Kit-less pick-and-place handler

Abstract

To provide a kit-less pick and place handler that conducts thermal testing of a device, and reduces restrictions such as the time required for imposing temperature conditions on an IC to achieve an appropriate temperature.SOLUTION: A handler system 300A includes thermal soak plates 304a, 304b, a first power unit 302a, a second power unit 302b, a test site actuator, and a test contactor. The thermal soak plate can receive a device and maintain an accurate position of the device by using a friction between the thermal soak plate and the device. The test contactor can electrically contact the device. The first power unit can place the device on the thermal soak plate. The second power unit can carry the device to the test contactor, hold the device during thermal testing, and move the device from the test contactor. The test site actuator can exert force on the second power unit during thermal testing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 607,748, entitled "Turret-Type Pick and Place Handler," filed December 19, 2017, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0002] Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a kitless pick and place handler. [Background technology]

[0003] Integrated circuits (ICs) require quality and performance verification before they leave the manufacturer. ICs are required to operate in extreme temperature environments and must be tested under these conditions to ensure proper functionality. The purpose of a test handler is to present ICs conditioned to the appropriate test temperature to contactors that can electrically connect the IC to the tester. The IC handler receives binning information from the tester and uses this information to properly sort ICs into the appropriate bins / categories after testing.

[0004] IC test handlers require the transfer of ICs to and from transport media (i.e., joint electron device engineering council (JEDEC) trays). Each JEDEC tray has a common external size and contains IC pockets whose number, arrangement, and X and Y spacing (pitch) vary depending on the size of the IC.

[0005] Before testing, ICs must be properly positioned so that their electrical contacts touch the contact surfaces. This typically requires individual X and Y positioning of the ICs and the θ positioning of the contactor's electrical contacts. The act of picking up and placing ICs from a tray is called PnP, or pick-and-place. To facilitate PnP operations, conventional IC test handlers typically rely on trays and soak plates with pockets, slots, or other predetermined locations for ICs. However, using such trays and thermal soak plates not only increases costs (because each type of IC requires a dedicated thermal soak plate and mechanical positioning plate), but also still requires the performance of numerous mechanical positioning operations.

[0006] At the same time, the throughput (units processed per hour (UPH)) requirements for conventional IC test handlers continue to increase. However, increasing UPH is generally limited by the time it takes to thermally condition the ICs and bring them to the proper temperature, the time it takes to individually position each IC for its correct X, Y, and θ positions, and the time required after each PnP operation to resolve accuracy issues. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0306008 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0254945 [Patent Document 3] US Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0074456 [Patent Document 4] US Patent Application Publication No. 2003 / 0030430 [Patent Document 5] International Publication No. 2017 / 122046 Summary of the Invention

[0008] Various examples of the present disclosure are directed to a test handler system for performing a temperature test on at least one device. The test handler system may include a kit-less device handling system, a first power unit, a second power unit, a test contactor, and a test unit actuator. The kit-less device handling system may include a thermal soak plate configured to receive the device and maintain a precise position of the device. The test contactor may electrically contact the device. The first power unit may position the device on the thermal soak plate. The second power unit may transport the device to the test contactor, hold the device during a temperature test, and move the device from the test contactor. The test unit actuator may apply a force to the second power unit during a temperature test. In some examples, the device may be an integrated circuit. In some examples, the test handler system may perform a temperature test on multiple devices.

[0009] In some instances, there may be one or more secondary power sections.

[0010] In some examples, the first power unit can include a gantry and an XYZ head. The XYZ head can include one or more pick-and-place heads. Each of the pick-and-place heads can include a suction tip that provides constant or variable (discontinuous) suction to pick up the device. Each of the pick-and-place heads can also include a removal element that moves the suction tip away from the device to place the device. The removal element can be a stripper evaluator or an ejector. In some examples, each of the one or more pick-and-place heads can be connected to the same vacuum source. In other examples, each of the one or more pick-and-place heads can be connected to different vacuum sources.

[0011] In some examples, the XYZ head can rotate the device before and / or after testing in a single pick-and-place operation. The XYZ head can also perform θ corrections on the device before and after testing. In some examples, the θ corrections can be performed during the pick-and-place movement.

[0012] In some examples, the gantry and the test handler head can transfer the devices between a thermal soak plate and a JEDEC tray, and in some examples, a tray frame can hold the JEDEC tray and bias the JEDEC tray into a warp-free configuration.

[0013] In some examples, the thermal soak plate may include a surface that maintains the position of the device without the use of mechanical structures, for example, the thermal soak plate may include a tacky surface that maintains the position of the device based on friction between the device and the thermal soak plate.

[0014] In some examples, the test handler system can visually verify the position of the device through the use of a camera, which can be used prior to placement of the device on the soak plate.

[0015] In some examples, the test handler system can further include a plurality of tray separators, each tray separator associated with a bin, and the test handler system can separate each device into a bin and transport the binned devices to a corresponding tray separator.

[0016] In some examples, the tray separators can separate the trays based on whether each tray holds tested devices, untested devices, or no devices.

[0017] In some examples, the present disclosure may provide a heat transfer system for the thermal soak plate, the heat transfer system may use pressurized helium as a heat transfer medium to heat and cool the device, or the heat transfer system may use pressurized gas or pressurized liquid as a heat transfer medium to heat and cool the device.

[0018] In some examples, the test handler system can learn the location of a pick-and-place location on the test handler system based on at least one of a reference point or image recognition, and the pick-and-place location can include a location where the first and second power units pick and place the device (or devices).

[0019] The above summary is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing summary provides only some examples of the novel aspects and features described in the present application. The above features and advantages of the present disclosure, as well as other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments and modes for carrying out the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

[0020] The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain and illustrate the principles of the invention. The drawings are intended to diagrammatically show major features of exemplary embodiments. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of an actual embodiment, nor are they intended to depict relative dimensions of depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1A] 1 illustrates an exemplary layout of a conventional test handler system according to the prior art. [Figure 1B] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary travel path through a conventional test handler system according to the prior art; [Figure 2] 1 shows a conventional test handler head and thermal soak plate according to the prior art. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary kitless pick and place handler according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] 1 illustrates a cutaway view of an exemplary pick and place handler without a kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3C] 1 illustrates another cutaway view of an exemplary pick and place handler without a kit, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3D] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the rear of an exemplary pick and place handler without a kit, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an exemplary travel path through a pick and place handler without a kit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] 1 illustrates an exemplary XYZ head for picking and placing a device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary XYZ head according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5C] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an exemplary XYZ head according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] 1 illustrates a cutaway view of a pick and place head picking up a device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] FIG. 1 illustrates a cutaway view of a pick and place head placing a device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]1 illustrates an exemplary soak and de-soak plate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A] 1 illustrates an exemplary tray frame according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8B] 1 illustrates an exemplary tray separator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates an exemplary handler having a thermal fluid loop according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10A] 1 illustrates an exemplary compact design of a kit-less pick and place handler according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10B] 1 illustrates an exemplary cutaway view of a pick and place handler without a compact kit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an exemplary computer system according to an implementation of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to denote similar or equivalent elements throughout the drawings. The figures are not drawn to scale and are used merely to illustrate the present invention. Several aspects of the present invention will now be described with reference to exemplary applications. It should be understood that numerous specific details, relationships, and methods are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, one skilled in the relevant art will readily recognize that the present invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or that the present invention can be practiced using alternative methods. In other instances, well-known structures or operations have not been shown in detail to avoid obscuring the invention. The present invention is not limited by the order of illustrated acts or events, as some acts may occur in different orders and / or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts or events are required to implement the methodologies of the present invention.

[0023] The present disclosure provides a kit-less pick-and-place handler capable of performing temperature testing on multiple devices. An exemplary handler can include a thermal soak plate, a first power unit, a second power unit, a test unit actuator, and a test unit. The thermal soak plate can receive the devices and maintain their precise position through friction between the thermal soak plate and the devices. Therefore, devices of different sizes can be tested on the same thermal soak plate, or even simultaneously, without the need for mechanical separation between the devices. The first power unit can place the devices on the thermal soak plate. The second power unit can move the devices to and from the temperature test unit, where the devices can be subjected to temperature testing.

[0024] Thus, the present disclosure provides a kitless pick and place handler that maintains device position and orientation during testing with high accuracy and with less device modification than conventional designs. Such a design minimizes device movement during temperature testing, so that a device is handled by the system only three times, whereas conventional handlers must contact and move the device much more frequently. Additional features and embodiments of the exemplary kitless pick and place handler are described in this application.

[0025] 1A, 1B, and 2 illustrate conventional layouts and components of an exemplary conventional test handler. For example, FIG. 1A illustrates a conventional test handler layout system 100A. System 100 includes a loading stacker 101, a loading tray 102, a loading transfer station 103, and a loading tray 104. IC rotator (operation) 104, first preheating unit 105, second preheating unit (operation) 106, front shuttle 107 for items to be loaded, rear shuttle 108 for items to be loaded, front shuttle 109 for items already loaded (unloaded), rear shuttle 110 for items already loaded, front contactor 111, rear contactor 112, socket area 113, loaded item transfer unit 114, loaded item IC rotator (operation) 115, tray transfer unit 116, first tray buffer stacker 117, second tray buffer stacker The system may include a first loaded item tray 118, a TB1 tray 119, a TB2 tray (operational) 120, a first loaded item tray 121, a second loaded item tray 122, a third loaded item tray 123, a fourth loaded item tray (single tray) 124, a fifth loaded item tray (single tray) 125, a sixth loaded item tray (single tray) 126, a first loaded item stacker 127, a second loaded item stacker 128, and a third loaded item stacker 129. To complete a temperature test for system 100A, the device must follow dotted path 130.

[0026] 1B shows another conventional test handler system 100B. System 100B can include device movements 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, and 157, and mechanism movements 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, and 166. Thus, system 100B realizes the following: movement 151 moves a device from an input tray to a soak plate; movement 152 moves the device from the soak plate to a testing section, where it is moved to a rotator; movement 153 moves the device from the rotator and onto an upper shuttle; movement 154 moves the device from the upper shuttle to the testing section; movement 155 moves the device from the testing section and onto a lower shuttle; movement 156 moves the device from the lower shuttle to the rotator; and movement 157 moves the device from the rotator to a sort tray.

[0027] In system 100B, all of device movements 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, and 157 are realized by a series of mechanism movements 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, and 166. For example, in system 100B, movement 161 loads a tray, movement 162 operates the right X / Y mover track and shuttle of the soak plate test section, movement 163 operates the shuttle above the test section, movement 164 operates the shuttle below the test section, movement 165 operates the left X / Y mover track and shuttle of the soak plate test section, and movement 166 unloads the tray.

[0028] 1A-1B thus illustrate the sequential movements made by a device as it interacts with various components in system 100. In such conventional systems, the device is subjected to many movements, stops, and contacts (i.e., contacts when system 100 physically contacts the device) as it moves through the testing process. The device must be moved through many stations to ensure it can be loaded, subjected to a desired temperature soak step, tested, subjected to a cooling or de-soak step, and then unloaded.

[0029] Each movement and contact can change the position or orientation of the device, potentially shifting the devices all together (as further described with reference to FIG. 2) or damaging the device. Incorrect position or orientation of a single device can cause testing of an entire system (e.g., system 100A or system 100B) to cease while the device is repositioned. Furthermore, repositioning creates a window during which the device's temperature deviates from the soak temperature. Deviating from the soak temperature can result in inaccurate testing of the device. In situations where the device cannot be repositioned, the device may not be properly tested.

[0030] 2 shows a conventional test handler head 210, a conventional JEDEC tray 220, and a conventional thermal soak plate 230. Test handler head 210 can include a suction mechanism 240, a theta motor 242, a z motor 244, an x-pitch bearing 246, a y-pitch motor 248, an x-pitch motor 250, a z-bearing 252, a y-axis 254, an x-axis 256, and an x-pitch 260. JEDEC tray 220 further shows pockets 222 at filled and unfilled locations 222b and 222a.

[0031] Typically, devices are placed on a JEDEC tray 220 using a known pin 1 location. The devices are then transferred to a thermal soak plate 230 by a test handler head 210. In some cases, the pitch of the thermal soak plate 230 and the JEDEC 220 tray may differ. This requires X / Y motion (e.g., by x-pitch motor 250 or y-pitch motor 248) to properly position the device on the thermal soak plate 230. Additionally, it may be necessary to rotate the pin 1 location of the device between the tray 220 and the test site to match the orientation of the contactor's electrical interconnections. This is accomplished by a z-motor 244. Finally, similar to the JEDEC tray 220, devices are typically left "loose," or unsecured, on the flat plate or in the pockets of a conventional thermal soak plate 230. For this reason, even when accurately positioned on the thermal soak plate 230, providing a gross alignment, it is almost always necessary to position the thermal soak plate 230 downstream for testing.

[0032] The test handler head 210 may have pitch change capabilities. A conventional model may have eight PnP tips divided into two rows as shown, with each PnP tip having a separate Z actuator 252 and suction unit 240. Each suction unit 240 may include a vacuum generator for device pickup, a suction switch for device pickup confirmation, and a vacuum ejector for device blow-off. Additionally, a θ actuator may be required on each PnP tip for device rotation. Adding these components to a PnP head increases complexity, weight, cost, retrofit time, and placement error.

[0033] FIG. 2 further illustrates how each JEDEC tray 220 and soak plate 230 includes individualized, mechanically distinct pockets 222 for each device. The pockets 222 are useful for securing devices for soaking or during transport, and therefore the dimensions of the pockets 222 must correspond to the device size. However, because each soak plate 220 must have mechanical isolation for each pocket 222, the soak plate 220 cannot be used for devices of different sizes. Therefore, separate soak plates 220 must be used for different devices. This contributes to the increased cost and complexity of pick-and-place handler systems, such as systems 100A and 100B in FIGS. 1A and 1B, respectively. Furthermore, the most common problem with conventional handlers occurs when a device is outside the handler's pocket. Conventional test handler heads 210 can have difficulty placing or picking up devices in their corresponding pockets 222. Some conventional handlers drop devices instead of placing them in their corresponding pockets 222. Dropping the devices may cause them to bounce and / or accidentally tip over the edge of their pocket.

[0034] While not all conventional pick and place systems, handler heads, and soak plates are exactly as shown in Figures 1A-2, all conventional systems face similar design challenges in positioning and securing devices during temperature testing. Various embodiments of the present disclosure overcome the limitations of conventional pick and place systems, handler heads, and soak plates.

[0035] 3A-3D and 4 illustrate various perspective views of an exemplary kitless pick and place handler according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. An exemplary pick and place handler according to the present disclosure can include some or all of the features shown in FIGS. 3A-3D in any combination.

[0036] System 300A in Figure 3A can include power sections 302a and 302b, soak plates 304a and 304b, desoak plate 306, trays 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 308e, and 308f, test section camera 310, power section cameras 312a and 312b, handler camera 314, first reticle 316, loaded tray 318, upper stacked tray 320, tray shuttle 322, tray module 326, and test section 380. System 300B in Figure 3B can include many components and views similar to system 300A in Figure 3A. System 300C in Figure 3C can include many components and views similar to systems 300A and 300B, and system 300C can further include gantry 330, pick-and-place head 500, and gantry camera 390. System 300D of Figure 3D can include many components and displays similar to systems 300A, 300B, and 300C, and system 300D can further include windows 340, 342, and 344. System 400 of Figure 4 can include many components and displays similar to systems 300A, 300B, 300C, and 300D, and system 400 can further include movements 402, 404, and 406.

[0037] 3A-3D, efficient tray movement is achieved through tray module 326. Tray module 326 can include an upper tray group 320 and a lower tray group 324. These trays can be moved from tray module 326 via tray shuttle 322, which can further hold loaded trays 318. FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which handler 300B can handle large stacked tray groups 320 and 324 and keep the trays separated into tested and untested devices. For example, tested devices can be sorted into the upper tray group at 320, and untested devices can be sorted into the lower tray group 324. Module 326 allows for multiple loading and unloading at a convenient ergonomic height while still allowing for multiple sorting bins of the same category. Thus, module 326 allows for any number of sorting bins without requiring conversion or machine reconfiguration. Module 326 can reserve additional trays already in the carrier so that trays can be quickly swapped out to provide additional sort bins for use in the system. Module 326 thus allows for dynamic allocation of input and sort tray positions while allowing multiple inputs and multiple sort bins of the same category. Trays can be removed by essentially moving the module backwards.

[0038] A kit-less pick-and-place handler according to FIGS. 3A-3D can pick up a device from an input tray (e.g., tray 308a or 308b) using XYZ head 500 of gantry 330. The device can then be placed on kit-less soak plate 304a or 304b (kit-less soak plates are further described below with reference to FIG. 7). This sequence can constitute a first movement 402 (shown in FIG. 4) of the device. The soak plate 304a or 304b can then perform a soak step on the device (the soak step includes bringing the device to a desired temperature). The device can then be moved by power unit 302a or 302b from the soak plate (e.g., plate 304a or 304b) through test unit 380 to desoak plate 306. This can constitute a second movement 404 (shown in FIG. 4). The device may then be moved from the desoak plate 306 to a sort tray (e.g., tray 308e or 308f) by the gantry 330. This may constitute the third movement 406 (shown in FIG. 4) of the device.

[0039] To further explain movement 404, the device may be held by second power section 302b in test section 380 while a temperature test is performed. The test may be performed by a test contactor that makes electrical contact with the device and a test section actuator that applies a force to second power section 302b during the temperature test.

[0040] Thus, the present disclosure provides a handler that can efficiently move devices with only three "touches" or dwells throughout a temperature test, offering substantial advantages over conventional handlers that involve much more complex device movements and more frequent device contacts (e.g., conventional handlers such as handler 100 (FIG. 1B) that contact devices at least seven times). Exemplary systems of the present disclosure minimize the need to reposition devices and better manage device soak temperatures.

[0041] Additionally, the present disclosure provides for the use of cameras (e.g., test section camera 310, power section cameras 312a and 312b, handler camera 314, and gantry camera 390) that can be used to verify the alignment, orientation, and position of each device. Cameras 310, 312a, 312b, 314, and 390 can cooperate to visually locate devices and perform image registration of the entire handler system. In some examples, cameras 310, 312a, 312b, 314, and 390 can include lighting devices or receive light from nearby lighting equipment (not shown).

[0042] In an exemplary image registration strategy, both the handler camera 314 and the gantry camera 390 can be positioned relative to each other by imaging with a first reticle 316, thereby establishing a basic reference coordinate system. In this case, the gantry camera 390 can identify the positions of the soak plates 304a and 304b, the desoak plate 306, and the trays 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 308e, and 308f. Once the positions of the power section cameras 312a and 312b are identified, a second reticle (not shown) can be used to planarize the positions of the power section cameras 312a and 312b relative to the test section camera 310. The second reticle can be installed manually or actuated by a mechanism adjacent to the camera 310. In some examples, the positions of the power section cameras 312a and 312b can be planarized by an upward-facing laser (not shown). Power unit cameras 312a and 312b can further identify the location of soak plates 304a and 304b, i.e., contactor reference points (not shown). Gantry camera 390 can confirm the location of devices within trays 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 308e, and 308f and identify the locations of trays 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 308e, and 308f. Handler camera 314 can be used to identify the X, Y, and θ of a device after it has been picked up by XYZ head 500. Furthermore, such image positioning protocols allow the device to be moved through moves 402, 404, and 406 while knowing its exact location.

[0043] Thus, an exemplary image registration process for systems such as systems 300A, 300B, 300C, and 300D allows for direct correction of the X, Y, and θ positions of a device before it enters the test section 380. In conventional systems, the device is freed of all motion before entering the test section, and very rapid corrections are necessary due to timing requirements of the test section and the overall handler system. The handler of the present disclosure is highly efficient, allowing corrections to be made without consideration of timing requirements.

[0044] This image registration process minimizes the need for registration by first performing adequate registration using soak plates 304a and 304b without kits and then transferring the soak plates 304a and 304b without kits to the test area 380. Therefore, the only significant subsequent movement required is placement on the test section 380. Therefore, once adequate registration is achieved on soak plates 304a and 304b, little or no registration correction is required during testing. This results in minimal device movement and increases the throughput of the system.

[0045] Furthermore, the system has two sides with two soak plates 304a and 304b and two power sections 302a and 302b. This means that the test section 380 can be used continuously. Therefore, while a device is placed on one soak plate 304a or 304b, testing can be performed on the other soak plate. This prevents the test section 380 from being wasted during normal operation.

[0046] The exemplary test handler shown in Figures 3A-3D and 4 can position devices according to an image positioning strategy, reducing the likelihood of device damage during transfer. Additionally, the test handler provides a kit-less device handling system that reduces introduced PNP position errors, eliminates transfer processes, and reduces the complexity / cost of the mechanisms involved, while enabling high throughput.

[0047] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications are contemplated in the present disclosure. For example, while FIGS. 3A-3D and 4 depict six trays 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 308e, and 308f, it is contemplated that any number of trays may be used in the present disclosure. Similarly, while FIGS. 3A-3D and 4 depict two soak plates 304a and 304b and two power units 302a and 302b, it is contemplated that any number of soak plates and power units may be used in the present disclosure, provided that at least one of each is present (as described below with reference to FIGS. 10A-10B). While the transport of devices by power units 302a and 302b in the exemplary implementations is primarily described in connection with gantry and robotic systems, this is for ease of explanation only. In various implementations, any type of power unit system may be used. The implementations may include, among other things, gantry systems, robotic systems, or a combination of both, as is known in the art.

[0048] 5A-5C show various perspective views of an exemplary XYZ head 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the XYZ head can be the XYZ head 500 shown in FIG. 3C or the XYZ head 500A shown in FIG. 5A. The XYZ head can include a gantry mount 502, a roll cam 504, and an actuator 507. XYZ head 500B (shown in FIG. 5B) and XYZ head 500C (shown in FIG. 5C) can include many components and representations similar to XYZ head 500A of FIG. 5A and can further include a pick head 506 (e.g., 506a-506b in FIG. 5B or 506a-506i in FIG. 5C). The gantry mount 502 can secure the XYZ head 500 to a gantry (e.g., gantry 330 as in system 300C of FIG. 3C).

[0049] In this example, roll cam 504 is operable to change the pitch of head 506 in the x-axis of the handler (e.g., handlers 300A, 300B, 300C, or 300D of Figures 3A-3D, respectively). This pitch change can also occur while XYZ head 500 is moving to reduce the overall downtime between picking and placing a device. Roll cam 504 can be driven using actuator 507 or another power unit. Pick head 506 can be raised, lowered, moved individually using a linear actuator or motor and / or attached to a linear actuator or motor to move between several positions. This movement is depicted with heads 506f, 506g, and 506h in different positions (one example).

[0050] In some examples of the present disclosure, the θ position of XYZ head 500 can be changed using rotation mechanism 507. In another example, the θ rotation can be performed by a linear actuator or motor that simultaneously changes the θ position of all devices picked up by head 506 of XYZ head 500.

[0051] In some examples of the present disclosure, the XYZ head 500 can include an X / Y pitch changer with complex mechanisms located on the XYZ head 500 so that theta corrections can be made later, and in some cases even just prior to testing.

[0052] Another alternative may include having a power unit (e.g., power unit 302a or 302b in FIGS. 3A-3D) operate all of the pick and place heads 506. The pick and place heads 506 can be operated individually in the XYZ head 500, or one power unit can be used to operate the entire XYZ head 500 and operate them in unison.

[0053] In some examples, the XYZ head 500 can be a turret.

[0054] 6A-6B illustrate exemplary pick-and-place head systems 600A and 600B according to an embodiment of the present disclosure that use suction to pick up and place devices. Each pick-and-place head system 600A and 600B can be, for example, the pick head 506 of FIGS. 5A-5C. Returning to FIG. 6A, exemplary pick-and-place head system 600A can include a z-linear bearing 602, a pick-and-place (PNP) tip 604, a tray 606, a z-shaft 608, a stripper evaluation portion 610, a device 612, a tray opening 614, and a rod 623. Pick-and-place head system 600B can include many components and displays similar to pick-and-place head system 600A of FIG. 6A. FIGS. 6A-6B further illustrate an improved device sensing strategy that uses proximity sensors (not shown) to digitally sense each device without using suction.

[0055] Systems 600A and 600B can reduce the time required to sense a device and eliminate much of the hardware and piping / wiring that needs to be moved by the X / Y gantry (e.g., gantry 330 in FIGS. 3A-3D) and power units (e.g., power units 302a and 302b in FIGS. 3A-3D). Rod 623 can operate within z-shaft 608 and can operate independently of linear bearing 602. Z-shaft 608 moves vertically up and down to properly position the height of device 612. Z-shaft 608 can also act as a suction unit and can detect whether device 612 is being picked up or put down based on the vacuum level on z-shaft 608. For example, the vacuum level increases when device 612 is being picked up (e.g., picked up as shown in FIG. 6A) and decreases when device 612 is being put down (e.g., put down as shown in FIG. 6B). Additionally, device 612 can be removed from stripper evaluator 610 by actuating rod 623 to disconnect device 612 from PNP tip 604 (such as at position 618). The stationary stripper evaluator 610 can sense the head's lowered position (e.g., at position 618 or 620) by measuring the change in force as the actuator moves the head up or down (e.g., between positions 616 and 618). In this manner, the head can also be recalibrated after each pick-and-place operation to further improve the reliability and accuracy of the pick-and-place operation.

[0056] In one example, the suction is always on, and with the suction on, the device 612 is stripped from the PNP tip 604. The z position of each PNP tip 604 in the stripper evaluator 610 is learned as a "down final" value shown at position 620. The "down final" value is the learned movement amount the tip must move to pick up and place the device 612. During operation, the small stripper evaluator 610 first contacts the device 612 to measure the relative z position of the device 612. The learned "down final" value can then be used to implement the z movement amount.

[0057] 6A illustrates an exemplary movement of the pick-and-place head 600A as it calibrates and moves downward to pick up the device 612. The pick-and-place head 600A later picks up the device at position 622, but in some examples, the pick-and-place head 600A can strip the device 612 at a later stage. The PNP tip 604 can have a force sensor at the bottom of the head that moves with the PNP tip 604 to detect the relative movement and detect the end of movement when the PNP tip 604 contacts the tray 606. For example, the tray 606 can be a calibration block. In some examples, the stripper evaluator 610 can contact the tray 606, as in position 618, in which case the force sensor will drop to detect the end of movement, as in position 620.

[0058] 6A also shows an exemplary movement of the pick-and-place head 600B picking up a device 612. At position 616, the PNP tip 604 descends toward the tray 606, and the force sensor similarly moves, detecting the relative movement of the head 600B. For example, the tray 606 can be a JEDEC tray. The stripper evaluator 610 first contacts the tray 606, as shown at position 618, and the force sensor moves a predetermined distance, or "down final," toward the device 612, as shown at position 620. After the force sensor confirms the presence of the device 612, as shown at position 622, it can move upward.

[0059] 6B also shows an exemplary peeling motion of the PNP tip 604, in which the PNP tip 604 can move downward from position 622 to position 620, and then move upward from position 618 to position 616, peeling the device 612 from the force sensor in one motion. This provides a digital method of sensing the presence of the device 612 without using suction, allowing more heads 600B and more devices 612 to be placed over a smaller area. The z-height can be automatically set by quantifying the force difference observed by the z-linear bearing 602 fixed to the head. A mechanical method can remove the device 612 from the suction cup by holding the device 612 in place and removing the suction cup from the device 612.

[0060] In some examples of Figures 6A and 6B, the stripper evaluator 610 can be an ejector or any other means for mechanically removing a device from a pick and place head.

[0061] Device handling method without using a kit

[0062] An important feature of various embodiments of the present disclosure is the use of kit-less handling. As noted above, conventional test handling systems utilize thermal soak plates (e.g., plate 230 in FIG. 2) with machined pockets 222 for the devices. The pockets 222 introduce device positioning errors and clearance for the devices. This prevents the use of the pockets 222 to facilitate accurate device positioning because the device location is at least partially determined by the shape of the pockets 222. Another requirement for accurate device positioning is that the devices must be positioned to match the test site contactor locations and arrangement. Conventional thermal soak plates utilize device pocket placement to maximize the number of devices relative to the thermal soak UPH. This prevents direct transfer to the test site contactors in the required pattern while still providing proper positioning.

[0063] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide kit-free components, as illustrated by exemplary soak / de-soak plate 700 in Figure 7. Plate 700 can include soak plates 702a and 702b, de-soak plate 704, base plate 706, first positioning plates 708a and 708b, and second positioning plate 710. For example, plate 700 can be used with various embodiments of the present disclosure, including soak plates 304a and 304b and de-soak plate 306 in Figures 3A-3D.

[0064] Soak plates 702a and 702b and desoak plate 704 can include adhesive surfaces configured to hold devices in place through friction between plates 702a, 702b, and 704 and the devices. Adhesive materials, i.e., materials with a high coefficient of friction, can hold or position devices in place while the devices undergo the soak step. Such materials eliminate the need for additional specialized hardware configurations to reposition or hold devices in place. Top plates (e.g., 702a, 702b, 704) can be easily replaced and held in place by suction or other means. Top plates (e.g., 702a, 702b, 704) can be positioned relative to temperature-controlled base plate 706 by positioning plates 708a, 708b, and 710. The present disclosure contemplates the use of more or fewer positioning plates 708a, 708b, and 710. An alternative method of using locating pins to position the soak plates 702a and 702b relative to the temperature controlled base plate 706 can be provided.

[0065] Soak plates 702a and 702b can be used to condition the device at a temperature before testing. De-soak plate 704 can be used to cool or warm the device after testing. Both de-soak plate 704 and soak plates 702a and 702b use different methods of heating and / or cooling, but can be similarly configured. The adhesive surfaces of plates 702a, 702b, and 704 can withstand the extreme temperatures required by the test handler, e.g., temperatures from -80°C to 200°C. The adhesive surfaces can be antistatic and dissipative. The adhesive surfaces can be non-silicone, resilient to damp typical handler vibrations, and thermally conductive to allow for temperature conditions to be imposed on the device. The adhesive and kit-free properties of an exemplary thermal soak plate 702a or 702b according to the present disclosure allow for constant temperature heating, thereby eliminating any errors caused by thermal expansion. The normal soak plate function for the required temperature imposition / soak step is ensured.

[0066] Thus, the kit-free adhesive soak plates 702a and 702b can hold the device in place for the soak step. The device can then be picked up by another mechanism and inserted into a test station contactor (e.g., the test station contactor shown with reference to Figures 3A-3D). The handler's priority is to keep the device delivered to the test station without any delays caused by device transportation or other issues. Thus, the soak / de-soak plate 700 can position the device as opposed to letting it free-flow within the positioning pocket, preventing the device from shifting or bouncing and ensuring that only static dissipative surfaces contact the device leads. This prevents the device leads from electrostatically discharging as they contact insulating or conductive surfaces.

[0067] Thermal soak plates 702a and 702b can be positioned as shown by soak plates 304a and 304b in FIGS. 3A-3D. That is, the soak plates can be positioned primarily between tray 308 and test section 380 and can be accessed by power sections 302a and 302b and gantry 330. The temperature of the device can be raised and lowered by thermal soak plates 702a and 702b so that the device reaches the appropriate test temperature. A de-soak plate 704 can be used to lower the device temperature from the selected test temperature to a temperature above room temperature. As further shown in FIG. 3D, the area around the soak plates is typically enclosed by doors 340, 342, and 344. When the soak plates are operated below the dew point of the air within the enclosed area, the area can be purged with dry air (e.g., clean dry air (CDA)), nitrogen gas, or another gas to keep the area dry. Thus, the configuration shown in FIG. 3D allows frost to be removed from the area enclosed by windows 340, 342 and 344.

[0068] However, other means of holding the device in place are contemplated for various embodiments. For example, in other embodiments, the soak plate can be a perforated plate, i.e., a suction plate with multiple holes. Suction can then be used to hold the device in place. An exemplary embodiment of this method can be a perforated metal body that draws a vacuum to hold the device in place. Another exemplary embodiment can be a powered metal body that is perforated and can draw a vacuum to hold the device in place. In another exemplary embodiment, pockets for holding devices of different sizes are based on funnels or steps machined into the pockets. The machined pockets allow for precise location of the device.

[0069] The soak / de-soak plate 700 maintains the precise position of the devices without any errors due to clearance or device movement. In certain embodiments, this can be achieved by using a thermal soak plate 700 with a surface material that has sufficient adhesive properties. The adhesive properties allow devices placed by the PnP head to be temporarily secured and prevent further device movement before reaching the test site. That is, pockets are neither necessary nor desirable. As noted above, machined "change kit"-specific components, such as thermal soak plates with machined pockets, increase the cost and lead time for new device kits in the system. In contrast, the proposed adhesive surface of the soak / de-soak plate 700 is kit-free and versatile. Therefore, any array placed by the PnP head can be provided to match the pattern of the test site, and more importantly, the position of the devices within the array can be maintained throughout the test process.

[0070] The versatility of the kit-free platen eliminates the need for conversions each time a new or different sized device is handled. Additionally, by ensuring accurate device placement during thermal soak, it limits the number of device passes through the test handler and improves device placement accuracy in the test section.

[0071] Using the Tray Frame with the Tray Module

[0072] A tray module (e.g., module 326 in FIG. 3B ) allows individual trays to be placed in a tray frame, facilitating the location of a single tray in the system without additional tray actuators or sensors. FIG. 8A illustrates an exemplary tray frame 800A, and FIG. 8B illustrates an exemplary tray separator 800B. The exemplary tray frame 800A can include latch actuators 802, location features 803, and latches 806. According to different examples of the present disclosure, the latches 806 can be simultaneously actuated, individually actuated, actuated at one end, or actuated all at once on one side. In some examples, the latches 806 can be interlocked to enable different actuation examples. An identification tracker 804 can be used as independent confirmation that the tray frame 800A has been moved to the correct position within the rack assembly (e.g., module 326). In some examples, the identification tracker 804 can be a series of holes, an RFID tag, a barcode, a two-dimensional array code, a magnet, or any other mechanism commonly used in the art that allows for the individual identification of a tray frame.

[0073] In some embodiments, the tray frame 800A can be used with JEDEC trays (e.g., trays 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 308e, and 308f in FIGS. 3A-3D) to improve throughput of the handling system. In an exemplary module, the tray frame 800A in certain embodiments can be used for each individual tray to position the tray in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions and flatten the tray to improve Z pick-and-place height for individual devices. Heating and cooling processes can cause the trays (e.g., trays 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 308e, and 308f in FIGS. 3A-3D) to warp, which can affect device pick-and-place movement. In a module, the tray frame 800A can be used to bend the trays back to an unwarped or another "flat" position. Therefore, by using tray frame 800A to eliminate tray warping, devices can be more easily picked up and placed into the tray.

[0074] Furthermore, the tray frame 800A facilitates tray positioning without the need for air actuation or mechanical positioning assistance. The tray frame 800A also eliminates the need for sensors to detect the presence or absence of trays. By using the tray frame 800A, the loading and unloading positions can be set at the same position on the handler. The tray frame 800A also adds mass to the tray, improving stability during tray movement and enabling the handling of lightweight devices.

[0075] In some embodiments, a tray separator can be used. FIG. 8B illustrates an exemplary tray separator 800B according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The tray separator 800B can be placed over the trays loaded in the tray frame 800A and provides mechanical isolation between the devices and adjacent tray frames when the tray frames are stacked one on top of the other. The tray separator 800B can be used in a tray module (e.g., tray module 326 of FIG. 3A) to separate untested devices from tested devices and separate groups of tested devices from a given unique bin category.

[0076] Individual tray separators 800B can be sensed in a tray module (e.g., tray module 326 in FIG. 3A) to enable fast and precise movement of stacked tray frames 800A and separators 800B. When separating individual groups of trays (e.g., trays being delivered to / from 308a, 308b, 308c, 308d, 308e, and 308f in FIGS. 3A-3D), tray separators 800B position and lift matching mechanical plates from the stack below to ensure separation between the trays. The group of trays can then be removed from the system, or a new tray can be placed on top of the stack by the tray robot.

[0077] Thus, the tray separator can assist in automating the loading and unloading of trays into a handler system (e.g., systems 300A, 300B, 300C, or 300D of FIGS. 3A-3D) and can enable dynamic reassignment of tray placement positions between input and sort positions. Multiple trays can be assigned as input or sort positions at one time. Tested and untested devices can be kept separate by the tray separator 800B. The tray separator 800B can be used to separate tested devices into bin categories. The tray separator 800B can separate large groups of stacked trays containing tested and untested devices, reducing the volume they occupy. Image identification or other machine-readable identification can be used to track the movement of the tray carriers and tray separator 800B.

[0078] In another embodiment, the system maintains stacked trays and allows the trays to be added or removed one tray at a time. When a tray is full, an empty tray can be placed on top of it. Alternatively, when a tray is emptied, it can be removed to reveal a new device tray to be emptied. However, this type of system does not allow for dynamic reassignment of loading positions and bin categories. Another system embodiment may use manual tray positioning with only one tray, but this may require more frequent servicing. Other systems may use a combination of stacked trays and manual tray positioning. Such systems often use mechanical positioning actuators that register the top tray to a reference position and sensors that detect the presence or absence of trays. Any misalignment of the devices can cause the stacked trays to shake, leading to rattle during tray building. Furthermore, such systems maintain a very small number of trays during loading, requiring more frequent servicing by an operator.

[0079] Thermal ATC

[0080] It is also contemplated that some embodiments may provide an improved heating and cooling system. Figure 9 shows an exemplary diagram of an improved handler thermal fluid loop. The exemplary handler 900 may include a device handling section 902, a testing section 904, a soak plate 906, an internal heat exchanger 908, an external heat exchanger 910, and a thermal loop 912.

[0081] Fluids can be used to heat and cool devices during soak and testing. Conventional systems use non-conductive circulating fluids to add heat to and remove heat from devices. The fluids have specific temperature limitations based on the freezing and boiling points of the fluid. No single fluid can be used to provide effective thermal control at both the low and high end of the spectrum. In some embodiments, the same fluid must function below -80°C and up to 200°C.

[0082] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, pressurized gas or fluid can be circulated through the handler 902 to both heat and cool the device. With such pressurized gas or fluid, the pressure can be selected to adjust the freezing and boiling points of the fluid, thereby achieving the temperature range required for testing. Any single non-conductive or conductive fluid or gas can be used across the entire temperature range from below -80°C to 200°C without introducing viscosity or boiling issues. However, non-conductive fluids or gases have the advantage of being less likely to damage the device in the event of a leak. For fluids capable of cooling to extremely low temperatures during cooling tests, a large temperature difference from the actual test temperature must be considered. If the fluid or gas is colder than the desired test temperature, a pulse heater can be used to warm the head to the exact test temperature. This allows the device to dissipate more power during testing.

[0083] In other embodiments of the invention, a Peltier device or an inert fluid can be used to heat or cool the device, while pulsing the heater warms the head to the correct temperature. The thermal capabilities of the system are limited. Additionally, some systems may use air as a heating and cooling method. The system can be operated with or without a heat sink attached to the device.

[0084] In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the handler can use helium as the handler's heat transfer medium. Helium does not exhibit high viscosity at low temperatures and does not boil at high temperatures. This means that, unlike methoxynonafluorobutane (C4F9OCH2) and other fluids commonly used to heat devices in conventional test systems, helium can function at temperatures above those required for testing. Helium can be pressurized around the test section 904 and soak plate 906 in a sealed thermal loop 912 within the handler 902. The helium can then be circulated and recirculated through an internal heat exchanger 908. The internal heat exchanger 908 can be connected to an external heat exchanger 910, which controls the temperature of the internal thermal loop 912. The external heat exchanger can be either a refrigerated chiller, an LN2 chiller, a fin-based fan, a Peltier device, or a thermal forcer.

[0085] Other implementation examples

[0086] Integrated circuits (ICs) are sometimes tested for extended periods in laboratories or small-batch manufacturing environments before, during, and after full production. Traditional testing is performed manually by manually inserting one or more devices into contactors and using a thermal stream or similar device to bring the devices to a predetermined temperature before and during testing. A person must manually transfer the products. This is highly inefficient because testing can be time-consuming and cannot be performed while a person is handling other tasks. Furthermore, the handling involved is mechanical, subjecting the devices to damage. Other traditional methods require large-scale automated test handlers. This method is a poor use of the system and highly inefficient because large-scale handlers are designed for large jobs. Furthermore, there is often no access from the laboratory to the full production test system.

[0087] Thus, Figures 10A-10B show a compact handler 1000 that can automatically handle and test devices and that can be placed in a laboratory or on a manufacturing test floor.

[0088] FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a test handler 1000A according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Like the implementations of FIGS. 3A-4, the implementation of FIG. 10A employs an image registration strategy to position devices, reducing the likelihood of device damage. Additionally, also like the handlers of FIGS. 3A-4, the handler of FIG. 10A utilizes a kit-less device handling system that reduces introduced PNP position errors, eliminates transfer processes, and reduces the complexity / cost of the mechanisms involved, while enabling high throughput.

[0089] System 1000A of FIG. 10A and system 1000B of FIG. 10B can include an upward-looking camera 1002, a power section camera 1004, trays 1006a and 1006b, a power section 1008, a contactor head 1012, a soak plate 1014, a desoak plate 1016, a test section 1018, a fixed reference point 1020, and an XYZ head 1022. In systems 1000A and 1000B, a tray of untested devices can be placed in 1006a. An empty tray can be placed in 1006b. The XYZ head 1022 of power section 1008 can pick up a device from 1006a and move it above upward-looking camera 1002 so that the device is imaged by upward-looking camera 1002. Based on the imaging by upward-looking camera 1002, the device can be placed on soak plate 1014. The device can then be picked up by contactor head 1012 and placed into the contactor. Contactor head 1012 can be a self-contained, high-force mechanism configured to provide the force necessary to ensure a strong connection between the device and the test contactor. The device can then be removed from the contactor by contactor head 1012 and placed into desoak plate 1016. The device can be removed from desoak plate 1016 and placed into tray 1006b. In some examples of FIGS. 10A-10B, systems 1000A and 1000B can operate backward such that the untested device starts at 1006b and moves through the system toward 1006a. In other examples of FIGS. 10A-10B, the device can be placed back into the same tray from which it was picked up.

[0090] In system 1000A of FIG. 10A and system 1000B of FIG. 10B, several cameras may be provided to image the device during processing. For example, power section camera 1004 may be a downward-facing camera attached to power section 1008. Up-facing camera 1002 may be a fixed upward-facing camera that images the device before it is placed in soak plate 1014. Fixed reference point 1020 may be a fixed reference point that moves above power section camera 1004 and is imaged simultaneously by both power section camera 1004 and upward-facing camera 1002 to define 0,0 in the world coordinate system of the handler. Up-facing camera 1002 may also image other locations in the handler to define the locations of other mechanisms and to define other fixed locations.

[0091] Thus, a system such as that shown in Figures 10A-10B can be easily relocated, occupies less storage space, is less expensive than conventional test handlers, and can utilize cold airflow for heating / cooling that is already commonly available in IC fabrication and test facilities. Devices can be handled in existing JEDEC trays and mechanically picked and placed to reduce device damage and eliminate operator error, allowing the system to operate unattended. In some examples, the system can use existing load board docking and load boards and can be further configured to handle testing with multiple test sections.

[0092] In some examples of FIGS. 10A-10B, 90 degrees of device rotation can be achieved by rotating the tray 90 degrees while it is placed in 1006a or 1006b.

[0093] Temperature testing can be accomplished in several ways, including (1) a thermal head, (2) a conventional head with a heater, or (3) a liquid-cooled or heated head. A thermal head can pick up the device and control its temperature using suction and air impingement from a temperature forcer via a fan or pressurized air. The liquid-cooled or heated head described in FIG. 9 can also be used to perform active or passive temperature testing. In some examples shown in FIGS. 10A-10B, a resistance temperature detector (RTD) located in a conduction / convection hybrid head is used for device temperature. Other forms of direct thermal feedback from the device may also be used. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the above temperature testing can be used with any embodiment of the present disclosure in addition to the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 10A-10B.

[0094] 3A-4, the implementation of FIGS. 10A-10B also minimizes the need for positioning by first performing adequate positioning using the soak plate without the kit and then transferring the soak plate without the kit to the test area. Thus, the only significant subsequent movement required is placement into the test section. This minimizes device movement, improving the throughput of the system. Additionally, the potential for device damage is reduced.

[0095] As noted above, the implementation of Figures 10A-10B, like the implementation of Figures 3A-4, is merely one possible implementation. Thus, other implementations according to various embodiments may have more or fewer features than those shown in the implementations of Figures 3A-4 and 10A-10B. Furthermore, some implementations may have a mix of features from the implementations of Figures 3A-4 and 10A-10B.

[0096] Improved Image Positioning Method

[0097] As described above, the handler operates using an image registration strategy. Image registration, according to various embodiments, requires a camera and appropriate lighting to image appropriate features on the device and their positions relative to known reference points. Balls, pads, leads, mechanical features, or reference points on the device are typically used for this purpose. Position errors are calculated relative to X, Y, and θ reference positions. These error values ​​are added or subtracted from the nominal or theoretical position at the time of placement. However, only the X and Y axes are used for the PnP head. To achieve θ error correction, a θ rotator actuator can be used on the PnP tip at the Z actuator position. Alternatively, the pick head itself can provide Z rotation. Another method is to use the θ error, which is added or subtracted from the turret rotation for this device placement. An additional error to account for the θ error position must be added to the X and Y axis positions. No additional mechanisms or sensors are required for this function.

[0098] This image registration provides a way to position and / or inspect devices prior to the soak process and maintain that positioning accuracy at the test station. The device can be positioned / inspected very early in the handling process, eliminating multiple pick-and-place operations using kit-less hardware. Furthermore, the image registration process is outside the critical path of travel to the test station, avoiding the stringent timing requirements of conventional systems.

[0099] By positioning / inspecting the device before imposing temperature conditions, the camera is not affected by hot / cold environments and there is no need to use the camera through a window. A single upward-facing camera can be used to image the device before and after testing. In this case, the device can be repositioned and re-inspected after testing, if necessary, before being placed back into the tray. Fewer cameras are needed to perform the image positioning and inspection tasks.

[0100] By positioning and inspecting the device prior to test and controlling its position throughout the test, no mechanical contactor positioning fixtures are required, dramatically reducing the number of mechanical axes of motion. For example, if there are two x and y motion axes per contact point and there are 32 contact points, 64 axes of motion are required to test 32 devices in parallel. If the x and y motion axes could not produce theta rotation, an additional 32 axes would be required for a total of 96 axes of motion to test 32 devices in parallel.

[0101] Alternatively, image registration can be accomplished using more than one upward and downward looking camera, positioned just before the device enters the test section, which often requires mechanical positioning fixtures at or near the contactor.

[0102] Computer System Example

[0103] 11 illustrates an exemplary system 1100 including a general-purpose computing device 1100 that includes a processing unit (CPU or processor) 1120 and a system bus 1110 that connects various system components to the processor 1120, including system memory 1130 such as read-only memory (ROM) 1140 and random access memory (RAM) 1150. The system 1100 may include a cache of high-speed memory that is directly connected to the processor 1120, proximate to the processor 1120, or integrated as part of the processor 1120. The system 1100 copies data from the memory 1130 and / or storage device 1160 to the cache for fast access by the processor 1120. In this manner, the cache provides a performance boost that prevents delays to the processor 1120 while waiting for data. These and other modules may control the processor 1120 to perform various operations, or these and other modules may be configured to control the processor 1120 to perform various operations. Other system memory 1130 may be used as well. Memory 1130 may include multiple different types of memory with different performance characteristics. It is understood that the present disclosure may operate on a computing device 1100 having more than one processor 1120, or on a group or cluster of computing devices networked together to provide high processing power. Processor 1120 may include any general-purpose processor, hardware modules or software modules, such as module 1 1162, module 2 1164, and module 3 1166 stored in storage 1160, configured to control processor 1120, and special-purpose processors with software instructions embedded in the actual processor design. Processor 1120 may essentially be a fully self-contained computing system, including multiple cores or processors, buses, memory controllers, caches, etc. Multi-core processors may be symmetric or asymmetric.

[0104] The system bus 1110 may be any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. A basic input / output (BIOS) stored, such as in ROM 1140, may provide the basic routines that help transfer information between elements within the computing device 1100, such as during start-up. The computing device 1100 further includes storage devices 1160, such as a hard disk drive, magnetic disk drive, optical disk drive, or tape drive. The storage devices 1160 may include software modules MOD1 1162, MOD2 1164, and MOD3 1166 that control the processor 1120. Other hardware or software modules are also contemplated. The storage devices 1160 are connected to the system bus 1110 by a drive interface. The drives and associated computer-readable storage media provide non-volatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computing device 1100. In one aspect, hardware modules that perform particular functions include software components stored on non-transitory computer-readable media and associated with the necessary hardware components, such as processor 1120, bus 1110, and output devices 1170, to perform the functions. The basic components are known to those skilled in the art, and appropriate variations are possible depending on the type of device, such as whether device 1100 is a small handheld computing device, a desktop computer, or a computer server.

[0105] While the exemplary embodiment described herein uses a hard disk as storage device 1160, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of computer-readable media capable of storing computer-accessible data, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, cartridges, random access memory (RAM) 1150, read-only memory (ROM) 1140, and wired or wireless signals containing bitstreams, may also be used in the exemplary operating environment. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media specifically excludes media such as energy, carrier signals, electromagnetic waves, and the signals themselves. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media, on the other hand, includes computer-readable storage media that store data for only a short period of time and / or only in the presence of electrical power (e.g., register memory, processor cache, and random access memory (RAM) devices).

[0106] When enabling user interaction with computing device 1100, input device(s) 1190 represent any number of input mechanisms, such as a microphone for speaking, a touch-sensitive screen for gesture or graphical input, a keyboard, a mouse, motion input, audio, etc. Output device(s) 1170 may be one or more of several output mechanisms known to those skilled in the art. In some examples, a user may provide multiple types of input for communication with computing device 1100 via a multimodal system. Communications interface 1180 generally coordinates and manages user input and system output. There is no limitation to operation with a particular hardware configuration. Thus, the basic features herein may be readily substituted for improved hardware or firmware configurations as they are developed.

[0107] For clarity of explanation, the illustrated system embodiment is illustrated as including individual functional blocks, including functional blocks labeled as a "processor" or processor 1120. The functions these blocks represent may be provided through the use of shared or dedicated hardware, including, but not limited to, hardware capable of executing software and hardware, such as processor 1120, specifically designed to operate as the equivalent of software running on a general-purpose processor. For example, the functionality of one or more processors illustrated in FIG. 11 may be provided by a single shared processor or by multiple processors. (The use of the term "processor" should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software.) The illustrated embodiment may include microprocessor and / or digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, read-only memory (ROM) 1140 for storing software performing the operations described below, and random access memory (RAM) 1150 for storing results. Very large scale integration (VLSI) hardware embodiments, as well as custom VLSI circuitry in combination with general-purpose DSP circuitry, may also be provided.

[0108] The logical operations of various embodiments may be implemented as (1) a series of computer-implemented steps, operations, or procedures executed on programmable circuitry within a general-purpose computer; (2) a series of computer-implemented steps, operations, or procedures executed on special-purpose programmable circuitry; and / or (3) a program engine within interconnected machine modules or programmable circuitry. The system 1100 shown in FIG. 11 may implement all or a portion of the described methods, be part of the described systems, and / or operate according to instructions in the described non-transitory computer-readable storage media. Such logical operations may be implemented as modules configured to control the processor 1120 to perform specific functions according to the modules' programming. For example, FIG. 11 shows three modules MOD1 1162, MOD2 1164, and MOD3 1166, which are modules configured to control the processor 1120. These modules may be stored in storage device 1160, loaded into RAM 1150 or memory 1130 at execution time, or stored in other computer-readable memory locations as known in the art.

[0109] While various examples of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Many modifications to the disclosed examples can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above examples. Rather, the scope of the present invention should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

[0110] Although the present invention has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding this specification and the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, while a particular feature of the present invention may be disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other implementations as may be desirable or useful in any given application or particular use.

[0111] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to impose limitations on the present invention. As used in this application, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms "including," "includes," "having," "has," "with," or variations thereof are used in either the detailed description and / or claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive, similar to the term "comprising."

[0112] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Furthermore, terms as defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with the meaning of the term in the relevant art, and not in an idealized or overly formal sense (unless expressly defined otherwise in this application).

Claims

1. 1. A test handler system for performing a temperature test on a device, comprising: a thermal soak plate comprising a holding surface for receiving the device and temporarily securing the device to maintain a precise position of the device, the holding surface being a flat surface on which an adhesive material is applied to maintain the precise position of the device; a thermal de-soak plate comprising a holding surface for temporarily fixing the device to maintain a precise position of the device, the holding surface being a flat surface to which an adhesive material is applied to maintain a precise position of the device, and the thermal de-soak plate is used to cool the device heated by the thermal soak plate after the temperature test or to heat the device cooled by the thermal soak plate after the temperature test; The testing department and a first power unit for removing the device from the tray and placing the device in direct contact with the thermal soak plate, and for removing the device from the thermal desoak plate and placing the device back on the tray; a second power unit for removing the device from the thermal soak plate and moving the device to the test section, and for moving the device from the test section and into direct contact with the thermal desoak plate; A test handler system including:

2. 2. The test handler system of claim 1, wherein the first power section includes a gantry and an XYZ head.

3. the XYZ head further includes one or more pick and place heads; 3. The test handler system of claim 2, wherein each of the pick and place heads includes a pick and place tip that applies constant or discontinuous suction to pick up the device, and a removal element that moves the pick and place tip that applies the suction away from the device.

4. the XYZ head is configured to rotate the device before and after testing in a single pick-and-place operation; 3. The test handler system of claim 2, wherein said XYZ head performs a theta correction on said device before and after testing.

5. 3. The test handler system of claim 2, wherein the gantry and XYZ head are configured to transfer the devices between the thermal soak plate and a tray.

6. further comprising a tray frame for holding the tray; 6. The test handler system of claim 5, wherein said tray frame biases said trays in a non-warped configuration.

7. 2. The test handler system of claim 1, wherein said thermal soak plate uses helium as a heat transfer medium to heat and cool said devices.

8. 2. The test handler system of claim 1, wherein said thermal soak plate uses pressurized gas or pressurized liquid as a heat transfer medium to heat and cool said device.

9. 10. The test handler system of claim 1, wherein the device is an integrated circuit.

10. 10. The test handler system of claim 1, wherein the thermal soak plate includes an adhesive surface that maintains the position of the device based on friction between the device and the thermal soak plate.

11. 10. The test handler system of claim 1, further configured to visually verify the position of the device through the use of a camera prior to placement of the device on the thermal soak plate.

12. further comprising a plurality of tray separators, each tray separator associated with a category of bin; 2. The test handler system of claim 1, wherein the test handler system is configured to separate the devices according to corresponding bin categories and transport the trays to a corresponding one of the plurality of tray separators.

13. the plurality of tray separators separate the plurality of trays; 13. The test handler system of claim 12, wherein the separating is based on whether each tray holds tested devices, untested devices, or no devices.

14. 10. The test handler system of claim 1, wherein the test handler system is configured to perform temperature testing of a plurality of devices.

15. 5. The test handler system of claim 4, wherein said .theta. correction is performed during said pick-and-place operation.

16. 10. The test handler system of claim 1, wherein the retention surfaces of the thermal soak plate and the thermal desoak plate maintain precise positioning of the device through friction.

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