System and method for estimating reliability of components for testing and quality optimization

• US 20070162242A1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adit Singh, Thomas Barnett
• Original Assignee: Adit Singh, Thomas Barnett
• Inventors: Barnett, Thomas, Singh, Adit
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/82
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/287 Procedures; Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps

Abstract

A system and method for determining the early life reliability of an electronic component, including classifying the electronic component based on an initial determination of a number of fatal defects, and estimating a probability of latent defects present in the electronic component based on that classification with the aim of optimizing test costs and product quality.

Claims

1. A method of determining the reliability of a component, the method comprising:

classifying the component based on an initial determination of a number of fatal defects; and

estimating a probability of latent defects present in the component based on the classification, by integrating yield information based on the initial determination of a number of fatal defects using a statistical defect-clustering model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of classifying the component based on an initial determination of a number of fatal defects comprises determining a number of neighboring components having fatal defects.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of estimating a probability of latent defects present in the component based on the classification comprises testing a sample of components from fewer than all of a plurality of classifications.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of estimating a probability of latent defects present in the component based on the classification comprises testing a sample of components from one of a plurality of classifications.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one of a plurality of classifications from which a sample is tested is a classification corresponding to a maximum number of neighboring components having fatal defects.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the number of neighboring components having fatal defects is determined from a neighborhood of immediately neighboring components.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the neighborhood of immediately neighboring components comprises eight neighboring components surrounding a subject component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of classifying the component based on an initial determination of a number of fatal defects comprises determining a number of repairs carried out on a repairable electronic component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of estimating a probability of latent defects present in the component based on the classification comprises testing a sample of components from fewer than all of a plurality of classifications.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of estimating a probability of latent defects present in the component based on the classification comprises testing a sample of components from one of a plurality of classifications.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one of a plurality of classifications from which a sample is tested is a classification corresponding to a maximum number of repairs carried out on the component.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of classifying the component based on an initial determination of a number of fatal defects further comprises determining a number of repairs carried out on a neighboring component.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of estimating a probability of latent defects present in the component based on the classification comprises determining a ratio of fatal defects to latent defects.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising optimizing subsequent testing of the component based on an estimated reliability of the component.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising testing the component if an estimated a probability of latent defects present in the component exceeds a specified rate.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of classifying the component comprises separating a plurality of components into a plurality classifications.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising statistically predicting the reliability of components in each of the plurality of classifications by testing a sample of components from fewer than all of the plurality of classifications.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a die for assembly into a multi-chip module, and wherein the method further comprises rejecting die determined to have a reliability below a specified rate.

19-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A method for optimizing post production testing on an integrated circuit device to achieve optimum reliability of the integrated circuit device, the method comprising:

detecting defects, defective cells or active elements containing defective cells within the integrated circuit device;

counting a number of the defects, defective cells or active elements containing defective cells; and

determining a minimum amount of post production testing required on the integrated circuit device to achieve a pre-determined measure of reliability of the integrated circuit device, the determining based upon the number of defects, defective cells or active elements containing defective cells compared against one or more preset, normalized numbers.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein post production testing is stress testing.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein active elements are memory modules.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein the integrated circuit device comprises one or more activatable redundant elements, the method further comprising activating redundant elements to replace the defective cells or active elements containing defective cells.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the determining comprises:

comparing the number against a first of the one or more preset normalized numbers; and

when the number is less than the first preset normalized number, assigning a minimum amount of post production testing associated with the first preset normalized number.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein when there are multiple preset normalized numbers, each corresponding to an associated minimum amount of post production testing, the method further comprises:

determining a lowest preset normalized number below which the number falls; and

assigning the minimum amount of post production testing associated with the lowest preset normalized number below which the number falls.