Wafer probe station having a skirting component
First Claim
1. A probe station comprising:
- (a) a probe assembly for holding an electrical probe;
(b) a chuck assembly having respective upper and lower chuck assembly elements electrically insulated from each other, said upper chuck assembly element having an upper surface for horizontally supporting a device for probing by said electrical probe, a lower surface opposite said upper surface and a peripheral surface extending between said upper and lower surfaces;
(c) an electrically conductive outer enclosure enclosing said chuck assembly; and
(d) said lower chuck assembly element having respective lower and skirting components each of conductive material and each spaced from said upper chuck assembly element, said lower component including an upper surface portion extending opposite said lower surface, said skirting component including an inner surface portion extending opposite and substantially surrounding said peripheral surface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A probe station includes a fully guarded chuck assembly and connector mechanism for increasing sensitivity to low-level currents while reducing settling times. The chuck assembly includes a wafer-supporting first chuck element surrounded by a second chuck element having a lower component, skirting component and upper component each with a surface portion extending opposite the first element for guarding thereof. The connector mechanism is so connected to the second chuck element as to enable, during low-level current measurements, the potential on each component to follow that on the first chuck element as measured relative to an outer shielding enclosure surrounding each element. Leakage current from the first chuck element is thus reduced to virtually zero, hence enabling increased current sensitivity, and the reduced capacitance thus provided by the second chuck element decreases charging periods, hence reducing settling times. With similar operation and effect, where any signal line element of the connector mechanism is arranged exterior of its corresponding guard line element, such as adjacent the chuck assembly or on the probe-holding assembly, a guard enclosure is provided to surround and fully guard such signal line element in interposed relationship between that element and the outer shielding enclosure.
863 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A probe station comprising:
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(a) a probe assembly for holding an electrical probe; (b) a chuck assembly having respective upper and lower chuck assembly elements electrically insulated from each other, said upper chuck assembly element having an upper surface for horizontally supporting a device for probing by said electrical probe, a lower surface opposite said upper surface and a peripheral surface extending between said upper and lower surfaces; (c) an electrically conductive outer enclosure enclosing said chuck assembly; and (d) said lower chuck assembly element having respective lower and skirting components each of conductive material and each spaced from said upper chuck assembly element, said lower component including an upper surface portion extending opposite said lower surface, said skirting component including an inner surface portion extending opposite and substantially surrounding said peripheral surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A probe station comprising:
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(a) a probe assembly for holding an electrical probe; (b) a chuck assembly having respective upper and lower chuck assembly elements electrically insulated from each other, said upper chuck assembly element having an upper surface for horizontally supporting a device for probing, a lower surface opposite said upper surface and a peripheral surface extending between said upper and lower surfaces; (c) an electrically conductive outer enclosure enclosing said chuck assembly; (d) said lower chuck assembly element having respective lower and skirting components each of conductive material and each spaced from said upper chuck assembly element, said lower component including an upper surface portion extending opposite said lower surface, said skirting component including an inner surface portion extending opposite said peripheral surface; and (e) a connector mechanism enabling a first nonzero potential difference to be established between said upper chuck assembly element and said outer enclosure and a second nonzero potential difference substantially equal to said first nonzero potential difference to be established between said lower chuck assembly element and said outer enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification