Method of sorting a group of integrated circuit devices for those devices requiring special testing

A method of manufacturing integrated circuit (IC) devices from semiconductor wafers, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of semiconductor wafers;
• fabricating a plurality of IC's on each of the wafers;
• causing each of the IC's on each of the wafers to permanently store an identification (ID) code;
• separating each of the IC's on each of the wafers from its wafer to form one of a plurality of IC dice;
• assembling each of the IC dice into an IC device;
• storing data in association with the ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices that indicates each of the IC devices requires one of first and second testing processes;
• automatically reading the ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices;
• accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code associated with each of the plurality of IC devices;
• sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process;
• and
• testing the sorted IC devices using the first and second testing processes.

A method of manufacturing Multi-Chip Modules (MCM's) from semiconductor wafers, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of semiconductor wafers;
• fabricating a plurality of IC's on each of the wafers;
• causing each of the IC's on each of the wafers to permanently store an identification (ID) code;
• separating each of the IC's on each of the wafers from its wafer to form one of a plurality of IC dice;
• assembling the IC dice into a plurality of MCM's;
• storing data in association with the ID code associated with each of the IC dice in each of the plurality of MCM's that indicates each of the MCM's requires one of first and second testing processes;
• automatically reading the ID code associated with each of the IC dice in each of the plurality of MCM's;
• accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code associated with each of the IC dice in each of the plurality of MCM's;
• sorting the MCM's in accordance with the accessed data into those MCM's requiring the first testing process and those MCM's requiring the second testing process;
• and
• testing the sorted MCM's using the first and second testing processes.

A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices undergoing standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:

• storing data in association with the ID code of each of the IC devices that indicates each of the IC devices requires one of special testing and standard testing;
• automatically reading the ID code of each of the IC devices;
• accessing the data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of each of the IC devices;
• and
• sorting the IC devices during the standard test procedures in accordance with the accessed data for those IC devices requiring special testing.

A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices undergoing standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:

• storing fabrication deviation data in association with the ID code of at least one of the IC devices that indicates the at least one of the IC devices requires special testing;
• automatically reading the ID code of the at least one of the IC devices;
• accessing the fabrication deviation data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the IC devices;
• and
• sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data for the at least one of the IC devices requiring special testing.

A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for separating IC devices requiring special testing from a group of IC devices that have undergone standard test procedures, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:

• storing data in association with the ID code of at least one of the IC devices that indicates the at least one of the IC devices requires special testing;
• automatically reading the ID code of the at least one of the IC devices;
• accessing the data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the IC devices;
• and
• sorting the IC devices in accordance with the accessed data for the at least one of the IC devices requiring special testing.

A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for using special test data generated by a first group of IC devices undergoing special testing to sort a second group of IC devices into those requiring the special testing and those requiring standard testing, the IC devices being of the type having an identification (ID) code, the method comprising:

• storing data in association with the ID code of at least one of the second group of IC devices indicating the at least one of the second group of IC devices requires special testing;
• storing special test data generated by the first group of IC devices in association with the ID code of the at least one of the second group of IC devices indicating the at least one of the second group of IC devices previously indicated to require special testing instead requires standard testing;
• automatically reading the ID code of the at least one of the second group of IC devices;
• accessing the data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of the at least one of the second group of IC devices;
• and
• sorting the second group of IC devices in accordance with the accessed data so the at least one of the second group of IC devices undergoes standard testing.

A method in an integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process for sorting a first group of IC devices of the type having an identification (ID) code into those IC devices requiring a first testing process and those IC devices requiring a second testing process, the method comprising:

• storing data generated by a second group of IC devices in association with the ID code of each of the first group of IC devices that indicates each of the first group of IC devices requires one of the first and second testing processes;
• automatically reading the ID code of each of the first group of IC devices;
• accessing the testing process requirement data stored in association with the automatically read ID code of each of the first group of IC devices;
• and
• sorting the IC devices in the first group in accordance with the accessed data into those IC devices requiring the first testing process and those IC devices requiring the second testing process.