Patent ID: 6617870
Filing Date: 2003-09-09
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A method for cooling a semiconductor probe station, the probe station comprising a frame having a top, bottom, front, and back sides, a cooling system mounted on the back side of the frame, a vacuum system mounted on the frame, a probe chuck mounted on the top side of the frame, and a forcer mounted on the top side of the frame, the probe chuck being mechanically coupled to a driving source capable of moving the probe chuck in a z-axis and being mechanically coupled to the forcer, the forcer being capable of moving the probe chuck in an x- and y-axis, the method comprising:moving the forcer close to the cooling system; moving the probe chuck along a z-axis; directing air from the cooling system to the probe chuck; and cooperatively operating the vacuum and cooling systems drawing the directed air through the probe chuck to thereby cool the probe chuck for a predetermined time.