Method for enhanced semiconductor product diagnostic fail signature detection

1. A method for failure signature detection in a semiconductor using a test system comprising:

using the test system, comprising a processing unit and a memory, to perform deterministic tests on a plurality of integrated circuit chips to generate defect signatures for failing latches from the plurality of integrated circuit chips, the deterministic test comprising:

subjecting, by the test system, a plurality of latches to one of a plurality of testing protocols using one or more base deterministic test patterns;

generating, by the test system, defect signatures for failing latches from a plurality of integrated circuit chips in response to the test pattern;

comparing each of the plurality of latches with each other to create a mask;

generating, by the test system, a latch to mask relationship for the failing latches;

generating, by the test system, maximally descriptive masks into identities;

generating, by the test system, a list of identities for comparison;

determining, by the test system, commonalities between the lists of identities;

generating, by the test system, details about differences and commonalities within the defect signatures;

fixing, by the test system, manufacturing and materials procurement processes associated with the plurality of integrated circuit chips based on the defect signatures; and

facilitating manufacturing of at least one integrated circuit using the fixed manufacturing and materials procurement processes.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the generating the mask comprises retaining common portions of a plurality of defect signatures while replacing differences in the plurality of defect signatures with a wildcard.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the generating the latch to mask relationship for failing latches comprises using nomenclature that permits the identification of the integrated circuit chip, a chain, the latch, and/or a test mode used.

4. The method of claim 3 , where the generating the latch to mask relationship further comprises building an equivalent mask that encompasses all data obtained in the defect signatures for a plurality of failing latches.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising converting the mask into a numeric identity.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising using the numeric identity as a pseudo-latch index.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising aggregating defect signatures for failing latches by the integrated circuit chip, a scan chain along which the latch is located and the test mode that produces the latch defect.

8. The method of claim 1 , where the commonalities indicate the existence of a particular type of defect in the integrated circuit.

9. The method of claim 1 , where the commonalities indicate groups of latch identities that have similar characteristics.

10. The method of claim 1 , where the commonalities are determined by performing similarity tests on numeric identities of the mask.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method of performing deterministic tests on a plurality of integrated circuit chips to generate defect signatures for failing latches from the plurality of integrated circuit chips, the method comprising:

generating defect signatures for failing latches from a plurality of integrated circuit chips;

generating a latch to mask relationship for the failing latches;

generating maximally descriptive masks into identities;

generating a list of identities for comparison;

determining commonalities between lists of identities;

generating details about differences and commonalities within a signature;

fixing manufacturing and materials procurement processes associated with the plurality of integrated circuit chips based on the defect signatures; and

facilitating manufacturing of at least one integrated circuit using the fixed manufacturing and materials procurement processes.

12. A test system for failure signature detection in a semiconductor comprising:

a processing unit; where the processing unit is operative to perform deterministic tests on integrated circuit chips to generate defect signatures for failing latches from a plurality of integrated circuit chips;

a memory that is communication with the processing unit; where the memory comprises:

an analyzing system that is operative to analyze a plurality of defect signatures derived from the failing latches;

a modifying system that is operative to:

generate defect signatures for failing latches from a plurality of integrated circuit chips;

generate a latch to mask relationship for the failing latches;

generate maximally descriptive masks into identities;

generate a list of identities for comparison;

determine commonalities between lists of identities;

generate details about differences and commonalities within a signature;

fix manufacturing and materials procurement processes associated with the plurality of integrated circuit chips based on the defect signatures; and

facilitate manufacturing of at least one integrated circuit using the fixed manufacturing and materials procurement processes.

13. The test system of claim 12 , where the generating defect signatures is accomplished by testing the integrated circuit chips using deterministic test pattern sets generated by an Automatic Test Pattern Generation system or diagnostic chain patterns.

14. The test system of claim 12 , where the generating the mask comprises retaining common portions of a plurality of defect signatures while replacing differences in the plurality of defect signatures with a wildcard.

15. The test system of claim 12 , where the generating the latch to mask relationship for failing latches comprises using nomenclature that permits the identification of the integrated circuit chip, a chain, the latch, and/or a test mode used.

16. The test system of claim 15 , where the generating the latch to mask relationship further comprises building an equivalent mask that encompasses all data obtained in the defect signatures for a plurality of failing latches.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a simplification test on the plurality of latches based on the defect signatures, wherein the simplification test is based on suspected failure modes or suspected common root causes of failures associated with the plurality of latches.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the simplification test is an iterative test that removes one or more test instructions from a test run to determine a suspected failure mode or a suspected root cause of a failure.

19. The test system of claim 12 , further comprising performing a simplification test on the plurality of latches based on the defect signatures, wherein the simplification test is based on suspected failure modes or suspected common root causes of failures associated with the plurality of latches.