Chamber matching across multiple dimensions utilizing Predictive Maintenance, Equipment Health Monitoring, Virtual Metrology and Run-To-Run control

Matching tools running identical processes is particularly critical for users migrating to more advanced nodes. Sustaining a fleet of tools to a matched state can reduce yield losses and yield variability, allow for greater routing flexibility in the fab, identify and control process inefficiencies, and reduce time for root cause analysis of yield issues. The matching process is multi-dimensional, covering hardware, software, tool sensors, process, metrology, maintenance and end of line electrical test and yield. The current state-of-the-art of chamber matching during production is chamber variance detection and reporting. A solution that provides a true active matching capability has been developed as part of a multi-dimensional chamber matching approach. It leverages a number of Advanced Process Control (APC) techniques collectively. Specifically Equipment Health Monitoring (EHM) is used for health monitoring during processing and for fingerprinting during maintenance recovery, Predictive Maintenance (PdM) is used to predict a consistent downtime state, and Virtual Metrology (VM) along with Run-to-Run (R2R) control is used to expedite maintenance recovery.