Tecap – The Test Software for Electronics and Semiconductors. From Engineering to Production.

Tecap for Semiconductor Testing

Semiconductor testing places specific demands on test execution, parallelization, DUT handling, and data processing.

At the same time, many fundamental tasks remain the same as in other automated testing scenarios: test programs need to be structured, measurement instruments integrated, variants managed, results recorded, and production data analyzed.

Tecap combines these general platform functions with the additional structures required for semiconductor testing.

At a Glance

From the Test Program to the Wafer

A semiconductor test project consists of more than individual measurements.

Test sequences, variants, sites, DUT positions, limits, binning, and result data need to be connected.

Tecap organizes this information within a common project model.

This allows test development, system configuration, production processes, and data analysis to operate on the same foundation.

Semiconductor-specific functions extend this structure where semiconductor testing differs from other applications.

Multi-Site Testing as Part of the Platform

Parallel testing of multiple DUTs is a key factor in test time and throughput in semiconductor production.

Tecap supports multi-site testing within the test plan and system configuration.

This includes, for example:

  • multiple sites within a test system
  • parallel test execution
  • site-specific test results
  • shared and site-specific resources
  • individual activation and deactivation of sites
  • site-specific test stopping
  • assignment of DUTs and positions

This allows parallelization to be represented within the same project structure used for the test plan, instrumentation, and result data.

Multi-site testing is not treated as a separate semiconductor-specific environment within Tecap, but as part of the general test platform.

Wafer Maps and DUT Positions

In wafer testing, the position of each individual die plays a central role.

Tecap can represent wafer structures within the test process and link individual DUTs to their positions.

This includes, among other things:

  • wafer mapping
  • coordinate-based positioning
  • assignment of test results to the respective die
  • marking of positions that have already been tested
  • visualization of test results on the wafer map
  • integration with multi-site testing

This keeps DUT identity, position, and test result linked together.

The wafer map can be used both during test execution and for subsequent result analysis.

Sampling and Targeted Test Selection

Not every DUT or position necessarily has to undergo the same complete set of tests.

Tecap supports sampling and condition-dependent test selection.

This makes it possible, for example, to test defined positions or subsets of a wafer selectively.

Sampling rules can be combined with the remaining test logic.

This keeps DUT selection, test plan, and result data within the same process instead of treating them as separate functions.

Integrating the Prober into the Test Process

Wafer probers handle positioning and contacting of individual DUTs and need to work together with the electrical test process.

Tecap provides extension options for integrating such systems.

This allows prober-specific processes to be connected with the test sequence, site control, wafer structure, and result processing.

The specific integration depends on the prober used and the existing system environment.

It can be implemented through the extension and customization capabilities of the Tecap platform without having to recreate the test plan and data management as separate solutions.

Binning and Result Evaluation

In semiconductor testing, a simple Pass/Fail decision is often not sufficient.

Depending on their results, DUTs can be assigned to different classes or bins.

Tecap can take this result information into account within the test process and store it together with the remaining test data.

This allows binning, test results, wafer position, and other production information to be linked.

The data is then also available for analysis and traceability.

Configuring Measurement Instruments and the Test System

Semiconductor test systems also consist of different measurement, stimulation, and switching components.

System Architect describes instruments, resources, signal paths, and connections within the Tecap project structure.

The Tecap Instruments Pack provides integrated support for numerous measurement instruments.

Additional instruments and customer-specific components can be added through defined interfaces.

This keeps instrumentation independent of the organization of the test plan itself and allows it to be reused across different products and variants.

Test Programs, Variants, and Development Stages

Semiconductor products pass through different development and production stages.

Test programs, limits, and test requirements can change without necessarily requiring completely separate projects.

Tecap provides variants and development stages within a common project model.

This allows shared test structures to remain in place while differences are managed selectively.

Engineering versions and released production versions remain separated and can be developed independently.

Structuring Large Volumes of Test Results

Semiconductor testing generates large volumes of structured measurement and production data.

Tecap provides ready-to-use functions for result logging.

Recorded information can include, for example:

  • test results
  • limits and units
  • site information
  • wafer and position information
  • product and variant information
  • test times
  • binning information
  • waveforms and other test artifacts
  • customer-specific additional data

Result data can be stored in Tecap databases and linked with additional production information.

This makes it available both for traceability and for subsequent analysis.

Autonomous Test Stations and Centralized Data

Production stations need to operate reliably even when a central database or network infrastructure is temporarily unavailable.

Tecap supports distributed database structures for this purpose.

A test station can operate largely independently using a local database.

Database Replicator subsequently synchronizes the data with higher-level databases.

This combines local production capability with centralized data management without making ongoing testing permanently dependent on a server connection.

Analyzing Test Data

The large volume of measurement data generated in semiconductor testing is not only a storage challenge. It also provides an extensive basis for quality and process analysis.

With Result Analyst, recorded results can be analyzed independently of the running test system.

This includes, for example:

  • numerical statistics
  • frequency distributions
  • trend and stability analysis
  • process and machine capability analysis
  • comparison of products and variants
  • wafer maps
  • waveform analysis

By linking measurement values with wafer positions, spatial patterns within a wafer can also become visible.

Analyses can also be performed across different project versions.

Engineering and Production on the Same Foundation

In engineering, test programs need to be developed, modified, and diagnosed.

In production, the focus is on reproducible processes, releases, and controlled operation.

Tecap separates these tasks while using the same project structure for both.

Engineering versions can continue to be developed while released production versions remain unchanged in operation.

Dedicated applications and permissions ensure that only the functions required for each environment are available.

Integrating into Existing Semiconductor Test Environments

Semiconductor test systems often already consist of specialized components and established production processes.

Tecap therefore does not require the entire environment to be rebuilt.

Plugins and customization can be used to integrate, for example:

  • wafer probers
  • existing test hardware
  • handling systems
  • production control systems
  • customer-specific data sources
  • MES or ERP systems
  • other internal software solutions

The Tecap APIs serve as customization interfaces within the platform.

Communication with external systems is implemented through an integration approach suited to the specific application.

This allows Tecap to be introduced as a common software foundation within existing systems and processes.

Semiconductor-Specific Without Creating a Separate Software Environment

Wafer mapping, prober integration, sampling, and binning are specific requirements of semiconductor testing.

Many other tasks differ only slightly from those found in other automated test applications.

Test plans need to be structured, multiple DUTs tested in parallel, instruments integrated, variants managed, and results analyzed.

Tecap therefore does not use a fundamentally separate platform for semiconductor applications.

The general functions remain the same. Semiconductor-specific capabilities extend them where the test process requires additional structures.

This allows shared platform concepts to be used without abstracting away or hiding the specific characteristics of semiconductor testing.

Does Tecap Fit Your Semiconductor Test Application?

Whether Tecap is suitable for a specific semiconductor test system depends on the test method, existing hardware, and production processes.

The platform can be particularly relevant if:

  • multiple DUTs are tested in parallel
  • wafer structures and positions need to be taken into account
  • sampling and binning are part of the test process
  • different test programs and variants need to be organized together
  • existing instruments and probers should continue to be used
  • test results need to be centrally available for analysis
  • production stations still need to operate largely autonomously
  • individual integrations are required

Not every semiconductor testing scenario requires the same functions.

If you would like to assess whether the Tecap platform fits your existing or planned test environment, we can review the specific scenario together and identify suitable starting points.

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