Title: Apparatus for handling electronic components and method for controlling temperature of electronic components
Abstract: A handler 1 is provided with an inner chamber 104 containing inside thereof heat sinks 40 of pushers 30, a temperature adjusting unit 91 for controlling the atmosphere temperature inside the inner chamber 104, a test chamber 102 containing inside thereof sockets 40 located on the test head 5 and the inner chamber 104, and a temperature adjusting unit 90 for controlling the atmosphere temperature inside the test chamber 102. With such a handler 1, the temperature control can be conducted so that the temperature of electronic components is brought close to the set temperature of the target test.
Patent Number: 6,972,581 Issued on 12/06/2005 to Yamashita, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Yamashita; Tsuyoshi (Tokyo, JP);
Igarashi; Noriyuki (Tokyo, JP)
|
| Assignee:
|
Advantest Corporation (Tokyo, JP)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
737755 |
| Filed:
|
December 18, 2003 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Jul 12, 2001[JP] | 2001-212498 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
324/760; 324/158.1 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G01R 031/02 |
| Field of Search: |
324/760,765,158.1,725,754
165/801,802,803,804
219/209
438/14,17,18,15
702/130,132
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 5528161 | Jun., 1996 | Liken et al.
| |
| 6445203 | Sep., 2002 | Yamashita et al.
| |
| 6522127 | Feb., 2003 | De Fleury et al.
| |
| 6838897 | Jan., 2005 | Kim et al.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| A-2000-171520 | Jun., 2000 | JP.
| |
| A-2001-004693 | Jan., 2001 | JP.
| |
Primary Examiner: Nguyen; Vinh
Assistant Examiner: Nguyen; Jimmy
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Posz Law Group, PLC
Parent Case Text
This application is a Continuation of PCT/JP02/06851 filed Jul. 5, 2002.
Claims
1. An apparatus for handling electronic components, in which terminals of the
electronic components to be tested can be pushed into contact portions of a test
head with the pushers provided with heat absorbing and radiating bodies in order
to conduct testing of the electronic components, comprising:
a unit for controlling the temperature of a first atmosphere where the contact
portions of said test head are located; and
a unit for controlling the temperature of a second atmosphere where the heat
absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers are located,
wherein the first atmosphere and the second atmosphere are substantially separate.
2. An apparatus for handling electronic components, in which terminals of the
electronic components to be tested can be pushed into contact portions of a test
head with the pushers provided with heat absorbing and radiating bodies in order
to conduct testing of the electronic components, comprising:
a first chamber containing inside thereof the heat absorbing and radiating bodies
of said pushers;
a unit for controlling the atmosphere temperature inside said first chamber;
a second chamber containing inside thereof the contact portions of said test
head and said first chamber; and
a unit for controlling the atmosphere temperature inside said second chamber.
3. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 2, wherein:
a plurality of pushers and a plurality of contact portions of the test head are
provided to enable testing of a plurality of electronic components to be tested
at one time;
the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers are provided for each
said pusher;
the temperature of atmosphere inside said first chamber is controlled with a
temperature-adjusting medium; and
the temperature-adjusting medium inside said first chamber is supplied in parallel
to the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers.
4. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 3, wherein:
said pushers push terminals of electronic components to be tested into contact
portions of a test head by being pressed with a pressing member supported with
a support member;
a plurality of through holes are formed in said support member; and
the temperature-adjusting medium inside said first chamber is supplied in parallel
to the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers by passing through the
through holes formed in said support member.
5. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 2, wherein:
a plurality of pushers and a plurality of contact portions of said test head
are provided to enable testing of a plurality of electronic components to be tested
at one time;
the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers are provided for each
said pusher;
the temperature of atmosphere inside said first chamber is controlled with a
temperature-adjusting medium; and
the temperature-adjusting medium inside said first chamber is supplied in series
to the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers.
6. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to any of claims
3 through
5, wherein:
the temperature of atmosphere inside said second chamber is controlled with a
temperature-adjusting medium; and
the temperature-adjusting medium inside said second chamber is supplied in parallel
to the contact portions of said test head.
7. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 6, wherein:
a plurality of said first chambers are provided independently; and
the temperature-adjusting medium inside said second chamber is supplied in parallel
to the contact portions of said test head by passing between those first chambers.
8. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 5, wherein:
the space where the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers are positioned
in said first chamber is partitioned into an upper-layer portion and a lower-layer
portion and said temperature-adjusting medium is supplied so as to flow in the
mutually opposite directions in the upper-layer portion and lower-layer portion.
9. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 5, wherein
the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said plurality of pushers in said first
chamber are divided in no less than two groups and each space where said each group
is located comprises a lower-level portion where the heat absorbing and radiating
bodies of said pushers are positioned and into which the temperature-adjusting
medium is supplied, an upper-layer portion into which the temperature-adjusting
medium that has passed through the heat absorbing and radiating bodies is released,
and a connection portion for connecting said lower-level portion and said upper-layer portion.
10. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 5, wherein
the heat absorption and radiation capacity of the heat absorbing and radiating
bodies of said plurality of pushers gradually increases along the flow direction
of said temperature-adjusting medium.
11. A method for controlling the temperature of electronic components to be tested
in an apparatus for handling electronic components, in which terminals of the electronic
components to be tested can be pushed into contact portions of a test head with
pushers provided with heat absorbing and radiating bodies in order to conduct testing
of the electronic components, comprising:
substantially separating a first atmosphere where the contact portions of said
test head are located and a second atmosphere where the heat absorbing and radiating
bodies of said pushers are located; and
separately controlling the temperature of the first atmosphere where the contact
portions of said test head are located and the temperature of the second atmosphere
where the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers are located.
12. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 1, further
comprising a first chamber containing inside thereof the first atmosphere; and
a second chamber containing inside thereof the second atmosphere.
13. The apparatus for handling electronic components according to claim 12, wherein:
the space where the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of said pushers are located
in said second chamber is partitioned into an upper-layer portion and a lower-layer
portion and said unit for controlling the temperature of the atmosphere therein
supplied causes a temperature controlling medium therein to flow in the mutually
opposite directions in the upper-layer portion and lower-layer portion.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first atmosphere and the second atmosphere
are separated by being disposed within a first chamber containing inside thereof
the first atmosphere and a second chamber containing inside thereof the second atmosphere.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling electronic components
that is capable of handling electronic components which are to be tested, for testing
the electronic components such as IC devices, and more particularly to an apparatus
for handling electronic components that is capable of controlling the temperature
of electronic components which are to be tested and to a method for controlling
the temperature of electronic components which are to be tested.
BACKGROUND ART
Test apparatuses for testing electronic components that have been finally fabricated
are necessary in the fabrication of electronic components such as IC devices or
the like. Apparatuses for testing a plurality of IC devices at one time under temperature
conditions (thermal stress conditions) higher than normal temperature are known
as a kind of such test apparatuses.
In such test apparatuses, the test is conducted by forming a test chamber above
a test head, transporting a test tray holding a plurality of IC devices preheated
to the prescribed set temperature to sockets on the test head, while controlling
the temperature inside the test chamber to the prescribed set temperature with
air, and pushing and connecting the IC devices to the sockets with the pushers.
Such a test conducted under thermal stress conditions is used for testing IC devices
and classifying them at least into good and defective products.
However, because heat escapes from the external walls and sockets in the
test chamber, the temperature of the pushers located in a stand-by mode close to
the center of the test chamber becomes higher than the set temperature, and the
temperature of the sockets becomes lower than the set temperature. If the IC devices
preheated to the prescribed set temperature are pushed into the sockets with the
pushers, the temperature of the IC devices initially rises under the effect of
the pushers whose temperature has become higher than the set temperature, but then
decreases under the effect of sockets whose temperature has become lower than the
set temperature. Furthermore, when the IC devices are tested which generated heat
by themselves during operation (during testing), the temperature of IC devices
sometimes excessively rises above the set temperature during testing.
If the temperature of IC devices thus shifts significantly from the set temperature,
accurate testing of the IC devices cannot be conducted. For example, when testing
of IC devices is conducted at a temperature excessively lower than the set temperature,
defective products are considered to be good products, and when testing of IC devices
is conducted at a temperature excessively higher than the set temperature, good
products are considered to be defective products and yield is reduced.
A method has been suggested by which the pushers are provided with heat sinks
to
cool the IC devices whose temperature became higher than the set temperature and
those heat sinks are cooled with an air blow or the like. However, because the
test chamber (sockets) has to be maintained at the prescribed temperature, a limitation
is placed on the decrease in air temperature.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide
an apparatus for handling electronic components that is capable of controlling
the temperature of electronic devices so as to bring it close to the set temperature
of the target test and to a method for controlling the temperature of electronic
devices to be tested.
To attain the above-described object, the first apparatus for handling electronic
components in accordance with the present invention is an apparatus for handling
electronic components in which terminals of the electronic components to be tested
can be pushed into contact portions of a test head with the pushers provided with
heat absorbing and radiating bodies in order to conduct testing of the electronic
components, comprising a unit for controlling the temperature of the atmosphere
where the contact portions of the test head are located and a unit for controlling
the temperature of the atmosphere where the heat absorbing and radiating bodies
of the pushers are located (1).
Further, the second apparatus for handling electronic components in accordance
with the present invention is an apparatus for handling electronic components,
in which terminals of the electronic components to be tested can be pushed into
contact portions of a test head with the pushers provided with heat absorbing and
radiating bodies in order to conduct testing of the electronic components, comprising
a first chamber containing inside thereof the heat absorbing and radiating bodies
of said pushers, a unit for controlling the atmosphere temperature inside the first
chamber, a second chamber containing inside thereof the contact portions of the
test head and the first chamber, and a unit for controlling the atmosphere temperature
inside the second chamber (2).
Further, the method for controlling the temperature of electronic components
in accordance with the present invention is a method for controlling the temperature
of electronic components to be tested in the apparatus for handling electronic
components, in which terminals of the electronic components to be tested can be
pushed into contact portions of a test head with the pushers provided with heat
absorbing and radiating bodies in order to conduct testing of the electronic components,
wherein the temperature of the atmosphere where the contact portion of said test
head are located and the temperature of the atmosphere where the heat absorbing
and radiating bodies of said pushers are located are controlled separately (11).
The problem associated with the conventional technology was that the temperature
of the pushers located in a stand-by mode close to the center of the chamber was
getting higher than the set temperature, and the temperature of the contact portions
of the test head from which heat could easily escape was getting lower than the
set temperature. However, in accordance with the above-described inventions (1,
2, 11), the temperature control of the contact portions of the test
head and the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the pushers can be conducted
independently. Therefore the above-described problem can be resolved.
Furthermore, when the temperature of the electronic components to be
tested rises due to heat generation by the components themselves, the heat of the
electronic components to be tested is transmitted from the pushers to the heat
absorbing and radiating bodies and then radiated from the heat absorbing and radiating
bodies. In accordance with the above-described inventions (1, 2,
11), because the heat absorbing and radiating bodies can be temperature
controlled, cooling the heat absorbing and radiating bodies to the prescribed temperature
makes it possible to prevent excess increase in temperature of the electronic components
to be tested. At this time, because the contact portions of the head test can be
temperature controlled separately, cooling thereof following cooling of the heat
absorbing and radiating bodies can be prevented and excess temperature decrease
in the contact portions and, therefore, in the electronic components to be tested
can be prevented.
Conducting independent temperature control of the contact portions of
the test head and the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the pushers makes
it possible to conduct tests accurately, while controlling the temperature of the
electronic components to be tested so as to bring it close to the set temperature.
In the apparatus according to the above-described invention (2), a plurality
of pushers and a plurality of contact portions of the test head may be provided
to enable testing of a plurality of electronic components to be tested at one time,
the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the pushers may be provided for each
pusher, the temperature of atmosphere inside the first chamber may be controlled
with a temperature-adjusting medium, and the temperature-adjusting medium inside
the first chamber may be supplied in parallel to the heat absorbing and radiating
bodies of the pushers (3).
In the apparatus according to the above-described invention (3), the pushers
may push terminals of electronic components to be tested into contact portions
of a test head by being pressed with a pressing member supported with a support
member, a plurality of through holes may be formed in the support member, and the
temperature-adjusting medium inside the first chamber may be supplied in parallel
to the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the pushers by passing through the
through holes formed in the support member (4).
When the temperature-adjusting medium is successively supplied in series to
the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the pushers, the temperature of the
temperature-adjusting medium rises due to heat radiation from the heat absorbing
and radiating bodies each time the temperature-adjusting medium passes through
the heat absorbing and radiating bodies. Therefore, the heat absorbing and radiating
bodies through which the temperature-adjusting medium passes at the end are sometimes
difficult to cool. Such temperature gradient in the temperature-adjusting medium
occurs especially easily when a large number of electronic components are tested
at the same time. However, with the above-described inventions (3, 4),
the temperature-adjusting medium is supplied in parallel to the heat absorbing
and radiating bodies. Therefore, the temperature-adjusting medium is supplied identically
to each heat absorbing and radiating body and insufficient cooling of the heat
absorbing and radiating bodies caused by the temperature gradient in the temperature-adjusting
medium is prevented.
In the apparatus according to the above-described invention (2), a plurality
of pushers and a plurality of contact portions of the test head may be provided
to enable testing of a plurality of electronic components to be tested at one time,
the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the pushers may be provided for each
pusher, the temperature of atmosphere inside the first chamber may be controlled
with a temperature-adjusting medium, and the temperature-adjusting medium inside
the first chamber may be supplied in series to the heat absorbing and radiating
bodies of the pushers (5).
According to the above-described invention (5), if the problem of
temperature gradient in the temperature-adjusting medium is not that important,
for example, when the number of electronic components to be tested at one time
is small, the temperature of the heat absorbing and radiating bodies can be controlled
with the temperature-adjusting medium by employing a simple structure.
In the apparatus according to the above-described inventions (3-5),
the temperature of atmosphere inside the second chamber may be controlled with
a temperature-adjusting medium and the temperature-adjusting medium inside the
second chamber may be supplied in parallel to the contact portions of the test
head (6).
In the apparatus according to the above-described invention (6), a plurality
of the first chambers may be provided independently and the temperature-adjusting
medium inside the second chamber may be supplied in parallel to the contact portions
of the test head by passing between those first chambers (7).
When the temperature-adjusting medium is supplied successively in series to
the contact portions of the test head, the temperature-adjusting medium is affected
by the temperature of the contact portions each time the temperature-adjusting
medium passes through the contact portions and the temperature of the contact portions
through which the temperature-adjusting medium passes at the end is sometimes difficult
to control. Such temperature gradient in the temperature-adjusting medium occurs
especially easily when a large number of electronic components are tested at the
same time. However, with the above-described inventions (6, 7), the
temperature-adjusting medium is supplied in parallel to all contact portions. Therefore,
the temperature-adjusting medium is supplied identically to each contact portion
and difficulties associated with temperature control of the contact bodies caused
by the temperature gradient in the temperature-adjusting medium are prevented.
In the apparatus according to the above-described inventions (5-7),
the space where the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the pushers are positioned
in the first chamber may be partitioned into an upper-layer portion and a lower-layer
portion and the temperature-adjusting medium may be supplied so as to flow in the
mutually opposite directions in the upper-layer portion and lower-layer portion (8).
According to the above-described invention (8), the temperature-adjusting
medium is supplied to the upper portion (portion positioned in the upper layer
portion) and lower portion (portion positioned in the lower-layer portion) of the
heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the pushers from the different directions.
As a result, even though the temperature of the temperature-adjusting medium changes
as it passes through a plurality of heat absorbing and radiating bodies, the heat
absorbing and radiating bodies, as a total of the upper portion and lower portion,
can be controlled to an almost constant temperature.
In the apparatus according to the above-described inventions (5-7),
the heat absorbing and radiating bodies of the plurality of pushers in the first
chamber may be divided in no less than two groups and each space where the each
group is located may comprise a lower-level portion where the heat absorbing and
radiating bodies of the pushers are positioned and into which the temperature-adjusting
medium is supplied, an upper-layer portion into which the temperature-adjusting
medium that has passed through the heat absorbing and radiating bodies is released,
and a connection portion for connecting the lower-level portion and the upper-layer
portion (9).
According to the above-described invention (9), the temperature-adjusting
medium is supplied to each group of heat absorbing and radiating bodies that have
been divided into no less than two groups. Therefore, the number of heat absorbing
and radiating bodies through which the temperature-adjusting medium passes is reduced
and the increase in temperature of temperature-adjusting medium can be suppressed.
Thus, with the above-described invention (9), insufficient cooling of heat
absorbing and radiating bodies caused by the increase in temperature of temperature-adjusting
medium can be suppressed.
In the apparatus according to the above-described inventions (5-9),
the heat absorption and radiation capacity of the heat absorbing and radiating
bodies of the plurality of pushers may gradually increase along the flow direction
of the temperature-adjusting medium (10).
According to the above-described invention (10), the pushers relating
to the heat absorbing and radiating bodies to which the temperature-adjusting medium
is supplied at the beginning can be cooled despite a low heat absorption and radiation
capacity of the heat absorbing and radiating bodies, because the temperature of
the temperature-adjusting medium is low. The pushers relating to the heat absorbing
and radiating bodies to which the temperature-adjusting medium is supplied at the
end can be cooled despite the increase in the temperature of the temperature-adjusting
medium, because the heat absorption and radiation capacity of the heat absorbing
and radiating bodies is high. With the invention (10), each pusher can be
thus controlled to an almost constant temperature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of the entire IC device test apparatus comprising the
handler of the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handler shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for handling the IC devices to
be tested;
FIG. 4 is perspective view illustrating the structure of an IC stocker of the handler;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a customer tray used in the handler;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the main part inside a test chamber of the handler;
FIG. 7 is a partial exploded perspective view illustrating a test tray used
in the handler;
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a structure in the vicinity
of a socket on a test head of the handler;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view in the vicinity of a pusher (in a lowered state
thereof) in the handler;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the main part inside a test chamber of
the handler of the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the main part inside a test chamber of
the handler of the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the main part inside a test chamber of
the handler of the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the main part inside a test chamber of
the handler of the fifth embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the main part inside a test chamber of
the handler of the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[First Embodiment]
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference
to the appended drawings.
First, the entire structure of an IC device test apparatus equipped with a
handler of the present embodiment will be explained. As shown in FIG. 1, an IC
device test apparatus
10 comprises a handler
1, a test head
5,
and a main testing unit
6. The handler
1 executes an action of successively
transporting IC devices (an example of electronic components) which are to be tested
into sockets provided on the test head
5, classifying the tested IC devices
according to the test results and storing them in the prescribed tray.
The sockets (equivalent to contact portions in accordance with the present invention)
provided on the test head
5 are electrically connected via a cable
7
to the main testing unit
6, and are used for connecting the IC devices removably
installed in the sockets to the main testing unit
6 via the cable
7
and for testing the IC devices by test electric signals from the main testing unit
6.
The lower part of handler
1 mainly contains a control unit for controlling
the handler
1, and an space
8 is provided in part thereof. The test
head
5 is replaceably disposed in the space
8 and the IC devices
can be installed in the sockets on the test head
5 via a through hole formed
in the handler
1.
The handler
1 is an apparatus for testing the IC devices serving as electronic
components which are to be tested in a state with a temperature higher (high temperature)
and a state with a temperature lower (low temperature) than the normal temperature.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the handler
1 comprises a chamber section
100 composed of a thermostatic chamber
101, a test chamber
102,
and a heat-removing chamber
103. The upper part of test head
5 shown
in FIG. 1 is inserted into the test chamber
102, as shown in FIG. 6, to
conduct testing of IC devices
2 therein.
FIG. 3 is provided for explaining a method for handling the IC devices for testing
in the handler of the present embodiment and some of the members that are actually
arranged in the vertical direction are shown in a plan view. Therefore, the mechanical
(three-dimensional) structure can be better understood by referring to FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the handler
1 of the present embodiment
is composed of an IC storing section
200 for storing the IC devices which
are to be further tested or for classifying and storing the tested IC devices,
a loader section
300 for transporting the IC devices which are transported
from the IC storing section
200 for testing into a chamber section
100,
the chamber section
100 containing a test head, and an unloader section
400 for removing the IC devices that have been tested in the chamber section
100 and classifying them. Inside the handler
1, the IC devices are
transported being housed in test trays.
Multiple IC devices prior to setting into the handler
1 are housed
in a customer tray KST shown in FIG. 5. In this state, they are supplied to the
IC storing section
200 of handler
1 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 and
then IC devices
2 are carried from the customer tray KST over to the test
tray TST (see FIG. 7) for transportation inside the handler
1. Inside the
handler
1, as shown in FIG. 3, the IC devices are moved in a state in which
they are carried on the test trays TST, subjected to high-temperature and low-temperature
thermal stresses, tested (inspected) for appropriate operation, and classified
according to the test results. Individual parts located inside the handler
1
will be described below in detail.
Firstly, parts relating to the IC storing section
200 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, a pre-test IC stocker
201 for storing IC devices prior
to the test and an after-test IC stocker
202 for storing the IC devices
classified according to the test results are provided in the IC storing section
200.
Those pre-test IC stocker
201 and after-test IC stocker
202 comprise,
as shown in FIG. 4, a frame-like tray support frame
203 and an elevator
204 which is inserted from the lower part of the tray support frame
203
and can be lifted and lowered. A plurality of customer trays KST are stacked and
supported on the tray support frame
203 and only the stacked customer trays
KST are moved up and down by the elevator
204. As shown in FIG. 5, the customer
tray KST in the present embodiment comprises IC device containers of 10 rows×6 columns.
The customer trays KST containing the IC devices to be tested are stacked and
held in the pre-test IC stocker
201 shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the customer
trays KST containing the IC devices that have been tested and classified are stacked
and held in the after-test IC stocker
202.
Because the pre-test IC stocker
201 and after-test IC stocker
202
have almost identical structures, parts of the pre-test IC stocker
201 can
be used in the after-test IC stocker
202 and vice versa. Therefore, the
number of pre-test IC stockers
201 and the number of after-test IC stocker
202 can be easily changed, if necessary.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, two stockers STK-B
are
provided as the pre-test IC stockers
201. Two empty stockers STK-E which
are to be supplied to an unloader section
400 are provided as the after-test
IC stockers
202 nearby the stocker STK-B. Further, eight stockers STK-
1,
STK-
2, . . . , STK-
8 are provided as the after-test IC stockers
202
close thereto, such a structure allowing for classification and storing of up to
eight groups according to the test results. In other words, classification can
be conducted not only into good and defective products, but among the good products,
into those with a high, medium, and low operation speed, and among the defective
products, into those that require re-testing.
Secondly, parts relating to the loader section
300 will be described.
Customer trays KST housed in the tray support frame
203 of pre-test
IC stockers
201 shown in FIG. 4 are moved from below the apparatus substrate
105 into windows
306 of loader section
300 with a tray transfer
arm
205 provided between the IC storing section
200 and apparatus
substrate
105, as shown in FIG. 2. Then, in the loader section
300,
the IC devices to be tested that have been stacked in the customer trays KST are
transferred with a X-Y transportation unit
304 into a preciser
305
where the mutual arrangement of the IC devices to be tested is corrected. The IC
devices that have been transferred into the preciser
305 are then retransferred
into a test tray TST that has stopped on the loader section
300 by using
again the X-Y transportation unit
304.
The X-Y transportation unit
304 for retransferring the IC devices to be
tested from customer trays KST to test tray TST, as shown in FIG. 2, comprises
two rails
301 installed above the apparatus substrate
105, a movable
arm
302 capable of moving reciprocally (the movement direction is set to
Y direction) between the test tray TST and customer tray KST by means of two rails
301, and a movable head
303 which is supported by the movable arm
302 and can move in the X direction along the movable arm
302.
A suction head is attached downwardly to the movable head
303 of the X-Y
transportation unit
304. When the suction head moves, while sucking in the
air, the IC devices to be tested are sucked up and those IC devices to be tested
are retransferred to the test tray TST. For example, eight such suction heads can
be attached to the movable head
303 and eight IC devices to be tested can
be retransferred to the test tray TST at the same time.
Thirdly, parts relating to the chamber section
100 will be described.
The above-described test tray TST is fed to the chamber section
100 after
the IC devices to be tested have been transferred with the loader section
300,
and the devices IC are tested in a state in which they are carried on the test
tray TST.
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the chamber section
100 is composed of a
thermostatic chamber
101 for providing the target high-temperature or low-temperature
thermal stresses to the IC devices transferred into the test tray TST, a test chamber
102 in which the IC devices provided with thermal stresses in the thermostatic
chamber
101 are installed in the sockets on the test head, and a heat-removing
chamber
103 for relieving the provided thermal stressed from the IC devices
tested in the test chamber
102.
In the heat-removing chamber
103, if a high temperature was applied in
the thermostatic chamber
101, the tested IC devices are cooled with air
blow to return the temperature thereof to room temperature. If a low temperature
was applied in the thermostatic chamber
101, the tested IC devices are heated
with warm blast or a heater to a temperature at which no dew condensation occurs.
The tested IC devices subjected to stress relieving are moved out to the unloader
section
400.
As shown in FIG. 2, the thermostatic chamber
101 and heat-removing chamber
103 of the chamber section
100 are arranged so as to protrude upwardly
from the test chamber
102. Furthermore, the thermostatic chamber
101,
as shown schematically in FIG. 3, is provided with a vertical transportation unit,
and a plurality of test trays TST are supported on the vertical transportation
unit in a stand-by mode till the test chamber
102 is emptied. It is during
this stand-by period that high-temperature or low-temperature thermal stresses
are applied to the IC devices to be tested.
As shown in FIG. 6, a test head
5 is arranged in the central lower part
of test chamber
102 and the test trays TST are transferred onto the test
head
5. Here, all the IC devices
2 held in the test tray TST shown
in FIG. 7 are successively electrically connected to the test head
5 and
all the IC devices
2 held in the test tray TST are tested. On the other
hand, the test trays TST that have already been subjected to the test are subjected
to thermal stress relieving in the heat-removing chamber
103, and after
the temperature of IC devices
2 has returned to room temperature, the devices
2 are discharged into the unloader section
400 shown in FIG. 2 and
FIG. 3.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, an inlet opening for feeding the test
trays TST from the apparatus substrate
105 and an outlet opening for feeding
the test trays TST out to the apparatus substrate
105 are formed above the
thermostatic chamber
101 and heat-removing chamber
103. Test tray
transportation units
108 for transporting the test trays TST through those
openings are installed on the apparatus substrate
105. Those transportation
units
108 are composed, for example, of rotary rollers or the like. The
test trays TST discharged from the heat-removing chamber
103 are transported
to the unloader section
400 with the test tray transportation units
108
provided on the apparatus substrate
105.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the structure of a test
tray TST used in the present embodiment. The test tray TST comprises a rectangular
frame
12. A plurality of parallel crosspieces
13 are provided equidistantly
on the frame
12. A plurality of mounting pieces
14 are formed in
a protruding condition with an equal spacing in the longitudinal direction on both
sides of those crosspieces
13 and on the sides
12a of the
frame
12 which are parallel to the crosspieces
13. Respective housing
parts
15 are composed by those pairs of mounting pieces
14 that face
each other of the plurality of mounting pieces
14 provided between those
crosspieces
13 and between the crosspieces
13 and sides
12a.
The structure allows one insert
16 to be contained in each housing part
15. The insert
16 is mounted in a floating state on the two mounting
pieces
14 with fasteners
17. In the present embodiment, a total of
4×16 inserts
16 can be mounted on one test tray TST. Thus, the test
tray TST of the present embodiment comprises 4 rows×16 columns IC device receptacles.
The IC devices
2 to be tested are loaded into the test tray TST by setting
the IC devices
2 into the inserts
16.
In the insert
16 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG.
8, an IC housing part
19 in the form of a rectangular recess for housing
the IC device
2 to be tested is formed in the central portion. Further,
guide holes
20 into which the guide pins
32 of pushers
30
are to be inserted are formed in the central portions on both ends of insert
16,
and holes
21 for mounting onto mounting pieces
14 of test tray TST
are formed in the corner portions on both ends of insert
16.
As shown in FIG. 8, a socket board
50 is arranged above the test head
5,
and a socket
40 comprising probe pins
44 serving as connection terminals
is secured above the socket board
50. The number and pitch of probe pins
44 correspond to those of connection terminals of IC devices
2, and
an upward force is imparted thereto with a spring (not shown in the figures).
Further, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a socket guide
41 is secured
above the socket board
50 so that the probe pins
44 provided in socket
40 are exposed. Guide bushings
411 for inserting the two guide pins
32 formed in the pusher
30 and positioning the two guide pins
32
with respect to each other are provided on both sides of socket guide
41.
As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, pushers
30 are provided on the upper side
of test head
5, their number corresponding to that of sockets
40.
The pusher
30, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, comprises a pusher base
33
secured to a rod
621 of the below-described adapter
62. A pushing
member
31 for pushing the IC device
2 to be tested is provided downwardly
in the lower center of pusher base
33, and guide pins
32 which are
to be inserted into the guide bushings
411 of socket guide
41 and
guide holes
20 of insert
16 are provided in both end portions on
the lower side of pusher base
33. Furthermore, stopper pins
34 are
provided between the pushing member
31 and guide pins
32; when the
pusher
30 is moved downward by a Z axis drive unit
70, the stopper
pins are capable of controlling to lower limit of this movement by abutting upon
a stopper surface
412 of socket guide
41.
On the other hand, a heat sink
35 (equivalent to a heat absorbing and
radiating
body in accordance with the present invention) is provided on the upper side of
pusher base
33. The heat sink
35 is composed of a plurality of heat
radiating fins composed of a material with excellent thermal conductivity, for
example, aluminum, copper, alloys thereof, carbon-containing material and the like.
Similarly, the pusher base
33 and pushing member
31 are also composed
of a metal with excellent thermal conductivity, for example, aluminum, copper,
iron, alloys thereof (stainless steel including), thereby allowing for heat of
IC devices
2 which are being tested to be transmitted from the pushing member
31 that has come into contact with the IC devices
2 to the heat sink
35 via the pusher base
33 and to be dissipated in the environment
from the heat sink
35. Further, the heat sink
35 may be also composed
of heat pipes rather than heat radiating fins.
As shown in FIG. 9, rods
621 (two rods) are provided downwardly in the
adapter
62, and the pusher base
33 of pusher
30 is supported
and secured with those rods
621. As shown in FIG. 6, each adapter
62
is elastically held in a match plate
60. The match plate
60 is installed
so that the test tray TST can be inserted between the pusher
30 and socket
40 so as to be positioned above the test head
5. The pusher
30
held in the match plate
60 is free to move along the Z axis direction with
respect to a drive plate (drive body)
72 of Z axis drive unit
70
or test head
5. Furthermore, the test tray TST is transported between the
pusher
30 and socket
40 from the direction (X axis) perpendicular
to the sheet surface as shown in FIG. 6. A transportation roller or the like is
used as transportation means for the test trays TST inside the chamber section
100. During transportation and movement of test tray TST, the drive plate
of Z axis drive unit
70 rises along the Z axis direction and a clearance
sufficient for inserting the test tray TST is formed between the pusher
30
and socket
40.
As shown in FIG. 6, pressing members
74 are secured to the lower surface
of drive plate
72 and can apply pressure to the upper surface of adapter
62 that is being held in the match plate
60. A drive shaft
78
is secured to the drive plate
72, a drive source (not shown in the figures)
such as a motor is connected to the drive shaft
78, and the drive shaft
78 can be moved upward and downward along the Z axis direction, pushing
the adapter
62.
The match plate
60 has a structure that can be replaced, together with
the adapter
62 and pusher
30, according to the shape of IC devices
2 which are to be tested and the number of sockets on the test head
5
(the number of IC devices
2 that are to be tested at the same time). Thus,
providing a replaceable match plate
60 makes it possible to use the Z axis
drive unit
70 designed for general applications.
The test chamber
102 is composed of an almost sealed casing
80,
as shown in FIG. 6. An inner chamber
104 for temperature controlling the
heat sink
35 of pusher
30 is provided inside the casing
80.
The inner chamber
104 is also composed of a casing
81 which is almost
sealed, as shown in FIG. 6.
The above-mentioned drive shaft
78, drive plate
72, pressing member
74, match plate
60, adapter
62, and heat sink
35 of
pusher
30 are contained inside the casing
81 constituting the inner
chamber
104. In addition, an air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
91 and a temperature sensor
83 are provided inside the casing. The
drive shaft
78 can move up and down in the Z axis direction through a hole
provided in the upper wall of casing
81. Furthermore, the pusher
30
(pushing member
31, guide pins
32, stopper pins
34) positioned
below the heat sink
35 can protrude outwardly (inside the test chamber
102)
on the lower side of casing
81 via the hole provided in the lower wall of
casing
81 (FIG. 6).
On the other hand, in addition to the inner chamber
104, IC devices
2
carried on the test tray TST, socket
40, and the upper portion of test head
5 are contained inside the casting
80 constituting the test chamber
102. An air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
90 and a temperature
sensor
82 are also provided therein.
The air blowing units for temperature adjustment
90,
91 comprise
the respective fans
92,
96 and heat-exchange units
94,
98.
Air present inside the casings is sucked in by fans
92,
96 and circulated
by discharging into casings
80,
81 via the heat-exchange units
94,
98, thereby providing for the prescribed temperature conditions (high temperature
or low temperature) inside the casings
80,
81.
The heat-exchange units
94,
98 of air blowing units for temperature
adjustment
90,
91 can be composed of a thermoelectric heater or a
radiation heat exchanger with a heating medium flowing therethrough, when the inside
of the casings is to be at a high temperature, and can supply the quantity of heat
sufficient to maintain the inside of the casings at a high temperature, for example,
from room temperature to about 160° C. Furthermore, when the inside of the
casings is to be at a low temperature, the heat-exchange units
94,
98
can be composed of absorption heat exchangers having a cooling medium such as liquid
nitrogen or the like circulating therein and can absorb the quantity of heat sufficient
to maintain the inside of the casings at a low temperature, for example, from about
-60° C. to room temperature. The temperature inside the casings
80,
81 is detected, for example, with temperature sensors
82,
83
and the blowing rate of fans
92,
96 and the quantity of heat in heat-exchange
units
94,
98 are controlled so as to maintain the inside of casings
80,
81 at the prescribed temperature.
Warm or cold blast generated via the heat exchanger
98 of air blowing
unit for temperature adjustment
91 inside the casing
81 constituting
the inner chamber
104 circulates inside the casing by flowing along the
Y axis direction above the casing
81, coming down along the casing side
wall on the opposite side from the air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
91, passing through the gap between the lower wall of casing
81 and
match plate
60, and returning to the air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
91. With such a configuration, warm or cold blast is sequentially supplied
in series to heat sinks
35 positioned between the lower wall of casing
81
and match plate
60.
On the other hand, warm or cold blast generated via the heat exchanger
94
of air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
90 inside the casing
80
constituting the test chamber
102 circulates inside the casing by flowing
along the Y axis direction above the casing
80, coming down along the casing
side wall on the opposite side from the unit
90, passing through-the gap
between the test head
5 and bottom surface of casing
81 constituting
the inner chamber
104, and returning to the unit
90. With such a
configuration, warm or cold blast is sequentially supplied in series to sockets
40 positioned between the test head
5 and bottom surface of casing
81.
Fourthly, parts relating to the unloader section
400 will be described.
X-Y transportation units
404,
404 identical in structure of X-Y
transportation unit
304 provided in the loader section
300 are also
provided in the unloader section
400 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The X-Y
transportation units
404,
404 are used to retransfer the tested IC
devices from the test tray TST carried out to the unloader section
400 to
the customer tray KST.
As shown in FIG. 2, two pairs of windows
406,
406 disposed so as
to face the customer tray KST carried to the unloader section
400 on the
upper surface of apparatus substrate
105 are provided in an open condition
in the apparatus substrate
105 of unloader section
400.
Elevators
204 for lifting the customer tray KST are provided (see
FIG. 4) below each window
406. Here, the loaded customer tray KST to which
the tested IC devices are retransferred is carried, lowered, and transferred to
the tray transfer arm
205.
A method for testing IC devices
2 while conducting temperature control
of
IC devices
2 in the IC device test apparatus
10 explained above will
be described below.
In a state in which IC devices
2 are loaded on a test tray TST shown in
FIG. 7, more specifically, in a state in which each of IC devices
2 is dropped
in the IC housing parts
19 of insert
16 shown in the same figure,
the devices are transported into test chamber
102 after heating to the prescribed
set temperature in the thermostatic chamber
101.
When the test tray TST carrying the IC devices
2 is stopped above the
test head
5, the Z axis drive unit is activated and the pressing member
74 secured to the drive plate
72 pushes the pusher base
33
via the rod
621 of adapter
62. As a consequence, the pushing member
31 of pusher
30 pushes the package body of IC device
2 against
the socket
40 side. As a result, the connection terminals of IC device
2
are connected to the probe pins
44 of socket
40.
Further, the downward movement of pusher
30 is controlled by the
stopper pins
34 of pusher
30 abutting upon the stopper surface
412
of socket guide
41. Therefore, the pusher
30 can push the IC device
2 against the socket
40 by an appropriate pressure, without fracturing
the IC device
2.
In such a state, a test electric signal is transmitted from the main testing
unit
6 to the IC device
2 to be tested, via the probe pins
44 of
test head
5 and the test is conducted. The temperature of pusher
30
in a stand-by mode is controlled to the prescribed set temperature with warm or
cold blast (air) inside the inner chamber
104, and the temperature inside
the test chamber
102 produces practically no effect. Therefore, the conventional
problem of the temperature of pusher
30 located in a stand-by mode close
to the center of test chamber
102 rising above the set temperature is resolved
and the temperature of IC device
2 which is pressed against the pusher
30
can be prevented from rising in excess above the set temperature.
Further, when the IC device
2 to be tested, is heated by self-generation
of heat, heat of the IC device
2 to be tested is transmitted from the pushing
member
31 of pusher
30 to the heat sink
35 via the pusher
base
33 and radiated from the heat sink
35. Because the heat sink
35 can be cooled by controlling the temperature, volume of air and the like
inside the inner chamber
104, excess increase in temperature of the IC device
2 to be tested can be prevented even when the IC device
2 is heated
by self-generation of heat.
At this time, the temperature close to the socket
40 through which heat
can easily escape from inside the test chamber
102 can be maintained at
the prescribed set temperature, without being effected by the temperature inside
the inner chamber
104, by controlling the temperature and volume of air
inside the test chamber
102. Therefore, excess temperature decrease of socket
40 and, therefore, IC device
2 can be prevented.
Thus, providing a chamber
104 for heat sink inside the test chamber
102 and conducting separate temperature control of the chambers make it
possible to conduct accurate testing of IC devices
2, while controlling
the temperature thereof close to the set temperature.
[Second Embodiment]
The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The handler
of the second embodiment has a structure almost identical to that of the handler
1 of the first embodiment. However, as shown in FIG. 10, it differs from
the handler
1 of the first embodiment in that through holes
721 are
formed in the drive plate
72 contained inside the chamber
104 for
heat sink, through holes
601 are formed in the match plate
60, and
pipe members
76 are provided for linking the through holes
721 of
drive plate
72 with the through holes
601 of match plate
60.
Warm or cold blast (air) generated via the heat exchanger
98 of air blowing
unit for temperature adjustment
91 inside the inner chamber
104 of
such a handler circulates inside the casing by flowing along the Y axis direction
above the casing
81, coming down via through holes
721 of drive plate
72, pipe members
76, and through holes
601 of match plate
60 (partly along the side wall of the casing on the side opposite the air
blowing unit for temperature adjustment
91), passing through the gap between
the lower wall of casing
81 and match plate
60, and returning to
the air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
91. With such a configuration,
air is supplied in parallel to heat sinks
35 positioned between the lower
wall of casing
81 and match plate
60.
As shown in FIG. 6, when air is supplied in series to the heat sinks
35,
each time the air passes through the heat sinks
35, the temperature increases
due to heat radiation from the heat sinks
35. Therefore, the heat sinks
35 through which the air passes at the end are sometimes difficult to cool.
Such temperature gradient in the air especially easily occurs when a large number
of IC devices
2 are tested at the same time.
Accordingly, if the air is supplied in parallel to the heat sinks
35,
as in the present embodiment, the air is uniformly blown onto each heat sink
35
and insufficient cooling of heat sinks
35 caused by temperature gradient
in air can be prevented.
[Third Embodiment]
The third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The handler
of the third embodiment has a structure similar to that of the handler of the second
embodiment, but it comprises no casing
81 (inner chamber
104) containing
inside thereof the drive shaft
78, drive plate
72, pressing member
74, match plate
60, and adaptor
62. Instead, as shown in FIG.
11, the handler comprises heat sink chambers
106 in which only the heat
sinks
35 of a plurality of pushers
30 belonging to the same row are
sealed with ducts
84.
A temperature adjusting medium such as warm blast or cool air from an air blowing
unit for temperature adjustment (not shown in the figure), or warm water or cool
water from a water pump for temperature adjustment flows inside the ducts
84
constituting the heat sink chambers
106, and the temperature control of
heat sinks
35 in each row is conducted by this temperature adjusting medium.
Warm or cold blast (air) generated via the heat exchanger unit
92 of
air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
90 inside the test chamber
102
of the handler comprising such heat sink chamber
106 circulates inside the
casing by flowing along the Y axis direction above the casing
80, coming
down via through holes
721 of drive plate
72, pipe members
76,
and through holes
601 of match plate
60 (partly along the side wall
of the casing on the side opposite the air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
90), passing through the gap between the match plate
60 and test
head
5, and returning to the air blowing unit for temperature adjustment
90. With such a configuration, air is supplied in pa
