Test Signal Generator and Method for Testing a Semiconductor Wafer Having a Plurality of Memory Chips

This invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer testing and more particularly to a test signal generator and method for testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips.

Semiconductor memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM) devices, are integrated circuit (IC) chips fabricated on a semiconductor wafer. During the manufacturing process, these devices are subjected to various tests to ensure their reliability.

Memory device reliability tests are generally classified into either a wafer test performed before chip packaging or a package test performed after packaging. Both forms of testing are well-known in the field. The wafer test employs a simple test pattern to check whether the memory cells and peripheral circuits in each chip are working normally. The package test checks the internal circuitry of each chip against the fundamental timing signals represented in the memory specification and other signals to ascertain whether the chip passes or fails.

Test coverage and testing time are important factors to be considered in satisfactorily performing these tests. Test coverage is related to the reliability of the memory device and the testing time to the yield rate of production. Moreover, testing time increases with the level of integration of the chip and thereby causes an increase in overall production time and chip costs.

To this end, there has been proposed a multi-chip test method which simultaneously tests all of the memory chips on a semiconductor wafer. However, for testing high speed, large scale semiconductor memory devices which each support various functions including multiple data input/output terminals, e.g., multiple DQ, X16, X32 terminals, and multiple function signal input/output terminals, the method is limited by the number of available pins. Consequently, when testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips using this multi-chip test method, the test can only drive the available pins and the number of memory chips tested is thereby reduced.

Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a prior art conventional test signal generator using the multi-chip test method for supplying a test signal to a semiconductor wafer is shown. Normally, to perform the wafer test, the pads for each memory chip to which such functional pins will be connected must be supplied with a direct current signal of a level through the tip on a probe card or the contact pins of a membrane card. Test timing signals for a test pattern are set to a direct current of a logic "high" or "low," such as the source or ground voltage level. These signals do not operate as row or column strobe signals, rather they are applied to the pad (or pins) defining the specific functions of the memory chip. For example, a typical eight megabyte synchronous graphic DRAM has functional pins, such as DQM, DSF (Define Special Function), CKE and so on, which are configured to receive an input signal of logic "high" or "low."

As show in FIG. 1, a memory chip 10, one of a plurality of memory chips fabricated on a semiconductor wafer (not shown), includes a pad 14 for receiving a test timing signal of logic "low" or "high" during a wafer test to establish the operational modes of the peripheral circuits of the chip. A probe tip on a probe card 12 supplies a direct current of a logic "high" or "low" to the pad 14 of the chip. When performing the wafer test, the probe tips on the probe card 12 are supplied with the direct current at the desired level. This is to maintain the pads at a the desired voltage level to test the operational states of the internal circuits of the memory chips on the semiconductor wafer. The pad 14 is also connected through a signal line to an input buffer 16 for transferring the input signal to the internal circuits of the memory chip 10.

The probe card 12 and wafer are paired to perform the test with the desired test pattern. The probe card 12 has a fixed number of tips corresponding to the total number of pads on the memory chips 10 fabricated on the semiconductor wafer. Consequently, due to its fixed number of tips, the probe card 12 is unusable for testing other wafers having more pads.

Therefore, what is needed is a memory device test signal generator for testing semiconductor wafers comprising memory chips having different pad configurations.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a test signal generator for efficiently testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips in a short amount of time. Such a test signal generator should reduce the testing time without adversely affecting the test coverage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a test signal generator for testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips which include wafer test signal generators to improve the wafer testing efficiency and the yield rate.

The invention is a test signal generator for testing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of memory chips. A plurality of input buffers buffer test timing signals applied through a plurality of input terminals to the memory chips in test mode. A direct current source supplies a direct current of a given level to each of the terminals. The direct current source comprises a MOS transistor for supplying the direct current including a fuse with a first node connected between the terminal and buffer and a second node for receiving the direct current. The fuse is cut by an electric or laser cutter or similar means after the wafer testing is complete.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a prior art conventional test signal generator for supplying a test signal to a semiconductor wafer.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one of the memory chips fabricated on a semiconductor wafer for testing by a test signal generator constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating one of the memory chips fabricated on a semiconductor wafer for testing by a test signal generator constructed according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram illustrating one of a plurality of memory chips 10 fabricated on a semiconductor wafer (not shown) for testing by a test signal generator constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. A pad 14 of one of the memory chips 10 is supplied with a voltage source set to a logic level of "high" as a test timing signal. The pad 14 is also called a "terminal" to which is connected an external pin by means of wire bonding when packaged. The pad 14 is connected through a signal transmission line 18 to an input buffer 16 for supplying the input signal to the internal circuits of the chip. The wafer test signal generator includes a fuse 20 and a PMOS transistor 22 connected between the transmission line 18 and a voltage source V.sub.cc. The fuse is connected in series to the drain and source of the transistor. The gate of the PMOS transistor 22 is connected to a ground voltage V.sub.ss. The same construction is applied to all the pads 14 of the memory chips 10 for maintaining a desired voltage level during wafer testing.

To perform the wafer test, a power supplying probe tip on the probe card (not shown) is connected to the power input pad 14 of the memory chip 10 for supplying the source voltage V.sub.cc and ground voltage V.sub.ss. The PMOS transistor 22 is then turned on using the gate connected to the ground voltage V.sub.ss so as to apply the source voltage V.sub.cc from a source through the fuse 20 to the signal transmission line 18 so that the input buffer 16 transfers the source voltage V.sub.cc to the internal circuits of the memory chip 10. Thus, it is unnecessary for the probe card to supply a direct current to the pad 14 for performing the wafer test. Later, for performing the package test, the fuse 20 is cut off by using an electric or laser cutter to supply the timing signals specified for the memory chip 10 to the pad 14. Thus, the number of memory chips 10 which can be simultaneously tested can be increased independently from the number of probe tips on the probe card.

Referring to FIG. 3, a further embodiment of the present invention is shown. The pad 14 of the memory chip 10 is maintained at the "low" level of the ground voltage V.sub.ss during the wafer test. This further embodiment uses an NMOS transistor 24 instead of the PMOS transistor 22. The drain of the NMOS transistor 24 is connected to the other end of the fuse 20, the source to the ground voltage V.sub.ss and the gate to the voltage source V.sub.cc. When performing the wafer test, the pad 14 is maintained at a logic "low" level by the ground voltage V.sub.ss applied through the fuse 20.

Thus, the present invention provides a semiconductor wafer test signal generator for automatically maintaining the pads of the memory chips at a test level voltage. Accordingly, the probe card can be fabricated with a reduced number of probe tips, thereby overcoming the limitation of a test driver and performing simultaneous testing of more memory chips.

Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in preferred embodiments thereof, it should be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. I claim all modifications and variations coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.