The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 03, 2004
Filed:
Feb. 19, 2002
Robert C. Lutz, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Lloyd B. Dickson, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Ralph James Eddington, Newman, CA (US);
Lucas/Signatone Corporation, Gilroy, CA (US);
Abstract
A semiconductor-wafer chuck for heating and cooling a device-under-test includes a heat-spreader plate with a clamping surface for a semiconductor wafer. A heater is disposed within the heat-spreader plate. A chiller heat-exchanger provides for heat removal. A motion control system is used to move the chiller heat-exchanger in relation to the heat-spreader plate, and thus provide for an adjustment of the thermal resistance and thermal coupling between the two. The heater comprises electric heating elements with a variable power input, and the chiller heat-exchanger is moved sufficiently far away to prevent boiling and evaporation of a coolant disposed inside. A device-under-test temperature controller controls the device-under-test temperature by adjusting the heater power, chiller fluid temperature and/or by moving the chiller heat-exchanger in relation to the heat spreader plate.