Instruments complement sockets, systems, and software

Offerings at Semicon West included test sockets, RF and digital instruments, compact test systems, complete test cells, and software focused on yield management, failure analysis, characterization, and design for manufacture.

Aries Electronics updated its line-up of test and burn-in sockets, debuting a 6.5-mm center-probe test socket, CSP/BGA sockets with pitches down to 0.3 mm, and a CSP/MicroBGA socket that accommodates devices up to 6 mm2.

Teradyne highlighted five products it has introduced during 2008, including the UltraWave 12G 12-GHz RF instrument, the 800-Mbps UltraPin800 128-digital-pin instrument, the small-footprint 12-slot UltraFLEX-HD test system, the D750Ex LCD driver test system, and the Magnum II system—from the company's recently acquired Nextest business unit—for flash and embedded-memory test.

Keithley Instruments introduced Keithley Test Environment Interactive (KTEI) V7.1 software for the company's Model 4200-SCS semiconductor characterization system. The upgrade broadens the capabilities of the Model 4200-CVU (capacitance-voltage unit), offering software support for characterizing higher-power semiconductor devices at up to 200 VDC (or 400-V differential) and up to 300 mA. The company also announced an expansion of its Series 3700 system switch/multimeter and plug-in card family (see p. 55).

National Instruments invited Credence Systems to its booth to demonstrate the use of modular instruments in semiconductor test applications. The companies demonstrated a Credence ASL 100 system that integrates an NI PCI-5122 high-speed digitizer to acquire audio and video signals. The digitizer plugs into the ASL's PCI backplane; an external ASL-generated clock signal provides synchronization.

Advantest emphasized RF test, highlighting its 12-GHz quad-core monolithic RF module integrated into a T2000 LS mainframe; a M4841 handler and multisite load board completed the company's full RF test-cell approach. In addition, via a remote connection to its facility in Gunma, Japan, the company demonstrated quad-site test of a WiMAX device.

Magma Design Automation offered enhancements to its Knights Camelot CAD navigation system, including an option enabling failure-analysis engineers to perform design-rule checking in a fab. Also, Magma said it has worked with Mentor Graphics to link Camelot with Mentor's YieldAssist test-failure-diagnostic engine. In addition, Magma said that Zyvex will include Camelot as an option on its nProber nanoprobing system. Magma also announced it has added new bitmap defect-analysis capability to its Knights YieldManager software, and it announced new versions of Knights LogicMap and IntensityMap.

Verigy engineers were on hand to describe the company's Inovys Silicon Debug technology (based on technology obtained with the acquisition of Inovys) to address the need for more efficient debug to accelerate time to volume production of new system-on-chip (SOC) devices. Verigy's new approach combines Inovys FaultInsyte software with the Verigy V93000 SOC test system.

Synopsys highlighted its manufacturing products, describing a yield-management-activity matrix with predictive, corrective, and diagnostic functions spanning design, manufacture, and test.

Inspection products were also on display. For example, Viscom exhibited its MX100IR desktop automatic wafer-inspection system. Surface Imaging Systems introduced its NanoStation 300, which augments atomic force microscopy with optical inspection. KLA-Tencor, at the co-located InterSolar North America show, highlighted its surface-metrology capabilities applicable to solar-power applications. The Machine-Vision & Inspection Test Report in our October issue will highlight additional inspection products from Semicon West.