Recent News
Industry Leaders Seeking Adaptive Test Solutions
February 18, 2008
Larry Gilg
A subgroup of members of the Die Products Consortium, the AC Defects test team, is focused on a new generation of test and reliability methods for leading edge semiconductor devices known as Adaptive Test. The group sponsored a unique meeting with third party vendors of Adaptive Test solutions in Santa Clara, CA during the 2007 International Test Conference held in October.
Adaptive Test is a term used to describe a broad array of statistical methods for improving semiconductor test by adjusting the test plan based upon feedback from the test environment itself. This is a major departure from traditional test methods that follow a static plan and has come to take on different meanings for different people. The AC Defects group surveyed the various ways in which adaptive test concepts have been proposed, implemented or anticipated by the member companies’ IC testing strategies. The team agreed that, to facilitate an effective evolution of the algorithms, tools and infrastructure that will be required for tomorrow’s test challenges the group should provide a summary of the findings to the commercial providers of adaptive test solutions.
Three vendors of adaptive test solutions were invited and attended the session: Pintail Technologies, Plano, Texas, OptimalTest, Nes-Ziona, Israel and Test Advantage Inc., Tempe, Arizona held in Santa Clara on October 22, 2007.
During the meeting, representatives of DPC member companies presented the “highest priority” applications of adaptive test from within the DPC subgroup and the corresponding support that is needed from the vendors. The group acknowledged the breadth of methodologies that are currently in use and/or being planned for use.
The meeting was considered an important first step in moving the adaptive test solutions into a plug and play mode for IC manufacturers and third party test houses. Discussions are underway regarding potential follow-up meetings and/or activities. For more information, please contact Larry Gilg, Managing Director, DPC.
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The Die Products Consortium (DPC) is a program of Dynalog Systems Incorporated. Under the DPC program, Dynalog Systems has invited a group of leading microelectronics companies to collaborate in enlarging the markets for die products worldwide. The DPC is headquartered in Austin, Texas. See www.dieproducts.org.
About Pintail Technologies
Pintail Technologies is a semiconductor test improvement and yield learning company that provides adaptive test software to reduce the cost of test and increase production output and quality through existing test equipment and programs. Pintail has created the first test improvement solutions to combine real-time, on-line, adaptive test with powerful web-based database applications. Fabless and integrated device manufacturers (IDM) worldwide, in collaboration with leading assembly and test suppliers use Pintail tools to increase competitive advantage and improve responsiveness to test issues. Pintail has sales offices in Dallas, Austin, San Jose, Seoul, Singapore, and Taiwan. See www.pintail.com.
About OptimalTest
Established in 2005, OptimalTest provides integrated, comprehensive, universal test management solutions software for the entire test process. The company is committed to helping test and semiconductor professionals master test management through its solutions software to achieve unprecedented ROI on their technology assets and to lower test cost of ownership. A privately held company whose founders are seasoned industry executives, OptimalTest is growing globally and has worldwide operations in Asia/Pacific, Europe and the United States. For more information, go to www.optimaltest.com.
About TestAdvantage
Founded in 1997, Test Advantage develops and deploys leading-edge, proprietary software, including its Streetwise™ and Express™ products, that enable adaptive test strategies for the improvement of manufacturing quality and throughput, throughout the test process. Test Advantage Inc. is the premier provider of software products focused on improving yield, DPPM, and overall test process efficiency, with proven solutions running in production since 2002 and supporting a user base 1000+ testers strong. The Tempe, Arizona-based company operates worldwide, maintaining offices in Germany, France and Singapore. More information about Test Advantage Inc. is available at http://www.testadvantage.com , or by calling +1 480-337-3377.
2008 KGD Packaging and Test Call for Presentations
February 18, 2008
Larry Gilg
The KGD Workshop Technical Committee is seeking presentations for the 2008 KGD Packaging & Test Workshop, to be held September 7 – 10, 2008 at the Embassy Suites in Napa, California. The Call for Papers will is online at http://www.napakgd.com/program/cfp/.
The 2008 Workshop will put special emphasis on test, procurement, assembly and packaging of power electronics. These systems will be crucial to the industry as we address challenges of the 21st Century.
As in the past, we will have a technical track which discusses the die products markets from the consumer oriented digital and handheld device business. So, the workshop technical committee is seeking presentations that will provide the technical details for the supply and procurement of die products in both of these fast growing market segments.
Workshop technical sessions will include discussions of various methods of handling, test, reliability screens, die delivery and other technical tradeoffs required for success in supplying the die products market. Die products user requirements will also be addressed, spotlighting the details of packaging solutions using die products as well as the enhanced capabilities, lower cost and reduced size of electronic systems that leverage die products for increased market share.
The annual KGD Packaging & Test Workshop has charted over a decade of progress in the die products industry, and has steadily built a reputation as the industry's most comprehensive workshop focusing on known good die processes and user requirements.
Proposals are now being accepted for 30-minute presentations (including Q & A) on the following topics. Presentations must be of a non-commercial nature, focusing on the technology and business issues within the die products industry.
The committee is particularly interested in the following broad areas:
Applications of Die Products
High power subsystems
Consumer oriented handheld/mobile devices
KGD Engineering
Test
Business Issues
Future Trends and Developments
The deadline for submission of proposals is May 23, 2008
Selected participants will be notified no later than June 19, 2008
Final presentation slides will be due on July 31, 2009