Hot/cold chuck system

A semiconductor-wafer chuck for heating and cooling, comprising:

• a heat-spreader plate providing a clamping surface for a semiconductor wafer;
• a heater disposed within the heat-spreader plate and providing for temperature elevations;
• a chiller heat-exchanger independent of the heat-spreader plate and providing for heat removal;
• and
• a position control system for moving the chiller heat-exchanger in relation to the heat-spreader plate and providing for an adjustment of the thermal resistance and thermal coupling between the two.

A means for heating and cooling a device-under-test, the method comprising the steps of:

• means for providing a heat-spreader plate with a clamping surface for a device-under-test;
• means for heating said heat-spreader plate by increasing a thermal resistance from it to a chiller heat-exchanger;
• and
• means for cooling said heat-spreader plate by decreasing said thermal resistance from it to said chiller heat-exchanger.

A hot/cold chuck, comprising:

• a heat-spreader plate having a planar top surface that provides for temperature cycling of a device-under-test;
• an electric heater permanently associated with the heat-spreader plate and providing for controlled heating of said device-under-test;
• a mobile chiller heat-exchanger that can be moved relative to the heat-spreader plate to achieve a variety of degrees of thermal coupling;
• and
• an annular, quartz or similar low conduction and low thermal expansion material ring disposed around the electric heater and mobile chiller heat-exchanger, and providing for mechanical support of the heat-spreader plate;
• wherein, the annular, quartz ring can be subjected to temperature extremes generated by the electric heater and mobile chiller heat-exchanger, and will nevertheless minimize any movement of the heat-spreader plate due to thermal expansion.