Virtual metrology for run-to-run control in semiconductor manufacturing

  • Authors:
  • Pilsung Kang;Dongil Kim;Hyoung-joo Lee;Seungyong Doh;Sungzoon Cho

  • Affiliations:
  • Department of Industrial Engineering, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanangno, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Industrial Engineering, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanangno, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Pattern Analysis and Machine Learning, Robotics Research Group, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UK;Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., 416 Maetan-dong Yeongtong-gu, Suwon Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;Department of Industrial Engineering, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanangno, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea

  • Venue:
  • Expert Systems with Applications: An International Journal
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

In semiconductor manufacturing processes, run-to-run (R2R) control is used to improve productivity by adjusting process inputs run by run. A process will be controlled based on information obtained during or after a process, including metrology values of wafers. Those metrology values, however, are usually available for only a small fraction of sampled wafers. In order to overcome the limitation, one can use virtual metrology (VM) to predict metrology values of all wafers, based on sensor data from production equipments and actual metrology values of sampled wafers. In this paper, we develop VM prediction models using various data mining techniques. We also develop a VM embedded R2R control system using the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) scheme. The experiments consist of two parts: (1) verifying VM prediction models with actual production equipments data, and (2) conducting simulations of the R2R control system. Our VM prediction models are found to be accurate enough to be directly implemented in actual manufacturing processes. The simulation results show that the VM embedded R2R control system improves productivity.