Abstract: A surface disinfection system comprising a plurality of independently placeable and controllable portable ultraviolet light emitting assemblies (ULAs), and a control station for remotely controlling the plurality of light assemblies. A cart housing the control station includes a dock for storing and transporting the assemblies. Each assembly includes a tubular UV-C lamp mounted on a portable base unit that includes electronic components for generating power to the lamp, detecting motion within the room being sterilized, detecting fluence levels and for audible alarm, and for wireless communication with the control station which is located outside the room during operation of the system. Using a plurality of ULAs permits strategic placement of the radiation sources to minimize shadows and thereby provides a thorough degree of disinfection. Independent control of the ULAs permits shutting down any unit to minimize the exposure to which UV-degradable materials are subject by repeated disinfections over time.

Abstract: A probe card for a wafer test system is provided with a number of on board features enabling fan out of a test system controller channel to test multiple DUTs on a wafer, while limiting undesirable effects of fan out on test results. On board features of the probe card include one or more of the following: (a) DUT signal isolation provided by placing resistors in series with each DUT input to isolate failed DUTs; (b) DUT power isolation provided by switches, current limiters, or regulators in series with each DUT power pin to isolate the power supply from failed DUTs; (c) self test provided using an on board micro-controller or FPGA; (d) stacked daughter cards provided as part of the probe card to accommodate the additional on board test circuitry; and (e) use of a interface bus between a base PCB and daughter cards of the probe card, or the test system controller to minimize the number of interface wires between the base PCB and daughter cards or between the base PCB and the test system controller.

Abstract: A probe card of a wafer test system includes one or more programmable ICs, such as FPGAs, to provide routing from individual test signal channels to one of multiple probes. The programmable ICs can be placed on a base PCB of the probe card, or on a daughtercard attached to the probe card. With programmability, the PCB can be used to switch limited test system channels away from unused probes. Programmability further enables a single probe card to more effectively test devices having the same pad array, but having different pin-outs for different device options. Reprogrammability also allows test engineers to re-program as they are debugging a test program.

Abstract: A method is provided for design and programming of a probe card with an on-board programmable controller in a wafer test system. Consideration of introduction of the programmable controller is included in a CAD wafer layout and probe card design process. The CAD design is further loaded into the programmable controller, such as an FPGA to program it: (1) to control direction of signals to particular ICs, even during the test process (2) to generate test vector signals to provide to the ICs, and (3) to receive test signals and process test results from the received signals. In some embodiments, burn-in only testing is provided to limit test system circuitry needed so that with a programmable controller on the probe card, text equipment external to the probe card can be eliminated or significantly reduced from conventional test equipment.

Abstract: A diagnostic interface on a wafer probe card is provided to enable monitoring of test signals provided between the test system controller and one or more DUTs on a wafer during wafer testing. To prevent distortion of test signals on the channel lines, in one embodiment buffers are provided on the probe card as part of the diagnostic interface connecting to the channels. In another embodiment, an interface adapter pod is provided that connects to the diagnostic interface on the probe card to process the test results and provide the results to a user interface such as a personal computer.

Abstract: A probe card of a wafer test system includes one or more programmable ICs, such as FPGAs, to provide routing from individual test signal channels to one of multiple probes. The programmable ICs can be placed on a base PCB of the probe card, or on a daughtercard attached to the probe card. With programmability, the PCB can be used to switch limited test system channels away from unused probes. Programmability further enables a single probe card to more effectively test devices having the same pad array, but having different pin-outs for different device options. Reprogrammability also allows test engineers to re-program as they are debugging a test program.

Abstract: A probe head for testing devices formed on a semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of probe DUT (device under test) arrays. Each device under test includes pads that are urged into pressure contact with probes in a corresponding probe DUT array. The probe arrays patterns have discontinuities such as indentations, protuberances, islands and openings that are opposite at least one device when the probes contact the pads.

Abstract: A probe card for a wafer test system is provided with a number of on board features enabling fan out of a test system controller channel to test multiple DUTs on a wafer, while limiting undesirable effects of fan out on test results. On board features of the probe card include one or more of the following: (a) DUT signal isolation provided by placing resistors in series with each DUT input to isolate failed DUTs; (b) DUT power isolation provided by switches, current limiters, or regulators in series with each DUT power pin to isolate the power supply from failed DUTs; (c) self test provided using an on board micro-controller or FPGA; (d) stacked daughter cards provided as part of the probe card to accommodate the additional on board test circuitry; and (e) use of a interface bus between a base PCB and daughter cards of the probe card, or the test system controller to minimize the number of interface wires between the base PCB and daughter cards or between the base PCB and the test system controller.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) is provided, the PCB having blind vias connecting to power layers. A portion of the blind vias in the power layers are grouped together to form a cluster of blind vias. Signal layers, provided separate from the power layers, include signal routing channels, with at least some of the signal routing channels aligned above or below the cluster of blind vias of the power layers.

Abstract: A multilayer printed circuit board having clustered blind vias in power layers to facilitate the routing of signal traces in signal layers. A portion of the blind vias in the power layers are grouped together to form a cluster of blind vias. Corresponding signal routing channels are provided in the signal layers and aligned with the cluster of blind vias in the power layers to permit routing of signal traces or signal circuitry therethrough. A method of manufacturing the multilayered printed circuit board includes assembling a first subassembly of power layers, forming a group of clustered power vias through the first subassembly, assembling a second subassembly of signal layers, combining the first subassembly with the second subassembly such that the clustered vias in the first subassembly align with signal routing channels in the second subassembly, forming signal vias that extend through the first and second subassemblies, and seeding or plating the power and signal vias.

Abstract: A multilayer printed circuit board is provided having clustered blind vias in power layers to facilitate the routing of signal traces in signal layers. A portion of the blind vias in the power layers are grouped together to form a cluster of blind vias. Corresponding signal routing channels are provided in the signal layers and aligned with the cluster of blind vias in the power layers to permit routing of signal traces or signal circuitry therethrough. A method of manufacturing the multilayered printed circuit board includes assembling a first subassembly of power layers, forming a group of clustered power vias through the first subassembly, assembling a second subassembly of signal layers, combining the first subassembly with the second subassembly such that the clustered vias in the first subassembly align with signal routing, channels in the second subassembly, forming signal vias that extend through the first and second subassemblies, and seeding or plating the power and signal vias.