprises a reverse arrangement test.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing and detecting comprises a randomness test.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing and detecting is called a Cox-Stuart test.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reverse arrangement test comprises determining a number of data points, process the plurality of information for the data points.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising adding the number of data points by one, and processing the plurality of data points.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising reporting no change.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating the increasing or decreasing trend with a predetermined false alarm rate.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein if the trend is within the predetermined false alarm rate, output a decreasing or increasing rate.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein if the trend is outside of the predetermined false alarm rate, add one more sample and continue to process.

13. A system for manufacturing semiconductor devices, the system comprising one or more memories, the one or more memories: one or more codes directed to initiating a process associated with a manufacture of a semiconductor device;one or more codes directed to collecting a plurality information having a non-monotonic trend of at least one parameter associated with the process over a determined period;one or more codes directed to processing the plurality of information having the non-monotonic trend;one or more codes directed to detecting an increasing or a decreasing trend from the processed plurality of information having the non-monotonic trend; andone or more codes directed to outputting a code to perform an action based upon at least the detected increasing or decreasing trend.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the determined period comprises a time period.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the determined period comprises a spatial frequency.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the processing and detecting comprises a reverse arrangement test.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the processing and detecting comprises a randomness test.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the processing and detecting is called a Cox-Stuart test.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the reverse arrangement test comprises determining a number of data points, process the plurality of information for the data points.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising adding the number of data points by one, and processing the plurality of data points.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising reporting no change.

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising associating the increasing or decreasing trend with a predetermined false alarm rate.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein if the trend is within the predetermined false alarm rate, output a decreasing or increasing rate.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein if the trend is outside of the predetermined false alarm rate, add one more sample and continue to process.