Development of millimeter-wave technology for non-contact automated testers of CMOS wafers

用于平板电脑、智能手机和其他产品的集成电路（IC）使用自动测量仪器进行测试，以在发货前验证IC的性能。本项目的目的是开发用于自动测试仪的探针卡的非接触式探测方法，以表征半导体代工厂中的IC。电路测试和验证通常通过使“探针卡”与晶片物理接触来完成，并且典型的探针卡可以具有数千个精细的接触尖端。单个尖端的损坏将使整个卡无用，因为尖端不可固定或更换。所提出的非接触式探测方法将依赖于使用感应线圈的电磁（EM）耦合，以在探针卡和被测晶片之间发送和接收测试信号。信令频率将在频谱的高毫米波到亚毫米波区域中，其中EM波的自由空间波长小。

Integrated circuits (ICs) for tablet computers, smartphones and other products are tested using automated measurement instruments to verify the performance of the ICs before shipment. The purpose of this project is to develop non-contact probing methods for probe cards used in automated testers to characterize the ICs in semiconductor foundries. Circuit test and verification is normally done by bringing a 'probe card' into physical contact with the wafer and a typical probe card can have thousands of delicate contact tips. Damage to a single tip will render the entire card useless because tips are not fixable or replaceable. The proposed non-contact probing method will rely on electromagnetic (EM) coupling using inductive coils to send and receive test signals between the probe card and the wafer under test. The signaling frequency will be in the high-millimeter wave to submillimeter wave region of the spectrum where the free-space wavelength of the EM waves is small.