US 2006/0156080 A1 · Method for the thermal testing of a thermal path to an integrated circuit

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for detecting a defect in an integrated circuit using an optimized power pulse includes applying a first pulse of power to a first integrated circuit for an optimized pulse duration. The optimized pulse duration is determined as a function of a difference in temperature between a second, defective integrated circuit and a third, non-defective integrated circuit. The temperature of the first integrated circuit is measured after the first pulse of power is applied to the first integrated circuit for the optimized pulse duration, and a determination is made as to whether the first integrated circuit is defective based on the temperature of the first integrated circuit.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for determining an optimized pulse duration for detecting defects in integrated circuits, comprising:

providing a first integrated circuit known to be defective;
measuring the temperature of the first integrated circuit at a plurality of predetermined increments of time as a first power pulse is applied to the first integrated circuit;
providing a second integrated circuit known to be non-defective;
measuring the temperature of the second integrated circuit at the plurality of predetermined increments of time as a second power pulse is applied to the integrated circuit;
determining a difference in temperature between the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit at each of the plurality of predetermined increments;
and
determining an optimized pulse duration for determining whether a third integrated circuit is defective, the optimized pulse duration comprising an increment of time corresponding with the greatest difference in temperature between the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit.

4 more elements

A method for detecting a defect in an integrated circuit using an optimized power pulse, comprising:

applying a first pulse of power to a first integrated circuit for an optimized pulse duration, the optimized pulse duration determined as a function of a difference in temperature between a second, defective integrated circuit and a third, non-defective integrated circuit;
measuring the temperature of the first integrated circuit after the first pulse of power is applied to the first integrated circuit for the optimized pulse duration;
and
determining whether the first integrated circuit is defective based on the temperature of the first integrated circuit.

1 more element

A testing system for detecting defects in an integrated circuit, comprising:

a power source operable to apply a first pulse of power to a first integrated circuit package for an optimized pulse duration, the optimized pulse duration determined as a function of a difference in temperature between a second, defective integrated circuit and a third, non-defective integrated circuit;
a controller in communication with the first integrated circuit and operable to:
obtain a temperature measurement of the first integrated circuit after the first pulse of power is applied to the first integrated circuit for the optimized pulse duration;
and
determine whether the first integrated circuit is defective based on the temperature measurement of the first integrated circuit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for the thermal testing of a thermal path to an integrated circuit

Life of this patent

Method for the thermal testing of a thermal path to an integrated circuit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20