虛擬量測技術，是在無實際量測值之情況下，利用生產機台參數，即時推估其製程品質。虛擬量測已被國際半導體製造組織(International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative, ISMI)指定為下世代半導體晶元生產製造工廠主要且必備的技術之一。此論文範疇為研發雙階段虛擬量測架構、定義虛擬量測自動化程度、開發與導入全自動虚擬量測系統(Automatic Virtual Metrology, AVM)於實際工廠中、和介紹如何設計與實作AVM 系統開發架構。
雙階段虛擬量測架構會產生兩組虚擬量測的預測值並且考慮其即時性與準確性。在此論文中將以化學氣相沉積(Chemical Vapor Deposition, CVD)機台為例，說明虚擬量測模型的線上更新(Refreshing)機制。
AVM 系統主要的功能包含自動建立/傳送/更新虚擬量測模型、監控與管理所有的虚擬量測伺服器、即時貯存各個虚擬量測模型與其所預測之結果、並且提供一個非常容易使用的介面。此外，在AVM系統開發架構(AVM System Implementation Framework, AVMSIF)中開發一個可抽換的介面與數個功能模組，使AVM系統能容易地與各式機台設備做連結並且能快速地導入於現實的工廠中。
本AVM 系統已成功地導入於台灣奇美電子(Chi Mei Optoelectronics, CMO)公司之5代薄膜電晶體液晶顯示器工廠及茂迪股份有限公司之太陽能電池廠中。

Virtual Metrology (VM) is a method to conjecture manufacturing quality of a process tool based on data sensed from the process tool without physical metrology operations. VM has now been designated by International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative and International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors as one of the focus areas for the next generation factory realization roadmap of the semiconductor industry. This dissertation develops the Dual-Phase VM Scheme, defines the VM automation levels, proposes the concepts of automatic virtual metrology (AVM), develops an AVM system for automatic and fab-wide VM deployment, and presents the design and implementation of the AVM system implementation framework (AVMSIF).
The dual-phase virtual metrology scheme takes both promptness and accuracy into consideration, and this scheme generates dual-phase virtual metrology (VM) values.
The AVM system possesses the capabilities of automatically creating, deploying, and refreshing VM models; it can remotely monitor and manage the VM servers, store VM models data and their conjecturing results, and generate various user-friendly graphical interfaces. Also, pluggable interfaces and functional modules are developed in the AVMSIF. By applying the AVMSIF, various types of equipment in the factory can be easily connected to the AVM system. Integrated testing results show that the paradigm AVM system works smoothly and demonstrates a good performance, and thereby the effectiveness of the proposed AVMSIF is confirmed.
The AVM system has been successfully deployed in a fifth generation thin-film-transistor–liquid-crystal-display (TFT-LCD) factory in Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), Taiwan, R.O.C. and a solar-cell factory of Motech Industries. Inc., Taiwan, R.O.C.

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