Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Burn-In Screening Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor integrated circuit devices with analog and diagnostic circuits, wafer level burn-in (WLBI) processes face decreased activation rates and screening quality due to diagnostic circuit operation and increased costs from additional voltage application pins.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor integrated circuit device configuration with an analog circuit, diagnostic circuit, digital signal processing unit, voltage generation circuit, and switch circuit that generates and switches voltages to prevent diagnostic circuit operation during WLBI, improving DSP activation and burn-in quality without operating the diagnostic circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the diagnostic circuit is arranged in pair with the analog circuit to ensure high reliability, then the reliability of the analog circuit is improved, but the activation rate of the digital signal processing unit decreases and the quality of burn-in screening is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the diagnostic circuit's operational state changeable through a control signal. The diagnostic circuit is configured to be activated or deactivated based on whether a burn-in test is being performed, allowing the system to dynamically adjust its behavior to suit different operational modes. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the diagnostic circuit to be present for reliability but inactive during burn-in to maintain DSP activation rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter of the diagnostic circuit (its active/inactive state) based on the test mode. By controlling whether the diagnostic circuit functions or remains idle through a control signal, the system can maintain high reliability when needed while ensuring optimal DSP activation during burn-in screening. This parameter change allows the same hardware configuration to serve dual purposes without compromise.
2Ease of operation
If a voltage application pin is added to a WLBI jig to control the diagnostic circuit, then the diagnostic circuit operation can be controlled, but the cost of the WLBI jig increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control function from the external WLBI jig and relocates it to an internal control circuit on the chip itself. The control circuit uses existing internal signals (such as the pad release state or internal test mode signals) to automatically control the diagnostic circuit's operation. This eliminates the need for additional voltage application pins on the WLBI jig, reducing external equipment complexity and cost while maintaining full control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The diagnostic circuit control is made self-service by the chip's own internal logic. The chip automatically determines when to activate or deactivate the diagnostic circuit based on its own operational state or internal test mode signals, without requiring external control via additional pins. This self-service approach simplifies the WLBI jig design and reduces costs while maintaining precise control over the diagnostic circuit.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor integrated circuit device and an inspection method for a semiconductor integrated circuit device capable of improving burn-in screening quality by improvement in an activation rate of a DSP without operating a diagnostic circuit at the time of wafer level burn-in in a semiconductor integrated circuit device incorporating an analog circuit and the diagnostic circuit for the analog circuit are provided.