Method and system for wafer level testing and burning-in semiconductor components

• US 6,624,653 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Cram, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): KARLSEN, ERNEST F
• Application Number:
  US10/037,562
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 324/760, 324/754, 324/765, 324/158.1, 365/201
• US Class Current: 324/750.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0408 Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets G01R1/067 takes precedence; mass production testing systems G01R31/59; testing of connections G01R31/66; for testing printed circuit boards G01R31/2808
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2831 Testing of materials or semi-finished products, e.g. semiconductor wafers or substrates G01R31/318511 takes precedence; testing during manufacture H01L22/00

Abstract

A method for testing and burning-in semiconductor components such as semiconductor dice on a semiconductor wafer, is provided. The method includes the step of providing all of the components on the wafer with resilient contact structures, such as metal pins having integral spring segments. The resilient contact structures are used to test the components to identify functional and non-functional components. Following this test, the resilient contact structures on the non-functional components are deformed, such that electrical communication with the non-functional components is prevented in a subsequent burn-in test. This permits the burn-in test to be performed using “shared resources” test equipment. A deformation apparatus for deforming the resilient contact structures includes a deformation block configured to compress, bend or shape the resilient contact structures on the non-functional dice. A test system for performing the burn-in test includes the deformation apparatus, a burn-in board for retaining multiple substrates, a test board having test pads for electrically engaging the resilient contact structures on the functional components, and a test circuitry in electrical communication with the test board. An alternate embodiment test system includes a deformation apparatus configured to electrically engage the resilient contact structures, and to apply test signals to the components to identify defective components.

Claims

1. A method for testing and burning-in a plurality of semiconductor components on a substrate comprising:

providing each component with a plurality of contact structures;

testing the components to identify functional components and non-functional components;

deforming the contact structures on the non-functional components to provided deformed contact structures; and

burn-in testing the functional components by electrically engaging the contact structures on the functional components but not the deformed contact structures.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the contact structures comprise resilient contact structures.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the contact structures comprise spring segments.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the components comprise semiconductor dice and the substrate, comprises a semiconductor wafer.

5. A method for testing and burning-in semiconductor components comprising:

providing the components on a substrate with a plurality of resilient contact structures on each component;

testing the components on the substrate to identify functional components and a defective component;

deforming the resilient contact structures on the defective component to provide deformed contact structures thereon; and

burn-in testing the functional components on the substrate by electrically engaging the resilient contact structures but not the deformed contact structures.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the deforming step comprises compressing and bending the resilient contact structures on the defective component.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein burn-in testing the functional components comprises contacting the resilient contact structures on the functional components using a test board comprising a plurality of test pads configured for spacing from the deformed contact structures.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the components comprise semiconductor dice and the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer.

9. A method for testing and burning-in semiconductor components comprising:

providing the components on a substrate with a plurality of resilient contact structures on each component;

testing the components on the substrate to identify functional components and at least one defective component;

electrically isolating the at least one defective component by deforming the resilient contact structures thereon; and

burn-in testing the functional components on the substrate by electrically engaging the resilient contact structures on the functional components.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the components comprise semiconductor dice and the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein each resilient contact structure comprises a spring segment.

12. A method for testing and burning-in a plurality of semiconductor components contained on a substrate comprising:

providing each component with a plurality of terminal contacts;

providing a deformation apparatus configured to deform selected terminal contacts on a selected component;

deforming the selected terminal contacts using the deformation apparatus to provide deformed terminal contacts on the selected component; and

burn-in testing the components by electrically engaging the terminal contacts on the components other than the deformed terminal contacts on the selected component.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the deformed terminal contacts comprise resilient contact structures.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising testing the components prior to the deforming step to ascertain the selected component.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the deformation apparatus is configured to electrically engage and test the selected component.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer and the components comprise semiconductor dice.

17. A method for testing and burning-in semiconductor components comprising:

providing the components on a substrate with a plurality of contact structures on each component;

testing the components on the substrate to identify functional components and at least one defective component;

providing a deformation apparatus configured to deform the contact structures on the at least one defective component;

deforming the contact structures on the at least one defective component using the deformation apparatus to provide deformed contact structures thereon;

providing a test board in electrical communication with test circuitry and configured to electrically engage the contact structures but not the deformed contact structures; and

burn-in testing the functional components using the test board.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the deformation apparatus is configured to electrically engage the components during the testing step.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the deformation apparatus comprises a deformation block comprising a plurality of retention structures for retaining the contact structures on the at least one defective component.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the deformation apparatus comprises a deformation block configured to compress and bend the contact structures on the at least one defective component.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the contact structures comprise resilient spring segments.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the contact structures comprise pins comprising spring segments.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the deformation apparatus comprises a holder for moving the substrate in X, Y and Z directions.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the deformation apparatus comprises a deformation block configured to compress and bend the contact structures on the at least one defective component and a holder configured to move the deformation block in X, Y and Z directions.