Method and apparatus for temporary thermal coupling of an electronic device to a heat sink during test

A system for testing an integrated circuit, comprising:

• means for forming a liquid heat transfer layer on a bottom surface of said integrated circuit, a top surface of said integrated circuit chip having signal and power pads and said bottom surface of said integrated circuit having no signal or power pads;
• means for placing a surface of a heat sink into physical contact with said bottom surface of said heat transfer layer;
• means for electrically coupling said integrated circuit to a tester, electrically testing said integrated circuit and electrically de-coupling said integrated circuit from said tester;
• means for removing said heat sink from contact with said heat transfer layer, all or a portion of said heat transfer layer remaining on said bottom surface of said integrated circuit;
• and
• means for removing said heat transfer layer from said bottom surface of said integrated circuit.

An apparatus for testing integrated circuit chips at a test temperature, comprising:

• means for loading and unloading substrates from and to substrate carriers, and integrated circuit chips electronically connected to said substrates;
• means for applying a layer of a heat transfer material to a bottom surface of said integrated circuit, a top surface of said integrated circuit chip electrically connected to said substrate;
• means for loading and unloading said substrates from and to burn-in boards and for loading and unloading burn-in boards loaded with substrates from and to one or more test racks;
• means for removing said heat transfer material from the back surface of integrated circuit chips;
• means for moving said substrates between said means for loading and unloading substrates from and to said substrate carriers, said means for applying said layer of said heat transfer material to said bottom surface of said integrated circuit, means for loading and unloading said substrates from and to said burn-in boards and said means for removing said heat transfer material from the back surface of integrated circuit chips;
• means for supplying cooling fluid to heats sinks mounted on said test rack;
• means for bringing surfaces of said heat sinks into physical contact with said heat transfer material;
• and
• means for testing electrical function of said integrated circuit chip.