Sorting a group of integrated circuit devices for those devices requiring special testing
First Claim
1. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for sorting a plurality of IC devices of the type having an identification (ID) code into those IC devices requiring a first testing process and those IC devices requiring a second testing process, the method comprising:
- programming each of the plurality of IC devices with a unique ID code to the IC device while in wafer form;
storing data in association with the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices that indicates each of the IC devices requires one of the first and second testing processes for automatically reading the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices;
accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices; and
sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for sorting integrated circuit (IC) devices of the type having a fuse identification (ID) into those devices requiring enhanced reliability testing and those requiring standard testing includes storing fabrication deviation data, probe data, and test data in association with the fuse ID of each of the devices indicating each of the devices requires either enhanced reliability testing or standard testing. The fuse ID of each of the devices is then automatically read before, during, or after standard testing of the devices. The testing process requirement data stored in association with the fuse ID of each of the devices is then accessed, and the devices are sorted in accordance with the accessed data into those devices requiring enhanced reliability testing and those requiring standard testing.
161 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for sorting a plurality of IC devices of the type having an identification (ID) code into those IC devices requiring a first testing process and those IC devices requiring a second testing process, the method comprising:
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programming each of the plurality of IC devices with a unique ID code to the IC device while in wafer form; storing data in association with the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices that indicates each of the IC devices requires one of the first and second testing processes for automatically reading the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices; accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices; and sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of manufacturing integrated circuit (IC) devices from semiconductor wafers, the method comprising:
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storing a permanent unique identification (ID) code to each IC in each of a plurality of ICs of a plurality of semiconductor wafers; storing data in association with the ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices that indicates each of the IC devices requires one of first and second testing processes for automatically reading the unique ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with for the automatically read ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices; sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process; and testing the sorted IC devices using the first and second testing processes. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices undergoing standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:
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programming each IC device to have a unique ID code; storing data in association with the ID code of the plurality of IC devices that indicates each of the plurality of IC devices requires one of special testing and standard testing for automatically reading the ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices for accessing the data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of each of the plurality of IC devices; and sorting the IC devices during the standard test procedures in accordance with the accessed data for those IC devices requiring special testing.
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28. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices undergoing standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:
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storing a unique ID code in each IC device of a plurality of IC devices in wafer form; storing fabrication deviation data in association with the ID code of at least one of the plurality of IC devices that indicates the at least one of the plurality of IC devices requires special testing for automatically reading the ID code of the at least one of the plurality of IC devices for accessing the fabrication deviation data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the plurality of IC devices; and sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data for the at least one of the plurality of IC devices requiring special testing.
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29. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices that have undergone standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:
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storing a unique ID code in each IC device to the IC device; storing data in association with the ID code of at least one of the plurality of IC devices that indicates the at least one of the plurality of IC devices requires special testing for automatically reading the ID code of the at least one of the plurality of IC devices for accessing the data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the plurality of IC devices; and sorting the IC devices using the unique ID code in accordance with the accessed data for the at least one of the plurality of IC devices requiring special testing.
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30. A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for using special test data generated by a first group of IC devices undergoing special testing to sort a second group of IC devices into those requiring the special testing and those requiring standard testing, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:
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programming each IC device to have a unique ID code to the IC device; storing data in association with the ID code of at least one of the second group of IC devices indicating the at least one of the second group of IC devices requires special testing for storing special test data generated by the first group of IC devices in association with the ID code of the at least one of the second group of IC devices indicating the at least one of the second group of IC devices previously indicated to require special testing instead requires standard testing for automatically reading the ID code of the at least for one of the second group of IC devices for accessing the data stored in association for with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the second group of IC devices; and sorting the second group of IC devices using the unique ID code of each IC device in accordance with the accessed data so the at least one of the second group of IC devices undergoes standard testing.
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31. A manufacturing method for sorting semiconductor devices each having an identification code after a first testing process to determine any semiconductor device requiring a second testing process comprising:
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storing data in association with the identification code of each semiconductor device that indicates if the semiconductor device requires a second testing process; automatically reading the identification code of each semiconductor device; accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read identification code of each semiconductor device; and sorting the semiconductor device in accordance with the accessed data into those semiconductor devices only requiring a first testing process and those semiconductor devices requiring the second testing process.
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32. A classification method for semiconductor devices each having an identification code after a first testing process to determine any semiconductor device requiring a second testing process comprising:
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storing data in association with the identification code of each semiconductor device that indicates if the semiconductor device requires a second testing process; automatically reading the identification code of each semiconductor device; accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read identification code of each semiconductor device; and sorting the semiconductor device in accordance with the accessed data into those semiconductor devices only requiring a first testing process and those semiconductor devices requiring the second testing process.
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33. A quality assurance method for semiconductor devices having an identification code after a first testing process to determine any semiconductor device requiring a second testing process comprising:
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storing data in association with the identification code of each semiconductor device that indicates if the semiconductor device requires a second testing process for the quality thereof; automatically reading the identification code of each semiconductor device; accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read identification code of each semiconductor device; and sorting the semiconductor device in accordance with the accessed data into those semiconductor devices only requiring a first testing process and those semiconductor devices requiring the second testing process for the quality thereof.
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34. A method for determining conformance of semiconductor devices to design specifications of each semiconductor device having an identification code after a first testing process to determine any semiconductor device requiring a second testing process to comply with design specifications comprising:
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storing data in association with the identification code of each semiconductor device that indicates if the semiconductor device requires a second testing process to comply with design specifications; automatically reading the identification code of each semiconductor device; accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read identification code of each semiconductor device; and sorting the semiconductor device in accordance with the accessed data into those semiconductor devices only requiring a first testing process and those semiconductor devices requiring the second testing process to comply with design specifications.
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Specification