Home Knowledge Base Wafer sort (probe)

Wafer sorting and binning classifies wafers or individual dies based on electrical test results into categories reflecting their quality, speed, or functionality. Wafer sort (probe): Test every die on wafer at probe station before dicing. Identify good and bad dies. Mark bad dies with ink dot or in electronic map. Die binning: Classify each die into bins based on test results. Bin 1 = fully good. Other bins = partial good, speed grades, or fail categories. Speed binning: Dies that pass all functional tests but at different speeds sorted into performance grades (fast, typical, slow). Different bins may be sold as different products. Yield: Wafer sort yield = (good dies / total dies) * 100%. Primary manufacturing metric. Test program: Automated test program applies test vectors, measures responses, and classifies each die per bin criteria. Probe card: Array of tiny probes contacts die bond pads simultaneously. Must align precisely to pad locations. Parametric testing: During sort, parametric measurements (Vt, Idsat, leakage) collected for statistical process monitoring. Pass/fail criteria: Specifications define limits for each test. Any out-of-spec measurement assigns die to fail or downgrade bin. Ink marking: Traditional method to physically mark bad dies. Modern fabs use electronic wafer maps instead. Multi-site probing: Test multiple dies simultaneously for throughput. 4-32 sites common. Cost: Wafer sort testing significant cost component. Test time per die x number of dies = total test cost.

wafer sorting / binningmetrology

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