System Level Test (SLT)
What Is System Level Test (SLT)?
System Level Test (SLT) enables semiconductor device manufacturers to emulate the final user environment in order to test software and validate connections between IP blocks. It is a more effective and less expensive way to test I/O protocol stacks, IP block to block interfaces and different clock, power, thermal and hardware/software domain interactions.
Why Teradyne?
As the leader in wafer and package ATE test equipment, Teradyne’s Titan platform has been testing smartphone applications for years. SLT has also been adopted in other applications such automotive ADAS and infotainment, as well as AI and cloud infrastructure applications.
Semiconductor architectures continue to grow in complexity with technologies like 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). With process nodes continuing to shrink, semiconductor designers are creating complete System-on-Chip (SoC) products that contain processor cores, analog I/O, digital I/O, modems and other IP blocks along with embedded software.
This additional complexity is leading to more and more untested transistors and longer test times. By utilizing SLT as a third test process, following wafer and package test, component manufacturers can test software and validate connections between IP blocks in a manner that isn’t otherwise practical.
SLT also provides additional coverage to meet stringent end customer failure rate requirements for improved product quality. It therefore complements the structural and functional testing performed at ATE wafer and package testing.
Teradyne Titan delivers low cost of test, fast time to market and the ability to ramp to ultra-high device volume. For years, it has been a proven solution for the mobile application processor market and is emerging as the leading platform for testing today’s complex devices. Teradyne is at the forefront of change and growth in system level test and will continue innovating to bring improved cost and quality benefits to both today’s and tomorrow’s devices.
Download our System Level Test – A Primer white paper
What Is Driving SLT in the Semiconductor Test Flow?
As technologies evolve—test needs to evolve with it. For example, AI devices today may contain billions of transistors. As process nodes continue to shrink, even a 99.5% ATE fault coverage leaves a large number of transistors untested. SLT testing finds the faults in the remaining 0.5% of untested transistors.
Increases in complexity results in more asynchronous interfaces, more interactions among power, clock and thermal domains, and software and hardware. These interactions require additional effort to achieve 99.5% ATE fault coverage. SLT provides an easier and less expensive way to test complex interfaces. And, by exercising devices in mission mode, it tests the complex interactions where faults may exist.
Another challenge device manufacturers face is shorter time to market with higher defects on new device processes, creating the need to identify defects quickly to ensure only quality products ship. SLT delivers improved fault coverage early in the device development. This data is critical in reducing the time to achieve acceptable yield.
Finally, semiconductor designers are taking advantage of leading-edge process and package developments. While these developments are exciting and necessary, they also introduce more opportunity for latent faults and new failure modes. SLT lowers the overall cost of the device due to its ability to catch potential faults before a device is shipped.
Teradyne’s SLT Solutions
Titan
Teradyne’s Titan platform delivers low cost of test, fast time to market and the ability to ramp to ultra-high device volume. For years, it has been a proven solution for the mobile application processor market. Teradyne is at the forefront of change and growth in the SLT industry and will continue innovating to bring improved cost and quality as device complexity grows.
Titan HP
Teradyne Titan HP is a leader in high performance SLT, enabling mission mode testing for next-generation AI and cloud infrastructure devices. As part of Teradyne’s comprehensive portfolio of test equipment, which delivers superior tests for every device across every insertion, Teradyne Titan HP ensures that our customers’ capital equipment investments are future-proofed for tomorrow’s evolving market demands.