Semi-automatic prober
AssigneeQualiTau, Inc.
InventorsEdward MCCLOUD, Jacob HERSCHMANN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wafer probe station system for reliability testing of a semiconductor wafer. The wafer probe station is capable of interfacing with interchangeable modules for testing of semiconductor wafers. The wafer probe station can be used with different interchangeable modules for wafer testing. Modules, such as probe card positioners and air-cooled rail systems, for example, can be mounted or docked to the probe station. The wafer probe station is also provided with a front loading mechanism having a rotatable arm that rotates at least partially out of the probe station chamber for wafer loading.
Claims9
A front loading wafer probe station having a chamber, comprising:
- a pivoting arm;
- and
- two wafer supporting segments, wherein each wafer supporting segment is rotatably mounted on the pivoting arm, wherein the wafer supporting segments are movable between a position inside the chamber and a position at least partially outside the chamber.
A method of loading a wafer into a wafer probe station, the method comprising:
- providing the wafer probe station having a wafer loading mechanism housed within a chamber, the wafer loading mechanism comprising:
- a pivoting arm;
- and
- two wafer supporting segments, wherein each wafer supporting segment is rotatably mounted on the pivoting arm, wherein the wafer supporting segments are movable between a position inside the chamber and a position at least partially outside the chamber;
- moving a chuck from a test position to a loading position, wherein the test position and the loading position are within the chamber;
- rotating the pivoting arm to move the wafer supporting segments at least partially outside the chamber;
- loading the wafer onto the wafer supporting segments;
- rotating the pivoting arm to move the wafer supporting segments and the wafer back into the chamber;
- and
- loading the wafer onto the chuck from the wafer supporting segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.