Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of test heads to which probe cards are electrically connected; a wafer tray which is able to hold a semiconductor wafer; and an alignment apparatus which positions the semiconductor wafer held on the wafer tray relatively with respect to the probe card so as to make the wafer tray face the probe card. The wafer tray has a pressure reducing mechanism which pulls the wafer tray toward the probe card. The alignment apparatus is configured to be able to move along the array direction of the test heads.

Abstract: A test apparatus comprising a plurality of test units that test a device under test; a plurality of housing sections that respectively house the test units therein; a plurality of opening/closing sections that are disposed respectively in the housing sections and that expose the test units to the outside or isolate the test units from the outside; and a control section that independently controls whether each of the opening/closing sections is allowed to be opened. The control section may allow test units that are not supplied with power to be exposed to the outside. For at least one of (i) a period during which one of the test units is performing a predetermined operation, (ii) a predetermined period before the period during which one of the test units is performing the predetermined operation, and (iii) a predetermined period after the period during which one of the test units is performing the predetermined operation, the control section may prohibit other test units from being exposed to the outside.

Abstract: A test apparatus comprising a position information acquiring section that acquires position information concerning first terminals on a surface of a device under test and position information concerning second terminals on a surface of a probe card used for testing the device under test; a control section that calculates a displacement amount between each first terminal and a corresponding second terminal, based on the position information concerning the first terminals and the position information concerning the second terminals, and determines relative positions of the device under test and the probe card such that a maximum value from among the calculated displacement amounts is less than a predetermined value; and an aligning section that adjusts the relative positions of the device under test and the probe card, based on a signal from the control section, and electrically connects the device under test to the probe card.

Abstract: In order to shorten testing time of a plurality of devices under test formed on a semiconductor wafer, a wafer tray used by a test apparatus performing the test is provided. The wafer tray includes a first flow passage for fixing the semiconductor wafer to the wafer tray using vacuum suction, a second flow passage for fixing the wafer tray to the test apparatus using vacuum suction, and a heater for heating a loading surface on which at least the semiconductor wafer is loaded. By using this wafer tray, the semiconductor wafer, which is the object being tested, can be smoothly attached to and detached from different test heads, and testing can be begun quickly after the semiconductor wafer is attached to a test head.

Abstract: A holding side contact arm (317) for holding an IC to be tested is positioned on the optical axis (OP) of an alignment CCD camera (326) of an alignment device (320), the IC to be tested is inserted to a first opening (321a) formed on an alignment movable portion (321), and a contact member (317d) of the holding side contact arm (317) is brought to contact the alignment movable portion (321). Then, an alignment amount for correcting a position of the IC to be tested is calculated by taking an image by the camera (326) and performing image processing. A lock-and-free means (318) provided to a first contact arm (315a1) is made to be in a non-restricted state, a movable portion driving device (322) is driven based on the alignment amount, and the holding side contact arm (317) contacting the alignment movable portion (321) is moved with respect to a root side contact arm (316), so that alignment of a position of the IC to be tested is performed.

Abstract: An image sensor test apparatus that emits light to a light receiving surface of an image sensor (DUT) and inputs and outputs electrical signals from a contact part to input and output terminals of the image sensor so as to test the image sensor (DUT) for optical characteristics, which captures an image of the image sensor (DUT) in the state held by a contact arm (315) by a first camera (326), recognizes a relative position of the image sensor (DUT) with respect to the contact part by image processing, adds a precalculated amount of deviation of an optical axis of the image sensor (DUT) with respect to an optical axis of a light source to that relative position to calculate an amount of alignment of the image sensor (DUT), drives a drive unit (322) based on this, and moves a holding side arm (317) abutting against a movable stage (321) with a lock-and L-free mechanism (318) in a free state.

Abstract: A holding side contact arm (317) for holding an IC to be tested is positioned on the optical axis (OP) of an alignment CCD camera (326) of an alignment device (320), the IC to be tested is inserted to a first opening (321a) formed on an alignment movable portion (321), and a contact member (317d) of the holding side contact arm (317) is brought to contact the alignment movable portion (321). Then, an alignment amount for correcting a position of the IC to be tested is calculated by taking an image by the camera (326) and performing image processing. A lock-and-free means (318) provided to a first contact arm (315a1) is made to be in a non-restricted state, a movable portion driving device (322) is driven based on the alignment amount, and the holding side contact arm (317) contacting the alignment movable portion (321) is moved with respect to a root side contact arm (316), so that alignment of a position of the IC to be tested is performed.

Abstract: A contact arm for bringing ICs to be tested to contact a contact portion, includes a holding head for holding said electronic devices, a floating mechanism provided between a drive mechanism for moving close to or away from said contact portion and said holding head for supporting said holding head movable about said drive mechanism, a diaphragm cylinder provided between said drive mechanism and said holding head for adjusting a relative pressing pressure from said drive mechanism to said holding head. A plurality of diaphragm cylinders are provided to one holding head.

Abstract: An IC chip testing apparatus provided with an IC socket 206 to which an IC chip is brought into electrical contact, a printed circuit board 205 with one terminal which is electrically connected to a terminal of a test head and with another terminal which is electrically connected to a terminal of the IC socket 206, and a heating element 208 provided at the printed circuit board 205.

Abstract: A contact arm for bringing ICs to be tested to contact a contact portion, comprises a holding head for holding said electronic devices, a floating mechanism provided between a drive mechanism for moving close to or away from said contact portion and said holding head for supporting said holding head movable about said drive mechanism, a diaphragm cylinder provided between said drive mechanism and said holding head for adjusting a relative pressing pressure from said drive mechanism to said holding head. A plurality of diaphragm cylinders are provided to one holding head.

Abstract: A contact arm for bringing ICs to be tested to contact a contact portion, comprises a holding head for holding said electronic devices, a floating mechanism provided between a drive mechanism for moving close to or away from said contact portion and said holding head for supporting said holding head movable about said drive mechanism, a diaphragm cylinder provided between said drive mechanism and said holding head for adjusting a relative pressing pressure from said drive mechanism to said holding head. A plurality of diaphragm cylinders are provided to one holding head.

Abstract: An electric device testing apparatus comprises a connection terminal to which an IC chip to be tested is removably connected, a pusher for pushing the IC chip in the direction of the connection terminal in order to connect the IC chip to the connection terminal, and temperature adjusted air supply for blowing a temperature adjusted air to around the IC chip during a test on the IC chip via a through hole formed on the pushed.

Abstract: An IC chip testing apparatus provided with an IC socket 206 to which an IC chip is brought into electrical contact, a printed circuit board 205 with one terminal which is electrically connected to a terminal of a test head and with another terminal which is electrically connected to a terminal of the IC socket 206, and a heating element 208 provided at the printed circuit board 205.

Abstract: A contact arm for bringing ICs to be tested to contact a contact portion, comprises a holding head for holding said electronic devices, a floating mechanism provided between a drive mechanism for moving close to or away from said contact portion and said holding head for supporting said holding head movable about said drive mechanism, a diaphragm cylinder provided between said drive mechanism and said holding head for adjusting a relative pressing pressure from said drive mechanism to said holding head. A plurality of diaphragm cylinders are provided to one holding head.

Abstract: An IC chip testing apparatus provided with an IC socket to which an IC chip is brought into electrical contact, a printed circuit board with one terminal which is electrically connected to a terminal of a test head and with another terminal which is electrically connected to a terminal of the IC socket, and a heating element provided at the printed circuit board. The IC chip testing apparatus may be provided with a socket to which an IC chip to be tested is detachably mounted; a socket guide; a chamber opening to which the socket guide is attached so that an IC chip mounting opening of the socket faces inside a chamber which is maintained at a predetermined state less than ordinary temperature; a printed circuit board; and a heating board which is provided around the chamber opening.

Abstract: An IC testing apparatus which overcomes the shortcoming of the prior art by permitting a recognition of the attitude of an IC being measured in a proper manner to each variety of IC's in a simple and facilitated manner is disclosed. IC testing apparatus includes a handler on which an IC socket and a socket guide, which is centrally formed with a square opening into which the IC socket is fitted, are mounted. A projected light guide having a light radiating end on which a light reflecting surface is formed is embedded in the socket guide. A received light guide having a light incident end on which a light reflecting surface is formed is also embedded in the socket guide in parallel relationship with the projected light guide. A light projector element is disposed in opposing relationship with the projected light guide, and a light receptor element is disposed in opposing relationship with the received light guide.

Abstract: An IC handler affords ICs to be tested for a sufficiently long period of time for them to take up either heat or cold. A turntable is formed with N circular rows of positioning recesses lying on concentric circles. ICs to be tested are successively fed into the positioning recesses of either the outermost or innermost row. When each of the ICs makes a revolution with the rotation of the turntable, the IC is crossed over into one of the positioning recesses of another one of the rows. After the IC has made at least one revolution, it further travels through a predetermined angle from the cross-over position to a position of delivery to a testing section, and is then delivered to the testing section.

Abstract: A low cost IC transporting apparatus locates a semiconductor device at an accurate position, picks up the semi-conductor device by suction, and transports the semiconductor device. A play is provided in a positioning recessed portion having upwardly inclined surfaces so that a semiconductor device fallen into the positioning recessed portion can move in a horizontal direction. A guide surrounds a device suction unit picking up by suction the semiconductor device fallen into the positioning recessed portion. The guide guides the device suction unit to pick up by suction the semiconductor device at a predetermined suction position. Downwardly projected ridged portions are provided on the lower end of the guide, each of which includes a shape conforming to a corresponding one of the upwardly inclined surfaces of the positioning recessed portion. The guide also includes flat portions provided at the base portion of the ridged portions thereof.

Abstract: A semiconductor device transporting and handling apparatus is provided which provides for positively grasping and transporting an IC out of a tray loaded with ICs, even if the tray is tilted due to deformations an/or distortions, by the use of a carrier head which is vertically movable through constant strokes. The tilt of the tray is measured by attitude gauging means comprising four sets of optical sensors, the altitude differences of the top surfaces of ICs accommodated in the tray with respect to a reference level are calculated by altitude difference calculating means, and the calculated altitude differences are stored in altitude difference storage means. Once an IC being picked up has been identified, the altitude difference of the identified IC with respect to the reference level is read out, and the position of the tray is moved vertically to conform with the reference level by altitude difference correcting means to insure that the carrier head can pick up the IC.