Low temperature probing apparatus

A low temperature probing apparatus comprises a housing, a device holder positioned in the housing and configured to receive at least one semiconductor device under test, a platen positioned on the housing, at least one hydraulic stage positioned on the platen and configured to retain at least one probe, a cover positioned on the platen and configured to form an isolation chamber with the hydraulic stage and the device holder positioned therein, and a hydraulic controller configured to control the movement of the hydraulic stage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(A) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a low temperature probing apparatus, and more particularly, to a low temperature probing apparatus using a hydraulic stage to retain the probe unit holding the probes or probe card.

(B) Description of the Related Art

Integrated circuit devices have become the necessary core of every electronic device. This includes the vehicle-control system in the automobile running on the road or at zero degrees Celsius, or the communication system in the airplane flying in the sky in subzero temperatures. The integrated circuit devices inside these electronic systems must operate normally without failing due to the dramatic temperature variation. To verify and qualify whether the integrated circuit devices can operate normally under such low temperatures, the integrated circuit devices have to be tested in an environment under such conditions or at even lower temperature.

Generally, it is necessary to test the electrical characteristics of integrated circuit devices on the wafer level to verify the performance of the integrated circuit device and to satisfies the product specification. Integrated circuit devices with electrical characteristics satisfying the specification will be selected for the subsequent packaging process, and the other devices will be discarded to avoid additional packaging cost. Another electrical property test will be performed on the integrated circuit device after the packaging process is completed to screen out the below-standard devices to increase the product yield. In other words, the integrated circuit devices must undergo several electrical tests during the manufacturing process.

Currently, the method used in the testing of integrated circuit devices includes setting the positions of the device under test and the testing tools prior to isolating the testing room from the environment and using liquid nitrogen to cool the testing room down to the desired testing temperature, and performing the low temperature testing. During the testing, the operator has to move the device or the probe card and manipulator such that the probe of the probe card can contact different devices or different pads of the same device.

However, moving the probe card and the manipulator cannot be achieved until the isolated testing environment is exposed to the surroundings, and exposing the isolated test environment results in the communication of the low-temperature environment with the higher-temperature environment such that moisture condenses into water droplets, influencing actual temperature of the devices under test and also the damages the cooling mechanism that tries to lower the temperature below freezing temperature. The condensed water droplets or ice can further cause a short circuit if it contacts the circuit of the testing tools. In addition, after the test environment is isolated again, the temperature will drop further causing poor contact of the probes on the wafer as the probes skids away from the contact area when the wafer further shrinks from lower temperature.

To solve this problem, researchers try to avoid the opening of the testing room by using the electrical stage instead of the manipulator. However, using the electrical stage to retain the probe or the probe card results in closing of the electrical stage to the device under test or the probe card, and the electromagnetic noise generated from the operation of the electrical stage deeply influences the accuracy of the testing result. Consequently, the use of the electrical stage instead of the manipulator is not feasible. In addition, electrical stage requires electrical power and external control software which may not be feasible in a manual station.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,319 discloses an IC testing apparatus for performing a test by applying at least a low temperature stress to ICs to be tested comprising a refrigerant cycle wherein at least a compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator are connected in order, and a cold air applying line having a blower for supplying heat exchanged cold air by the evaporator to the ICs to be tested. However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,319 only teaches how to generate the low temperature testing atmosphere, and does not disclose the solution for the above-mentioned problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention provides a low temperature probing apparatus using a hydraulic stage to retain the probe or probe card, which can adjust the positions of the probe or the device under test without opening the testing chamber during the testing process and without using the electric stage to prevent the electromagnetic noise from influencing the accuracy of the testing result.

A low temperature probing apparatus according to this aspect of the present invention comprises a housing, a device holder positioned in the housing and configured to receive at least one semiconductor device under test, a platen positioned on the housing, at least one hydraulic stage positioned on the platen and configured to retain at least one probe, a cover positioned on the platen and configured to form an isolation chamber with the hydraulic stage and the device holder positioned therein, and a hydraulic controller configured to control the movement of the hydraulic stage.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a low temperature probing apparatus comprising a housing, a device holder positioned in the housing and configured to receive at least one semiconductor device under test, a platen positioned on the housing, at least one hydraulic stage positioned on the platen and configured to retain a probe card, a cover positioned on the platen and configured to form an isolation chamber with the hydraulic stage and the device holder positioned therein, and a hydraulic controller configured to control the movement of the hydraulic stage.

The embodiment of the present invention uses the top cover having the transparent window to form the isolation chamber, and therefore the observation of the relative positions of the semiconductor device and the probe can be achieved through the transparent window of the top cover, without opening the testing chamber. In addition, the use of the hydraulic stage to retain the probe or the probe card allows the adjustment of the position of the semiconductor device or the probe without opening the testing chamber such that the condensation of moisture into the water droplets can be avoided. In particular, the embodiment of the present invention uses the hydraulic stage rather than the electric stage to retain the probe, which means no electrical power is required and no electromagnetic noise to influence the accuracy of the testing result.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1illustrates a low temperature probing apparatus100according to one embodiment of the present invention. The low temperature probing apparatus100comprises a housing40, a stand70positioned in the housing40, a device holder60positioned in the housing40and configured to receive at least one device under test such as the semiconductor device62, a temperature-controlling device such as the heater64positioned in the device holder60and configured to control the temperature of the semiconductor device62, a platen50positioned on the housing40, at least one hydraulic stage30positioned on the platen50, a cover42positioned on the platen50and configured to form an isolation chamber48with the hydraulic stage30and the device holder60positioned therein, and a hydraulic controller80configured to control the movement of the hydraulic stage30.

The hydraulic stage30is configured to retain at least one probe54. In one embodiment of the present invention, a sleeve (or a hydraulic connector)94is positioned on the cover42, and the hydraulic tubes90connect the hydraulic controller80and the hydraulic stage30through the sleeve (or the hydraulic connector)94. The cover42has a transparent window44for observing the relative position of the semiconductor device62and the probe54. In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent window44includes glass or plastic. In addition, the low temperature probing apparatus100may further include an image-capturing device46configured to capture an alignment image of the semiconductor device62and the probe54through the transparent window44of the cover14, such that the operator can adjust the position of the probe54by use of the hydraulic stage30.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the hydraulic stage30includes a stationary member32and a movable member34positioned on the stationary member32. The stationary member32is positioned on the platen50, and the movable member34is configured to retain the probe54by using a carrier such as a probe holder52. The hydraulic controller80can be positioned on the cover42and configured to control the movement of the hydraulic stage30through a plurality of hydraulic tubes90by rotating the adjustment knobs82. In one embodiment of the present invention, an electrical connector (or a sleeve)58is positioned on the cover42, and the probe54is electrically connected to a tester110through the electrical connector (or a sleeve)58and conductive wires66A,66B.

FIG. 2illustrates a low temperature probing apparatus200according to another embodiment of the present invention. The low temperature probing apparatus200comprises a housing40, a stand70positioned in the housing40, a device holder60positioned in the housing40and configured to receive at least one device under test such as the semiconductor device62, a temperature-controlling device such as the heater64positioned in the device holder60and configured to control the temperature of the semiconductor device62, a platen50positioned on the housing40, at least one hydraulic stage30positioned on the platen50, a cover42positioned on the platen50and configured to form an isolation chamber48with the hydraulic stage30and the device holder60positioned therein, and a hydraulic controller80configured to control the movement of the hydraulic stage30.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the hydraulic stage30is configured to retain a probe card10and includes a stationary member32and a movable member34positioned on the stationary member32. The stationary member32is positioned on the platen50, and the movable member34is configured to retain the probe card10by using a carrier such as a card holder56. The hydraulic controller80can be positioned on the cover42and configured to control the movement of the hydraulic stage30through a plurality of hydraulic tubes90by rotating the adjustment knobs82. In one embodiment of the present invention, a sleeve (or a hydraulic connector)94is positioned on the cover42, and the hydraulic tubes90connect the hydraulic controller80and the hydraulic stage30through the sleeve (or the hydraulic connector)94.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the probe card10includes a substrate12, a supporter14positioned on the substrate12, a plurality of probes16positioned on the supporter14, and a conductive through hole20connecting the probe16and a conductive wire26. The probe16is fixed on the supporter14by epoxy resin24. The cover42has a transparent window44for observing the relative position of the semiconductor device62and the probe16. In one embodiment of the present invention, an electrical connector (or a sleeve)58is positioned on the cover42, and the probe card10is electrically connected to a tester110through the electrical connector (or a sleeve)58and conductive wires66A,66B.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the transparent window44includes glass or plastic. In addition, the low temperature probing apparatus100may further include an image-capturing device46configured to capture an alignment image of the semiconductor device62and the probe16through the transparent window44of the cover14, such that the operator can adjust the position of the probe16by use of the hydraulic stage30.

The embodiment of the present invention uses the top cover42having the transparent window44to form the isolation chamber48, and therefore the observation of the relative position of the semiconductor device62and the probe54,16can be achieved through the transparent window44of the top cover42, without opening the isolation chamber48. In addition, the use of the hydraulic stage30to retain the probe54or the probe card10allows the adjustment of the position of the semiconductor device62or the probe54by the hydraulic stage30without opening the isolation chamber48such that the condensation of moisture can be avoided. In particular, the embodiment of the present invention uses the hydraulic stage30rather than the electric stage to retain the probe54or the probe card10, resulting in no electromagnetic noise to influence the accuracy of the testing result.