# US 12,007,451 B2 · Method and system for thermal control of devices in an electronics tester > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,451 B2 - Document ID: US12007451B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/532,298 - Filed: 2021-11-22 - Published: 2022-03-17 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-08 - Assignees: Aehr Test Systems - Applicants: Aehr Test Systems - Inventors: Jovan Jovanovic; Kenneth W. Deboe; Steven C. Steps - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007451B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/50: Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections (testing of sparking plugs H01T13/58) - G01R 31/003: {Environmental or reliability tests (of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of PCB's G01R31/2817; of IC's G01R31/2855; of other circuits G01R31/2849)} - G01R 31/2831: {Testing of materials or semi-finished products, e.g. semiconductor wafers or substrates (G01R31/318511 takes precedence; testing during manufacture H10P74/00)} - G01R 31/2875: {related to heating} - H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/0602: {Temperature monitoring} - H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support} - H10P 74/238: {comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement} - H10P 95/90: Thermal treatments, e.g. annealing or sintering - G01R 1/0491: {for testing integrated circuits on wafers, e.g. wafer-level test cartridge} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A tester apparatus is provided. Slot assemblies are removably mounted to a frame. Each slot assembly allows for individual heating and temperature control of a respective cartridge that is inserted into the slot assembly. A closed loop air path is defined by the frame and a heater and cooler are located in the closed loop air path to cool or heat the cartridge with air. Individual cartridges can be inserted or be removed while other cartridges are in various stages of being tested or in various stages of temperature ramps. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tester apparatus comprising: a frame; a plurality of slot assemblies, each slot assembly including: a slot assembly body mounted to the frame: a holder mounted to the slot assembly body and forming a testing station for placement of a respective wafer, the respective wafer having at least one microelectronic device; a plurality of electrical conductors; and a temperature detector in proximity to the respective wafer to detect a temperature of the respective wafer; at least one temperature modification device, which, when operated causes a transfer of heat to or from the wafers; and a tester connected through the electrical conductors to the wafers in the testing stations to test the microelectronic devices by providing at least power to each microelectronic device and measuring a performance of the microelectronic device, wherein at least one of the conductors of a first of the slot assemblies is releasably connectable between a first of the wafers and the power while at the same time transferring heat to or from a second of the wafers that is connected to the power. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tester apparatus of claim 1, wherein each slot assembly includes a respective thermal controller that controls the transfer of heat based on the temperature of the wafer placed in the testing station of the respective slot assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tester apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of cartridges, each cartridge including: a cartridge body for holding a respective wafer; a plurality of cartridge contacts held by the cartridge body for making contact with contacts on the wafer; a cartridge interface connected to the cartridge contacts; and a plurality of first slot assembly interfaces, each first slot assembly interface being located on a respective one of the slot assemblies, each cartridge being insertable with a respective wafer into the frame and a respective cartridge interface connecting with a respective first slot assembly interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tester apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: a plurality of tester interfaces; and a plurality of second slot assembly interfaces, each second slot assembly interface being located on a respective one of the slot assemblies, each slot assembly being insertable into the frame and a respective second slot assembly interface connecting with a respective tester interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tester apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a plurality vacuum interfaces on the frame for providing vacuum air pressure, wherein each slot assembly includes: a slot assembly body; and a vacuum interface, on the slot assembly body, that engages with the vacuum interface on the frame when the slot assembly is inserted into the frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tester apparatus of claim 5, wherein each slot assembly includes a respective temperature modification device, which, when operated changes temperature to cause a temperature differential between the temperature modification device and the wafer and a transfer of heat between the temperature modification device and the wafer to modify a temperature of the electrical device in the wafer based on the temperature measured by the respective temperature detector of the respective slot assembly, wherein the vacuum air pressure is applied to a space between the temperature modification device and the cartridge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The tester apparatus of claim 5, wherein the vacuum air pressure is applied to a space within the cartridge to ensure proper contact between the cartridge contacts and the contacts on the wafer. ### Claim 8 A method of testing microelectronic devices comprising: placing a respective wafer of a plurality of wafers, each having at least one microelectronic device, in a respective testing station provided by a respective holder of a respective slot assembly mounted to a frame; detecting a respective temperature of the respective wafer with a respective a temperature detector in proximity to the respective wafer; transferring of heat to or from the wafers; testing the microelectronic devices by providing at least power to each microelectronic device and measuring a performance of the microelectronic device; and releasably connecting at least one of the conductors of a first of the slot assemblies between a first of the wafers and the power while at the same time transferring heat to or from a second of the wafers that is connected to the power. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising controlling the transfer of heat with a respective thermal controller forming part of a respective slot assembly based on the temperature of the wafer placed in the testing station of the respective slot assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising changing a temperature of a respective temperature modification device of the respective slot assembly to cause a temperature differential between the temperature modification device and the wafer and a transfer of heat between the temperature modification device and the wafer to modify a temperature of the electrical device in the wafer based on the temperature measured by the respective temperature detector of the respective slot assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: holding each of a plurality of wafers in a respective cartridge of a plurality of cartridges; a cartridge body for holding a respective wafer; making contact between a plurality of cartridge contacts held by a cartridge body of the respective cartridge and contacts on the respective wafer; inserting each cartridge with a respective wafer into the frame; and connecting a respective cartridge interface on each respective cartridge with a respective first slot assembly interface on the respective slot assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: inserting each slot assembly into the frame; and connecting a respective second slot assembly interface on each respective slot assembly with a respective tester interface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: a plurality vacuum interfaces on the frame for providing vacuum air pressure, wherein each slot assembly includes: a slot assembly body; and a vacuum interface, on the slot assembly body, that engages with the vacuum interface on the frame when the slot assembly is inserted into the frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein each slot assembly includes a respective temperature modification device, which, when operated changes temperature to cause a temperature differential between the temperature modification device and the wafer and a transfer of heat between the temperature modification device and the wafer to modify a temperature of the electrical device in the wafer based on the temperature measured by the respective temperature detector of the respective slot assembly, wherein the vacuum air pressure is applied to a space between the temperature modification device and the cartridge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the vacuum air pressure is applied to a space within the cartridge to ensure proper contact between the cartridge contacts and the contacts on the wafer.