A review of a statistical tool set for the yield enhancement of integrated circuits

The authors describe a system that Harris Semiconductor has developed to aid in the analysis of circuit failures and predictions of functional yeilds. This system is based on a relational database in conjunction with the application of statistical tools. The core of the system is the relational database that uses the commercially available INGRES software. The system design is reviewed along with the supporting software and hardware tools used to create a tool box for yield analysis. Given the current levels of sophistication involved in manufacturing semiconductors, the flexibility of a relational database coupled with the correct analytical and statistical tools provides a powerful system for a yield enhancement resource.<
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