Crosstalk suppression in wireless testing of semiconductor devices

• US 9,791,498 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Pagani, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Son
• Application Number:
  US14/171,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20140191779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• 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: G01R 31/2886 Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/303 of integrated circuits G01R31/305 - G01R31/315 take precedence
• 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

An integrated circuit integrated on a semiconductor material die and adapted to be at least partly tested wirelessly, wherein circuitry for setting a selected radio communication frequencies to be used for the wireless test of the integrated circuit are integrated on the semiconductor material die.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless probe card having a plurality of wireless units, the plurality of wireless units including at least a first wireless unit and a second wireless unit, wherein the first wireless unit is configured to wirelessly communicate with a first integrated circuit die from among a plurality of integrated circuit dies at a first frequency, the first integrated circuit die being integrated within a single wafer and including a radio frequency selector configured to select the first frequency for use by the first integrated circuit die from among a plurality of radio frequencies,

wherein the second wireless unit is configured to wirelessly communicate with a second integrated circuit die from among the plurality of integrated circuit dies at a second frequency different than the first frequency, the second integrated circuit die being integrated within the single wafer and including a radio frequency selector configured to select the second frequency for use by the second integrated circuit from among a plurality of radio frequencies,

wherein the plurality of wireless units are at least equal in number to a number of the integrated circuit dies integrated within the single wafer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each wireless unit of the plurality of wireless units of the wireless probe card is configured to wirelessly communicate with a respective integrated circuit die at a respective frequency.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless probe card further comprises a control circuit configured to manage test signals exchanged between the wireless probe card and a tester.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising the tester.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless unit comprises a first transceiver or transponder circuit configured to transmit wireless signals at the first frequency.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first transceiver or transponder circuit is physically coupled to a first antenna on the wireless probe card.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tester coupled to the wireless probe card.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless unit communicates with the first integrated circuit die at the first frequency by communicating with a first transceiver or transponder integrated within the first integrated circuit die for testing a first integrated circuit also integrated within the first integrated circuit die;

and wherein the second wireless unit communicates with the second integrated circuit die at the second frequency by communicating with a second transceiver or transponder integrated within the second integrated circuit die for testing a second integrated circuit also integrated within the second integrated circuit die.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless units further includes a third wireless unit;

and wherein the third wireless unit is configured to wireless communicate with a third integrated circuit die of said single wafer at a third frequency different than the second frequency.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless probe card having a plurality of wireless units,

wherein each wireless unit of the plurality of wireless units is configured to wirelessly communicate with a different integrated circuit die of a plurality of integrated circuit dies included within a given wafer at a given frequency different than a frequency used by adjacent wireless units of the plurality of wireless units to communicate with other integrated circuit die of the given wafer, with each of the plurality of integrated circuit dies includes a radio frequency selector configured to select the given frequency for use by that integrated circuit die from among a plurality of radio frequencies;

wherein the plurality of wireless units are at least equal in number to a number of the integrated circuit dies included within the given wafer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each wireless unit of the plurality of wireless units is configured to wirelessly communicate with a different integrated circuit die included within the given wafer at a frequency different than a frequency used by other wireless units of the plurality of wireless units.