High-Value Design Techniques for Mitigating Random Defect Sensitivities

Today's sophisticated design-for-manufacturability (DFM) methodologies provide a designer with an overwhelming amount of choices, many with significant costs and unclear value. The technology challenges of subwavelength lithography, new materials, device types/sizes, etc., can mask the underlying random defect yield contribution which ultimately dominates mature manufacturing, and the distinction between technology limitations and process excursions must also be understood. The best DFM strategy fully exploits all of the available techniques that mitigate a design's sensitivity to random defects where the value is clearly quantifiable, yet few designers seize this opportunity. This paper provides a roadmap through the entire design flow and gives an overview of the various options.