NDLI: Improvements in process yields for a 200 mm wafer fabricator

Content Provider	IEEE Xplore Digital Library
Author	Ouimet, G. DeBlois, S.
Copyright Year	1994
Description	Author affiliation: Microelectron. Div., IBM Corp., Essex Junction, VT, USA (Ouimet, G.)
Abstract	IBM's 200 mm wafer fabricator in Essex Junction, Vermont, Like other semiconductor manufacturers, periodically experienced production losses due to wafers scrapped in process or at final wafer test. Efforts to increase yield by the use of traditional top-down management techniques such as executive directives and problem solving by management with little input from hands-on employees did not result in any sustainable improvement. To remedy the situation, IBM turned to it's employees and their knowledge of the product and the processes used to manufacture that product. Two self-directed work teams, which eventually merged into a single unit, were formed and given responsibility for improving process and electrical test yields. A three-pronged approach to improving process yields was put in place that included in-depth team meetings that discovered reasons why wafers were scrapped and drove activity to fix the problems, stimulated preventive actions through systematic investigation and improvement of process controls for every process area, and created focus on process control and yield problems through an incentive program. This program is still in use today. In-depth team reviews are conducted for all wafers stopped in process because of quality screens. These reviews are attended by team members and representatives from every manufacturing department holding wafers that might be defective. Information from these meetings is shared with a subset of the team that works directly with toolset teams (reactive ion etching, wet cleans, oxidations and diffusions, etc.), to improve preventive measures. Actions taken to prevent process problems are developed from working meetings with every toolset team. Teams are rewarded through an incentive program based on attaining team targets, as well as goals for overall fabricator process yield. This work team approach has resulted in an eighty percent reduction in the scrap rate of wafers in process and at wafer-level functional test.
Starting Page	75
Ending Page	78
File Size	462251
Page Count	4
File Format	PDF
ISBN	0780320530
DOI	10.1109/ASMC.1994.588195
Language	English
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Publisher Date	1994-11-26
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Rights Holder	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subject Keyword	Manufacturing processes Process control Systems engineering and theory Failure analysis Microelectronics Semiconductor device manufacture Production Semiconductor device testing Problem-solving Wet etching
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article

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