Integrated circuit temperature sensing device and method

Abstract

An integrated circuit (IC) temperature sensing device includes a temperature sensor positioned within a conductive temperature sensor housing and a thermal insulator surrounding the conductive temperature sensor housing. The sensor housing and thermal insulator are positioned within an IC temperature control block that heats or cools the IC. The temperature sensor housing comes into thermal contact with an IC undergoing burning-in, testing or programming. The temperature sensor housing provides a short thermal path between the IC under test and the temperature sensor. The thermal insulator thermally isolates the temperature sensor from the temperature control block so that the temperature sensor predominantly measures the temperature of the IC. The method of sensing the temperature of an IC includes actively changing the temperature of an IC with a heater or cooler, sensing the temperature of the IC with a temperature sensor positioned within a conductive sensor housing in thermal contact with the IC and thermally insulating the sensor housing and temperature sensor from the heater or cooler.

1 . In an integrated circuit testing socket which includes a means for heating or cooling the integrated circuit, an integrated circuit temperature sensing device comprising: 
 a thermistor;    a sensor housing positioned to thermally contact the integrated circuit, wherein the thermistor is positioned within the housing and the housing is thermally conductive; and    a thermal insulator surrounding the sensor housing so that the thermistor is thermally isolated from the means for heating or cooling the integrated circuit.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor housing is shaped to receive the thermistor in a cylindrical cavity, wherein the cavity has a single opening at a first end of the housing and the cavity extends toward a second end of the housing.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the cylindrical cavity includes a conically shaped termination near the second end of the housing to further receive the thermistor into the cavity near the second end of the housing so that a short thermal path exists from the exterior of the second end of the housing to the thermistor.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 2 , in which the second end of the sensor housing is exposed from the thermal insulator to form a thermally conductive path from an integrated circuit to the thermistor.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor housing is formed of a highly conductive metal.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor housing is formed of metal comprising aluminum or copper.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal insulator is formed of a polythermide material.  
   
   
       8 . An integrated circuit temperature sensing and control arrangement for use in testing integrated circuits, comprising: 
 a temperature sensor having a generally cylindrically tip located in a blind cylindrical bore of a generally cylindrically-shaped housing, the housing being formed of a conductive material;    an annular sleeve of thermally insulating material surrounding the housing; and    a temperature control block arranged to actively conduct heat to or from an integrated circuit when thermally contacting the integrated circuit,    the control block having a cylindrical through-bore sized and shaped to receive the insulating material, housing and temperature sensor as a unit so that the housing is thermally insulated from the temperature control block and the housing thermally contacts the integrated circuit.    
   
   
       9 . The arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein one end of the housing is exposed from the thermally insulating material to provide a thermally conductive path from the integrated circuit to the temperature sensor.  
   
   
       10 . A method of sensing the temperature of an integrated circuit during testing of the integrated circuit, comprising: 
 placing an integrated circuit in a test socket;    changing the temperature of the integrated circuit by thermally contacting a heater or cooler to the integrated circuit; and    sensing the temperature of the integrated circuit by means of a temperature sensor contained within the heater or cooler, by thermally connecting the temperature sensor to the integrated circuit through a conductive material and by thermally isolating the temperature sensor from the heater or cooler so that the temperature sensor predominantly senses the temperature of the integrated circuit.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein thermally connecting the temperature sensor to the integrated circuit through a conductive material includes the conductive material spacing the sensor from the integrated circuit a predetermined distance to provide a thermal path for fast transient response to temperature changes of the integrated circuit.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein testing of the integrated circuit can include testing, burning-in, and programming the integrated circuit.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein thermally isolating the temperature sensor from the heater or cooler includes: 
 positioning the temperature sensor in a thermally conductive temperature sensor housing;    forming an insulator to surround the temperature sensor housing leaving exposed a first and second end of the temperature sensor housing; and    positioning the temperature sensor housing and surrounding insulator in an opening in the heater or cooler sized and shaped to receive the temperature sensor housing and surrounding insulator.