Method for processing an integrated circuit
View Patent ↗Methods for processing at least one die which comprises an integrated circuit. In one example of a method of the invention, an identification code is applied to a carrier. A singulated die is deposited into the carrier which holds the singulated die. The singulated die comprises an integrated circuit. The identification code may be applied to the carrier before or after depositing the singulated die into the carrier. The carrier may be used in testing the singulated die and may include a plurality of singulated die or just one singulated die. In another example of a method of the invention, an identification code is applied to a die. The die is deposited into a carrier which holds the die. The die comprises an integrated circuit, and the carrier holds the die in singulated form. Typically the die is placed in the carrier without any packaging which may protect the die. The identification code may be applied to the die before or after it is deposited into the carrier.
1. A method of processing a semiconductor die, said method comprising:
singulating a die from a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of dies;
securing said die in a carrier such that elongate spring contacts that are attached to said die and provide input and output to said die extend through an opening in said carrier;
attaching said carrier to a test bed, said spring contacts forming pressure connections with terminals of said test bed; and
testing said die.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said die is a bare, unpackaged die.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
said step of attaching said carrier to a test bed comprises compressing by a first compression level said spring contacts against said terminals of said test bed, and
said step of permanently attaching said carrier to a final application substrate comprises compressing by a second compression level said spring contacts against said terminals of said final application substrate.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said second compression level is greater than said first compression level.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising dissipating heat from said die during said testing step.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling a temperature of said die during said testing step.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said controlling step comprises disposing a temperature controlled gas adjacent said die.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of attaching said carrier to a test bed comprises wiping said spring contacts across said terminals of said test bed.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said wiping step comprises inserting standoffs on said carrier into sloped positioning holes on said test bed.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing information regarding said die on said carrier.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said information comprises an identification of a wafer from which said die is singulated at said singulating step.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein said information comprises a position on said wafer from which said die is singulated at said singulating step.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing information regarding said die on said die.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said information comprises an identification of a wafer from which said die is singulated at said singulating step.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said information comprises a position on said wafer from which said die is singulated at said singulating step.
16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
removing said carrier from said test bed; and
if said die passes said testing, permanently attaching said carrier to a final application substrate, said spring contacts forming connections with terminals of said final application substrate.
17. A method of processing semiconductor dies, said method comprising:
singulating a plurality of dies from at least one semiconductor wafer;
securing said dies in a carrier such that elongate spring contacts that are attached to said die and provide input and output to said dies extend through at least one opening in said carrier;
attaching said carrier to a test bed, said spring contacts forming pressure connections with terminals of said test bed and thereby electrically connecting said dies with said test bed; and
testing said dies.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising permanently attaching one or more of said dies that pass said testing to a final application substrate, said spring contacts of said one or more of said dies forming connections with terminals of said final application substrate.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:
said step of attaching said carrier to a test bed comprises compressing by a first compression level said spring contacts against said terminals of said test bed, and
said step of permanently attaching dies to a final application substrate comprises compressing by a second compression level said spring contacts against said terminals of said final application substrate.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said second compression level is greater than said first compression level.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein said dies are bare and unpackaged.
22. The method of claim 17 further comprising dissipating heat from said dies during said testing step.
23. The method of claim 17 further comprising controlling a temperature of said dies during said testing step.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said controlling step comprises disposing a temperature controlled gas adjacent said dies.
25. The method of claim 17 , wherein said step of attaching said carrier to a test bed comprises wiping said spring contacts across said terminals of said test bed.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said wiping step comprises inserting standoffs on said carrier into sloped positioning holes on said test bed.
27. The method of claim 17 further comprising storing information regarding said dies on said carrier.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said information comprises. for each said die, an identification of a wafer from which said die is singulated at said singulating step.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein said information comprises, for each said die, a position on a wafer from which said die is singulated at said singulating step.
30. The method of claim 17 further comprising:
removing from said carrier one or more dies that fail said testing; and
replacing said removed dies with new dies.