Skip to content
Semitree

Semiconductor Testing

Discover how semiconductor chips are measured, validated, and screened to help ensure they perform as designed.

Testing is used at multiple stages — not just at the end of manufacturing — to evaluate electrical behaviour, detect defects, characterise performance, and judge whether devices meet their specifications. A chip is probed on the wafer, screened again after packaging, and (for some products) stress-tested and validated in a system before it ships.

The testing journey

  1. 1Design for TestabilityTest structures, scan chains, and BIST are built into the design.
  2. 2Wafer FabricationDevices are built on the wafer in the fab.
  3. 3Wafer Probe / Wafer SortEach die is probed and tested on the wafer; good dies are mapped.
  4. 4Die SelectionKnown-good dies are chosen for packaging.
  5. 5PackagingDies are assembled into protected, connectable packages.
  6. 6Final TestPackaged devices are tested to specification before they ship.
  7. 7Reliability / QualificationBurn-in and stress tests — often on samples during qualification, not every unit.
  8. 8System-Level ValidationDevices are checked in a realistic system context, where appropriate.

This is a simplified, conceptual journey — not a universal sequence. Real test flows vary by device type, manufacturer, product requirements, and business model. Some reliability tests run during qualification on samples rather than on every unit, and system-level testing is used where appropriate.

Where to start

Discovery pathways, not fixed courses — jump in wherever fits.

Beginner

Start here if semiconductor testing is new to you.

Engineering

For students and engineers who want the working detail.

Industry & Research

For professionals, researchers, and ecosystem participants.

Explore testing by topic

Testing Fundamentals

What semiconductor testing is, and why it happens at many stages.

Wafer Testing

Testing devices while they are still on the wafer.

Package & Final Testing

Testing the finished, packaged device.

Test Equipment

The machines and interfaces that run the tests.

Test Methods

Different device types need different test approaches.

Reliability & Failure Analysis

Proving devices keep working, and learning when they don't.

Advanced Testing

Where testing is heading — and where it gets hard.

Testing Industry & Supply Chain

The companies, facilities, and ecosystem behind test.

Connected across Semitree