Abstract: A method of automatically carrying IC-chips, on a planar array of vacuum nozzles, to a variable target in a chip tester uses a set of laser distance sensors to align the vacuum nozzles with the target. Alignment occurs when certain combinations of distance and distance changes are sensed.

Abstract: An electromechanical system for testing IC-chips includes a chip holding subassembly which has sockets for holding a group of IC-modules that include the IC-chips; a moving mechanism for automatically moving the chip holding subassembly from a load position in the system to a test position in the system, and visa-versa; a temperature control mechanism which contacts the IC-modules on the chip holding subassembly only when that subassembly is at the test position; and a chip handler mechanism for automatically moving the IC-modules into and out of the sockets, when the chip holding subassembly is at the load position. At the test position, the temperature control mechanism contacts the IC-modules to control their temperature. At the load position, the chip handler mechanism automatically unloads one group of IC-modules from the sockets on the chip holding subassembly and automatically loads another group of the IC-modules into the sockets.

Abstract: An electromechanical system for testing IC-chips includes a total of N chip holding subassemblies, where N is an integer greater than one and where each chip holding subassembly has sockets for holding a group of IC-modules that include the IC-chips; a moving mechanism for automatically moving the i-th chip holding subassembly from a load position in the system to a test position in the system, and visa-versa, where i ranges from 1 to N and changes with time in a sequence; and a temperature control mechanism which contacts the IC-modules at the test position. Between the moving of the i-th chip holding subassembly and the next chip holding subassembly in the sequence, the IC-chips are burn-in tested on all N of the chip holding subassemblies. Also, while the i-th chip holding subassembly is being moved, burn-in testing of IC-chips on the remaining N-1 chip holding subassemblies continues.