A method for storing semiconductor test data to simplify data analysis

Abstract

The automated testing of semiconductor wafers, integrated circuits (IC), and surface mount devices generates a large volume of data. These devices are tested in stages and their test data is typically collected in log files, spreadsheets, and comma separated value files that are stored at both the foundry and on-site on file shares. Building a cohesive picture of the quality and performance of these devices can be difficult since the data is scattered throughout many files. In addition, tracking any deviations in performance from wafer to wafer by analyzing historical process control monitoring (PCM) test data is a manual, laborious task. Collecting the test data from multiple sources (e.g., foundries and contract manufacturers) can be cumbersome when manual intervention is required. Automating the transfer of test data from third party servers to on-site file shares is crucial to providing a consistent method of accessing the data for analysis. This paper provides a method of both implementing a database for storing test data collected at the various stages of IC manufacturing, as well as automating the retrieval and import of test data into the database from all relevant sources.