Patent Publication Number: US-2023160949-A1

Title: An automated test system for testing singulated electronic components and a method of testing singulated electronic components

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the invention relates to an automated test system for testing singulated electronic components. Further, an embodiment of the invention relates to a method of testing singulated electronic components. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Due to a very complicated and sensitive production process of semiconductor components usually certain a not neglectable amount of semiconductor components don&#39;t work. As a consequence, the semiconductor components need to be tested most of the time with all their expected features. There is a variety of different machines which carry out the tests. However, there may be a need to provide more flexibility to one machine carrying out the tests. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     There may be a need to offer a handler and for an automated test system for providing a higher flexibility for semiconductor testing. 
     In order to meet the need defined above, an automated test system for testing singulated electronic components and a method of testing of testing singulated electronic components are provided according to independent claims. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention an automated test system for testing singulated electronic components comprises: 
     a handler, comprising a plurality of handler pickers and/or a plurality of spinner pickers, the handler pickers and/or spinner pickers being adapted to each pickup one electronic component at a time, 
     at least one processing station for processing one of the electronic components being picked up by one of the plurality of handler pickers, 
     a carrier station unit, and a first carrier being located in the carrier station unit, wherein the first carrier is adapted to carry a first plurality of electronic components to be tested, and the handler pickers and/or the spinner pickers are adapted to each place one electronic component at a time on the first carrier and the handler pickers and/or spinner pickers are adapted to each pick up one electronic component at a time from the first carrier, 
     a second carrier wherein the second carrier is adapted to carry a second plurality of electronic components to be tested, and 
     a test unit, for testing singulated electronic components located on a carrier, wherein
         while the second plurality of electronic components on the second carrier are tested in the test unit and while the second plurality of electronic components rest on the second carrier during testing,   simultaneously the first carrier is loaded with the first plurality of electronic components by the plurality of handler pickers and/or spinner pickers and/or unloaded from the first plurality of electronic components by the plurality of handler pickers and/or spinner pickers.       

     According to an embodiment of the invention a method of testing singulated electronic components comprises: 
     providing a handler, comprising a plurality of handler pickers and/or a plurality of spinner pickers, the handler pickers and/or spinner pickers being adapted to each pickup one electronic component at a time, at least one processing station for processing one of the electronic components being picked up by one of the plurality of handler pickers, and a carrier station unit, and a first carrier being located in the carrier station unit, wherein the first carrier is adapted to carry a first plurality of electronic components to be tested, and the handler pickers and/or spinner pickers are adapted to each place one electronic component at a time on the first carrier and the handler pickers and/or spinner pickers are adapted to each pick up one electronic component at a time, and a second carrier wherein the second carrier is adapted to carry a second plurality of electronic components to be tested, and a test unit, for testing singulated electronic components located on a carrier, wherein the method comprises,
         testing the second plurality of electronic components of the second carrier in the test unit while the second plurality electronic components rest on the second carrier, and   simultaneously loading the first plurality of electronic components on the first carrier with the plurality of handler pickers and/or spinner pickers and/or unloading the first plurality of electronic components from the first carrier with the plurality of handler pickers and/or spinner pickers.       

     The expression “automated test system” may refer to an assembly used in the backend of semiconductor production which may at least comprise a handler and a testing routine. The automated test system may further comprise a tester for carrying out the test routine. 
     The expression “testing” may refer to check, examine, or prove. However, testing or actions accompanying the testing may also include moving and marking. In particular, here, semiconductor devices may be the object being tested and are therefore handled (moved) and examined (tested). Testing may, in particular a narrower sense, comprise “functional examination” wherein, i.e., the semiconductor device or electronic component, is examined with its unique or characteristic electronic features, including electronic data based on a characteristic mechanical treatment. Testing by a test unit may comprise a test of at least one of the sensors: (MEMS) microphone, MEMS microspeaker, environmental sensor (such as a gas sensor), fingerprint sensor, gyroscope sensor, accelerometer, humidity sensor, pressure sensor, optical sensor, magnetic sensor. 
     The term “processing” may refer to at least one of the group of (optical) inspection, flipping, aligning, testing of singulated electronic components, and marking. The term “processing” may refer to a series of operations which in this context include a treatment of singulated electronic components, such as testing in a narrower sense, marking, calibrating, and handling, in particular, positioning and/or aligning. The expression “singulated electronic component” may refer to such a device which may—depending on test result—be assembled on PCB or the like, for use in an electronic device. The term “handler” may refer to a machine moving the singulated electronic component, also called “DUT”, i.e. device under test. The expression “processing station” may refer to a location adapted to execute a specific treatment or process for or on a singulated electronic device. 
     The term “pickers” may refer to a tool, or small machine used for picking one electronic component and placing one electronic component. In particular, the picker may pick up directly from a carrier and may place direct to or on a carrier. The picker may work with a vacuum cup. 
     The term “simultaneously” applied in this context may refer to at least two (or more) extended or repeated operations having an overlap in time, i.e. the at least two operations are executed at least partially at the same time. 
     The term “carrier” may, in particular, refer to a test carrier having receptacles for carrying a plurality of electronic components, mostly one electronic component in one receptacle, wherein the (singulated) electronic components rest on the carrier while being tested. The used term “receptacle” is not intended to describe primarily any mechanical boundaries rather than a—most of the time—intended or specific position where one electronic component may be placed. Thus, it may be open if and how the electronic components are held on the carrier. 
     The expression “carrier station unit” may refer to a location where a carrier is positioned to receive singulated electronic components—e.g. one electronic component in one receptacle. The carrier station unit is accessible for the picker to place singulated electronic components on the carrier lying in the carrier station unit and accessible for picker to remove singulated electronic components from the carrier. That is, placing electronic components may be named “loading” and removing electronic components may also be named “unload”. 
     A gist is that a handler having a plurality of picks for processing singulated electronic components may also have a carrier station unit and that the plurality of picks may stepwise fill the test carrier being positioned in the carrier station unit. This may allow for using the automated test equipment, and/or handler for processing singulated electronic components a such individually, and also to use (test) carriers having singulated electronic components loaded for testing the electronic components in a test unit for testing electronic components arranged on a carrier. By stepwise loading the electronic components one at a time by one picker into a receptacle and on a carrier and stepwise unloading the electronic components from the carrier by the picker, this may allow for using two incompatible methods of processing and testing electronic components and becoming compatible. Even if processing of singulated electronic components in processing stations seems to need a complete different time period than testing a carrier by a test unit in a parallel way the picker driven processing and the carrier driven test may coincide needing the same amount of time or at least a comparable amount of time, so that the whole process and the supply by the automated test equipment may become efficient. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment the automated test system comprises, when the second plurality of electronic components on the second carrier are tested in the test unit, and simultaneously the first carrier is loaded with or unloaded from the first plurality of electronic components by the plurality of handler pickers and/or spinner pickers:
         simultaneously the at least one processing station processes one electronic component picked up by one of the plurality of handler pickers.       

     In addition to simultaneously loading/unloading the carrier and testing the electronic components on the carrier, further simultaneously may at least one processing station processes one electronic component being picked up by one of the plurality handler pickers. As a consequence, the three sub-processes may run at least partially at the same time. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the automated test system, picking up and placing one electronic component at a time by one handler picker and/or spinner picker comprises:
         a movement of the one handler picker and/or spinner picker relative to the carrier.       

     The term “movement” may refer to a motion or move which may originate from the picker and/or the carrier. This may allow for placing the electronic components into different receptacles on the carrier. The handler pickers and/or spinner pickers themselves may have an additional inner freedom of rotation. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the automated test system, picking up and placing one electronic component at a time by one picker comprises: 
     a movement of the carrier comprising a linear movement in up to 3 dimensions, and/or 
     a movement of the one picker comprising a linear movement in up to 3 dimensions and/or a rotatable movement of the handler picker and/or spinner picker. 
     A relative movement of the carrier relative to the picker may originate from a linear movement in up to three dimensions of the carrier and/or a linear movement in up to three dimensions of the carrier and/or a freedom of having an inner rotational freedom to move (or turn). 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the automated test system, the carrier station unit comprises a first carrier station and a second carrier station, each of the first and second carrier stations, being adapted to receive, carry, and/or move at least one of the first and second carrier, and being adapted to replace the first carrier by the second carrier. 
     The carrier station unit may have a first carrier station to receive, hold, and/or move a carrier and may have a second carrier station to receive, hold, and/or move a further carrier. The carrier station unit may be adapted to exchange and/or position the carrier and the further carrier, or the first carrier and the second carrier, respectively. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment the automated test system further comprises at least one further carrier, 
     adapted to being loaded and unloaded by a handler picker and/or spinner picker with a further plurality of electronic components, wherein the further carrier, is adapted in that the further plurality of electronic components are tested while resting in receptacles of the further carrier. 
     There may be a first, a second, and a further carrier be located within the automated test equipment. In particular, one of the three carriers may be tested in the test unit, further two carriers may be located in the carrier station unit, or the first and second carrier station, respectively, to be loaded and/or unloaded. The two carriers in the carrier station unit may be loaded and unloaded simultaneously. E.g. two different handler pickers and/or spinner pickers may each first load the first carrier and second, may unload the first carrier, and vice versa. 
     When two carriers are used, one carrier may be unloaded from tested electronic components and loaded with untested electronic components, while the other carrier may be in the test unit so that the electronic components on the other carrier can be tested. Using two carriers may be appropriate, when unloading and loading electronic components is faster than testing the same number of electronic components. 
     When three carriers are used, one empty carrier may be waiting in the carrier station to be loaded with the untested electronic components, while another carrier may be tested in the test unit and a further carrier may be unloaded from tested electronic components. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment the automated test system further comprises at least two processing stations, wherein 
     at least one of the at least two processing stations is located upwards of the carrier station unit, and wherein at least one other of the at least two processing stations is located downwards the carrier station unit. 
     The terms “upwards” and “downwards” may refer to a direction from lower to higher, and in particular from an earlier time to a later time. I.e. that the handler pickers stop subsequently at the first processing station, the carrier station unit, and then the second processing station to serve each. Equally said, the carrier station unit may be arranged between two different processing stations. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the automated test system, the handler further comprises a spinner, being linear movable and rotatable about a spinner axis, and wherein the plurality of spinner pickers are arranged to pointing radially outwards from the spinner axis. 
     A spinner may be in particular used if flipping the electronic components require before and after testing. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the automated test system, the handler further comprises a rotary table, 
     wherein the plurality of pickers is arranged at distal ends of pickup heads radially extending from a center of the rotary table. 
     The expression “rotary table” may refer to a plate being arranged horizontally and turning on axis, perpendicular to the plate. Handlers comprising one central rotary table are also called “turret handler”. The expression “arranged at distal ends of pickup heads” may refer to a position of the pickers. Extending radially outward from the axis of the rotary table, there are pickup heads, on which ultimate ends the pickers are arranged, one picker for each pickup head. When the rotary table turns, then the pickup heads with the pickers at their ends may turn around stepwise. The rotary table may turn forewards and/or backwards, depending whether the electronic components to be tested are parts of a so called “lot”. The rotary table may allow for loading a specific number of electronic components from a source in one direction and may unload in the counter-direction back to the source. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment the automated test system further comprises a robot and/or a carrier exchange section, wherein 
     the robot, and/or the carrier exchange section being adapted to receive the first carrier with the first plurality of electronic components and transferring the first carrier to the test unit, in that after having transferred the first carrier the robot and/or the carrier exchange section completely removes from the test unit. 
     The term “robot” may refer to a device that automatically performs complicated often repetitive tasks, and here, the robot may pick up one of the carriers and may convey or move the one carrier to a different position and in particular to the test unit and, if necessary, inside the test unit. The robot may remove completely from the test unit after positioning the carrier inside the test unit. Same may hold for the “carrier exchange section” wherein the difference to the robot may be that the carrier exchange section may allow only for linear movements of the carrier. The carrier exchange section may completely remove from the test unit after placing carrier inside the test unit. However, the carrier exchange section may be arranged inside the test unit so that here the carrier exchange section may remove from a testing position of the carrier inside the handler. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the automated test system, the test unit is a microphone test unit adapted to test microphones. 
     The test unit may be or comprise a microphone test unit. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment the automated test system further comprises at least one of the group of a tester, a soak station, a de-soak station, or a further test unit, wherein 
     at least two of the group of the handler, the test unit, the tester, the soak station, the de-soak station, and the further test unit, have a different footprint. 
     The term “footprint” may refer to an area on the ground (here: test floor) covered by something. E.g. the test unit, and the further test unit, may have both different footprints and both different footprints than the footprint of the handler on the test floor. The test unit and the further test unit may both be almost independent machines having an own power supply and may be controlled different compared to the handler. The test unit, the further test unit and any other part of the automated test system, such as the tester, the soak station, the de-soak station, if having an own footprint may comprise rollers. The term “rollers” may refer to move on rollers or wheels, i.e. the first test unit, the second test unit, the handler, and all other part having an own footprint may have rollers or wheels as well. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment the method comprises: when the second plurality of electronic components on the second carrier are tested in the test unit, and simultaneously the first carrier is loaded with and/or unloaded from the first plurality of electronic components with the plurality of pickers,
         simultaneously processing one electronic component picked up by one of the plurality of pickers with the at least one processing station.       

     According to an exemplary embodiment the method further comprises: picking up from a carrier, and placing on a carrier, one electronic component at a time with one picker comprising
         moving the one picker and the carrier, relative to each other.       

     According to an exemplary embodiment the method comprises: picking up and placing one electronic component at a time with one picker comprising
         moving the carrier, comprising a linear movement in up to dimensions and/or   moving the one picker wherein the movement comprises a linear movement in up to dimensions, and/or a rotatable movement of the picker.       

     An automated test system for testing singulated electronic components comprises a handler, comprising a plurality of pickers, the pickers being adapted to each pickup one electronic component, at least one processing station for processing one of the electronic components, a first carrier, a second carrier, and a test unit, for testing singulated electronic components located on a carrier. When the second plurality of electronic components on the second carrier are tested in the test unit while the second plurality of electronic components rest on the second carrier, simultaneously the first carrier is loaded with the first plurality of electronic components by the plurality of pickers and/or unloaded from the first plurality of electronic components by the plurality of pickers. 
     The aspects defined above and further aspects of the pre-sent invention are apparent from the examples of embodiment to be described hereinafter and are explained with reference to the examples of embodiment. The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to examples of embodiment but to which the invention is not limited. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG.  1    shows an embodiment of the automated test equipment for testing different types of electronic components 
         FIG.  2    is a detailed view of the automated test equipment including view of a rotary handler 
         FIG.  3    shows an open microphone test module comprising an inner chamber, and including a carrier 
         FIG.  4    shows a closed microphone test module comprising an inner chamber, and including a carrier 
         FIGS.  5   a  to  5   i    show schematically a process of loading and unloading electronic components 
         FIG.  6    is an overview of different types of embodiments of the automated test equipment 
         FIG.  7 A  shows a handler picker at a distal end of a pick-up head 
         FIG.  7 B  shows an interaction between a handler picker and a spinner picker 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The illustrations in the drawings are schematically. It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs. 
       FIG.  1    shows an automated test equipment  300  for testing different types of electronic components. 
     The automated test equipment  300  comprises a tester  480 , and a handler  400  comprising a plurality of processing stations  430 - 1  to  430 - 5 , or named a processing station  430 , in general. The automated test equipment  300  may, in particular, provide a microphone test module  100  and two further test modules  100 ′,  100 ″ for testing MEMS devices or other electronic components. 
     The handler  400  further comprises a component loader  310  for loading the untested electronic components and a component unloader  390  for unloading the tested electronic components, in particular, MEMS devices, e.g. MEMS microphones. The loader  310  may load singulated electronic components  800   u  from at least one of the sources such as wafer, tray, tube bowl. The unloader  390  may unload the tested electronic components  800   u  to tape &amp; reel, tube, and/or bulk. The handler  400  is designed as a turret handler comprising a rotary table  410  having a specific direction of rotation  501 . Around the rotary table  410  different processing stations  430 - 1  to  430 - 5  provide a plurality of procedures for electronic component in a backend process. The handler  400  with the rotary table  410  may also be called “turret handler”. 
     Around and adjacent to the rotary table  410  the carrier  400  may comprise a carrier station unit  550 . The handler  400  may place singulated electronic components on a first carrier  810  and/or on a second carrier  820 . The carriers  810 ,  820  may be further passed to a sound test module  100  in a more known linearly by a carrier exchange section  250  towards the sound test module  100  or the carriers  810 ,  820  may be transferred from the carrier station unit  550  to the sound test module  100  by a robot  350 . For this reason, the robot  350  may comprise a freely and 3-dimensionally moveable arm  353  comprising a rotatable gripper  355  so that the robot  350  may take up the carrier  810 ,  820  in different positions and may drop the carrier  810 ,  820  on different locations and in different orientations of the carrier  810 ,  820 . The robot  350  may position the carrier  810 ,  820  inside the sound test module  100 , or test module  100 ″, or on the carrier exchange section  250  of the sound test module  100 . 
     There may be a gap, or air gap  103  between the microphone test module  100  and the carrier exchange section  250 , so that structure-borne sound may be prohibited to travel towards the microphone test module  100 . The tester  480  may be connected with the sound test module  100  by a cable  483 . 
     The test module  100 ′ may be coupled towards the handler  400  in a different way such that there is a tight connection between the handler and the test module  100 ′, and the test module  100 ′ may be provided with carriers  810 ,  820  directly from the carrier station unit  550 . Therefore, the carrier exchange section  250  may be partially or completely arranged inside the test module  100 ′. The test module  100 ′ may, however, be an independent module which may be decoupled from the handler  400  easily and may be e.g. coupled to another handler. 
     Any of the group of the handler  400 , the robot  350 , the microphone test module  100 , the test two test modules  100 ′,  100 ″, and the tester  480  may each have its own footprint on the test floor, so that the handler footprint  402 , the robot footprint  352 , the microphone test module footprint  102 , the two further test module footprints  102 ′,  102 ″, and the tester footprint  482  differ from each other. This may emphasize that the mentioned components of the automated test equipment  300  may be exchanged easily for every of the mentioned components being a standalone device. Furthermore, a microphone test may be executed with the microphone test module  100  while a structure-borne sound is suppressed with the gap  103  and the test conditions for the microphone test are amended. 
     The exchangeability of the test module  100 ′ (,or  100 ,  100 ″) may further be indicated with the module boundary  492 . Moreover, a carrier station unit boundary  491  depicts a transition from the handler  400  towards the carrier station unit  550  which may also be an exchangeable module depending on the used carrier  810 ,  820  which may vary, e.g. if a tested MEMS chip is of a so called top-port, or bottom-port type, or may have contact portions on both sides. 
       FIG.  2    is a more detailed view of the automated test equipment  300  as already described with  FIG.  1    only adding some features which are described here with  FIG.  2    primarily. The automated test equipment  300  may additionally comprise a soak station  460  for tempering the carriers  810 ,  820  in a respective soak chamber of the soak station  460 . The soak station  460  may have an own individual soak station footprint  462  different from any other footprint of modules in the automated test equipment  300  so that the soak station  460  is an individual separate module being exchangeable depending on purposes of tempering the carriers  810 ,  820  or the respective electronic components on the carriers  810 ,  820 . Same holds for a desoak station  470  being similarly a separate and exchangeable module having an individual desoak station footprint  472 . The desoak station  472  may be arranged subsequent in a process path of the carriers  810 ,  820  compared to the soak station  460 . Within the carrier station unit  550  there may be a first carrier station  551  for receiving a first carrier  810 . A second carrier station  552  and adjacent to the first carrier station  551  may also be a part of the carrier station unit  550  and may be adapted to receive the second carrier  820 . 
     Extending radially from the rotary table  410 , the handler  400  may comprise a plurality of pickup heads  420  wherein a rotatable picker  210  is arranged at the distal end of each pickup head  420 . The rotatable picker  210  may allow for a definite placement of the electronic components on the carriers  810 ,  820 . A relative movement  555  of the first carrier station  551  and the second carrier station  552  relative to the rotatable picker  210  may allow for placing an electronic component on any available location of the carriers  810 ,  820 , so that the carriers  810 ,  820  may be filled completely, if appropriate. By a rotation  556  of the rotatable picker and the relative movement  555  in xy-direction in a main plane of the carrier station unit  550  the electronic components may be placed on and picked up from the carriers  810 ,  820  in any direction and from any location. However, the first carrier station  551  and the second carrier station  552  may require a larger area compared to any other processing station  430 , or  430 - 1  to  430 - 4 , so that an area, usually being equipped with a processing station  430  may be omitted on both outer sides of the adjacent arranged first carrier station  551  and second carrier station  552 . Otherwise, the first carrier station  551  and the second carrier station  552  may not be operating properly. The omitted two areas may be named and being a first unused station  441  and a second unused station  442 . 
       FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4    show an embodiment of a microphone test module  100  wherein in  FIG.  3    the microphone test module  100  is in an open or receiving state for receiving a carrier  810  with untested microphones  800   u  in the receptacles of the carrier  810 . In  FIG.  4    the microphone test module  100  is shown in a closed or testing state. 
     The microphone test module  100  comprises an outer chamber  130  having an outer chamber opening  132   o  through which the carrier  810  is loaded with untested microphones  800   u  may be inserted by a carrier feed  513 . The outer chamber  130  may further comprise an outer chamber door  132  which may be closed for testing with an outer closing movement  152   o.  The outer chamber  130  may be airtight when the outer chamber door  132  is closed. Further, the microphone test module  100  may comprise an inner chamber  120  inside of the outer chamber  130  and containing a sound chamber  110 . The sound chamber  110  may comprise a first sound chamber half  111  and a second sound chamber half  112  providing a sound chamber opening  110   o  for receiving the carrier  810 . Further, the inner chamber  120  comprises an inner chamber opening  122   o  and is equipped with an inner chamber door  122  closing with an inner closing movement  152   i  for providing an airtightness during a test. 
     The inner chamber  120  is suspended to the inner top of the outer chamber  130  by at least one of the group of a ferromagnet  161 , a diamagnet  162 , an electromagnet  163 , or an elastic suspension  165  in order to avoid transmission of structure-borne sound or any other mechanical vibration from the outer chamber  130  to the inner chamber  120 , and by this to the sound chamber  110 , respectively. However, it may be necessary to provide at least one further suspension when using the ferromagnet  161 , since it may be necessary to control and adjust the overall suspension force of the ferromagnet  161  on the inner chamber  120 . The elastic suspension  165  may comprise an elastic rubber cord or any material elastic material being suitable for elastically suspending the inner chamber  120  and eventually both, the first sound test chamber half  111  and the second sound test chamber half  112  being arranged inside the inner chamber  120 . The first sound test chamber half  111  may be mounted to the inner top of the inner chamber  120 . At least one or more suspension hooks  165   h  at the end of the suspension  165  may support the inner chamber  120  directly from the outside on the bottom of the inner chamber  120  so that structure-borne sound travels a long distance from the top of the outer chamber  130  to the outer bottom of the inner chamber  120  and may be therefore suppressed. 
     A positioning device  133  and a mating actuator  151   f  may both be supported from the inner bottom of the inner chamber  120 . The mating actuator  151  may allow for lifting the second, lower chamber half  112  towards the first, upper chamber half  111 , so that both may form the sound chamber  110  when being brought together by this mating movement  151 . Further, an aligning device  113  comprising an alignment pin  113   p  mounted on the first sound chamber half  111  and comprising an alignment guide  113   g  mounted on the second sound chamber half  112 , so that the sound chamber  110  is aligned when the first and second chamber halves  111 ,  112  are brought and being pressed together or to each other, respectively. 
     In particular, the mating actuator  151   f  may rest in the closing position  151   g  and may support pressing the first, and second sound chamber halves  111 ,  112  together, since the inner chamber  120  is already soundproof against the outside of the outer chamber  130 . A sealing ring  114  may additionally provide airtightness between the sound chamber  110  and the inner space of the inner chamber  120 . The outer chamber  130  may have spring-loaded feet  155 , or air-sprung feet  155  for further suppressing outside generated air-borne sound. However, the supply cable  171  may still go through the outer chamber  130  at a certain point  155   v  and may provide airtightness there, as well. The supply cable  171  may comprise a loop inside and or outside of the outer chamber  130 . 
     A vacuum space with vacuum pressure V is now formed between the outer chamber  130  and the inner chamber  120 , so that the sound chamber pressure T may be more stable, since inside the inner chamber the pressure may be close to or correspond ambient pressure A. 
       FIG.  5   a    to  FIG.  5   i    are a schematic descriptions of a method of placing  512  untested electronic components  800   u  on a first carrier  810 , and unloading  517  the tested electronic components  800   t  from the first carrier  810 , while a further, second carrier  820  with previously loaded untested electronic components  800   u  is loaded to the test module  100 ,  100 ′ for testing the electronic components  800   u  of the second carrier  820 . The method described with  FIG.  5   a    to  FIG.  5   i    includes a full circle including exchanging the first carrier  810  with the second carrier  820 , and vice versa. 
       FIG.  5   a    shows a detail of a handler  400  with two rotatable pickers  210  while referring to one rotatable picker  210   i  for initializing the process and to another rotatable picker  210   t  for unloading tested components  800   t.  The movement of the two rotatable pickers  210   i,    210   t  in the direction of the rotation  501  may be stepwise. Therefore, the rotatable pickers  210   i,    210   t  are in general identical but differ in the above-mentioned function and successively replace each other. 
     The whole process starts with a component placement  512  on the first carrier  810  from the rotatable picker  210   i  feeding untested electronic components  800   u.  As a consequence, the rotatable picker  210   t  for unloading tested components may be empty at this very beginning of the process. The first carrier  810 , and the second carrier  820  may be positioned on the carrier station unit and in particular, the first carrier  810  may be positioned on the first, or left carrier station  551 , while the second carrier  820  may be positioned on the second, or right carrier station  552 . A relative movement  555  (in xy-direction) of the first carrier  810  relative to the untested electronic component  800   u  held by the rotatable picker  210   i  may allow for the repeatedly stepwise component placement  512  on the first carrier  810 . The relative movement  555  may be achieved by either moving the first carrier station  551  relative to the rotatable picker  210   i,  by moving the rotatable picker  210   i  relative to the first carrier station  551 , or by moving both. Additionally, any rotatable picker  210  may make a rotation  556 . Moving the first carrier station  551  may by caused directly or indirectly by the carrier station unit  550 . 
     When starting, the first empty carrier  810   e  may be successively filled with untested electronic components  800   u  until the first carrier is filled  810   fu  with untested components to a certain extend. Usually, the filled first carrier  810   fu  may be stepwise filled to be completely filled. However, the number of untested components may vary, e.g. depending on a test runtime, or a speed of the placement  512  of the untested electronic components  800   u  on the carrier  810 ,  820 . 
     Subsequently, the filled first carrier  810   fu  may be loaded  513  to the test module  100 ,  100 ′. 
       FIG.  5   b    shows that the second carrier  820  may be brought into the position for receiving untested electronic components  800  by a left to right movement  526 . The left to right movement may be equivalent to a movement from the second, right carrier station  552  to the first, left carrier station  551 . A start of the first carrier testing  514   i  may be initialized previously, simultaneously, or subsequently so that the untested electronic components  800   u  on the first carrier  810  may be tested, wherein this may be abbreviated with the expression of first carrier testing  514 . 
     The carrier station unit boundary  491  is marked with the respective dashed line and may emphasize that the carrier station unit  550  may be mounted to and be easily exchanged from the handler  400 . Similarly, the module boundary  492  marked with the respective dashed line may highlight that the test module  100 ,  100 ′ may be exchangeable, as well. 
       FIG.  5   c    shows the second carrier  820  being located on the first, left carrier section  551 , so that the second carrier  820  starting as being empty (empty second carrier  820   e ) is successively filled  522  with untested electronic components  800   u  and as a result becomes a second carrier  820   fu  filled with untested components. The shown process is identical with the process from  FIG.  5   a    with the difference that placing  522  of the untested electronic components is on the second carrier  820 , and that the first carrier testing  514  may be meanwhile running. At a certain time, the second carrier  820   fu  may be filled to a desired extend, and the end of the first carrier testing  514   f  may be reached. 
       FIG.  5   d    shows an exchange of the first carrier  810  with the second carrier  820 . First, with the tested electronic components  800   t  loaded, the first carrier  810   ft  may be loaded back  515  from the test module  100 ,  100 ′ to the carrier station unit  550  on the second, right carrier station  552 . Subsequently, the second carrier  820   fu  may be loaded to the test module  100 ,  100 ′ being ready for testing. Since the last untested electronic component  800   u  has been already placed on the second carrier  820 , the rotatable picker  210   e  is empty. 
       FIG.  5   e    and  FIG.  5   f    show a central procedure within the complete procedure since the first carrier  810  is full with tested electronic components  800   t  and is a such first carrier  810  (filled with tested electronic components  800   t ) positioned on the first, left carrier section  551  while the second carrier  820  is loaded to the test module  100 ,  100 ′ and a start of second carrier testing  524   i  is initiated and the second carrier testing  524  is running. This central procedure repeats with  FIG.  5   h    and  FIG.  5   i    with merely the first carrier  810  and the second carrier  820  being replaced by each other. 
     With the stepwise movement  501  the empty rotatable picker  210   e  (see  FIG.  5   d   ) comes into action and unloading  517  of a first tested component  800   t  from the respected location  817   t  on the first carrier  810   ft  towards the rotatable picker  210  fills the rotatable picker  210   f.  Subsequently, the stepwise movement  501  may describe a central state shown in  FIG.  5     f.    
     In  FIG.  5   f   , the rotatable picker  210   i  provides a new untested electronic component  800   u  while the unloaded tested electronic component  800   t  in the rotatable picker  210   t  will be transferred for further processing within the handler  400 . That is, the new untested electronic component  800   u  placement  512  (similar to  FIG.  5   a   ) on the first carrier  810  replaces the tested electronic components  800   t  in the location  817   t  to become the respective location  812   u  on the first carrier  810 . 
     By successively (with intermittent stepwise movement  501 ) unloading  517  tested electronic components  800   t  from the filled locations  817   t  and then loading  512  untested electronic components  800   u  to the identical location  812   u,  the first carrier  810  may be exchanged with untested electronic components  800   u  and hence becomes a first carrier  810   fu  from being a first carrier  810   ft  as shown in  FIG.  5   e   . It may be useful to replace the electronic components  800   t  with  800   u  since the first carrier  810  may rest in an identical position on the carrier station unit  550  and relative to the handler  400  while a new rotatable picker  210   i  with movement  501   i  provides successively untested electronic components  800   u.    
     During this component replacement, the second carrier may be tested  524  until the test finishes  524   f.    
     As already been mentioned  FIG.  5   h    and  FIG.  5   i    correspond to  FIG.  5   e    and  FIG.  5   f    by only a reciprocal exchange of the first carrier  810  with the second carrier  820 . Reference to  FIG.  5   e    and  FIG.  5   e    will be made. A similar situation applies to  FIG.  5   g   , since the described sub-procedure is equal to the sub-procedure of  FIG.  5     d.    
       FIG.  5   g    is equal to  FIG.  5   d    when exchanging the first carrier  810  and the second carrier  820  with the mere difference that the rotatable picker  210   t  may be empty in  FIG.  5   d    which may be irrelevant for this sub-procedure since rotatable picker  210  is already out of action and will be moved away with a subsequent step movement  501 . This, in particular, also applies to  FIG.  5   h    compared to  FIG.  5     e.    
     Therefore, for  FIG.  5   g   ,  FIG.  5   h   , and  FIG.  5   i    reference is made to  FIG.  5   d   ,  FIG.  5   e   , and  FIG.  5   f   , respectively, with the additional note that the first carrier  810  and the second carrier  820  replace each other (along with all reference signs relating to the first carrier  810  and the second carrier  820 ). 
     It should be noticed that other embodiments are possible, in particular, if two carriers  810 ,  820  may be loadable and unloadable simultaneously. 
       FIG.  6    shows schematically different mostly compatible variations marked with roman numerals Ito IX. 
     I and II 
     In particular, variation I and II may describe and replace the already introduced embodiments where a stepwise movement  501  of a rotary table  410  is shown (see  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2   , and  FIG.  5   ). Stepwise movements  501 ′ and  502 ″ are shown as straight movements but not limited to as well as stepwise movement  501  in  FIG.  5    is not necessarily a circular movement. 
     I 
     The stepwise movement  501 ′ may describe the movement of untested electronic components  800   u  and of tested electronic components  800   t  along a straight line, wherein one step is made after the other with intermittent further sub-procedures of unloading  507 , and loading  502  a carrier  810 . Thus, the movement  501 ′ may resemble the stepwise movement  501  in  FIG.  5   ( a  to  i ). 
     II 
     The stepwise movement  501 ″ shows a movement of the untested and tested electronic components  800   u  and  800   t  taking to steps at once. This may be useful if two carries  810  and  820  are loadable  502  and unloadable  507  simultaneously from two positions of a carrier station unit  550 . 
     The carrier station unit boundary  491  marked with the respective dashed line emphasizes that any stepwise movement  501 ′,  501 ″ (, and  500 ) may be replaced by another stepwise movement, if appropriate. In particular, a rotary handler  400  may be replaced by another type of handler providing a straight stepwise movement ( 501 ′,  501 ″) and vice versa. 
     III and IV 
     III 
     In section marked with roman numeral III the sub-procedures may resemble the sub-procedures as being described with  FIG.  5   ( a  to  i ). The carrier  810  may undergo the movements  555  and  506  similar or identical to the movements of the first carrier  810  described with  FIG.  5   a    to  FIG.  5     i.    
     IV 
     Roman numeral IV depicts a carrier station unit  550  where two carries  810  and  820  are simultaneously loadable  502  and unloadable  507  with untested electronic components  800   u  and test electronic components  800   t,  respectively. In addition to this, the two carries  810  and  820  may be themselves unloadable and loadable from the two positions of the carrier station unit  550 , respectively. 
     The subroutine provided by IV may be useful (compared to III) if loading and unloading of the carriers as well as the further sub-procedures are quick so that the subroutine shown in IV allows for speeding up the related handler actions (of placing and unloading the untested and tested electronic components, respectively). 
     V, VI, and VIII 
     Module boundary  492  marked with the respective dashed line shows that in general any module following the carrier station unit  550  may be optionally selected and that the selected module may be easily exchangeable with a further selected module and that even two or more modules may be used when starting from a carrier station unit  550 . 
     V shows the carrier exchange section  250  which may be used to transfer the carrier  810  from the carrier station unit  550  to the test module  100 ,  100 ′ directly. Roman numeral VI shows the soak station  460  which may be in line with one or two carrier exchange section  250  in order to temper the untested electronic components  800   u  on the first carrier  810  to a specific temperature. The soak station  460  may be used in a standalone version or may comprise the exchange section  250  as an integral part, as well as being an integral part of the test module  100 ,  100 ′. In general, the movements  503 ,  505  of the first carrier  810  from the carrier station unit  550  and back may be a linear movement and may be a mechanically predefined movement. Also, the movement of the first carrier from the carrier exchange section  250 , or from the soak station  460  towards the test module  100 ,  100 ″ may be in a straight and/or predefined way. The desoak station  470  depicted with roman numeral VIII may be used and coupled within the automated test system  300  in the same way like the carrier exchange station  250  and the soak station  460  with the only difference that if a first carrier  810  will be tempered with the soak station  460  then the desoak station  470  being needed for desoaking the first carrier  810  (and the tested electronic components  800   t ) may be subsequent to the soak station  460 . 
     VII 
     As an alternative and with higher flexibility the robot  350  may serve as a centred turntable allowing for any movement within its specific radius. The robot  350  may therefore replace or expand a predefined movement and may target any of the already mentioned stations and modules, such as the carrier station unit  550 , the carrier exchange section  250 , the soak station  460 , the desoak station  470 , and the test module  100 ,  100 ″ directly. 
     IX 
     Various test modules  100 ,  100 ″ may be used providing multiple test  514  for the untested electronic components  800   u  in the first carrier  810 . 
       FIG.  7 A  shows a handler picker  210  at a distal end of a pick-up head  420 . With a stepwise movement  501 , which may be linear, the handler picker  210  moves into a region above a carrier station unit  550  comprising a first carrier station  551  and a second carrier station  552 , on each of which a carrier  810  with electronic components  800  u/t may be located. With both a vertical and horizontal movement  235  the handler picker  210  carrying one electronic component  800   u  at a time to be tested may place the electronic component  800  on a free receptacle of the carrier  810 ,  820 , or the handler picker  210  may pick up one electronic component  800   t  at a time from the carrier  820 . 
       FIG.  7 B  shows an interaction between a handler picker  210  and a spinner  230 . A stepwise movement  501 ′ of the handler picker  210  may stop above the spinner  230 , so that the spinner  230  may pick-up one electronic component  800   u  at a time with one of multiple spinner pickers  220 . Then, with a rotation  236  about a spinner axis  231 , the spinner  230  may turn the electronic component upside down, and vice versa. With a vertical and horizontal movement  235  of the spinner  230  the electronic component  800   u  may be placed on the carrier  810 . Same holds for picking-up one electronic component  800   t  a time by the spinner  230  twisting the electronic component  800   t  and handing it over to the handler picker  210 . The handler picker  210  may transfer the electronic component  800   t  to the next position with a circular movement  501 . 
     It should be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.