Microeconomics of advanced process window control for 50-nm gates

Kevin M. Monahan; Xuemei Chen; Georges Falessi; Craig Garvin; Matt Hankinson; Amir Lev; Ady Levy; Michael D. Slessor

doi:10.1117/12.473503

16 July 2002 Microeconomics of advanced process window control for 50-nm gates

Kevin M. Monahan, Xuemei Chen, Georges Falessi, Craig Garvin, Matt Hankinson, Amir Lev, Ady Levy, Michael D. Slessor

Proceedings Volume 4689, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XVI; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.473503
Event: SPIE's 27th Annual International Symposium on Microlithography, 2002, Santa Clara, California, United States

Abstract

Fundamentally, advanced process control enables accelerated design-rule reduction, but simple microeconomic models that directly link the effects of advanced process control to profitability are rare or non-existent. In this work, we derive these links using a simplified model for the rate of profit generated by the semiconductor manufacturing process. We use it to explain why and how microprocessor manufacturers strive to avoid commoditization by producing only the number of dies required to satisfy the time-varying demand in each performance segment. This strategy is realized using the tactic known as speed binning, the deliberate creation of an unnatural distribution of microprocessor performance that varies according to market demand. We show that the ability of APC to achieve these economic objectives may be limited by variability in the larger manufacturing context, including measurement delays and process window variation.

Citation Download Citation

Kevin M. Monahan, Xuemei Chen, Georges Falessi, Craig Garvin, Matt Hankinson, Amir Lev, Ady Levy, and Michael D. Slessor "Microeconomics of advanced process window control for 50-nm gates", Proc. SPIE 4689, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XVI, (16 July 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.473503

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available