Methods and apparatuses for improved stabilization in a probing system
AssigneeElectroglas, Inc.
InventorsUday Nayak, Richard Casler, Max Jedda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improved methods and apparatuses for automatically and accurately maintaining the alignment of a wafer prober to the bonding pads of a semiconductor device in the presence of motion disturbances are provided. In one embodiment of one aspect of the invention, a feedback control system incorporating information from a number of acceleration and/or velocity sensors is used to maintain the desired contact position in the presence of motion disturbances. Other aspects and other embodiments are also described.
Claims36
A testing system operable to maintain a relative position between a plurality of contact electrodes and a plurality of electrical contacts, the testing system comprising:
- at least one sensor coupled to at least one location of a first component, the first component configured to hold a device having the plurality of electrical contacts, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure at least one parameter along at least one axis of a three-dimensional coordinate system;
- and
- a control system coupled to the first component configured to receive information from the at least one sensor and configured to determine actuation forces based on the information and wherein the actuation forces act on the first component to actively compensate for motion disturbances to the system.
A method for maintaining the positioning of a plurality of contact electrodes relative to a plurality of pads, the method comprising:
- measuring at least one parameter along at least one axis of a three-dimensional coordinate system using at least one sensor coupled to a first component, the first component configured to hold a device which is to be coupled to the plurality of contact electrodes;
- and
- determining actuation forces using a control system coupled to the first component wherein the control system is configured to receive information from the at least one sensor and to determine actuation forces based on the information and wherein the actuation forces act on the first component to actively compensate for motion disturbances to the system.
A computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program which when executed by a data processing system cause the system to perform a method for maintaining the positioning of a plurality of contact electrodes relative to a plurality of pads, the method comprising:
- measuring at least one parameter along at least one axis of a three-dimensional coordinate system using at least one sensor coupled to a first component, the first component configured to hold a device which is to be coupled to the plurality of contact electrodes;
- and
- determining actuation forces using a control system coupled to the first component wherein the control system is configured to receive information from the at least one sensor and to determine actuation forces based on the information and wherein the actuation forces act on the first component to actively compensate for motion disturbances to the system.
A testing system operable to maintain a relative position between a plurality of contact electrodes and a plurality of electrical contacts, the testing system comprising:
- at least one sensor coupled to at least one location of at least one of a wafer holder assembly and a probe card holder assembly wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure at least one parameter within a coordinate system;
- and
- a control system coupled to the at least one sensor configured to receive information from the at least one sensor and configured to determine actuation forces based on the information and wherein the actuation forces act on the at least one of the wafer holder assembly and the probe card holder assembly to actively compensate for motion disturbances to the system.
A method for maintaining the positioning of a plurality of contact electrodes relative to a plurality of pads, the method comprising:
- measuring at least one parameter in a coordinate system using at least one sensor coupled to at least one location of at least one of a probe card assembly and a wafer holder assembly;
- and
- determining actuation forces using a control system coupled to the at least one sensor wherein the control system is configured to determine actuation forces based on information received from the at least one sensor and wherein the actuation forces acting on the at least one of the probe card holder assembly and the wafer holder assembly to actively compensate for motion disturbances to the system.
A computer readable medium encoded with an executable computer program which when executed by a data processing system cause the system to perform a method for maintaining the positioning of a plurality of contact electrodes relative to a plurality of pads, the method comprising:
- measuring at least one parameter in a coordinate system using at least one sensor coupled to at least one location of at least one of a probe card assembly and a wafer holder assembly;
- and
- determining actuation forces using a control system coupled to the at least one sensor wherein the control system is configured to determine actuation forces based on information received from the at least one sensor and wherein the actuation forces acting on the at least one of the probe card holder assembly and the wafer holder assembly to actively compensate for motion disturbances to the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.