Importance

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Abstract

A wafer shielding chamber assembly for a semiconductor wafer probe station that minimizes the volume of space about the semiconductor wafer so as to minimize air currents about the wafer. The chamber is formed by positioning an annular spacer ring onto the annular periphery of the wafer chuck. A lid is positioned to free-float underneath the support ring of the probe station. The free-floating of the lid permits the upper surface of the spacer ring to engage the lower surface of the lid as the wafer chuck is moved in the z direction and, upon further z movement, moves the lid into the z direction, while still permitting x & y movement between the two. A center hole is formed through the lid. The center hole provides access for the micropositioners contact probes to the wafer. A cylindrical cap assembly is positioned on top of the lid concentric with the center hole. Openings are formed in the cap assembly, each providing access for a micropositioners probe arm to extend therethrough and for the contact probes thereof to extend through the center hole to the wafer. An optical lens allows visual access to the center hole thereby facilitating alignment of the contact probes with the contact pads of the wafer positioned on the chuck.

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First Claim