Method of designing an application specific probe card test system
First Claim
1. A method of programming a probe card comprising channel connectors to an external tester configured to control testing of integrated circuits (ICs), the probe card further comprising probes for contacting the ICs, the method comprising:
- while the probe card is connected through the channel connectors to the external tester, which is external to the probe card, providing a connection code from a source external to the probe card to a memory on the probe card, the connection code specifying a particular pattern of connections of the channel connectors to the probes;
while the probe card is connected through the channel connectors to the external tester, providing the connection code from the memory on the probe card to a programmable controller on the probe card, wherein inputs of the programmable controller are connected to the channel connectors and outputs of the programmable controller are connected to the probes, the programmable controller being programmable to connect selectively the inputs and the outputs in different patterns; and
while the probe card is connected through the channel connectors to the external tester, in response to the connection code in the memory, the programmable controller selectively establishing within itself a pattern of connections between the inputs and the outputs of the programmable controller that corresponds to the particular pattern specified by the connection code in the memory, wherein the programmable controller selectively connects the channel connectors to the probes in the particular pattern specified by the connection code in the memory,wherein the programmable controller comprises a programmable switch matrix, the method further comprising partially reconfiguring the programmable switch matrix during testing of the ICs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for design and programming of a probe card with an on-board programmable controller in a wafer test system. Consideration of introduction of the programmable controller is included in a CAD wafer layout and probe card design process. The CAD design is further loaded into the programmable controller, such as an FPGA to program it: (1) to control direction of signals to particular ICs, even during the test process (2) to generate test vector signals to provide to the ICs, and (3) to receive test signals and process test results from the received signals. In some embodiments, burn-in only testing is provided to limit test system circuitry needed so that with a programmable controller on the probe card, text equipment external to the probe card can be eliminated or significantly reduced from conventional test equipment.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of programming a probe card comprising channel connectors to an external tester configured to control testing of integrated circuits (ICs), the probe card further comprising probes for contacting the ICs, the method comprising:
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while the probe card is connected through the channel connectors to the external tester, which is external to the probe card, providing a connection code from a source external to the probe card to a memory on the probe card, the connection code specifying a particular pattern of connections of the channel connectors to the probes; while the probe card is connected through the channel connectors to the external tester, providing the connection code from the memory on the probe card to a programmable controller on the probe card, wherein inputs of the programmable controller are connected to the channel connectors and outputs of the programmable controller are connected to the probes, the programmable controller being programmable to connect selectively the inputs and the outputs in different patterns; and while the probe card is connected through the channel connectors to the external tester, in response to the connection code in the memory, the programmable controller selectively establishing within itself a pattern of connections between the inputs and the outputs of the programmable controller that corresponds to the particular pattern specified by the connection code in the memory, wherein the programmable controller selectively connects the channel connectors to the probes in the particular pattern specified by the connection code in the memory, wherein the programmable controller comprises a programmable switch matrix, the method further comprising partially reconfiguring the programmable switch matrix during testing of the ICs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification