Texas Instruments Corporation

Adolphus E McClanahan

Byron Harry Gibbs

Michael P Harris

Alan J Wegleitner

L C Coleman, Jr

Phillip H Ball

Daniel A Fresquez

John D Wolfe

Mark Damone Gillette

Frank J Mesa

A method of checking a seal of a probe chamber or test chamber (thermal chamber) during a freezing temperature chamber condition. The thermal chamber provided includes a probe card or a contactor for electrically testing a semiconductor device under test (DUT), a gas inlet, a chiller which provides a freezing chamber temperature, and a pressure sensor for sensing a pressure in the thermal chamber (chamber pressure). Using the pressure sensor, the chamber pressure is sensed while flowing a dry gas through the gas inlet sufficient to render the chamber pressure a positive pressure. The positive pressure is compared to a reference pressure, and from the comparing it is determined whether the thermal chamber is properly sealed.

Seal monitor for probe or test chamber

One aspect of the invention provides an apparatus that includes a probe card having probe needles associated therewith. A temperature stabilizer element is couplable to the probe card. The temperature stabilizer is configured to either raise or lower a temperature of the probe needles to reduce movement of the probe needles.

Probe card and temperature stabilizer for testing semiconductor devices

In one embodiment, a method for probing a wafer includes providing a plurality of pressure sensors on a surface of a probe card holding tray, positioning a probe card of a testhead relative to a prober supporting a wafer, engaging the probe card with the probe card holding tray, receiving a plurality of pressure signals from respective pressure sensors, and comparing the pressure signals to determine if the probe card is substantially parallel with the prober.

System and method for the probing of a wafer

Disclosed is a lighted wafer cassette for use in semiconductor wafer processing. Also disclosed are systems and methods employing a wafer cassette lighted with one or more affixed light sources for facilitating cassette alignment with standard semiconductor processing apparatus.

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Garland, TX, United States of America

Adolphus E McClanahan