Abstract: A method (400) for determining a response to a wafer manufacturing process problem includes the steps of generating a wafer map signature (406) containing defect attributes to be identified and retrieving (410) one or more wafer map signatures from a database. The wafer map signature to be identified is matched (414) with the one or more wafer map signatures from the database in order to help find a root cause of a defect in a wafer manufacturing process. This provides at least the advantage that a signature matching capability allows an Operator to more accurately identify a root manufacturing cause of a wafer defect. Furthermore, instant feedback to the wafer manufacturing process can be provided to facilitate rapid correction of manufacturing errors.

Abstract: A method (400) for determining a response to a wafer manufacturing process problem includes the steps of generating a wafer map signature (406) containing defect attributes to be identified and retrieving (410) one or more wafer map signatures from a database. The wafer map signature to be identified is matched (414) with the one or more wafer map signatures from the database in order to help find a root cause of a defect in a wafer manufacturing process.

Abstract: A defect source identifier that provides information used to identify a source of a defect on a substrate, which defect source identifier includes a LotRoute database generation process and a LotRoute database access process, wherein the LotRoute database generation process includes a software application that runs on a server and that, in response to user input, defines a wafer route including wafer route information, and associates the wafer route with any one of a number of entities; and the LotRoute database process includes a software application that runs on the server and that, in response to input from the defect source identifier, retrieves the wafer route information using an identifier of one of the entities.