This invention relates to testing semiconductor wafers, and more particularly to reducing the time required for testing semiconductor memory integrated circuit (IC) devices, such as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs).
In the complex manufacturing steps of semiconductor memory devices, such as DRAMs, defects may occur and it is critical to test for and discover such defects before final production and shipment. Two tests that are commonly performed are the “write window” test and the “retention test.” As is known in the art, the write window test consists of writing a signal to a memory cell in such a manner so as to cut short the time that the cell is permitted to otherwise charge completely. For example, the cell may be permitted to charge to only two-thirds of its final charged value. Measurements are then made concerning surrounding resistive and other properties under these conditions. A retention test consists of writing a logic “1” (i.e., a non-zero voltage) to a cell, waiting a time interval, then reading the cell to ensure that the voltage is retained by the cell.
Long test times result when performing both the write window test and retention test at the same time during DRAM production testing. For example, for a 512 Mbyte DDR chip with 16 input/output lines, the address range is 4 banks×8192 rows×1024 addresses. If all banks are tested in parallel, there are 8192 rows×512 column accesses required to test all storage cells with a limited write window. If combined with a retention test, this means performing a limited write of a voltage to the cells, and then waiting a specified retention time interval. This is further complicated in a wordline/bitline architecture.
One full page, that is one column address and all row addresses, can be initialized with a limited write window. However, if the column address is immediately incremented and rippled again through the row addresses and the previous column is refreshed, the retention time is lost. Therefore, with testing procedures heretofore known it is necessary to wait the full retention time multiplied by the number of column addresses. In this example, this would be 512 column addresses×64 ms retention time=32 sec+write/read overhead (approximately 1 sec). This is a significant length of time for volume production testing.
There is need for substantially reducing the time necessary for a combined write window and retention time testing procedure.
Briefly, a method, test mode circuit and system for a combined write window and retention test for a memory device is provided that is faster than techniques heretofore known. The combined write window and retention test procedure involves controlling time intervals during which wordlines are activated and deactivated and bitlines are grounded or connected to a bitline high voltage such that the wordlines are activated while bitlines are either grounded or at the bitline high voltage. During a first time interval after the wordlines are activated, a first value (e.g., 0 V) is written to storage cells associated with the activated wordlines. During a second time interval after a second activation of the wordlines, a second value (a non-zero logic “1” V) is written to storage cells associated with the activated wordlines. The second time interval is shorter than the first time interval and has a duration that establishes write window test conditions. After expiration of a third time interval corresponding to a retention time interval, the storage cells are read and a determination is made whether a storage cell has passed or failed a combined write window and retention test based on a value read from the storage cell.
To achieve this test sequence, a test mode control circuit is provided comprising a main control circuit that receives as input trigger sequence signals and generates as output wordline activation control signals and bitline control signals to achieve a desired timing sequence for a combined write window and retention test of a memory device. A wordline control circuit is coupled to the main control circuit and is responsive to the wordline activation control signals to generate wordline activation signals and wordline deactivation signals that are supplied to wordlines associated with storage cells in the memory device. A sense amplifier control circuit is coupled to the main control circuit and is responsive to the bitline control signals to control the bitlines associated with the storage cells in the memory device.
The objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanied drawings, wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components.
Referring first to
A test device 170 is coupled to the memory IC through means known in the art to perform a combined write window and retention testing procedure under control of the test mode control circuit 200. The test mode control circuit 200 controls the status of the WLs 110, BLs 120 and storage cells 130 in order to provide a fast combined write window and retention test suitable for use in volume production testing. The test mode control circuitry 200 does this by controlling the time interval during which all WLs in a portion or bank of the memory chip are activated and precharged while all BLs are either grounded (0V) or at a bitline high voltage level. A memory test system may be defined by a combination of the test mode control circuit 200 and the test device 170. The test mode control circuit 200 may be integrated on the memory IC as indicated by being contained within the dotted line in
The test mode control circuit 200 is shown in more detail in
The main control circuit 210, in response to the first and second trigger sequence signals, generates wordline activation control signals supplied to the WL control bock 220 that cause the WL control block 220 to activate and deactivate all (or a subset of) WLs associated with a bank of storage cells of the memory device. Similarly, the main control circuit 210 generates bitline control signals supplied to the sense amplifier control block 230 that in response supplies a signal to the sense amplifiers 140 (
As will become apparent from the following description of
The main control circuit 210, WL control circuit 220 and sense amplifier control circuit 230 may be implemented by digital logic gates, or their functions may be implemented in software.
With reference to
The bitline control steps 310 and 330 and the retention time and read steps 350 and 360, respectively, may be provided by a test mode feature that is part of an existing test device.
As an alternative, the procedure shown in
To summarize, the combined write window and retention test procedure comprises: controlling time intervals during which wordlines are activated and deactivated and bitlines are grounded or connected to a bitline high voltage such that the wordlines are activated while bitlines are either grounded or at the bitline high voltage; during a first time interval after the wordlines are activated writing a first value to storage cells associated with the activated wordlines; during a second time interval after a second activation of the wordlines writing a second value to storage cells associated with activated wordlines, wherein the second time interval has a duration that establishes write window test conditions; after expiration of a third time interval corresponding to a retention time interval, reading the storage cells; and determining whether a storage cell has passed or failed a combined write window and retention test based on a value read from the storage cell.
Stated another way, the combined write window and retention time test procedure involves: connecting bitlines of the memory device to ground; activating wordlines of the memory device; during a first time interval after activating, writing a first value to storage cells associated with the activated wordlines; deactivating the wordlines; connecting the bitlines to a bitline high voltage; activating the wordlines of the memory device; during a second time interval after activating, writing a second value to storage cells associated with the activated wordlines, wherein the second time interval has a duration that establishes write window test conditions; deactivating the wordlines; after expiration of a third time interval corresponding to a retention time interval, reading the storage cells; and determining whether a storage cell has passed or failed a combined write window and retention test based on a value read from the storage cell.
In the example described above of a 512 Mbyte chip with 16 I/O (four banks of 8192 rows and 1024 columns), the time to complete the combined write window and retention test procedure for all four banks is:
4 banks*retention time=256 msec+overhead for steps 310-355(several hundred nsec)+read overhead (<0.5 sec).
The test mode control circuitry and procedure described above may be used to activate all wordlines at the same time in a bank, or if the internal voltage generator is not capable of activating all wordlines for a bank of storage cells at the same time, then a subset of wordlines in the bank may be activated in steps 315 and 335, and the other steps of the procedure are performed for each subset of wordlines.
Furthermore, the test mode control circuitry may be used to control the up-time of activated wordlines. The time interval TB, corresponding to the write window time interval, is trimmable during test mode in order to establish a critical test point without causing false rejects.
The combined write window and retention test procedure described herein may be used for wafer level testing, burn-in testing and component level testing.
The system and methods described herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The foregoing embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects illustrative and not meant to be limiting.