JP2010091450A - Probe card and method of using same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a probe card capable of desired actual operation test of a semiconductor device by means of an existing LSI tester even if both a low-speed test signal and a high-speed test signal are necessary. <P>SOLUTION: A low-speed test signal transmission control part 22 generates a predetermined low-speed test signal to be transmitted to the semiconductor device 4 based on an instruction from the LSI tester 3, and outputs the generated low-speed test signal to a first driver 23 with predetermined timing based on an output instruction from the tester 3. A high-speed test signal transmission control part 24 generates a predetermined high-speed test signal to be transmitted to the semiconductor device 4 based on an instruction from the LSI tester 3, and outputs the generated high-speed test signal to a second driver 25 in predetermined timing based on the output instruction from the LSI tester 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a probe card connected to an LSI tester (integrated circuit test apparatus).

Conventionally, this type of probe card is connected to an LSI tester and used to exchange electrical signals between the semiconductor device to be tested and the LSI tester (for example, Patent Document 1).
reference).
When conducting an electrical test of a semiconductor device, for example, a test signal (test signal) generated by an LSI tester using a probe card is supplied to the semiconductor device, and an output from the semiconductor device is supplied to the LSI tester via the probe card. . Then, the LSI tester compares the output from the semiconductor device with an expected value to determine whether the semiconductor device is good or bad.

Incidentally, in recent years, some semiconductor devices to be tested include a high-speed test signal (amplitude of 2) in addition to a low-speed test signal (for example, a low-speed differential signal having an amplitude of 1.2 [V]) as a test signal.
00 [mV] low-speed differential signal) may be necessary.
However, some conventional (existing) LSI testers cannot cope with the generation of such a low-speed test signal and a high-speed test signal and cannot perform a desired actual operation test of a semiconductor device. It was.
JP-A-5-276011

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to perform a desired actual operation test of a semiconductor device using an existing LSI tester even when both a low-speed test signal and a high-speed test signal are required. Is to provide a simple probe card.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object of the present invention, each aspect of the present invention has the following configuration.
A first aspect of the present invention is a probe card connected to an LSI tester, wherein the LS
First test signal generating means for generating a first test signal based on a command from the I tester, and generating a second test signal relatively faster than the first test signal based on the command from the LSI tester A first test signal generated by the first test signal generating means and a second test signal generated by the second test signal generating means are selectively output.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, when the first test signal and the second test signal are output at a predetermined timing, the first test signal and the second test signal are Output continuously.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the first test signal generating means generates the first test signal based on a data generation command from the LSI tester. A transmission control unit; and a first driver that transmits the first test signal generated by the first test signal transmission control unit, wherein the second test signal generation unit receives a data generation command from the LSI tester. A second test signal transmission control unit that generates the second test signal based on the second test signal, and a second driver that transmits the second test signal generated by the second test signal transmission control unit.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the first test signal transmission control unit is
Based on the output command, the first test signal generated by itself is output to the first driver at a predetermined timing, and the second test signal transmission controller is configured to output the first test signal based on the second output command. When the output of the signal to the first driver is completed, the second test signal generated by itself is output to the second driver following the completion of the output of the first test signal.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, each of the first output command and the second output command is obtained from the LSI tester.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using a probe card connected to an LSI tester, the first test signal generating means for generating and outputting a first test signal based on a command from the LSI tester. A second test signal generating means for generating and outputting a second test signal that is relatively faster than the first test signal based on a command from the LSI tester is mounted on the probe card; The first test signal generating means and the second test signal generating means are selectively used based on a command from the LSI tester.
According to the present invention having such a configuration, even when both a low-speed test signal and a high-speed test signal are required, an existing LSI tester is used to realize a desired actual operation test of a semiconductor device. There is a possibility.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
An outline of a probe card 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the probe card 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a transmission / reception module 2. The probe card 1 is connected to an existing LSI tester 3 via an electric cable (not shown) or the like, and signals can be exchanged with the LSI tester 3 by the transmission / reception module 2. Furthermore, the probe card 1 can be electrically connected to the semiconductor device 4 to be tested, and signals can be exchanged with the semiconductor device 4 by the transmission / reception module 2.
Here, signals exchanged between the transmission / reception module 2 and the LSI tester 3 are various data, various commands, various control signals, a clock, and the like.

Further, the semiconductor device 4 to be tested is, for example, a DSI (Displa) on a semiconductor chip.
y Serial Interface), and has a function capable of exchanging signals with the transmission / reception module 2.
The transmission / reception module 2 mounted on the probe card 1 includes a first test signal (hereinafter referred to as a low-speed test signal) and a second test signal that is relatively faster than the low-speed test signal based on a command from the LSI tester 3. (Hereinafter, referred to as a high-speed test signal) can be generated.
In addition, the transmission / reception module 2 selectively generates a low-speed test signal and a high-speed test signal (
When the low-speed test signal and the high-speed test signal are output in a predetermined order, both data can be output continuously.

Next, a specific configuration of the transmission / reception module 2 mounted on the probe card 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the transmission / reception module 2 includes an input / output interface 21, a low-speed test signal transmission control unit 22, a first driver 23, a high-speed test signal transmission control unit 24, a second driver 25, and a receiver 26. A collision detection unit 27, a low-speed test signal reception control unit 28,
It has.
The input / output interface 21 exchanges data and signals with the LSI tester 3. The low-speed test signal transmission control unit 22 generates a low-speed test signal to be transmitted to the semiconductor device 4 based on a command (data generation command) from the LSI tester 3, and generates a low-speed test signal to be generated based on the output command. Output to the driver 23. The first driver 23 transmits the low-speed test signal output from the low-speed test signal transmission control unit 22 toward the semiconductor device 4.

The high-speed test signal transmission control unit 24 generates a high-speed test signal to be transmitted to the semiconductor device 4 based on a command (data generation command) from the LSI tester 3, and generates a high-speed test signal to be generated based on the output command. Output to the driver 25. The second driver 25 transmits the high-speed test signal output from the high-speed test signal transmission control unit 24 toward the semiconductor device 4.
The receiver 26 receives a low speed test signal transmitted from the semiconductor device 4. The collision detection unit 27 detects the collision because the transmission data transmitted by the drivers 23 and 25 and the reception data received by the receiver 26 may collide. The low-speed test signal reception control unit 28
When the reception data of the receiver 26 is input and reception of the reception data is confirmed, the reception data is sent to the LSI tester 3. Further, when the collision detection unit 27 detects the above-described collision, the low-speed test signal reception control unit 28 discards the reception data of the receiver 26, for example.

Next, an operation example (use example) of the probe card 1 according to the embodiment having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
The low-speed test signal transmission control unit 22 mounted on the probe card 1 generates a predetermined low-speed test signal to be transmitted to the semiconductor device 4 based on a command from the LSI tester 3, and based on an output command from the LSI tester 3. The low-speed test signal generated at a predetermined timing
Output to the driver 23.
The first driver 23 transmits the low speed test signal output from the low speed test signal transmission control unit 22 to the semiconductor device 4. At this time, the low-speed test signal output from the first driver 23 is a differential signal as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The low-speed test signal is, for example, an amplitude (peak / peak
This is a low power signal having a peak value of 1.2 [V].

On the other hand, the high-speed test signal transmission control unit 24 generates a predetermined high-speed test signal to be transmitted to the semiconductor device 4 based on a command from the LSI tester 3, and based on an output command (output switching command) from the LSI tester 3. The high-speed test signal generated is output to the second driver 25 at a predetermined timing.
The second driver 25 transmits the high-speed test signal output from the high-speed test signal transmission control unit 24 to the semiconductor device 4. At this time, the high-speed test signal output from the second driver 25 is a differential signal as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The high-speed test signal is, for example, an amplitude (peak / peak
The peak value is a signal of 200 [mV].
Here, the high-speed test signal transmission control unit 24 outputs the high-speed test signal to the second driver 25 at a predetermined timing. The output timing is the first of the low-speed test signal from the low-speed test signal transmission control unit 22. Assume immediately after the output to the driver 23 is completed (see FIG. 3).

For this reason, the probe card 1 according to this embodiment can continuously output the low-speed test signal output from the first driver 23 and the high-speed test signal output from the second driver 25 (FIG. 3). The low-speed test signal and the high-speed test signal that are continuously output can be supplied to the semiconductor device 4 through the same transmission line.
After completing the transmission of the low-speed test signal and the high-speed test signal, the receiver 26 receives the low-speed test signal transmitted from the semiconductor device 4. The low-speed test signal reception control unit 28 inputs the reception data of the receiver 26, and when reception of the reception data is confirmed, sends the reception data to the LSI tester 3. The LSI tester 3 determines pass / fail of predetermined electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device 4 based on the received reception data.

As described above, according to the embodiment, when the low-speed test signal and the high-speed test signal are sequentially output, both data are continuously output and transmitted to the semiconductor device 4 to be tested. The desired actual operation test of the semiconductor device 4 can be performed using the LSI tester.
In the above embodiment, the case where the probe card 1 of FIG. 2 outputs the low-speed test signal first and subsequently outputs the high-speed test signal continuously has been described (see FIG. 3). However, instead of this, the probe card can output the high-speed test signal first, and then continuously output the low-speed test signal.

It is a figure explaining the outline | summary of embodiment of the probe card of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the specific structural example of embodiment. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a low-speed test signal and a high-speed test signal, and those waveform examples.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Probe card, 2 ... Transmission / reception module, 3 ... LSI tester, 4 ...
Semiconductor device 22... Low speed test signal transmission controller 23... First driver 24.
A high-speed test signal transmission control unit, 25... Second driver.

Claims (6)

A probe card connected to an LSI tester,
First test signal generation means for generating a first test signal based on a command from the LSI tester;
A second that is relatively faster than the first test signal based on a command from the LSI tester.
Second test signal generating means for generating a test signal,
The probe card, wherein the first test signal generated by the first test signal generation means and the second test signal generated by the second test signal generation means are selectively output. 2. The first test signal and the second test signal are continuously output when the first test signal and the second test signal are output at a predetermined timing.
Probe card as described in The first test signal generating means includes
A first test signal is generated based on a data generation command from the LSI tester.
A test signal transmission control unit;
A first driver that transmits the first test signal generated by the first test signal transmission control unit;
The second test signal generating means includes
A second test signal for generating the second test signal based on a data generation command from the LSI tester;
A test signal transmission control unit;
The probe card according to claim 1, further comprising: a second driver that transmits the second test signal generated by the second test signal transmission control unit. The first test signal transmission control unit outputs the first test signal generated by itself to the first driver at a predetermined timing based on a first output command,
The second test signal transmission control unit generates the second test signal generated by itself when the output of the first test signal to the first driver is completed based on a second output command. The probe card according to claim 3, wherein the probe card is output to the second driver following the completion of output. The probe card according to claim 4, wherein each of the first output command and the second output command is acquired from the LSI tester. A method of using a probe card connected to an LSI tester,
First test signal generation means for generating and outputting a first test signal based on a command from the LSI tester;
A second that is relatively faster than the first test signal based on a command from the LSI tester.
Second test signal generation means for generating and outputting a test signal;
Mounted on the probe card,
A method of using a probe card, wherein the first test signal generation means and the second test signal generation means are selectively used based on a command from the LSI tester.

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