Semiconductor wafer, semiconductor circuit, substrate for testing and test system

• US 8,593,166 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Daisuke, Okayasu, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VINH P
• Application Number:
  US12/957,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/762.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318511 Wafer Test
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31926 Routing signals to or from the device under test [DUT], e.g. switch matrix, pin multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A test system includes a test substrate that transmits/receives signals to/from a semiconductor wafer, and a control apparatus to control the test substrate. The semiconductor wafer includes an external terminal coupled to an external measurement circuit, a plurality of selecting wiring lines provided to receive/transmit signals to/from the corresponding the measuring points, and a selecting section that selects one of the selecting wiring lines and that allows signal transmission between the corresponding measuring point and the external terminal through the selected selecting wiring line. The test substrate includes a measurement circuit that is coupled to the external terminal of the semiconductor wafer and that measures an electrical characteristic of a signal transmitted through the selecting wiring line selected by the selecting section, and a control section that controls which one of the measurement wiring lines is to be selected by the selecting section in the semiconductor wafer.

Claims

1. A semiconductor water in which a plurality of semiconductor circuits are formed, each of the semiconductor circuits comprising:

an external terminal coupled to an external measurement circuit;

a plurality of selecting wiring lines provided so as to correspond to a plurality of measuring points in the semiconductor circuit and so as to receive and transmit signals to/from the corresponding measuring points, the selecting wiring lines provided so as to electrically couple the corresponding measuring points to the external terminal;

a selecting section that selects one of the selecting wiring lines, and that allows signal transmission between the corresponding measuring point and the external terminal through the selected selecting wiring line;

a measurement driver that is provided between the measuring points and the external terminal;

an actual operation terminal that is used when the semiconductor circuit is implemented; and

a driver circuit that outputs a signal outside the semiconductor circuit via the actual operation terminal, wherein

output current of the measurement driver is smaller than an output current of the driver circuit.

2. The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1, wherein each of the semiconductor circuits further comprises:

a switch that switches whether to transmit a signal through a transmission path between the selecting section and the external terminal.

3. The semiconductor wafer according to claim 2, wherein,

in each of the semiconductor circuits, the switch is fixed to an off state when the semiconductor circuit is implemented.

4. The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1, wherein,

in each of the semiconductor circuits, the external terminal is one of a plurality of external terminals;

and

in each of the semiconductor circuits, the selecting section is one of a plurality of selecting sections.

5. The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1, wherein,

in each of the semiconductor circuits, the measurement driver is provided between the selecting section and the external terminal, and outputs a voltage corresponding to a voltage supplied thereto through a selecting wiring line that is selected by the selecting section among the plurality of the selecting wiring lines.

6. The semiconductor wafer according to claim 1, wherein,

in each of the semiconductor circuits, the selecting section has a linear transmission property between its output and input.

7. A semiconductor circuit having a plurality of operation circuits, the semiconductor circuit comprising:

an external terminal coupled to an external measurement circuit;

a plurality of selecting wiring lines provided so as to correspond to a plurality of measuring points in the semiconductor circuit and so as to receive and transmit signals to/from the corresponding measuring points, the selecting wiring lines provided so as to electrically couple the corresponding measuring points to the external terminal;

a selecting section that selects one of the selecting wiring lines, and that allows signal transmission between the corresponding measuring point and the external terminal through the selected selecting wiring line;

a measurement driver that is provided between the measuring points and the external terminal;

an actual operation terminal that is used when the semiconductor circuit is implemented; and

a driver circuit that outputs a signal outside the semiconductor circuit via the actual operation terminal;

wherein

output current of the measurement driver is smaller than an output current of the driver circuit.

8. A test substrate for testing a plurality of semiconductor circuits formed in a semiconductor wafer,

wherein each of the semiconductor circuits includes:

an external terminal coupled to an external measurement circuit;

a plurality of selecting wiring lines provided so as to correspond to a plurality of measuring points in the semiconductor circuit and so as to receive and transmit signals to/from the corresponding measuring points, the selecting wiring lines provided so as to electrically couple the corresponding measuring points to the external terminal;

a selecting section that selects one of the selecting wiring lines, and that allows signal transmission between the corresponding measuring point and the external terminal through the selected selecting wiring line;

a measurement driver that is provided between the measuring points and the external terminal;

an actual operation terminal that is used when the semiconductor circuit is implemented; and

a driver circuit that outputs a signal outside the semiconductor circuit via the actual operation terminal,

wherein output current of the measurement driver is smaller than an output current of the driver circuit, and

wherein the test substrate comprises;

a measurement circuit that is coupled to the external terminal of one of the semiconductor circuits, and that measures an electrical characteristic of a signal transmitted through the selecting wiring line selected by the selecting section of the one of the semiconductor circuits and the measurement driver of the one of the semiconductor circuits; and

a control section that controls which one of the selecting wiring lines is to be selected by the selecting section of the one of the semiconductor circuits.

9. A test system for testing a plurality of semiconductor circuits formed in a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a test substrate provided so as to transmit and receive signals to/from the semiconductor wafer; and

a control apparatus to control the test substrate,

wherein each of the semiconductor circuits includes;

an external terminal coupled to an external measurement circuit;

a plurality of selecting wiring lines provided so as to correspond to a plurality of measuring points in the semiconductor circuit and so as to receive and transmit signals to/from the corresponding the measuring points, the selecting wiring lines provided so as to electrically couple the corresponding measuring points to the external terminal;

a selecting section that selects one of the selecting wiring lines, and that allows signal transmission between the corresponding measuring point and the external terminal through the selected selecting wiring line;

a measurement driver that is provided between the measuring points and the external terminal;

an actual operation terminal that is used when the semiconductor circuit is implemented; and

a driver circuit that outputs a signal outside the semiconductor circuit via the actual operation terminal,

wherein output current of the measurement driver is smaller than an output current of the driver circuit, and

wherein the test substrate includes;

a measurement circuit that is coupled to the external terminal of one of the semiconductor circuits, and that measures an electrical characteristic of a signal transmitted through the selecting wiring line selected by the selecting section of the one of the semiconductor circuits and the measurement driver of the one of the semiconductor circuits; and

a control section that controls which one of the selecting wiring lines is to be selected by the selecting section of the one of the semiconductor circuits.