Optimization of a laser anneal beam path for maximizing chip yield

• Main Authors: GLUSCHENKOV OLEG, WONG KEITH KWONG HON, BREIL NICOLAS L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.05.2016
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PHYSICS; REGULATING

Semiconductor chips with curable out of specification measured values of an anneal-activated parameter are identified at a test step. A plurality of anneal plans are generated to include at least one of the identified semiconductor chips. A net yield improvement is calculated for each anneal plan. Each anneal plan includes the paths of a laser beam across the wafer to be irradiated, and optionally includes an azimuthal angle of the wafer as a function of time. The net yield improvement is the difference between an estimated yield improvement from selected target semiconductor chips for irradiation and an estimated yield loss due to collateral irradiation of functional semiconductor chips for each anneal plan. After simulating the net yield improvements for all the anneal plans, the anneal plan providing the greatest net yield improvement can be selected and utilized.