Method for sorting integrated circuit devices

• US 7,276,672 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Beffa, Raymond J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAGEMAN, MARK CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US11/101,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20050189267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 209/571, 209/573, 324/158.1, 324/764
• US Class Current: 209/573
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/344 according to electric or electromagnetic properties sorting according to size measured electrically or electronically B07C5/08; material testing by magnetic means G01N24/00, G01N27/00, by electrical means G01N27/00; electrical measuring devices in general G01R; coin testing G07D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2851 Testing of integrated circuits [IC] G01R31/317 takes precedence; testing individual devices G01R31/26; testing printed circuits G01R31/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/5444 for electrical read out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54473 for use after dicing

Abstract

A method for sorting integrated circuit (IC) devices of the type having a substantially unique identification (ID) code, such as a fuse ID, including automatically reading the ID code of each of the IC devices and sorting the IC devices in accordance with their automatically read ID codes, is disclosed.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit process for determining at least one integrated circuit device in need of further testing from a group of integrated circuit devices undergoing test procedures, the integrated circuit devices each having a substantially unique identification code, the method comprising:

storing a further testing flag for the identification code of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in the group indicating whether each integrated circuit device requires further testing;

automatically reading the identification code of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in the group;

accessing the further testing flag stored for each of the automatically read identification codes of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in the at least one group having the identification code thereof read;

sorting the integrated circuit devices using the further testing flag indicating integrated circuit devices in need of the further testing;

performing further testing of integrated circuit devices only in need of the further testing; and

performing repair operations of integrated circuit devices in need of repair after the further testing.

2. A method in a manufacturing process for determining at least one integrated circuit device in need of additional testing from at least one group of individual integrated circuit devices undergoing test procedures, each individual integrated circuit device of the at least one group having a substantially unique identification code, the method comprising:

storing an additional testing flag in connection with the substantially unique identification code of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in the at least one group indicating whether each integrated circuit device requires the additional testing;

automatically reading the substantially unique identification code of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in the at least one group;

accessing the additional testing flag stored in connection with each of the automatically read identification codes of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in the at least one group having the identification code thereof read;

sorting the integrated circuit devices in accordance with the additional testing flag indicating the integrated circuit devices are in need of the additional testing;

performing further testing of integrated circuit devices only in need of the additional testing; and

performing repair operations of integrated circuit devices in need of repair after the additional reliability testing.

3. A method in a manufacturing process for separating integrated circuit devices on one or more semiconductor wafers from a group of semiconductor wafers, each wafer having integrated circuit devices, the group of semiconductor wafers undergoing test procedures, to determine a need of any additional testing, the integrated circuit devices each having a substantially unique identification code, the method comprising:

storing an additional testing indicator in connection with the identification code of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in at least one group indicating whether each integrated circuit device requires the additional testing;

automatically reading the identification code of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in the at least one group;

accessing the additional testing indicator stored in connection with each of the automatically read identification codes of each integrated circuit device of the integrated circuit devices in the at least one group having the identification code thereof read;

sorting the integrated circuit devices in accordance with whether their additional testing indicator indicates the integrated circuit devices come from a semiconductor wafer which is known as an unreliable semiconductor wafer;

performing further testing only of integrated circuit devices in need of the additional testing; and

performing repair operations of integrated circuit devices in need of repair after the additional testing.