Method and system having switching network for testing semiconductor components on a substrate
First Claim
1. A method for testing semiconductor components comprising:
- providing a substrate containing the components;
providing an interconnect comprising a plurality of interconnect contacts configured to electrically engage the components;
providing a switching network in electrical communication with the interconnect contacts configured to control the interconnect contacts to selectively apply test signals to selected components, to electrically isolate defective components and to transmit read test signals from selected groups of components;
applying test signals through the switching network and the interconnect contacts to the components; and
controlling the test signals using the switching network to perform a selected test on the components.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for testing semiconductor components contained on a substrate, such as a wafer, a panel, a leadframe or a module, includes an interconnect configured to electrically engage all of the components on the substrate at the same time. The interconnect includes a switching network configured to selectively apply test signals to selected components, to electrically isolate defective components and to transmit test signals from selected groups of components. The system also includes a test apparatus, such as a wafer prober or a carrier for handling the substrate. A method for testing includes the steps of providing the interconnect having the switching network, and controlling test signals to the components using the switching network to perform various test procedures, such as functionality tests, parametric tests and burn-in tests.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method for testing semiconductor components comprising:
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providing a substrate containing the components;
providing an interconnect comprising a plurality of interconnect contacts configured to electrically engage the components;
providing a switching network in electrical communication with the interconnect contacts configured to control the interconnect contacts to selectively apply test signals to selected components, to electrically isolate defective components and to transmit read test signals from selected groups of components;
applying test signals through the switching network and the interconnect contacts to the components; and
controlling the test signals using the switching network to perform a selected test on the components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for testing semiconductor components comprising:
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providing a substrate containing the components and a plurality of component contacts on the components;
providing an interconnect comprising a plurality of interconnect contacts and a switching network in electrical communication with the interconnect contacts;
placing the component contacts and the interconnect contacts in physical and electrical contact;
transmitting test signals for performing functionality tests through the interconnect contacts to the components using the switching network to multiply and selectively transmit the test signals;
electrically isolating at least one non-functional component using the switching network;
transmitting write test signals for performing parametic testing through the interconnect contacts to selected components using the switching network to multiply and selectively transmit the write test signals; and
transmitting read test signals from selected groups of components using the switching network to group the components. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for testing semiconductor components comprising:
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providing a substrate containing the components;
providing a carrier configured to hold the substrate;
providing an interconnect on the carrier comprising a plurality of interconnect contacts configured to electrically engage the components;
providing a switching network on the interconnect configured to control the interconnect contacts to selectively apply test signals to the components;
applying test signals through the switching network and the interconnect contacts to the components; and
controlling the test signals using the switching network to perform a selected test on the components. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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22. A method for testing semiconductor components comprising:
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providing a substrate containing the components;
providing a carrier configured to hold the substrate;
providing a switching network on the carrier configured to control test signals to the components;
placing the substrate in the carrier;
performing a functionality test by applying functionality test signals through the switching network to the components; and
performing a burn-in test by applying burn-in test signals through the switching network to the components.
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28. A system for testing semiconductor components comprising:
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a substrate containing the components;
an interconnect comprising a plurality of interconnect contacts configured to electrically engage all of the components on the substrate at a same time; and
a switching network in electrical communication with the interconnect contacts configured to selectively apply test signals to selected components, to electrically isolate defective components and to transmit read test signals from selected groups of components. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for testing semiconductor components comprising:
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a substrate containing the components;
a carrier configured to hold the substrate;
an interconnect on the carrier comprising a plurality of interconnect contacts configured to electrically engage the components; and
a switching network on the interconnect configured to control the interconnect contacts to selectively apply test signals to the components, to electrically isolate defective components and to transmit and to receive read test signals from selected groups of components. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A system for testing semiconductor components comprising:
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a substrate containing the components;
a testing apparatus configured to handle the substrate;
an interconnect on the testing apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnect contacts configured to electrically engage all of the components on the substrate at a same time;
a tester in electrical communication with the interconnect contacts configured to generate and analyze test signals and having tester resources determined by a signal generating and analyzing capability thereof; and
a switching network on the interconnect in electrical communication with the interconnect contacts configured to selectively apply the test signals to selected components, to electrically isolate defective components and to expand the tester resources by reading the test signals from selected groups of components. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A system for testing semiconductor components comprising:
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a substrate containing the components;
a carrier configured to hold the substrate and to apply test signals to the components on the substrate, the carrier comprising an interconnect including a plurality of interconnect contacts configured to electrically engage the components, a force applying mechanism configured to bias the substrate and the interconnect together, and an alignment member configured to align the substrate on the interconnect; and
a switching network on the interconnect in electrical communication with the interconnect contacts configured to control the interconnect contacts and test signals to the components. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification