Method of sorting a group of integrated circuit devices for those devices requiring special testing

• US 5,844,803 A
• Filed: 02/17/1997
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Beffa, Raymond J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elmore, Reba I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US08/801,565
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468.01, 364/468.02, 364/468.03, 364/468.15, 364/468.16, 364/468.17-468.19, 364/468.28, 364/488, 364/489, 364/490, 250/306, 250/491.1, 250/492.1, 250/492.3, 250/234, 250/307
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2894 Aspects of quality control [QC] G01R31/31718 takes precedence; program control for QC G05B19/41875
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31718 Logistic aspects, e.g. binning, selection, sorting of devices under test, tester/handler interaction networks, Test management software, e.g. software for test statistics or test evaluation, yield analysis mechanical aspects G01R31/2808, G01R31/2851
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/319 Tester hardware, i.e. output processing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67271 Sorting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/14 for electrical parameters, e.g. resistance, deep-levels, CV, diffusions by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/5444 for electrical read out

Abstract

A method for sorting integrated circuit (IC) devices of the type having a fuse identification (ID) into those devices requiring enhanced reliability testing and those requiring standard testing includes storing fabrication deviation data, probe data, and test data in association with the fuse ID of each of the devices indicating each of the devices requires either enhanced reliability testing or standard testing. The fuse ID of each of the devices is then automatically read before, during, or after standard testing of the devices. The testing process requirement data stored in association with the fuse ID of each of the devices is then accessed, and the devices are sorted in accordance with the accessed data into those devices requiring enhanced reliability testing and those requiring standard testing. The method thus directs those devices needing enhanced reliability testing to such testing without the need for all devices from the same wafer or wafer lot to proceed through special testing.

Claims

1. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for sorting a plurality of IC devices of the type having an identification (ID) code into those IC devices requiring a first testing process and those IC devices requiring a second testing process, the method comprising:

storing data in association with the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices that indicates each of the IC devices requires one of the first and second testing processes;

automatically reading the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices;

accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices; and

sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing data in association with the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices comprises storing at least one of fabrication deviation data, probe data, standard test data, special test data, and enhanced reliability testing data in association with the ID code of at least some of the IC devices.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing data comprises storing a Quality Deviation Report (QDR).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing data comprises storing data indicating one or more semiconductor wafers have been misprocessed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing data comprises storing data indicating one or more semiconductor wafers have relatively low yields.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing data comprises storing data indicating one or more semiconductor wafer lots have relatively low yields.

7. The method of claim 1 where in the IC devices come from a plurality of die locations on each of a plurality of semiconductor wafers, wherein the step of storing data comprises storing data indicating that IC devices from identical die locations on each of a series of the semiconductor wafers have relatively low yields.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the IC devices come from a plurality of semiconductor wafers each fabricated on one of a plurality of pieces of fabrication equipment, wherein the step of storing data comprises storing data indicating that semiconductor wafers fabricated using the same piece of fabrication equipment have relatively low yields.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the IC devices come from a plurality of semiconductor wafers each tested on one of a plurality of pieces of test equipment, wherein the step of storing data comprises storing data indicating that semiconductor wafers tested using the same piece of test equipment have relatively low yields.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second testing processes comprise respective standard and special testing processes, wherein the step of storing data comprises storing special test data indicating IC devices previously indicated to require the special testing process instead require the standard testing process.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing data in association with the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices comprises storing data in association with the ID codes of one or more IC devices other than those IC devices in the plurality of IC devices to be sorted that are at a different point in the IC manufacturing process than the IC devices to be sorted.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically reading the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices comprises electrically retrieving a unique fuse ID programmed into each of the plurality of IC devices.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically reading the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices comprises optically reading a unique ID code provided on each of the plurality of IC devices.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of optically reading a unique ID code provided on each of the plurality of IC devices comprises optically reading a unique laser fuse ID programmed into each of the plurality of IC devices.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process comprises sorting the IC devices before a standard testing process into those IC devices requiring an enhanced reliability testing process and those IC devices requiring the standard testing process.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process comprises sorting the IC devices during a standard testing process into those IC devices requiring an enhanced reliability testing process and those IC devices requiring the standard testing process.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process comprises sorting the IC devices after a standard testing process into those IC devices requiring an enhanced reliability testing process and those IC devices finished with testing.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of accessing the testing process requirement data comprises accessing one of fabrication equipment data, fabrication personnel data, fabrication set-up data, time and date data, yield data, and test data.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the IC devices has an associated lot ID, wherein the step of accessing the testing process requirement data comprises accessing data associated with the lot ID of the IC device associated with each of the automatically read ID codes.

20. A method of manufacturing integrated circuit (IC) devices from semiconductor wafers, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of semiconductor wafers;

fabricating a plurality of IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers;

causing each of the IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers to permanently store an identification (ID) code;

separating each of the IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers from its wafer to form one of a plurality of IC dice;

assembling each of the IC dice into an IC device;

storing data in association with the ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices that indicates each of the IC devices requires one of first and second testing processes;

automatically reading the ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices;

accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices;

sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process; and

testing the sorted IC devices using the first and second testing processes.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of fabricating a plurality of IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers comprises fabricating IC'"'"'s selected from a group comprising Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) IC'"'"'s, Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) IC'"'"'s, Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) IC'"'"'s, and processor IC'"'"'s.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of causing each of the IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers to permanently store an ID code comprises programming each of the IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers to permanently store a unique fuse ID.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of programming each of the IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers to permanently store a unique fuse ID comprises programming at least one of fuses and anti-fuses in each of the IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers to permanently store a unique fuse ID that indicates at least one of a lot ID, work week, wafer ID, die location, and fabrication facility ID.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of assembling each of the IC dice into an IC device comprises assembling each of the IC dice into an IC device selected from a group comprising a lead frame IC device, a Chip-On-Board (COB) IC device, and a flip-chip IC device.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of storing data occurs during at least one of the steps of fabricating and testing.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the steps of automatically reading the ID code and sorting occur at one of a point before the step of testing, a point during the step of testing, and a point after the step of testing.

27. A method of manufacturing Multi-Chip Modules (MCM'"'"'s) from semiconductor wafers, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of semiconductor wafers;

fabricating a plurality of IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers;

causing each of the IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers to permanently store an identification (ID) code;

separating each of the IC'"'"'s on each of the wafers from its wafer to form one of a plurality of IC dice;

assembling the IC dice into a plurality of MCM'"'"'s;

storing data in association with the ID code associated with each of the IC dice in each of the plurality of MCM'"'"'s that indicates each of the MCM'"'"'s requires one of first and second testing processes;

automatically reading the ID code associated with each of the IC dice in each of the plurality of MCM'"'"'s;

accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code associated with each of the IC dice in each of the plurality of MCM'"'"'s;

sorting the MCM'"'"'s in accordance with the accessed data into those MCM'"'"'s requiring the first testing process and those MCM'"'"'s requiring the second testing process; and

testing the sorted MCM'"'"'s using the first and second testing processes.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the MCM'"'"'s are selected from a group comprising Single In-Line Memory Modules (SIMM'"'"'s) and Dual In-line Memory Modules (DIMM'"'"'s).

29. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices undergoing standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:

storing data in association with the ID code of each of the IC devices that indicates each of the IC devices requires one of special testing and standard testing;

automatically reading the ID code of each of the IC devices;

accessing the data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of each of the IC devices; and

sorting the IC devices during the standard test procedures in accordance with the accessed data for those IC devices requiring special testing.

30. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices undergoing standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:

storing fabrication deviation data in association with the ID code of at least one of the IC devices that indicates the at least one of the IC devices requires special testing;

automatically reading the ID code of the at least one of the IC devices;

accessing the fabrication deviation data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the IC devices; and

sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data for the at least one of the IC devices requiring special testing.

31. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices that have undergone standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:

storing data in association with the ID code of at least one of the IC devices that indicates the at least one of the IC devices requires special testing;

automatically reading the ID code of the at least one of the IC devices;

accessing the data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the IC devices; and

sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data for the at least one of the IC devices requiring special testing.

32. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for using special test data generated by a first group of IC devices undergoing special testing to sort a second group of IC devices into those requiring the special testing and those requiring standard testing, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:

storing data in association with the ID code of at least one of the second group of IC devices indicating the at least one of the second group of IC devices requires special testing;

storing special test data generated by the first group of IC devices in association with the ID code of the at least one of the second group of IC devices indicating the at least one of the second group of IC devices previously indicated to require special testing instead requires standard testing;

automatically reading the ID code of the at least one of the second group of IC devices;

accessing the data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the second group of IC devices; and

sorting the second group of IC devices in accordance with the accessed data so the at least one of the second group of IC devices undergoes standard testing.

33. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for sorting a first group of IC devices of the type having an identification (ID) code into those IC devices requiring a first testing process and those IC devices requiring a second testing process, the method comprising:

storing data generated by a second group of IC devices in association with the ID code of each of the first group of IC devices that indicates each of the first group of IC devices requires one of the first and second testing processes;

automatically reading the ID code of each of the first group of IC devices;

accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of each of the first group of IC devices; and

sorting the IC devices in the first group in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process.