Samsung engineer describes sample trays as "egg cartons" for chip quality

Samsung Electronics DS engineer Cho Hyeon-ju uses sample trays to protect microscopic pathways during pre-mass production evaluations that can last up to three months. These trays, which she compares to egg cartons, are essential for preventing damage to the "balls" that connect chips to equipment.

Before semiconductor chips are integrated into various devices such as laptops, automobiles, and smartphones, they undergo a crucial stage that determines the fate of the product: the evaluation process to verify quality during the pre-mass production stage. Cho Hyeon-ju, an engineer at the Samsung Electronics DS (Device Solutions) Memory Business Development Quality Team, identified the "sample tray" as the most fundamental and core tool in this process.

The "egg carton" holding the fate of semiconductor chips: the sample tray

A video shared by the Samsung Semiconductor Newsroom captures the daily life of an engineer striving to secure the quality competitiveness of memory products. Engineer Cho Hyeon-ju introduced the sample tray as the tool she uses most frequently. Inside the tray, the semiconductor chips being evaluated are precisely arranged one by one, much like eggs in an egg carton.

The importance of this small tray lies in its need to protect the "balls," which are the microscopic pathways connecting the semiconductor chips to the equipment. If these ball-sized components are damaged, it causes issues in electrical signal transmission, making accurate quality evaluation impossible. "Sample trays are required for all evaluations, and they are used so extensively that they fill up my lockers," Cho explained. "They serve as an important element that acts as a bridge so that the efforts of various departments can bear fruit."

A suction tool called a "vacuum" is also used during the process of handling samples. Since it is difficult to pick up packaged products directly by hand, a method is used to press the tool against the product like a washboard to lift it. In particular, the "flipping" task, where the entire tray of samples must be turned over, requires high proficiency. "If you drop the samples while pressing the trays together and flipping them suddenly, it causes trouble, so I usually only attempt it after gaining a certain amount of experience," Cho said.

"Failure to catch problems leads to massive losses"... Responsibility toward quality

Quality evaluation is a precise operation that lasts anywhere from a single day to two or three months. Tests are conducted according to set voltage, temperature, and humidity conditions, and any samples that fail (Fail) are analyzed according to a manual. If a defect is confirmed, the samples are sent to related departments to request re-verification to ensure the same results are obtained, thereby securing data reliability.

Beyond simple technical skill, engineers are required to be meticulous. "Because we handle products that have not yet gone out into the world, it is dangerous to lose even a single one," Cho said. "Doing this work has definitely made my personality, which used to be careless, more meticulous." This is because if problems are not caught during the development stage and the product goes into mass production, the company suffers not only massive financial losses but also faces doubts regarding the reliability of the product quality itself.

Cho also mentioned how she has changed as she gained experience. While she previously focused simply on performing tests, she now performs a coaching role, questioning "whether the evaluation equipment is truly okay" and pointing out details that juniors might miss. "My goal is to achieve zero defects so that there are no problems with the products delivered to customers," she stated. "I will strive to accurately meet the specifications desired by the customers."

Source: original video (YouTube)