KR20030049832A - Method for prevention of frost in semiconductor test handler - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for preventing frost of a semiconductor device test handler is provided to minimize the generation of the frost by using the contact between the cooling fluid and the external air. CONSTITUTION: A test site of a handler includes a preheating portion, a test socket(3), and an index device(5a,5b). The preheating portion includes a heater and a cooling fluid supply portion(42) in order to heat or cool a semiconductor device to the predetermined temperature. The test socket is used for testing the semiconductor device. The index device is used for transferring the semiconductor device from the preheating portion to the test socket. A chamber having exhaust holes(22) is installed to seal the test site. The cooling fluid of the cooling fluid supply portion is vaporized within the preheating portion and the index device and exhausted to the outside. The internal air of the chamber is exhausted to the outside by using the high internal pressure. The cooling fluid is formed with liquid nitrogen.

Description

Method for prevention of frost in semiconductor test handler

The present invention relates to a method for preventing frost from occurring in a handler for testing a semiconductor device. Particularly, when the semiconductor device is low-temperature tested using a cooling fluid such as liquefied nitrogen, the present invention relates to frost caused by the cooling fluid at a test site of the handler. It relates to a frost prevention method that can prevent the occurrence of.

In general, semiconductor devices produced in a production line are subjected to a test for determining whether they are good or bad before shipment.

The handler is a device used to test these semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices contained in the trays are automatically transferred between processes, mounted on the test sockets of the test site, and the desired test is performed. It is a device that executes the test by sequentially repeating the unloading process.

Recently, as the environment in which semiconductor devices are used is diversified, semiconductor devices are required to perform stable functions not only at room temperature but also at specific temperatures such as high temperature or low temperature. Recently, handlers use a heater or liquid nitrogen in themselves. By developing a specific temperature environment desired by the user is being developed to test the performance of the semiconductor device at a predetermined temperature conditions.

However, in the conventional handler capable of performing the temperature test, the liquid nitrogen is used for the low temperature test. When the elements configured for the supply of the liquid nitrogen are exposed to the outside and meet the atmosphere, frost is generated. Such a castle adversely affects the components of the handler, in particular, the electrically operated components, causing a malfunction or failure of the device.

Therefore, in the related art, the main part of the frost generated is wrapped with a heat insulator and an additional device such as a heater or a blower fan is installed to prevent the frost, but in this case, it is expensive due to the additional equipment. There is a problem that the configuration of the equipment is also complicated.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its object is to prevent frost caused by liquefied nitrogen at the test site of the handler in a simple manner without complicating the structure of the equipment.

1 is a perspective view of a test site of a handler to which a frost preventing method according to the present invention is applied

Figure 2 is a functional diagram showing the anti-frost action performed at the test site of the handler of Figure 1

Explanation of Reference Symbols in Major Parts of Drawings

1: test site 2: chamber

21: shutter 22: exhaust hole

3: test socket 4: preheating plate

42: liquid nitrogen supply pipe 43: flow groove

44 outlet 5a, 5b, the first and second index head

51: picker 53: liquid nitrogen supply pipe

54: flow groove 55: outlet

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a preheating unit for heating and cooling a semiconductor element seated with a heater and a cooling fluid supply means therein to a predetermined temperature, and a test socket for testing the semiconductor element; In the method for preventing the occurrence of frost during the low temperature test at the test site of the handler comprising an indexing device having a heater and a cooling fluid supply means therein, the index device for transporting and mounting the semiconductor element from the preheating unit to the test socket, A chamber in which a fine exhaust hole is formed is installed to seal the test site, and the cooling fluid supplied through each cooling fluid supply means of the preheating unit and the indexing device is discharged to the outside after heat exchanged in the preheating unit and the indexing device. The internal pressure of the chamber is increased by the cooling fluid discharged to the outside. It maintains as to provide a method for preventing the frost of the semiconductor device test handler, characterized in that to discharge the air inside the chamber to the outside of the chamber through the exhaust hole to prevent the outside air flow into the chamber.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for preventing frost of a handler according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view illustrating an embodiment of a test site of a handler to which a frost prevention method according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a functional diagram illustrating a frost prevention action performed at a test site of the handler of FIG. 1.

As shown in Figure 1 and 2, the test site (1) located at the rear of the handler body, the test socket (3) which is electrically connected to an external test equipment to test the semiconductor device, and the test at the temperature test The preheating plate 4 for heating and cooling the semiconductor elements to a predetermined temperature, and installed on the upper side of the test socket 3 so as to be movable up and down and left and right, picks up the semiconductor elements of the preheating plate 4 to the test socket. The first index head 5a and the second index head 5b to be attached to (3) are provided.

In addition, the test site 1 is provided with a transparent acrylic chamber 2 to receive the test socket 3, the preheating plate 4, and the first and second index heads 5a and 5b in an airtight manner. In the chamber 2, minute exhaust holes 22 are formed to discharge air therein.

In front of the chamber 2, the shutter 21 is installed to be opened and closed so that the semiconductor element can be introduced into the test site.

On the other hand, the preheating plate 4 is a flow in which liquefied nitrogen (LN ₂ ) supplied from the heat transfer heater 41 and the liquefied nitrogen supply pipe 42 flows therein to heat and cool the semiconductor element seated on the upper surface thereof. It is provided with a groove 43, the outlet plate 44 is formed on one side of the preheating plate 4 so that the liquid nitrogen gas (N ₂ ) flowing through the liquid nitrogen flow groove 43 is discharged to the outside.

In addition, in order to maintain the temperature of the semiconductor element 10 in which the preheating plate 4 is heated and cooled to a predetermined temperature inside the first index head 5a and the second index head 5b, the heat transfer heater 52 is provided. ) And a flow groove 54 through which liquefied nitrogen (LN ₂ ) supplied from the liquefied nitrogen supply pipe 53 flows, and on one side of the base plate 56 of the first and second index heads 5a and 5b. A discharge port 54 through which nitrogen gas N ₂ is discharged is formed.

Therefore, during the low temperature test of a semiconductor device in which frost generation is a problem, the liquefied nitrogen introduced through the liquefied nitrogen supply pipe 42 of the preheated plate 4 flows along the flow groove 43 and the preheated plate 4 and After cooling the semiconductor element seated thereon, it is discharged to the outside through the outlet 44, and the liquid nitrogen introduced through the liquid nitrogen supply pipe 53 of the first and second index heads 5a and 5b flows through the groove ( After flowing along 54, it is injected into the pickers 51 of the first and second index heads 5a and 5b to cool the picker 51 and the semiconductor element 10 picked up therefrom, and is discharged through the outlet 55. .

At this time, the liquid nitrogen discharged through the outlet 44 of the preheating plate 4 and the outlet 55 of the first and second index heads 5a and 5b is in a dry state while being vaporized.

In the low temperature test as described above, the pressure inside the chamber 2 is gradually increased while the liquid nitrogen gas N ₂ is continuously dried from the preheating plate 4 and the first and second index heads 5a and 5b. Therefore, the air inside the chamber 2 is forced out through the exhaust hole 22.

After a certain time, the inside of the chamber 2 is filled with dry liquefied nitrogen gas (N ₂ ) so that no frost occurs. In this case, since the inside of the chamber 2 is a high-pressure state, Air is not re-introduced into the chamber 2 through the exhaust hole 22, so there is little possibility that frost is generated inside the chamber by the outside air.

On the other hand, in the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the exhaust hole 22 is artificially formed in the chamber 2 to discharge the internal air, but when the front shutter 21 and the chamber 2 of the chamber 2 are installed, Since a small gap is generated by the interference with the component, the gap may serve as an exhaust hole to release air.

Therefore, when a minute gap occurs in the chamber as described above, it is not necessary to artificially form the exhaust hole as in the above-described embodiment.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to fill the inside of the chamber with a dry cooling fluid in a simple configuration without complicating the structure of the handler equipment, and thus minimize the possibility of frost caused by contact between the cooling fluid and the outside air. The handler's components can be secured.

Claims (2)

And a preheater for heating and cooling the semiconductor element seated with a heater and cooling fluid supply means therein to a predetermined temperature, a test socket for testing the semiconductor element, and a heater and cooling fluid supply means therein. In the method for preventing the occurrence of frost during low-temperature test at the test site of the handler comprising an indexing device for transferring and mounting the semiconductor element from the preheater to the test socket, The chamber in which the fine exhaust hole is formed is sealed to seal the test site, and the cooling fluid supplied through each cooling fluid supply means of the preheating unit and the indexing device is heat exchanged in the preheating unit and the indexing device, and then vaporized and discharged to the outside. The semiconductor device is characterized in that the internal pressure of the chamber is maintained at a high pressure by the cooling fluid discharged to the outside to discharge the air inside the chamber to the outside of the chamber through the exhaust hole, and to prevent the outside air from flowing into the chamber. How to prevent test handlers' frosts. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid is liquid nitrogen.