Variation

Variation afflicts the design, manufacture, and operation of integrated circuits. Statistical metrology seeks to characterize and model variations and their sources, particularly through new variation test circuits. Advanced process control attempts to reduce process variation through sensing and control during fabrication. Design for manufacturability seeks methods to improve performance and yield given process and environmental variation, through robust design, increased regularity, and other approaches. Tools and techniques are needed in all of these areas; improvements in and increased linkage between statistical metrology and DFM will be particularly important and empowering