Eles Semiconductor Equipment - Final Test and Wafer Level Testing Solutions

ELES Semiconductor Equipment is an Italian joint-stock company which has been working in the semiconductor industry since 1988. It provides IDMs, fabless facilities and foundries with innovative, high-quality test systems and solutions for final test and wafer level testing, as well as burn-in testing capabilities.

Test systems include the ART200, a universally applicable testing platform optimised for DFT (Design for Test) technologies (such as scan chain, JTAG, BIST, SOFT-BIST, etc.). The ART200's wide range of functions includes defective die/chip screening, low cost highly parallel test capability from design to volume and coverage of SOC, memory, digital logic analogue and mixed signal devices.

ELES, with headquarters in central Italy, is active worldwide through a network of partner companies and reps for supporting and assisting clients everywhere.

ELES TESTING APPROACH

In response to the two major challenges of the microelectronics industry – disruptively innovative technologies and extreme cost reduction – ELES has optimised its strategic testing approach, thus enabling semiconductor makers to reach real competitive advantages in terms of cost reduction, time-to-market reduction and design and production process improvement with outgoing quality and yield enhancement.

The ELES testing approach guarantees value-added features and benefits:

• Universal platform allowing low-cost, highly parallel test solutions from design to volume, thus reducing the use of ATEs
• Advanced DFT methodologies optimisation enabling efficient and cost-effective final test at both wafer and package level
• Advanced solutions at package and wafer level
• Definition, standardization and update of reliability and testing application processes
• Continuous technology improvement

ART200: IC TESTING THROUGH A UNIVERSAL PLATFORM

ART200 is a flexible, universally applicable testing platform built upon ELES's ART (Adaptive Reliability Testing) technology, optimised for DFT methodologies and allowing:

• Extremely wide device coverage (digital logic analogue and mixed-signal devices; all memory types; microcontrollers, systems-on-chip, systems-in-package; components without DFT features)
• Screening of defective dies and chips during front-end and back-end operations
• Low-cost, massive parallel test capability and solutions from design to volume: a common environment for design validation, new products and process qualifications (life test, NVM endurance cycling), reliability test in manufacturing (intelligent burn-in), final test (test during burn-in, batch testing, quality control)
• Support to all DFT methodologies (scan chain, JTAG, BIST, SOFT-BIST)
• Higher coverage stress and higher visibility on devices under test
• Higher DUT parallelism as compared to traditional ATE systems
• Independent test for slot architecture: each driver is able to run independent tests on different devices/boards using different test programs
• Possibility of performing burn-in and final test on the same test segment with intelligent real-time monitoring
• Enhanced flexibility and easy adaptation of the test flow from design through to production (programmability of scalable HW and SW tools)

SEMICONDUCTOR TEST SERVICES

Extensive knowledge and expertise in reliability testing allow ELES to support customers with highly qualified engineering services focusing on the definition, standardization and upgrade of the application process according to the customer's testing needs.

Starting from co-operation in the device design (DFT – Design For Test) and specification of the test conditions up to test launch, ELES's engineering support guarantees:

• Best test strategy definition support
• Test board design, development and tuning
• Test program and temperature profile development and debugging
• Device, test board and test program integration and debugging
• Test program validation and start-up support
• Custom function development
• Data export customisation
• Application of reliability testing knowledge to provide low-cost, highly parallel test solutions in close co-operation with semiconductor manufacturers
• Supply of reliability test boards and services for ELES and third-party equipment
• Burn-in and qualification services
• Design and manufacturing of ATE load boards

ELES has gone beyond technologies to approach and solve real testing challenges with the aim to optimise the semiconductor manufacturing process and fill the gap between abstract design and real silicon by delivering products and services that reduce the overall cost of ownership while maximising process flexibility, enhancing yield and improving time-to-market.