Thermoelectric temperature controller for a tester and methods of operating the same

A semiconductor testing apparatus comprising:

• a chuck;
• a device holder located on the chuck and configured to hold a device under test (DUT);
• a thermal mass head mounted on a top surface of the chuck;
• a thermoelectric module attached to a bottom surface of the thermal mass head and configured to be disposed on a top surface of the DUT;
• a printed circuit board (PCB) underlying the chuck;
• and
• a test socket mounted on the printed circuit board and containing an array of pogo pins therein.

A method of testing a semiconductor device, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor testing apparatus comprising a chuck having a central cavity therein, a slow-response temperature control system comprising a thermal mass head that is mounted on the chuck and overlies the central cavity, and a fast-response temperature control system comprising a thermoelectric module that is attached to the thermal mass head;
• mounting a device under test (DUT) to the chuck such that a top surface of the DUT is in direct contact with, or is in indirect contact through a thermal interface material layer with, a bottom surface of the thermoelectric module;
• disposing electrical contact elements of the DUT on an array of pogo pins;
• and
• performing an electrical test on the DUT by applying test signals to the array of pogo pins.