Integrated yield management: a systematic approach to yield management

IYM^TM is a systematic approach to yield management developed and refined multiple, highly successful, leading World Class FABs. The power of IYM lies in its ability to focus total enterprise resources for the single purpose of dramatically improving yields. There are six critical components of IYM discussed in this paper: (1) Preproduction Engineering practices to maximize and focus attention an design and probe yields prior to product qualification and production ramp; (2) Systematic, Long Loop analysis for 100% yield lass explanation modeled into partitioned yield owners based upon a targeted limited yields, learning plan; (3) Utilization of critical Short Loop control systems tied to specific inline limited yield targets chosen against Long Loop failure analysis; (4) Amplification and enlargement of the responsibilities of Operators and Maintenance personnel to function as Short Loop Engineers; (5) Application and use of interactive, user friendly, Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) information creation system tied to the enterprise data collection points; (6) Establishment of a micro and macro Critical Area Yield Model to correlate, validate and predict from Short Loop controls their Long Loop results. Being central to the IYM flow, Critical Area