Wafer Level Reliability Competitiveness And Implementation Issues

Abstract

ABSTRACT How does wafer level reliability assessment and testing methodology integrate into the semiconductor manufacturers overall reliability assurance and improvement strategy? What wafer level tests are appropriate and when should they be utilized? Wafer level reliability has made the evolutionary step from academia to manufacturing actuality. This paper provides a conceptual focus for where and when wafer level reliability is utilized in a state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing environment. Special emphasis is placed on the use ofwafer level reliability testiiig for introducing and qualifying new semiconductor technology, as well as controllingproduction once the technology has been qualified. 1. INTRODUCTION As costs of traditional back-end quality testing (e.g., bum-in and lifetest) and customer demand for greater quality levels increase, alternative methods are required to augment strategies for assuring reliability of semiconductor fabrication processes. Much shorter feedback times and less expensive test methods are necessary to