BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Aspects of the present invention are directed to semiconductor characterization. More specifically the present invention is directed to an apparatus, system and method for parallel and independent electrical characterization of a plurality of MOSFET devices with sub-millisecond (msec) time resolution. 
         [0002]    As semiconductor manufacturing decreases the size of the components on a wafer the number of components increases exponentially. As a result the number of components requiring testing per wafer has also increased. This may cause the test station to become a choke point in the manufacture of wafers. Therefore there is a need for a method, system and apparatus that permits testing of components at an increased rate. The alternative is for the percentage of components tested to be reduced potentially affecting the quality assurance of the line. 
         [0003]    Traditionally, electrical characterization of semiconductor devices (including inline and offline characterization of device parametrics and reliability) involves an extended matrix of test/stress conditions, and a reasonable sample size (e.g. 5 devices) for each condition is required for statistics. Such characterization is usually performed using a rack of electronics (including precision voltage sources, DVM&#39;s, a switch matrix, etc.) controlled by a central computer. 
         [0004]    In the case of wafer-level characterization, such test/stress is carried out using wafer probe stations where the semiconductor device(s) and the rack of test equipment is electrically couple through a set of probes. In the case of long-term (e.g. longer than a week) reliability characterization where it is not practical to use probe stations due to the huge time consumption, such test/stress is conducted by a module-level system where semiconductor devices from a plurality of silicon dies are electrically connected to the rack of test equipments through wire-bonding to a substrate which is plugged into a test socket. 
         [0005]    Note, however, that in both wafer-level and module-level cases described above, the test/stress condition is set by the test equipment attached to the probe set(s) (for wafer-level) or module(s) (for module-level). Therefore, the matrix of test/stress conditions need to be carried out one at a time (in serial), which significantly hinders the efficiency of characterization. Thus to accomplish the number of tests a design or quality engineer needs to run may take more time than is available or severely delay the delivery of parts. Another result may be to scale down the number of tests, potentially resulting in lower quality parts. 
         [0006]    Furthermore, it is becoming critical in recent advanced semiconductor technologies for very fast characterization (sub-msec) time resolution. As an example, certain semiconductor degradation mechanism (e.g. BTI, or bias temperature instability of MOSFET devices) shows fast recovery, which makes it challenging to accurately capture the electrical shift under test mode after removing the stress condition. Prior art characterization of multiple semiconductor devices is performed in a sequential approach using a switch matrix, and thus it is not possible to perform such fast characterization. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method for identifying defects not associated with trivial and/or known root causes in wafer processing is provided and includes performing defect inspection of a plurality of wafer designs, identifying defects in each of the plurality of designs as not being associated with a trivial and/or known root cause, determining a physical location on each design where each of the defects occurs and correlating the physical locations where each of the defects occurs with cell instances defined at those physical locations. 
         [0008]    In this invention, the Voltage-driven Intelligent Characterization Bench (VICB) architecture is disclosed to address the limitation of traditional semiconductor test/stress system. 
         [0009]    With the VICB architecture, as shown schematically in  FIG. 2 , characterization of each of the semiconductor devices is conducted by an independent Driver Channel which is capable of independently controlling stress, test, timing and rapid data acquisition. Therefore, each Driver Channel within a VICB is essentially an entirely independent semiconductor device characterization system. An individual semiconductor device to be tested is connected to an individual Driver Channel on a VICB through a set of probes on a probe station (for wafer-level); or through wire-bonding on a module and plugged into a socket (for module-level). A plurality of such semiconductor devices are then connected to a plurality of corresponding Driver Channels, and they can therefore be tested/stressed simultaneously and independently. Fast parallel device parametrics acquisition on a plurality of semiconductor devices with sub-msec time resolution can be achieved over an extended period of time. 
         [0010]    For implementing the disclosed VICB architecture,  FIG. 3  illustrates the block diagram of a single Driver Channel within a VICB as the preferred embodiment. In this example, each Driver Channel consists of two precision constant-voltage drivers, allowing, for example, for the driving of both the drain and gate of a MOSFET device. Instead of being set from external voltage sources, each of these precision constant-voltage drivers is set by its own independent DAC, which is programmed via a micro-controller using serial peripheral interfaces SPI 0  and SPI 1 . The precision constant-voltage drivers provide sense points for reading back the applied voltage and the current. These sense points are wired to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for data acquisition. The ADC provides the data back to the micro-controller via another serial peripheral interface SPI 2 . The micro-controller is clocked by an accurate temperature-compensated crystal oscillator, so that the timing of the measurements can be precisely defined. 
         [0011]    The specifics of the test/stress to be executed are defined by a computer which communicates with the micro-controller via a custom interface bus. The test/stress data is also sent back to this computer for storage over this same interface bus. Once the test has been thus defined and initiated, the micro-controller takes over and the testing is performed independently. At this point, the computer is used simply for data storage. 
         [0012]    This architecture allows a plurality of Driver Channels to be implemented without conflict for system resources because the Control Channel has everything it needs to execute the required stress. Also, since each Driver Channel is executing its own program independently, each of the semiconductor devices in the entire system can be tested/stressed independently in parallel with different conditions and procedures. Therefore, the system is capable of running a plurality of different experiments simultaneously and independently. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a prior art semiconductor characterization system; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor characterization system utilized by embodiments herein; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a driver channel as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart of an embodiment for receiving data from the voltage driver to the data storage device. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a detailed schematic of an embodiment of a voltage driver. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a schematic of an embodiment of the test connections to a DUT. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  illustrate flow charts of embodiments for the transfer of data from the voltage driver to the storage device. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  illustrates a flow chart for transferring test parameters from the storage device to the voltage driver. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    While the disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, wafers may contain multiple designs to accommodate manufacturing multiple products within the same wafer. As such, the present invention can be applied on wafers containing a plurality of designs. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular exemplary embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a prior art semiconductor characterization system. The system comprises a central controller  101 . Central controller  101  may be a personal computer, or other means capable of receiving data and sending test requests and/or parameters. Controller  101  provides a signal to and receives a signal from a test equipment rack  110 . The test equipment rack  110  comprises a voltage source  112 , a digital voltmeter  114  and a switch matrix  116 . The switch matrix  116  is electrically connected sets of probes or wire-bonds  120  to the devices under test (DUT)  131 - 134 . The switch matrix  116  electrically switches from one probe to another individually to test each of the DUTs  131 - 134 . This individual switching between DUTs limits the process time required for completing the test of the device. This testing method requires that each device be tested, the results be received before moving to the next DUT. As there may be several hundred DUTs that may require testing, it is clear that testing for a wafer will take an excessive amount of time. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a system embodying an embodiment of the applicant&#39;s invention. The system  200 , comprises a data storage system such as a personal computer  201 . While a personal computer is illustrated other systems or devices may be utilized such as a main frame or a system connected to an internal network or the internet. The personal computer  201  is utilized to store data received from Drivers  210  and in addition to provide test parameters to Drivers  210 . Drivers  210 , comprises a plurality of drivers  211 , through  21   i . The number of drivers  210  is limited only by the number of DUTs required to be tested. Drivers  210  are connected via a communication system  205 , a dual unidirectional 8-bit hand shaked data bus, illustrated further in  FIG. 3 . The Drivers  210  comprise a plurality of drivers  211 - 21   i  which are individually connected to a plurality of DUTs  231 - 23   i  via a plurality of probes or wire bonds  221 - 22   i . Each of the drivers  211 - 21   i  are capable of running the test parameters and recording the data for the individual DUT  211 - 21   i  it is connected to. This allows each of the drivers  211 - 21   i  to run their tests simultaneously and upon completion of their individual tests, provide the data to the personal computer or storage device  201 . The need for this improvement resulted in the design of a new novel communication methodology and a new and novel driver. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary driver channel  300  for an embodiment of the invention. The driver channel  300  comprises a first and a second voltage driver  302  and  304 , an analog to digital converter  306 , and a microcontroller  310 . Voltage driver  302  is electrically connected via a wire bond or probe  322  and  324  respectively to a DUT  350 . The voltages at the probe are sensed via sense probes  323  and  325  respectively. For the embodiment illustrated voltage driver  302  may be connected to a Drain of a transistor in DUT  350 . Voltage driver  304  may be connected to a gate of a transistor in DUT  350 . This will allow the drivers to stress the transistor in DUT  350 . Voltage drivers  302  and  304  receive the parameters of the test from microcontroller  310  via inputs  312  and  314  respectively. The drivers  302  and  304  provide both a current and voltage measurement or the results of the stress test to an analog to digital converter  306  via connections  316 ,  317 ,  318  and  319  respectively. The voltage driver may sense both the voltage and the current at each of the probes. The analog to digital converter  306  provides the results of the test in digital format to the microcontroller  310  via connection  320 . 
         [0026]    Microcontroller  310  comprises a memory  330 , a latch  333 , and a second latch  336 . The memory  330  may store the test parameters prior to providing them to voltage drivers  302  and  304 . In addition memory  330  stores the test results until they are provided via buffer  360  to the data storage device  350 . Latch  333  is connected to an output ready flag  362 , and an output read flag  364 . Latch  336  is connected to a test parameter ready flag  366  and a test parameter read flag  368 . The use of the flags shall be explained further in  FIGS. 4 ,  7  and  8 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart of an embodiment for collecting data from the voltage driver to the storage device. As discussed in  FIG. 2 , the connection between the storage device and the driver channels is a unidirectional 8-bit handshake data bus. Step  410  may be to start the method, step  420  may be to set i to 1, i represents a number for a DUT. For example in  FIG. 2  the DUTs were numbered  231  through  23   i , when i=1 being equivalent to  231 , and  23   i  is equivalent to the maximum number of DUTs. Step  430  is to determine if i&gt; than the maximum number of DUTs. If i&gt; is greater than the number on DUTs, is not true then the personal computer  201  of  FIG. 2  or storage device  350  of  FIG. 3  will move to Step  440 . If step  430  determines that i&gt; is greater than the number on DUTs, then step  480  is initiated to stop the process. Step  440  is to read the flag for the voltage driver testing the appropriate DUT. The output flag  362  of the voltage driver  300  will be set if data is ready to be read in the buffer  360 . If the flag  362  is not set then step  490  set&#39;s i=i+1 and initiates step  430 . If the flag  362  is set, then step  450  reads buffer  360  and step  460  sets flag  364  to indicate to the voltage driver  300  that the buffer has been read. Step  470  determines if the end of the record has been read. If not then step  440  is initiated, if the end of the record has been reached then step  490  is initiated. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a detailed schematic of an embodiment of a voltage driver. The voltage driver  500  optically isolates the inputs from the microprocessor from the DUT, this allows for more precise measurements. In addition the drivers may be set such that all of the socket pins (or wafer prober pins) to are tied to ground to minimize the possibility of damage to the DUT from electrostatic discharge. Inputs  312  or  314  of  FIG. 3  provide inputs from the microcontroller  310  to the driver  500 . The input is received by a digital to analog converter  510 . The output of the digital to analog converter  510  is provided to an operational amplifier (op amp)  520  which provide an output to instrumentation amp  522  and load selector  550 . Instrumentation amp  522  has two inputs which are set by load selector  550 . This allows the driver  500  to select the maximum output current of the circuit based on the DUT being tested. The output of instrumentation amp  522  is provided to op amp  524  and switch  555 . Switch  555  provides and output to the analog to digital convertor  306  of  FIG. 3 . The output is Vi or the current sensed. The output of op amp  524  is also provided to the analog to digital convertor  306 . 
         [0029]    To permit calibration and to allow the system to ground all of the connections to DUT, a series of optical switches  530 ,  532 ,  534 , and  536  are provided. The load selector  550  through optical switch  536  provides a voltage, Vforce  560 , to the DUT. In addition a ground  555  is provided to the DUT. The sensed voltage from the DUT is provided to instrumentation amp  526  to the analog to digital converter  306  of  FIG. 3 . In addition, the optical switches  530 ,  532 ,  534 , and  536  may be set such that Vsense  540  may be set to the same ground as Gsense  545  thereby grounding all of the connections to the DUT. The setting is to close switch  530  thereby connecting Gsense,  545  to ground and by closing switch  532 , thereby shorting Vsense  540  to ground. At the same time switches  534  and  536  are opened to open the connection to the inputs to Vforce  560 . This shall be clarified further in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a schematic of an embodiment of the test connections to a DUT  610 . A DUT  610  may comprise a transistor, with a drain  612 , a gate  614 , and a source  616 . A voltage force signal may be provided via connection  620  from a driver such as voltage driver  302  of  FIG. 3  through an input such as input  560  of  FIG. 5 , to the drain  612  of DUT  610 . A voltage force signal may be provided via connection  630  from a driver such as voltage driver  304  of  FIG. 3  through an input such as input  560  of  FIG. 5 , to the gate  614  of DUT  610 . Finally a ground force through an input such as input  555  of  FIG. 5  may be provided via a connection  640  to the source  616  of DUT  610 . In addition the voltages at the drain  612 , the gate  614  and the source  616  are provided via outputs  625 ,  635 , and  645 . For example output  625  or  635  may be provided to input  540  Vsense of  FIG. 5 . Output  645  may be provided to an input Gsense  545  of  FIG. 5 . By shorting outputs  625  and  635  to ground  645 , the complete loop is shorted, thereby preventing the build up of static electricity on the probes. The connections  620 ,  625 ,  630 ,  635 ,  640  and  645  may be provided as probes or wire bonds. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  illustrate flow charts of embodiments for the transfer of data from the voltage driver to the storage device.  FIG. 7A  illustrates the method for providing the data from the voltage driver to the storage device. Step  710  may be to enter data from the test program. Step  720  may be to load test data into the buffer, for example buffer  360  of  FIG. 3 . Step  730  may be to load the data into a transfer buffer. Step  740  may be to set the output ready flag as ready, such as output ready flag  362  of  FIG. 3  and have the storage device read the buffer. Step  750  may be to determine if the storage device  350  of  FIG. 3  set the output read flag  364  of  FIG. 3  after it has read the data in the buffer. When the data has been read step  760  determines if the end of the data record has been sent. If not, then step  730  is repeated, if the end of the record has been read, step  770  is for the microcontroller  310  to return to the test program mode. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7B  is an alternative flow chart for providing test data to the storage device. Step  715  may be to enter data from the test mode. Step  725  may be to load test data into the buffer. Step  745  is to determine if the end of the record has been reached. If the end of the record has been reached step  755  is to disable the interrupt on the microcontroller&#39;s data out flag. If the end of the record has not been reached step  765  may be to load a unit of data into the transfer buffer. Step  775  may be to set the data out flag. Step  795  may be to return to the test program. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  illustrates a flow chart for transferring test parameters from the storage device to the voltage driver. Step  810  is to start the process. Step  815  may be to set “i” to the desired DUT. For example after reading the data as discussed in  FIG. 4 , the DUT that provided the data, may have new test parameters provided. Another embodiment may be to start at the first DUT (i=1) and proceed through the DUTs serially. Step  820  may be to determine if all of the DUTs have been provided their test data. If true, then step  850  is to stop. If not true, step  825  may be to determine if the flag indicating that the earlier test parameters have been read by reading for example flag  368  of  FIG. 3 . If the flag  368  indicates it has not been read, the system may enter a wait stage or step  845  “i” may be set to the next DUT the system wishes to update and initiate step  820 . If the flag  368  indicates it has been read, step  830  may be to transfer the test parameter to the microcontroller  310  of  FIG. 3 . It is also possible to only transfer a portion of the test parameter. Step  835  may be to set the data ready flag  366  such that the Microcontroller  310  reads the data and resets flag  368  of  FIG. 3 . Step  840  may be to determine if the end of the record or if all of the portions of the test parameters have been transferred. If the data has all be transferred, step  845  is initiated. If there is still data to be transferred, step  825  is initiated. 
         [0034]    While the disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, wafers may contain multiple designs to accommodate manufacturing multiple products within the same wafer. As such, the present invention can be applied on wafers containing a plurality of designs. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular exemplary embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
A system for testing a plurality of transistors on a wafer having a storage device or personal computer connected via a bus to a plurality of drivers. Each of the voltage drivers having a microcontroller adapted to receive test parameters and provide test data from a plurality of voltage drivers. By utilizing a bus structure, the personal computer can look on one bus for flags indicating test data is available from a driver and receive the data. In addition a bus may be used to provide test parameters to the drivers. In this manner, multiple drivers may be run at the same time incorporating multiple tests. When data is available it is transferred to the personal computer, for providing test parameters to a plurality of drivers, and connected via a second bus for receiving test results from the plurality of drivers.