VLSI Testing And Screening

Testing is necessary to verify that very large scale integration ICs (VLSI-ICs) conform to their specifications. This can grow from a more or less reduced incoming inspection test to a full qualification test consisting of a characterization, environmental tests, reliability tests, and failure analysis. The aim of a screening is to eliminate weak ICs that would cause early failures.

This article presents the possibilities and limits of testing and screening very large scale integration ICs (VLSI-ICs). Practical results are given, and the procedures for the qualification of these ICs are discussed. The concept of test strategy is introduced, and the question of the choice between 100 percent and sampling inspection test is answered.