In core fields such as consumer electronics, automotive electronics, and industrial control, the stability of storage chips directly determines the full-life-cycle performance and user experience of terminal devices. As mainstream embedded storage solutions based on NAND flash memory architecture, eMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard) and UFS (Universal Flash Storage) serve as the core hardware cornerstones supporting the operation of various intelligent devices. Reliability testing, as a key link to verify their stability, durability, and environmental adaptability under complex working conditions, must not only cover the common technical requirements of NAND flash storage but also establish a special verification system targeting the technical characteristics of UFS serial bus and full-duplex transmission to ensure its performance stability in high-speed transmission scenarios.
In the consumer electronics field, especially the smartphone market, eMMC and UFS have long become one of the core indicators for measuring device performance. Since the widespread popularity of smartphones in 2009, embedded storage standards have undergone multiple iterations. The read/write speed of storage chips directly determines key user experience aspects such as software installation efficiency, application loading response, file read/write rate, and image data writing. Performance differences between different storage standards ultimately translate into perceptible gaps in user experience.
As a "predecessor" in the embedded storage field, the eMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard) standard was formulated by the MMC Association specifically for mobile terminals (mobile phones, tablets, etc.). Its technical origin can be traced back to traditional MMC memory cards, adopting a parallel transmission architecture design where read and write operations need to be executed in a time-sharing manner. Despite the performance upper limit restricted by its single-channel read/write architecture, eMMC has long dominated the mid-to-low-end mobile terminal storage market by virtue of its advantages of high integration, compact size, low hardware design complexity, and controllable cost, and is widely used in embedded devices such as smartphones, tablets, and digital cameras.
In terms of technical parameters, the current mainstream eMMC 5.1 standard has a continuous read speed of approximately 250MB/s, with a maximum theoretical read speed of only 400MB/s. With the evolution of mobile applications from lightweight to heavyweight and the surge in high-definition image data volume, the performance of eMMC 5.1 can no longer meet the needs of current mainstream software and functions, and it is now mostly used in hundred-yuan low-end smartphones and entry-level embedded devices. In contrast, the UFS standard has achieved a performance leap with a more advanced technical architecture: the maximum theoretical read speed of the UFS 2.1 version can reach 5.8GB/s, more than ten times that of eMMC 5.1, completely breaking the performance bottleneck of parallel transmission.
As a latecomer high-end storage standard, the technical advantages of UFS are not limited to speed. It adopts the MIPI protocol interface and supports multi-channel parallel transmission, which not only achieves a leapfrog improvement in read/write performance but also has the advantage of storage capacity expansion, supporting a maximum ultra-large capacity of 2TB; at the same time, UFS reduces energy consumption while operating at high performance by optimizing the bus architecture and power management mechanism, effectively extending the battery life of mobile devices. It is worth noting that the popularization of UFS did not happen overnight: the first-generation UFS failed to achieve large-scale application due to limited performance differences from eMMC of the same period and high costs; it was not until the release of the UFS 2.0 standard in 2014 that its continuous read speed increased to 800MB/s, and its performance advantages began to emerge, gradually becoming the standard configuration for Android flagship models.
The iterative speed of the UFS standard has further consolidated its high-end market position: UFS 3.0 released in 2018 increased the continuous read speed to 1700MB/s, and its performance gradually surpassed the NVMe storage standard adopted by Apple devices; UFS 4.0 launched in 2022 even doubled the performance, with continuous read/write speeds exceeding 3400MB/s, providing core storage support for heavy-load scenarios in the 5G era such as high-speed data transmission, AR/VR immersive experiences, and 8K video recording.
Whether it is eMMC or UFS, reliability verification under normal and high-temperature environments is a core link before mass production, directly determining the service life and failure rate of chips in actual application scenarios. For the reliability testing of both, it corely covers three key test types, each with clear test objectives and technical points:
High-temperature life test is the basic core project of semiconductor chip reliability testing. By conducting long-term stress testing on chips in a constant high-temperature environment, it simulates the thermal stress effect and natural aging process during the full life cycle of the device, thereby evaluating the long-term stability of chips under high-temperature working conditions. During the test, the Device Under Test (DUT) is placed in a high-precision constant temperature thermal chamber and operates continuously within a typical temperature range of 100°C to 150°C. The test cycle is set according to product specifications and application scenarios. During the test, professional test equipment monitors and records the chip's electrical parameters, transmission performance, and reliability indicators in real time, accurately capturing failures caused by thermal diffusion, material aging, structural damage, such as resistance drift, increased leakage current, poor solder joint contact, and metal ion migration. Through in-depth analysis of test data, weak links in the chip design and manufacturing process can be identified, providing data support for process optimization and reliability improvement.
High-low temperature cycle test focuses on evaluating the adaptability and structural stability of chips in environments with drastic temperature changes, simulating the thermal stress impact and material fatigue effect caused by temperature fluctuations in actual device use (such as outdoor environments, vehicle-mounted scenarios). The core logic of the test is to expose the chip to periodic switching between extreme low and high temperatures. The typical test range is -40°C (low-temperature limit) to 125°C (high-temperature limit). The residence time at each temperature node and the number of cycles are accurately set according to product application scenarios. During the temperature cycle, the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of different chip materials (silicon, metal, packaging resin) will generate internal stress, which may lead to failures such as solder joint fatigue, packaging cracking, and chip-substrate delamination after long-term cycles. During the test, the chip's electrical performance and connection reliability are monitored synchronously, focusing on investigating problems such as poor contact, welding fracture, and metal fatigue caused by temperature changes to ensure the stable operation of the chip in complex temperature environments.
The core goal of early failure life test is to screen out individuals with potential defects during the chip mass production stage or early product development, and avoid the risk of early failure after batch delivery in advance. Essentially, it simulates the stress accumulation effect of the chip's full life cycle through accelerated stress testing. The test applies extreme stress conditions such as high temperature, high voltage, and high frequency to operate the chip in a harsh environment far exceeding normal use, stimulating potential design defects and manufacturing flaws in a short time. Such tests are usually carried out at the end of the chip manufacturing process or the finished product inspection stage. Through statistical analysis of test data, weak links in chip design, wafer manufacturing, and packaging processes are identified, such as lithography defects, metal wiring flaws, and insufficient packaging tightness. Optimizing production processes and quality control standards based on test results can significantly improve the reliability of batch products and reduce the after-sales failure rate of terminal devices.
In response to the reliability testing needs of storage chips such as eMMC and UFS, the V9000-SLT-M high-performance storage chip test handler launched by ACROVIEW, with its all-dimensional technical advantages, has become a core device covering automated test sorting under normal and high-temperature environments, and can adapt to the testing needs of multiple types of storage products such as eMMC, eMCP, LPDDR, UFS, and UMCP.
The core competitiveness of the device is reflected in five key dimensions: first, ultra-high test efficiency, with a maximum UPH (Units Per Hour) of 2400, greatly improving mass production test throughput; second, precise temperature control and high-integration test capabilities, adopting an independent temperature control design to provide excellent temperature control accuracy and consistency for each DUT, while integrating high-precision DC test functions such as OS/Leakage and IDD6, combined with visual verification modules such as 3D5S visual inspection, appearance defect recognition, and two-dimensional code recognition, to comprehensively ensure test quality; third, ultra-high parallel test capabilities, supporting 64~8000 DUTs for parallel testing, which can be flexibly configured according to production capacity needs, significantly reducing unit test costs; fourth, refined pressure control, with the DUT test pressure control accuracy reaching 0.1N, which ensures the stability of test contact while effectively protecting the chip and test socket, extending the service life of consumables; fifth, large capacity and automation adaptability, the stackable test system capacity is more than 10 times that of conventional equipment on the market, with reserved crane and AGV interfaces, which can seamlessly connect to automated production lines to achieve full-process unmanned test sorting.
In addition, the V9000-SLT-M is also equipped with an ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) protection system recognized by top manufacturers, effectively avoiding electrostatic damage to precision storage chips, and adopts a fully built-in feeding and discharging system to further improve the stability and cleanliness of the test process. With extremely low CPD (Cost Per Die) and full-scenario adaptability, the device provides storage chip manufacturers with an efficient, accurate, and low-cost reliability testing solution, helping enterprises improve product quality and market competitiveness.
Based on future development, ACROVIEW will take technological iteration and innovation as the core engine, focus on cutting-edge industry needs to polish customized testing solutions. ACROVIEW will uphold the concept of open cooperation, deepen collaboration with upstream and downstream partners in the industrial chain, jointly consolidate the technical foundation in the field of chip testing, and build a solid foundation for the high-quality development of the industry.
