IC Substrate - Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) Test Strategy

The future of radio frequency integrated circuit(RFIC) testing strategies is an extremely provocative topic these days.This is especially true in the consumer RF and connected integrated circuit(IC) markets, where increasing production and surging competition are changing the mindset of the market.

Driven by mobile phones,tablet computers and other mobile devices,most RF devices are close to commercial status,including discrete devices,power amplifiers, front-end modules, Bluetooth,WiFi,and tuner parts.The price pressure is so great that the once-manageable strategy for low-end to mid-range devices has been overcorrected. IC manufacturers are gearing up to promote "just enough" production test capabilities.

In the past 20 years,standard automated test equipment (ATE) has been playing an important role in this field. Mainstream RF technology takes the lead, enhancing reliable production value. General production testing is only applicable to a few chip suppliers,and their product portfolio covers the entire RF products. However, as we have seen, in recent years, the progress of this technology has been out of control. A variety of protocol standards,different foundry processes, and completely different available markets have brought a dedicated supplier group.

This specialization provides fertile ground for the new fabless company.For example, in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), the IC design technology and mature regional supply chain that can be seen have cultivated the demand to dominate the local market.These participants are particularly sensitive to costs and are keen to "break a bloody path" by adopting new testing strategies. If these strategies are proven effective, they will provide the advantage of bringing products to market quickly. In the next few years,these advantages may help suppliers in the Asia-Pacific region challenge the "blue chip" suppliers in the United States and Europe. However, the main dilemma for suppliers in the Asia-Pacific region is that RF testing is still considered a mystery in most Asian technology centers. Although there are many local or traditional testers, their local subcontractors have limited RF test options. They believe that their RF testing capabilities are their "last piece of the puzzle." They need to find a solution, whether through low-cost means, or expanding their current RF-capable installation base.

These "upstarts" in the Asia-Pacific region are not just IC vendors looking for alternative RF test solutions. IC manufacturers with core competence in digital or mixed-signal are integrating antennas in their devices.This brings significant testing challenges. The IC manufacturing supply chain also has an installed base of mass production test equipment with limited RF functions. What they want to look at is "just another device's" RF pin. But the question remains: How can they verify RF quality without changing their production strategy and/or excessively increasing their test costs?

As we have seen in the past 20 years, in many current testers, the $8,000/digital pin in 1993 has been less than $500/pin.Can RF achieve the same economics? Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) RF instruments have mature, relatively low-cost capabilities, and are easy to function in industry-standard sizes.

Using these tools, can people develop cost-sensitive targeted solutions for commercial RF semiconductors?The ideal solution should be:

1.Meet the requirements of seamless integration of RF functions

2.It is modular in nature and provides a variety of functional options

3.Production value with high reliability and high throughput

4.Stand alone or assume a subordinate role integrated into the current test environment

We believe that the answer is yes, and Aeroflex can develop a solution. A precedent has been established in the semiconductor verification and characterization laboratory. These laboratories have successfully adopted standard instruments to verify and debug their initial devices. VME, VXI, and independent instruments have all found their kills in the field of semiconductor testing. 

However,integration usually requires customization,is slow,uses difficult-to-handle cables, and has to be done manually.

Today's COTS instrument is a completely different thing.The PXI form factor has revolutionized the laboratory environment and has been universally accepted.In the RF field,powerful instruments such as 13 GHz source and analyzer, vector network analyzer,single-slot two-way port module, local oscillator,intermediate frequency arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) and digitizer have become click-and-use Methods.Other non-proprietary standard technologies have also shown constructive momentum.The likes of AXIe and PXI, including RF AWG, 48-channel digital pin electronics,12-channel device power supply,relay and load board control,plus logic and protocol analyzers,are all rapidly growing instrument combinations.

But the tipping point of RF ATE goes far beyond the instrument function.Component integration by a team that understands semiconductor testing is essential. In addition, PXI/AXIe instruments and infrastructure have been proven to have excellent reliability,fast data/signal buses, and valuable multi-level triggers. All these advantages can be transformed into the key elements of the production test environment-high MTBF, fast test time and system consistency. The manifestation of this proof is that 30-40% of all mobile phones in the mobile phone production line are mainly tested by the PXI solution of Aeroflex's innovative PXI RF system.

Taking advantage of our success in mobile phones, coupled with the continuous adoption of PXI and AXIe sizes, Aeroflex recently launched two industry-standard, instrument-based test solutions that can fully meet the requirements of the above four aspects.

Features of AXRFRF subsystem:

-Excellent RF function with numerous instrument options

-Standalone solutions that are easy to integrate with the main system or subsystems with bundled hardware

-Software drivers and DLLs can be used

-Software modulation tools covering all standard telecommunications applications

-Fast data movement-not a bottleneck

-High reliability of the production workshop, reducing support costs

-Will not be outdated-the infrastructure has many years of margin

AX series RF characteristics and production test system (PXI and AXIe) functions:

-Realize the simplest RF consumer semiconductor manufacturing at low cost

-Excellent RF performance and numerous instrument options

-Design and timing consistency enables high-precision instruments

-Multiple locations and low cost,shorten test time

-Mainstream software environment based on C language

-High reliability of the production workshop,reducing support costs

-Will not be outdated-the infrastructure has many years of margin

In short, the competition and market dynamics in the consumer RFIC field have changed the mentality of the RF product testing industry. Specialization and diversity of end-user products have opened the door to the willingness and desire of new and existing IC suppliers to turn risk into advantage. They see that production testing has become a means to an end. They are advancing the test and measurement industry to meet their needs.