System for optimizing anti-fuse repair time using fuse ID

• US 6,622,270 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Beffa, Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, David
• Application Number:
  US10/013,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 714/7, 714/718, 714/719, 714/723, 714/710, 365/200, 365/201, 365/174, 324/73.1, 324/764, 324/66, 235/375
• US Class Current: 714/718
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318371 Methodologies therefor, e.g. algorithms, procedures
• 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: G11C 29/08 Functional testing, e.g. testing during refresh, power-on self testing [POST] or distributed testing
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/10 Test algorithms, e.g. memory scan [MScan] algorithms; Test patterns, e.g. checkerboard patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/26 Accessing multiple arrays G11C29/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/44 Indication or identification of errors, e.g. for repair

Abstract

A method and apparatus for testing semiconductor memory chips, such as DRAMs, having a plurality of memory cells or bits. Each memory chip has a unique identifier stored in a database. Tests are performed on the memory chips and when a memory chip fails a test, the memory chip is placed in a repair bin and a test identifier is stored in the database in association with the memory chip identifier. In order to repair the memory chip, failed tests are read out of the database and such tests are again performed on the failed memory chip in order to determine which memory cell in the memory chip is faulty. The failed memory cells are then repaired.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a device tester adapted to perform a principal functional test on an integrated circuit having one or more functional circuit portions and produce principal result information indicating respective operation or failure of said one or more functional circuit portions;

a fuse reader adapted to read a plurality of fuses on said integrated circuit so as to ascertain an identity of said integrated circuit;

a recording medium adapted to record said identity and said result information and maintain an association therebetween; and

a device tester adapted to perform a further functional test on said integrated circuit, based on a result of said principal functional test, and produce further result information.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said further result information confirms or contradicts said principal result information.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 further comprising a device repair apparatus adapted to repair said integrated circuit in response to a confirmation of said principal result information.

4. A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said device repair apparatus includes a power supply adapted to activate an antifuse to substitute a redundant portion of said integrated circuit for a failed functional circuit portion of said integrated circuit in response to said conformation of said principal result information.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said principal functional test produces a result indicating whether an aspect of said functional circuit portion of said integrated circuit has functionally failed a test, and wherein said further functional test tests an aspect of said integrated circuit not deemed by said principal functional test to have functionally failed.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein performance of said further functional test takes no more time than a predefined duration.

7. A method of selecting a functional test comprising:

reading a plurality of identifications of a respective plurality of integrated circuits;

functionally testing said plurality of integrated circuits to produce a respective plurality of test results;

indexing said plurality of test results against said plurality of identifications;

generating an indexed record of said plurality of test results;

rereading one of said plurality of identifications of a respective one of said plurality of integrated circuits; and

selecting a further functional test from a plurality of functional tests, said selected test selected based on a test result from said indexed record corresponding to said one identification.

8. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device comprising:

forming a plurality of integrated circuit devices;

simultaneously testing said plurality of integrated circuit devices during a first time interval using a first test routine to produce a first plurality of respective test results, said plurality of integrated circuits having a respective plurality of unique identifiers recorded therewithin;

simultaneously testing said plurality of integrated circuit devices during a second time interval using a second test routine to produce a second plurality of respective test results;

simultaneously testing said plurality of integrated circuit devices during a third time interval using a third test routine to produce a third plurality of respective test results;

additionally testing one or more of said integrated circuits during a fourth time interval using a fourth test routine, said one or more integrated circuits selected for said additional testing based on said pluralities of respective test results and said respective identifiers, said fourth test routine being selected based on said respective test results; and

repairing at least one of said one or more integrated circuits during a fifth time interval based on a result of said additional testing.

9. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device as defined in claim 8, wherein said fourth test routine comprises said first test routine.

10. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device as defined in claim 8, further comprising recording said unique identifiers within said plurality of integrated circuits by blowing fuses within said plurality of integrated circuits.

11. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device as defined in claim 8, further comprising recording said unique identifiers within said plurality of integrated circuits by blowing anti-fuses within said plurality of integrated circuits.