Abstract: A method of detecting failure causes in semiconductor processing systems may include receiving an indication of a failure in a semiconductor processing system and providing the indication of the failure as a query to a network representing the semiconductor processing system. The network may include nodes representing on-wafer effects and component functions, and relationships between the nodes that represent causal dependencies between the component functions and the on-wafer effects. The method may also include calculating a change in probabilities assigned to nodes representing the component functions resulting from the query, and generating an output indicating a probability of at least one of the component functions as a cause of the failure.

Abstract: Bayesian inference and modeling techniques, along with model decomposition may be used to improve mismatch performances in semiconductor processing devices by identifying sources of intrinsic and extrinsic variations in performance. A network of causal relationships between processes and hardware in a semiconductor processing device may be accessed to generate a first Bayesian model for a first semiconductor processing device using the causal relationships in the network and performance data. A second Bayesian model may also be generated for a second semiconductor processing device using the causal relationships in the network and associated performance data.

Abstract: A method of detecting failure causes in semiconductor processing systems may include receiving an indication of a failure in a semiconductor processing system and providing the indication of the failure as a query to a network representing the semiconductor processing system. The network may include nodes representing on-wafer effects and component functions, and relationships between the nodes that represent causal dependencies between the component functions and the on-wafer effects. The method may also include calculating a change in probabilities assigned to nodes representing the component functions resulting from the query, and generating an output indicating a probability of at least one of the component functions as a cause of the failure.

Abstract: A system and method for interactive design of a product includes the steps of identifying an ideal design solution by identifying an unnecessary design parameter having a predetermined significant influence on a variable design response and fixing a predetermined nominal value of the identified unnecessary design parameter at which the variable design response is a minimum and the product design is an uncoupled design or a decoupled design. The method also includes the steps of selecting a most robust ideal design solution from the identified ideal design solution that is the most uncoupled design or the most decoupled design. The method further includes the steps of optimizing the most robust ideal design solution to obtain a pareto-optimal design solution for use in the design of the product that includes a design parameter having an independent design response.

Abstract: A cumulative distribution function (CDF) that represents reliability of a product or process is optimized with respect to one or more critical probabilistic controllable variables of the product or process that it is feasible to control. Optimal mean values for those critical probabilistic controllable variables are determined.

Abstract: A system for interactive design a product having a design solution which includes a design parameter and a design response includes a user computer system and a remotely located computer system in communication with the user computer system. The system also includes a computer- generated geometric model of a product design stored in a data storage means. The system further includes a statistical analysis software program implemented by the remotely located computer system and a computer aided engineering software program implemented by the remotely located computer system.