ATE module aims to spot nanometre-scale defects

The QT-1410 is a novel digital transient current monitor module that aims to increase IC test coverage while reducing test cost and time to volume.

The scaling down of IC manufacturing technologies to ever-smaller geometries results in a shift of the dominant defect type from short circuits to open circuits.

Anticipating the growing importance of new types of defects (such as resistive vias) as well as the strong demand of the semiconductor market for more advanced test solutions and strategies, Q-Star Test has released a new measurement module that enables a quick and easy application of transient supply current (Iddt) tests in a production test environment and that as well provides a solution to quickly detect resistive vias and other open defect related manufacturing problems.

The QT-1410 advanced Iddt monitor is a fast and sensitive digital transient supply current monitor designed as an ATE addon.

The QT-1410 is tester independent and can be used in combination with any ATE available on the market.

It is the first simple-to-use Iddt monitoring solution available on the market, and is equally applicable to engineering and production applications.

The QT-1410 can be configured for measurement ranges ranging from 10mA up to 100A and combines a 50Msample/s sampling rate with a 10MHz input bandwidth, a 3MHz maximal measurement repetition rate, a minimal measurement window of 20ns (20ms maximum), a 5uA (at 10mA) current measurement resolution, and a 0.1pC (at 10mA range) charge resolution.

The monitor is equipped with onboard processing capabilities and memory.

The QT-1410 is able to measure simultaneously charge and peak values.

The module has a simple three-wire serial interface for configuring and collecting measurement data and the supporting driver package simplifies the integration of the monitor control in the test program.

Depending on application constraints, the QT-1410 is configured for use as either as a serial or as a parallel measurement device.

The serial application allows high-speed high-resolution measurements and is suited for measurement ranges up to 500mA, reduced capacitive loading and DUT supply voltages in the -7 to +7V range.

The parallel application targets measurement ranges above 500mA and/or DUT supply voltages up to 50V, supporting for example automotive IC applications.

Without the need for any supporting components and thanks to its DIL footprint, the QD-1410 can be easily integrated on a probe card or load or DUT board for application during wafer or final test.

The QT-1410's unique design ensures transparency to both the ATE and the device under test (DUT) and does not affect the execution of any other test.

When inserted in the DUT supply path (serial application), the QT-1410 causes only a negligible voltage drop.

When used as a parallel device the module itself causes no voltage drop and does not affect the DUT supply level or its operation.

"Our new Iddt monitor solution will help IC manufacturers to improve and optimise their test flows for deep submicron and nanotechnologies, offers a cost effective way to cope with DSM and nano test problems and provides a faster and easier way to screen out devices with opens and resistive via problems.

Combined with our advanced Iddq measurement solutions, we are now offering a solution that covers the complete current spectrum and guarantees a high defect coverage for multi-million-gate components at minimal test efforts and costs.

Iddt testing also offers a proper alternative for complex timing and delay tests", says Dr Hans Manhaeve, President and CEO of Q-Star Test.

The standard price for the QT-1410 monitor module, consisting of the measurement hardware as well as customer specific firmware (test strategy related), is set to Eur 2990 per piece.

Quantity discounts will be related to the number of ordered devices over a predefined period.

Q-Star Test Products will be on display this week at DATE 2004 in Paris at the DSP Valley Booth - booth 4100.

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