Electricity: measuring and testing – Measuring – testing – or sensing electricity – per se – With rotor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-23
2001-08-07
Brown, Glenn W. (Department: 2858)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Measuring, testing, or sensing electricity, per se
With rotor
C324S765010, C269S001000, C269S055000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06271657
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor device testing apparatus for testing semiconductor devices, and more particularly to a test head positioner for moving what is called the test head of a semiconductor device testing apparatus to a predetermined elevation and holding it in position when it is mounted in the test section of the testing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many semiconductor device testing apparatuses (commonly called IC tester), which measures for measuring the electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices to be tested (commonly called DUT (device under test)) by applying a test signal having a predetermined pattern to the devices, have a semiconductor transporting and handling (processing) apparatus (commonly called handler) integrally connected thereto for transporting semiconductor devices to a test or testing section. In the test section, the DUTs are brought into electrical contact with device sockets on that portion which is called test head (a component of the testing apparatus for supplying and receiving various types of electrical signals for test) (which will be referred to as test head hereinafter). Thereafter the tested semiconductor devices are carried out of the test section and sorted into conforming and non-conforming articles on the basis of the test results. The semiconductor device testing apparatus which has connected thereto the semiconductor transporting and handling apparatus of the type described above (which will be referred to as handler), is herein termed simply “IC tester.” In the following disclosure the present invention will be described in terms of semiconductor integrated circuits (which will be referred to as IC hereinafter), which are typical examples of semiconductor devices, for the convenience of explanation.
First, the general construction of one example of the conventional handler called horizontal transporting type will be briefly described with reference to FIG.
3
.
The illustrated handler
60
comprises a loader section
61
for transferring and reloading ICs to be tested (ICs under test) onto a test tray
64
, a constant temperature chamber
65
containing a soak chamber
66
and a test section
67
, an exit chamber
68
(also known as heat-removal/cold-removal chamber) for removing heat or cold from tested ICs as carried in on the test tray
64
from the test section
67
subsequently to undergoing a test in the test section
67
, and an unloader section
62
for receiving ICs as carried in on the test tray
64
from the exit chamber
68
, transferring and reloading them from the test tray
64
onto a universal (general-purpose) tray (also known as customer tray)
63
.
The soak chamber
66
and test section
67
of the constant temperature chamber
65
and the exit chamber
68
are arranged in the order named from left to right as viewed in the figure (referred to as X-axis direction herein) while the loader section
61
and unloader section
62
are located in front of the constant temperature chamber
65
and the exit chamber
68
. Further, disposed in the forwardmost portion of handler
60
is a tray storage section
70
for storing universal trays
63
DT loaded with ICs to be tested, universal trays
63
ST loaded with ICs already tested and sorted, and empty universal trays
63
ET.
The soak chamber
66
of the constant temperature chamber
65
is designed for imposing temperature stresses of either a predetermined high or low temperature on ICs under test loaded on a test tray
64
in the loader section
61
while the test section
67
is designed for executing electrical tests on the ICs under the predetermined temperature stress imposed in the soak chamber
66
. In order to maintain the ICs loaded with temperature stresses of either a predetermined high or low temperature in that temperature during the test, the soak chamber
66
and test section
67
are both contained in the constant temperature chamber
65
and are capable of maintaining the interior atmosphere at a predetermined temperature.
The test tray
64
is moved in a circulating manner from and back to the loader section
61
sequentially through the soak chamber
66
and the test section
67
, the exit chamber
68
, and the unloader section
62
. In this path of circulating travel, there are disposed a predetermined number of test trays
64
which are successively moved in the direction as indicated by arrows in the figure.
A test tray
64
, loaded with ICs under test from a universal tray
63
in the loader section
61
, is conveyed from the loader section
61
to the constant temperature chamber
65
, and then introduced into the soak chamber
66
through an inlet port formed in the front wall of the constant temperature chamber
65
. The soak chamber
66
is equipped with a vertical transport mechanism which is configured to support a plurality of (say, 5) test trays
64
in the form of a stack with predetermined spacings between adjacent trays. In the illustrated example, a test tray newly received from the loader section
61
is supported on the uppermost tray support stage while the test tray supported on the lowermost tray support stage is transported out to the test section
67
which on the left-hand side (upstream side) in the X-axis direction, adjoins and communicates with the lower portion of the soak chamber
66
. It is thus to be appreciated that test trays
64
are delivered out in the direction perpendicular to that in which they have been introduced.
The vertical transport mechanism moves test trays supported on the successive tray support stages sequentially to the respective next vertically (which is referred to as Z-axis direction) downward tray support stages. ICs being tested are loaded with either a predetermined high or low temperature stress as the test tray supported on the uppermost tray support stage is moved sequentially to the lowermost tray support stage and during a waiting period until the test section
67
is emptied.
In the test section
67
there is located a test head, not shown. The test tray
64
which has been carried one by one out of the constant temperature chamber
65
is placed onto the test head where a predetermined number of ICs out of the ICs under test loaded on the test tray are brought into electrical contact with device sockets (not shown) mounted on the test head. Upon completion of the test on all of the ICs placed on one test tray through the test head, the test tray
64
is conveyed to the right (downstream) in the X-axis direction to the exit chamber
68
where the tested ICs are relieved of heat or cold.
Like the soak chamber
66
as described above, the exit chamber
68
is also equipped with a vertical transport mechanism adapted to support a plurality of (say, five) test trays
64
stacked one on another with predetermined spacings therebetween. In the illustrated example, a test tray newly received from the test section
67
is supported on the lowermost tray support stage while the test tray supported on the uppermost tray support stage is discharged to the unloader section
62
. The vertical transport mechanism moves test trays supported on the successive tray support stages sequentially to the respective next vertically upward tray support stages. The tested ICs are relieved of heat or cold to be restored to the outside temperature (room temperature) as the test tray supported on the lowermost tray support stage is moved sequentially to the uppermost tray support stage.
Since the IC test is typically conducted on ICs having a desired temperature stress in a wide range of temperatures from −55° C. to +125° C. imposed thereon in the soak chamber
66
, the exit chamber
68
cools the ICs with forced air down to the room temperature if the ICs have had a high temperature of, say, about +120° C. applied thereto in the soak chamber
66
. If ICs have had a low temperature of, say, about −30° C. applied thereto in the soak chamber
66
, the exit chamber
68
heats them with heat
Advantest Corporation
Brown Glenn W.
Gallagher & Lathrop
Lathrop David N.
LandOfFree
Test head positioner for semiconductor device testing apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Test head positioner for semiconductor device testing apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Test head positioner for semiconductor device testing apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2448625