A method for controlling a device temperature measures a parameter related to device power consumption and utilizes the parameter to control the device temperature. This can be achieved with a system including a heat exchanger, a power monitor, and a circuit which controls the temperature setting of the heat exchanger. The circuit uses as inputs the power level, heat exchanger temperature, and set point. The system thus eliminates the need for temperature sensing devices in or connected to a chip, responds to the temperature of the device and not the package, can be used for high volume chip manufacturing, does not require significant surface area of a device for temperature sensing, and eliminates the need for chip power profiles. Significantly, the system allows a set point to be maintained with minimal overshoot or undershoot.

Temperature control of electronic devices using power following feedback

An active temperature control system for a DUT utilizes a heat sink containing HFE7100 liquid and an electric heater. The liquid is cooled below the set point and the heater is used to bring the DUT up to the set point. Set points in the range of −10 degrees C. to +110 degrees C. can be achieved. The heat sink utilizes only a single coolant for all of the set points, allowing set points to be changed within a few minutes. At a given set point, the heater provides a quick response to offset the effect of self-heating and keep the set point deviation to within a few degrees C. Power following techniques can be utilized to achieve the quick response.

Apparatus, method and system of liquid-based, wide range, fast response temperature control of electric devices

A method for controlling the temperature of a DUT during a testing operation, includes a) measuring a parameter related to power consumption by the DUT during testing, such as current consumption; and b) using the parameter related to power consumption to operate a temperature control device to compensate for temperature change due to changes in power consumption by the DUT during testing The control can be closed loop or open loop with control signals incorporated into a test program Apparatus for controlling the temperature of a DUT during testing, includes a) a device for measuring a parameter related to power consumption by the DUT during testing; b) a temperature control device which operates to control the temperature of the DUT during test; and c) a device for controlling operation of the temperature control device according to the measured parameter related to power consumption

Method and apparatus for temperature control of a device during testing

A method and apparatus for measuring the temperature on an electronic chip. The Apparatus includes a thermal sense element on the chip, a power supply passing electrical current through said thermal sense element at a known voltage and temperature, and a measuring circuit determining the initial resistance of the thermal sense element at said known voltage and temperature. The measuring circuit measures the change of the resistance of the thermal sense element as the temperature of the electronic chip changes, and compares the change in resistance of the thermal sense element to the initial resistance. The measuring circuit determines the temperature of the electronic chip from the initial resistance and change in resistance of the thermal sense element during the operation of the electronic chip.

Device for sensing temperature of an electronic chip

The power of a device under test (DUT) is monitored without reliance on dedicated current and voltage monitoring signals available from a semiconductor test unit. One or more magneto-resistive current sensors are provided external to, and in between the DUT and a power source. The current sensor(s) provide a detection signal proportional to the current drawn by the device from the power source. A monitoring circuit multiplies the detected current by the core voltage supply to the DUT to obtain a signal representative of the power of the device. The power signal is provided to a control circuit that operates a heat exchanger, such as on active conductive heat exchanger, to adjust the temperature of the device based on the signal representative of the power of the device. In this way the temperature of the DUT can be maintained at or near a constant set point.

Active power monitoring using externally located current sensors

A method and apparatus for determining the junction-to-case thermal resistance, θ jc , of a solid-state hybrid circuit element 38. First, the temperature coefficient, T c , of the voltage across the junction is determined with a small calibration current flowing through the junction. Digital multimeters 12 and 28 are used to measure the junction voltage and current, respectively. Next, more power is applied and the total power, P T , dissipated by the hybrid circuit element 38 is determined from values of the applied voltage and current measured with digital multimeters 12 and 14. The case of the hybrid element is kept at a constant temperature by a heat sink arrangement and the junction is allowed to reach thermal equilibrium at the higher power level. Finally, the increase in power to the hybrid element is removed and the change in junction voltage drop, ΔV BE , between low-power operation and high-power operation is determined using a storage oscilloscope 30. The junction-to-case thermal resistance, θ jc , is given by the quotient of ΔV BE and the product of P T and T c .

Henry Takamine

Papers

Method and apparatus for determination of junction-to-case thermal resistance for a hybrid circuit element