Motorola Corporation

Edward C Dasse

James H Carlquist

Kenneth J Long

Thomas R Yarbrough

Alfredo Figueroa

Walid S Ballouli

Charles F Toewe

Robert W Bollish

Kelvin L Holub

Marcus R Burton

Shih K Cheng

Lawrence J Day

Donald R Kost

Wafer level testing of a wafer (500) is accomplished by dividing the integrated circuits of the wafer into a plurality of segmented bus regions (514, 516, and 518 for example). Each bus region is formed having its own set of test conductors (520-530) wherein each set of test conductors are isolated from all other sets of test conductors on the wafer. Each test conductor has at least one contact pad (531-546) where each contact pad lies within a periphery of the integrated circuits' active areas. By forming pads over ICs and by sub-dividing the bus structure of test conductive lines, more high powered ICs can be tested in a wafer-level manner with fewer problems associated with speed, power, throughput, and routing problems.

Apparatus for performing wafer-level testing of integrated circuits

Wafer level testing of a wafer (500) is accomplished by dividing the integrated circuits of the wafer into a plurality of segmented bus regions (514, 516, and 518 for example). Each bus region is formed having its own set of test conductors (520-530) wherein each set of test conductors are isolated from all other sets of test conductors on the wafer. Each test conductor has at least one contact pad (531-546) where each contact pad lies within a periphery of the integrated circuits' active areas. By forming pads over ICs and by sub-dividing the bus structure of test conductive lines, more high powered ICs can be tested in a wafer-level manner with fewer problems associated with speed, power, throughput, and routing problems. In addition, all contact pads are formed within the periphery of the ICs but no contact pads are formed over active circuitry so that yield is improved.

A semiconductor wafer (20) having integrated circuit dice (22), wafer conductors (42-47, 50-53), and wafer contact pads (38) formed thereon. The wafer conductors (42-47, 50-53) are used to transfer electrical signals to and from the integrated circuit dice (22) on semiconductor wafer (20) so that wafer level testing and burn-in can be performed on the integrated circuit dice (22). In accordance with one embodiment of the present, each wafer conductor (45, 52) is electrically coupled to the same bonding pad (78) on each integrated circuit dice (22). Each wafer conductor (42-47, 50-53) includes at least a portion of conductor (42-47) which overlies the upper surface of at least one integrated circuit dice (22).

Apparatus for performing wafer level testing of integrated circuit dice

Method and apparatus for performing wafer level testing of integrated

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Edward C Dasse