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Abstract: In existing integrated circuit (IC) fabrication methods, the yield is typically limited by defects generated in the manufacturing process. In fact, the yield often shows a good correlation with the type and density of the defect. As a result, an accurate defect limited yield model is essential for accurate correlation analysis and yield prediction. Since real defects exhibit a great variety of shapes, to ensure the accuracy of yield prediction, it is necessary to select the most appropriate defect model and to extract the critical area based on the defect model. Considering the realistic outline of scratches introduced by the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, we propose a novel scratch-concerned yield model. A linear model is introduced to model scratches. Based on the linear model, the related critical area extraction algorithm and defect density distribution are discussed. Owing to higher correspondence with the realistic outline of scratches, the linear defect model enables a more accurate yield prediction caused by scratches and results in a more accurate total product yield prediction as compared to the traditional circular model.

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