Probe station

Abstract

A probe station.

1 . A method of probing a device under test comprising: 
 (a) supporting said device under test on a first support;    (b) supporting an electrical probe on a second support;    (c) supporting an optical probe on a third support; and    (d) moving said electrical probe relative to said device under test in a first direction relative to the surface of said device under test to sense electrical characteristics of said device under test while said optical probe remains substantially aligned with the edge of said device under test to sense optical characteristics of said device under test.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first support is a chuck.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said chuck includes a substantially planar upper surface.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second support is a platen positioned above said device under test.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said platen defines an opening therein though which a portion of said electrical probe extends.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first support is located between said second support and said third support.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second support and said third support remain stationary with respect to each other while said first support moves relative to said device under test while said moving.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first direction is a z-axis direction.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said electrical probe may be moved independently of said optical probe.  
   
   
       10 . A probe station for testing a device under test comprising: 
 (a) a first platen supporting an electrical probe;    (b) a chuck supporting said device under test;    (c) a second platen supporting an optical probe;    (d) said first platen and said second platen positioned at different elevations from one another and different elevations from said chuck;    (e) said second platen movable relative to said chuck in a perpendicular direction, said first platen movable relative to said chuck in a perpendicular direction;    (e) at least 70% of the top surface of said second platen terminating in free space when said optical probe is not supported thereon.    
   
   
       11 . The probe station of  claim 10  wherein said first platen and said second platen are movable in a perpendicular direction relative to one another.  
   
   
       12 . The probe station of  claim 10  wherein at least 80% of the top surface of said second platen terminating in free space when said optical probe is not supported thereon.  
   
   
       13 . The probe station of  claim 10  wherein at least 90% of the top surface of said second platen terminating in free space when said optical probe is not supported thereon.  
   
   
       14 . The probe station of  claim 10  wherein at least 95% of the top surface of said second platen terminating in free space when said optical probe is not supported thereon.  
   
   
       15 . The probe station of  claim 10  wherein said second platen has a greater top surface area than said first platen.  
   
   
       16 . The probe station of  claim 10  wherein said second platen has a smaller top surface area than said first platen.  
   
   
       17 . The probe station of  claim 10  wherein said first platen is maintained in position with respect to said second platen by gravity such that if said probe station were turned upside down said first platen would freely fall away from said second platen.  
   
   
       18 . A probe station for testing a device under test comprising: 
 (a) a first platen supporting an electrical probe;    (b) a chuck supporting said device under test;    (c) said first platen is positioned at a different elevation than said device under test;    (d) a movement mechanism laterally displacing said first platen in a controlled manner such that at least 20% of the surface area of said first platen is laterally displaced to a spatial region not previously occupied by said first platen prior to said lateral displacement.    
   
   
       19 . The probe station of  claim 18  wherein said controlled manner is at least 30% of said surface area.  
   
   
       20 . The probe station of  claim 18  wherein said controlled manner is at least 40% of said surface area.  
   
   
       21 . The probe station of  claim 18  wherein said controlled manner is at least 50% of said surface area.  
   
   
       22 . A probe station for testing a device under test comprising: 
 (a) a first platen supporting an electrical probe;    (b) a chuck supporting said device under test;    (c) said first platen is positioned at a different elevation than said device under test;    (d) a movement mechanism angularly displacing said first platen in a controlled manner such that said first platen is tilted at an angle of at least 5 degrees with respect to the angle of said first platen when probing said device under test.    
   
   
       23 . The probe station of  claim 22  wherein said controlled manner is at least 10 degrees.  
   
   
       24 . The probe station of  claim 22  wherein said controlled manner is at least 45 degrees.  
   
   
       25 . The probe station of  claim 22  wherein said controlled manner is at least 75 degrees.