High current device testing apparatus and systems

A thermal head for use in testing a device under test (DUT) that is in contact with an active thermal interposer (ATI) device, said thermal head comprising:

• an exterior surface;
• a cold plate for cooling said ATI device when said ATI device is in physical contact with said exterior surface, wherein said ATI device comprises a plurality of recessed pads disposed within recesses of a surface of said ATI device and wherein further said plurality of recessed pads are electrically coupled to a plurality of heater elements of said ATI device;
• a plurality of pins disposed over said exterior surface and operable to make physical and electrical contact with said plurality of recessed pads when said ATI device is in said physical contact with said exterior surface, and wherein two or more pins of said plurality of pins correspond, respectively, to θeach pad of said plurality of recessed pads;
• and
• circuits operable to drive electrical signals over said plurality of pins to energize said plurality of heater elements, wherein each heater element of said plurality of heater elements is energized by a common electrical signal driven over at least two or more pins.

A thermal head for use in testing a device under test (DUT) that is in contact with an active thermal interposer (ATI) device, said thermal head comprising:

• an exterior surface comprising a mating electrical housing;
• a cold plate for cooling said ATI device when said ATI device is in physical contact with said exterior surface, wherein said ATI device comprises a plurality of recessed pads disposed within recesses of a surface of said ATI device and wherein further said plurality of recessed pads are electrically coupled to a plurality of heater elements of said ATI device;
• a removable pin assembly operable to be inserted within said mating electrical housing, said removable pin assembly comprising:
• a body;
• a card edge connector comprising a plurality of conductors and coupled to said body;
• and
• a plurality of pins disposed over a surface of said body, said plurality of pins electrically coupled to said plurality of conductors and operable to make physical and electrical contact with said plurality of recessed pads when said ATI device is in said physical contact with said exterior surface;
• and
• circuits operable to drive electrical signals over said plurality of conductors and said plurality of pins to energize said plurality of heater elements.

An active thermal interposer (ATI) device for use in testing a device under test (DUT), said ATI device comprising:

• a body layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface is operable to be disposed adjacent to a cold plate of a thermal head and wherein said second surface is operable to be disposed adjacent to said DUT during testing thereof;
• a plurality of heater elements disposed within said body layer;
• a plurality of recessed pads disposed within recesses of said first surface of said body layer and wherein said plurality of recessed pads are electrically coupled to said plurality of heater elements;
• and
• a plurality of conductive discs disposed on top of, and in electrical contact with, said plurality of recessed pads within said recesses and aligned wherein said plurality of conductive discs remain recessed with respect to said first surface and wherein said plurality of conductive discs is operable to contact a corresponding plurality of pins of said thermal head to receive driving electrical signals therefrom.