TI Finds That Keithley Parametric Test System Increases Flexibility and Accuracy of IC Wafer Characterization.CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 24, 1998--Keithley Instruments Inc. announced today that Texas Instruments See TI. (company) Texas Instruments - (TI) A US electronics company. A TI engineer, Jack Kilby invented the integrated circuit in 1958. Three TI employees left the company in 1982 to start Compaq. has selected the S600 parametric test system as its next generation IC characterization platform. This system will be used for 0.25 micron technology Micron Technology ("Micron") NYSE: MU is a multinational company based in Boise, Idaho, USA, best known for producing many forms of semiconductor devices. This includes DRAM, SDRAM, flash memory, and CMOS image sensing chips. and beyond. The decision comes after a thorough TI evaluation of available solutions that weighed all facets of measurement capability, cost of ownership, technical support, ease of use and long term product strategy. Evaluation Methods Based on its own benchmark studies, Texas Instruments has one of the most rigorous equipment evaluation procedures in the semiconductor industry, which includes quantitative analysis Quantitative Analysis A security analysis that uses financial information derived from company annual reports and income statements to evaluate an investment decision. Notes: of evaluation criteria. All aspects of the S600 hardware, software operation, safety, vendor support, engineering and cost items were quantified and weighted according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. TI's internal business needs. This includes compliance and compatibility with TI's Total Quality Management (TQM (Total Quality Management) An organizational undertaking to improve the quality of manufacturing and service. It focuses on obtaining continuous feedback for making improvements and refining existing processes over the long term. See ISO 9000. ) program. Throughput TI said it considers the measurement settling time The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. Please help [ improve the introduction] to meet Wikipedia's layout standards. You can discuss the issue on the talk page. of the S600 a competitive advantage, allowing the highest throughput performance without sacrificing measurement accuracy. The system's RC settling time was found to be significantly faster than all other available solutions. All low current measurements are performed faster as a result, including isolation, diode and transistor testing. Therefore, TI said it anticipates the purchase of fewer testers to support a given wafer capacity. "The stellar throughput advantage of Keithley's S600 allows us to recover cleanroom floor space while simultaneously increasing measurement capability and decreasing our cost of ownership," concludes Jeff Daniels For other persons of this name, see . Jeffrey "Jeff" Warren Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor, musician and playwright. Biography Early life , Parametric Engineering Manager for TI's Dallas MOS (1) (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) See MOSFET. (2) (Mean Opinion Score) The quality of a digitized voice line. It is a subjective measurement that is derived entirely by people listening to the calls and scoring the results from 5 Wafer Fab. "It's the best possible situation." Cost of Ownership The quantitative analysis TI performed showed that the S600 had the lowest training requirements for both operators and engineers, thereby reducing the cost of ownership. TI also found the S600 to have lower operational support requirements, lower hardware replacement expenses and more robust software. Combined with higher throughput, TI said these factors provide the best ownership value for its measurement needs. Measurement Capability TI reported that, due to a super-clean, noise-free hardware environment, the S600's low current and low capacitance measurement Capacitance measurement The measurement of the ratio of the charge induced on a conductor to the change in potential with respect to a neighboring conductor which induces the charge. capability exceeded the competition and previous generations of parametric testers used by TI. The S600's VXI-C meter, with nearly zero stray capacitance and higher noise rejection, is a key part of that solution. Unlike other systems evaluated, the S600 probe card A probe card is an interface between an electronic test system and a semiconductor wafer. Its purpose is to provide an electrical path between the test system and the circuits on the wafer, thereby permitting the testing and validation of the circuits at the wafer level, usually design has low leakage, low noise and is not limited by dielectric absorption. Automation Interface The SECS-II/GEM interface of the S600 allows full integration into TI's factory automation system. User Access Points for interfacing with data analysis tools, C-programming backbone and Solaris networking are additional features that separate the S600 from other, less effective tools that TI evaluated. Technical Support TI's evaluation of technical support focused on seamless integration An addition of a new application, routine or device that works smoothly with the existing system. It implies that the new feature or program can be installed and used without problems. Contrast with "transparent," which implies that there is no discernible change after installation. of the S600 into TI test operations. An outstanding rating was given to Keithley based on its day-to-day on-site applications support and reliable software revision schedules. Product Roadmap Even more impressive to TI engineers and managers than winning the parametric system evaluation was Keithley's product roadmap. It contains a schedule of key improvements in cost structure and throughput while maintaining backward compatibility See backward compatible. (jargon) backward compatibility - Able to share data or commands with older versions of itself, or sometimes other older systems, particularly systems it intends to supplant. to prior generation platforms. This comprehensive approach was missing with other vendors, according to Carl Scharrer, TI's Technology Development Test Engineering Manager. Scharrer adds, "We were impressed with the scope and insight contained in Keithley's technology roadmap The context of product management The existence of product managers in the product software industry indicates that software is becoming more and more commercialized as a standard product. . It gives us the confidence that we chose the right company for a long-term association." For more information on the Model S600 and other parametric test systems, contact Keithley at: -0-
Telephone: 800/552-1115
440/248-0400
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E-mail: product_info@keithley.com
Internet: http://www.keithley.com
Address: Keithley Instruments Inc.
28775 Aurora Road
Cleveland, OH 44139-1891
About Keithley Instruments. Keithley Instruments Inc. provides measurement solutions to high-growth sectors of the electronics industry, including semiconductors, telecommunications, medical, and electronic components. Engineers and scientists around the world use Keithley's precision test instruments, PC plug-in boards, and software for process monitoring, production test and basic research.
CONTACT: Keithley Instruments Inc.
Jeff Kenyon, 440/498-2745
Reader Inquiries: 800/552-1115
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