Probe station thermal chuck with shielding for capacitive current

• US 7,138,813 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cowan, Clarence E., Dunklee, John L., Tervo, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Ha Tran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Emily Y
• Application Number:
  US10/626,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 324754-765
• US Class Current: 324/750.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/18 Screening arrangements against electric or magnetic fields, e.g. against earth's field
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2855 Environmental, reliability or burn-in testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2862 Chambers or ovens; Tanks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2865 Holding devices, e.g. chucks; Handlers or transport devices having contacts G01R31/2863
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2874 related to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2879 related to electrical aspects, e.g. to voltage or current supply or stimuli or to electrical loads
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/00 Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device

Abstract

To reduce noise in measurements obtained by probing a device supported on surface of a thermal chuck in a probe station, a conductive member is arranged to intercept current coupling the thermal unit of the chuck to the surface supporting the device. The conductive member is capacitively coupled to the thermal unit but free of direct electrical connection thereto.

Claims

1. An enclosure for a probe station chuck, said probe station chuck including a device supporting surface and a thermal device arranged to modify a temperature of said device supporting surface, said enclosure comprising a conductive wall including an inner surface having a portion separating said device supporting surface from said thermal device and defining a chamber substantially enclosing said device supporting surface.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said conductive wall to an instrument.

3. The enclosure of claim 2 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said instrument to a ground.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive connection of said conductive wall to an instrument; and

(b) a switch having a first terminal selectively connectable to a second terminal, said second terminal being conductively connected to said conductive wall and said first terminal being conductively connected to a ground.

5. The enclosure of claim 4 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said instrument to a ground.

6. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said conductive wall further comprises a portion separating said device supporting surface from an electrical conductor arranged to conduct electrical energy from a controller to said thermal device.

7. The enclosure of claim 6 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said conductive wall to an instrument.

8. The enclosure of claim 7 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said instrument to a ground.

9. The enclosure of claim 6 further comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive connection of said conductive wall to an instrument; and

(b) a switch having a first terminal selectively connectable to a second terminal, said second terminal being conductively connected to said conductive wall and said first terminal being conductively connected to a ground.

10. The enclosure of claim 9 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said instrument to a ground.

11. An enclosure for a probe station chuck, said probe station chuck including a device supporting surface and a thermal device arranged to modify a temperature of said device supporting surface, said enclosure comprising a conductive wall including

(a) an inner surface having a portion separating said device supporting surface from said thermal device and defining a chamber substantially enclosing said device supporting surface;

and

(b) an outer surface, said outer surface including a portion substantially encircling a portion of said thermal device.

12. The enclosure of claim 11 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said conductive wall to an instrument.

13. The enclosure of claim 12 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said instrument to a ground.

14. The enclosure of claim 11 further comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive connection of said conductive wall to an instrument; and

(b) a switch having a first terminal selectively connectable to a second terminal, said second terminal being conductively connected to said conductive wall and said first terminal being conductively connected to a ground.

15. The enclosure of claim 14 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said instrument to a ground.

16. The enclosure of claim 11 wherein said outer surface includes another portion substantially encircling a portion of an electrical conductor arranged to conduct electrical energy from a controller to said thermal device.

17. The enclosure of claim 16 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said conductive wall to an instrument.

18. The enclosure of claim 17 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said instrument to a ground.

19. The enclosure of claim 16 further comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive connection of said conductive wall to an instrument; and

(b) a switch having a first terminal selectively connectable to a second terminal, said second terminal being conductively connected to said conductive wall and said first terminal being conductively connected to a ground.

20. The enclosure of claim 19 further comprising an electrically conductive connection of said instrument to a ground.