Method and system for thermal control of devices in an electronics tester
AssigneeAehr Test Systems
InventorsJovan Jovanovic, Kenneth W. Deboe, Steven C. Steps
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims24
A testing apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a plurality of slot assemblies inserted into the frame, each slot assembly including:
- a slot assembly body;
- a hinge attached to the slot assembly body;
- and
- a door attached to the slot assembly body by the hinge, the door being movable between an open position wherein the respective wafer pack is insertable into the slot assembly and a closed position wherein the door forms part of a sealed wall;
- and
- a first slot assembly interface located on the slot assembly body;
- a plurality of wafer packs, each wafer pack including:
- a wafer pack body for holding a respective wafer;
- a plurality of wafer pack contacts held by the wafer pack body for making contact with contacts on the wafer;
- a wafer pack interface connected to the wafer pack contacts, each wafer pack being insertable with a respective wafer into the frame and a respective wafer pack interface connecting with a respective first slot assembly interface;
- and
- a tester connected through the first slot assembly interfaces, the wafer pack interfaces and the wafer pack contacts to the wafer pack contacts of 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.
A method of testing microelectronic devices comprising inserting a plurality of slot assemblies into a frame;
- making contact between a plurality of wafer pack contacts held by a wafer pack body of a plurality of respective wafer packs and contacts on each of a plurality of respective wafers;
- moving a door attached to the slot assembly body by a hinge into an open position wherein the respective wafer pack is inserted into the slot assembly and a closed position wherein the door forms part of a sealed wall;
- inserting each wafer pack with a respective wafer into a respective slot assembly inserted into the frame;
- moving the door into a closed position wherein the door forms part of a sealed wall;
- connecting respective wafer pack interfaces on the respective wafer packs with respective first slot assembly interfaces on respective slot assembly bodies of the respective slot assemblies;
- and
- testing microelectronic devices on the wafers with a tester connected through the respective first slot assembly interfaces, the wafer pack interfaces, and the wafer pack contacts to the contacts of the wafers by providing at least power to each microelectronic device and measuring a performance of the microelectronic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.