IP Library Granted Patent US 7,262,617
Granted Patent B2
US 7,262,617 · App. 11/493,424 · Granted Aug 28, 2007

Method for testing integrated circuit, and wafer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,262,617
App. No.
11/493,424
Granted
Aug 28, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit, a measurement apparatus of an integrated circuit, and a wafer that reduces damages inflicted on bonding pads while enabling a probe test to be accurately performed. A sensor cell is arranged on a wafer between chip formation regions. The sensor cell has a diaphragm. Sensor pads, connected to a doping region, are arranged on the surface of the diaphragm. Probe needles contact the sensor pads. This strains the doping region and produces a corresponding voltage measured by the probe needles connected to the sensor pads. Relative inclination angle and relative distance of a probe card, which includes the probe needles, and the wafer are determined based on the measured voltage. A conduction test is performed by having the probe needles contact the bonding pad of the wafer while maintaining the determined the relative position.

Claims (18)

1. A method for testing an integrated circuit, formed on a chip and including a bonding pad, on a wafer, the method comprising:

arranging a sensor cell on the wafer;

pressing a probe needle against the sensor cell to measure a change in pressure with the sensor cell;

adjusting a relative position of the probe needle and the wafer based on the change in the pressure; and

conducting a probe test by having the probe needle contact the bonding pad at the relative position.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor cell is one of a plurality of sensor cells spread out on the wafer, and the relative position of the probe needle to the wafer is adjusted by adjusting at least one of relative inclination angle and relative distance of a probe card, which includes the probe needle, and the wafer.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor cell is arranged on the wafer outside a region in which the chip is formed.

4. A wafer including a plurality of chips, each chip having a bonding pad, the wafer comprising:

a sensor cell for measuring pressure applied by a probe needle that conducts a probe test by contacting a chip bonding pad.

5. The wafer of claim 4 , wherein the wafer includes a plurality of the sensor cells disposed on the wafer.

6. The wafer of claim 5 , wherein the wafer includes a plurality of scribe lines used during a cutting operation to separate the chips, wherein the sensor cells are located along the scribe lines.

7. The wafer of claim 5 , wherein there are more chips than sensor cells formed on the wafer.

8. The wafer of claim 4 , wherein the sensor cell comprises a Micro Electrical Mechanical System (MEMS) type device.

9. The wafer of claim 8 , wherein the sensor cell includes a diaphragm and a doping region formed near one end of an upper surface of the diaphragm.

10. The wafer of claim 9 , wherein impurities are injected into the doping region.

11. The wafer of claim 9 , wherein the doping region is substantially cross-shaped.

12. The wafer of claim 9 , wherein the sensor cell includes four sensor pads.

13. The wafer of claim 12 , wherein the four sensor pads include a first electrode pad for application of a power supply voltage (Vdd), a second electrode pad connected to ground, a positive electrode pad, and a negative electrode pad.

Assignments (23)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040925 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Feb 17, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP, B.V. F/K/A FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 052917/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040928 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jan 17, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 052915/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037486 FRAME 0517. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Dec 10, 2019
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 053547/0421 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 050744/0097 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. FROM 13,883,290 TO 13,833,290 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 041703 FRAME 0536. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS.. Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: SHENZHEN XINGUODU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048734/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENTS 8108266 AND 8062324 AND REPLACE THEM WITH 6108266 AND 8060324 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037518 FRAME 0292. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Feb 1, 2017
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 041703/0536 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE LISTED CHANGE OF NAME SHOULD BE MERGER AND CHANGE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040652 FRAME: 0180. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jan 12, 2017
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 041354/0148 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 8, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 040652/0180 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 040928/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP, B.V., F/K/A FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 040925/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT TO THE SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 039138/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 13, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037518/0292 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 12, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037486/0517 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0225 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037356/0553 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037356/0143 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037354/0704 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 6, 2013
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031591/0266 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2013
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 030633/0424 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 13, 2010
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024397/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 16, 2008
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 020518/0215 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 2, 2007
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.; FREESCALE ACQUISITION CORPORATION; FREESCALE ACQUISITION HOLDINGS CORP.; FREESCALE HOLDINGS (BERMUDA) III, LTD.
To: CITIBANK, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 018855/0129 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2006
From: KOMATSU, KENJI; NAKAJO, AKIRA
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 018136/0220 →