Abstract:
Described herein is a method comprising: determining a sequence of states of an object, the states determined based on processing information associated with the object, wherein the sequence of states includes one or more future states of the object; determining, based on at least one of the states within the sequence of states and the one or more future states, a process metric associated with the object, the process metric comprising an indication of whether processing requirements for the object are satisfied for individual states in the sequence of states; and initiating an adjustment to processing based on (1) at least one of the states and the one or more future states and (2) the process metric, the adjustment configured to enhance the process metric for the individual states in the sequence of states such that final processing requirements for the object are satisfied.
Abstract:
According to an aspect of the disclosure there is provided a method for predicting a property associated with a product unit. The method may comprise obtaining a plurality of data sets, wherein each of the plurality of data sets comprises data associated with a spatial distribution of a parameter across the product unit, representing each of the plurality of data sets as a multidimensional object, obtaining a convolutional neural network model trained with previously obtained multidimensional objects and properties of previous product units, and applying the convolutional neural network model to the plurality of multidimensional objects representing the plurality of data sets, to predict the property associated with the product unit.
Abstract:
A method of maintaining a set of fingerprints (316) representing variation of one or more process parameters across wafers, has the steps: (a) receiving measurement data (324) of one or more parameters measured on wafers; (b) updating (320) the set of fingerprints based on an expected evolution (322) of the one or more process parameters; and (c) evaluation of the updated set of fingerprints based on decomposition of the received measurement data in terms of the updated set of fingerprints. Each fingerprint may have a stored likelihood of occurrence (316), and the decomposition may involve: estimating, based the received measurement data (324), likelihoods of occurrence of the set of fingerprints in the received measurement data; and updating the stored likelihoods of occurrence based on the estimated likelihoods.
Abstract:
The invention generates predicted data for control or monitoring of a production process to improve a parameter of interest. Context data (502) associated with operation of the production process (504) is obtained. Metrology/test (508) is performed on the product (506) of the production process (504), thereby obtaining performance data (510). A context-to-performance model is provided to generate predicted performance data (526) based on labeling of the context data (502) with performance data. This is an instance of semi-supervised learning. The context-to-performance model includes the learner (522) that performs semi-supervised labeling. The context-to-performance model is modified using prediction information related to quality of the context data and/or performance data. Prediction information may comprise relevance information relating to relevance of the obtained context data and/or obtained performance data to the parameter of interest. The prediction information may comprise model uncertainty information relating to uncertainty of the predicted performance data.
Abstract:
A lithography system configured to apply a pattern to a substrate, the system including a lithography apparatus configured to expose a layer of the substrate according to the pattern, and a machine learning controller configured to control the lithography system to optimize a property of the pattern, the machine learning controller configured to be trained on the basis of a property measured by a metrology unit configured to measure the property of the exposed pattern in the layer and/or a property associated with exposing the pattern onto the substrate, and to correct lithography system drift by adjusting one or more selected from: the lithography apparatus, a track unit configured to apply the layer on the substrate for lithographic exposure, and/or a control unit configured to control an automatic substrate flow among the track unit, the lithography apparatus, and the metrology unit.
Abstract:
A computer implemented method for diagnosing a system comprising a plurality of modules. The method comprises: receiving a causal graph, the causal graph defining (i) a plurality of nodes each representing a module of the system, wherein each module is characterized by one or more signals; and (ii) edges connected between the nodes, the edges representing propagation of performance between modules; generating a reasoning tool by augmenting the causal graph with diagnostics knowledge based on historically determined relations between performance, statistical and causal characteristics of at least one module out of the plurality of modules; obtaining a health metric of the at least one module, wherein the health metric is associated with the one or more signals associated with the at least one module; and using the health metric as an input to the reasoning tool to identify a module that is the most likely cause of the behaviour.
Abstract:
Generating a control output for a patterning process is described. A control input is received. The control input is for controlling the patterning process. The control input comprises one or more parameters used in the patterning process. The control output is generated with a trained machine learning model based on the control input. The machine learning model is trained with training data generated from simulation of the patterning process and/or actual process data. The training data comprises 1) a plurality of training control inputs corresponding to a plurality of operational conditions of the patterning process, where the plurality of operational conditions of the patterning process are associated with operational condition specific behavior of the patterning process over time, and 2) training control outputs generated using a physical model based on the training control inputs.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of tuning a prediction model relating to at least one particular configuration of a manufacturing device. The method comprises obtaining a function comprising at least a first function of first prediction model parameters associated with said at least one particular configuration, and a second function of the first prediction model parameters and second prediction model parameters associated with configurations of the manufacturing device and/or related devices other than the at least one particular configuration. Values of the first prediction model parameters are obtained based on an optimization of the function, and a prediction model is tuned according to these values of the first prediction model parameters to obtain a tuned prediction mode.
Abstract:
Substrates to be processed (402) are partitioned based on pre-processing data (404) that is associated with substrates before a process step. The data is partitioned using a partition rule (410, 412, 414) and the substrates are partitioned into subsets (G1-G4) in accordance with subsets of the data obtained by the partitioning. Corrections (COR1-COR4) are applied, specific to each subset. The partition rule is obtained (Fig 5) using decision tree analysis on a training set of substrates (502). The decision tree analysis uses pre-processing data (256, 260) associated with the training substrates before they were processed, and post-processing data (262) associated with the training substrates after being subject to the process step. The partition rule (506) that defines the decision tree is selected from a plurality of partition rules (512) based on a characteristic of subsets of the post-processing data. The associated corrections (508) are obtained implicitly at the same time.
Abstract:
A lithographic process is performed on a set of semiconductor substrates consisting of a plurality of substrates. As part of the process, the set of substrates is partitioned into a number of subsets. The partitioning may be based on a set of characteristics associated with a first layer on the substrates. A fingerprint of a performance parameter is then determined for at least one substrate of the set of substrates. Under some circumstances, the fingerprint is determined for one substrate of each subset of substrates. The fingerprint is associated with at least the first layer. A correction for the performance parameter associated with an application of a subsequent layer is then derived, the derivation being based on the determined fingerprint and the partitioning of the set of substrates.