Burn-in board with adaptable heat sink device

• US 6,744,269 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reliability Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Reliability Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, James E., Darcy, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deb, Anjan K
• Application Number:
  US09/167,295
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 324/760, 324/761, 324/754, 324/755, 324/158.1, 324/765, 439/73, 361/718, 165/80.4
• US Class Current: 324/750.09
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2849 Environmental or reliability testing, e.g. burn-in or validation tests of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of printed circuits boards G01R31/2817; of IC's G01R31/2855
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2863 Contacting devices, e.g. sockets, burn-in boards or mounting fixtures in general G01R1/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2874 related to temperature

Abstract

A system and method for burning-in an integrated circuit comprises a socket capable of receiving and supporting the IC, electrical leads in the socket for connecting to corresponding leads on the chip, and a heat sink in thermal contact with a cooling medium. A first thermal interface provides releasable thermal contact between the integrated circuit in the socket and a resiliently mounted heat absorbing member. A second thermal interface is provided between the heat absorbing member and the heat sink.

Claims

1. A socket for testing an integrated circuit, comprising:

a socket base capable of supporting a DUT carrying the integrated circuit, said socket base including electrical leads configured to connect to corresponding leads on the DUT;

a socket lid;

a thermally conductive heat spreader resiliently mounted within said socket lid, said heat spreader including a first thermal interface in releasable mechanical and thermal contact with the DUT in the socket; and

a heat sink in thermal contact with a cooling medium and defining a second thermal interface with said heat spreader;

wherein said heat spreader is biased toward the DUT by a spring affixed between said heat sink and said heat spreader.

2. A socket for testing an integrated circuit, comprising:

a socket base capable of supporting a DUT carrying the integrated circuit, said socket base including electrical leads configured to connect to corresponding leads on the DUT;

a socket lid;

a thermally conductive heat spreader resiliently mounted within said socket lid, said heat spreader including a first thermal interface in releasable mechanical and thermal contact with the DUT in the socket; and

a heat sink in thermal contact with a cooling medium and defining a second thermal interface with said heat spreader;

wherein said second thermal interface includes an amount of a low melting point metal.

3. A socket for testing an integrated circuit, comprising:

a socket base capable of supporting a DUT carrying the integrated circuit, said socket base including electrical leads configured to connect to corresponding leads on the DUT;

a socket lid,

a thermally conductive heat spreader resiliently mounted within said socket lid, said heat spreader including a first thermal interface in releasable mechanical and thermal contact with the DUT in the socket; and

a heat sink in thermal contact with a cooling medium and defining a second thermal interface with said heat spreader;

wherein said second thermal interface includes an amount of a low melting point metal contained in a foil skin that is affixed to said heat sink.

4. The socket of claim 3 wherein said foil skin is soldered to said heat sink.

5. A socket for testing an integrated circuit, comprising:

a socket base capable of supporting a DUT carrying the integrated circuit, said socket base including electrical leads configured to connect to corresponding leads on the DUT;

a socket lid;

a thermally conductive heat spreader resiliently mounted within said socket lid, said heat spreader including a first thermal interface in releasable mechanical and thermal contact with the DUT in the socket; and

a heat sink in thermal contact with a cooling medium and defining a second thermal interface with said heat spreader; and

further including a heater and a thermocouple adjacent to said thermal interface, said heater being controlled in response to output from said thermocouple.

6. A system for testing multiple integrated circuits, comprising:

a plurality of sockets, each socket adapted to receive and support a DUT carrying an integrated circuit;

a cooling system; and

a plurality of thermally conductive members, each thermally conductive member in thermal contact with a first interface positioned to conduct heat from each DUT to a heat spreader and a second interface in thermal contact with said cooling system;

wherein said thermally conductive members are movably mounted in the system and said second interface includes means for biasing said thermally conductive member toward the DUT.

7. The burn-in system of claim 6 wherein said thermally conductive members are mounted so as to be able to tilt upon engagement with the DUT.

8. The burn-in system of claim 6 wherein said thermally conductive members are mounted so as to be able to retract upon engagement with the DUT.

9. The burn-in system of claim 6 wherein said biasing means comprises a Belleville spring.

10. The burn-in system of claim 6 wherein said biasing means comprises a coil spring.

11. The burn-in system of claim 6 wherein said biasing means comprises a straight spring.

12. The burn-in system of claim 6 wherein said second interface includes an amount of a low melting point metal.

13. The burn-in system of claim 6 wherein said second interface includes an amount of a low melting point metal contained in a foil skin.

14. The burn-in system of claim 6 wherein said second interface includes an amount of a low melting point metal contained by high temperature seals.