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SamsungGranted patentChips & hardwareInterest 4/10

Samsung patents method to predict chip quality using virtual models

Samsung has been granted a patent for a method to predict how many usable chips will be produced from a wafer. The system creates digital copies of the chips on the wafer, maps test results to these virtual models, and calculates a defect rate to assess equipment performance.

Why it mattersThis improves manufacturing efficiency by helping factories identify equipment issues and predict yield before final production steps are completed.

In the filing’s own words

A method of predicting a semiconductor yield includes receiving wafer level data generated by measuring a plurality of wafers, generating a plurality of virtual chips corresponding to the plurality of wafers based on the wafer level data, mapping a test result of the plurality of wafers to the plurality of virtual chips, computing a defect rate of the plurality of virtual chips according to defects based on a result of the mapping, and computing a defect index of the equipment based on the defect rate.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method of predicting a semiconductor yield by a processor, the method comprising: receiving wafer level data generated by measuring a plurality of wafers; generating a plurality of virtual chips corresponding to real chips of the plurality of wafers based on the wafer level data; mapping a test result of the plurality of wafers to the plurality of virtual chips; computing a defect rate of the plurality of virtual chips according to defects based on a result of the mapping; and computing a defect index based on the defect rate, wherein the computing of the defect rate comprises computing the defect rate for each defect included in each of the plurality of virtual chips, wherein the defect having a greatest size among at least one defect included in each of the plurality of virtual chips is used for the computation.

Facts

Company
Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
Official title
Semiconductor yield prediction method and apparatus
Patent number
US12737869B2
Application number
18486350
Filed
Oct 13, 2023
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Inventors
4
Claims
18

Classified under

G06T 7/0004 Physics & computingG06T 2207/30148 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.