A real world application used to implement a true IDDQ based test strategy (facts and figures)

This paper discusses the results of introducing a true IDDQ based test strategy in a production test environment. The objectives of the project were to increase wafer sort test quality, product quality and overall test coverage without the need for expensive tests, meanwhile reduce the overall tests costs and pave the pathway for volume testing using a low-cost Design for Test (DFT) supportive tester platform. The experiments were carried out on a HP83K test system using a dedicated test chip and a commercial product as test vehicles. A commercially available loadboard IDDQ monitor was used to perform the IDDQ measurements. The project results show that a proper use of IDDQ testing not only serves to improve product quality but, in combination with proper measurement hardware, also serves to considerably reduce test time and costs, hence meeting the goals of the project.