Open test head for wafer automatic test system

Abstract

An open test head for a wafer automated test system (WAT) uses a fixed bracket to position the pogo pin interface module and instrument chassis above the wafer automated probe station, quickly creating a cabinet-free WAT system. This reduces the weight and volume of the WAT system, conserving factory space. Furthermore, the instrument chassis allows for close electrical connection to the pogo pin interface module, shortening test signal lines and improving test instrument performance. This open test head frees itself from the housing constraints of conventional closed test heads, improving heat dissipation within the WAT system. It also reduces the R&D cost of the WAT system and facilitates hardware maintenance and functional expansion and upgrades.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is an open test head for a wafer automatic test system. With the help of a fixed bracket, a spring pin interface module and an instrument chassis are arranged above the wafer automatic probe station. In an open combination mode, a cabinet-free wafer automatic test system can be quickly constructed. This can not only speed up the development of the wafer automatic test system and reduce development costs, but also reduce the floor space of the wafer automatic test system and improve the space utilization efficiency of the factory. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous advancement of semiconductor and optoelectronics technology, the number of components in product circuits is increasing. Testing and analyzing component parameters or reliability in these industries requires obtaining more test data for more accurate analysis. Consequently, a larger number of automated testers are needed to achieve sufficient testing capacity. However, factory test lines or laboratories have limited space, making it difficult to continuously allocate more space for automated testers. Therefore, increasing testing capacity per unit time and within this limited space is a critical issue.

[0003] See Figure 13 There are two main types of wafer automated test systems. One is a "closed test head," which places all important test hardware resources within a closed test head housing 701, and mounts the test head housing 701 above a wafer automated probe station 70. The test hardware resources used in this "closed test head" are typically specialized hardware developed exclusively by the manufacturer, making it a closed, rigid system. Furthermore, the closed test head lacks the flexibility to upgrade and expand, and its cost and price are high. Furthermore, since almost all test hardware resources are placed within a closed housing, it is necessary to address the heat dissipation issues associated with the large amount of hardware concentrated within the test head housing 701. This necessitates the installation of powerful cooling fans, which can easily lead to noise, vibration, and energy consumption, and may even necessitate the use of expensive and complex water-cooling systems, causing further inconvenience.

[0004] See Figure 14Another commonly used wafer automated test system uses an "instrument cabinet." Various brands of instruments can be placed inside an instrument cabinet 711, and the instruments are electrically connected to a spring pin interface 72 on top of a wafer automated probe station 71. This "instrument cabinet" offers excellent combination flexibility and expansion and upgrade capabilities, and its open architecture makes hardware easier to adjust and repair. However, its disadvantage is that the instrument cabinet 711 takes up a large amount of space and typically requires very long signal cables, for example, a total signal cable length of 4 to 5 meters, to connect electrically to the wafer DUT, thus limiting certain test performance. Although some instrument manufacturers have developed miniaturized and modular instruments, such as PXI modular instruments, which can accommodate more instruments in an instrument cabinet and improve space efficiency, they still face the typical problem of long signal cables connecting to the wafer DUT.

[0005] In order to overcome the two conventional shortcomings, the creators actively thought about, prototyped and improved, and developed an open test head for the wafer automatic test system, which can solve many of the conventional shortcomings. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an open test head for a wafer automatic test system, which has a simple structure and is easy to operate. It can overcome the defects of the existing technology, speed up the research and development of the wafer automatic test system, reduce the research and development costs, and also reduce the footprint of the wafer automatic test system, thereby improving the space utilization efficiency of the factory building.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention discloses an open test head of a wafer automatic test system, which is characterized by comprising:

[0008] A wafer automatic probe station includes a lifting mechanism and a fixed bracket;

[0009] a spring pin interface module, disposed on the fixing bracket; and

[0010] At least one instrument case is disposed on the fixing bracket, and the instrument case is located above the pogo pin interface module, and the instrument case is electrically connected to the pogo pin interface module;

[0011] Thus, with the aid of the fixing bracket, the instrument chassis and the spring pin interface module can be respectively placed above the wafer automatic probe station, so that the lower end surface of the instrument chassis does not need to bear the weight of the spring pin interface module, and it is easier to optimize the heat dissipation of the instrument chassis.

[0012] The spring pin interface module and the instrument chassis are respectively provided with at least one adapter bracket connected to the fixing bracket.

[0013] Also disclosed is an open test head of a wafer automatic test system, characterized by comprising:

[0014] A wafer automatic probe station includes a lifting mechanism and a fixed bracket;

[0015] A carrying device, having a receiving space at the bottom and a supporting structure at the top, and the carrying device is arranged on the fixing bracket;

[0016] A spring pin interface module is disposed in the accommodating space, and

[0017] At least one instrument chassis is disposed on the top of the supporting structure, and the instrument chassis is electrically connected to the spring pin interface module;

[0018] Therefore, with the assistance of the fixing bracket and the carrying device, the instrument chassis and the spring pin interface module can be respectively placed above the wafer automatic probe station, so the lower end surface of the instrument chassis does not need to bear the weight of the spring pin interface module, and it is easier to optimize the heat dissipation of the instrument chassis.

[0019] A plurality of instrument chassis and at least one power distribution unit chassis are arranged above the supporting structure, and the instrument chassis are electrically connected to the power distribution unit chassis.

[0020] Wherein, the accommodating space of the carrying device is provided with a blocking structure.

[0021] The barrier structure is recessed to form a wire-receiving groove.

[0022] Wherein, a pipeline fixing structure is provided on the side of the carrying device.

[0023] Wherein, a baffle is provided on the side of the carrying device.

[0024] The bottom surface of the spring pin interface module is integrally formed or separately provided with a spring pin tower.

[0025] The instrument chassis are arranged and stacked horizontally, vertically, obliquely or in any combination thereof.

[0026] Through the concept of flexible combination described above, existing instruments and equipment on the market can be directly used to quickly build a wafer automatic test system. This can reduce the development of customized special parts, significantly break away from the traditional automatic test system R&D model, accelerate the development schedule of the wafer automatic test system, and be more cost-competitive. It is also easier to build a "cabinet-less" automatic test system, reducing the footprint of the wafer automatic test system and improving the efficiency of space utilization. In addition, the instrument chassis is set in a position adjacent to the pogo pin interface module, which can significantly shorten the length of the signal line and help improve the performance of the test instrument.

[0027] For users of automatic test system equipment, the open test head of the wafer automatic test system of the present invention has great expansion and upgrade flexibility. By simply adjusting or replacing some component units, most new testing needs can be supported without having to replace the entire automatic test system. Existing instruments and equipment on the market can be used, avoiding being completely restricted by the special hardware parts of the original equipment manufacturers of traditional wafer automatic test systems, thereby enhancing the innovation and development momentum in the field of wafer automatic testing and creating more economic benefits.

[0028] In addition to the aforementioned advantages, the open test head of the wafer automatic test system of the present invention does not require all test hardware to be enclosed in a closed test head housing, thereby saving the related development costs caused by the test head housing. Moreover, it is free from the constraints of the test head housing, making it easier to perform hardware maintenance and upgrades. In addition, the open test head has better heat dissipation, eliminating the need for additional cooling fans, thereby being more energy-efficient and power-saving, and reducing noise, vibration, or electromagnetic interference caused by the cooling fans, which facilitates precise wafer measurement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a perspective schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention using an adapter bracket.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a perspective schematic diagram of a third embodiment of a carrying device used in the present invention.

[0032] Figure 4 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the instrument chassis and the spring pin interface module of the present invention being arranged on a carrying device.

[0033] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of three-dimensional decomposition.

[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A 3D diagram of the pogo pin interface module from another perspective.

[0035] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 8 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of two instrument chassis combined with a power distribution unit chassis.

[0037] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of three-dimensional decomposition.

[0038] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the carrying device from another perspective.

[0039] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the airflow dissipating heat from the instrument chassis in the vertical direction.

[0040] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the airflow for horizontal heat dissipation from the instrument chassis.

[0041] Figure 13 A schematic perspective view of a conventional closed test head.

[0042] Figure 14 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a commonly used instrument cabinet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] See Figure 1 The first embodiment of the present invention discloses an open test head for a wafer automatic test system, including a wafer automatic probe station 10, a spring pin interface module 20 and at least one instrument chassis 30. The wafer automatic probe station 10 includes a lifting mechanism 12 and is provided with a fixed bracket 14; the spring pin interface module 20 is disposed on the fixed bracket 14; the instrument chassis 30 is disposed on the fixed bracket 14, and the instrument chassis 30 is located above the spring pin interface module 20. The instrument chassis 30 is electrically connected to the spring pin interface module 20 to form a cabinet-less wafer automatic test system. That is, there is no need to set up a bulky instrument cabinet around the wafer automatic probe station 10, which helps to save the limited space of the test production line or laboratory. Moreover, the instrument chassis 30 is very close to the spring pin interface module 20, which can significantly reduce the length of the signal cable, avoid signal attenuation or degradation caused by too long cables, and help improve the performance of the automatic test system.

[0044] See Figure 2 In a second embodiment of the present invention, if the dimensions of the pogo pin interface module 20 or the instrument chassis 30 do not match those of the wafer automatic probe station 10, at least one adapter bracket 40 can be installed on each of the pogo pin interface module 20 and the instrument chassis 30. Each adapter bracket 40 is then connected to the fixed bracket 14 of the wafer automatic probe station 10 to achieve a fixed connection. Furthermore, with the assistance of each adapter bracket 40, the heat dissipation space between the instrument chassis 30 and the fixed bracket 14 can be increased, thereby improving the stability and service life of the instrument chassis 30.

[0045] See Figures 3 to 6The third embodiment of the present invention discloses an open test head of a wafer automatic test system, including a wafer automatic probe station 10, a carrier device 42, a spring pin interface module 20 and at least one instrument chassis 30. The wafer automatic probe station 10 includes a lifting mechanism 12 and a fixed bracket 14. The bottom of the carrier device 42 is provided with a accommodating space 421, and the top of the carrier device 42 is provided with a supporting structure 422. The carrier device 42 is arranged on the fixed bracket 14 and uses the carrier device 42 as a basic structure to arrange the spring pin interface module 20 in the accommodating space. The basic assembly of the open test head can be completed by placing the instrument case 30 horizontally on the top of the supporting structure 422 and electrically connecting the instrument case 30 to the spring pin interface module 20 via relevant signal lines (not shown). The above-mentioned open test head does not use a closed test head housing to encapsulate all test hardware. Therefore, there is no need to go to great lengths to design and manufacture a closed test head housing or to solve the heat dissipation problem inside the closed test head housing. As a result, the R&D cost can naturally be reduced, and the development of the wafer automatic test system can be completed more quickly.

[0046] The above structure allows the instrument chassis 30 to be positioned adjacent to the pogo pin interface module 20, significantly shortening the signal cable length between the two, improving the test performance of the automated test system and reducing signal cable costs. Because the present invention utilizes an open test head architecture, the adapter bracket 40 and the carrier 42 can be appropriately sized to achieve ideal chassis spacing and heat dissipation conditions based on actual application. Furthermore, the open architecture facilitates the separation and replacement of the pogo pin interface module 20 and the instrument chassis 30, making them easily accessible for maintenance or upgrades.

[0047] Continue reading Figure 6 , revealing that the bottom surface of the spring pin interface module 20 is an integrally formed or separately set spring pin tower 201. If the spring pin tower 201 is separately set, it can be easily disassembled or adjusted in the installation direction.

[0048] See Figures 7 to 10 This is the fourth embodiment of the present invention. It is disclosed that if multiple instrument chassis 30 are used, at least one power distribution unit chassis 50 can be additionally configured. The figure shows Example 2 in which the instrument chassis 30 is vertically fixed on the carrier device 42, and the power distribution unit chassis 50 is set between each of the instrument chassis 30. The instrument chassis 30 are electrically connected to the power distribution unit chassis 50. The configuration of the power distribution unit chassis 50 helps to provide a more complete power safety mechanism, which can further enhance the functional integrity and system maturity of the open test head.

[0049] In the above description, the number of the instrument chassis 30 is not limited to two, and the number of the power distribution unit chassis 50 is not limited to one. The number of the instrument chassis 30 and the power distribution unit chassis 50 can be expanded according to the functional requirements of the user.

[0050] Continue reading Figure 9 and Figure 10 The accommodating space 421 of the carrying device 42 is provided with a blocking structure 423, and the blocking structure 423 is recessed to form a wire receiving groove 424, and the front and rear sides of the carrying device 42 are respectively provided with a pipeline fixing structure 425 and a baffle 426. The baffle 426 is set on the side of the carrying device 42 based on the principle of not affecting heat dissipation and maintenance convenience; the wire receiving groove 424 can accommodate wires; the pipeline fixing structure 425 can provide a pipeline passage to limit the displacement range of the pipeline, prevent the pipeline from shaking or falling off, and thus improve the safety and reliability of the system; the baffle 426 can reduce the exposure of the wires, not only improving the simplicity and beauty of the system, but also reducing the shaking of the wires.

[0051] See Figure 11 , which illustrates the vertical heat dissipation flow of the instrument chassis 30. One instrument chassis 30 dissipates heat downward, while the other instrument chassis 30 dissipates heat upward. The barrier structure 423 provided at the bottom of the carrier 42 prevents the exhaust heat from short-circuiting in the center of the carrier 42, thereby enhancing heat dissipation.

[0052] See Figure 12 , is a schematic diagram of airflow dissipating heat from the instrument chassis 30 in the horizontal direction. Heat can escape from the exhaust holes on the sides of the instrument chassis 30 .

[0053] The arrangement of each of the instrument cases 30 described above can be changed in installation direction according to heat dissipation or other installation requirements. The installation direction can be horizontal, vertical, oblique, or any combination thereof.

Claims

1. An open test head for a wafer automatic test system, characterized in that: include: A wafer automatic probe station includes a lifting mechanism and a fixed bracket; A spring pin interface module is disposed on the fixing bracket; and At least one instrument case is disposed on the fixing bracket, and the instrument case is located above the pogo pin interface module, and the instrument case is electrically connected to the pogo pin interface module; Thus, with the aid of the fixing bracket, the instrument chassis and the pogo pin interface module can be separately placed above the wafer automatic probe station, eliminating the need to enclose all the test hardware in a closed test head housing. This frees the test head housing from constraints and allows for better hardware maintenance and upgrade expansion. In addition, the open test head provides better heat dissipation and reduces noise, vibration, or electromagnetic interference caused by the cooling fan.

2. The open test head of the wafer automatic test system according to claim 1, wherein: The spring pin interface module and the instrument case are respectively provided with at least one adapter bracket connected to the fixing bracket.

3. An open test head of a wafer automatic test system, characterized in that include: A wafer automatic probe station includes a lifting mechanism and a fixed bracket; A carrying device, having a receiving space at the bottom and a supporting structure at the top, and the carrying device is arranged on the fixing bracket; A spring pin interface module is disposed in the accommodating space, and At least one instrument chassis is disposed on the top of the supporting structure, and the instrument chassis is electrically connected to the spring pin interface module; Thus, with the aid of the fixing bracket and the carrying device, the instrument chassis and the spring pin interface module can be respectively placed above the wafer automatic probe station, eliminating the need to enclose all the test hardware in a closed test head housing. This frees the test head housing from constraints and allows for better hardware maintenance and upgrade expansion. In addition, the open test head has better heat dissipation and reduces noise, vibration, or electromagnetic interference caused by the cooling fan.

4. The open test head of the wafer automatic test system according to claim 3, wherein: A plurality of instrument chassis and at least one power distribution unit chassis are arranged above the supporting structure, and the instrument chassis are electrically connected to the power distribution unit chassis.

5. The open test head of the wafer automatic test system according to claim 3, wherein: The accommodating space of the carrying device is provided with a blocking structure.

6. The open test head of the wafer automatic test system according to claim 5, wherein: The blocking structure is concavely formed into a wire-receiving groove.

7. The open test head of the wafer automatic test system according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein: A pipeline fixing structure is provided on the side of the carrying device.

8. The open test head of the wafer automatic test system according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein: A baffle is provided on the side of the carrying device.

9. The open test head of the wafer automatic test system according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein: The bottom surface of the spring pin interface module is integrally formed or separately provided with a spring pin tower.

10. The open test head of the wafer automatic test system according to claim 3, wherein: The instrument chassis can be arranged and stacked horizontally, vertically, obliquely or in any combination thereof.

Images