Switching matrix and testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement using the same

• US 9,885,746 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2012
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STAr Technologies, Inc. (Innotech Corp.)
• Original Assignee: STAr Technologies, Inc. (Innotech Corp.)
• Inventors: Lou, Choon Leong, Wang, Li Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monsur, Nasima
• Application Number:
  US13/425,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20130082731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 32476201, 324537, 324500, 324126, 324322, 324658, 324 74, 32475001, 32475403, 361783, 703 13, 307112, 307 39, 30776201, 307126, 307322, 307658, 307 74, 3077501, 30775403
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2844 using test interfaces, e.g. adapters, test boxes, switches, PIN drivers G01R31/2889 takes precedence

Abstract

A switching matrix includes a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, a plurality of switching devices configured to open and close, an electrical connection between the input ports and the output ports, and an electrical sensor configured to generate a signal by measuring a predetermined electrical property of the electrical connection, the open and close of switching devices is pre-determined by status read from the electrical sensor.

Claims

1. A switching matrix for semiconductor charscteristic measurement, comprising:

a switching array, including;

at least one input port;

at least one output port to electrically connect with a device under test;

at least one switching device electrically connecting between the at least one input port and the at least one output port, wherein an electrical connection between one of the at least one input port and one of the at least one output port is closed when one of the at least one switching device electrically connecting there between is turned on, and the electrical connection between said input and output ports is open when said switching device is turned off;

at least one electrical sensor electrically connecting with the at least one switching device, and, during a testing operation for testing an electrical property of the device under test, generating a signal in response to measuring a predetermined electrical property of the electrical connection between the one of the at least one input port and the one of the at least one output port; and

a controller configured to, during the testing operation for testing the electrical property of the device under test, not change a conduction state of the at least one switching device when the measurement from the at least one electrical sensor indicates that the predetermined electrical property is greater than a reference electrical property, and change a conduction state of the at least one switching device when the measurement from the at least one electrical sensor indicates that the predetermined electrical property is less than the reference electrical property.

2. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical sensor is at least one voltage sensor.

3. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical sensor is at least one current sensor.

4. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical sensor is at least one power sensor.

5. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical sensor is at least one combination of voltage, current and/or power sensor.

6. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection between the one of the at least one input port and the one of the at least one output port comprises an input wire connecting a respective one of the at least one input port to the switching device.

7. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 6, wherein the at least one electrical sensor is connected to the input wire of the at least one switching device.

8. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection between the one of the at least one input port and the one of the at least one output port comprises an output wire connecting a respective one of the at least one output port to the switching device.

9. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 8, wherein the at least one electrical sensor is connected to the output wire of the at least one switching device.

10. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measureument of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is not within the switching array.

11. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to control the operation of the at least one switching device in response to the signal and a changing instruction of the at least one switching device from a processor.

12. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 1, wherein the number of the at least one switching device is plural, and the plurality of switching devices is arranged in an array manner.

13. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 11, wherein the controller is programmed to override the changing instruction from the processor based on the signal.

14. A testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement, comprising:

a switching matrix comprising;

a plurality of input ports coupled with a measurement instrument;

a plurality of output ports electrically connected with a device under test and coupled with a probing device to measure a semiconductor;

a plurality of switching devices electrically connecting between the plurality of input ports and the plurality of output ports, wherein an electrical connection between one of the plurality of input ports and one of the plurality of output ports is closed when one of the plurality of switching devices electrically connecting therebetween is turned on, and the electrical connection between said input and output ports is open when said one of the plurality of switching devices is turned off; and

an electrical sensor electrically connecting with the plurality of switching devices, and generating a signal in response to measuring a predetermined electrical property applied on of the electrical connection between the one of the plurality of input ports and the one of the plurality of output ports; and

a controller configured to, during a testing operation for testing electrical properties of the device under test, not change a conduction state of the one of the plurality of switching devices in response to the measurement from the at least one electrical sensor indicating that the predetermined electrical property is greater than a reference electrical property, and to change a conduction state of the one of the plurality of switching devices in response to the measurement from the at least one electrical sensor indicating that the predetermined electrical property is less than the reference electrical property.

15. The switching matrix for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 14, wherein the electrical sensor is a voltage sensor, a current sensor, or a power sensor.

16. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 14, further comprising a measurement instrument programmed to measure the electrical property of the device under test.

17. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 14, wherein the electrical connection between the one of the plurality of input ports and the one of the plurality of output ports comprises an input wire connecting a respective one of the plurality of input ports to the plurality of switching devices.

18. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 17, wherein the electrical sensor is connected to the input wire.

19. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 14, wherein the electrical connection between the one of the plurality of input ports and the one of the plurality of output ports comprises an output wire connecting a respective one of the plurality of output ports to the switching device.

20. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 19, wherein the electrical sensor is connected to the output wire.

21. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measruement of claim 14, wherein the plurality of switching devices are arranged in an array manner.

22. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 14, further comprising a processor programmed to send a changing instruction of the plurality of switching devices to the controller, wherein the controller is programmed to control the operation of the plurality of switching devices in response to the signal and the changing instruction from the processor.

23. The testing system for semiconductor characteristic measurement of claim 22, wherein the controller is programmed to override the changing instruction from the processor based on the signal.