Patents by Inventor Mark R. LaForce

Mark R. LaForce has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6504392
    Abstract: A socket for testing or burning-in electronic components has a cover including a heat sink and a sensor. The heat sink and sensor are spring loaded so they make direct, temporary contact to an electronic component in the socket during burn-in. A heat transferring device is coupled to each heat sink. The heat transferring device uses input from the sensor to provide heat or cooling to each heat sink to individually control the temperature of each component. The heat transferring device can be an electric heater or a cooling device, such as a fan. Both can also be used. A plurality of these sockets are used in a forced air convective oven for burning-in a plurality of electronic components at one time. The oven provides oven heating and cooling for all components while the socket heater and sensor provide individual temperature control for each component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Fredeman, David L. Gardell, Marc D. Knox, Mark R. LaForce
  • Publication number: 20020075024
    Abstract: A socket for testing or burning-in electronic components has a cover including a heat sink and a sensor. The heat sink and sensor are spring loaded so they make direct, temporary contact to an electronic component in the socket during bum-in. A heat transferring device is coupled to each heat sink. The heat transferring device uses input from the sensor to provide heat or cooling to each heat sink to individually control the temperature of each component. The heat transferring device can be an electric heater or a cooling device, such as a fan. Both can also be used. A plurality of these sockets are used in a forced air convective oven for burning-in a plurality of electronic components at one time. The oven provides oven heating and cooling for all components while the socket heater and sensor provide individual temperature control for each component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: JOHN A. FREDEMAN, DAVID L. GARDELL, MARC D. KNOX, MARK R. LAFORCE
  • Publication number: 20010050567
    Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously testing or burning in a large number of the integrated circuit chips on a product wafer includes probes mounted on a first board and tester chips mounted on a second board, there being electrical connectors connecting the two boards. The tester chips are for distributing power to the product chips or for testing the product chips. The probes and thin film wiring to which they are attached are personalized for the pad footprint of the particular wafer being probed. The base of the first board and the second board both remain the same for all wafers in a product family. The use of two boards provides that the tester chip is kept at a substantially lower temperature than the product chips during burn-in to extend the lifetime of tester chips. A gap can be used as thermal insulation between the boards, and the gap sealed and evacuated for further thermal insulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Bachelder, Dennis R. Barringer, Dennis R. Conti, James M. Crafts, David L. Gardell, Paul M. Gaschke, Mark R. Laforce, Charles H. Perry, Roger R. Schmidt, Joseph J. Van Horn, Wade H. White
  • Patent number: 6275051
    Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously testing or burning in a large number of the integrated circuit chips on a product wafer includes probes mounted on a first board and tester chips mounted on a second board, there being electrical connectors connecting the two boards. The tester chips are for distributing power to the product chips or for testing the product chips. The probes and thin film wiring to which they are attached are personalized for the pad footprint of the particular wafer being probed. The base of the first board and the second board both remain the same for all wafers in a product family. The use of two boards provides that the tester chip is kept at a substantially lower temperature than the product chips during burning to extend the lifetime of tester chips. A gap can be used as thermal insulation between the boards, and the gap sealed and evacuated for further thermal insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Bachelder, Dennis R. Barringer, Dennis R. Conti, James M. Crafts, David L. Gardell, Paul M. Gaschke, Mark R. Laforce, Charles H. Perry, Roger R. Schmidt, Joseph J. Van Horn, Wade H. White
  • Patent number: 6262582
    Abstract: A fixture to hold an electronic substrate having probe areas on a top surface. The top surface of the electronic substrate is left open to provide a maximum area to couple interconnect wires for a device under test. In addition, a bottom surface of the substrate is left open to provide a maximum area to couple with a probe card in one embodiment, or a test head in another embodiment. This open bottom and open top minimize the mechanical interference with electrical connections. The substrate is planarized to a frame by one or more clamps that are attached to the frame. The clamps provide adjustment of the pressure down on the substrate in a Z-axis direction which is normal to the top surface of the substrate for providing a good connection with a planar card. In addition, the clamps provide adjustment in the an X-Y plane parallel to the frame and rotational correction about the Z-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis R. Barringer, Mark R. LaForce, Mark A. Marnell, Donald W. Porter, Roger R. Schmidt, Wade H. White
  • Patent number: 5001423
    Abstract: A wafer chuck temperature control system is disclosed for use in a semiconductor wafer testing apparatus. The wafer chuck is divided into a plurality of temperature sensor and cooling element domains corresponding to chip location regions of an overlying undiced wafer being tested. Computer scanning of the sensors determines which domain is the one harboring the heat source (chip under test) and selects the same for connection to a closed loop temperature control feedback servo. Provision also is made for introducing a helium gas interface between the wafer and the chuck by placing annular grooves in the face of the chuck through which the helium flows when the wafer is vacuum-seated against the chuck. A predetermined helium gas flow rate is maintained to preserve vacuum holddown and to optimize the thermal resistance of the wafer-chuck interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony J. Abrami, Stuart H. Bullard, Santiago E. del Puerto, Paul M. Gaschke, Mark R. LaForce, Paul J. Roggemann, Kort F. Longenbach