Yield improvement through cycle time and process fluctuation analyses

Factors that induce the yield loss are frequently intertwined. It is desirable to distinguish the yield impact between one factor and another so that the failure cause can be identified and the yield improvement can be achieved by applying the appropriate countermeasures. This paper addresses the ways in which cycle time and process fluctuation will influence the yield in semiconductor manufacturing. With manufacturing yield data, it is shown that yield improvement can be achieved through effective reductions of process fluctuation, particle generation, and waiting times in key stages.