Apparatus and method for testing integrated circuits
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorThomas J. Aton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for testing an integrated circuit (12) generally comprises an input pad (14) and output pad (15) having photo-sensitive sensors (20, 46) formed thereon for eliminating the need to come into direct contact with a probe card for testing the integrity of an integrated circuit.
Claims18
An integrated circuit having photon-activated signal elements for testing the integrity of an active portion of said integrated circuit, which comprises;
- an output pad for receiving a first electrical signal from said active portion of said integrated circuit;
- and
- an electro-optic receiving element connected to said output pad for sensing a second electrical signal based upon said first electrical signal for testing the integrity of said integrated circuit with physical contact with an external circuit.
An integrated circuit having an input sensor and output sensor contained thereon which are activated by photon signals for testing the integrity of the integrated circuit, which comprises:
- a photon-activated element connected to the input sensor for detecting photon signals and converting the photon signals to first electronic signals;
- and
- an electro-optic receiving element connected to the output sensor for sensing second electron signals based on said first electronic signals for testing the integrity of the integrated circuit without physical contact to an external circuit.
A system for testing an integrated circuit, which comprises:
- circuitry for supplying a photon test signal;
- an input pad formed in the integrated circuit;
- a photon-activated element connected to said input pad for detecting photon signals and converting said photon signals to a first electronic signal which is supplied to said integrated circuit;
- an output pad formed in said integrated circuit for receiving a second electronic signal based upon said first electronic signal from said integrated circuit;
- an electro-optic receiving element connected to said output pad;
- circuitry for receiving said electronic signal to determine the integrity of said integrated circuit without physical contact to said integrated circuit.
A method for testing an integrated circuit comprising the steps of:
- sending a photon source to a photo-activated element contained on the integrated circuit;
- sensing said photon source at an input pad;
- converting said photon source to electrical signals;
- transmitting said electrical signals through the integrated circuit;
- detecting the presence of said electrical signal at an output pad by applying a photon beam source to said output pad without physically contacting said integrated circuit, and
- analyzing said signal to determine the integrity of the integrated circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.