Reduced terminal testing system
First Claim
1. A semiconductor wafer having a substrate as a portion thereof comprising:
- a plurality of dice located on portions of said substrate, said plurality of dice including circuitry for placing at least one die of said plurality of dice into a mode upon receipt of an alternating signal having a predetermined characteristic by said circuitry, said mode selected from one of a predetermined testing mode for testing a plurality of dice, a functional test mode, and a parametric test mode, said alternating signal selected from one of a test pattern signal and information in a signal form; and
a conductive path connected to said circuitry providing said alternating signal to said circuitry.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor wafer having dice that include circuitry that is placed into a mode when the circuitry receives an alternating signal having certain characteristics. The alternating signal may be supplied from a system controller through a probe, probe pad, and conductive path on the wafer. In a preferred embodiment, the conductive path simultaneously carries a VCC power signal and the alternating signal to the circuitry. However, the alternating signal may be carried on a conductive path different from the one carrying the VCC signal. A great deal of information may be conveyed through the alternating signal, making other signals unnecessary in controlling, testing, stressing, and repairing dice on the wafer. For example, clocking information may be conveyed through the alternating signal. The circuitry may be placed in different modes in response to different characteristics of the alternating signal. The alternating signal and a VCC power signal are received through a single contact on each die. A wafer mode controlling system includes a system controller to control application of the alternating signals and other signals to the dice on the wafer. The semiconductor wafer mode controlling system may also control a probe positioning controller including an array of probes that selectively brings the probes into contact with the probe pads, whereby the alternating signal having the certain characteristics is transmitted from the probe to the circuitry through the probe pad and conductive path and the circuitry of each of the dice is placed into the mode.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. A semiconductor wafer having a substrate as a portion thereof comprising:
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a plurality of dice located on portions of said substrate, said plurality of dice including circuitry for placing at least one die of said plurality of dice into a mode upon receipt of an alternating signal having a predetermined characteristic by said circuitry, said mode selected from one of a predetermined testing mode for testing a plurality of dice, a functional test mode, and a parametric test mode, said alternating signal selected from one of a test pattern signal and information in a signal form; and
a conductive path connected to said circuitry providing said alternating signal to said circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification