Optical testing device

• US 7,268,533 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Beaverton, Inc. (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Inventors: McCann, Peter R., Harris, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): KARLSEN, ERNEST F
• Application Number:
  US10/912,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 324/754, 324/765, 324/158.1, 324/72.5, 324/758
• US Class Current: 324/756.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/00 Testing of optical apparatus; Testing structures by optical methods not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0408 Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets G01R1/067 takes precedence; mass production testing systems G01R31/59; testing of connections G01R31/66; for testing printed circuit boards G01R31/2808
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2831 Testing of materials or semi-finished products, e.g. semiconductor wafers or substrates G01R31/318511 takes precedence; testing during manufacture H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2887 involving moving the probe head or the IC under test; docking stations moving single probes G01R1/06705; moving individual probes in multiple probes G01R1/07392
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/311 of integrated circuits G01R31/31728 takes precedence

Abstract

A chuck adapted to test electrical and/or optical components on a device-under-test (DUT).

Claims

1. A test assembly comprising:

(a) a chuck having a surface for supporting a device under test;

(b) a plurality of vacuum apertures defined by said surface;

(c) a vacuum system suitable to provide a vacuum to said plurality of vacuum apertures, said vacuum system comprising a vacuum source that supplies a vacuum to a first vacuum chamber defined within said chuck, said first vacuum chamber being interconnected with a second vacuum chamber, also defined within said chuck, by a plurality of vacuum shafts, said second vacuum chamber interconnected with said surface through said plurality of vacuum apertures; and

(d) a selection mechanism suitable to selectively isolate one or more sets of said plurality of vacuum apertures from said vacuum when one or more other sets of said plurality of vacuum apertures are provided with said vacuum.

2. The test assembly of claim 1 wherein said selection mechanism comprises at least one member that selectively isolates a portion of said second vacuum chamber from said first vacuum chamber.

3. The test assembly of claim 1 wherein at least two of said different sets include a common one of said plurality of vacuum apertures.

4. The test assembly of claim 1 having plural sets of said plurality of vacuum apertures, and wherein at least one of said sets is non-concentric with respect to another one of said sets.