Patent · US Active

Thermal management for microcircuit testing system

US9476936B1 · kind B1 · utility

2Cited by
3References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 2014
Grant dateOct 25, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 6, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/2874
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The IC test system provides a system and method for thermal management of test pins. A test pin array (22) in a pin guide (24) is mounted in a retainer (20) which is located between an IC wafer (12) which contains IC devices to be tested (DUT) and a load board (40) which provides pathways to test signals to the DUT. On the other side of the load board is a contact plate (50) which together with the retainer straddles the load board. Leg extensions (36) pass through the load board apertures (42) and provide a thermal circuit from the contact plate to the retainer and to the pin array. On the upper side of the contact plate is a cooling/heating system with a thermal electric peltier device (62) and a further heat exchanger (64) as needed. Holes (44) are provided in the legs (36) to provide a supply of dry air to the wafer and pin array to minimize condensation as a result of cooling effects.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.