US 9,002,673 B2 · Simultaneous testing of semiconductor components on a wafer

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to simultaneously, wirelessly test semiconductor components formed on a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor components transmit respective outcomes of a self-contained testing operation to wireless automatic test equipment via a common communication channel. Multiple receiving antennas observe the outcomes from multiple directions in three dimensional space. The wireless automatic test equipment determines whether one or more of the semiconductor components operate as expected and, optionally, may use properties of the three dimensional space to determine a location of one or more of the semiconductor components. The wireless testing equipment may additionally determine performance of the semiconductor components by detecting infrared energy emitted, transmitted, and/or reflected by the semiconductor wafer before, during, and/or after a self-contained testing operation.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A wireless automatic test equipment for substantially simultaneously testing a plurality of semiconductor components formed onto a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a receiver module configured to receive a plurality of testing operation outcomes from the plurality of semiconductor components to provide a plurality of recovered testing outcomes, the plurality of testing operation outcomes indicating outcomes of their respective semiconductor components in performing a testing operation;
a metric measurement module configured to determine a plurality of signal metrics of the plurality of recovered testing outcomes;
and
a testing processor configured to determine a group of semiconductor components from among the plurality of semiconductor components whose outcomes are similar based upon the plurality of recovered testing outcomes and to determine a location of the group of semiconductor components within the semiconductor wafer based upon the plurality of signal metrics;
and
a plurality of receiving antennas, coupled to the receiver module, configured to observe the plurality of testing operation outcomes from a plurality of directions in three dimensional space.

3 more elements

A semiconductor component formed on a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a testing module configured to store a first self-contained testing operation;
a first integrated circuit under test configured to provide an indication of operability in response to executing the first self-contained testing operation, the indication of operability indicating whether the first integrated circuit under test operates as expected, and the first integrated circuit under test further configured to execute the first self-contained testing operation concurrently with a second integrated circuit disposed on the semiconductor wafer executing a second self-contained testing operation;
and
a transceiver module configured to encode the indication of operability in accordance with a multiple access transmission scheme, and further configured to wirelessly transmit the indication of operability to a wireless receiver in an automatic tester, concurrently with a wireless transmission from the second integrated circuit to the wireless receiver in the automatic tester, indicating the operability of the second integrated circuit;
wherein the first integrated circuit is further configured to execute the first self-contained testing operation in response to the transceiver module wirelessly receiving an initiate testing signal from a wireless transmitter in the automatic tester.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Simultaneous testing of semiconductor components on a wafer

Life of this patent

Simultaneous testing of semiconductor components on a wafer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26