January 26, 2012 - BUSINESS WIRE -- Test system maker Keithley Instruments Inc. upgraded the capabilities of its Automated Characterization Suite (ACS) Test Environment to ACS Version 4.4. The software is used with several Keithley instrument and system configurations for automated device characterization and reliability analysis.

V.4.4 supports a newly enhanced reliability test option (Model ACS-2600-RTM), as well as expanded ultra-fast bias temperature instability (BTI) testing capabilities; high current testing of power components; and new project libraries designed for high voltage reliability, charge pumping, pulse-stress reliability, and stress migration testing applications. The revision adds support for Windows 7 operating systems.

ACS combines multiple instruments used for semiconductor device characterization and parametric measurements into a unified test environment optimized for flexibility, speed, and productivity in testing and analysis.

The Model ACS-2600-RTM reliability test module simplifies creation and execution of complex stress-measure-analyze test sequences used in device reliability tests, such as HCI, TDDB, NBTI, J-Ramp, and more. Semiconductor test engineers use it for device reliability testing and analysis in R&D and production test environments. The module can be applied in characterizing single devices or managing high-device-count test applications. It quickly defines test parameters common to large groups of devices or many sub-groups, executes tests with run-time results feedback, and enables earlier analysis of large datasets of measurement results.

In order to respond to the high-speed behaviors associated with semiconductor device failure mechanisms and produce the masses of data associated with reliability testing of multiple devices in parallel, each source measurement unit (SMU) instrument in a test configuration must be fast, and all SMU channels must work quickly as a group or several sub-groups. For reliability test applications of this type, the Model ACS-2600-RTM maximizes the performance of Keithley’s Series 2600A System SourceMeter instruments. These tools combine powerful embedded scripting capability (through the use of on-board Test Script Processors) with multi-unit integration via the TSP-Link high-speed inter-unit communication bus. ACS leverages the Series 2600A instruments' speed to accelerate the system reconfiguration process, uploading test conditions and scripts to the embedded processors in individual instruments, and beginning execution quickly. Test engineers have the flexibility of using ACS and the optional Model ACS-2600-RTM with individual Series 2600A units or with Keithley’s S500 Integrated Test Systems.

The updated reliability test module also provides other important advantages for device reliability testing. For example, dynamic limit current protects devices under test from severe damage by reducing the maximum breakdown current possible during the progress of the test sequence. Device reliability test sequences can require hours, days, or even weeks to complete, producing enormous amounts of measurement data. The Model ACS-2600-RTM reliability test module provides compression techniques that allow the test system to capture the most important measurement results while continuing to make measurements over these extended periods.

Keithley Model 4200-SCS parameter analyzer users can now employ all six of the pulse-measure units (Model 4225-PMU) that system supports for ultra-fast bias temperature instability (BTI) testing. The ACS V4.4 update allows testing more devices in parallel for higher system utilization and faster acquisition of BTI data.

The ACS V4.4 upgrade provides support for the Model 2651A High Power System SourceMeter instrument, the latest addition to the Series 2600A line. This instrument’s high current capability (up to 50A at 40V) is critical to labs and fabs involved in the development and production of vertical structure power components like insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and double-diffused metal-oxide semiconductors (DMOSs).

ACS V4.4 includes several turnkey test projects to address high voltage reliability, charge pumping, wafer level reliability (WLR) with specified pulse/AC stress, and stress migration (reliability) testing. They can be used as-provided, or customized further.

The ACS GUI simplifies configuring test instrumentation, setting measurement parameters, making I-V measurements, and displaying results. ACS provides all the tools needed to set up tests, analyze data, and export results within its environment. ACS also simplifies integrating a variety of popular semiautomatic and fully automatic wafer probe stations into a test setup.

Keithley Instruments provides advanced electrical test instruments and systems.To learn more, visit www.keithley.com.

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