A diagnostic expert system for automated test equipment A360.

Abstract

In the field of semiconductor testing, about three generations of Automated Test Equipment (ATE) were produced over the past twenty years. Most older models have been declared obsolete by the ATE manufacturers, and support is now on a best-effort basis, which means that it is expensive and difficult to obtain. On the other hand, the ATE represents a major part of the capital investment by the semiconductor manufacturers and many of these 'obsolete' models are still being used. With the lack of support and the high turn over rate of maintenance personnel, ATE maintenance has become a problem that adversely affects the over-all productivity of semiconductor components manufacturing.