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US 5,977,785 AGranted
Method and apparatus for rapidly varying the operating temperature of a semiconductor device in a testing environment
OwnerTrevor Burward-Hoyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for varying a temperature of a device under test (DUT). The apparatus comprises a plate having a surface area configured to couple to the DUT to transfer heat to and from the DUT by way of conduction. A heat exchanger is connected to the plate to set a temperature of the surface area of the plate to one of a range of temperatures by way of conduction. The heat exchanger circulates a plurality of fluids that each have a different nominal temperature, and the flow rates of the fluids are adjustable to vary the temperature of the surface area of the plate, thereby varying the temperature of the DUT.
Claims23
An apparatus for precisely varying a temperature of a device under test (DUT), comprising:
- a plate having a surface area configured to couple to the DUT to transfer heat to and from the DUT by way of conduction;
- and
- a heat exchanger coupled to the plate to dynamically set a temperature of the surface area of the plate to one of a range of temperatures by way of conduction, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of channels for circulating a plurality of fluids simultaneously, each fluid having a different nominal temperature and a flow rate that is adjustable to vary the temperature of the surface area of the plate, said channels being arranged relative to one another to promote a substantially uniform temperature across the surface area of the plate, whereby the temperature of the DUT is variable when the DUT is coupled to surface area of the plate.
A test system comprising:
- a handler that handles and positions a device under test (DUT);
- and
- automatic test equipment (ATE) that tests the DUT, wherein one of the handler and the ATE includes a heating and cooling apparatus that sets an operating temperature of the DUT to a plurality of different temperatures while testing the DUT, the heating and cooling apparatus comprising a plate having a surface area configured to receive the DUT and a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of channels arranged relative to one another to promote a substantially uniform temperature across the surface area of the plate to set a temperature of the surface area of the plate to the plurality of different temperatures by varying flow rates of a plurality of fluids circulated simultaneously by the heat exchanger, said channels being arranged relative to one another to promote a substantially uniform temperature across the surface area of the plate, whereby multiple passes of the handler are eliminated.
An apparatus for varying a temperature of a device under test (DUT), comprising:
- a plate having a surface area configured to couple to the DUT to transfer heat to and from the DUT by way of conduction;
- and
- a body having a set of channels formed therein connected to the plate to set a temperature of the surface area of the plate to one of a range of temperatures by way of conduction, the set of channels circulating a plurality of fluids simultaneously, each fluid having a different nominal temperature and a flow rate that is adjustable to vary the temperature of the surface area of the plate, whereby the temperature of the DUT is variable when the DUT is coupled to surface area of the plate.
A test system comprising:
- a handler that handles and positions a device under test (DUT);
- automatic test equipment (ATE) for testing the DUT, wherein one of the handlers and the ATE include a heating and cooling apparatus that sets an operating temperature of the DUT to a plurality of different temperatures while testing the DUT, the heating and cooling apparatus comprising:
- a temperature sensor coupled to said heating and cooling apparatus for determining an approximate temperature of said DUT;
- and
- a control circuit for setting a temperature of the heating and cooling apparatus to a predetermined delta value from the set point temperature at a first point in time in order to set the temperature of the DUT to the set point temperature, said control circuit coupled to said temperature sensor for setting the temperature of the heating and cooling apparatus to the set point temperature when the temperature of the DUT is approximately the set point temperature, whereby the DUT is rapidly slewed to the set point temperature.
2 more elements
An apparatus for rapidly setting a temperature of a device under test (DUT) to a set point temperature, comprising:
- heating and cooling apparatus coupled to the DUT to vary the temperature of the DUT during testing to at least one set point temperature;
- a temperature sensor coupled to said heating and cooling apparatus for determining an approximate temperature of said DUT;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to said heating and cooling apparatus for setting a temperature of the heating and cooling apparatus to a predetermined delta value from the set point temperature at a first point in time in order to set the temperature of the DUT to the set point temperature, said control circuit coupled to said temperature sensor for setting the temperature of the heating and cooling apparatus to the set point temperature when the temperature of the DUT is approximately the set point temperature, whereby the DUT is rapidly slewed to the set point temperature.
1 more element
A method for rapidly setting a temperature of a device under test (DUT) to a set point temperature, comprising:
- coupling the DUT to a heating and cooling apparatus that varies the temperature of the DUT during testing;
- setting a temperature of the heating and cooling apparatus to a predetermined delta value from the set point temperature in response to determining that the DUT is to be set to the set point temperature;
- and
- setting the temperature of the heating and cooling apparatus to the set point temperature when the temperature of the DUT is approximately the set point temperature.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.