Identifying Defective Semiconductor Components on a Wafer Using Thermal Imaging

• US 20110309842A1
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: BEHZAD, Arya Reza, Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Zhao, Sam Ziqun, Castaneda, Jesus Alfonso, Boers, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/025,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20110309842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/501
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2834 Automated test systems [ATE]; using microprocessors or computers G01R31/317 takes precedence; ATE for detection of defective computer hardware G06F11/2736
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/311 of integrated circuits G01R31/31728 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/319 Tester hardware, i.e. output processing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54433 containing identification or tracking information
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49121 Beam lead frame or beam lead device

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to simultaneously, wirelessly test semiconductor components formed on a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor components transmit respective outcomes of a self-contained testing operation to wireless automatic test equipment via a common communication channel. Multiple receiving antennas observe the outcomes from multiple directions in three dimensional space. The wireless automatic test equipment determines whether one or more of the semiconductor components operate as expected and, optionally, may use properties of the three dimensional space to determine a location of one or more of the semiconductor components. The wireless testing equipment may additionally determine performance of the semiconductor components by detecting infrared energy emitted, transmitted, and/or reflected by the semiconductor wafer before, during, and/or after a self-contained testing operation.

Claims

1. A wireless automatic test equipment for simultaneously testing a performance of a plurality of semiconductor components formed onto a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a thermal imaging module configured to observe infrared energy produced by the semiconductor wafer to provide an observed thermal infrared energy.

2. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 1, wherein the thermal imaging module comprises:

a thermal imaging device configured to detect the infrared energy of the electromagnetic spectrum from the semiconductor wafer.

3. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 1, further comprising:

a thermogram processor configured to determine a semiconductor wafer thermogram based upon the observed thermal infrared energy and to isolate a plurality of semiconductor component thermograms from the semiconductor wafer thermogram.

4. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 3, wherein the thermogram processor is further configured to compare each of the plurality of semiconductor component thermograms to plurality of predetermined semiconductor component thermograms to provide a performance measure from among a plurality of performance measurements.

5. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 4, further comprising:

a testing processor configured to determine a first group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components that operate as expected based upon the plurality of performance measurements.

6. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 5, further comprising:

a testing processor configured to determine a second group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components that operate unexpectedly based upon the plurality of performance measurements.

7. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 3, wherein the thermogram processor is further configured to determine a first group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components that operate as expected based upon the plurality of performance measurements.

8. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 7, wherein the thermogram processor is further configured to determine a second group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components that operate unexpectedly based upon the plurality of performance measurements.

9. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 3, wherein the plurality of predetermined semiconductor component thermograms are assigned to a corresponding indicia of performance from among a plurality of indices of performance.

10. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 9, wherein the thermogram processor is further configured to compare each of the plurality of semiconductor component thermograms to plurality of predetermined semiconductor component thermograms and to assign the corresponding indicia of performance that is assigned to a corresponding one of the plurality of predetermined semiconductor component thermograms that closely approximates each of the plurality of semiconductor component thermograms.

11. A method for simultaneously testing a performance of a plurality of semiconductor components formed onto a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

(a) observing infrared energy produced by the semiconductor wafer to provide an observed thermal infrared energy.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (a) comprises:

(a) observing, by a thermal imaging device, the infrared energy of an electromagnetic spectrum produced by the semiconductor wafer.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

(b) determining a semiconductor wafer thermogram based upon the observed thermal infrared energy; and

(c) isolating a plurality of semiconductor component thermograms from the semiconductor wafer thermogram.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(d) comparing each of the plurality of semiconductor component thermograms to plurality of predetermined semiconductor component thermograms to provide a performance measure from among a plurality of performance measurements.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

(e) determining a first group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components that operate as expected based upon the plurality of performance measurements.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

(f) determining a second group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components that operate unexpectedly based upon the plurality of performance measurements.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of predetermined semiconductor component thermograms are assigned to a corresponding indicia of performance from among a plurality of indices of performance.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

(d) comparing each of the plurality of semiconductor component thermograms to plurality of predetermined semiconductor component thermograms; and

(e) assigning the corresponding indicia of performance that is assigned to a corresponding one of the plurality of predetermined semiconductor component thermograms that closely approximates each of the plurality of semiconductor component thermograms.