Discrete component backward traceability and semiconductor device forward traceability

Abstract

A system is disclosed for providing backward and forward traceability by a methodology which identifies discrete components (die, substrate and/or passives) that are included in a semiconductor device. The present technology further includes a system for generating a unique identifier and marking a semiconductor device with the unique identifier enabling the semiconductor device, and the discrete components within that device, to be tracked and traced through each process and test in the production of the semiconductor device.

1 . A system for tracking semiconductor packages, comprising:
 a semiconductor device, the device including:
 a substrate, and 
 one or more semiconductor die mounted on the substrate; and 
   an identifier associated with the semiconductor device, the identifier uniquely distinguishing the semiconductor device from all other semiconductor devices.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is provided on a surface of the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the unique identifier is an alphanumeric code provided on the surface of the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the unique identifier is a machine-readable code provided on the surface of the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is stored in the memory of a computing device for monitoring a fabrication process for the semiconductor package. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier identifies the one or more semiconductor die used in the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier identifies at least one of a manufacturer of the semiconductor die used in the semiconductor device, a time and place the semiconductor die were made and processes performed on the semiconductor die before incorporation into the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier identifies the substrate used in the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier identifies at least one of a manufacturer of the substrate used in the semiconductor device, a time and place the substrate was made and processes performed on the substrate before incorporation into the semiconductor package. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier includes:
 a time and place the semiconductor device was made,   a device assembly sublot from which the semiconductor device came, and   an ID distinguishing each device made with the same time and place information and same device assembly sublot information.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier has the format of YWWDMLLXXX, where:
 Y represents the year's last digit;   WW represents the week number within the year;   D represents the day within the week;   M represents the semiconductor package fabrication plant;   LL represents an alphanumeric 2-digit ID to designate each device assembly sublot; and   XXX represents an alphanumeric 3-digit unique ID to distinguish each device made with the same date, location and device assembly sublot information.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor package is a non-volatile memory package. 
     
     
         13 . A system for tracking semiconductor packages, comprising:
 a semiconductor device, the device including:
 a substrate, and 
 one or more semiconductor die mounted on the substrate; and 
   an identifier associated with the semiconductor device, the identifier associating the specific semiconductor die used in the semiconductor device with the semiconductor device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , the identifier further associating the specific substrate used in the semiconductor device with the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , the semiconductor device further including a passive component, the identifier further associating the specific passive component used in the semiconductor device with the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the identifier further associates with the semiconductor device at least one of a manufacturer of the semiconductor die used in the semiconductor device, a time and place the semiconductor die were made and processes performed on the semiconductor die before incorporation into the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the identifier further associates with the semiconductor device at least one of a manufacturer of the substrate used in the semiconductor device, a time and place the substrate was made and processes performed on the substrate before incorporation into the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more semiconductor die include a memory die, the identifier associating with the semiconductor device the specific memory die used, and at least one of a manufacturer of the memory die, when the one or more memory die were made and where the one or more memory die were made. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more semiconductor die include a controller die, the identifier associating with the semiconductor device the specific controller die used, and at least one of a manufacturer of the controller die, when the controller die was made and where the controller die was made. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the identifier is unique to the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the identifier is displayed on a surface of the semiconductor device and stored in a computer memory associated with the system. 
     
     
         22 . A system for tracking semiconductor packages, comprising:
 a semiconductor device, the device including:
 a substrate, and 
 one or more semiconductor die mounted on the substrate; and 
   an identifier associated with the semiconductor device, the identifier also associating with the semiconductor device: i) fabrication processes performed on the semiconductor device, ii) testing operations performed on the semiconductor device, and iii) how the semiconductor device performed in the testing operations.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , the identifier associating with the semiconductor device a bin into which the semiconductor device was classified. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , the identifier associating with the semiconductor device whether the semiconductor device underwent any reclaim operations and, if so, the number of reclaim operations and what the reclaim operations were. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , the identifier associating with the semiconductor device at least one of an identification of a tool used to process or test the semiconductor device, a maintenance history of the tool and fab personnel associated with that tool. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the identifier enables classification of the semiconductor device, the classification used to identify and segregate a first group of semiconductor devices that performed better than a second group of semiconductor devices. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the identifier is provided in a machine-readable code on a surface of the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the identifier is unique to the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         29 . A system for tracking semiconductor packages, comprising:
 a semiconductor device, the device including:
 a substrate, 
 one or more semiconductor die mounted on the substrate, and passive components; and 
   a computer-readable medium including stored information identifying at least one of:
 i) the substrate used in the semiconductor device, 
 ii) the one or more semiconductor die used in the semiconductor device, 
 iii) the passive components used in the semiconductor device, 
 iv) tools at which the semiconductor device was processed, 
 v) tools at which the semiconductor device was tested, 
 vi) binning of the semiconductor device after testing of the semiconductor device, and 
 vii) whether and how many times the semiconductor device underwent a reclaim operation after a testing operation. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the computer-readable medium is used within a database for a manufacturing execution system. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising a network connection enabling access of the database within a fabrication plant where the semiconductor package is fabricated. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising a network connection enabling access of the database outside of a fabrication plant where the semiconductor package is fabricated. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the information stored on the computer-readable medium enables identification and segregation of a first group of semiconductor devices that performed better than a second group of semiconductor devices. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29 , further comprising a plurality of scanners associated with the tools at which the semiconductor device is processed, the scanners scanning a unique code on the semiconductor device enabling information associated with the tools to be stored in association with the semiconductor device.