This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2001-80157 filed on Dec. 17, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for heating and cooling a semiconductor device in a handler for testing the semiconductor device, and more particularly, to an apparatus for heating and cooling a semiconductor device in a handler for testing the semiconductor device, in which the semiconductor device is made to a desired temperature state of high temperature or low temperature within a single apparatus to thereby allow an operator to test the semiconductor device under a desired temperature.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, the handler is an apparatus for testing semiconductor devices. While semiconductor devices loaded into trays are automatically transferred between processes using an apparatus for transferring semiconductor devices, the semiconductor devices are installed in a test socket of a test site and then a desired test is performed. After the test, the semiconductor devices are classified into several grades according to the test results, and processes of a gain unloading them into the trays are repeatedly performed.
In these days, as the environments to which semiconductor devices are applied are manifold, it is requested that the semiconductor devices should perform their inherent functions stably at an environment of a specific temperature such as high temperature or low temperature as well as room temperature. To this end, it is requested that the horizontal handlers should create a user-desired specific environment to test the performance of the semiconductor devices at a predetermined temperature within itself.
In the conventional handler, multiple chambers are installed adjacent to each other, and heater, blower and liquefied nitrogen injection system are installed in these chambers. After creating an environment of high temperature or low temperature, the handler transfers test trays in which semiconductor devices are loaded from one chamber to another chamber to test the semiconductor devices under a desired temperature condition using various methods.
Then, the conventional temperature test method for semiconductor devices, in which the chambers enabling to create a specific test environment are installed in the handler, has an advantage in that mass of semiconductor devices can be tested, but it also has a disadvantage in that the construction of the chambers is complicated and the costs for the test are very high.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for heating and cooling a semiconductor device in a handler for testing the semiconductor device that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for heating and cooling a semiconductor device in a handler for testing the semiconductor device, in which the semiconductor device is precisely made to a desired temperature state of high temperature or low temperature by a simple structure.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an apparatus for heating and cooling a semiconductor device in a handler for testing the semiconductor device. The apparatus includes: a thermal conductive mounting plate having a plurality of seating recesses on which the semiconductor devices are mounted; a thermal conductive heating plate installed adjacent to a lower side of the mounting plate and having at least one heater installed therein, for transferring heat to the mounting plate; a thermal conductive cooling plate installed adjacent to a lower side of the heating plate on a main body of the handler and having a flow groove such that a cooling fluid fed from an external cooling fluid supply source flows and then is exhausted to an outside; a heating control means for controlling heat irradiated from the heater of the heating plate to control heating temperature of the mounting plate; and a cooling control means for controlling amount of the cooling fluid fed to the cooling plate to control cooling temperature of the mounting plate.
In an aspect of the invention, the heating control means comprises a heater controller for controlling calorific value of the heater of the heating plate, and a temperature sensor sensing temperature of the mounting place to transfer the sensed temperature to the heater controller.
Also, in an aspect of the invention, the cooling control means comprises: a solenoid valve connected to an inlet of the flow groove of the cooling plate, for controlling the supply of the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid supply source; a valve controller for controlling operation of the solenoid valve; and a temperature sensor for sensing temperature of the cooling plate to transfer the sensed temperature to the temperature sensor.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.