Apparatus for testing an integrated circuit in an oven during burn-in

• US 5,966,021 A
• Filed: 04/03/1996
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orchard Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pycon, Inc.
• Inventors: Prakash, Kombupalayam M., Eliashberg, Victor M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen, Ernest F.
• Application Number:
  US08/627,079
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 324/760, 324/754, 324/158.1, 324/763, 371/22.5, 371/22.6
• US Class Current: 324/750.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2863 Contacting devices, e.g. sockets, burn-in boards or mounting fixtures in general G01R1/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2879 related to electrical aspects, e.g. to voltage or current supply or stimuli or to electrical loads

Abstract

An apparatus for testing an integrated circuit in an oven during burn-in. A burn-in board in the oven is electrically connected to a plurality of integrated circuit ("IC") components. A driver/interface board outside the oven is electrically connected to the burn-in board through a plurality of contacts and sends and receives a plurality of signals between the IC components and a test controller. A switch module on the burn-in board comprises a plurality of high-temperature switches for transferring signals between the plurality of IC components and the driver/interface board during burn-in. A plurality of signals entering the switch module from the driver/interface board does not exceed in number the plurality of contacts, and is fewer in number than a plurality of signals exiting the switch module to the plurality of IC components.

Claims

1. An apparatus for testing an integrated circuit ("IC") on a burn-in board in an oven during burn-in, comprising:

a switch on the burn-in board within the oven for connecting the IC on the burn-in board to circuitry external to the burn-in board;

a switch actuator capable of operating at temperatures in excess of 150 degrees Celsius for actuating the switch during burn-in to perform a functional test of the IC according to the external circuitry, wherein the switch actuator resides on the burn-in board within the oven.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the high-temperature tolerant switch actuator is a solenoid.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the IC is a memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the IC is programmable.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the IC is an application specific IC ("ASIC").