US 5,206,582 A · Control system for automated parametric test equipment

Abstract

Disclosed is a control system and methodology used for defining and executing parametric test sequences using automated test equipment. The control system is divided into components which separate fixed, reusable information from information which is specific to particular tests. One component contains reference data which describes the configuration of the wafer being tested as well as specifications for the tests to be carried out. Another component contains a set of measurement algorithms that describe individual tests to be performed on generic types of devices or parametric test structures. Execution of a test is carried out by a general test program which retrieves stored reference and test definition information and supplies it to the measurement algorithms to enable them to perform measurements on specific devices in the user specified sequence. The general test program additionally routes the measurement results obtained from the algorithms to data files and/or networks, and summarizes the results in a standardized report format.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A control system for an automated parametric test system of the type in which test signals are applied to devices on an integrated circuit wafer and the responses of the devices to said test signals are measured to determine the performance of the devices, comprising:

a first memory means for storing location information pertaining to the configuration of a plurality of devices within a die on one wafer;
a second memory means for storing a plurality of measurements to be applied to various ones of said devices to determine a characteristic parameter of each device;
the second memory means for storing specifications for particular tests to be performed on particular devices on a wafer whose configuration is stored in said first memory means;
and
a control means responsive to a set of specifications stored in said third means to select a measurement stored in said second memory means, determine the location of a device to which the selected measurement is to be applied on the basis of the information stored in said first memory means, and control said test system to supply the selected measurement to the device at said determined location on the wafer, said control means for interpreting information stored in said first and third memory means and for calling predetermined information from said second memory means.

2 more elements

A control system for an automated parametric test system of the type in which test signals are applied to devices on an integrated circuit wafer and the responses of the devices to the test signals are measured to determine the performance of the devices, comprising:

a first memory means for storing location information pertaining to the configuration of a plurality of devices within a die on one wafer;
a second memory means for storing a plurality of measurements to be applied to various ones of the devices to determine a characteristic parameter of each device;
a third memory means for storing specifications for particular tests to be performed on particular devices on a wafer whose configuration is stored in the first memory means;
and
a control means responsive to a set of specifications stored in the third memory means to select a measurement stored in the second memory means, determine the location of a device to which the selected measurement is to be applied on the basis of the information stored in the first memory means, and control the test system to apply the selected measurement to the device at the determined location on the wafer, said control means for interpreting information stored in said first and third memory means and for calling predetermined information from said second memory means.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control system for automated parametric test equipment

Life of this patent

Control system for automated parametric test equipment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14