Integrated circuit device testing in an inert gas
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsNam Teck Shannon Teo, Giji Hervias Juele, Mohamed Rafi, Teck Hui Wong, Ming Xue
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Abstract
A system includes an inert gas supply, a soak chamber, a test chamber, a transfer zone, and a heater. The soak chamber soaks an integrated circuit (IC) device in the inert gas prior to testing. The test chamber includes contact pins for testing the IC device in the inert gas by contacting the contact pins to leads of the IC device. The transfer zone is to transfer the IC device from the soak chamber to the test chamber. The heater heats the inert gas supplied to the soak chamber and the test chamber.
Claims19
A system comprising:
- a high purity inert gas supply;
- a soak chamber to soak an integrated circuit (IC) device in the high purity inert gas to reduce an oxidation layer on leads of the IC device prior to testing;
- a test chamber including contact pins for testing the IC device in the high purity inert gas by contacting the contact pins to the leads of the IC device, wherein the high purity inert gas prevents further oxidation on the leads, and wherein the soak chamber and the test chamber are maintained at a pressure greater than 2 bars;
- a transfer zone to transfer the IC device from the soak chamber to the test chamber;
- and
- a heater to heat the high purity inert gas supplied to the soak chamber and the test chamber.
A system comprising:
- a first gas supply valve to control high purity nitrogen gas flow into a soak chamber, the soak chamber to soak an integrated circuit (IC) device in the high purity nitrogen gas to reduce an oxidation layer on leads of the IC device prior to testing;
- a second gas supply valve to control high purity nitrogen gas flow into a test chamber, the test chamber including contact pins for testing the IC device in the high purity nitrogen gas by contacting the contact pins to the leads of the IC device, wherein the high purity nitrogen gas prevents further oxidation on the leads;
- a transfer zone to transfer the IC device from the soak chamber to the test chamber, wherein the first gas supply valve and the second gas supply valve are controlled to maintain a pressure within the soak chamber, the test chamber, and the transfer zone to at least 2 bars;
- a first heater to heat the high purity nitrogen gas supplied to the soak chamber;
- and
- a second heater to heat the high purity nitrogen gas supplied to the test chamber.
A method for testing an integrated circuit (IC) device, the method comprising:
- supplying high purity nitrogen gas to a soak chamber and a test chamber, wherein the soak chamber and the test chamber are maintained at a pressure greater than 2 bars;
- heating the high purity nitrogen gas supplied to the soak chamber and the test chamber;
- passing the IC device into the soak chamber;
- soaking the IC device in the high purity nitrogen gas within the soak chamber for a predefined period to reduce an oxidation layer on leads of the IC device;
- transferring the IC device to the test chamber;
- testing the IC device in the high purity nitrogen gas within the test chamber by applying contact pins to the leads of the IC device, wherein the high purity nitrogen gas prevents further oxidation on the leads;
- and
- passing the IC device out of the test chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.