Patents by Inventor Alberto Pagani

Alberto Pagani has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8378346
    Abstract: A circuit architecture provides for the parallel supplying of power during electric or electromagnetic testing of electronic devices integrated on a same semiconductor wafer and bounded by scribe lines. The circuit architecture comprises a conductive grid interconnecting the electronic devices and having a portion external to the devices and a portion internal to the devices. The external portion extends along the scribe lines; and the internal portion extends within at least a part of the devices. The circuit architecture includes interconnection pads between the external portion and the internal portion of the conductive grid and provided on at least a part of the devices, the interconnection pads forming, along with the internal and external portions, power supply lines which are common to different electronic devices of the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20130027071
    Abstract: A testing apparatus includes a tester and a probe card system that includes a probe card connected to the tester, and an active interposer connected to the probe card and wirelessly coupled with a device to be tested. The active interposer includes pads positioned on its free surface facing the device. The pads are positioned with respect to pads of the device so that each pad of the active interposer faces a pad of the device and is separated therefrom by a dielectric. Each pair of facing pads forms an elementary wireless coupling element which allows a wireless transmission between the active interposer and the device. The active interposer also includes an amplifier circuit configured to amplify wireless signals from the device before forwarding them to the tester. The probe card system includes a transmission element able to transmit a power voltage from the tester to the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: STMicroelectonics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Roberto Canegallo, Mauro Scandiuzzo, Roberto Cardu, Eleonora Franchi Scarselli, Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20130027073
    Abstract: An integrated circuit on a substrate including at least one peripheral portion that surrounds an active area and is realized close to at least one scribe line providing separation with other integrated circuits realized on a same wafer. The integrated circuit includes at least one conductive structure that extends in its peripheral portion on different planes starting from the substrate and realizes an integrated antenna for the circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alberto Pagani, Alessandro Finocchiaro
  • Publication number: 20130026466
    Abstract: An embodiment of a testing architecture of integrated circuits on a wafer is described of the type including at least one first circuit of a structure TEG realized in a scribe line providing separation between at least one first and one second integrated circuit. The architecture includes at least one pad shared by a second circuit inside at least one of these first and second integrated circuit and the first circuit, as well as a switching circuitry coupled to the at least one pad and to these first and second circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Alberto PAGANI
  • Patent number: 8362620
    Abstract: A method performs electrical testing and assembly of an electronic device on a wafer and comprising a pad made in an oxide layer covered by a passivation layer. The method includes connecting the electronic device to a testing apparatus; providing said electronic device with a metallization layer extending on the passivation layer from the pad to a non-active area of said wafer. The method comprises-performing the electrical testing on wafer of the electronic device by placing a probe of on a portion of the extended metallization layer; performing the cut of said wafer, reducing the extension of the metallization layer to the edge of the electronic device; embedding the device inside a package, forming on the metallization layer an electrical connection configured to connect the metallization layer to a circuit in said package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani
  • Patent number: 8362796
    Abstract: A method of testing integrated circuits, including: establishing at least a first physical communication channel between a test equipment and an integrated circuit under test by having at least a first probe of the test equipment contacting a corresponding physical contact terminal of the integrated circuit under test; having the test equipment and the integrated circuit under test exchange, over said first physical communication channel, at least two signals selected from the group including at least two test stimuli and at least two test response signals, wherein said at least two signals are exchanged by means of at least one modulated carrier wave modulated by the at least two signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani
  • Patent number: 8358147
    Abstract: A method of testing integrated circuits is provided. The method includes establishing at least one first physical communication channel between a test equipment and a respective group of integrated circuits under test by having probes of the test equipment contacting at least one corresponding physical contact terminal of each integrated circuit of the respective group. The method further includes having the test equipment exchanging, over the at least one first physical communication channel, the same test stimuli with each integrated circuit of the group. The method still further includes having each integrated circuit of the group establishing a corresponding second physical communication channel with the test equipment by having at least one physical contact terminal of the integrated circuit contacted by a corresponding probe of the test equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20120168520
    Abstract: An embodiment of a RF identification device is formed by a tag and by a reader. The tag is formed by a processing circuit and a first antenna, which has the function both of transmitting and of receiving data. The reader is formed by a control circuit and by a second antenna, which has the function both of transmitting and of receiving data. The processing circuit is formed by a resonance capacitor, a modulator, a rectifier circuit, a charge-pump circuit and a detection circuit. The antenna of the tag and the processing circuit are integrated in a single structure in completely monolithic form. The first antenna has terminals connected to the input of the rectifier circuit, the output of which is connected to the charge-pump circuit. The charge-pump circuit has an output connected to the detection circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alessandro Finocchiaro, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano, Giuseppe Ferla, Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20120171953
    Abstract: An embodiment of a RF identification device is formed by a tag and by a reader. The tag is formed by a processing circuit and a first antenna, which has the function both of transmitting and of receiving data. The reader is formed by a control circuit and by a second antenna, which has the function both of transmitting and of receiving data. The processing circuit is formed by a resonance capacitor, a modulator, a rectifier circuit, a charge-pump circuit and a detection circuit. The antenna of the tag and the processing circuit are integrated in a single structure in completely monolithic form. The first antenna has terminals connected to the input of the rectifier circuit, the output of which is connected to the charge-pump circuit. The charge-pump circuit has an output connected to the detection circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alessandro Finocchiaro, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano, Giuseppe Ferla, Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20120153745
    Abstract: An embodiment in a single structure combines a pad comprising a connection terminal suitable for coupling the circuit elements integrated in a chip to circuits outside the chip itself and at least one inductor that can be used to receive/transmit electromagnetic waves or to supply the chip with power or both. By combining a connection pad and an inductor in a single structure, it is possible to reduce the overall area that otherwise would be occupied exclusively by the inductors, thus reducing the cost and size of integrated circuits that include such a structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Alberto PAGANI
  • Publication number: 20120081137
    Abstract: A testing method is described of at least one device provided with an integrated testing circuit and in communication with at least one tester where messages/instructions/test signals/information are exclusively sent from the tester to the device . A testing architecture is also described for implementing this testing method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L., STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
    Inventors: Alberto Pagani, Jean-Michel Bard
  • Publication number: 20120068725
    Abstract: A sensing structure for use in testing integrated circuits on a substrate. The sensing structure includes at least two sensing regions connectable to a probe and at least one first sensing element. Each of the at least one first sensing elements is directly connected to two sensing regions such that for each sensing region a different value of an electrical parameter is measurable between the sensing region and a first reference potential so as to reliably determine a drift direction of a probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20120025344
    Abstract: An embodiment of a method for producing traceable integrated circuits includes forming on a wafer of semiconductor material functional regions for implementing specific functionalities of corresponding integrated circuits, forming at least one seal ring around each functional region of the corresponding integrated circuit, and forming on each integrated circuit at least one marker indicative of information of the integrated circuit. Forming on each integrated circuit at least one marker may include forming the at least one marker on at least a portion of the respective seal ring that is visible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Alberto PAGANI
  • Publication number: 20110291679
    Abstract: A method of testing integrated circuits is provided. The method includes establishing at least one first physical communication channel between a test equipment and a respective group of integrated circuits under test by having probes of the test equipment contacting at least one corresponding physical contact terminal of each integrated circuit of the respective group. The method further includes having the test equipment exchanging, over the at least one first physical communication channel, the same test stimuli with each integrated circuit of the group. The method still further includes having each integrated circuit of the group establishing a corresponding second physical communication channel with the test equipment by having at least one physical contact terminal of the integrated circuit contacted by a corresponding probe of the test equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20110279137
    Abstract: An embodiment of a method is proposed for producing cantilever probes for use in a test apparatus of integrated electronic circuits; the probes are configured to contact during the test corresponding terminals of the electronic circuits to be tested. An embodiment comprises forming probe bodies of electrically conductive materials. In an embodiment, the method further includes forming on a lower portion of each probe body that, in use, is directed to the respective terminal to be contacted, an electrically conductive contact region having a first hardness value equal to or greater than 300 HV; each contact region and the respective probe body form the corresponding probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto PAGANI
  • Publication number: 20110278568
    Abstract: An embodiment of a manufacturing process of an integrated electronic circuit is proposed; the process comprises forming a substrate comprising a plurality of functional components of the electronic circuit, creating a plurality of conductive layers on such substrate to form an electric contact region with high hardness equal to or greater than a first hardness value of about 300 HV, contacting the electric contact region with a probe and running an electric test of the electronic circuit. In an embodiment, the process further comprises, after the test run, creating a covering conductive layer on at least one part of the electric contact region contacted by the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alberto PAGANI
  • Publication number: 20110267086
    Abstract: A test circuit is described of a circuit integrated on wafer of the type comprising at least one antenna of the embedded type comprising at least one test antenna associated with said at least one embedded antenna that realizes its connection of the wireless loopback type creating a wireless channel for said at least one embedded antenna and allows its electric test, transforming an electromagnetic signal of communication between said at least one embedded antenna and said at least one test antenna into an electric signal that can be read by a test apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani
  • Publication number: 20110254580
    Abstract: A method provides an improved checking of repeatability and reproducibility of a measuring chain, in particular for quality control by semiconductor device testing. The method includes testing steps provided for multiple and different devices to be subjected to measurement or control through a measuring system that includes at least one chain of measuring units between a testing apparatus (ATE) and each device to be subjected to measurement or control. Advantageously, the method comprises checking repeatability and reproducibility of each type of unit that forms part of the measuring chain and, after the checking, making a correlation between the various measuring chains as a whole to check repeatability and reproducibility, using a corresponding device subjected to measurement or control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L., STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE) SAS
    Inventors: Sergio Tenucci, Alberto Pagani, Marco Spinetta, Bernard Ranchoux
  • Publication number: 20110205028
    Abstract: An embodiment of an electronic communications device, including: a body of semiconductor material defining at least one integrated electronic circuit and having a top surface; an electromagnetic shield; a radiant element; and a capacitive element formed by a first electrode and a second electrode, the radiant element being set on the top surface and being ohmically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode by means of a first connection element and a second connection element, respectively, the electromagnetic shield being set between the radiant element and the top surface and forming at least the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alberto PAGANI, Alessandro FINOCCHIARO, Giovanni GIRLANDO
  • Publication number: 20110202799
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for making an electric testing of electronic devices DUT, of the type comprising the steps of: connecting at least one electronic device DUT to an automatic testing apparatus or ATE apparatus suitable for making the testing of digital circuits; sending, through said ATE apparatus, control signals for the electric testing to said electronic device DUT. Advantageously, the process also comprises the steps of: making the electric testing of said electronic device DUT through at least one reconfigurable digital interface RDI connected to said ATE apparatus through a dedicated digital communication channel and comprising a limited number of communication or connection lines strictly appointed to the exchange of the testing information; and sending from said electronic device DUT to said ATE apparatus response messages, if any, containing measures, failure information and data in response to said control signals and through said digital communication channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani