Abstract: Probe systems and methods including active environmental control are disclosed herein. The methods include placing a substrate, which includes a device under test (DUT), on a support surface of a chuck. The support surface extends within a measurement environment that is at least partially surrounded by a measurement chamber. The methods further include determining a variable associated with a moisture content of the measurement environment and receiving a temperature associated with the measurement environment. The methods also include supplying a purge gas stream to the measurement chamber at a purge gas flow rate and selectively varying the purge gas flow rate such that a dew point temperature of the measurement environment is within a target dew point temperature range. The methods further include providing a test signal to the DUT and receiving a resultant signal from the DUT. The systems include probe systems that perform the methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to a prober for checking and testing electronic semiconductor components and methods of using the same. The prober comprises at least two checking units, each of which is equipped with a chuck, probes, and a positioning unit, and each of which is assigned to a machine control system and a process control system. The prober further comprises a loading unit for automatically loading both testing units and an additional loader for manually loading at least one of the testing units, a user interface, and a module control system for controlling the process control systems and/or the machine control systems and the loading unit. The user interface can optionally be connected to at least one of the process control systems or the module control system by means of a switching device of the prober.

Abstract: The invention relates to a prober for checking and testing electronic semiconductor components and methods of using the same. The prober comprises at least two checking units, each of which is equipped with a chuck, probes, and a positioning unit, and each of which is assigned to a machine control system and a process control system. The prober further comprises a loading unit for automatically loading both testing units and an additional loader for manually loading at least one of the testing units, a user interface, and a module control system for controlling the process control systems and/or the machine control systems and the loading unit. The user interface can optionally be connected to at least one of the process control systems or the module control system by means of a switching device of the prober.

Abstract: A focused multi-planar image acquisition in real time even while a test object is moving, is achieved with a system and a method for a focused multi-planar image acquisition in a prober. When a surface of a test object is positioned laterally in relation to tips of separated probe needles, a microscope is focused on the surface of the test object at a first time and on a plane of the probe needles at a second time. The objective lens is provided with a microscope objective lens focusing system, which can focus the objective lens, independently of a vertical adjustment drive of the microscope, on the surface of the test object in a first focal plane and in a second focal plane, which is on a level with the probe needle tips.

Abstract: A focused multi-planar image acquisition in real time even while a test object is moving, is achieved with a system and a method for a focused multi-planar image acquisition in a prober. When a surface of a test object is positioned laterally in relation to tips of separated probe needles, a microscope is focused on the surface of the test object at a first time and on a plane of the probe needles at a second time. The objective lens is provided with a microscope objective lens focusing system, which can focus the objective lens, independently of a vertical adjustment drive of the microscope, on the surface of the test object in a first focal plane and in a second focal plane, which is on a level with the probe needle tips.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for measurement of wafers and other semiconductor components in a probe station, which serves for examination and testing of electronic components. The device under test is held by a chuck and at least one electric probe by a probe support and the device under test and the probe are selectively positioned relative to each other by a positioning device with electric drives and the device under test is contacted. The drive of the positioning device remains in a state of readiness until establishment of contact and is switched off after establishment of contact and before measurement of the device under test.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for measurement of wafers and other semiconductor components in a probe station, which serves for examination and testing of electronic components. The device under test is held by a chuck and at least one electric probe by a probe support and the device under test and the probe are selectively positioned relative to each other by a positioning device with electric drives and the device under test is contacted. The drive of the positioning device remains in a state of readiness until establishment of contact and is switched off after establishment of contact and before measurement of the device under test.

Abstract: In a device and a method for positioning an object, a drive of a movement device is controlled. To this end, a visual joystick is actuated, as a result of which a moveable actuator is moved, at least linearly by means of a display of a control unit of the movement device, into a position, in which a direction of movement, which can be implemented with the drive, is displayed symbolically. The drive for the movement of the object in the displayed direction of movement is initiated by means of a switching function of the actuator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method for capturing images in a prober. According to the invention, the surface of a test object is illuminated in succession with light of a first, second and third color; and an image capturing device records a gray scale image of the surface; and a composite image is produced from the three gray scale images by means of an image evaluating device. The object of the invention is to qualitatively improve the image capturing, in order to raise the positioning accuracy by means of an improved display, as a result of which, finely structured test objects can be used. This object of the invention is achieved in that the lighting device is designed as a unit, which can be controlled by the image evaluating unit and which produces at least three colors and which exhibits at least one light emitting diode (LED) as the lighting means.

Abstract: A process is provided for inspection of a variety of structures on the basis of a golden template, that was attained by recording and statistical analysis of greyscale pictures and is compared to the greyscale picture of the structure to be evaluated based on position. The underlying task is to report any such inspection process, with which a positioning of the test structure relative to the golden template and a structure detection with sub-pixel accuracy is carried out. In positioning of each further structure to be recorded, which follows a first recorded structure, the further structure is fundamentally positioned in accordance with the first positioned structure, applicable characteristic values of the greyscale picture recorded in this position are determined and hence a degree of similarity is determined.