Use of short-loop electrical measurements for yield improvement

Modern submicron processes are more sensitive to both random and systematic wafer-level process variation than ever before. Given the dimensional control limitations of new technologies, the amount of wafer-to-wafer and within wafer nonuniformity of many steps is becoming a significant fraction of the total error budget, which already includes the usual step-to-step allocations. However, a significant portion of the total observed variability is systematic in nature. Accordingly, particle defects may not continue to dominate parametric yield loss without improved understanding of parametric variations. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of short-loop electrical metrology to carefully characterize and decouple wafer-level variability of several critical processing steps. More specifically, we present our method and give results obtained from variability analyses for lithography critical dimension (CD) and inter-level dielectric (ILD) thickness control. Using statistically designed experiments and dedicated test structures, the main factors affecting dielectric thickness variability has been identified. The systematic variability from a wafer stepper has been extracted using a physically based statistical data filter. Once isolated, the deterministic variability can be modeled and controlled to enhance process and circuit design for manufacturability (DFM). We hope that in the future this work will be coupled with novel DFM-oriented CAD tools that encapsulate this information in a fashion that makes it useful to process and circuit designers     

Variation

Variation afflicts the design, manufacture, and operation of integrated circuits. Techniques and tools are needed in three areas to address variation: statistical metrology, advanced process control, and design for manufacturability. First, statistical metrology seeks to characterize and model variations and their sources. Advanced metrology helps to understand geometric and material property variations, while variation test structures and test circuits enable study of the impact of specific or aggregate variations on performance. Second, advanced process control attempts to reduce process variation through sensing and feedback/feedforward control during fabrication. Third, design for manufacturability (DFM) seeks methods to improve performance and yield given process and environmental variation, through robust design, increased regularity, and other approaches. Finally, linkages between these areas, particularly between statistical metrology and DFM, will be important and empowering.     

Evaluating Reliance Level of a Virtual Metrology System

This paper proposes a novel method for evaluating the reliability of a virtual metrology system (VMS). The proposed method calculates a reliance index (RI) value between zero and one by analyzing the process data of production equipment to determine the reliability of the virtual metrology results. This method also defines an RI threshold. If an RI value exceeds the threshold, the conjecture result is reliable; otherwise, the conjecture result needs to be further examined. Besides the RI, the method also proposes process data similarity indexes (SIs). The SIs are defined to assess the degree of similarity between the input set of process data and those historical sets of process data used to establish the conjecture model. The proposed method includes two types of SIs: global similarity index (GSI) and individual similarity index (ISI). Both GSI and ISI are applied to assist the RI in gauging the reliance level and locating the key parameter(s) that cause major deviation, thus resolving the VMS manufacturability problem. An illustrative example involving 300-mm semiconductor foundry etching equipment is presented. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is applicable to the VMS of production equipment (such as that for semiconductor and TFT-LCD).     

The singular value filter: a general filter design strategy for PCA-based signal separation in medical ultrasound imaging

A general filtering method, called the singular value filter (SVF), is presented as a framework for principal component analysis (PCA) based filter design in medical ultrasound imaging. The SVF approach operates by projecting the original data onto a new set of bases determined from PCA using singular value decomposition (SVD). The shape of the SVF weighting function, which relates the singular value spectrum of the input data to the filtering coefficients assigned to each basis function, is designed in accordance with a signal model and statistical assumptions regarding the underlying source signals. In this paper, we applied SVF for the specific application of clutter artifact rejection in diagnostic ultrasound imaging. SVF was compared to a conventional PCA-based filtering technique, which we refer to as the blind source separation (BSS) method, as well as a simple frequency-based finite impulse response (FIR) filter used as a baseline for comparison. The performance of each filter was quantified in simulated lesion images as well as experimental cardiac ultrasound data. SVF was demonstrated in both simulation and experimental results, over a wide range of imaging conditions, to outperform the BSS and FIR filtering methods in terms of contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and motion tracking performance. In experimental mouse heart data, SVF provided excellent artifact suppression with an average CNR improvement of 1.8 dB with over 40% reduction in displacement tracking error. It was further demonstrated from simulation and experimental results that SVF provided superior clutter rejection, as reflected in larger CNR values, when filtering was achieved using complex pulse-echo received data and non-binary filter coefficients.     

大失准角下SINS的KF/EKF2混合滤波对准

针对捷联惯导系统(SINS)大失准角下滤波对准过程中非线性滤波器状态维数过大的问题,提出了一种基于模型分解的卡尔曼滤波/二阶扩展卡尔曼滤波(KF/EKF2)混合滤波方法,将基于欧拉平台误差角的非线性滤波模型分解为线性部分和非线性部分,分别采用线性KF滤波和非线性EKF2滤波处理,并且设计了混合滤波的滤波步骤。实验结果表明,KF/EKF2混合滤波算法在计算量、实时性及精度等方面优于最常用的无迹卡尔曼滤波(UKF)和EKF2滤波。     

Stable, causal, perfect reconstruction, IIR uniform DFT filterbanks

A simple design procedure for stable, causal and perfect reconstruction infinite impulse response parallel uniform discrete Fourier transform filter banks (DFT FBs) based on a new polyphase decomposition, the `polyphase-oversampled' FB, is presented. The proposed design results in causal and stable analysis and synthesis filters that are all derived from a single prototype filter, resulting in efficient realisations. A discussion of the FB numerical properties and some design examples are provided     

0.18μm铜金属双重镶嵌工艺中空间成像套刻精度分析

由于空间成像套刻(Overlay)技术的预算随集成电路(IC)设计规范的紧缩而吃紧,因此,Overlay测量技术准确度的重要意义也随之提高。通过对后开发(AfterDevelopDI)阶段和后蚀刻(AfterEtchFI)阶段的Overlay测量结果进行比较,研究了0.18μm设计规范下的铜金属双重镶嵌工艺过程中的Overlay准确度。在确保对同一个晶圆进行后开发(DI)阶段和后蚀刻(FI)阶段测试的条件下,我们对成品晶圆的5个工艺层进行了比较。此外,还利用CD-SEM(线宽-扫描电子显微镜)测量了某个工艺层(PolyGate)上的芯片内Overlay,并与采用分割线方法的光学Overlay测量结果进行了比较。发现对芯片内overlay的校准存在着严重的局限性,即在应用CD-SEM时缺乏合适的结构进行Overlay测量。我们还将继续为大家提供定量的比较结果,同时也会向大家推荐组合的CD-SEM测量结构,使其能够被应用到今后的光刻设计中。     

基于经验模分解的小波阈值滤波方法研究

信号的多分辨经验模分解方法可以解释为以信号极值特征尺度为度量的时空滤波过程。这种时空滤波器充 分保留了信号本身的非线性和非平稳特征,在信号的滤波和去噪中具有较大的优势。本文提出了一种基于经验模分解的小 波阈值滤波去噪方法,并和小波阈值去噪、多尺度EMD滤波效果相比较。实验结果表明了基于经验模分解的小波阈值去 噪具有广泛的适用性和独特的去除非平稳信号的有色噪声的优势。     

Fast anisotropic Gauss filtering

We derive the decomposition of the anisotropic Gaussian in a one-dimensional (1-D) Gauss filter in the x-direction followed by a 1-D filter in a nonorthogonal direction /spl phi/. So also the anisotropic Gaussian can be decomposed by dimension. This appears to be extremely efficient from a computing perspective. An implementation scheme for normal convolution and for recursive filtering is proposed. Also directed derivative filters are demonstrated. For the recursive implementation, filtering an 512 /spl times/ 512 image is performed within 40 msec on a current state of the art PC, gaining over 3 times in performance for a typical filter, independent of the standard deviations and orientation of the filter. Accuracy of the filters is still reasonable when compared to truncation error or recursive approximation error. The anisotropic Gaussian filtering method allows fast calculation of edge and ridge maps, with high spatial and angular accuracy. For tracking applications, the normal anisotropic convolution scheme is more advantageous, with applications in the detection of dashed lines in engineering drawings. The recursive implementation is more attractive in feature detection applications, for instance in affine invariant edge and ridge detection in computer vision. The proposed computational filtering method enables the practical applicability of orientation scale-space analysis.     

Analysis of the frequency domain adaptive filter

The purpose of this note is to demonstrate significant analytical simplifications for studying the behavior of adaptive filtering in the frequency domain as opposed to studying the behavior of adaptive filtering in the time domain. A closed form expression, for the single complex weight in the frequency domain adaptive filter, is presented which allows significant statistical analysis to be performed. The mean-square error of the filter is evaluated as a function of the algorithm step size and the signal and noise powers.     

基于粒子滤波信号降噪的齿轮箱故障诊断研究

齿轮和轴承是机械设备中重要的部件,它的健康状况直接影响着机械设备的运行状态。研究粒子滤波对齿轮箱的振动信号进行降噪处理,需要知道信号的特性和噪声的统计特性。针对此,先对齿轮箱的齿轮进行振动分析,建立振动模型,而后再研究粒子数算法,对振动信号进行EMD分解,把分解的第一个IMF分量和残余分量进行重构,组建AR模型,经AR模型系数作为粒子滤波状态方程的系数。最后采用小波变换阈值降噪思想,把分解提出的噪声信号放到粒子滤波观测方程中,对信号进行降噪处理。     

α－β滤波器的基本问题分析与仿真研究

针对α-β滤波器滤波增益随采样时刻的增加而减小的问题,提出了一种根据位置滤波平均误差、速率滤波平均误差以及速度滤波效果确定滤波增益下降截止时刻的方法,并分析了可能影响滤波增益下降截止时刻的因素。仿真结果表明：通过该方法确定的滤波增益下降截止时刻可以使α-β滤波器的滤波效果达到最佳;滤波增益下降截止时刻与目标采样间隔的相关性最强,与过程噪声的相关性次之,与量测噪声的相关性最弱。     

一种散斑模式的噪声统计模型与自适应滤波方法

本文介绍了一种实际散斑模式的数学模型和噪声统计模型,并提出了一种针对这种模型的自适应次优滤波方法。文中在分析了散斑模式及其噪声性质的基础上,利用其局部方向性特征,结合最优线性滤波器和非线性滤波器的特点,对线性最小均方误差滤波器进行了自适应逼近。实验结果表明,对散斑模式而言,本文的滤波方法与其它常用的图象滤波方法相比,具有更好的去噪和边缘保护性能,并且具有较好的滤波韧性。     

A STATISTICAL NOISE MODEL AND MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF SPECKLE PATTERN AND ADAPTIVE FILTERING APPROACH

A statistical noise model and a mathematical model for real speckle pattern are presented in this paper, and then, in view of the models, a new adaptive suboptimal image filtering approach is proposed. The proposed approach, with the local direction features of speckle pattern, combines the characteristics of optimal linear filter with non-linear filter and is an adaptive approximation to linear minimum mean square error filter. Experimental results show that the proposed approach has fairly good edge-preserved performance, compared with other present image filters, as well as much better filtering performance and robustness for speckle pattern.     

Optimal parallel stack filtering under the mean absolute errorcriterion

The authors extend the configuration of stack filtering to develop a new class of stack-type filters called parallel stack filters (PSFs). As a basis for the parallel stack filtering, the block threshold decomposition (BTD) is introduced, and its properties are investigated. The design of optimal PSHs under the mean absolute error (MAE) criterion is shown to be similar to the minimum MAE stack filtering theory. The only difference is that one needs now to design more than one stack filter that together construct an optimal PSF. As a result, while reviewing briefly the optimal stack filtering theory, they will put more efforts to demonstrate, via several examples, the improvement by switching from stack filtering to parallel stack filtering for the task of image noise removal.     

惯性/地磁组合导航系统自适应卡尔曼滤波算法研究

针对惯性/地磁组合导航中遇到的滤波的发散问题,采用自适应卡尔曼滤波估计导航系统的误差.该算法通过实时估计和修正系统噪声以及观测噪声的统计特性达到降低模型误差、抑制滤波发散的目的.在Matlab环境下的仿真证实了该方案可以防止滤波器发散,缩小滤波误差,提高滤波精度.     

Switched-capacitor decimation filter design using time-multiplexing and polyphase decomposition of transfer functions with low denominator orders

A new switched-capacitor decimation filter design technique is presented. Based on a combination of the polyphase decomposition of IIR low-pass transfer functions having small denominator order and time-multiplexed operational transconductance amplifiers, the filter presents very low sensitivity to transfer function coefficients. It suits analog front-end systems by providing signal conditioning and relaxing the filtering requirements in converting between continuous-time and discrete-time signals. A prototype decimation filter has been designed and fabricated in a standard CMOS process to verify the proposed approach. In fully differential design, the filter has a die area of 2.8 mm², dissipates 67.2 mW out of a 5 V power supply and achieves a dynamic range of 58 dB at 1% THD. Experimental measurements are found in close agreement with theory.     

最小误差空域预滤波矩阵求解及误差分析

建立了空域矩阵滤波器设计最优化问题,利用两种方法给出该最优化问题的最优解。第一种方法是通过将最优化问题转化为以向量为未知数的另一个最优化问题,并求解稳定点,重排获得原问题的最优解。第二种方法是利用对原最优化问题求偏导数的方式,直接获得最优解。利用广义奇异值分解,给出了最优解的简化形式。通过仿真,给出了不同阵元数情况下,预滤波的响应效果,通过对比可知,与恒定阻带抑制滤波器相比,最小误差空域预滤波矩阵有更小的归一化响应误差。     

便携式数据采集系统中自适应抗混叠滤波器的设计

针对设备监测与故障诊断系统中便携式数据采集系统的设计要求，采用单片8阶椭圆低通滤波器MAX293设计了向AD端集成的内置抗混叠滤波器。提出了独特的自适应抗混叠滤波方案，阐述了其在数据采集过程中的实现原理，设计了相应的硬件实现电路，并给出了滤波过程中非线性相移误差的软件校正方法。