Magma Integrates Real-Time Data from Semiconductor Manufacturing Floor with CAD Information

Magma Design Automation Inc. has launched Excalibur-Litho, a complete fab analysis framework that supports the development and monitoring of advanced lithography solutions. Excalibur-Litho is the first system to efficiently integrate design and real-time data from the semiconductor manufacturing floor, including defectivity, metrology and tool history, enabling an unmatched level of data analysis, monitoring and process control. Excalibur-Litho optimizes yield ramps with built-in solutions for litho qualification through the proprietary coupling of design-based binning, electrical cross mapping, and fab-wide data correlation. This enables unprecedented defect isolation and root cause analysis.

“Excalibur-Litho is based on a proven fab analysis framework that provides comprehensive examination of in-line lithography-based defects,” said Ankush Oberai, General Manager and Vice President of Magma’s Fab Analysis Business Unit. “By leveraging a proven infrastructure that has access to both design and fab data, Excalibur-Litho turns data into knowledge, accelerating lithography-based process improvement.”

Magma and Applied Materials Inc. recently announced a collaborative effort to integrate Magma’s CAD-based navigation and yield analysis software, which includes Excalibur-Litho, with Applied Materials’ advanced inspection tools, such as the Applied UVision 4 system. “This unique combination of design and manufacturing tools has accelerated lithography qualification and enabled quicker yield ramp at multiple customers for the development and production of advanced technology nodes,” said Erez Paran, Manager, Integrated Solutions for Applied Materials’ Process Diagnostics and Control business unit.

Excalibur-Litho collects and organizes data from the manufacturing process, including defectivity, metrology, and electrical tools and manufacturing execution system (MES) data. Wafer information is stacked and easily cross-mapped to any one of the layout, schematic or netlist design representations for easy analysis.

Excalibur-Litho is built on a revolutionary open-architecture database developed by Magma that enables safe and secured CAD access and easy fab integration. This open architecture also ensures interoperability with most inspection tools and yield analysis databases.