A comparison of critical area analysis tools [IC yield]

The application of critical area analysis has become more mainstream in the semiconductor industry. The critical area of a circuit is a measure of the sensitivity of a product layout to defects, which is subsequently used in accurate yield models. Intuitively, if a circuit is more dense, the defect sensitivity is higher than a less dense circuit. Commercial tools have only recently become available to measure critical area. Several approaches have been developed to measure layout critical area. A short summary of each approach is described, as well as a brief description of how critical area is incorporated into a yield model. The results of applying critical area analysis tools are then described.