IC Tester

The present invention relates to an IC tester for supplying a plurality of test pattern signals respectively through different drivers to corresponding terminal pins of an IC being tested and receiving response outputs from the IC to thereby test the IC.

IC testers such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,589 entitled "High-speed Testing Circuit" issued May 30, 1978 generate a plurality of test pattern signals, supply them to corresponding terminal pins of an IC being tested at suitable timing, convert outputs from the IC to logic levels with a comparator, and compare converted outputs with expected values for thereby determining whether the IC being tested is acceptable or not. Proper test results cannot often be obtained when the test pattern signals are not supplied to the IC terminal pins at predetermined timing. It is therefore desirable that the test pattern signals be propagated from the signal generator to the terminal pins in equal periods of time. To this end, test pattern signal paths are tested prior to an IC test by electrically severing an IC to be tested from test pattern output terminals of the IC tester, supplying a reference timing signal to each of the test pattern signal paths, and adjust the propagation time of each test pattern signal path in order that the reference timing signals appearing at the test pattern output terminals will be in phase with each other.

In actual IC tests, the test pattern output terminals of the IC tester are connected to the corresponding terminals in an IC socket through connector lines such as a printed circuit or a coaxial cable, and the terminal pins of an IC to be tested are inserted into the IC socket. However, the grounding capacitance (stray capacitance) of each connector line and that of each IC socket terminal do not agree with each other, resulting in different propagation times required for the test pattern signals to travel from the test pattern output terminals to the IC terminal pins. Such variations in the propagation time have a larger effect as the test pattern signals approach completely rectangular waveforms with rise and fall times being zero, thus varying the relative timing at which the test pattern signals arrive at the terminal pins of the IC being tested. It would be possible to adjust the drivers for delivering the test pattern signals to round off the waveform of the test pattern signals, that is, to incline leading and trailing edges of the test pattern signals until the variations in signal arrival timing become reduced. However, adjustment of the drivers including active elements to obtain predetermined waveforms would be relatively difficult to perform, and no predetermined waveforms could stably be produced. Furthermore, such an effort would be disadvantageous in that the rise and fall times would be varied by a variation in the amplitude of the output waveforms from the drivers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an IC tester capable of supplying test pattern signals to an IC tester being tested at proper relative timing without being influenced by the grounding capacities of connector lines and the IC socket.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC tester for easily generating and stably delivering test pattern signals having waveforms which are less affected by the grounding capacities of connector lines and the IC socket.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an IC tester for supplying an IC being tested with test pattern signals having substantially constant rise and fall times regardless of variations in the amplitude of output waveforms from drivers.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an IC tester capable of stably supplying test pattern signals at proper relative timing to an IC being tested which has input terminal pins doubling as output terminal pins, wherein the IC tester has a small capacitance as seen from the IC being tested when the IC produces outputs.

According to the present invention, a plurality of low-pass filters are respectively connected in series between outputs of drivers for delivering test pattern signals and connector lines for connecting the driver outputs to corresponding terminal pins of an IC under test. The low-pass filters have nominal impedances equal to output impedances of the drivers and characteristic impedances of the connector lines. The low-pass filters have cutoff frequencies selected so that differences between delay times required for the test pattern signals to reach the terminal pins of the IC being tested will be reduced. The low-pass filters should preferably be composed of inductive and capacitive elements. Where the terminal pins of the IC being tested serve to both supply outputs and receive inputs, comparators are connected to junctions between the driver outputs and the connector lines. The outputs from the IC being tested are supplied over the connector lines to the comparators in which the IC outputs are determined as to their logic levels. Whenever the outputs are supplied from the IC being tested, the drivers are fed with inhibit signals to have high output impedances. With the IC tester for testing an IC having terminal pins for both supplying outputs and receiving inputs, the low-pass filters are connected between the junctions between the comparators and the connectors and the outputs of the drivers, and switches are connected between ground terminals of the low-pass filters and ground, the switches being controlled to be turned off by the inhibit signals. The test pattern signals are thus supplied through the low-pass filters to the IC being tested, so that differences in relative timing between the test pattern signals are reduced. When the outputs generated from the IC being tested in response to the test pattern signals are supplied to the comparators, the filters are severed from ground to keep small the capacitance of the IC tester as seen from the IC being tested. Therefore, the outputs delivered from the IC to the comparators are not adversely affected by the filters.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portion of a conventional IC tester which is related to the present invention;

FIGS. 2A through 2D are time charts explanatory of operation of the IC tester shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are waveform diagrams showing effects which the grounding capacitance of a connector line has on rise and fall times;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are waveform diagrams showing relationships between signal amplitudes and rise and fall times;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of an IC tester according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary circuit diagram of an IC tester according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Prior to description of embodiments of the present invention, a portion of a conventional IC tester which is related to the present invention will first be described with reference to FIG. 1. Such a prior IC tester is disclosed in the foregoing U.S. patent and in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 407,872 entitled "IC tester" filed by Shigeru Sugamori on Aug. 13, 1982.

An IC tester 1 has a signal generator (not shown) for generating a plurality of test pattern signals a.sub.1 -a.sub.n which are supplied to input terminals A.sub.1 -A.sub.n of drivers 2.sub.1 -2.sub.n, respectively. The drivers 2.sub.1 -2.sub.n have output terminals connected respectively through output impedance elements 21.sub.1 -21.sub.n, which are coupled through switches 22.sub.1 -22.sub.n to input and output terminals 23.sub.1 -23.sub.n. The output impedance elements 21.sub.1 -21.sub.n and the switches 22.sub.1 -22.sub.n are interconnected through junctions coupled with comparators 3.sub.1 -3.sub.n, respectively. The input and output terminals 23.sub.1 -23.sub.n are connected respectively through connector lines 4.sub.1 -4.sub.n to corresponding terminals of an IC socket 24, on which an IC 10 to be tested is mounted with its input and output terminal pins 25 inserted into the terminals of the IC socket 24. Thus, the connector lines 4.sub.1 -4.sub.n are connected through the IC socket 24 respectively to the corresponding input and output terminal pins 25 of the IC 10 to be tested.

During an IC test, a test pattern signal a.sub.1, for example, as shown in FIG. 2A is supplied to the driver 2.sub.1. At this time, a terminal B.sub.1 of the driver 2.sub.1 is supplied with an inhibit signal b.sub.1 as shown in FIG. 2B. When the inhibit signal b.sub.1 is of a logic level L, the driver 2.sub.1 amplifies the test pattern signal a.sub.1 fed through the terminal A.sub.1 to a predetermined signal level, and delivers such an amplified output signal through the connector line 4.sub.1 to the corresponding terminal pin 25 of the IC 25. Likewise, the driver 2.sub.i (i=1, 2, . . . , n) and other drivers supply test pattern signals to corresponding terminal pins of the IC 10. As long as the inhibit signal b.sub.1 is of a logic level L, the IC tester 1 has an output condition as shown in FIG. 2D. When the IC 10 delivers its outputs to the IC tester 1 in response to the supplied test pattern signals, the terminals B.sub.1 -B.sub.n of the drivers 2.sub.1 -2.sub.n are supplied with inhibit signals b.sub.1 -b.sub.n of a high logic level as shown in FIG. 2B (only the inhibit signal b.sub.1 is illustrated), whereupon the output impedances of the drivers 2.sub.1 -2.sub.n become infinite. The outputs from the IC 10 are then supplied through the connector lines 4.sub.1 -4.sub.n to the comparators 3.sub.1 -3.sub.n, respectively, in which logic levels of the outputs from the IC 10 are determined. Accordingly, the driver 2.sub.1 produces an output pattern as illustrated in FIG. 2C.

Prior to an IC test, the switches 22.sub.1 -22.sub.n are turned off or open, and the test pattern signal paths are supplied with reference timing signals for adjusting delay times required for the reference timing signals to reach the terminals 23.sub.1 -23.sub.n so that reference signal propagation times will be equalized. The test pattern signals are thus allowed to arrive at the terminals 23.sub.1 -23.sub.n at predetermined relative timing. However, grounding capacitance (stray capacitance with respect to the ground) of the connector lines 4.sub.1 -4.sub.n, and grounding capacitance of the terminals of the socket 24 (these grounding capacitance are shown as combined capacities 26.sub.1 -26.sub.n in FIG. 1) differ from each other, with the result that the test pattern signals reach the terminal pins of the IC 10 at different relative timing because of varied degrees by which the signal waveforms are rounded off. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, even if the driver 2.sub.i (i=1, 2, . . . , n) produces an ideal rectangular output waveform 27 with no rise and fall times, the corresponding signal waveform reaching the terminal pin 25 of the IC 10 will become a waveform 28 having a rise time Tr.sub.1 and a fall time Tf.sub.1 or a waveform 29 having a rise time Tr.sub.2 and a fall time Tf.sub.2 due to a grounding capacitance 26.sub.i. The ratio of such a waveform variation, that is, Tr.sub.2 /Tr.sub.1, becomes larger as the output waveform 27 from the driver approaches an ideal square waveform. When the output waveform 27 from the driver already has inclined leading and trailing edges as shown in FIG. 3B, the corresponding signal waveform arriving at the terminal pin 25 of the IC 10 will become a waveform 31 having a rise time Tr.sub.3 and a fall time Tf.sub.3 as shown in FIG. 3B or a waveform 32 having a rise time Tr.sub.4 or a fall time Tf.sub.4 with respect to the same grounding capacitance as that which causes the waveform variation as shown in FIG. 3A. Therefore, the smaller is the waveform variation due to the grouding capacitance 26.sub.i, the smaller the difference becomes between relative arrival times of the test pattern signals. Although it would be possible to shape such waveforms of the test pattern signals so as to be less susceptible to the grounding capacitance 26.sub.i by adjusting the drivers 2.sub.1 -2.sub.n, such adjustments would be relatively tedious and time-consuming and the drivers thus adjusted would be unstable. As the amplitude of the output waveform from the driver 2.sub.i is progressively increased as at V.sub.1, V.sub.2, V.sub.3 as shown in FIG. 4A, the rise time and the fall time become progressively longer as at Tr.sub.1, Tr.sub.2, Tr.sub.3 and Tf.sub.1, Tf.sub.2, Tf.sub.3, respectively. When the rise and fall times of the output waveform 27 from the driver vary, the differences in relative timing between the test pattern signals supplied to the terminal pins of the IC being tested is also changed.

FIG. 5 shows an IC tester according to the present invention. Only one of a plurality of test pattern signal paths of the IC tester 1 is shown as a representative one in FIG. 5. A low-pass filter 5.sub.i is connected in series between an output impedance element 21.sub.i and a junction between a comparator 3.sub.i and a switch 22.sub.i. The low-pass filter 5.sub.i has a ground terminal 33.sub.i grounded through a high-speed switch 6.sub.i. The low-pass filter 5.sub.i has an inductance element 34 connected in series to the output impedance element 21.sub.i, capacitors 35, 36 each having one terminal connected to respective ends of the inductance element 34 and the other terminal coupled to the ground terminal 33.sub.i, thus constituting a .pi. filter. In the illustrated embodiment, damping resistance elements 37, 38 are connected in series with the capacitors 35, 36. The high-speed switch 6.sub.i comprises, for example, diodes D.sub.1 -D.sub.4 connected in bridge form with the cathode of the diode D.sub.1 and the anode of the diode D.sub. 2 being grounded and the cathode of the diode D.sub.3 and the anode of the diode D.sub.4 being connected to the ground terminal 33.sub.i.

The high-speed switch 6.sub.i is turned off by the inhibit signal b.sub.1 which renders the output impedance of the driver 2.sub.i infinite. The driver 2.sub.i has a terminal B.sub.i connected to a gate 7.sub.i which produces an output to select one of current switching circuits 39.sub.i, 41.sub.i and a reversed output to select the other current switching circuit. The current switching circuit 39.sub.i is composed of a pair of PNP transistors Q.sub.1, Q.sub.2 having emitters connected to each other. The transistor Q.sub.1 has a collector or one switching output terminal grounded, and the transistor Q.sub.2 has a collector or the other switching output terminal connected to the anodes of the diodes D.sub.1, D.sub.3 of the switch 6.sub.i. The interconnected emitters of the transistors Q.sub.1, Q.sub.2 are connected through a constant-current path 42 to a power supply terminal 43 having a voltage +V. The current switching circuit 41.sub.i comprises a pair of NPN transistors Q.sub.3, Q.sub.4 having interconnected emitters coupled through a constant-current path 44 to a power supply terminal 45 having a voltage -V. The transistor Q.sub.3 has a collector or one switching output terminal grounded, and the transistor Q.sub.4 has a collector or the other switching output terminal connected to the anodes of the diodes D.sub.2, D.sub.4 of the switch 6.sub.i. The gate 7.sub.i has an output terminal connected to the bases of the transistors Q.sub.2, Q.sub.3, and an inverted output terminal connected to the bases of the transistors Q.sub.1, Q.sub.4.

The low-pass filter 5.sub.i has a nominal impedance R equal to the impedance of the output impedance element 21.sub.i and to the characteristic impedance of the connector line 4.sub.i. A cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter 5.sub.i is selected to allow the test pattern signal to have a desired waveform. More specifically, the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter 5.sub.i is selected to be 0.35 times the maximum frequency of the test pattern signal waveform having desired rise and fall times. The longer the rise time of the output waveform from the filter 5.sub.i, the smaller the difference in relative timing between a plurality of test pattern signals as supplied to the terminal pins of the IC 10 being tested. The rise time of the output waveform from the filter 5.sub.i should preferably be as long as possible or the cutoff frequency of the filter 5.sub.i should preferably be as low as possible without adversely affecting the test of the IC 10. For example, where the IC to be tested is a microcomputer, each of the rise and fall times of the waveform of a test pattern signal supplied to the IC may be on the order of 3 nsec. Thus, the cutoff frequency of the filter 5.sub.i should be 0.35/3 nsec. In general, the rise time of the output waveform from the driver 2.sub.i is about 1 nsec. Once the cutoff frequency and the nominal impedance have been determined, constants of the components of the filter 5.sub.i can readily be determined from filter design theory.

It is preferable that the switch 6.sub.i be turned on and off in 1-2 nsec. Since charging and discharging currents of the capacitors 35, 36 flow in opposite directions to and from the ground terminal 33.sub.i at the instant the output from the driver 2.sub.i changes from a high logic level to a low logic level or vice versa, such currents need to be passed through the switch 6.sub.i. In the illustrated embodiment, one of the currents flows through the diode D.sub.3 to the terminal 33.sub.i, and the other current flows from the terminal 33.sub.i through the diode D.sub.4.

In operation, when the test pattern signal as shown in FIG. 2A is supplied to the terminal A.sub.i of the driver 2.sub.i and the inhibit signal supplied to the input terminal B.sub.i is of a logic level L as shown in FIG. 2B, the driver 2.sub.i is in operation, and the signal at the terminal B.sub.i causes the gate 7 to render the transistors Q.sub.2, Q.sub.4 conductive. The diodes D.sub.1 -D.sub.4 are then rendered conductive to turn on the switch 6.sub.i. The test pattern signal supplied to the terminal A.sub.i is amplified by the driver 2.sub.i to a signal level or signal power suitable for the test IC, and shaped into a waveform having sufficiently small rise and fall times. Then the test pattern signal is supplied to the low-pass filter 5.sub.i, in which those frequencies of the test pattern signal which are higher than the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter 5.sub.i are remcved. Accordingly, the rise and fall times of the test pattern signal waveform are rendered constant as determined by the cutoff frequency of the filter 5.sub.i. Since the cutoff frequency of the filter 5.sub.i is low enough not to adversely affect the test of the IC, the differences in relative timing between test pattern signals supplied to the terminal pins of the IC 10 are not influenced to a large extent by the grounding capacity 26.sub.i. A proper IC test can be conducted accordingly. The rise time Tr and the fall time Tf of the output waveform from the filter 5.sub.i are determined by the cutoff frequency of the filter 5.sub.i, and kept constant even when the amplitude of the output waveform from the driver 2.sub.i varies as at V.sub.1, V.sub.2, V.sub.3 as shown in FIG. 4B. This is highly advantageous for testing ICs by changing the level of test pattern signals.

In the output condition of FIG. 2D in which the IC tester 1 is supplied with outputs from the IC 10 being tested, the inhibit signal fed to the terminal B.sub.i goes high in logic level as illustrated in FIG. 2B, and the output impedance of the driver 2.sub.i becomes infinite. At the same time, the inhibit signal at the terminal B.sub.i causes the gate 7.sub.i to render the transistors Q.sub.1, Q.sub.3 conductive and the transistors Q.sub.2, Q.sub.4 nonconductive, whereupon the diodes D.sub.1 -D.sub.4 are rendered nonconductive to turn off the switch 6.sub.i. Thus, the low-pass filter 5.sub.i is severed from ground. The capacity and the impedance of the driver 2.sub.i as seen from the terminal 23.sub.i are quite small and infinite, respectively. Therefore, the responsive output from the IC 10 being tested with respect to the test pattern signal is supplied to the comparator 3.sub.i while being not affected by the presence of the filter 5.sub.i.

The low-pass filters 5.sub.1 -5.sub.n may be composed of capacitive and resistive elements. Such an arrangement, however, is disadvantageous in that impedance matching cannot relatively easily be gained as the resistive element is connected in series to the output impedance element 21.sub.i and the connector line 4.sub.i, and rise and fall characteristics are nonlinear. Therefore, the filters 5.sub.1 -5.sub.n should preferably be of inductive and capacitive elements as shown. Since the inductive and capacitive elements tend to cause oscillation, it is preferable to insert the damping resistors 37, 38 as shown in FIG. 5 to suppress such unwanted oscillation.

While in the above embodiment the present invention is described as being applied to an IC tester for testing an IC 10 having input and output terminal pins, the invention is equally applicable to such an IC tester for use with ICs for receiving inputs and supplying outputs through separate terminal pins. Such an alternative arrangement is shown in FIG. 6. Identical or corresponding parts in FIG. 6 are denoted by identical or corresponding reference characters shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 6, a terminal 23.sub.i connected to a driver 2.sub.i only supplies a test pattern signal to an IC 10 being tested, and an output from the IC 10 is not fed to the IC tester through the terminal 23.sub.i. Therefore, no comparator is connected to the driver 2.sub.i, and the switch 6.sub.i as shown in FIG. 5 is dispensed with and a ground terminal 33.sub.i of a filter 5.sub.i is directly grounded in the arrangement of FIG. 6.

Although certain preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it should be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.