MICROELECTRIC HEAT EXCHANGER PEDESTAL

• US 3,710,251 A
• Filed: 04/07/1971
• Issued: 01/09/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederick W. Johnson, John K. Hagge
• Original Assignee: Frederick W. Johnson, John K. Hagge
• Inventors: Hagge, John K., Johnson, Frederick W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Queisser, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goldstein, Herbert
• Application Number:
  US05/132,031
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 73/15 324/158F,158P
• US Class Current: 324/750.08
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2862 Chambers or ovens; Tanks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2867 Handlers or transport devices, e.g. loaders, carriers, trays
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2874 related to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2891 related to sensing or controlling of force, position, temperature G01R31/2874 takes precedence; sensing of force G01L; sensing of position G01B, G01D; sensing of temperature G01K; controlling in general G05

Abstract

A microelectric wafer or chip vacuum chuck in the form of a heat exchanger pedestal with a heat exchanger pressure vessel at the pedestal top through which hot and cold fluids are selectively pumped in circulation from and return to, respectively, hot and cold remote fluid reservoirs. A plurality of small diameter vacuum tubes pierce the heat exchanger pressure vessel and are brazed at each end to upper and lower plates with the top of the upper plate being the chuck surface with the vacuum tubes providing frequent tension ties between the plates. Dry nitrogen is fed into and through a circumferential passageway about the pedestal to protect wafers and chips with an inert cover atmosphere from oxidation damage at high temperatures or frost damage at low temperatures.

Claims

1. A support pedestal for testing microelectronic devices comprising:

a. a heat exchange chamber having upper and lower plates, inlet and outlet manifolds positioned near opposite periphery regions of said lower plate for circulating temperature controlling fluids through said chamber, and a plurality of vacuum tubes extending through said chamber and said upper and lower plates, b. temperature control means including fluid reservoir means and fluid circulation means interconnecting said reservoir means to said inlet and outlet manifolds;

c. vacuum chuck means for chucking devices subject to test to the upper surface of said upper plate including a vacuum chamber beneath said heat exchange chamber in vacuum communication with said plurality of vacuum tubes, and vacuum source means connected through vacuum communication means with said vacuum chamber;

d. inert gas delivery means circumscribing said heat exchange chamber for providing an inert atmosphere over devices while subject to temperature testing;

e. probe means including probes positioned above said heat exchange chamber for engaging microelectronic devices during test, and structural support means positioned around said gas delivery means and supporting said probes;

f. positioning means for bringing microelectronic devices being tested into test engagement with said probe means; and

g. an inverted shroud cup on said structural support means and cooperatively enclosing devices chucked to said upper plate and with said gas delivery means facilitating said inert atmosphere.

2. The support pedestal of claim 1, wherein said fluid reservoir means includes, a cold fluid reservoir;

a hot fluid reservoir; and

said fluid circulation means includes cold fluid line connection means; and

hot fluid line means; and

fluid line valve means for switching circulation of fluid to said heat exchanger chamber from one of said reservoirs to the other of said reservoirs.

3. The support pedestal of claim 2, wherein said fluid line valve means includes solenoid control valves for fast controlled switching between hot and cold fluid flows to said heat exchanger chamber.

4. The support pedestal of claim 3, wherein said valve means for switching circulation of fluid to said heat exchanger chamber from one of said reservoirs to the other includes:

a first solenoid valve in an inlet line from the hot reservoir, and a second solenoid valve in a return line to the hot reservoir; and

a third solenoid valve in an inlet line from the cold reservoir, and a fourth solenoid valve in a return line to the cold reservoir.

5. The support pedestal of claim 4, wherein electronic control means is provided for controlled simultaneous switch control of said solenoid valves in switching fluid circulation from one fluid reservoir to the other reservoir.

6. The support pedestal of claim 1, wherein said positioning means is an X-Y positioning table.

7. The support pedestal of claim 1, wherein a dry nitrogen gas line is connected to said inverted shroud cup from a nitrogen supply to help insure an inert atmosphere about devices subject to temperature testing on said pedestal.

8. The support pedestal of claim 1, wherein said vacuum communication means includes, a tubular pedestal stem, and line means connected to said vacuum source means.