Simultaneous Testing of Semiconductor Components on a Wafer

• US 20110313710A1
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: BEHZAD, Arya Reza, Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Zhao, Sam Ziqun, Castaneda, Jesus Alfonso, Boers, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2834 Automated test systems [ATE]; using microprocessors or computers G01R31/317 takes precedence; ATE for detection of defective computer hardware G06F11/2736
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/311 of integrated circuits G01R31/31728 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to simultaneously, wirelessly test semiconductor components formed on a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor components transmit respective outcomes of a self-contained testing operation to wireless automatic test equipment via a common communication channel. Multiple receiving antennas observe the outcomes from multiple directions in three dimensional space. The wireless automatic test equipment determines whether one or more of the semiconductor components operate as expected and, optionally, may use properties of the three dimensional space to determine a location of one or more of the semiconductor components. The wireless testing equipment may additionally determine performance of the semiconductor components by detecting infrared energy emitted, transmitted, and/or reflected by the semiconductor wafer before, during, and/or after a self-contained testing operation.

Claims

1. A wireless automatic test equipment for simultaneously testing a plurality of semiconductor components formed onto a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a receiver module configured to receive a plurality of testing operation outcomes from the plurality of semiconductor components to provide a plurality of recovered testing outcomes, the plurality of testing outcomes indicating whether its respective semiconductor component operates as expected; and

a testing processor configured to determine a first group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components that operate as expected based upon the plurality of recovered testing outcomes.

2. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of receiving antennas, coupled to the receiver module, configured to observe the plurality of testing operation outcomes from a plurality of directions in three dimensional space.

3. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 2, wherein the plurality of receiving antennas are positioned along a radius of a spherical shell in the three dimensional space.

4. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 2, wherein the plurality of receiving antennas are positioned along a corresponding radius from among a plurality of radii of a corresponding spherical shell from among a plurality of spherical shells in the three dimensional space.

5. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 1, wherein the receiver module is further configured to simultaneously receive the plurality of testing operation outcomes over a common communication channel.

6. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 1, wherein the receiver module is further configured to decode the plurality of testing operation outcomes in accordance with a multiple access transmission scheme to provide the plurality of recovered testing outcomes.

7. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 6, wherein the multiple access transmission scheme is a code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme.

8. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 1, wherein the testing processor is further configured to determine a second group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components that operate unexpectedly based upon the plurality of recovered testing outcomes.

9. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 1, further comprising:

a metric measurement module configured to determine a plurality of signal metrics for the plurality of recovered testing outcomes,

wherein the testing processor is further configured to determine a location of the plurality of semiconductor components within the semiconductor wafer based upon the plurality of signal metrics.

10. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 9, wherein the testing processor is further configured:

(i) to assign the plurality of signal metrics to corresponding coordinates from among a plurality of sets of coordinates in the three dimensional space,

(ii) to assign a unique identification number from among a plurality of unique identification numbers that is embedded within the plurality of testing outcomes to the plurality of sets of coordinates, each of the plurality of unique identification numbers corresponding to the one of the plurality of semiconductor components, and

(iii) to map the plurality of unique identification numbers to their corresponding semiconductor component to determine a location of the plurality of semiconductor components within the semiconductor wafer.

11. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 10, wherein the testing processor is further configured to compare the plurality of sets of coordinates to a predetermined signal metric for each of the plurality of semiconductor components to map the plurality of unique identification numbers to their corresponding semiconductor.

12. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 10, wherein the testing processor is further configured to iteratively map the plurality of unique identification numbers to their corresponding semiconductor component based upon relationships between the plurality of signal metrics.

13. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter module configured to receive a testing operation command signal from the testing processor and to encode the testing operation command signal to provide an initiate self-contained testing operation,

wherein the plurality of semiconductor components are configured to execute a self-contained testing operation in response to the initiate self-contained testing operation.

14. The wireless automatic test equipment of claim 13, wherein the transmitter module is further configured to wirelessly send the initiate self-contained testing operation to the plurality of semiconductor components.

15. A semiconductor component formed on a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a testing module configured to store a self-contained testing operation;

an integrated circuit under test configured to provide an indication of operability in response to executing the self-contained testing operation, the indication of operability indicating whether the integrated circuit under test operates as expected; and

a transceiver module configured to encode the indication of operability in accordance with a multiple access transmission scheme.

16. The semiconductor component of claim 15, wherein the multiple access transmission scheme is a code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme.

17. The semiconductor component of claim 15, wherein the transceiver module is further configured to receive an initiate testing operation signal, the initiate testing operation signal causing the testing module to enter into a testing mode of operation whereby the testing module provides the self-contained testing operation to the integrated circuit under test.

18. The semiconductor component of claim 15, wherein the transceiver module comprises:

an encoding module configured to encode the indication of operability in accordance with a multiple access transmission scheme to provide an encoded indication of operability;

a modulating module configured to modulate the encoded indication of operability in accordance with a digital modulation technique to provide a modulated indication of operability; and

an upconverter module configured to upconvert the modulated indication of operability to provide a testing operation outcome.

19. The semiconductor component of claim 18, wherein the encoding module comprises:

a spreading code generator configured to provide a sequence of bits that is unique to the semiconductor component; and

a spreading module configured to utilize the sequence of bits to encode the indication of operability.

20. The semiconductor component of claim 15, wherein the semiconductor component is one of a plurality of semiconductor components that are formed on the semiconductor wafer, and

wherein the transceiver module is configured to encode the indication of operability in accordance with the multiple access transmission scheme for transmission over a common communication channel, the common communication channel being shared by the plurality of semiconductor components.

21. The semiconductor component of claim 15, wherein the testing module is configured to store a unique identification number and to append the unique identification number to the indication of operability.

22. The semiconductor component of claim 21, wherein the semiconductor component one of a plurality of semiconductor components that are formed on the semiconductor wafer, the unique identification number being one of a plurality unique identification numbers that uniquely identify each of the plurality of semiconductor components.