CROSSTALK SUPPRESSION IN WIRELESS TESTING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

• US 20080204055A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Pagani, Alberto
• Granted Patent: US 7,915,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/750
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2851 Testing of integrated circuits [IC] G01R31/317 takes precedence; testing individual devices G01R31/26; testing printed circuits G01R31/2801
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2886 Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/303 of integrated circuits G01R31/305 - G01R31/315 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

An integrated circuit integrated on a semiconductor material die and adapted to be at least partly tested wirelessly, wherein circuitry for setting a selected radio communication frequencies to be used for the wireless test of the integrated circuit are integrated on the semiconductor material die.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit integrated on a semiconductor material die and adapted to be at least partly tested wirelessly, comprising:

Circuitry that sets selected radio communication frequencies to be used for the wireless test of the integrated circuit is integrated on the semiconductor material die.

2. The integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry that sets the selected radio communication frequencies is adapted to allow individually setting the radio communication frequencies independently of that of at least one further integrated circuit integrated on a different semiconductor material die obtained from a same semiconductor material wafer as the semiconductor material die.

3. The integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry that sets the selected radio communication frequencies comprises a corresponding at least one programmable element, said at least one programmable element being adapted to store a respective indication of the selected radio communication frequencies.

4. The integrated circuit according to claim 3, wherein the at least one programmable element comprises at least one fusible link.

5. The integrated circuit according to claim 3, wherein the at least one programmable element comprises at least one non-volatile memory cell.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein said circuitry that sets the radio communication frequencies comprises variations in integrated circuit structures from said integrated circuit to said at least one further integrated circuit.

7. A semiconductor material wafer comprising at least one first semiconductor material die and at least one second semiconductor material die, the first and second dies having integrated thereon respective integrated circuits, comprising:

first means for setting at least a first selected radio communication frequency to be used for the wireless test of the first integrated circuit integrated on the first semiconductor material die, and

second means for setting at least a second selected radio communication frequency to be used for the wireless test of the second integrated circuit on the second semiconductor material die integrated, wherein the second frequency is different from the first frequency.

8. The semiconductor material wafer according to claim 7, wherein the at least one first semiconductor material die and the at least one second semiconductor material die are adjacent.

9. The semiconductor material wafer according to claim 7, wherein the first means for setting and the second means for setting include circuitry that sets the selected radio communication frequencies is adapted to allow individually setting the radio communication frequencies independently of that of at least one further integrated circuit integrated on a different semiconductor material die obtained from a same semiconductor material wafer as the semiconductor material die.

10. A method for wirelessly testing integrated circuits integrated on at least two distinct semiconductor material dies, comprising:

setting, for the integrated circuits, respective and distinct radio communication frequencies.

11. A test system for testing at least one first integrated circuit and at least one second integrated circuit, the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit being respectively integrated on a first semiconductor material die and on a second semiconductor material die of a semiconductor material wafer, the test system including:

a wireless probe card adapted to act as a wireless communication interface between a tester and the dies of the semiconductor material wafer, comprising;

first means for setting at least a first selected radio communication frequency to be used for the wireless test of the first integrated circuit are integrated on the first semiconductor material die, and

second means for setting at least a second selected radio communication frequency to used for wireless test of the second integrated circuit are integrated on the second semiconductor material die, the first selected radio communication frequency being different from the second radio communication frequency.

12. The test system according to claim 11, wherein the wireless probe card comprises a plurality of wireless units and the semiconductor material wafer comprises a wireless communication unit for each die, each of the plurality of wireless units being in use adapted to be put in a one to one relationship with a corresponding wireless communication unit.

13. The test system according to claim 11, wherein each wireless unit and each wireless communication unit comprises a corresponding at least one transceiver or transponder adapted to wireless exchange test signals.

14. The test system according to claim 11, wherein each wireless unit and each wireless communication unit comprises at least one antenna.

15. The test system according to claim 11, wherein each wireless unit and each wireless communication unit comprise at least one first antenna having a first size, and at least one second antenna having a second size.

16. The test system according to claim 15, wherein the first size is different from the second size.

17. The test system according to claim 15, wherein the first size is equal to the second size.

18. The test system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one antenna comprise al least one capacitive antenna.

19. The test system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one antenna comprise al least one inductive antenna.