IP Library Granted Patent US 12685083
Granted Patent B2
US 12685083 · App. 18/371,536 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Cassette housing, prober, server rack, and storage system

Inventors: Tatsuro Hitomi (Hiratsuka Kanagawa, JP); Yasuhito Yoshimizu (Kawasaki Kanagawa, JP); Arata Inoue (Chigasaki Kanagawa, JP); Hiroyuki Dohmae (Yokohama Kanagawa, JP); Kazuhito Hayasaka (Tokyo, JP); Tomoya Sanuki (Yokkaichi Mie, JP)
Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
H10P72/3404G01R1/06755G01R1/07314H10P72/0602H10P72/3218H10P72/3412H10P74/273
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12685083
App. No.
18/371,536
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a cassette housing includes a storage unit, a probe card, and a container. The storage unit stores a semiconductor wafer including a plurality of nonvolatile memory chips. The probe card includes a probe. The probe is configured to be brought into contact with a pad electrode provided on the semiconductor wafer. The container contains heat transfer fluid for lowering or raising temperature of one or both of the probe card and the semiconductor wafer stored in the storage unit.

Claims (46)

1 . A cassette housing comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a semiconductor wafer that includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory chips;

a probe card that includes a probe configured to be brought into contact with a pad electrode provided on the semiconductor wafer; and

a container configured to contain heat transfer fluid for lowering or raising temperature of one or both of the probe card and the semiconductor wafer stored in the storage unit, wherein

in a state in which (A) the storage unit stores the semiconductor wafer and (B) the probe of the probe card is brought into contact with the pad electrode provided on the semiconductor wafer, the cassette housing is movable to a stocker.

2 . The cassette housing of claim 1 , wherein

the probe card has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the semiconductor wafer stored in the storage unit, the second surface being opposite to the first surface, and

the container is configured such that a printed circuit board provided on the second surface of the probe card is immersed in the heat transfer fluid.

3 . The cassette housing of claim 1 , wherein

the probe card has a first surface facing the semiconductor wafer stored in the storage unit, the probe being provided on the first surface,

the semiconductor wafer has a second surface, the second surface facing the first surface of the probe card when stored in the storage unit, the pad electrode being provided on the second surface, and

the housing is configured such that the probe provided on the first surface of the probe card, and the pad electrode provided on the second surface of the semiconductor wafer, are immersed in the heat transfer fluid liquid.

4 . The cassette housing of claim 1 , wherein

the container is configured such that the semiconductor wafer stored in the storage unit is immersed in the heat transfer fluid.

5 . The cassette housing of claim 1 , wherein

the heat transfer fluid includes fluorocarbon.

6 . The cassette housing of claim 1 , wherein

the probe card includes an insulating member provided on a surface facing the semiconductor wafer stored in the storage unit, the insulating member being configured to be in physical contact with the semiconductor wafer and not electrically connected to the semiconductor wafer.

7 . The cassette housing of claim 6 , wherein

the insulating member has a shape of a pin, a projection, or a plane.

8 . The cassette housing of claim 6 , wherein

the insulating member is provided as a cushion that reduces propagation to the semiconductor wafer by impact given to the cassette housing and is configured to secure the semiconductor wafer within the cassette housing.

9 . A storage system comprising:

a prober; and

a server rack,

wherein

the server rack includes:

a processor;

a first storage unit configured to store a cased memory device, the cased memory device including a first container, a memory device, and a housing in which the memory device is mounted, the first container being configured to contain heat transfer fluid for lowering or raising temperature of the memory device, the memory device being a semiconductor wafer and including a plurality of nonvolatile memory chips to or from which writing or reading of data is to be required from the processor, the housing being a cassette housing in which a probe card is disposed, the probe card including a probe configured to be brought into contact with a pad electrode provided on the semiconductor wafer;

a first fluid device configured to inject or discharge the heat transfer fluid to or from the first container when the cased memory device is stored in the first storage unit, for lowering or raising temperature of one or both of the semiconductor wafer and the probe card; and

a second container configured to contain the heat transfer fluid, wherein

the prober includes:

an attachment/detachment device configured to integrate or separate the semiconductor wafer and the cassette housing with or from each other; and

a third container configured to contain the heat transfer fluid.

10 . A storage system comprising:

a prober; and

a server rack,

wherein

the server rack includes:

a processor;

a first storage unit configured to store a cased memory device, the cased memory device including a first container, a memory device, and a housing in which the memory device is mounted, the first container being configured to contain heat transfer fluid for lowering or raising temperature of the memory device, the memory device including a plurality of nonvolatile memory chips to or from which writing or reading of data is to be required from the processor;

a first fluid device configured to inject or discharge the heat transfer fluid to or from the first container when the cased memory device is stored in the first storage unit; and

a second container configured to contain the heat transfer fluid, wherein

the prober includes:

an attachment/detachment device configured to integrate or separate the memory device and the housing with or from each other; and

a third container configured to contain the heat transfer fluid.