Teradyne grants SEMI license to standardize IC test data

A world-wide royalty-free license of Standard Test Data Format (STDF), and any associated intellectual property rights, has been granted by Teradyne Inc. to SEMI to use, distribute, modify and support STDF.

Under the supervision of SEMI International Standards, the license of STDF will ensure standards development and new products using STDF and future extensions should be complicated by IP ownership conflicts.

This license will enable a more efficient, industry-wide application of STDF and future STDF extensions in the maintenance and development of test programs and other semiconductor test products.     

A multiple datalog formats and lack of industry standards prevent efficient use of test data across multiple test platforms and IC designs.

But advances in technology make it imperative to collect and diagnose detailed structural semiconductor test data during high-volume manufacturing to improve yield, test quality and overall test efficiency.

SEMI believes that the demand for comprehensive datalog standards is greater than ever as IDMs, foundries, and outsourced test and assembly firms are looking to lower costs, improve test quality and speed implementation of test strategies across multiple test platforms and EDA vendors.    

The Collaborative Alliance for Semiconductor Test (CAST), a SEMI special interest group, formed a working group on SDTF in 2008 as a successor to a previously independent standards group.  Through the group’s efforts, a new, standard extension for logging memory fails in STDF has been developed.  

The format is currently in ballot by SEMI International Standards for international adoption as an industry standard. The SEMI CAST working group on STDF, comprised of members from the ATE, EDA, OSAT and the IC industry, is currently evaluating continued development and enhancements of STDF.

Greg Smith, Broadband and Computing Business Unit manager, of Teradyne.  “SEMI and CAST working groups have a unique environment that allows all the participants in the semiconductor test ecosystem to further the efficiency of the entire manufacturing process.  This action will better serve Teradyne, our customers and the entire semiconductor industry by allowing us to focus on innovation and customer service, and not unproductive duplication of effort.”