Integrated circuit test temperature control mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016291083-A1
Application number	US-201615185468-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Aug 31, 2012
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A thermal controller includes a thermal control interface to receive test data from an automated test equipment (ATE) system and dynamically adjust a target setpoint temperature based on the data and a dynamic thermal controller to receive the target setpoint temperature from the thermal control interface and control a thermal actuator based on the target setpoint temperature.

First claim

1 .- 18 . (canceled)

19 . A test system comprising:
an integrated circuit (IC) device; a thermal actuator coupled to the IC device to change a temperature of the IC device during testing; an automated test equipment (ATE) system coupled to the IC device, including a thermal control interface coupled to dynamically adjust a target setpoint temperature for testing the IC device; and a thermal controller, to control the temperature of the IC device during testing, the thermal controller including a dynamic thermal controller coupled to the thermal control interface and the thermal actuator to receive the target setpoint temperature from the thermal control interface and control the thermal actuator based on the target setpoint temperature.

20 . The test system of claim 19 further comprising a digital interface coupled between the thermal control interface and the dynamic thermal controller.

21 . The test system of claim 19 wherein the dynamic thermal controller receives the target setpoint temperature from the dynamic thermal controller via the digital interface as part of a real time data stream.

22 . The test system of claim 19 wherein the dynamic thermal controller comprises a temperature control loop module to control the thermal actuator.

23 . The test system of claim 19 wherein the thermal control interface receives feedback from the thermal actuator and transmits the target setpoint temperature to the temperature control loop module.

24 . The test system of claim 19 wherein the dynamic thermal controller further comprises a control and mode select module to enable selection of a mode of operation.

25 . A method comprising:
changing, by a thermal actuator, temperature of an integrated circuit (IC) device during testing, wherein the thermal actuator is coupled to the IC device; dynamically adjusting, by a thermal control interface of an automated test equipment (ATE) system, a target setpoint temperature for testing the IC device, wherein the ATE system is coupled to the IC device; controlling, by a thermal controller, the temperature of the IC device during testing, the thermal controller including a dynamic thermal controller coupled to the thermal control interface and the thermal actuator to receive the target setpoint temperature from the thermal control interface and control the thermal actuator based on the target setpoint temperature.

26 . The method of claim 25 further comprising coupling a digital interface between the thermal control interface and the dynamic thermal controller.

27 . The method of claim 25 wherein the target setpoint temperature is received by the dynamic thermal controller from the dynamic thermal controller via the digital interface as part of a real time data stream.

28 . The method of claim 25 wherein the dynamic thermal controller comprises a temperature control loop module to control the thermal actuator.

29 . The method of claim 25 further comprising receiving, by the thermal control interface, feedback from the thermal actuator and transmitting, by the thermal control interface, the target setpoint temperature to the temperature control loop module.

30 . The method of claim 25 wherein the dynamic thermal controller further comprises a control and mode select module to enable selection of a mode of operation.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Johnson John C
• Maveety James G
• Detofsky Abram M
• Neeb James E

Classifications

• G01R1/06722

  Spring-loaded · CPC title

• G01R1/06783

  containing liquids · CPC title

• G01R1/44

  Modifications of instruments for temperature compensation · CPC title

• G01R31/2874 Primary

  related to temperature · CPC title

• G01R31/2642

  Testing semiconductor operation lifetime or reliability, e.g. by accelerated life tests · CPC title