Best in Test Finalists: Semiconductor test
-- Test & Measurement World, 12/22/2008 2:00:00 AM
→ Automated Contact Resistance Socket Tester (CR-2600), Antares Advanced Test Technologies
→ EDGE Flicker Noise Measurement System, Cascade Microtech
→ MT2168 Pick and Place Service, Multitest elektronische Systeme
→ Protocol Aware Test System, Konrad
→ Turnkey RF Test Cell, Advantest
→ UltraWave 12G Test Instrument, Teradyne
Automated Contact Resistance Socket Tester (CR-2600)
Antares Advanced Test Technologies
www.antares-att.com
Since IC test engineers typically do not work with pin-specific Cres (contact resistance) data during verification and production, they often encounter increased ATE downtimes, shorter socket lifespan, and prolonged root-cause analysis of IC failures and signal degradation. The regular measurement of socket Cres using the CR-2600 automated contact-resistance socket tester provides the necessary data to conduct socket verification, preventative socket maintenance, and failure analysis to eliminate or establish a socket as the root-cause problem. Users can identify the level of electrical resistance on each contact in a socket array and measure the effects of pin oxidization, contamination, and wear that cause signal degradation and intermittent device failures.
A dummy device is placed into a test socket that is mounted on a custom adapter board, which mimics the socket’s load-board footprint and is connected to the base unit. The unit relays Cres data to a PC running companion software, with a GUI displaying a color-coded matrix representing each contact and programmed electrical-resistance thresholds. Test engineers can perform statistical analysis of resistance to gauge socket performance and contact degradation over time, as well as compare sockets and establish new resistance thresholds based on performance.
The CR-2600 Cres socket tester typically costs $22,500.
EDGE Flicker Noise Measurement System
Cascade Microtech
www.cascademicrotech.com
With the cost of developing each new semiconductor manufacturing process node escalating dramatically and time-to-market pressures increasing, there is no room for error in measuring critical parameters such as flicker noise. The EDGE system provides accurate flicker noise measurements up to 30 MHz with low background noise, typically less than 1.2 nV/√Hz at 100 kHz and above. The wide frequency range and low background noise of the EDGE allow users to increase device performance, command higher margins, and reduce time to market using one fully integrated measurement system.
Conventional systems bolt together system elements from as many as five different vendors, including prober, software, IV meter, MCU, and DSA. In contrast, the EDGE seamlessly integrates a probe station, instruments, software, and accessories, eliminating the need for custom fixturing or instrumentation.
In addition, the EDGE lets you switch between flicker and DC measurements with push-button automation, providing both sets of measurements, over temperature, in one system. This eliminates risky transfer of the wafer from one measurement station to another and removes the risk of error associated with reconfiguring bolted-together solutions to change their functionality.
MT2168 Pick and Place Service
Multitest elektronische Systeme
www.multitest.com
The MT2168 pick and place handler is configurable in both the number of contact sites (up to 16) and contact arrangement, making it 100% compatible with existing load boards. What’s more, the MT2168 minimizes the waiting time of the tester to the real index time, ranging from 0.38 s in single mode to 0.024 s in X16 mode.
Dedicated for use in hot ambient environments, the handler accommodates various package types and pitches through the use of conversion kits. Converting from one package type to another typically requires less than 10 min for one person and is simplified through the use of plug-and-play procedures. The MT2168 handles BGA, QFN, and QFP packages; thin and small devices (3.0x3.0x0.3 mm); high pin counts; and contact pitches of 0.3 mm or higher.
To increase productivity, the M2168 reduces the internal pick-and-place handling steps to just five transitions, compared to eight to 10 transitions for other handlers. The base system is specified for an ambient operating temperature of +155°C standard or +175°C optional. Test site temperature accuracy is to within ±1.0°C after kit-specific calibration.
Prices range from 120,000 euros to 300,000 euros.
Protocol Aware Test System
Konrad
www.konrad-technologies.de
Konrad’s protocol-aware test system performs parallel device testing using asynchronous communication. Test engineers establish communication by modifying and re-using existing protocols.
Adjustable electrical parameters, such as frequency, amplitude, and modulation index, define device stimuli. These stimuli contain modulated logical information that respond to device communication in real time. With the parallel test method, device responses are handled individually. Unlike conventional ATE systems, the device-dependent communication of the protocol-aware test system uses the device as the master and the test system as the slave.
The platform is based on the PXI architecture and Konrad’s terminal modules. This scalable platform allows easy integration of standard, off-the-shelf analog, digital, and mixed-signal resources, as well as source and measurement units. Terminal modules include built-in protocol-based functionalities and debug support. Engineers can visually analyze protocols with receiver signals in analog and logical views. Plug-in modules and terminal modules carry crypto-graphical engines securing the user IP.
All instruments are integrated in the ABex (Analog Bus Extension for PXI), a small mainframe that comes equipped with a device-docking interface that satisfies volume production requirements. It is also reconfigurable to allow for changes in volume production requirements or engineering work.
Turnkey RF Test Cell
Advantest
www.advantest.com
Advantest’s RF test cell comprises the T2000 LS mainframe configured with a new 12-GHz quad-core monolithic test module and integrated with the M4841 handler. The test cell employs a daughterboard interface for parallel testing and, according to the manufacturer, offers the industry’s only single-vendor, quad-site parallel testing environment.
Each of the air-cooled module’s 32 RF pins has access to vector signal generation and vector signal analysis, supporting 40 MHz of complex modulation bandwidth. The high RF pin density of the module enables it to address multiple DUTs (devices under test), multiband transceivers, and MIMO device architectures. By integrating the tester and handler into the test cell with a low-noise parallel interface, the turnkey system optimizes performance, maintainability, functionality, and throughput, as well as cost of ownership.
In addition to 32 12-GHz ports routed to four vectored sources and receivers, the test cell offers other advantages for semiconductor designers, manufacturers, and assembly test companies, including scalability to 128 RF ports and 16 vectored sources and receivers. It also leverages the OPENSTAR open test system architecture and a compact ATE footprint.
Test cell prices start at $1 million, including software.
UltraWave 12G Test Instrument
Teradyne
www.teradyne.com
The rapidly increasing demand for mobile phones and portable entertainment devices that support many wireless interfaces has manufacturers combining multiple radios and core functions into a single chip. The universal port architecture of the UltraWave 12G wireless test instrument provides 12-GHz source and measurement capabilities with a uniform test capability on every port.
With up to 64 universal RF ports per instrument set and multiple instruments per system, UltraWave delivers efficient parallel octal-site test without the need for complex DIB (device interface board) circuitry for high-port-count devices, such as WEDGE transceivers and multistandard combo devices. UltraWave covers the entire spectrum of current and emerging connectivity and cellular technologies, including WLAN, Bluetooth, and 3G cellular, as well as emerging standards like 4G cellular, WiMAX, and UWB.
The UltraWave 12G incorporates Teradyne’s TVS synthesizer technology, providing the fastest settling time and lowest phase noise of any ATE wireless instrument, according to the manufacturer. It features one DSP per receiver (with calculations performed in less than 20 µs) and is designed to perform full system-level modulation testing with virtually no test time overhead for data transfer and processing.
System configurations including the UltraWave 12G start at $600,000.
| Go back to the complete list of Best in Test finalists. |
Test-system development: Do everything first
01/31/2005RF tests join SOC ATE
04/01/2002Avoiding the pitfalls of road testing
01/31/2004Show Highlights
09/01/2007
-
FLIR offers IR camera for under $3000
-
Don't let the economy compromise quality (Guest commentary)
-
Danaher speeds up restructuring, acquires life-sciences businesses
-
Agilent’s Cover-Extend technology eliminates need for physical test points for in-circuit test
-
So many combinations: Testing a switch-matrix board
View All Webcasts
