Abstract: A testing device (100) is for electrically testing integrated circuits on a wafer (102). The testing device (100) includes a vacuum chamber (109), a chuck (101) for holding the wafer (102), a probe card (103) for electrically contacting the integrated circuits, and a radiation shield (107) arranged inside the vacuum chamber (109) and enclosing the chuck (101) and the probe card (103). In the testing device (100), the vacuum chamber (109) is provided with a gate valve (123), the radiation shield (107) is provided with a hatch (122), and the testing device (100) includes a wafer loading assembly (125) for loading the wafer (102) onto the chuck (101) through the gate valve (123) and the hatch (122).

Abstract: The present invention provides a testing device for electrically testing integrated circuits on a wafer. The testing device comprises a vacuum chamber, a chuck for holding the wafer, a probe card for electrically contacting the integrated circuits, means for moving the chuck relative to the probe card, a first radiation shield arranged inside the vacuum chamber and enclosing the chuck and the probe card, and a cooling unit thermally connected to the first radiation shield. The means for moving the chuck relative to the probe card comprises a supporting column having a first end and a second end, the first end of the supporting column being attached to the chuck, and the first radiation shield comprises a first fixed part having a first aperture through which the supporting column is arranged to pass, and a first movable part that is attached to the supporting column and arranged to cover the first aperture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a testing device for electrically testing integrated circuits on a wafer. The testing device comprises a vacuum chamber, a chuck for holding the wafer, a probe card for electrically contacting the integrated circuits, and a radiation shield arranged inside the vacuum chamber and enclosing the chuck and the probe card. In the testing device, the vacuum chamber is provided with a gate valve, the radiation shield is provided with a hatch, and the testing device comprises a wafer loading assembly for loading the wafer onto the chuck through the gate valve and the hatch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a testing device for electrically testing integrated circuits on a wafer. The testing device comprises a vacuum chamber, a chuck for holding the wafer, a probe card for electrically contacting the integrated circuits, means for moving the chuck relative to the probe card, a first radiation shield arranged inside the vacuum chamber and enclosing the chuck and the probe card, and a cooling unit thermally connected to the first radiation shield. The means for moving the chuck relative to the probe card comprises a supporting column having a first end and a second end, the first end of the supporting column being attached to the chuck, and the first radiation shield comprises a first fixed part having a first aperture through which the supporting column is arranged to pass, and a first movable part that is attached to the supporting column and arranged to cover the first aperture.

Abstract: An instrument for processing sample carrier cards is described. Each sample carrier card contains impregnated sample material, e.g. blood. The instrument includes actuators capable of doing actions related to the sample carrier cards when the sample carrier cards are located on operating areas of the actuators. The actions may include e.g. optical imaging, cutting off sample pieces from a sample carrier card, and reading machine-readable information from a sample carrier card. The instrument includes a rotatably supported carousel element for carrying the sample carrier cards so that separate ones of the sample carrier cards are on separate ones of the operating areas and the sample carrier cards are movable between the operating areas by rotating the carousel element. Thus, the actions can be carried out in parallel and therefore the sample carrier cards can be processed in a pipelined manner enabling a higher processing rate.

Abstract: A switch device for producing one or more electrical signals in response to mechanical force includes a body-part (101) and one or more electric transducers (102-105) connected to the body-part and arranged to produce the one or more electrical signals in response to mechanical force directed to the body-part. The body-part includes a cavity (106), and a wall constituting the bottom of the cavity is capable of being bent by mechanical force directed to the wall from the opposite side with respect to the cavity. The one or more electric transducers are located in the cavity and arranged to produce the one or more electrical signals when the bottom of the cavity is bent. The switch device can be built, for example, into a working plane of an electrical instrument so that a plate constituting the working plane constitutes also the body-part of the switch device.

Abstract: A switch device for producing one or more electrical signals in response to mechanical force includes a body-part (101) and one or more electric transducers (102-105) connected to the body-part and arranged to produce the one or more electrical signals in response to mechanical force directed to the body-part. The body-part includes a cavity (106), and a wall constituting the bottom of the cavity is capable of being bent by mechanical force directed to the wall from the opposite side with respect to the cavity. The one or more electric transducers are located in the cavity and arranged to produce the one or more electrical signals when the bottom of the cavity is bent. The switch device can be built, for example, into a working plane of an electrical instrument so that a plate constituting the working plane constitutes also the body-part of the switch device.

Abstract: Instrumentation and a method for efficient and reliable assaying and measuring samples. The teachings include an automated self-contained instrument, wherein the samples are located on wells of sample plates, and the instrument includes a plurality of units for processing or storing sample plates. The instrument may includes at least one dispensing unit for dispensing reagents or other assay components to the sample wells, at least two units for simultaneously processing or storing a plurality of sample plates, at least one unit for removing substance from the sample wells, and one or several measurement units for optically measuring samples in at least two measurement modes. Further, the instrument includes a manipulator for moving the sample plates in three orthogonal directions or combinations thereof and for rotating the sample plates in relation to a vertical axis for transferring the sample plates to the units.

Abstract: One object of the invention is to provide instrumentation and a method for efficient and reliable assaying and measuring samples. The teachings include an automated self-contained instrument for assaying and measuring samples, wherein the samples are located on wells of sample plates, and the instrument comprises a plurality of units for processing or storing sample plates. The instrument according to the teaching may comprise at least one dispensing unit for dispensing reagents or other assay components to the sample wells, at least two units for simultaneously processing or storing a plurality of sample plates, at least one unit for removing substance from the sample wells, and one or several measurement units, the measurement unit(s) providing a capability for the instrument to optically measure samples in at least two measurement modes.