October 17, 2005 -- Design-for-manufacturing (DFM) methodologies have taken center stage in the drive to improve yields in nanometer designs. Various techniques targeted at both the initial design and the manufacturing process itself are being applied to achieve better yields.
However, one of the most important aspects of success in product development is predictability of mature yield. As new DFM rules are applied, it’s important to validate the effectiveness of these techniques in the quest for mature yields.
New test methodologies that focus on identifying failure mechanisms provide a valuable feedback link that enables the measurement of that success. These methodologies enable more effective failure diagnosis that can shorten yield ramp cycles.
By Mark Chadwick. (Chadwick is a Product Marketing Manager for Mentor Graphics’ DFT Division.)
This brief introduction has been excerpted from the original copyrighted article.
