Zenpire  Products 
  iFAB-Defect
  iFAB-Test   
  iFAB-Setup    
  iFAB-Bit 
  iFAB-Pixel
  iFAB-Utilities   
  iFAB-Central 
  iFAB-FA                           

Zenpire introduces the iFAB product line. The iFAB product line is divided into several modules which can be activated by license keys granted by Zenpire after a lease is purchased. The modules divide the various functions of yield analysis and data movement and storage in the semiconductor and flat panel production environments. It is our hope that users lease only the software they need when they need it.

All iFAB modules can run on the most popular computer platforms (Windows 95, 98, NT; Solaris; HP-UX; Linux; Apple), eliminating concerns regarding compatibility with current desktop computers. Additionally, all iFAB modules can be downloaded from the site's intranet and run within the browser..

The released modules are:

• iFAB-Defect
• iFAB-Setup
• iFAB-Utilities

Soon released modules are:

• iFAB-Test
• iFAB-Central
• iFAB-Bit
• iFAB-Pixel

The iFAB Product Line Brochure can be downloaded here: [PDF-78kB]

You can get the Adobe PDF reader here

iFAB-Defect is the first-released product from Zenpire. iFAB-Defect can read, edit, and write the majority of the file types coming from the finest defect inspectors in the industry, manufactured by KLA-Tencor, ADE, Inspex, TSK, Applied Materials (Orbot), and August Technology. iFAB-Defect is the lowest cost entry into the commercial, off-line, defect map-viewing products in the semiconductor business, yet offers quite a few unique features, like the ability to export defect maps to GDS-II files for overlay to the chip design. Please go here to learn more about iFAB-Defect.

Placing die on the wafer and logical area within the die can be a time-consuming procedure. iFAB-Setup provides tools to simplify the task with an intuitive, graphical-user interface. By clicking the mouse on a position within a wafer display, a die is added to that display. The wafer setup also allows for placing die by positioning the reticles on the wafer and then the die within the reticle to simplify the wafer setup procedure. Using the reticle placement feature, each die is given a unique index within the reticle for identification and overlay analysis in the future.

iFab-Setup also has a die-layout tool. Areas within the die can be positioned, labeled, and saved for loading into any analysis tool. Typical areas might include: DRAM, CPU, cache, flash, pads, etc. This tool provides the foundation for logic mapping which can determine if any defects are located within the memory structure of an inspection region or die.

iFab-Setup can also be used to lay out areas of the panel in the flat panel industry.

Please go here to learn more about iFAB-Setup.

Experience working in fabs has suggested that small tools which are used repeatedly to assist a product are never included in the analysis product. iFAB-Utilities addresses this issue with a handful of necessary tools bundled in a single module. Getting the data from another node on the network has typically been a struggle. iFAB-Utilites includes an FTP client which allows users to log into FTP server to place and get data. Compression and encryption of data is a major concern with those who must move data from a foundry to a customer. iFAB-Utilities can ZIP, GZIP files and encrypt/decrypt files as well (encryption might be disabled for customers outside of the United States). Also included is a word processor, an e-mail client, a file search and replace tool, and many other utilities too numerous to mention. No other software packages such as "Hummingbird", "WinZip", "Microsoft Word" need be purchased for each workstation at the site.

Please go here to learn more about iFAB-Utilities.

Controlling testers and wafer-handlers in production and engineering modes, iFAB-Test uses its plug-in architecture to communicate to a variety of handlers from Electroglas, Kensington, and Wentworth via the serial, ethernet, and soon to be included GPIB connections. Since the iFAB modules are so flexible, additional handler interfaces with their protocols are easy to add and will be added as installations increase. Tester interfaces are being developed for those handlers able to be controlled by the serial, ethernet, or GPIB connections. Information on requesting the creation of those custom interfaces can be found here. iFAB-Test provides the foundation for a common interface for different test systems on a test floor supporting a variety of computer platforms (Windows 95, 98, NT; Solaris; HP-UX; Linux; Apple). Teamed up with the Linux operating system, iFAB-Test offers the least expensive, high performance test controller available.

Please go here to learn more about iFAB-Test.

iFAB-FA is closely related to the iFAB-Test module. Similar to iFAB-Test, iFAB-FA can control testers, wafer handlers, and microscopes via the serial, ethernet, and soon GPIB connections. However, previously created yield, defect, and bit maps can be imported and shown on the user interface. Once shown, users can click on die, defects, and bits driving the stage to that location. At that location, microscope magnifications can be changed and test routines can be invoked. iFAB-FA can be used to identify bit locations when used in conjunction with the iFAB-Bit module plug-ins. iFAB-FA is in Beta testing.

Please go here to learn more about iFAB-FA.

iFAB-Central is the center point of the iFAB product line. iFAB-Central consists of a loader and a database. In an effort to utilize much of the same technology as the Internet, iFAB-Central uses one of the most widely-adopted databases of the Internet - MySQL. MySQL conforms to iFAB's ability to run on multiple platforms in that it can run on Windows 95, 98, NT; Linux; Solaris; and HP-UX. Because a iFAB-Central database uses the industry standard JDBC to connect to the database, iFAB will soon support Oracle 8i on Linux, Solaris, and Windows. iFAB-Central's data loader has error handling capability for data file as well as detailed logging. It can even function as a flat file database employing an organized directory structure. As files are parsed, the header information is extracted from the file, such as Lot Number, Wafer ID, Process Step. Based on a filepath template that the user can generate, directories and files are dynamically created. These organized directories provide a faster method to retrieve files with the iFAB-Defect module. iFAB-Central is in Beta testing.

Please go here to learn more about iFAB-Central.

iFAB-Bit provides the framework to link plug-ins that perform much of the tasks that trouble engineers performing memory bitmap analysis. Using common Java compilers, Java Beans are created that the iFAB-Bitmap module invokes to scramble addess lines from the testing domain to the design domain to the physical locations. Java Beans can be created to perfrom classification of bit failure patterns. iFAB-Bit is in Beta testing.

Please go here to learn more about iFAB-Bit