The process window is a graph with a range of parameters for a specific manufacturing process that yields a defined result. Typically multiple parameters are plotted in such a graph with a central region where the process behaves well, while the outer borders define regions where the process becomes unstable or returns an unfavourable result. A statistical evaluation of the process performance is further performed by the calculation of the associated
Process Window Index
Process Window Index (PWI) is a statistical measure that quantifies the robustness of a manufacturing process, e.g. one which involves heating and cooling, known as a thermal process. In manufacturing industry, PWI values are used to calibrate th ...
.
Applications
Typical applications are found in
photolithography
In integrated circuit manufacturing, photolithography or optical lithography is a general term used for techniques that use light to produce minutely patterned thin films of suitable materials over a substrate, such as a silicon wafer, to protect ...
where the response of a photoresist to parameters like temperature, radiation intensity, critical dimension and sidewall angle of the structures, etc. are plotted versus an optical parameter such as the
numerical aperture
In optics, the numerical aperture (NA) of an optical system is a dimensionless number that characterizes the range of angles over which the system can accept or emit light. By incorporating index of refraction in its definition, NA has the proper ...
to optimize the design of an exposure tool or to achieve a reproducible result and high yield.
References
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Business process management