Improved IC Production Yield by Taking Into Account the Electromagnetic Interference Level During Testing

This paper presents a novel method for detecting test errors in radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) autotest-equipment (ATE) caused by electromagnetic interferences. A sensor for measuring ambient electromagnetic (EM) signals was used to determine whether interference was the cause of the reported testing error. Upon detecting a testing error, a retest procedure was actuated to recover the testing error and to improve yield loss. For theoretical validation, Monte Carlo procedure was applied in a “source-path-victim” model to simulate the effect of electromagnetic interference (EMI) on RFIC measurement. Finally, a four-element dual-band antenna array design printed onto an ATE load board is proposed. Both the numerical and measurement results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method in reducing testing errors caused by interference.