Improving final test throughput via RFID tracking of probe cards

A significant driver of wafer test throughput is the availability of the right probe card for a particular lot of wafers. In facilities with hundreds or thousands of probe cards, keeping track of where they are and ensuring they are readily available when needed is a formidable challenge. When a card is misidentified and used on the wrong lot/product, throughput drops due to the need to retest the wafers. This paper describes a methodology of tracking, validating, and managing probe cards using radio frequency identification (RFlD) technology. Estimated improvements in throughput, rework, and data accuracy are also provided as a comparison to manual or semi-manual (barcode) methods