The challenge of testing RFID integrated circuits

RFID integrated circuits often involve many of the most leading edge production technologies available today. The complexities involved with integrating these complexities into the backend and test environment are exceptionally challenging. To date, this is a challenge that many ATE and backend processing equipment development companies have been reluctant to even attempt to try to meet. This has required IC designers and foundries to endeavour to design and support custom test equipment, taking these staff away from their core competencies, and dramatically lengthening product development times. This article presents some of these challenges in a hope that semiconductor equipment manufacturers will heed the call to support a rapidly expanding market.