Patent ID: 7783375
Filing Date: 2010-08-24
Classification: B24B,G05B,H01L,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of measuring at least one manufacturing characteristic for at least one wafer from a lot of wafers manufactured by a manufacturing process, comprising: providing information representative of a set of candidate points to be measured by the manufacturing process on the at least one wafer from the lot of wafers; executing, by a computer system, a plan for performing measurements on the at least one wafer from the lot of wafers to measure the at least one manufacturing characteristic, the plan defining at least one of: which of the wafers in the lot of wafers are to be measured and which candidate points on the wafers to be measured to make measurements on; detecting, by the computer system, one of a plurality of events or a lack of one of the plurality of events indicating a change in the manufacturing process, the change pertaining to at least one of: receiving new material in the manufacturing process, and detecting a change in a control parameter in the manufacturing process; and adjusting, by the computer system, the plan for performing measurements on the at least one wafer from the lot of wafers based on the detected change while the lot of wafers is being processed, wherein adjusting the plan includes at least one of: adjusting which wafers in the lot of wafers are to be measured and adjusting which candidate points on the wafers to be measured to make measurements on.