Abstract: The invention provides a method of testing a circuit on a substrate. Generally speaking, a substrate is located in a transfer chuck, a surface of a test chuck is moved into contact with a substrate, the substrate is secured to the test chuck, the test chuck is moved relative to the transfer chuck so that the substrate moves off the transfer chuck, terminals on the substrate are moved into contact with contacts to electrically connect the circuit through the terminals and the contacts to an electric tester, signals are relayed through the terminal and the contacts between the electric tester and the circuit, the terminals are disengaged from the contacts, and the substrate is removed from the test chuck.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for automatically and accurately aligning a wafer prober to the bonding pads of a semiconductor device are provided. In one embodiment of one aspect of the invention, a multi-loop feedback control system incorporating information from a number of sensors is used to maintain the desired contact position in the presence of disturbances. Other aspects and other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A method of moving a substrate to a probe card. The method includes moving a probe card and a substrate vertically closer to one another employing dynamically changing velocities during the moving. More than two different velocities are used during the moving. The velocities are at zero only at an initial location and a final location. The moving is such that the probe card and the substrate contact each other with a soft impact. The velocities for the moving begin with a high velocity and reduce to a lower velocity so that the contact between the probe card and the substrate has a microtouch impact.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses for automatically and accurately maintaining the alignment of a wafer prober to the bonding pads of a semiconductor device in the presence of motion disturbances are provided. In one embodiment of one aspect of the invention, a feedback control system incorporating information from a number of acceleration and/or velocity sensors is used to maintain the desired contact position in the presence of motion disturbances. Other aspects and other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A cleaning device for use in a semiconductor processing. The device comprises a substrate supporter for supporting a substrate to be cleaned, a scrub pad mounting plate, and a chuck coupling to the substrate supporter and the scrub pad mounting plate. The chuck is configured to move the substrate supporter and the scrub pad mounting plate. The device further comprises a scrub pad mountable to and moveable from the scrub pad mounting plate. The scrub pad, when mounted to the scrub pad mounting plate, is higher than the substrate when mounted on the substrate supporter. The scrub pad mounting plate and the substrate supporter can both be coupled to the chuck so that the chuck moves both the scrub pad mounting plate and the substrate supporter in one action.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of testing a circuit on a substrate. Generally speaking, a substrate is located in a transfer chuck, a surface of a test chuck is moved into contact with a substrate, the substrate is secured to the test chuck, the test chuck is moved relative to the transfer chuck so that the substrate moves off the transfer chuck, terminals on the substrate are moved into contact with contacts to electrically connect the circuit through the terminals and the contacts to an electric tester, signals are relayed through the terminal and the contacts between the electric tester and the circuit, the terminals are disengaged from the contacts, and the substrate is removed from the test chuck.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of testing a circuit on a substrate. Generally speaking, a substrate is located in a transfer chuck, a surface of a test chuck is moved into contact with a substrate, the substrate is secured to the test chuck, the test chuck is moved relative to the transfer chuck so that the substrate moves off the transfer chuck, terminals on the substrate are moved into contact with contacts to electrically connect the circuit through the terminals and the contacts to an electric tester, signals are relayed through the terminal and the contacts between the electric tester and the circuit, the terminals are disengaged from the contacts, and the substrate is removed from the test chuck.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of testing a circuit on a substrate. Generally speaking, a substrate is located in a transfer chuck, a surface of a test chuck is moved into contact with a substrate, the substrate is secured to the test chuck, the test chuck is moved relative to the transfer chuck so that the substrate moves off the transfer chuck, terminals on the substrate are moved into contact with contacts to electrically connect the circuit through the terminals and the contacts to an electric tester, signals are relayed through the terminal and the contacts between the electric tester and the circuit, the terminals are disengaged from the contacts, and the substrate is removed from the test chuck.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of testing a circuit on a substrate. Generally speaking, a substrate is located in a transfer chuck, a surface of a test chuck is moved into contact with a substrate, the substrate is secured to the test chuck, the test chuck is moved relative to the transfer chuck so that the substrate moves off the transfer chuck, terminals on the substrate are moved into contact with contacts to electrically connect the circuit through the terminals and the contacts to an electric tester, signals are relayed through the terminal and the contacts between the electric tester and the circuit, the terminals are disengaged from the contacts, and the substrate is removed from the test chuck.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of testing a circuit on a substrate. Generally speaking, a substrate is located in a transfer chuck, a surface of a test chuck is moved into contact with a substrate, the substrate is secured to the test chuck, the test chuck is moved relative to the transfer chuck so that the substrate moves off the transfer chuck, terminals on the substrate are moved into contact with contacts to electrically connect the circuit through the terminals and the contacts to an electric tester, signals are relayed through the terminal and the contacts between the electric tester and the circuit, the terminals are disengaged from the contracts, and the substrate is removed from the test chuck.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of testing a circuit on a substrate. Generally speaking, a substrate is located in a transfer chuck, a surface of a test chuck is moved into contact with a substrate, the substrate is secured to the test chuck, the test chuck is moved relative to the transfer chuck so that the substrate moves off the transfer chuck, terminals on the substrate are moved into contact with contacts to electrically connect the circuit through the terminals and the contacts to an electric tester, signals are relayed through the terminal and the contacts between the electric tester and the circuit, the terminals are disengaged from the contacts, and the substrate is removed from the test chuck.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of testing a circuit on a substrate. Generally speaking, a substrate is located in a transfer chuck, a surface of a test chuck is moved into contact with a substrate, the substrate is secured to the test chuck, the test chuck is moved relative to the transfer chuck so that the substrate moves off the transfer chuck, terminals on the substrate are moved into contact with contacts to electrically connect the circuit through the terminals and the contacts to an electric tester, signals are relayed through the terminal and the contacts between the electric tester and the circuit, the terminals are disengaged from the contacts, and the substrate is removed from the test chuck.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention apparatus is provided for electrical testing of a substrate having a plurality of terminals. The apparatus includes a frame, a probe card, a translation device, an alignment device, and a holder. The probe card includes a probe card backing member and a plurality of probes extending from the probe card backing member and is secured to the frame. The translation device is secured to the frame. The alignment device is located on the translation device. The holder is capable of holding a substrate and is secured to the alignment device. The alignment device is operable to cause alignment movement of the holder past the probe card so that selected ones of the terminals are brought into alignment with selected ones of the probes. The translation device is operable to cause translational movement, transverse to the alignment movement, of the alignment device with the holder towards the probe card.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining the rotational orientation of an object. An image of the object is digitally captured. The digital image is filtered through an edge detection operation to enhance the edge information contained in the image. The filtered image is rotated through a series of incremental angles to produce a series of rotated images. Each rotated image is projected onto an x-axis and y-axis defined by pixel grid axes defined by the original image. The projection of the rotated images produces projected pixel counts formed by the summation of pixel value differences of the x-axis and y-axis on the projected image. For each rotated image, a score corresponding to the sum of the difference of gray-scale values for adjacent projected pixels is computed. The scores for the projections of each rotated image are plotted on a score-angle graph. A curve which includes the highest score and the neighboring next highest scores is interpolated to determine the peak score.

Abstract: A testing system operable to accurately position a plurality of contact electrodes relative to a plurality of electrical contacts is disclosed. For one embodiment, the testing system comprises a first imaging system coupled to a wafer chuck. The wafer chuck is used to place the electrical contacts of a wafer in contact with the plurality of electrodes. To facilitate accurate positioning between the wafer electrical contacts and the contact electrodes, the first imaging system is configured to locate the plurality of contact electrodes. The testing system also comprises a second imaging system configured to locate the wafer electrical contacts. An image generator coupled to the first imaging system generate an alignment image on a focal point of the first imaging system. The testing system calibrates the first imaging system to the second imaging system using the alignment image.

Abstract: A testing system operable to accurately position a plurality of contact electrodes relative to a plurality of electrical contacts is disclosed. For one embodiment, the testing system comprises a first imaging system coupled to a wafer chuck. The wafer chuck is used to place the electrical contacts of a wafer in contact with the plurality of electrodes. To facilitate accurate positioning between the wafer electrical contacts and the contact electrodes, the first imaging system is configured to locate the plurality of contact electrodes. The testing system also comprises a second imaging system configured to locate the wafer electrical contacts. An image generator coupled to the first imaging system generate an alignment image on a focal point of the first imaging system. The testing system calibrates the first imaging system to the second imaging system using the alignment image.

Abstract: Plural light sources are provided for directing ring patterns of light toward at least one reflective bump formed on and projecting from a first wafer surface of a semiconductor wafer. The intensity of light from the light sources may be varied and may be varied independently of one another.

Abstract: Plural light sources are provided for directing ring patterns of light toward at least one reflective bump formed on and projecting from a first wafer surface of a semiconductor wafer. The intensity of light from the light sources may be varied and may be varied independently of one another. A method and apparatus for adjusting at least one pixel value is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining the rotational orientation of an object. An image of the object is digitally captured. The digital image is filtered through an edge detection operation to enhance the edge information contained in the image. The filtered image is rotated through a series of incremental angles to produce a series of rotated images. Each rotated image is projected onto an x-axis and y-axis defined by pixel grid axes defined by the original image. The projection of the rotated images produces projected pixel counts formed by the summation of pixel value differences of the x-axis and y-axis on the projected image. For each rotated image, a score corresponding to the sum of the difference of gray-scale values for adjacent projected pixels is computed. The scores for the projections of each rotated image are plotted on a score-angle graph. A curve which includes the highest score and the neighboring next highest scores is interpolated to determine the peak score.

Abstract: Plural light sources are provided for directing ring patterns of light toward at least one reflective bump formed on and projecting from a first wafer surface of a semiconductor wafer. The intensity of light from the light sources may be varied and may be varied independently of one another.