Patent
Systems and methods for thermal control of integrated circuits during testing
| العنوان: | Systems and methods for thermal control of integrated circuits during testing |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 8,653,842 |
| تاريخ النشر: | February 18, 2014 |
| Appl. No: | 13/081439 |
| Application Filed: | April 06, 2011 |
| مستخلص: | Thermal control units (TCU) for maintaining a set point temperature on an IC device under test (DUT) are provided. The units include a pedestal assembly comprising a heat-conductive pedestal, a fluid circulation block, a thermoelectric module (Peltier device) between the heat-conductive pedestal and the block for controlling heat flow between the pedestal and fluid circulation block, and a force distribution block for controllably distributing a z-axis force between different pushers of the TCU. Alternatively, instead of a thermoelectric module, a heater can provide heat to the DUT. Optionally, a swivelable temperature-control fluid inlet and outlet arms may be provided to reduce instability of the thermal control unit due to external forces exerted on the TCU such as by fluid lines attached to the fluid inlet and outlet arms. Also optionally, an integrated means for abating condensation on surfaces of the TCU during cold tests may be provided. |
| Inventors: | Barabi, Nasser (Lafayette, CA, US); Ho, Chee Wah (Fremont, CA, US); Tienzo, Joven R. (Fremont, CA, US); Kryachek, Oksana (San Francisco, CA, US); Nazarov, Elena V. (San Mateo, CA, US) |
| Assignees: | Essai, Inc. (Fremont, CA, US) |
| Claim: | 1. A thermal control unit for maintaining a set point temperature on an IC device under test (DUT) having a substrate having a die attached to an upper surface thereof, comprising: a pedestal assembly comprising a heat-conductive pedestal having a bottom end configured to contact the die of the DUT and a temperature sensor in the bottom end for monitoring the die's temperature; a temperature-control fluid circulation block having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet configured to circulate a fluid therethrough, the block in stacked relationship along an z-axis with the heat conductive pedestal; a thermally-conductive heater between the heat-conductive pedestal and the fluid circulation block configured to provide heat to the pedestal, and further configured to transfer heat from the pedestal to the fluid circulation block; a substrate pusher configured to contact the substrate of the DUT; and a controllable force distributor configured to receive a z-axis force and controllably distribute such z-axis force between the pedestal assembly and the substrate pusher, wherein said controllable force distributor includes a force distribution block having an actuator configured to change the force transmitted to the heat conductive pedestal relative to the force transmitted to substrate pusher, wherein the actuator for changing the force transmitted to the heat conductive pedestal relative to the force transmitted to substrate pusher includes a plurality of pistons that can be actuated to exerted a z-axis force that is transmitted to the pedestal and that changes the balance of the z-axis forces transmitted to the pedestal and the substrate pusher, and wherein the plurality of pistons are adjustable and capable of providing varying levels of die force. |
| Claim: | 2. The thermal control unit of claim 1 wherein the actuator includes at least one piston in the force distribution block that can be actuated to exerted a z-axis force that is transmitted to the pedestal and that changes the balance of the z-axis forces transmitted to the pedestal and the substrate pusher. |
| Claim: | 3. The thermal control unit of claim 1 wherein the pedestal includes at least one perforation configured to inject a liquid thermal interface material into an interface formed when the pedestal is on contact with the die. |
| Claim: | 4. The thermal control unit of claim 1 wherein the adjustable pistons are adjustable upon the force distributor receiving the z-axis force. |
| Claim: | 5. The thermal control unit of claim 1 wherein the adjustable pistons may be preset before the force distributor receives the z-axis force. |
| Claim: | 6. The thermal control unit of claim 1 wherein at least one of the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet is swivelable thereby reducing instability of the thermal control unit in response to z-axis movement of the fluid circulation block. |
| Claim: | 7. The thermal control unit of claim 1 wherein the pedestal assembly and the fluid circulation block are removably coupled to each other via a plurality of shafts. |
| Claim: | 8. The thermal control unit of claim 1 further comprising a condensation abating inlet and at least one condensation abating passageway terminating at or near at least one surface of the thermal control unit. |
| Claim: | 9. The thermal control unit of claim 8 further comprising a condensation abating skirt that circumscribes at least the bottom end of the pedestal. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 32475/003 |
| Patent References Cited: | 7663388 February 2010 Barabi et al. 2008/0207037 August 2008 Barabi et al. 2008/0252324 October 2008 Barabi et al. 2011/0011564 January 2011 Ooi et al. |
| Assistant Examiner: | Le, Son |
| Primary Examiner: | Vazquez, Arleen M |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Lim, Kang S. |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.08653842 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |