Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Hanxi Chen

Bidyut Kanti Sen

Deviprasad Malladi

Steven R Boyle

Shahid S Ansari

A method and system providing for electrical testing of an integrated semiconductor substrate having at least two signal processing layers. The substrate may be provided with a protective layer of plastic, silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride or the like. A selected region of one substrate layer to be tested electrically is exposed by etching or otherwise forming a controllably small aperture any overlying substrate layer(s) away to expos at least one selected circuit trace in the selected region and applying a selected electrical signal to the trace. Optionally, a second aperture, spaced apart from the first aperture, can be formed to expose a second selected circuit trace so that propagation of a signal in one or more substrate circuits can be tested. The aperture cross-sectional shapes may be linear or curvilinear polygons or other suitable shapes.

Efficient device debug system

A method for providing for electrical testing of an integrated semiconductor substrate having at least two signal processing layers. The substrate may be provided with a protective layer of plastic, silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride or the like. A selected region of one substrate layer to be tested electrically is exposed by etching or otherwise forming a controllably small aperture any overlying substrate layer(s) away to expose at least one selected circuit trace in the selected region and applying a selected electrical signal to the trace. Optionally, a second aperture, spaced apart from the first aperture, can be formed to expose a second selected circuit trace so that propagation of a signal in one or more substrate circuits can be tested. The aperture cross-sectional shapes may be linear or curvilinear polygons or other suitable shapes.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Hanxi Chen