Keithley Improves Processing Speed and Accuracy of S530 Parameter Test System

March 7, 2011 – Keithley Instruments, Inc. Korea (Country Manager: Seok-Yong Yang), a leader in advanced electronic measuring instruments and systems, announced the most economical and fully automated production parameter tester applicable to semiconductor industry lines by enhancing several parts of the S530 parameter test system. This product family features new improvements, including the addition of Keithley’s new switch mainframe characterized by fast processing speeds for high-integrity signal switching, full Kelvin measurement capabilities on the probe card to improve low-resistance measurement accuracy, a new hardware protection module to protect sensitive system instruments from high voltage, and a full range of “Probe Up” system specifications and diagnostic tools. Further details can be found on the Keithley online product information site ( http://keithley.acrobat.com/p20663354/ ).

The S530 system is optimized for mass production parameter testing environments where a wide variety of products must be measured or where extensive application flexibility and rapid test plan development are critical factors. Based on proven source measurement technology and high-fidelity signal paths, the S530 is characterized by providing industry-leading measurement accuracy and repeatability.

Two powerful parameter test configuration options
Currently, the S530 system is available in two versions: low current and high voltage. The low-current version was developed to measure characteristics such as sub-critical leakage and gate leakage, while the high-voltage version is intended for breakdown and leakage testing required for GaN, SiC, and Si LDMOS power devices. The S530 low-current system (2 to 8 SMU channels) provides sub-picoampere measurement resolution and a low-current guard function across the entire probe pin. The S530 high-voltage system (3 to 7 SMU channels) integrates source-measurement units (SMUs) capable of sourcing up to 1,000 V (maximum 20 W) at 20 mA. Configured in this way, the S530 system can handle all DC and CV measurement applications required for process control monitoring, process stability monitoring, and device characterization.

Performance optimized for economical operation in multi-functional test environments
The S530 parameter test system is designed to simplify and accelerate wafer and test plan configuration by providing engineers with intermediate feedback throughout the test project development process. For example, the Automated Characterization Suite (ACS) software controlling the S530 system improves test project development efficiency by enabling bidirectional testing of new test scripts in fully automated mode without impacting throughput. Additionally, ACS can be used for offline test project development and test result analysis.

Powerful ACS software
The S530 system adopts version 4.3 of the powerful ACS software, which is also used in several other Keithley test systems. Therefore, it is expected that interdependence between the laboratory and the fab will be improved and the system learning speed will be enhanced. ACS maximizes the efficiency and flexibility of the S530 system by combining all the elements required for automated parameter testing into a single integrated package.

The most competitive high-voltage parameter test system in the industry
All S530 systems are equipped with a high-power SMU that provides up to 20W of source or sink performance across both 200V and 20V ranges, enabling the complete characterization of high-power devices and circuits commonly used in today's mobile devices. This high-power capability allows for detailed understanding of device performance, regardless of whether the application is testing LDMOS Si or GaN BJTs. Furthermore, it enables the S530 system to test high-power devices without compromising the sub-picoampere low-current sensitivity required for monitoring mainstream device processes. The S530 high-voltage system is the industry's only parameter tester to provide 1kV to all probe card pins across up to 32 pins. This allows for accurate characterization of high-power devices by performing high-voltage and low-current sensitive measurements in a single-pass manner. The system's high-voltage SMU can source up to 1,000V (maximum 20W) at 20mA.

High-fidelity signal paths that enhance measurement integrity
Each S530 test system uses a high-performance switch matrix and high-fidelity signal paths to control the direction of signals between the instrument and the test pins. The performance of these paths is related to upper current and