Voltage-Current Conversion Circuit for High Power ATE
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor automatic test equipment (ATE) lacks sufficient programmable high power voltage sources, limiting its ability to test devices operating at high voltage and current levels, and existing solutions that provide high current/voltage often break the sense connection, preventing accurate measurement.
Innovation Solution
A voltage-current conversion circuit that translates low voltage, low current outputs from power supplies into high voltage and current outputs while maintaining remote sense and measurement capabilities, allowing low-cost ATE to test high power devices by incorporating a modular circuit that boosts voltage and current without disrupting the force-and-sense connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If an amplifier is inserted to amplify voltage and current at the output terminal, then high current/voltage output is achieved, but the sense connection is broken and measurement capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit is segmented into distinct functional blocks: the existing low-voltage power supply unit and the newly added high-current amplifier unit. The amplifier has separate input terminals that accept both the voltage control signal and the sense connection, allowing it to amplify current while preserving the ability to sense voltage at the output terminal without breaking the sense connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The amplifier acts as an intermediary device between the low-voltage power supply and the high-current load. It receives the voltage signal from the power supply, amplifies it to the required current level, while maintaining the sense connection pathway so that voltage measurement is not disrupted by the current amplification process.
2Power
If commercially available high voltage/high current power supplies are used, then sufficient high power capability is achieved, but the equipment cost becomes very high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of a low-voltage precision power supply with a high-current amplifier into a single integrated system. The existing power supply provides accurate voltage control, while the added amplifier provides high current capability, combining the advantages of both devices to achieve high power output without requiring an expensive dedicated high-voltage/high-current power supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The amplifier is designed to work with the existing low-voltage power supply to create a multi-functional system that can operate in multiple modes: as a standard low-voltage power supply, as a high-current source, or as a combined high-power source. This universality allows the system to provide high power capability when needed while maintaining compatibility with existing test equipment and reducing overall system cost.
3Ease of manufacture
If limited number of high voltage/high current power supplies are used, then equipment cost is reduced, but the ability to test multiple devices simultaneously is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic current amplification capability where the amplifier can be selectively applied to different power supply channels as needed. This allows the testing system to dynamically scale its high-current capacity based on the specific test requirements, enabling multiple devices to be tested simultaneously with high current where needed while maintaining cost-effectiveness by not requiring all channels to have high-current capability at all times.
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage-current conversion circuit for automatic test equipment (ATE) or a tester converts a low voltage, low current output from a power supply of the tester to a high voltage and/or high current output to be coupled to a device under test (DUT) while maintaining the sense capability of the tester power supply. In some embodiments, the voltage-current conversion circuit is implemented as a current only conversion circuit.