SWITCHING MATRIX AND TESTING SYSTEM FOR SEMICONDUCTOR CHARACTERISTIC MEASUREMENT USING THE SAME

• US 20130082731A1
• Filed: 03/21/2012
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STAr Technologies, Inc. (Innotech Corp.)
• Original Assignee: STAr Technologies, Inc. (Innotech Corp.)
• Inventors: LOU, CHOON LEONG, WANG, LI MIN
• Granted Patent: US 9,885,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/762.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2844 using test interfaces, e.g. adapters, test boxes, switches, PIN drivers G01R31/2889 takes precedence

Abstract

A switching matrix includes a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, a plurality of switching devices configured to open and close, an electrical connection between the input ports and the output ports, and an electrical sensor configured to generate a signal by measuring a predetermined electrical property of the electrical connection, the open and close of switching devices is pre-determined by status read from the electrical sensor.

Claims

1. A switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement, comprising:

a switching array, including;

a singular or plurality of input ports;

a singular or plurality of output ports;

a singular or plurality of switching devices configured to open and close an electrical connection between the input ports and the output ports; and

an electrical sensor or any combination of sensors configured to generate a signal by measuring a predetermined electrical property of the electrical connection.

2. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the electrical sensor is a voltage sensor.

3. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the electrical sensor is a current sensor.

4. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the electrical sensor is a power sensor.

5. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the electrical sensor is a combination of voltage, current and/or power sensor.

6. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection comprises an input wire connecting the input port to the switching device.

7. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 6, wherein the electrical sensor is connected to the input wire.

8. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection comprises an output wire connecting the output port to the switching device.

9. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 8, wherein the electrical sensor is connected to the output wire.

10. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the sensor is not within the switch array.

11. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the operation of the switching device by taking into consideration the signal from the electrical sensor.

12. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the switching devices are arranged in an array manner.

13. A testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement, comprising:

a switching matrix comprising;

a plurality of input ports configured to couple with a measurement instrument;

a plurality of output ports configured to couple with a probing device;

a plurality of switching devices configured to open and close an electrical connection between the input ports and the output ports; and

an electrical sensor configured to generate a signal by measuring a predetermined electrical property of the electrical connection; and

a controller configured to control the operation of the switching device by taking into consideration the signal from the electrical sensor.

14. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 13, wherein the electrical sensor is a voltage sensor.

15. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 13, wherein the electrical sensor is a current sensor.

16. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 13, wherein the electrical sensor is a power sensor.

17. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 13, wherein the electrical connection comprises an input wire connecting the input port to the switching device.

18. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 17, wherein the electrical sensor is connected to the input wire.

19. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 13, wherein the electrical connection comprises an output wire connecting the output port to the switching device.

20. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 19, wherein the electrical sensor is connected to the output wire.

21. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 13, wherein the switching devices are arranged in an array manner.