Apparatus and method for controlling die force in a semiconductor device testing assembly

1. A semiconductor device test assembly, comprising:

a heat sink having a surface configured to support a device under test and to provide heat transfer using a thermal medium;

an inner bellow, having an inner surface and an outer surface;

an outer bellow at least partially surrounding the inner bellow, the outer bellow having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a control unit for detecting a contact force between the heat sink and the device under test and adjusting the contact force between the heat sink and the device under test; and

a thermal medium path,

wherein both the inlet and exit of the thermal medium path are defined by one of the inner bellow or the outer surface of the inner bellow and the inner surface of the outer bellow and provide heat transfer through the thermal medium.

2. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit further comprises:

a system CPU; and

a memory having software for controlling the contact force between the heat sink and the device under test.

3. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 2 , further comprising:

an air adjustment unit for adjusting an air pressure in the outer bellow,

wherein the air adjustment unit is configured to adjust the air pressure in the outer bellow in accordance with a control signal from the control unit.

4. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 3 ,

wherein the control unit is configured to generate the control signal to control the air adjustment unit to increase or decrease the air pressure in the outer bellow.

5. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 3 ,

wherein an increase in the air pressure in the outer bellow increases the contact force between the heat sink and the device under test; and

wherein a decrease in the air pressure in the outer bellow decreases the contact force between the heat sink and the device under test.

6. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 1 ,

wherein the inner bellow and the outer bellow are formed of a compressible material.

7. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 1 ,

wherein the outer bellow and the inner bellow are concentric.

8. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a heater interposed between the heat sink and the device under test;

wherein the device under test is in contact with a surface of the heater.

9. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 1 ,

wherein the device under test is in contact with the surface of the heat sink.

10. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a bottom bellow plate soldered to the inner bellow;

wherein the bottom bellow plate includes a cutout for capturing solder.

11. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a bottom bellow plate;

a top bellow plate,

a central fluid channel within the inner bellow and between the bottom bellow plate and top bellow plate, and

wherein the inlet and exit of the thermal medium occur within the inner bellow.

12. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 11 ,

wherein there is a space between the inner bellow and the fluid channel; and

wherein the heat sink is configured such that, when the fluid exits from the heat sink, the fluid enters the space between the inner bellow and the central fluid channel.

13. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 11 ,

wherein the bottom bellow plate further comprises a bypass limiting nub to integrally connect to a bypass limiting nub of the top bellow plate to form the central fluid channel.

14. The semiconductor device assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

multiple bellows assemblies; and

multiple devices under test,

wherein the additional bellows assemblies provide simultaneous contact force control for each device under test.

15. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to receive:

information regarding:

a fluid pressure,

an air pressure in the outer bellow and the inner bellow,

spring rates for the outer bellow and the inner bellow, and

an effective force from counterbalance springs, to detect a contact force between the heat sink and the device under test.

16. A semiconductor device test assembly, comprising:

a heat sink having a surface configured to support a device under test;

an inner bellow;

an outer bellow at least partially surrounding the inner bellow;

a fluid channel within the inner bellow for providing a fluid to the heat sink;

a control unit for adjusting a contact force between the heat sink and the device under test; and

an air adjustment unit for adjusting an air pressure in the outer bellow;

wherein the air adjustment unit is configured to adjust the air pressure in the outer bellow in accordance with a control signal from the control unit.

17. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 16 ,

wherein the control unit is configured to generate the control signal to control the air adjustment unit to increase or decrease the air pressure in the outer bellow.

18. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 16 ,

wherein an increase in the air pressure in the outer bellow increases the contact force between the heat sink and the device under test; and

wherein a decrease in the air pressure in the outer bellow decreases the contact force between the heat sink and the device under test.

19. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the inlet and exit of the fluid occur within the inner bellow.

20. The semiconductor device test assembly according to claim 16 , further comprising a heater, wherein the heat sink and the heater form a thermal unit resistant to gimbaling forces.

21. The semiconductor device assembly according to claim 16 , further comprising:

multiple bellows assemblies; and

multiple devices under test,

wherein the additional bellows assemblies provide simultaneous contact force control for each device under test.

22. The semiconductor device assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the fluid within the inner bellow is air and adjusting the air present in the outer and inner bellows adjusts the contact force between the heat sink and the device under test.

23. In a semiconductor device test assembly comprising a heat sink having a surface configured to support a device under test, an inner bellow, an outer bellow at least partially surrounding the inner bellow, and a fluid channel within the inner bellow for providing a fluid to the heat sink, a method for controlling a contact force between the heat sink and the device under test, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a desired contact force between the heat sink and the device under test;

detecting an actual contact force between the heat sink and the device under test;

increasing an air pressure in the outer bellow if the desired contact force is greater than the actual contact force; and

decreasing the air pressure in the outer bellow if the desired contact force is less than the actual contact force.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the step of detecting the actual contact force, comprises:

detecting a fluid pressure component based on a fluid pressure provided by a fluid flow in the fluid channel;

detecting an inner bellow pressure component based on a compression force of the inner bellow and a spring rate of the inner bellow;

detecting an outer bellow pressure component based on a compression force of the outer bellow and a spring rate of the outer bellow;

detecting an air pressure component based on the air pressure in the outer bellow; and

calculating the actual contact force based on the fluid pressure component, the inner bellow pressure component, the outer bellow pressure component, and the air pressure component.

25. The method according to claim 23 , further comprising:

centering all forces acting within the semiconductor device test assembly on a thermal unit comprising the heat sink, a heater, or both.

26. The method according to claim 23 , further comprising:

adjusting the flow of the chilled fluid through the inner bellow to control the amount of heat transfer between the heat sink and device under test.

27. The method according to claim 23 , further comprising:

automatically adjusting the contact force between the heat sink and the device under test by a control system input.