IP Library Granted Patent US 9,395,411
Granted Patent B2
US 9,395,411 · App. 13/953,545 · Granted Jul 19, 2016

Method for testing a test substrate under defined thermal conditions and thermally conditionable prober

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,395,411
App. No.
13/953,545
Granted
Jul 19, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a method and a device for testing a test substrate under defined thermal conditions, a substrate that is to be tested is held by a temperature-controllable chuck and is set to a defined temperature; the test substrate is positioned relative to test probes by at least one positioning device; and the test probes make contact with the test substrate for testing purposes. At least one component of the positioning device that is present in the vicinity of the temperature-controlled test substrate is set to a temperature that is independent of the temperature of the test substrate by a temperature-controlling device, and this temperature is held constant.

Claims (19)

1. A prober that is configured to test a test substrate, the prober comprising:

a temperature-controlled chuck that is configured to support the test substrate and to control a temperature of the test substrate;

a plurality of test probes that are configured to electrically contact the test substrate;

a positioning device that is configured to position the test substrate relative to the plurality of test probes; and

a viewing unit that is configured to view the test substrate during the test, wherein the viewing unit includes:

(i) a drive that is configured to position the viewing unit relative to the test substrate; and

(ii) a temperature control device that is configured to maintain the temperature of the drive at a desired temperature that is independent of the temperature of the test substrate.

2. The prober of claim 1 , wherein the viewing unit further includes a microscope.

3. The prober of claim 1 , wherein the viewing unit further includes a camera.

4. A method of testing a test substrate under defined thermal conditions, the method comprising:

locating the test substrate on a temperature-controlled chuck that is configured to support the test substrate and to control the temperature of the test substrate to a test temperature;

orienting a viewing unit relative to the test substrate with a drive;

viewing the test substrate with the viewing unit; and

maintaining the drive at a desired temperature that is independent of the temperature of the test substrate.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the test temperature is a first temperature, wherein the method further includes changing the temperature of the test substrate to a second temperature that is different from the first temperature, and further wherein the maintaining includes maintaining the drive at the desired temperature during the changing.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method further includes contacting the test substrate with a plurality of test probes.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the viewing further includes viewing at least a portion of the plurality of test probes.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the viewing unit includes a microscope.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the viewing unit includes a camera.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2025
From: HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: FORMFACTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 072853/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2021
From: FORMFACTOR BEAVERTON, INC.
To: FORMFACTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 057393/0609 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 18, 2018
From: CASCADE MICROTECH, INC.
To: FORMFACTOR BEAVERTON, INC.
Reel/Frame 046573/0664 →
SECURITY INTEREST IN UNITED STATES PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS Recorded Jul 12, 2016
From: FORMFACTOR, INC.; ASTRIA SEMICONDUCTOR HOLDINGS, INC.; CASCADE MICROTECH, INC.; MICRO-PROBE INCORPORATED
To: HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 039184/0280 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 6, 2014
From: SUSS MICROTEC TEST SYSTEMS GMBH
To: CASCADE MICROTECH, INC.
Reel/Frame 034179/0359 →