Abstract: A method for improving yield management of semiconductors being inspected for defects. The method uses critical area analysis, spacial analysis, yield loss node analysis, yield loss manufacturing location, and yield loss cause analysis for both in-line monitors and at each node due to situational circumstances.

Abstract: A method of calculating yield limits for a factory to process semiconductor wafers, including the steps of generating a wafer map from the semiconductor wafers, eliminating die on said wafer map from consideration that have multiple defects, calculating killer probability for each of said die having only one defect, and predicting yield limits from said killer probabilities.

Abstract: A method for predicting yield limits of semiconductor wafers in a factory, including the steps of generating a wafer probe test pareto, determining a histogram of the distribution from a selected group from the wafer probe test pareto, extracting parametric data from a database from the histogram, screening the parametric data for values of the parametric data outside of a predetermined range, determining if an average value of the screened parametric data shows a sensitivity to variations in the parametric data, determining specification limits of the screened parametric data, and using the specification limits to form an operating window to show the sensitivity.