Short and long loop manufacturing feedback using multi-sensor assembly test chip

A three-generation family of CMOS silicon test chips for packaging diagnostics has been developed. These assembly test chips (ATCs) contain sensors that measure a number of variables associated with assembled IC degradation, including the degree of IC corrosion, handling damage, electrostatic discharge threat, parts per million by volume moisture, mechanical stress, mobile ion density, bond pad cratering, and high-speed logic degradation. The ATC family is intended to give manufacturing feedback in four ways: direct feedback in evaluation of an assembly manufacturing line in an objective, nonintrusive way; before-and-after comparisons on an assembly production line when an individual process, material, or piece of equipment has been changed; resident lifetime monitoring for system package aging, and ongoing reliability projection and thermal, mechanical, DC electrical, and high frequency analysis