Laser-assisted device alteration using synchronized laser pulses

A system for performing fault localization in a device-under-test (DUT), stimulated by a tester, the system comprising:

• a laser source providing laser beam of pulses having wavelength longer than 1107 nm and having energy selected such that total photon energy of photons arriving at a focal point generates electron-hole pairs;
• optical elements to receive the laser beam pulses and to direct the laser beam pulses onto the focal point;
• a scanner for scanning laser beam pulses over an area of interest in the DUT;
• and
• timing electronics configured to receive a sync signal and a tester clock from the tester, the timing electronics controlling timing of the laser source according to the sync signal and with respect to transition of an edge of the tester clock.

A system comprising:

• a tester in communication with a laser source, the tester being configured to:
• apply repetitive electrical test signals to a device-under-test (DUT) based on marginal settings of the DUT to repeatedly stimulate the DUT at a pass/fail boundary, and
• control timing of the laser source using a tester clock;
• and
• the laser source being configured to generate laser beam pulses having sufficient energy to generate electron-hole pairs within the DUT, the laser beam pulses having incident photon energy less than a selected bandgap of material forming a device in the DUT.

A system comprising:

• a tester interface configured to:
• output a first set of electrical test signals from the tester to a device-under-test (DUT), so as to determine marginal settings for the DUT,
• repeatedly output a second set of electrical test signals from the tester to the DUT, thereby causing the DUT to generate electrical DUT output signals, and
• output a third a signal that causes a laser source to, during the repeated output of the second set of electrical test signals, generate laser pulses of wavelength higher than a silicon band gap of material of the DUT;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• select voltage and frequency of the second set of electrical test signals of the tester according to the marginal settings for the DUT,
• control timing of the laser pulses according to a clock signal from the tester, and
• monitor the electrical DUT output signals to determine location of a failure.