Stacked Test Board for Simultaneous DUT Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current test boards face challenges in efficiently supporting and testing multiple Devices Under Test (DUTs) simultaneously, leading to reduced productivity in semiconductor apparatus testing processes.
Innovation Solution
A test board design featuring a first board with multiple sockets and inter-board connectors that allow for the stacking of additional boards, enabling simultaneous testing of multiple DUTs by electrically connecting them through conductive layers and vias, with decoupling capacitors to manage power signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple DUTs are mounted on a single test board, then the number of devices tested simultaneously increases, but the board complexity and difficulty of signal routing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The test board is divided into multiple separate boards, each capable of supporting individual DUTs. These boards are connected through inter-board connectors, allowing the system to test multiple DUTs simultaneously while maintaining manageable complexity on each individual board.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional layout (multiple DUTs on a single plane) to a three-dimensional stacked configuration. Multiple boards are vertically stacked and connected through inter-board connectors, enabling increased DUT capacity without proportionally increasing the footprint or signal routing complexity on any single board.
2Productivity
If more DUTs are tested simultaneously, then productivity improves, but the electrical connection complexity between boards increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection system is segmented into modular inter-board connectors. Each connector handles a specific set of signals between adjacent boards, reducing the overall complexity compared to a monolithic connection system. This modular approach allows for easier manufacturing, testing, and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The inter-board connectors are designed with universal functionality to handle multiple signal types (power, ground, test signals) through a standardized interface. This multi-functionality reduces the number of different connector types needed and simplifies the overall electrical connection architecture across multiple boards.
3Productivity
If boards are stacked vertically to increase DUT capacity, then space utilization improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment features and positioning structures are pre-designed and pre-positioned on the boards before stacking. These preliminary structural arrangements guide the stacking process and ensure proper alignment, reducing the actual precision requirements during final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Mechanical alignment features act as intermediaries between stacked boards, providing physical guidance and positioning. These features mediate the stacking process by ensuring proper relative positioning without requiring extreme precision from the stacking operation itself.
Data Source
AI summary
A test board for testing a semiconductor apparatus includes a first board configured to support a plurality of first Devices Under Test (DUTs) such that the plurality of first DUTs are mounted on the first board, a plurality of first inter-board connectors arranged on the first board, and a plurality of second boards stacked on the first board through the plurality of first inter-board connectors, each second board of the plurality of second boards having a surface configured to support a separate second DUT of a plurality of second DUTs such that the plurality of second DUTs are mounted on separate, respective second boards of the plurality of second board.