Method and apparatus for automatically positioning electronic dice with component packages

A method of positioning a semiconductor die for testing within a test fixture having at least first and second sections, comprising the steps of:

• providing a wafer assembly having a plurality of independently selectable dice;
• providing an assembly mechanism comprising,
• a movable die transporting assembly, comprising a vacuum lifting mechanism,
• at least one imaging assembly providing an imaging output signal, and
• a controller assembly operable in response to a program stored in an electronic media, said controller assembly operably coupled to receive said imaging output signal and to control a position of said die transporting assembly at least partially in response thereto;
• forming an image representative of at least a portion of said die;
• operating said controller assembly to compare said image representative of at least a portion of said die to a representation of at least one of said first and second sections of said test fixture, and to move said die transporting assembly to place said die using said vacuum lifting mechanism in a desired registry relative to said at least one of said first and second sections of said test fixture;
• and
• securing said first and second sections of said test fixture to retain said die in said desired registry relative to said at least one of said first and second sections of said test fixture.

A method of positioning a semiconductor die within a test carrier having first and second sections, comprising the steps of:

• providing a controller operable in response to a program sequence stored in an electronic media and operably coupled to a movable transport assembly, said controller also coupled to at least one imaging assembly providing an imaging output signal;
• forming an image of said die at a first relative location, and communicating said image to said controller;
• forming a second image of said first section of said test carrier and communicating said second image to said controller;
• operating said controller to operate said movable die transport assembly to cooperatively move said die and said first section of said test carrier into a desired relation relative to one another;
• and
• securing said die to at least one section of said test carrier.

A method of positioning a semiconductor die within a test package including first and second sections, comprising the steps of:

• providing a programmably-controlled die transport assembly;
• acquiring an image simulative of at least a portion of said die;
• utilizing said programmably-controlled die transport assembly to transport said die to a location proximate said first section of said test package;
• utilizing said simulative image of said at least a portion of said die and an image simulative of said first section of said test package as inputs to said programmably-controlled die transport assembly to cause said programmably-controlled die transport assembly to move said die into a desired orientation relative to said first section of said test package;
• placing said die within said first section of said test package;
• and
• securing said first and second sections of said test package together while maintaining said die in said desired orientation.

A method of positioning a semiconductor die within a test carrier having first and second sections, comprising the steps of:

• providing a controller operable in response to a program sequence stored in machine-readable media and operably coupled to a translatable transport assembly, said controller also coupled to at least one imaging assembly providing an imaging output signal;
• acquiring an image of said die and communicating said image to said controller;
• acquiring a second image of said first section of said test carrier and communicating said second image to said controller;
• operating said controller to operate said translatable transport assembly to cooperatively move said die and said first section of said test carrier into a desired orientation relative to one another;
• and
• securing said die to at least one section of said test carrier.