Process for making and using a semiconductor wafer containing first and second DOEs of standard cell compatible, NCEM-enabled fill cells, with the first DOE including merged-via open configured fill cells, and the second DOE including snake open configured fill cells

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9768083
SERIAL NO

15634915

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Abstract

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A process for making and using a semiconductor wafer includes instantiating first and second designs of experiments (DOEs), each comprised of at least two fill cells. The fill cells contain structures configured to obtain in-line data via non-contact electrical measurements (“NCEM”). The first DOE contains fill cells configured to enable non-contact (NC) detection of merged-via opens, and the second DOE contains fill cells configured to enable NC detection of snake opens. The process may further include obtaining NC measurements from the first and/or second DOE(s) and using such measurements, at least in part, to selectively perform additional processing, metrology or inspection steps on the wafer, and/or on other wafer(s) currently being manufactured.

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Patent Owner(s)

  • PDF SOLUTIONS, INC.

International Classification(s)

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Brozek, Tomasz Morgan Hill, US 87 285
Cheng, Jeremy San Jose, US 117 290
Ciplickas, Dennis San Jose, US 88 367
Comensoli, Simone Darfo Boario Terme, IT 80 96
De, Indranil Mountain View, US 118 983
Doong, Kelvin Hsinchu, TW 81 177
Eisenmann, Hans Tutzing, DE 85 143
Fiscus, Timothy New Galilee, US 81 105
Haigh, Jonathan Pittsburgh, US 98 217
Hess, Christopher Belmont, US 123 1304
Kibarian, John Los Altos Hills, US 89 528
Lam, Stephen Freemont, US 123 1960
Lee, Sherry Monte Sereno, US 88 370
Liao, Marci Santa Clara, US 80 96
Lin, Sheng-Che Hsinchu, TW 86 96
Matsuhashi, Hideki Santa Clara, US 84 133
Michaels, Kimon Monte Sereno, US 88 271
O'Sullivan, Conor Campbell, US 93 243
Rauscher, Markus Munich, DE 89 820
Rovner, Vyacheslav Pittsburgh, US 80 96
Strojwas, Andrzej Pittsburgh, US 81 114
Strojwas, Marcin Pittsburgh, US 80 96
Taylor, Carl Pittsburgh, US 90 1035
Vallishayee, Rakesh Dublin, US 83 346
Weiland, Larg Hollister, US 81 96
Yokoyama, Nobuharu Tokyo, JP 80 96

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