Abstract:
The invention refers to a process for loading a socket and/or adapter device with a corresponding semi-conductor component, a socket and/or adapter device, a precision alignment device, as well as a mechanism for loading a socket and/or adapter device with a corresponding semi-conductor component, whereby the mechanism comprises a device, especially a mechanical device for aligning the mechanism in relation to the socket and/or adapter device.

Description:
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to German Application No. 103 58 691.1, which was filed in the German language on Dec. 15, 2003, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention involves a socket and/or adapter device, especially for a semi-conductor component, and an apparatus and a process for loading a socket and/or adapter device with a corresponding semi-conductor component, and a precision alignment device to be used in a procedure of this nature. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Semi-conductor components, for instance corresponding integrated (analog and/or digital) computer circuits, semi-conductor memory components, for instance functional memory components (PLAs, PALS, etc.) and table memory components (e.g. ROMs or RAMs, in particular SRAMs and DRAMS) are subjected to extensive testing during the manufacturing process. 
     For the simultaneous, combined manufacture of numerous (generally identical) semi-conductor components, a so-called wafer (i.e. a thin disk of monocrystalline silicon) is used. 
     The wafer is appropriately treated (for instance subjected in succession to numerous coating, exposure, etching, diffusion and implantation process steps, etc.), and then for instance sliced up (or scored and snapped off), so that the individual 30 components become available. 
     After the wafers have been sliced up (and/or scored and snapped off) the—individually available components—are each separately loaded into special housings or packages (for instance, so-called TSOP or FBGA housings etc.) and then—by means of appropriate trays—transported to a corresponding further station, especially a test station (and/or in succession to several different test stations). 
     The above test station may for instance be a so-called burn-in testing station (at which, by creating extreme conditions a so-called burn-in test procedure is performed, i.e. a test done under extreme conditions (for instance increased temperature, for instance above 80° C. or 100° C., increased operational voltage, etc.)). 
     Loading the (burn-in) adapter and/or socket with a component to be tested can be done with the help of one or several appropriate loading apparatuses (“loaders”). 
     For doing this, a grabber device, provided at an appropriate loading apparatus (loader), can for instance create a partial vacuum at a loader head, with the help of which a component can be removed from a tray and then—by means of an appropriate (for instance a swiveling or shifting) motion of the grabber device and/or the “loader head”—positioned above a so-called precision alignment device. 
     Then the component positioned above the precision alignment device can be dropped by the loader of the grabber device—by reducing the vacuum—into one of the recesses provided with appropriate tapered guiding surfaces on the precision alignment device. 
     By means of the tapered guiding surfaces it can be achieved that the component and/or component housing is (pre- or approximately) aligned by being dropped into the corresponding precision alignment recess. 
     Next the component can again be removed by the above loading apparatus (and/or by any additional loading apparatus) from the recess provided in the precision alignment device (for instance by creating a partial vacuum at the grabber device (and/or the loader head) provided at the above or at any additional loading apparatus. 
     Next the component can be positioned above a corresponding (burn-in) adapter and/or socket by means of an appropriate (for instance a swiveling or shifting) motion of the grabber device and/or the loader head. 
     Conventional (burn-in) adapters and/or sockets may for instance include a base element and a cover, which is adjustable in a vertical direction in relation to the base element by means of corresponding spring sections attached to the base element. 
     By appropriate downward pressure on the adapter and/or socket cover, the adapter and/or socket can be “opened”, whereafter the component suspended above the adapter and/or socket by the grabber device of the loader can be dropped into the adapter and/or socket by reducing the vacuum. 
     Appropriate tapered guiding surfaces can be provided inside the adapter and/or socket, for the purpose of—exactly—aligning the component and/or the component housing when it falls into the adapter. 
     When the adapter and/or the socket cover is then released, it is again forced upwards by the above-mentioned spring sections, whereby it is achieved that connections provided on the corresponding component (and/or component housing) make contact with connections provided on the corresponding adapter and/or socket, such that the adapter and/or socket is “closed” so that the above test procedure can then be performed on the component. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention discloses a novel socket and/or adapter device, in particular one to be used for semi-conductor components, as well as a novel apparatus and a novel process for loading a socket and/or adapter device with a corresponding semi-conductor component, and a precision alignment device to be used in a corresponding process, especially an apparatus and a process with which the loading of a socket and/or adapter device with a corresponding semi-conductor component can be done in a less costly way than with conventional technology. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus, especially a loader head, is provided for loading a socket and/or adapter device with a corresponding semi-conductor component, whereby the apparatus comprises a device, in particular a mechanical device, for aligning the apparatus in relation to the socket and/or adapter device. 
     Advantageously, in order to align the apparatus in relation to the socket and/or adapter device, a device, in particular a (further) mechanical device—working in conjunction with the alignment device provided at the apparatus—is provided at the socket and/or adapter device. 
     In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the alignment device provided at the apparatus is additionally used for the alignment of the apparatus in relation to a precision alignment device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows various stations passed through during the manufacture of corresponding semi-conductor components. 
         FIG. 2  shows a grabber device of the loading machine used in the “burn-in” test system shown in  FIG. 1 , and a precision alignment device. 
         FIG. 3  shows the grabber device shown in  FIG. 2  from below. 
         FIG. 4  shows a sectional view of the grabber device shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , and the precision alignment device alignment shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  shows the grabber device, and an adapter and/or socket. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIG. 1 , some stations A, B, C, D (of several further stations not shown here) passed through by the corresponding semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  during the manufacture of the semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  are—schematically—represented. 
     Station A serves to subject the semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d —still present on a silicon disc or wafer  2 —to one or more test procedures (for instance by means of an appropriate test system  5 —for instance including a test  30  apparatus  6  and a semi-conductor component test card  8  and/or probe card  8  (which has been provided with contact pins  9  for contacting corresponding contacts on the semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d )). 
     At stations not shown here and upstream from the stations A, B, C, D shown in  FIG. 1 , the wafer  2  has been subjected to corresponding conventional coating, exposure, etching, diffusion and implantation process steps etc. 
     The semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  may for instance be corresponding integrated (analog and/or digital) computer circuits, or semi-conductor memory components, for instance functional memory components (i.e. PLAs, PALs, etc.), and table memory components, (for instance ROMs or RAMS), in particular SRAMs or DRAMs (here for instance DRAMs (Dynamic Random Access Memories and/or Dynamic Read-Write Memories) with double data rate (DDR DRAMs=Double Data Rate−DRAMS), preferably high-speed DDR DRAMs). 
     When the test procedure has been successfully completed at the above station A, wafer  2  is (fully automatically) transported to the next station B (see arrow F), where (after wafer  2  has had foil glued to it in a recognized fashion) it is sliced up by means of an appropriate machine  7  (or for instance scored and snapped off), so that the individual semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  become available. 
     After wafer  2  has been sliced up at station B, the components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  are then (again fully automatically—for instance by means of an appropriate conveyer machine—) transported to the next test station (here a loading station C)—for instance directly (and/or individually) or alternatively for instance by means of a corresponding  30  tray)(see arrow G). 
     At the loading station C the components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  are—individually—loaded in fully automatic fashion into corresponding housings  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d  and/or packages (see arrows K a , K b , K c , K d ), with the help of an appropriate machine (loading machine) and the housings  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d  are then closed—in recognized fashion—so that the semi-conductor component contacts provided on the semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  make contact with corresponding housing contacts provided at each housing  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d.    
     Conventional TSOP housings or for instance conventional. FBGA housings, etc. may be used for the housings  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d.    
     Next, the housings  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d —together with the semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d —again fully automatically—for instance by means of a corresponding conveyer, and where appropriate by using a corresponding, tray  17  (for instance one shown in  FIG. 2 ) are conveyed to a further station D, for instance a testing station (cf. arrow H), and/or in succession to several further stations, especially testing stations (not shown here). 
     Station D (or one or several of the above further stations, not shown here) may for instance be a so-called burn-in station, especially a burn-in testing station. 
     At the burn-in station artificial aging of the components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  is caused by extreme conditions (for instance increased temperatures) being generated. 
     Additionally, one or several burn-in test procedures can be performed at the burn-in station, i.e. tests done under extreme conditions (for instance increased temperatures, for instance above 80° C. or 100° C., and/or increased operating voltages, etc.). 
     At station D the housings  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d —as is more closely described below—are loaded with the help of one or several appropriate machines-(for instance a loading machine  13 , “loader”) (and where appropriate, a further, loading machine (a “loader”, not shown here)) into corresponding (burn-in) sockets and/or (burn-in) adapters  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d . The loading machine  13  (and correspondingly also the further loading machine, where provided) has—as shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 —a grabber device  13   a  and/or a loader head  13   a.    
     To load a (burn-in) socket and/or (burn-in) adapter  12   a  with a corresponding component  3   a  and/or component-housing  11   a , the grabber device  13   a  is first positioned—for instance as shown in FIG.  2 —directly above the corresponding tray  17  (and/or more accurately: directly above the corresponding component  3   a  and/or component housings  11   a )—correspondingly similar to conventional loading machines—whereupon a suitable vacuum is created at the grabber device  13   a  and/or the loader head  13   a  (and/or more accurately: below the grabber device  13   a  and/or the loader head  13   a ). 
     In this way the component  3   a —arranged in a corresponding housing  11   a  and lying on tray  17  (similarly constructed to conventional trays) is moved upwards in the direction of arrow N—as shown in FIG.  3 —and firmly held by the underside  13   b  of the grabber device  13   a  (essentially in the middle of several centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d , more accurately described below) i.e. the component  3   a  is removed from tray  17 . 
     Next—while the vacuum is maintained—the grabber device  13   a , together with the component  3   a  and/or component housing  11   a  held at the underside  13   b  of the grabber device  13   a , is positioned above the precision alignment device  19 —shown to the right in FIG.  2 —(more accurately: above a corresponding centering recess  22  of the precision device  19 )—by means of an appropriate movement (for instance swiveling or sliding) of the grabber device  13   a  and/or the loader head  13   a  (for instance first upwards in the direction of the arrow M shown in  FIG. 2 , and then laterally in the direction of the arrow L shown in  FIG. 2 , etc.). 
     The precision alignment device  19  is similarly constructed to conventional precision alignment devices, yet has been provided—as shown in  FIG. 2  and FIG.  4 —with several centering holes  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  on the underside  13   b  of the grabber device  13   a  for receiving the above centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d.    
     The centering holes  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  are essentially circular in section—with an essentially constant inside diameter—and reach partially or completely downwards through the whole precision alignment device  19  in a vertical direction from the upper side of the precision alignment device  19 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d  provided on the grabber device  13   a  reach vertically downwards from the underside of the grabber device. Each of the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d  (here: four, alternatively for instance two or three, etc.) has—as is for instance apparent from  FIG. 3  when seen from below—an essentially circular cross section. 
     Each of the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d  has (as is for instance apparent from  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 ) an upper section  21   a , which is essentially cylindrical and, connected to the upper section  21   a , a lower section  21   b , which is essentially tapered downwards into a conical shape. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the vertical axes of the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d , running centrally through the conical sections of the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d ,  35  are in exact alignment with the central vertical axes of the corresponding centering openings  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  of the precision alignment device  19 , when correspondingly aligned by the grabber device  13   a.    
     The inside diameter of each centering opening  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  is essentially identical to the maximum outside diameter of the corresponding conical sections  21   b  of each centering device  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d  (at the top end of the corresponding conical sections  21   b ), i.e. the outside diameter of the corresponding cylindrical sections  21   a  of each of the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d , and/or is somewhat smaller. 
     The grabber device  13   a  and/or the loader head  13   a  is supported on a “floating” bearing in relation to the other parts of the loading machine  13 . 
     When the grabber device  13   a  is moved vertically downwards, away from the position shown in  FIG. 2 , at the top right-hand side in the direction of the arrow O—to a position above the precision alignment device  19  (and/or above the centering recess  22  of the precision alignment device  19 )—for instance to the position shown in  FIG. 4  (or even further downwards), the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   b ,  18   c  (and/or their conical sections  21   b ) provided on the grabber device  13   a , are introduced into each corresponding centering opening  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  of the precision alignment device  19 . 
     Due to the above-mentioned “floating” bearing of the grabber device  13   a  (i.e. due to its lateral flexibility) the grabber device  13   a —not yet accurately centered and/or aligned above the precision alignment device  19  and/or its centering-recess  22 —is centered and/or aligned (i.e. moved slightly laterally as shown by the arrows Q and R in  FIG. 2 ), so that once the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   b ,  18   c  have been inserted into each of the corresponding centering openings  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d , the central axes a of the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   b ,  18   c  exactly coincide with the corresponding central axes a of the centering openings  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  of the precision alignment device  19 . 
     The component  3   a  and/or component-housing  11   a —suspended above the precision alignment device  19  and/or its centering recess  22 —is made to drop into the centering recess  22  (cf. for instance arrow P in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ) by releasing the vacuum at the grabber device  13   a.    
     The centering recess has—as is for instance shown in FIG.  4 —corresponding tapered sides  22   a ,  22   b.    
     The tapered sides  22   a ,  22   b  run at an angle downwards and inwards from the inside edges of the centering recess  22  on the upper side of the precision alignment device  19 . 
     At some lower point inside the centering recess  22  the dimensions of the centering-recess  22  essentially correspond with the dimensions of component  3   a  and/or component housings  11   a  (for instance the width—as shown in FIG.  4 —of the centering-recess  22  in the above-mentioned lower point essentially corresponds with the width of component  3   a  and/or the component-housings  11   a , and the length of the centering recess  22  essentially corresponds with the length of the components  3   a  and/or component-housings  11   a ). 
     By means of the tapered guiding edges  22   a ,  22   b  it can be achieved that component  3   a  and/or the component housing  11   a —and thereby also the grabber device  13   a —are appropriately aligned and/or centered in relation to the precision alignment device  19  (i.e. moved slightly in a lateral direction when falling into the centering recess  22 , so that when, after falling into the centering recess  22 , the central axis a of the component  3   a  and/or component housing  11   a  coincides exactly with the central axis b of the centering recess  22 ). 
     Next, the grabber device  13   a  of the above loading machine  13  (or for instance a corresponding grabber device of an additional loading machine such as the one mentioned above—if provided—) for instance at the setting of the grabber device  13   a  shown in  FIG. 4 , or after the grabber device  13   a  has been moved even further downwards—can again remove the component  3   a  and/or component-housing  11   a  from the centering recess  22  provided in the precision alignment device  19  (for instance by (again) creating a vacuum at the grabber device  13   a  and/or the loader head  13   a  (and/or more accurately: underneath the grabber device  13   a  and/or the loader head  13   a ). 
     Hereby the component  3   a  and/or component-housing  11   a , inserted in the centering recess  22 , are pulled upwards against the direction of the arrow P shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , and—as shown in FIG.  3 —again held at the underside  13   b  of the grabber device  13   a  (by now—due to the centering of the component  3   a  in relation to the precision alignment device  19 , and the centering of the grabber device  13   a  in relation to the precision alignment device  19 —exactly in the middle between the above-mentioned centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d , i.e. in a way that exactly centers it in relation to the grabber device  13   a ). 
     Next—by appropriately moving (for instance by swiveling and/or shifting) the grabber device  13   a  and/or the loader  30  head  13   a  (for instance initially upwards in the direction of the arrow S shown in  FIG. 2 , and then laterally in the direction of the arrow T shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , etc.) the grabber device  13   a  is for instance held—while the vacuum is maintained—together with the centered and/or aligned component  3   a  and/or component-housing  11   a  at the underside  13   b  of the grabber device  13   a —in position above a corresponding (burn-in) socket and/or (burn-in) adapter  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d  (cf.  FIG. 5 ). 
     The socket and/or adapter  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d  may be constructed essentially similarly to conventional “burn-in” sockets and/or “burn-in” adapters (for instance corresponding TSOP- or FBGA “burn-in” sockets), except that they—in contrast to conventional sockets and/or adapters, and correspondingly similar to the precision alignment device  19  shown in FIGS.  2  and  4 —have several centering openings  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d  and—again in contrast to conventional sockets and/or adapters—have no tapered surfaces and/or other “guidance” devices. 
     As is clear from  FIG. 5 , the (burn-in) adapter and/or socket  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d  each has a—bottom—base element  24 , and a cover  25 , which is moveable in relation to the base element  24 , for instance in a vertical direction, due to being attached by means of a moveable bearing to the base element  24  with spring elements in between. 
     By means of appropriate downwards pressure on the adapter—and/or the socket cover and/or cover  25  (in the direction of the arrows shown in  FIG. 5 ) the adapters and/or sockets  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d —correspondingly similar to conventional adapters and/or sockets can be opened and—as is more accurately described below—after the adapter and/or socket cover  25  has been released, can again be closed. 
     The centering openings  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d  have—correspondingly similar to the centering openings  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  provided at the precision alignment device  19 —an essentially circular cross-section, and run vertically downwards—with an essentially constant inside diameter—from the upper side of the base element  24  of the socket and/or adapter—passing partially or wholly through the entire base element  24 . 
     As is clear from  FIG. 5 , the central vertical axes a of the centering devices  18   a , each passing through the middle of the conical sections  21   a  of the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d —when the grabber device  13   a  is appropriately aligned—coincide exactly with the corresponding central axes running vertically through the corresponding centering openings  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d  of the 10 adapter and/or socket  12   a.    
     The inside diameter of each centering opening  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d  coincides—just as is the case with the corresponding centering openings  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  of the precision alignment device  19 —essentially with the maximum dimension of the outside diameter of the conical sections  21   b  provided on each centering device  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d  (at the top end of the corresponding conical sections  21   b ), i.e. with the outside diameter of the corresponding cylindrical sections  21   a  of each centering device  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d.    
     As already described above, the grabber device  13   a  and/or the loader head  13   a  are attached by means of a “floating” bearing in relation to the other parts of the machine  13 . 
     When the grabber device  13   a  is moved vertically downwards from the setting shown in  FIG. 3  above the adapter and/or socket  12   a —in the direction of the arrow U—the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   b ,  18   c , provided at the bottom of the grabber device  13   a , are inserted into each centering opening  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d  of the precision alignment device  19 . 
     As a result of the above-mentioned “floating” attachment of the grabber device  13   a  (i.e. its ability to move laterally) the grabber device  13   a —not yet exactly centered and/or aligned—is centered and/or aligned in relation to the adapter and/or socket  12   a  as shown in  FIG. 5  by the arrows X and Y—e.g. moved laterally to a certain extent, so that once the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   b ,  18   c  have been inserted into the centering openings  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d  provided in each case, the central axes a of the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   b ,  18   c  coincide exactly with the corresponding central axes of the centering openings  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d  of the socket and/or adapter  12   a.    
     The grabber device  13   a  is moved vertically downwards so far from the setting shown in  FIG. 3  above the adapter and/or socket  12   a  in the direction of the arrow U—that the essentially flat underside  13   b  of the grabber device  13   a  presses down from the top against the upper edge  26  of the cover  25 , which is then correspondingly forced downwards in the direction of the arrow V shown in  FIG. 5  so that the socket and/or adapter  12   a  is opened. 
     Thereby the grabber device  13   a  is forced down so far (arrow U), that the component  3   a  and/or component-housing  11   a —held by the vacuum being maintained—touches the top of the base element  24  at the underside  13   b  of the grabber device  13   a  below; then is the vacuum released and the component  3   a  and/or component-housing  11   a  released. 
     In other words, the component  3   a  and/or component-housing  11   a  is gently placed into the adapter and/or socket  12   a , and not—as with conventional grabber devices—aligned with the help of corresponding tapered guide surfaces provided at the sockets and/or adapter and dropped into the adapter and/or socket. 
     This placing action is possible because the component  3   a  and/or the component-housing  11   a  has already been relatively accurately aligned in relation to the grabber device  13   a  by means of the process described above (i.e. by the precision alignment device  19 ), and by inserting the centering devices  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c ,  18   d  of the grabber device  13   a  into the centering openings  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d —provided at the socket and/or adapter  12   a —the grabber device  13   a  is additionally also aligned with relatively high accuracy in relation to the socket and/or adapter  12   a.    
     Next the grabber device  13   a  is retracted—vertically—upwards, which again releases the cover  25  of the adapter and/or socket  12   a , i.e. by being forced upwards by the abovementioned spring elements, which causes the connections provided at each component  3   a  (and/or component-housing  11   a ) to make contact with corresponding connections provided at the adapter and/or socket  12   a , i.e. the adapter and/or socket  12   a  is “locked”. 
     In similar fashion the grabber device  13   a  (or—it being the case—the above further grabber device) can load a multitude of further adapters and/or sockets  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d , and/or the component-housings  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d  etc.—similarly constructed to the socket and/or adapter  12   a  shown in FIG.  5 —with corresponding components  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d , etc. (for instance at a rate of more than 100 or 1,000 adapters and/or sockets per hour). 
     In each case, several of these sockets and/or adapters  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d  (for instance more than 50, 100 or 200 sockets and/or adapters  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d ) have been connected—as can be seen in FIG.  1 —to one and the same card  14  and/or board  14  at testing station D (and/or to one and the same test card and/or test board  14 ). 
     The test-board  14  (and thereby also the semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  and/or housing  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d  loaded into the sockets and/or adapters  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d ) are loaded—as shown in FIG.  1 —with the help of an appropriate machine into an “oven” a 5  that can be shut (and/or into an apparatus  15 , with which extreme conditions can be created for the above semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  (for instance increased temperatures, for instance above 70° C., 100° C., or 150° C., and/or increased component operating voltages, etc.)). 
     The test-card  14  and/or the test board  14  is in each case—in the conventional manner, connected to a test apparatus  4 , for instance by means of a corresponding line  16 . 
     This causes the test signals being generated by the test apparatus  4  to be relayed, for instance by means of the above line  16 , to the test card  14 , and from there to the sockets  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d , and their socket contact pins  27   a  by means of the corresponding card contacts  27   b.    
     From the sockets  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d  the corresponding test signals are then relayed via the above socket connections and their closed housing connections to the housings  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d , and from there via the above housing contacts, and their closed semi-conductor component contacts, to the semiconductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  to be tested. 
     The signals emitted in reaction to the test signals being applied to corresponding semi-conductor component contacts are then scanned by corresponding housing contacts (in contact with them) and led to the sockets  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d , the card  14  and via the line  16  to the test apparatus  4 , where the corresponding signals can then be evaluated. 
     Thereby the test system  1 —which includes inter alia the test apparatus  4 , the card  14  and the sockets  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ,  12   d —can perform a corresponding conventional test procedure—for instance a conventional “burn-in” test (or several similar tests in succession), in which and/or in the course of which for instance the functionality of the semi-conductor components  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  can be evaluated (for instance while or after the semi-conductor components are being or have been subjected to the above-mentioned extreme conditions in the above “oven”  15  or the apparatus  15  for a relatively long period of time (for instance for more than 30 minutes, and/or more than 1 hour)).