Test and diagnosis of semiconductors

1. A method of diagnosing in an automatic test environment, comprising:

determining a fail condition during a test of a device under test (DUT);

determining a diagnostic suite for testing said fail condition; and

generating said diagnostic suite if said diagnostic suite is not available for access.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether to diagnose said fail condition;

determining whether to datalog said fail condition; and

determining whether to continue with said test if no diagnostic action is necessary.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining to diagnose said fail condition at an automatic test instrument (ATE) system.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining to diagnose said fail condition at a test controller.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining a fail condition comprises:

evaluating raw data from said test at a test controller to determine said fail condition.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting said diagnostic suite to an automatic test instrument (ATE) system for testing said fail condition.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining to diagnose said fail condition in a physical failure analysis (PFA) loop;

selecting a next diagnostic test in said diagnostic suite for testing said fail condition; and

executing said next diagnostic test in said PFA loop.

8. A method of diagnosing in an automatic test environment, comprising:

determining a fail condition during a test of a device under test (DUT);

determining whether to diagnose said fail condition; and

determining whether to datalog said fail condition.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said determining whether to diagnose said fail condition, comprises:

determining to diagnose said fail condition; and

determining a diagnostic suite that is available for access to test said fail condition.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

selecting said diagnostic suite;

selecting a next diagnostic test in said diagnostic suite for testing said fail condition.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein said determining whether to diagnose said fail condition, comprises:

determining to diagnose said fail condition at an automatic test equipment (ATE) system;

sending said fail condition to a test controller;

at said test controller, determining a diagnostic suite to test said fail condition;

accessing said diagnostic suite at said test controller; and

transmitting said diagnostic suite from said test controller to said ATE system for testing said fail condition.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said determining whether to diagnose said fail condition, comprises:

determining to diagnose said fail condition at an automatic test equipment (ATE) system;

sending said fail condition to a test controller;

at said test controller, determining a diagnostic suite to test said fail condition;

generating said diagnostic suite if said diagnostic suite is not available for access; and

transmitting said diagnostic suite to said ATE system for testing said fail condition.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein said determining a fail condition further comprises:

analyzing raw data during execution of said test at a test controller to determine said fail condition.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein said determining a fail condition further comprises:

receiving at a test controller a datalog of said fail condition from an automatic test equipment (ATE) system;

determining to diagnose said fail condition at said test controller;

at said test controller, determining a diagnostic suite to test said fail condition; and

generating said diagnostic suite is said diagnostic suite is not available for access; and

transmitting said diagnostic suite to said ATE system for testing said fail condition.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining to diagnose said fail condition in a physical failure analysis (PFA) loop;

determining a diagnostic suite that is available for access to test said fail condition;

selecting a next diagnostic test in said diagnostic suite for testing said fail condition; and

executing said next diagnostic test in said PFA loop.

16. A system for diagnosing in an automatic test environment, comprising:

a diagnosis module for determining to diagnose a fail condition generated during a test of a device under test (DUT);

a diagnostic suite calculator for determining a diagnostic suite for testing said fail condition; and

a diagnostic suite generator for generating said diagnostic suite if said diagnostic suite is not available for access.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

an automatic test instrument (ATE) comprising said diagnosis module; and

a test controller comprising said diagnostic suite calculator and said diagnostic suite generator.

18. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

a test controller comprising said diagnosis module, said diagnostic suite calculator, and said diagnostic suite generator.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein said diagnostic suite generator comprises an automatic test pattern generator (ATPG).

20. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

a transmitter module for transmitting said diagnostic suite to an automatic test instrument for testing said fail condition.