# US 12,000,885 B1 · Multiplexed thermal control wafer and coldplate

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- Number: US 12,000,885 B1
- Document ID: US12000885B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/390,918
- Filed: 2023-12-20
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2023-12-20
- Assignees: AEM Singapore Pte. Ltd.
- Applicants: AEM Singapore Pte. Ltd.
- Inventors: Samer Kabbani; Taneli Veistinen; Terry Sinclair Connacher; Sami Mikola; Thomas P. Jones; Ari Kuukkala
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000885B1

## CPC

- G01R 31/2875: {related to heating}
- G01R 31/2874: {related to temperature}
- G01R 31/2877: {related to cooling}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for controlling temperature(s) using a thermal control assembly (TCA) and a coldplate. The TCA comprises independently controllable thermal zones for controlling its top surface temperature. The thermal zones may be heater zones, cooling zones, or both. Energy input to the TCA may be selectively applied by, e.g., a thermal controller, such that different sets of thermal zones receive the energy at different times. In some embodiments, the energy input to the TCA may be selectively applied to two more independently controllable heater zones at the same time, the energy input to the TCA may be selectively applied to two or more independently controllable cooling zones at the same time, or both. In some aspects, less than all thermal zones may be activated at the same time, providing a higher power density for the thermal zones for a given energy input to the TCA.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermal control assembly (TCA) comprising:
a plurality of independently controllable thermal zones comprising a plurality of independently controllable heater zones and a plurality of independently controllable cooling zones configured to maintain or change a temperature of a top surface of the TCA,
wherein an energy input to the TCA is selectively applied to one or more of the plurality of independently controllable heater zones.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the energy input to the TCA is selectively applied to two or more of the plurality of independently controllable heater zones by a demultiplexer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the energy input is provided by a high-voltage electrical power source, the high-voltage electrical power source providing a voltage of 200V or higher.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The TCA of claim 3, wherein the energy input is provided by a high voltage source, the high voltage source providing an electrical voltage of 500V, 480V, 400V, 380V, 240V, 230V, or 220V.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones maintaining or changing the temperature of the top surface of the TCA causes maintaining or changing a temperature of a component placed on the top surface of the TCA.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The TCA of claim 5, wherein the component is a semiconductor wafer or panel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The TCA of claim 6, wherein the semiconductor wafer or panel comprises singulated dies.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the TCA is configured to receive a semiconductor wafer or panel on the top surface of the TCA, and a perimeter of the TCA is between 1-1.3 times greater than a perimeter of the semiconductor wafer or panel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the TCA is configured to:
receive a wafer under test (WUT) on the top surface of the TCA, the WUT comprising at least one chip, the at least one chip being a device under test (DUT).

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The TCA of claim 9, wherein a size of at least one of the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones is substantially the same as a size of the at least one chip.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The TCA of claim 9, wherein an area of at least one of the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones is smaller than an area of the at least one chip.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The TCA of claim 9, wherein an area of two or more of the plurality of independently controllable zones is equal to or greater than an area of the at least one chip.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the TCA is configured to receive a wafer under test (WUT) on the top surface of the TCA, the WUT comprising a group of chips, such that one or more of the group of chips are a device under test (DUT).

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The TCA of claim 13, wherein a size of at least one of the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones is substantially the same as a size of the group of chips.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The TCA of claim 13, wherein a size of at least one of the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones is larger than a size of the group of chips.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the TCA is configured to electrically couple to a wafer prober system, the wafer prober system comprising a probe card having probes that electrically couple to a device under test (DUT) during testing, wherein a size of at least one of the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones is substantially the same as a size of an area of the probe card.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the TCA is configured to electrically couple to a wafer prober system, the wafer prober system comprising a probe card having probes that electrically couple to a device under test (DUT) during testing, wherein a size of at least one of the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones is larger than a size of an area of the probe card.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the TCA is configured to electrically couple to a wafer probe system, wherein the wafer probe system comprises a chuck base and the TCA is configured to be located over the chuck base.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones is configured as rows of thermal zones, columns of thermal zones, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the plurality of independently controllable thermal zones is configured as concentric rings, concentric arcs, or sectors of thermal zones.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, comprising:
a thermal control wafer (TCW) comprising:
conductive layers, wherein a first conductive layer comprises one or more resistive traces configured as heating-sensing elements and a second conductive layer is configured as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield layer,
wherein the EMI shield layer is:
located closer to the top surface of the TCA than the first conductive layer, and
electrically coupled to an electrical ground.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, comprising:
a thermal control wafer (TCW) comprising:
conductive layers comprising a first conductive layer including one or more resistive traces; and
a two-wire connection electrically coupled to each of the one or more resistive traces.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The TCA of claim 22, wherein the two-wire connection is electrically coupled to a pair of pins, the pair of pins electrically coupled to a four-wire connection, the four-wire connection electrically coupled to circuitry outside of the TCW.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, comprising:
a thermal control wafer (TCW) comprising a top surface configured to be located adjacent to a semiconductor wafer, wherein the top surface of the TCW is capable of dissipating electrostatic charges.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The TCA of claim 24, wherein the top surface of the TCW is selectively electrically coupled to ground or other electrical potential.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of independently controllable heater zones has a power density of 0.05 W/mm2 or higher.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of independently controllable heater zones has a power density of 0.01 W/mm2 or higher.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the TCW comprises a monolithic substrate.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The TCA of claim 1, wherein the TCW is formed from two or more combined substrates.