Integrated circuit testing device with coupled control of thermal system

A system comprising:

• a plurality of thermal control devices, each of the thermal control devices controllable to control a temperature of one of a plurality of thermally-coupled zones;
• a plurality of temperature sensors, each of the temperature sensors configured to measure the temperature of one of the thermally-coupled zones;
• and
• a control circuit configured to:
• receive, from the temperature sensors, a temperature measurement for each of the thermally-coupled zones,
• collect the temperature measurements in a temperature vector in a real coordinate system,
• transform the temperature vector to a normal coordinate system, the normal coordinate system providing a plurality of uncoupled equations, each of the uncoupled equations associated with operation of the thermal control devices,
• determine, based on the uncoupled equations and a desired temperature gradient across the thermally-coupled zones, a desired power vector in the normal coordinate system, the desired power vector associated with operation of the thermal control devices,
• transform the desired power vector in the normal coordinate system to the real coordinate system to generate a power vector, and
• control the thermal control devices in accordance with the power vector to substantially achieve the desired temperature gradient across the thermally-coupled zones.