Probing Apparatus with Thermal Air Heating for LED Wafer Testing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current probing apparatuses for light emitting chips on wafers before dicing cannot heat the chips during testing, limiting the ability to perform light emitting efficiency tests at specific high temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A probing apparatus equipped with a heating device that includes a carrier, supporter, thermal air source, and air heating device, allowing for controlled temperature simulation by providing thermal air to the wafer, enabling light emitting efficiency tests on un-diced wafers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a probing apparatus is used for optical test of light emitting chips on a wafer before dicing, then the light emitting efficiency test can be performed to the chips under test, but the chips under test cannot be heated during the test so that the light emitting efficiency test cannot be performed at a specific high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the probing device and the heating device into a single integrated apparatus. The heating device includes a heating plate with a through-hole that aligns with the probe, allowing both probing and heating functions to be performed simultaneously on the same chip location. This merging resolves the contradiction by enabling temperature control capability while maintaining the existing probing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The probing apparatus is designed to perform multiple functions: it can both probe the conductive contacts of light emitting chips and heat the chips to specific temperatures. The heating plate serves as a universal platform that provides both mechanical support for the chips and thermal control, allowing the apparatus to adapt to different testing requirements including various temperature conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the probing apparatus is equipped with a heating device to heat the wafer, then light emitting efficiency testing at high temperatures becomes possible, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is merged into the existing probing apparatus structure. The heating plate is positioned to serve as the base platform, and the probe is inserted through a through-hole in the heating plate, combining both functions in a compact integrated design rather than adding a separate heating system.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating device uses a heating element embedded in the heating plate that can be controlled to provide specific temperatures. The thermal field is generated and controlled through the heating plate structure, providing temperature control capability without requiring complex mechanical systems.
3Reliability
If the probe is positioned to probe the conductive contacts, then electrical contact is established, but the light emitting portions cannot be heated directly by the probe structure
Solution Approach 1:
The probe structure is merged with the heating plate by positioning the probe to pass through a through-hole in the heating plate. This allows the probe to maintain its electrical probing function while the heating plate provides thermal control to the chip from the opposite side, resolving the contradiction between electrical contact reliability and temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating plate acts as an intermediary element between the probe and the chip. The probe contacts the conductive contacts through the through-hole while the heating plate provides thermal control to the chip body, allowing both electrical probing and thermal control to function independently without interfering with each other.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables light emitting efficiency testing of light emitting chips on wafers at specific high temperatures, simulating conditions that assess how temperature affects chip performance, thereby detecting potential efficiency decreases due to heat generation.
Implementation Method 1
The air supply unit has an air supply passage communicating with the thermal air source so that the thermal air provided by the thermal air source can enter into the heating space through the air supply passage
Data Source
AI summary
A probing apparatus includes a carrier having an opening, a supporter disposed on the carrier in a way that its bottom surface faces toward the carrier, its top surface for disposition of a wafer, and its light permeable portion allowing light to pass through the top and bottom surfaces corresponding in position to the opening, an air heating device having a covering plate and an air supply unit, and a probing device having a probe protruding out of the bottom surface of the air heating device. A thermal air source provides thermal air to a heating space between the bottom surface of the air heating device and the top surface of the supporter through an air supply passage of the air supply unit. The probing apparatus can test light emitting efficiency of a light emitting chip in the wafer and heat the chip at the same time.