Traceability: The secret to unlocking insights and enhanced chip performance

yieldHUB has the ability to support device level identification when programmed into each chip via OTP fuses. Traceability helps improve product quality and reduces DPPM (defective parts per million). If a field recall is needed, individual faulty parts can be traced quickly and this reduces the size of a recall, where all parts may have to be recalled if no device ID is present. Subsequent search analysis in yieldHUB will provide in-depth information from manufacturing for the die in question. In this blog we'll explore the advantages of traceability in yield management.

Advantage 1: Enhanced issue resolution

yieldHUB users are able to store the traceability information alongside the test data in a secure database. This means that if a chip issue arises in the field, you have the power to retrieve and analyze all the relevant data from the chip's testing phase, even if it took place years ago. It enables engineers to swiftly identify any underlying material or manufacturing quality issues that may be affecting your chips. By addressing these concerns head-on, you can enhance the reliability of future products and build a stronger foundation of trust with your customers. Traceability empowers you to proactively identify other chips that might have similar vulnerabilities.

yieldHUB Founder & CEO John O'Donnell said with traceability, yieldHUB users can promptly notify their customers and, if possible, replace those chips with more dependable alternatives.

"Our goal is to ensure your customers' satisfaction and peace of mind," John said.

Advantage 2: Advanced yield management

We understand the importance of helping you gain deep insights into your manufacturing process, particularly when it comes to yield management. Through traceability, yieldHUB enables you to visualize and comprehend the intricate world of wafer maps, even for packaged and single parts. The unique IDs assigned to your chips contain vital information such as the X and Y coordinates of the die, as well as the lot and wafer ID. Leveraging this valuable data, our sophisticated Yield Management System (YMS) automatically generates virtual wafer maps for final test binning and parametric performance analysis. This allows you to gain a comprehensive understanding of drift patterns throughout the manufacturing journey. For example, by comparing wafer map visualized results from wafer sort and final test stages, you can swiftly assess how the assembly process impacts key parameters across the wafer. Armed with this profound level of insight, you can make informed decisions to optimize your processes and drive continuous quality improvement.

Note: This visual was auto-generated by yieldHUB’s traceability module, which is integrated into our production data processing pipeline.
Above are examples of a wafer that was tested in probe and later also in final test amongst a much larger quantity of dice combining several wafers. Leveraging the ID on each chip allows virtual maps to be available in final test. An example of a final test leakage parameter is given on the right-hand side. The color represents the value of the test for each die. The lighter color green on the wafer probe bin map represents passing bin 2 which in this case is a lower quality die. In final test there appears to be a similar effect for the test in question, with higher leakage inside the wafer. 

John continued: “For process and product experts this is powerful information. Thus, seamless visualization of how final test parameters and bins vary across a wafer offers opportunities for further yield improvement.”

Advantage 3: Analysis integrity 

At yieldHUB, we know there are challenges that come with chip testing. Even in seemingly simple testing flows, chips can undergo multiple rounds of testing, leading to intricacies that make efficient analysis a daunting task. In New Product Introduction (NPI) chips undergo testing under various temperatures and conditions, often spanning several days. Once released into full-scale final test production, thousands of units can comprise a lot, with hundreds of the units often being retested to maximize yield. The sheer complexity of NPI and volume in full-scale production can make effective and clean analysis a formidable endeavor. However, by fully leveraging the power of traceability, you can revolutionize the way analysis is conducted. 

The yieldHUB founder added:“Traceability with yieldHUB opens doors to fast, accurate, and more powerful search and analysis techniques. No longer do you have to worry about sticking a label on a chip or meticulously ordering the chips during characterization and drift or HTOL testing. 

“This eliminates manual intervention and significantly reduces the potential for errors that can impact data integrity and analysis outcomes. Also if you have a customer return you can, in minutes, understand how that chip behaved right across production versus every other chip. 

“If only I had this in my days as a test development engineer!”

With traceability, in-depth drift analysis across different temperatures becomes an achievable feat with no coding required on your part. You can delve into the intricacies of temperature variations with higher efficiency and confidence. The time-consuming tasks of manual labeling and ordering are replaced by a seamless and automated process. This can empower you to extract insights swiftly, ensuring that your analysis is accurate, reliable, and effective.

Implementation of Traceability in yieldHUB

We recognize that having an ID alone doesn't automatically guarantee retrieval in an STDF file. That's why we work closely with our customers and offer a platform with flexibility for you to define your methods for retrieving specific components of the ID, such as X and Y coordinates. Once these retrieval methods are established and saved for a product, they are consistently applied to all the associated data. This empowers you to effortlessly locate any chip in the database, even after years have passed. yieldHUB users can delve into analyzing individual die results and make meaningful comparisons with the rest of the wafer or lot. Additionally, our platform automates the generation of wafer maps during final test, granting you instant visualization capabilities that were previously out of reach.

“At yieldHUB, our mission is to provide you with unparalleled insights into chip performance, offer robust issue resolution, and facilitate continual advancements in manufacturing efficiency. We're committed to supporting you every step of the way as you embrace traceability and harness the power of seamless ID utilization," John said.

“We look forward to assisting you on your journey towards more powerful and insightful chip testing to maximize yield and reliability as well as achieve your on-time delivery goals.”

Contact yieldHUB today to discover how our traceability solutions can bring efficiency and confidence to your analysis process.