Advantest Test Solutions, Inc.

A test apparatus comprising a tester interface board (TIB) affixed in a slot of a tester rack, wherein the TIB comprises test circuitry and a plurality of sockets, each socket operable to receive a device under test (DUT). The test apparatus further comprises a carrier comprising an array of DUTs, wherein the carrier is operable to slide into the slot of the tester rack, and wherein each DUT in the array of DUTs aligns with a respective socket on the TIB. Further, the test apparatus comprises a plurality of socket covers, wherein each socket cover of the plurality of socket covers is operable to actuate a top portion of each DUT of the array of DUTs in the carrier.

A stand-alone active thermal interposer device for use in testing an unpackaged integrated circuit device under test (DUT), the active thermal interposer device includes a body layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is operable to be disposed adjacent to a cold plate, and a plurality of heating zones defined across a second surface of the body layer, the plurality of heating zones operable to be controlled by a thermal controller to selectively heat and maintain respective temperatures thereof, the plurality of heating zones operable to heat a plurality of areas of the DUT when the second surface of the body layer is disposed adjacent to an interface surface of the DUT during testing of the DUT.

Placing a first side of an active thermal interposer device of a thermal management head against a device under test (DUT). Disposing a cold plate against a second side of the active thermal interposer. The DUT includes a plurality of modules and the active thermal interposer device includes a plurality of zones, each zone of the plurality of zones corresponding to a respective module of the plurality of modules and operable to be selectively heated. Receiving a respective set of inputs corresponding to each zone of the plurality of zones. Performing thermal management of the plurality of modules of the DUT by separately controlling temperature of each zone of the plurality of zones by controlling a supply of coolant to the cold plate, and individually controlling heating of each zone of the plurality of zones.

A stand-alone active thermal interposer device for use in testing a system-in-package device under test (DUT), the active thermal interposer device includes a body layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is operable to be disposed adjacent to a cold plate, and a plurality of heating zones defined across a second surface of the body layer, the plurality of heating zones operable to be controlled by a thermal controller to selectively heat and maintain respective temperatures thereof, the plurality of heating zones operable to heat a plurality of areas of the DUT when the second surface of the body layer is disposed adjacent to an interface surface of the DUT during testing of the DUT.

A testing apparatus comprises a test interface board comprising a plurality of socket interface boards, wherein each socket interface board comprises: a) an open socket to hold a DUT; b) a discrete active thermal interposer comprising thermal properties and operable to make thermal contact with the DUT; c) a superstructure operable to contain the discrete active thermal interposer; and d) an actuation mechanism operable to provide a contact force to bring the discrete active thermal interposer in contact with the DUT.

A testing apparatus includes a tester rack with a plurality of slots where at least one slot in the tester rack is a dedicated slot operable to receive a test interface board (TIB) from a back of the tester rack, where the back of the tester rack is opposite a front of a tester rack, and where the front of the tester rack faces a handler and a front-facing elevator. The apparatus also includes a handler operable to load devices under test (DUTs) onto the TIB and a front-facing elevator move the TIB from the dedicated slot to an available slot in the tester rack, wherein the available slot includes power electronics operable to connect to the TIB to test devices under test (DUT) disposed on the TIB.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a gimbaling socket structure that uses tension to bring a device under test (DUT) disposed in the socket into secure contact with a liquid cooled thermal array or the like to cool the DUT during testing. The gimbaling socket structure is secured to a tension spring and can move freely in 3 dimensions to bring the surfaces of the DUT and the thermal array (or components thereof, such as TEC/ATI layers) into even, level, and secure contact with each other, thereby preventing air gaps between surfaces and improving thermal performance. The even, secure contact between surfaces improves thermal cooling and reduces variation in cooling efficiency. In this way, more DUTs can be tested in parallel within a small test space, overall costs of the test system are reduced, and greater cooling capacity can be provided for testing high-powered devices.

Embodiments of the present invention provide testing systems with liquid cooled thermal arrays that can pivot freely in three dimensions allowing surfaces to be brought into even, level, and secure contact, thereby preventing air gaps between surfaces and improving thermal performance. In this way, more DUTs can be tested in parallel within a small test space, overall costs of the test system are reduced, and greater cooling capacity can be provided for testing high-powered devices. Gimbaled mounts are disposed on a bottom surface of individual thermal interface boards (TIBs) of a test system, and/or on top of individual thermal heads of a thermal array (TA) having a common cold plate (or having multiple cold plates).

A test apparatus comprising a tester interface board (TIB) affixed in a slot of a tester rack, wherein the TIB comprises test circuitry and a plurality of sockets, each socket operable to receive a device under test (DUT). The test apparatus further comprises a carrier comprising an array of DUTs, wherein the carrier is operable to slide into the slot of the tester rack, and wherein each DUT in the array of DUTs aligns with a respective socket on the TIB. Further, the test apparatus comprises a plurality of socket covers, wherein each socket cover of the plurality of socket covers is operable to actuate a top portion of each DUT of the array of DUTs in the carrier.

A testing apparatus comprises a tester comprising a plurality of racks, wherein each rack comprises a plurality of slots, wherein each slot comprises: (a) an interface board affixed in a slot of a rack, wherein the interface board comprises test circuitry and a plurality of sockets, each socket operable to receive a device under test (DUT); and (b) a carrier comprising an array of DUTs, wherein the carrier is operable to displace into the slot of the rack, and wherein each DUT in the array of DUTs aligns with a respective socket of the plurality of sockets on the interface board. The testing apparatus further comprises a pick-and-place mechanism for loading the array of DUTs into the carrier and an elevator for transporting the carrier to the slot of the rack.