# US 2025/0093399 A1 · Electronics tester

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- Number: US 2025/0093399 A1
- Document ID: US20250093399A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/961,272
- Filed: 2024-11-26
- Published: 2025-03-20
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-03
- Assignees: Aehr Test Systems
- Applicants: Aehr Test Systems
- Inventors: Jovan Jovanovic; Kenneth W. Deboe; Steven C. Steps; Scott E. Lindsey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250093399A1

## CPC

- G01R 31/2808: {Holding, conveying or contacting devices, e.g. test adapters, edge connectors, extender boards (probe, multiprobe, probe manipulator or probe fixture G01R1/067)}
- G01R 31/2867: {Handlers or transport devices, e.g. loaders, carriers, trays}
- G01R 1/0458: {related to environmental aspects, e.g. temperature}
- G01R 1/0483: {Sockets for unleaded IC's having matrix type contact fields, e.g. BGA or PGA devices; Sockets for unpackaged, naked chips}
- G01R 1/0491: {for testing integrated circuits on wafers, e.g. wafer-level test cartridge}
- G01R 31/2635: {Testing light-emitting diodes, laser diodes or photodiodes}
- G01R 31/2893: {Handling, conveying or loading, e.g. belts, boats, vacuum fingers (G01R31/2867 takes precedence; handling semiconductor devices or wafers during manufacture or treatment H10P72/00)}
- H05K 7/1402: {for securing or extracting printed circuit boards}
- H05K 7/1412: {hold down mechanisms, e.g. avionic racks}
- H05K 7/1417: {having securing means for mounting boards, plates or wiring boards (H05K7/1461 takes precedence)}
- H10P 72/76: using mechanical means, e.g. clamps or pinches
- G01R 1/0466: {concerning contact pieces or mechanical details, e.g. hinges or cams; Shielding}
- G01R 31/2601: {Apparatus or methods therefor (G01R31/2607, G01R31/2642 take precedence)}
- G01R 31/2642: {Testing semiconductor operation lifetime or reliability, e.g. by accelerated life tests}
- G01R 31/2874: {related to temperature}
- G01R 31/2894: {Aspects of quality control [QC] (G01R31/31718 takes precedence; program control for QC G05B19/41875)}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A tester apparatus is described. Various components contribute to the functionality of the tester apparatus, including an insertion and removal apparatus, thermal posts, independent gimbaling, the inclusion of a photo detector, a combination of thermal control methods, a detect circuitry in a socket lid, through posts with stand-offs, and a voltage retargeting.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-65. (canceled)

### Claim 66

A cartridge comprising:
a supporting board having a post opening therethrough;
a backing structure, on a first side of the supporting board, and including at least a circuit board having a contact;
a conductor having a contact to make contact with a terminal on an electronic device positioned on a second side of the supporting board opposing the first side of the supporting board, a portion held by the supporting board and a terminal connected to the contact on the circuit board
a spring;
a force generation device on a side of the electronic device opposing the supporting board, the force generation device and the supporting board being movable relative to one another to move the electronic device closer to the supporting board and deform the spring; and
a post having a stand-off with a surface in a plane spaced from a plane of a surface of the supporting board to prevent movement of the electronic device closer to the supporting board, a force transfer portion extending from the stand-off at least partially through the post opening, and a force delivery portion extending from the force transfer portion, the force delivery portion being held by the backing structure.

### Claim 67 (depends on 66)

The cartridge of claim 66, further comprising:
a pin, the pin including the spring and first and second tips on opposing sides of the spring and movement of the first hand second tips towards one another compressing the spring.

### Claim 68 (depends on 67)

The cartridge of claim 67, wherein the contact of the conductor is an end of the first tip.

### Claim 69 (depends on 67)

The cartridge of claim 67, wherein the terminal of the conductor is an end of the second tip.

### Claim 70 (depends on 66)

The cartridge of claim 66, wherein the force delivery portion is wider than the force transfer portion.

### Claim 71 (depends on 70)

The cartridge of claim 70, wherein the post is prevented from falling out of the opening due to the force delivery portion being wider than the force transfer portion.

### Claim 72 (depends on 71)

The cartridge of claim 71, wherein the post opening has a first section and a second section that is wider than the first section so that a landing is defined between the first section and the second section, wherein the force delivery portion abuts against the landing.

### Claim 73 (depends on 66)

The cartridge of claim 66, wherein the post has a surface on the force delivery portion and on a side of the post opposing the surface of the stand-off, the surface on the force delivery portion abutting against the backing structure to transfer the force.

### Claim 74 (depends on 66)

The cartridge of claim 66, wherein the spring deforms the spring against a spring force thereof.

### Claim 75 (depends on 66)

The cartridge of claim 66, wherein, in use, the stand-off receives a force from the electronic device, the force transfer portion transfers the force from the stand-off at least partially through the opening, the force delivery portion receives the force from the force transfer portion and deliver the force to the backing structure.

### Claim 76 (depends on 66)

The cartridge of claim 66, wherein the force generation device is a chuck located below a wafer having a plurality of electronic devices, wherein the support board is a contactor, wherein the circuit board has a plurality of contacts, the cartridge further comprising:
a plurality of conductors, each conductor having a respective contact to make contact with a respective terminal on one of the electronic devices, a respective portion held by the contactor and a respective terminal connected to a respective one of the contacts on the circuit board.

### Claim 77 (depends on 66)

The cartridge of claim 66, wherein the supporting board is a socket having a formation for holding the electronic device, wherein the force generation device is a lid located above the electronic device, wherein the backing structure includes a chuck of thermally conductive material, the circuit board being supported by the chuck.

### Claim 78 (depends on 77)

The cartridge of claim 77, wherein the post is a thermal post that passes through an opening in the circuit board and is supported by the chuck.

### Claim 79 (depends on 78)

The cartridge of claim 78, further comprising a thermal anchor that is held by the chuck, the thermal post extending from the thermal anchor.

### Claim 80 (depends on 77)

The cartridge of claim 77, wherein the post has a surface on the force delivery portion and on a side of the post opposing the surface of the stand-off, the surface on the force delivery portion abutting against the backing structure to transfer the force.

### Claim 81

A cartridge comprising:
positioning a backing structure, including at least a circuit board having a contact, on a first side of a supporting board;
connecting a contact of a conductor to a terminal on and electronic device positioned on a second side of the supporting board opposing the first side of the supporting board, the conductor having a portion held by the supporting board and a terminal connected to the contact on the circuit board;
positioning a force generation device on a side of the electronic device opposing the supporting board;
moving the force generation device and the supporting board being relative to one another to move the electronic device closer to the supporting board and deform a spring against a spring force thereof,
preventing movement of the electronic device closer to the supporting board with a post having a stand-off with a surface in a plane spaced from a plane of a surface of the supporting board;
receiving with the stand-off of a post a force from the electronic device;
transferring the force from the stand-off at least partially through the opening with a force transfer portion of the post extending from the stand-off at least partially through a post opening formed through the supporting board;
receiving the force with a force delivery portion of the post extending from the force transfer portion, the force delivery portion being held by the backing structure; and
delivering the force to the backing structure.

### Claim at position 18

82-96. (canceled)