High power radio frequency (RF) in-line wafer testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9599657-B2
Application number	US-201313733507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2013
Priority date	Jan 3, 2013
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

Approaches for performing in line wafer testing are provided. An approach includes a method that includes generating a radio frequency (RF) test signal, and applying the RF test signal to a device under test (DUT) in a wafer using a buckling beam probe set with a predefined pitch. The method also includes detecting an output RF signal from the DUT in response to the applying the RF test signal to the DUT, and sensing at least one frequency component of the detected output RF signal.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of performing wafer testing, comprising:
generating a radio frequency (RF) test signal;
applying the RF test signal to a device under test (DUT) in a wafer using a buckling beam probe set with a predefined pitch;
detecting an output RF signal from the DUT in response to the applying the RF test signal to the DUT; and
sensing at least one frequency component of the detected output RF signal,
wherein the generating the RF test signal comprises:
generating an RF signal;
amplifying the RF signal using an RF power amplifier; and
inputting the amplified RF signal to a triplexes connected between the RF power amplifier and a probe interface board (PIB) that is operatively connected to the buckling beam probe set.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wafer testing comprises in-line/kerf testing.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying the RF test signal to the DUT comprises contacting the buckling beam probe set to a contact location in a kerf region of the wafer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the applying the RF test signal to the DUT is performed in-line during manufacturing of the wafer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging the buckling beam probe set in a probe interface board having a predefined pitch twice of that of a predefined kerf probing pad pitch.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging the buckling beam probe set at only every other pad location of a predefined kerf probing pad set.

7. A system for in-line wafer testing, comprising:
a probe interface board (PIB) operatively connected to a buckling beam probe set that is configured to contact a device under test (DUT) in a wafer via a kerf region of the wafer, wherein a predefined pitch of the buckling beam probe set is greater than a minimum pad pitch of a predefined kerf probing pad set;
a signal generating system that supplies a radio frequency (RF) test signal to the buckling beam probe set;
a signal detecting system that receives an output RF signal from the DUT based on the RF test signal being applied to the DUT; and
a processing system that processes data from the signal detecting system and provides control signals to the signal generating system,
wherein the signal generating system comprises:
an RF signal source;
an RF power amplifier; and
a triplexer connected between the RF power amplifier and the PIB.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the signal detecting system comprises:
a power splitter;
a fundamental frequency band pass filter connected to a first output of the power splitter; and
a fundamental frequency RF sensor connected to the fundamental frequency band pass filter.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the signal detecting system further comprises:
a second harmonic frequency band pass filter connected to a second output of the power splitter;
a second harmonic frequency RF sensor connected to the second harmonic frequency band pass filter;
a third harmonic frequency band pass filter connected to a third output of the power splitter; and
a third harmonic frequency RF sensor connected to the third harmonic frequency band pass filter.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the signal detecting system comprises:
a power splitter;
a fundamental frequency band pass filter connected to a first output of the power splitter;
an RF power meter connected to the fundamental frequency band pass filter;
a second and third harmonic frequency band pass filter connected to a second output of the power splitter; and
a spectrum analyzer connected to the second and third harmonic frequency band pass filter.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the signal detecting system comprises:
a triplexer that passes a fundamental frequency of the output RF signal through a first port, a second harmonic frequency of the output RF signal through a second port, and a third harmonic frequency of the output RF signal through a third port;
a first RF detector connected to the first port of the triplexer;
a second RF detector connected to the second port of the triplexer; and
a third RF detector connected to the third port of the triplexer.

12. A system for conducting in-line wafer testing, comprising:
a probe interface board (PIB) connected to a buckling beam probe set that is structured and arranged to contact a device under test (DUT) in an interstitial region of a wafer;
a first signal generator that generates a radio frequency (RF) test signal;
a power amplifier that amplifies a power of the RF test signal;
a first triplexer connected between the power amplifier and the PIB; and
a second triplexer connected between the PIB and at least one RF detector, wherein the at least one RF detector is structured and arranged to detect at least one frequency component of an output RF signal based on the RF test signal being applied to the DUT.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the first triplexer comprises a first port tuned for a main input signal, a second port tuned to terminate a blocker signal, and a third port tuned to pass an inter-modulation distortion test signal to be measured;
the second triplexer comprises a first port tuned to a fundamental frequency of the RF test signal, a second port tuned to a second harmonic frequency of the RF test signal, and a third port tuned to a third harmonic frequency of the RF test signal; and
the at least one RF detector comprises a first RF detector connected to the first port, a second RF detector connected to the second port, and a third RF detector connected to the third port.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a circulator connected between the PIB and the second triplexer.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a second RF signal generator connected to the circulator and that generates a second-tone RF signal for an inter-modulation distortion test or an insertion loss test.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising an RF down-converter with filtering and amplification connected to a port of the first triplexer.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a local oscillator signal source connected to the RF down-converter; and
an inter-modulation distortion text RF detector connected to the RF down-converter.

18. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a blocking element connected to another port of the first triplexer.

Assignees

• IBM
• Globalfoundries Inc

Inventors

• Ding Hanyi
• Ferrario John
• Green Barton E
• MOSS Stephen
• Slamani Mustapha

Classifications

• G01R31/26 Primary

  Testing of individual semiconductor devices (testing of photovoltaic devices H02S50/10; testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment {H10P74/00}) · CPC title

• G01R1/06772

  High frequency probes · CPC title

• G01R1/06766

  Input circuits therefor · CPC title