Knowledge Center
Navigation
Knowledge Center

Rich Interactive Test Database (RITdb)

A proposed test data standard aimed at reducing the burden for test engineers and test operations.
popularity

Description

Rich Interactive Test database (RITdb) is a proposed test data standard aimed at reducing the burden for test engineers and test operations by providing a standard approach to data collection using a meta-data cell that stays with the chip throughout its manufacture and test cycle. RITdb, which is the work of SEMI’s Collaborative Alliance for Semiconductor Test (CAST) RITdb working group, focused on the scope of test data and test processes required for modern devices and contemporary test process. Their efforts will be voted on later in 2020.

RITdb is based on a database technology, SQLite. The RITdb standard defines how engineers can store as a database entry with 6 columns that include sequence (time), entityID, indexID, name, value and value2. This provides a flexible and standardized format. With the need for bi-directional real time access, RITdb documents a streaming data protocol based upon the MQTT, an open-source, message-based communication protocol.

The most commonly used data format in test and manufacture is Standard Test Data Format (STDF), which is a binary format that needs to be translated to ASCII. The format has limitations in that it is applied inconsistently and cannot handle different data sources. Any extra data that engineers want to add to the test data is dumped in the Generic Data Record (GDR) that must be manually interpreted after the test is complete. Data analytics companies for the semiconductor industry has arisen to help clean the data, pull it together, and glean useful information out of it.

RITdb promises to fix some of the limitations of STDF. SEMI and its member companies are building flexibility into RITdb to handle multiple data sources. It will provide a standardized approach for data sharing and consumption of data throughout the IC manufacturing processes from fab to final user — data that can be viewed across the design, manufacturing, test ecosystem.

RITdb will make the data useful for real time analysis and feedback so the data is useful during the manufacturing process, not afterwards, as it is with STDF. Adaptive test will be possible.

To support test operations, the working group defined a streaming protocol for any data produced by a test cell component. This provides the meta-data about the test process that test factories can use to implement smart manufacturing. RITdb facilitates data analytics for the test floor by including test meta-data for instance test cell components’ data, which at a minimum includes the tester, handler, software apps and board.

RITdb also addresses the challenges of data sharing between internal and external facilities and stakeholders.

SEMI’s 2017 proposal for RITdb.

This definition was based on this article, which is a good overview of RITdb.


Related Entities