Intelligent measurement modular semiconductor parametric test system

• US 7,337,088 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2002
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Blunn, Robert G., Dorough, Michael J., Velichko, Sergey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn; Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US10/131,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,133 Days
• Field of Search: 702/81, 702/108, 702/121, 702/122, 702/127, 702/188, 324/500, 324/537, 324/754, 324/765, 438/14, 438/15
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/025 concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards G01R31/31912 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418

Abstract

An intelligent measurement modular semiconductor parametric test system comprises an engine control module. The engine control module is operable to communicate with a user via a user interface, and is further operable to communicate with and to control the state of at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system including pluggable modules. The engine control module is further operable to control test flow via a test monitor module based on data and control events received from an intelligent measurement module. Other modules in various embodiments comprise prober monitor modules.

Claims

1. A modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

an engine control module, operable to communicate with a user via a user interface and further operable to communicate with and to control the state of at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system, wherein the at least one other module comprises at least one pluggable module, and wherein at least one other module is operable to test at least a portion of a semiconductor wafer or die;

and wherein the engine control module is operable to communicate with and control the state of the at least one other module via a supercontrol, the supercontrol operable to change the state of a deadlocked at least one other module.

2. A modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

an engine control module, operable to communicate with a user via a user interface and further operable to communicate with and to control the state of at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system,

wherein the at least one other module comprises a test monitor module,

wherein the test monitor module provides an interface between the engine control module and a measurement module, and

wherein the measurement module comprises a lockout mechanism that is operable to halt testing of a wafer based on augmented test data in the measurement module.

3. A modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

an engine control module, operable to communicate with a user via a user interface and further operable to communicate with and to control the state of at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system,

wherein the at least one other module comprises a test monitor module,

wherein the test monitor module provides an interface between the engine control module and a measurement module, and

wherein the measurement module comprises a lockout that is operable to halt testing of a wafer lot based on augmented test data in the measurement module.

4. A modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

an engine control module, operable to communicate with a user via a user interface and further operable to communicate with and to control the state of at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system, wherein the at least one other module comprises a test monitor module, and wherein the test monitor module is operable to perform a controlled abort in which subsite tests in progress for at least one wafer or die complete before the test aborts.

5. A modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

an engine control module, operable to communicate with a user via a user interface and further operable to communicate with and to control the state of at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system, wherein the at least one other module comprises a test monitor module, and wherein the test monitor module is operable to perform an emergency abort in which testing for at least one wafer or die is immediately aborted irrespective of the current test state.

6. A method of controlling a modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

communicating with a user via user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module, where the at least one other module is a pluggable module, and wherein at least one other module is operable to test at least a portion of a semiconductor wafer or die;

and controlling the state of the at least one other pluggable module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module;

wherein the engine control module is operable to communicate with and control the state of the at least one other module via a supercontrol, the supercontrol operable to change the state of a deadlocked at least one other module.

7. A method of controlling a modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

communicating with a user via a user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with a pluggable test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module; and

controlling the state of the pluggable test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module,

wherein the pluggable test monitor module provides an interface between the engine control module and a measurement module, and

wherein the measurement module comprises a lockout mechanism that is operable to halt testing of a wafer based on augmented test data in the measurement module.

8. A method of controlling a modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

communicating with a user via a user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with a pluggable test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module; and

controlling the state of the pluggable test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module,

wherein the pluggable test monitor module provides an interface between the engine control module and a measurement module, and

wherein the measurement module comprises a lockout that is operable to halt testing of a wafer lot based on augmented test data in the measurement module.

9. A method of controlling a modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

communicating with a user via a user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with a pluggable test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module;

and controlling the state of the pluggable test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module, wherein the pluggable test monitor module is operable to perform a controlled abort in which subsite tests in progress for at least one wafer or die complete before the test aborts.

10. A method of controlling a modular semiconductor parametric test system, comprising:

communicating with a user via a user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with a pluggable test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module;

and controlling the state of the pluggable test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module, wherein the pluggable test monitor module is operable to perform an emergency abort in which testing for at least one wafer or die is immediately aborted irrespective of the current test state.

11. A machine-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a modular semiconductor parametric test system to perform functions comprising:

communicating with a user via user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with at least one other module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module, where the at least one other module is a pluggable module; and

controlling the state of the at least one other pluggable module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module,

wherein the engine control module is operable to communicate with and control the state of the at least one other module via a supercontrol, the supercontrol operable to change the state of a deadlocked at least one other module.

12. A machine-readable medium with instructions thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a modular semiconductor parametric test system to perform functions comprising:

communicating with a user via a user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with a test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module; and

controlling the state of the test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module,

wherein the test monitor module provides an interface between the engine control and a measurement module, and

wherein the measurement module comprises a lockout mechanism that is operable to halt testing of a wafer based on augmented test data in the measurement module.

13. A machine-readable medium with instructions thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a modular semiconductor parametric test system to perform functions comprising:

communicating with a user via a user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with a test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module; and

controlling the state of the test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module,

wherein the test monitor module provides an interface between the engine control and a measurement module, and

wherein the measurement module comprises a lockout that is operable to halt testing of a wafer lot based on augmented test data in the measurement module.

14. A machine-readable medium with instructions thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a modular semiconductor parametric test system to perform functions comprising:

communicating with a user via a user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with a test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module;

and controlling the state of the test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module, and wherein the test monitor module is operable to perform a controlled abort in which subsite tests in progress for at least one wafer or die complete before the test aborts.

15. A machine-readable medium with instructions thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a modular semiconductor parametric test system to perform functions comprising:

communicating with a user via a user interface linked to an engine control module;

communicating with a test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module;

and controlling the state of the test monitor module in the semiconductor parametric test system via the engine control module, and wherein the test monitor module is operable to perform an emergency abort in which testing for at least one wafer or die is immediately aborted irrespective of the current test state.