Test circuit and method

• US 9,891,266 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Wang, Mill-Jer, Peng, Ching-Nen, Lin, Hung-Chih, Hsu, Sen-Kuei, Wang, Chuan-Ching, Chen, Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pothen, Feba
• Application Number:
  US14/189,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20150241507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/265 Contactless testing of circuits, also in wafer-form G01R31/302
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/52 Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure absorbing means H01Q17/00

Abstract

A method is disclosed that includes the operations outlined below. For a plurality of dies on a test fixture, an antenna distance between each of first antennas of one of the dies and every one of first antennas of the other dies is determined. The dies are categorized into die groups, wherein the antenna distance between each of the first antennas of one of the dies in one of the die groups and every one of the first antennas of the other dies in the same one of the die groups is larger than an interference threshold. Test processes are sequentially performed on the die groups. Each of the test processes is performed according to signal transmissions between the first antennas and second antennas of the under-test device each positionally corresponds to one of the first antennas.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting first forced signals from a plurality of first antennas of a planar test fixture to a plurality of second antennas of a first wafer layer of an under-test device, wherein each of the second antennas positionally corresponds to one of the first antennas;

receiving first feedback signals from the second antennas by the first antennas; and

determining at least a relationship of distances between the first antennas and the second antennas according to first received power of the first feedback signals, to determine a first surface warping condition of the under-test device,

wherein the distances between the first antennas and the second antennas are determined to be different on condition that the first received power are different.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the first received power of a first one of the first feedback signals is larger than the first received power of a second one of the first feedback signals, a first distance of the distances, which is between a first one of the second antennas that transmits the first one of the first feedback signals and a first one of the corresponding first antennas, is determined to be shorter than a second distance of the distances, which is between a second one of the second antennas that transmits the second one of the first feedback signals and a second one of the corresponding first antennas.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for a plurality of central antennas formed on both surfaces of the first wafer layer and a plurality of surrounding antennas formed inside of the first wafer layer symmetrically distributed to surround the central antennas, transmitting second forced signals from the first antennas to activate the surrounding antennas to perform signal transmissions with the central antennas;

receiving second feedback signals from the central antennas through the surrounding antennas by the first antennas; and

determining a physical warping condition of the first wafer layer according to a second received power of each of the second feedback signals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein under-test device further comprises a second wafer layer that comprises a plurality of third antennas positionally correspond to the second antennas, the method further comprises:

transmitting third forced signals from the first antennas to activate the second antennas to perform signal transmissions with the third antennas;

receiving third feedback signals from the third antennas through the second antennas by the first antennas; and

determining a second surface warping condition of the second wafer layer according to a third received power of each of the third feedback signals.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving the test fixture along a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction to perform signal transmissions between an aiming antenna comprised in the first antennas and a plurality of target antennas comprised in the second antenna;

determining a plurality of peak power positions corresponding to a plurality power peaks of the signal transmissions; and

calibrating a position of the aiming antenna to aim one of the target antennas according to the peak power positions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when the first received powers of the first feedback signals are determined to be the same, the first surface warping condition of the under-test device is determined to be planar.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the first received powers of the first feedback signals are determined to be different from each other, the first surface warping condition of the under-test device is determined to be bent.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein when the first distance is different from the second distance, the first surface warping condition of the under-test device is determined to be bent.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the position of the aiming antenna is calibrated to reduce a distance of the distances, which is between the aiming antenna and the one of the target antennas.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

recording all of the peak power positions corresponding to the power peaks of the signal transmissions;

wherein the position of the aiming antenna is calibrated after all of the peak power positions are recorded.

11. A method comprising:

transmitting first forced signals from a plurality of first antennas of a planar test fixture to a plurality of second antennas of a first wafer layer of an under-test device, wherein each of the second antennas positionally corresponds to one of the first antennas;

receiving first feedback signals from the second antennas by the first antennas; and

determining one of a first surface warping condition of the under-test device and a position of an aiming antenna of the first antennas according to the first feedback signals,

wherein at least a relationship of distances between the first antennas and the second antennas is determined, according to the first feedback signals, to determine the first surface warping condition,

wherein the distances between the first antennas and the second antennas are determined to be different on condition that first received power of the first feedback signals are different.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein when the first received power of a first one of the first feedback signals is larger than the first received power of a second one of the first feedback signals, a first distance of the distances, which is between a first one of the second antennas that transmits the first one of the first feedback signals and a first one of the corresponding first antennas, is determined to be shorter than a second distance of the distances, which is between a second one of the second antennas that transmits the second one of the first feedback signals and a second one of the corresponding first antennas.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein when the first distance is different from the second distance, the first surface warping condition of the under-test device is determined to be bent.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

for a plurality of central antennas formed on both surfaces of the first wafer layer and a plurality of surrounding antennas formed inside of the first wafer layer symmetrically distributed to surround the central antennas, transmitting second forced signals from the first antennas to activate the surrounding antennas to perform signal transmissions with the central antennas;

receiving second feedback signals from the central antennas through the surrounding antennas by the first antennas; and

determining a physical warping condition of the first wafer layer according to a second received power of each of the second feedback signals.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein under-test device further comprises a second wafer layer that comprises a plurality of third antennas positionally correspond to the second antennas, the method further comprises:

transmitting third forced signals from the first antennas to activate the second antennas to perform signal transmissions with the third antennas;

receiving third feedback signals from the third antennas through the second antennas by the first antennas; and

determining a second surface warping condition of the second wafer layer according to a third received power of each of the third feedback signals.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein when a plurality of first received powers of the first feedback signals are determined to be the same, the first surface warping condition of the under-test device is determined to be planar.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein when two of a plurality of first received powers of the first feedback signals are determined to be different from each other, the first surface warping condition of the under-test device is determined to be bent.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

moving the test fixture along a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction to perform signal transmissions between the aiming antenna and a plurality of target antennas comprised in the second antenna;

determining a plurality of peak power positions corresponding to a plurality power peaks of the signal transmissions; and

calibrating the position of the aiming antenna to aim one of the target antennas according to the peak power positions.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the position of the aiming antenna is calibrated to reduce a distance of the distances, which is between the aiming antenna and the one of the target antennas.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

recording all of the peak power positions corresponding to the power peaks of the signal transmissions;

wherein the position of the aiming antenna is calibrated after all of the peak power positions are recorded.