Abstract: In a method for testing a plurality of devices, which are arranged on a wafer and connected to a common data line, wherein the devices are connectable to a test unit via the common data line, a connection is separated first between a defective device and the common data line, or an internal connection in the defective device is separated. Subsequently, the remaining devices are tested. Alternatively, instead of the connection between the defective device and the common data line, the connection between a defective device and a common or an individual supply line is separated.

Abstract: A current control that employs a magnetic amplifier and an active feedback circuit. The feedback circuit establishes the effective operating current of the amplifier at a fixed point. The magnetic amplifier includes a pair of oppositely wound gate windings, a bias winding and a control winding. The gate windings are driven by an oscillator driver that generates a gate winding current and a gate winding voltage. A reference voltage and the gate winding voltage are applied to a feedback amplifier and the feedback circuit. When the gate winding voltage becomes equal to the reference voltage, the feedback circuit is stable and the gate winding current is set to a desired zero current operating point.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method of detecting defects in a patterned substrate, including: (a) positioning a charged-particle-beam optical column relative to a patterned substrate, the charged-particle-beam optical column having a field of view (FOV) with a substantially uniform resolution over the FOV; (b) operating the charged-particle-beam optical column to acquire images of a region of the patterned substrate lying within the FOV by scanning the charged-particle beam over the patterned substrate; and (c) comparing the acquired images to a reference to identify defects in the patterned substrate.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a method for measuring access time where the frequency of a ring oscillator is measured with and without a device under test 1 in the ring. Those two frequencies are compared to calculate the access time of the device under test 1. Another embodiment of the invention is circuitry 25 that measures the frequency of a ring oscillator with and without a device under test 1. Again the two frequencies are compared to calculate the access time of the device under test 1.

Abstract: A test apparatus and a method for testing an integrated circuit's data storage device's input/output signal pins for alternating current (AC) defects, by providing an interface that will couple each respective individual test contact, in a subset of said contacts, to a select plurality of the data storage input/output signal pins so that when a selected data string is introduced into the integrated circuit so that each input/output pin on a data storage device in the integrated circuit will be tested in sequence whereby the number of contacts required by the tester can be reduced.

Abstract: A digital eddy current proximity system including a digital impedance measuring device for digitally measuring the proximity probes impedance correlative to displacement motion and position of a metallic target object being monitored. The system further including a cable-length calibration method, an automatic material identification and calibration method, a material insensitive method, an inductive ratio method and advanced sensing characteristics.

Abstract: A probe card apparatus comprising a rigid substrate having thermal expansion characteristics near that of silicon, laminated with a flex film having laser patterned leads and contact pads, and contact elements comprising noble metals protruding from two major surfaces, the first mirroring the closely spaced chip pads, and the second aligned to the more generously spaced probe card pads, providing an accurate and reproducible, low cost, rapidly fabricated probe contact device, capable of contacting very high density bond pads in either area array or perimeter locations, of being electrically optimized, and readily maintained.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to simultaneously measure electric and thermal fields with a single probe. Using an electrooptic semiconductor probe, the Pockels effect is employed to measure electric field magnitude and phase, and the effect of photon absorption due to bandtail states in the semiconductor is used to measure temperature. Techniques to scale relative electric-field measurements to absolute units (volts/meter), stabilize electric-field phase drift, and calibrate electric-field data that is corrupted when the probe is used in regions where temperature gradients exist are provided.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a radio frequency (RF) power meter operates according to a variable loop bandwidth according to the nature of the RF signal to be measured. The RF power meter comprises: a first switch that switchably provides one of a first signal and a second signal, wherein the first signal is the RF signal to be measured; a first signal path for detecting an output signal from the first switch and for providing a first comparison signal according to a first bandwidth, a second signal path for detecting an output from the first switch and for providing a second comparison signal according to a second bandwidth, and a second switch that switchably provides one of the first comparison signal and the second comparison signal to the first switch to complete a closed-loop for the RF power meter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a micromachine relay is provided. A pin controller comprises at least one spring pin designed to movably couple the pin controller to a device under test (DUT) to provide signals to the DUT. The pin controller further includes a micromachine relay coupled to the at least one spring pin to control the movement of the at least one spring pin and an integrated circuit for controlling the micromachine relay.

Abstract: Flexible multilayer microwave or mm-wave circuits and sensors are provided having at least (a) a first metallization layer, at least a portion of the first metallization layer being adapted for operation at a frequency ranging from 20 GHz to 100 GHz; (b) a second metallization layer, at least a portion of the second metallization layer being adapted for operation as a ground plane; (c) a dielectric substrate layer, the dielectric substrate layer being disposed between the first and second metallization layers; and (d) a plurality of conductive vias extending through the dielectric substrate layer and electrically connecting portions of the first and second metallization layers.

Abstract: On-chip absolute value measurement circuit and an on-chip capacitor mismatch value measurement circuits are provided. The absolute value measurement circuit begins charging a capacitor. When the voltage across the capacitor reaches a first threshold, the absolute value measurement circuit starts a counter. When the voltage across the capacitor reaches a second threshold, the counter stops. The counter value is provided as digital output. A computer device reads the digital output and calculates the absolute value of the capacitor based on the counter value. The mismatch measurement circuit repeatedly charges an evaluation capacitor and transfers the charge from the evaluation capacitor to an integrating capacitor. For each transfer of charge, a counter is incremented until the voltage across the integrating capacitor reaches a threshold voltage. The counter value is provided as digital output. This process is repeated for each evaluation capacitor on the chip.

Abstract: Double-faced detecting devices for an electronic substrate, the detecting device have a base and two probe-detecting machines oppositely located beside the base. The base has a guiding groove and a substrate platform with a through hole rotatably and movably mounted on the base via the guiding groove. Therefore, when the electronic substrate mounts on the substrate platform, the substrate platform enables to rotate from a horizontal position to a vertical position to expose two faces of the electronic substrate to face the two probe-detecting machines for a double-faced detection of the electronic substrate in high-frequency properties. Additionally, each probe-detecting machine is mounted on a pivot base and pivoted by the pivot base to adjust the height of probe to touch the electronic substrate at the vertical position.

Abstract: A novel thin wire connector cable and method for connecting an electrical test instrument to an electrical node of interest sealable within a vacuum chamber of an electrical testing device is presented. The thin wire connector cable includes a thin wire cable with a first end connectable to the test instrument and a second end comprising a connector electrically connectable to the electrical node of interest that lies within the vacuum-sealable chamber. The thin wire cable is routed from the vacuum-sealable chamber to the test instrument in between a flexible vacuum seal and an opening to the vacuum-sealable chamber such that when the vacuum is actuated, the thin wire cable is wedged between the seal and testing device. The thin wire cable is substantially thin enough so as to prevent more than a negligible amount of leakage between the thin wire cable and the flexible vacuum seal, which allows a vacuum to be generated and maintained.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring output light intensity from laser chips mounted on respective carriers on a fixture, comprises a control unit for moving the fixture to in turn bring the chips to a measurement station, and a TV camera and a NIR camera both connected to a vision system for determining x and y coordinates of objects viewed by the TV camera and the NIR camera, respectively. The control unit is adapted to move the fixture to bring the respective chip in front of the TV camera to determine the coordinates of the chip on the fixture, move the fixture in response to the coordinates of the chip on the fixture to bring the chip in front of the NIR camera to determine the coordinates of a point of maximum light intensity from the ignited chip, and move the fixture in response to the coordinates of the point of maximum light intensity to bring the chip to the measurement station.

Abstract: A system which performs multi-functions including reducing the thickness of oxides on contact pads and probing, testing, burn-in, repairing, programming and binning of integrated circuits. The system includes: at least one module having a holding fixture, a wafer, a probing device, an electronic circuit board, and a temperature control device. There are a number of integrated circuits on the wafer, and the probing device simultaneously contacts substantially all of the electrical contacts in the integrated circuits. There is a plurality of active switching circuits on the probing device. The module may also have a gas source for supplying non-oxidizing gases such as nitrogen and hydrogen into the chamber, a handler for moving the wafers and the probing devices, and a computer coupled to the chamber for controlling and communicating with the handler, the temperature control devices, the holding fixtures and the probing devices.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A modular interface test adapter having a base, a cover and a bushing or card support that permits easy access to modules, pins and patchcords in the test adapter for activities such as troubleshooting and repairs. The cover is removable and has a structure, such as a tongue and groove, for mating with a corresponding structure in a base. The bushing or card support is removable from the cover.

Abstract: Integrated circuit and integrated circuit device diagnostic methods and apparatus in accordance with the present invention are provided. The IC is operated to produce an output marginally above a pass-fail threshold for a particular performance criteria. The IC is made to fail that criteria by inducing an electrical stress in an IC device that is of marginal design for that particular criteria. The electrical stress acts to minutely degrade the performance of the IC device driving the IC below the pass-fail threshold. When each IC device is stressed in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, marginal IC devices are identified to enable the design to be modified. The induced electrical stress is non-destructive to the IC device and IC, which permits a repeatable diagnostic process, as well as allows for the diagnostic testing of other IC devices in the same microcircuit.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide improved online detection of one or more shorts in rotor turns (18) of a field winding (22) of an electric generator. An initial reference inductance LREF is determined by an impedance-measuring circuit (50). A subsequent inductance L is determined by the impedance measuring circuit (50). A data processing system (54) compares LREF to L to determine whether they differ by a predetermined amount. If LREF and L differ by the predetermined amount, an alarm is provided to operators to indicate the presence of one or more shorted rotor turns.