Method and apparatus for temperature control of a semiconductor electrical-test contractor assembly
AssigneeKinetrix, Inc.
InventorsAndreas C. Pfahnl, John H. Lienhard, V, Daniel J. Watson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semiconductor device handler with a temperature controlled test area. Temperature control is provided in part through the use of temperature controlled air forced across the test area. For heating the test area, electrical resistance heaters are uniformly distributed through the test area and are controlled to provide the desired temperature. The handler has a close pitch between adjacent sockets such that is not possible to distribute refrigeration elements over the test area. Instead, a refrigeration element is placed on one side of the test area. To prevent formation of an undesirable temperature gradient, heat is injected at a specific location in the test area.
Claims18
Apparatus having a region that is desired t o be maintained at a uniform temperature, comprising:
- a) a plate with the region disposed thereon, said plate having a first end and a second end;
- b) a first cold source thermally coupled to the plate;
- c) a second cold source thermally coupled to the plate between the region and the second end;
- d) at least one temperature sensor coupled to the plate;
- and
- e) a heat source thermally coupled to the plate between the region and the second cold source.
A method of operating a temperature control system to provide a uniform temperature over a region of a thermally conductive plate, comprising the steps of:
- a) forcing temperature controlled fluid over the region, the fluid traveling in a first direction;
- b) setting the temperature at a first point on the plate outside the region;
- c) providing the ability to control the temperature at a second point on the plate, the first point being offset from the second point in the first direction;
- d) measuring the temperature of the plate at a third point and a fourth point, the fourth point being offset from the third point in the first direction;
- and
- e) controlling the average temperature and temperature uniformity in the region according to the steps of:
- i) when the temperature at the third point deviate s from a first target value, changing the temperature of the fluid or the temperature setting at the first point in a direction to bring the temperature at the third point closer to the target value;
- and
- ii) when the temperature at the fourth point deviates from a second target value, changing the temperature at the first point or the second point to bring the temperature at the fourth point closer to the second target value.
A method of operating a temperature control system to provide a uniform temperature over a region of a thermally conductive plate, comprising the steps of:
- a) forcing a cooled fluid across the plate, the fluid flowing in a first direction;
- b) making measurements that allow a determination of the average temperature on the plate and the temperature gradient in the first direction;
- c) when the measurements indicate that the average temperature of the plate exceeds a predetermined value, increasing the cooling of the plate at a first point offset from the region in the first direction;
- d) when the measurements indicate that the temperature gradient exceeds a threshold, heating the plate at a second point, the first point being offset from the second point in the first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.