CN211856810U - Cooling system for IC device test - Google Patents

Abstract

The application discloses a cooling system for IC device test, the cooling system includes: a cooling mechanism for cooling said IC device; a holding mechanism for holding the cooling mechanism; a circulator configured to place a heat transfer liquid in communication with the cooling mechanism; and a heat sink connected to the circulator; wherein the cooling mechanism, the holding mechanism, and the circulator have a compact structure. The cooling system described herein has a compact structure that can be adapted to operate in a limited mounting space and meet the miniaturization requirements of modern IC devices.

Description

Cooling system for IC device test

Technical Field

The present application relates to a cooler or cooling system for performance testing of Integrated Circuit (IC) devices. And more particularly, to a cooling system for IC device testing.

Background

At present, a cooling device or a heat dissipating device is widely used for an IC device (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU)) that generates heat when operating. However, current cooling devices cannot meet the increasing heat dissipation requirements because the more powerful the IC devices become, the more heat the input power is converted into. Therefore, there is a need for a more efficient cooling system to maintain IC devices, particularly high performance IC devices (e.g., servers), at a controlled operating temperature to enable reliable and efficient operation of the IC devices.

Also, current cooling devices are typically bulky because they require many discrete components, such as radiators, water pumps, coolers, water tanks, and piping. Thus, the current cooling apparatus occupies a large installation space, which hinders the miniaturization trend of the IC industry. Therefore, there is a strong need in the art for an efficient and compact cooling system that addresses both of the above-mentioned problems.

Disclosure of Invention

In a first aspect, the present application discloses a cooling system for IC device testing that has a small volume while allowing efficient heat dissipation from the IC device. The cooling system includes: a cooling mechanism for cooling said IC device; a holding mechanism for holding the cooling mechanism; a circulator configured to place a heat transfer liquid in communication with the cooling mechanism; and a heat sink (e.g., a heat sink) connected to the circulator; the cooling mechanism, the holding mechanism, and the circulator have a compact structure. The cooling mechanism and circulator are directly connected without the use of conduits (e.g., pipes). At the same time, the cooling system can still effectively dissipate the heat generated by the IC device. For example, the cooling system has a heat dissipation efficiency of up to five hundred watts (500W), and is well suited for high power electronic devices such as servers and high performance computing devices.

Optionally, the heat transfer liquid has properties of high heat capacity, low viscosity, low cost, non-toxicity, chemical inertness, etc., and neither causes nor promotes corrosion of the cooling system, but also prevents the cooling system from being frozen. In addition, the heat transfer liquid must also be an electrical insulator to prevent any electrical short circuits from creating electrical interference with the IC device and Printed Circuit Board (PCB) during testing. The heat transfer liquids include, but are not limited to, water (e.g., very pure deionized and heavy water), monoethylene glycol (MEG), and monopropylene glycol (MPG). The heat transfer liquid acts as a coolant to prevent overheating of the IC device.

Optionally, the cooling mechanism includes an inflow channel for flowing heat transfer liquid having a lower temperature (referred to as cryogenic coolant) into the cooling mechanism; and an outflow passage for allowing heat transfer liquid having a relatively high temperature (referred to as high-temperature coolant) to flow out of the cooling mechanism. The inflow channel and the outflow channel communicate with each other at the IC device. The low temperature coolant from the inflow channel absorbs heat from the IC device and then converts it to a high temperature coolant, which in turn flows out of the cooling mechanism through the outflow channel. In particular, the inflow channel is separated from the outflow channel before the IC device to prevent any heat transfer from the high temperature coolant in the outflow channel to the low temperature coolant in the inflow channel.

Optionally, the cooling system may further comprise a test socket for securing the retaining mechanism to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). In particular, the test socket has first electrical contacts (e.g., Pin Grid Array (PGA)) and second electrical contacts (e.g., Ball Grid Array (BGA)) at its bottom and top surfaces, respectively, which are interconnected by the test socket. The test socket is positioned at a predetermined location of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and forms a first electrical connection with the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) at a first electrical contact. The IC device is placed in the test socket and also forms a second electrical connection with the test socket at a second electrical contact. Thus, the IC device is electrically connected to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) through the test socket.

Optionally, the retention mechanism may further comprise an alignment frame mounted on the test socket; a main body mounted on the alignment frame; and a threaded knob mounted on the body. The alignment frame and threaded knob have first and third through holes, respectively, for receiving the cooling mechanism. The threaded knob includes threads for applying pressure to the body. Optionally, the thread has a pitch in the range of 1.0 to 2.5 mm. The pressure is related to the pitch, the smaller the pitch, the greater the pressure. In this way, the pressure can be adjusted by changing the pitch of the threaded knob. Additionally, the threads comprise any type of thread code M40 through M80. Optionally, the body comprises one or more latches for locking the body to the alignment frame. When the latch is unlocked, the body may be removed from the alignment frame. In this way, the alignment frame and the body are removably locked together as a unitary structure. Optionally, the latch comprises a cam/twist latch (cam/twist latch), a hook latch (hook latch), a pull down/toggle latch (push down/push close latch), a slam/push to close latch (slide/swing latch), or any combination thereof. Additionally, the alignment frame is removably secured to the test socket by a first fastener, such as a M2.5X 8L pan head screw (pan head screw). In this way, the holding mechanism is integrally fixed to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

Optionally, the retention mechanism further comprises a device mover for forming a reliable electrical connection between the IC device and the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) at the second electrical contact. The device mover is mounted on the IC device and is located within the body. Thus, the device pusher provides a downward pushing force to the IC device, and can push the IC device downward by at most 2 millimeters (2 mm). Similarly, the device mover has a second through hole aligned with the first and third through holes to accommodate the cooling mechanism. In addition, the device mover is also secured to the body by a second fastener, such as a socket head screw (M3X 10L), thereby assembling the cooling system into the compact configuration. Optionally, the device pusher further comprises a self-aligning surface on top of it, thereby adapting the cooling system to the height of different IC devices. For example, the self-aligning surface comprises a spherical surface (such as a spherical surface). The threaded knob may be mounted directly on the spherical surface for movement relative to the IC device. The threaded knob can be adjusted up to fifteen degrees (15 °). Optionally, the device mover may include one or more resilient members (e.g., springs) that cooperate with the body. The resilient member is for preventing the threaded knob from falling off the self-aligning surface.

The cooling mechanism is configured to be adapted to cool the IC device. Optionally, the cooling mechanism may further include a cooling plate in contact with the IC device; a cooling container mounted on said cooling plate; and a cooling channel mounted on the cooling plate. Optionally, the cooling plate comprises a recess for heat exchange between the heat transfer liquid and the IC device. The recess has a top and a bottom opposite the top. The bottom portion is configured to contact an upper surface of the IC device; heat exchange thus takes place at the bottom. The depth of the groove is 10 millimeters (mm) at most. The bottom portion may have a thermally conductive material such as metal (stainless steel, copper alloy, aluminum, or the like), aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, and graphite. In some embodiments, the thermally conductive material comprises a copper alloy (e.g., CuAl, CuZn, CuSn, or CuNi alloy, or a combination alloy thereof). In addition, the base is designed to maximize heat transfer between the base and the IC device. For example, the bottom portion is brought into close contact with the upper surface of the IC device to maximize the contact area of the bottom portion with the IC device. In some embodiments, the bottom portion has a profile that matches an IC device. For example, the bottom portion has a flat profile that matches a flat package layer of the IC device. Alternatively, a thermally conductive grease or paste is applied between the base and the IC device to enhance heat exchange at the interface of the two. Optionally, the bottom provides mechanical strength for sufficient support of the heat transfer liquid. For example, the thickness of the base is about 1 millimeter (mm).

Optionally, the cooling container may further include: a first chamber for temporarily storing the heat transfer liquid before the heat transfer liquid flows into the cooling plate; and a second chamber for temporarily storing the heat transfer liquid before the heat transfer liquid flows out of the cooling container. The first and second chambers may act as buffer spaces for suppressing or even eliminating turbulence generated by the heat transfer liquid (low temperature coolant and high temperature coolant, respectively) in the cooling mechanism. The first and second chambers are thermally isolated from each other to prevent any heat exchange therebetween. The first chamber has a bottom that can serve as a ceiling for the recess of the cooling plate when the cooling vessel is mounted to the cooling plate. In addition, the cooling container may further include a first inflow passage as a portion of the inflow passage for inflow of the low-temperature coolant. Similarly, the cooling container may further include a first outflow channel as a portion of the outflow channel for the outflow of the high-temperature coolant. As described above, the first inflow channel is separated from the first outflow channel to prevent heat exchange therebetween in the cooling container. The first inflow channel has a first inflow channel inlet and a first inflow channel outlet located at a top side and a bottom side of the cooling container, respectively. The first inflow channel outlet is disposed within the first chamber for transferring cryogenic coolant into the groove. Conversely, the first outflow channel has a first outflow channel inlet and a first outflow channel outlet located at the bottom side and the top side of the cooling container, respectively. In some embodiments, the first outflow channel inlet may comprise two or more first outflow channel sub-inlets arranged outside the first chamber.

In particular, the first chamber has a plurality of spray holes at the bottom of the cooling container for pushing the heat transfer liquid into the grooves of the cooling plate. Thus, the orifice provides a higher momentum for the heat transfer liquid to enter the recess. The first chamber has a very flexible design with respect to the number of orifices. For example, the first chamber has about one hundred (100) orifices. Alternatively, the spray holes may be configured to be uniformly distributed at the bottom of the cooling container so that heat exchange is uniformly performed in the grooves. Alternatively, the distribution of the orifices is non-uniform and determined by the IC device. The nozzle hole also has a flexible configuration according to the IC device, for example, a simple matrix configuration or a complex configuration according to the layout of the IC device. The cooling plate and cooling reservoir provide a heat transfer liquid in a sealed inflow channel to urge the heat transfer liquid to flow through the first chamber and ultimately into the recess. The smaller the orifice, the higher the momentum of the heat transfer liquid. At the same time, the first chamber will also have a higher pressure. Thus, the size of the orifice can neither be so small that an excessive pressure is generated in the first chamber, nor so large that the heat transfer liquid is reduced or even loses momentum. The thickness of the orifice needs to be sufficient to resist the pressure. Thus, the ratio of the thickness to the diameter of the orifice is at least 2. In some embodiments, the diameter of the orifice is in the range of 0.2 to 5.0 millimeters (mm). The orifices may be of uniform size or of different sizes, depending on the testing requirements of the IC device.

Optionally, the cooling vessel comprises a viewing window for viewing the heat transfer liquid flowing in the cooling vessel. Since the cooling container is relatively complex in structure, the generation of air bubbles in the cooling container is intentionally avoided, since air bubbles may cause turbulence in the heat transfer liquid. Optionally, the viewing window is made of a transparent material, such as a transparent plastic, to facilitate viewing.

The cooling passage has a second inflow passage to inflow a low-temperature coolant as a part of the inflow passage; and a second outflow channel as a part of the outflow channel to flow out the high-temperature coolant. The second inflow channel has a second inflow channel inlet and a second inflow channel outlet located at a top side and a bottom side of the cooling channel, respectively. Conversely, the second outflow channel has a second outflow channel inlet and a second outflow channel outlet located at the bottom side and the top side of the cooling channel, respectively. The first inflow channel and the second inflow channel are aligned to configure the inflow channel when the cooling channel is mounted to the cooling container; while the first and second outflow channels are also aligned to configure the outflow channel. In other words, the second inflow channel outlet and the first inflow channel inlet are configured to be in close contact to prevent leakage of heat transfer liquid flowing through the interface therebetween. The second outflow channel inlet and the first outflow channel outlet are also configured to be in intimate contact to prevent any leakage of heat transfer liquid flowing through the interface therebetween. Sealing means such as gaskets or the like may be employed at the inflow channel interface and/or at the outflow channel interface.

Optionally, the cooling passage further comprises a temperature monitoring device for monitoring the temperature of the heat transfer liquid. Optionally, the temperature monitoring device comprises an inflow temperature sensor and an outflow temperature sensor for measuring an inflow temperature of the low-temperature coolant in the inflow channel and an outflow temperature of the high-temperature coolant in the outflow channel, respectively. Alternatively, the temperature sensing means may comprise a neutral temperature sensor disposed in the recess for measuring the temperature of the heat transfer liquid in the recess. Since the heat exchange between the IC device and the heat transfer liquid in the recess is very efficient, the temperature of the heat transfer liquid in the recess can be approximately regarded as the temperature of the IC device. Thus, the neutral temperature sensor can approximately measure the temperature of the IC device. Optionally, the temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple, a resistor temperature detector, a thermistor, an infrared sensor, a semiconductor sensor, a thermometer, or any combination thereof. For example, the neutral temperature sensor comprises a type K (chrome aluminum) thermocouple for measuring the temperature of the heat transfer liquid in the well.

In addition, the cooling channel may further include one or more heat flux sensors (heat flux sensors), such as a heat flux transducer (heat flux transducer), a heat flux gauge (heat flux gauge) (e.g., a Gardon gauge or a Schmidt-Boelter gauge), a heat flux plate (heat flux plate), a thin-film thermopile (thin-film thermopile), or any combination thereof. The heat flux sensor generates an electrical signal proportional to the heat flux applied thereto. Thus, during IC device testing, the rate of heat transfer from the IC device to the heat transfer liquid may be continuously measured by the heat flux sensor. Thus, the total heat transferred from the IC device to the heat transfer liquid can be calculated as the product of the cumulative heat transfer rate and the heat transfer area. Thus, by measuring two independent operating parameters, the temperature and the heat flux of the heat transfer liquid, the cooling system can be accurately controlled. In the case of a significant deceleration of the heat exchange in the grooves, the temperature of the heat transfer liquid can still be controlled within a predetermined value. However, when the heat flux drops below a certain threshold, it is clear that the heat generated by the IC device is not actually transferred to the cooling system.

Optionally, the circulator comprises a cooling pump head mounted on the cooling channel for housing a cooling pump. In particular, the cooling pump head may provide low vibration silence at 5 to 48 volts dc. Low vibration muting is often critical for chip testing because high vibration can affect the performance of the chip. Optionally, the cooling pump head comprises a pump inlet and a pump outlet, which are connected to the inflow channel and the outflow channel, respectively. When the cooling pump head is mounted on the cooling gallery, the pump inlet and pump outlet are aligned with the second inlet gallery inlet and second outlet gallery outlet, respectively, of the cooling gallery. The cooling system is compact in construction because the cooling container and cooling passages can be very precisely aligned and assembled with the cooling pump head without any piping therebetween.

Optionally, the circulator further comprises a valve for controlling the flow rate and/or flow flux of the heat transfer liquid either before the heat exchange (i.e. low temperature coolant) or after the heat exchange (i.e. high temperature coolant). The valve may be manually or automatically controlled to a predetermined value. In addition, the circulator may further include a speed sensor or a flux sensor for measuring a flow speed or a flow flux of the heat transfer liquid.

Optionally, the heat sink comprises a heat sink connected to the cooling pump head. The heat sink receives the high temperature coolant and then dissipates heat from the high temperature coolant to the ambient environment. At the same time, the high temperature coolant is converted to a low temperature coolant. In some embodiments, the heat sink comprises one heat sink outlet and one heat sink inlet connected to the pump inlet and the pump outlet of the cooling pump head via one inflow and one outflow pipe, respectively. The low-temperature coolant flows from the radiator into the cooling mechanism through the inflow pipe. And the high-temperature coolant flows out of the cooling mechanism through the outflow pipe and further flows into the radiator. In this way, heat generated at the IC device is dissipated into the ambient environment by continuously circulating a heat transfer liquid through the cooling mechanism and the heat sink.

Optionally, the heat dissipation device further comprises a fan connected to the heat sink for facilitating the heat sink to dissipate heat to the ambient environment. The fan may be configured to generate an air flow in the ambient environment to increase heat dissipation by the heat sink.

Optionally, the cooling system may also include other accessories that work with the basic components described above (including the cooling mechanism, the retaining mechanism, the circulator, and the heat sink). For example, the cooling system may further include a display device (such as a display screen) for displaying the temperature, the heat transfer rate or the heat flux, and the flow speed or the flow flux of the heat transfer liquid. As another example, the cooling system may further include an alarm device that sends an alarm signal (e.g., an alarm sound or alarm flash) to an operator upon a failure of the cooling system, such as an increase in the temperature of the heat transfer liquid above a predetermined value. As another example, the cooling system may also include a communication center that may send and receive signals to an operator when the cooling system is not readily accessible to the operator. In this way, an operator can remotely and wirelessly monitor and control the cooling system. As another example, the cooling system may also be communicatively connected to a data analysis center to process and analyze all data generated during the test. The communication connection may be established by cable or wirelessly.

Drawings

The following drawings (figures) represent embodiments and serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are given for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting on the relevant features.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a cooling system;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the cooling system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing the assembly of the cooling system shown in FIG. 1 except for a radiator;

FIG. 4 is an assembly view showing a test socket;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view showing an alignment frame;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing a device mover;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view showing a body with a latch;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view showing a threaded knob;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view showing a cooling plate (with the bottom of the cooling vessel mounted thereon);

FIG. 10 is an isometric view showing a cooling vessel viewed from above;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view showing the cooling vessel of FIG. 10 from below;

FIG. 12 is an isometric view showing one cooling channel from above;

FIG. 13 is an isometric view showing the cooling gallery of FIG. 12 as viewed from below;

FIG. 14 is an isometric view showing a cooling pump head;

FIG. 15 is an isometric view showing a heat sink with a fan;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a first exemplary cooling system of the present application after assembly;

fig. 17 is an enlarged view showing an assembly of a second example cooling system provided in the present application, except for a radiator.

The numbers in the figures are as follows:

10. a first example cooling system; 20. a cooling mechanism; 22. an inflow channel; 24. an outflow channel; 30. a holding mechanism; 40. cooling the pump head; 42. a pump inlet; 44. an outlet of the pump; 50. a heat sink; 52. a radiator inlet; 54. a radiator outlet; 56. a fan; 62. an inlet tube; 64. an outlet pipe; 70. a test socket; 80. a printed circuit board; 90. an IC device; 92. a type K thermocouple; 94. a lower end; 98. an electric plug; 100. a socket main body; 120. a floating plate; 140. an interposer; 142. a pit; 144. a contact pad; 146. an upper surface; 200. an alignment frame; 202. a front side; 204. a rear side; 206. left side; 208. the right side; 210. a front alignment post; 212. a rear alignment post; 214. a screw hole; 216. M2.5X 8L pan head screws; 218. a left notch; 220. a right notch; 222. a first through hole; 300. a device pusher; 302. a screw hole; 304. a second through hole; 306. a convex profile; 400. a main body; 402. a front side; 404. a rear side; 406. left side; 408. the right side; 410. a front projection; 412. a rear projection; 414. a front accommodating part; 416. a rear accommodating part; 418. a screw hole; 420. M3X 10L socket head cap screw; 422. a left bolt; 424. a right bolt; 426. a third through hole; 500. a threaded knob; 502. tightening the edge by hand; 504. a fourth via hole; 506. a thread; 600. a cooling plate; 602. a groove; 604. a screw hole; 606. recessing; 700. cooling the container; 702. a first chamber; 704. a second chamber; 706. an intermediate layer; 708. a first inflow channel; 710. spraying a hole; 714. a screw hole; 716. NKJ2-3 screw; 718. a side wall; 720. a first inlet; 722. a first outlet; 726. a first open end; 728. a second open end; 730. a bottom; 800. a cooling channel; 802. a top plate; 804. a base plate; 806. a second inflow channel; 808. an outflow channel; 810. a second inlet; 812. a second outlet; 814. an outflow inlet; 816. an outflow outlet; 900. a second example cooling system; 902. a pump inlet; 904. an outlet of the pump; 906. a cooling channel; 908. the pump head is cooled.

Detailed Description

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating a first example cooling system 10 provided herein. The cooling system 10 includes a cooling mechanism 20, a holding mechanism 30, a cooling pump head 40, and a heat sink 50 as a heat sink. The cooling mechanism 20 and the holding mechanism 30 are directly connected in a compact configuration to save an installation space. The heat sink 50 is also connected with a fan 56 for promoting heat dissipation from the heat sink 50. The cooling pump head 40 and the heat sink 50 are connected by a communication means comprising an inlet pipe 62 for connecting the pump inlet 42 and the heat sink inlet 52 and an outlet pipe 64 for connecting the pump outlet 44 and the heat sink outlet 54. In addition, cooling system 10 also includes a test socket 70 mounted to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)80, which is performed after IC device 90 (shown in FIG. 2) is loaded into retention mechanism 30.

The cryogenic coolant is supplied by a heat sink 50, which flows into the cooling pump head 40 through an inlet tube 62 and further flows through the inflow channel 22 (not shown in fig. 1, see fig. 16) of the cooling mechanism 20. The low-temperature coolant is heated by the IC device 90 and thus converted into a high-temperature coolant. The high temperature coolant then flows through the outflow channel 24 (not shown in fig. 1, see fig. 16) of the cooling mechanism 20 and further out of the cooling pump head 40 through the outlet tube 64 and back to the heat sink 50. Then, the high-temperature coolant is cooled at the radiator 50 and accordingly converted into a low-temperature coolant. In this way, cryogenic coolant circulates within the cooling mechanism 20, the cooling pump head 40, and the heat sink 50. In particular, the inlet and outlet passages 22, 24 are connected to the pump inlet 42 and the pump outlet 44, respectively. In some embodiments, coolant flows into and out of the cooling system 10 via the inflow and outflow channels 22 and 24, respectively. In some embodiments, coolant flows into and out of the cooling system 10 via the outflow channel 24 and the inflow channel 22, respectively. In other words, the inflow channel 22 and the outflow channel 24 are arbitrarily selected only to distinguish the two independent channels, and do not indicate the flow direction of the coolant flowing into and out of the cooling system 10.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the cooling system 10. The test socket 70 includes a socket body 100, a floating plate 120, and an interposer 140. The cooling mechanism 20 includes a cooling plate 600, a cooling container 700, and a cooling passage 800. The retention mechanism 30 includes an alignment frame 200, a device advancer 300, a body 400, and a threaded knob 500. The cooling channel 800 also includes a thermocouple (e.g., type K thermocouple 92 shown in fig. 13) for measuring the temperature of the coolant.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the assembly of the cooling system 10 except for the radiator 50. As best shown, the cold plate 600 and the cold sink 700 (not shown in fig. 3) are embedded within the retention mechanism 30; the cooling channel 800 is partially exposed from the holding mechanism 30.

Fig. 4 is an assembly view showing a test socket 70. As best shown, the interposer 140 is secured within the floating plate 120; and the floating plate 120 is fixed inside the socket body 100. In particular, interposer 140 has recesses 142 for receiving IC devices 90 (not shown in FIG. 4, shown in conjunction with FIG. 2). Interposer 140 has a plurality of contact pads 144 on an upper surface 146 thereof for establishing electrical connections between IC device 90 (not shown in fig. 4) and Printed Circuit Board (PCB)80 (not shown in fig. 4, shown in connection with fig. 2). The contact pads 144 are arranged in a matrix according to the specific layout of the IC device 90.

Fig. 5 is an isometric view showing one alignment frame 200. The alignment frame 200 has a rectangular shape including a front side 202, a back side 204, a left side 206, and a right side 208. The alignment frame 200 includes two alignment posts, namely a front alignment post 210 and a rear alignment post 212 on the front side 202 and the rear side 204, respectively, for aligning the body 400 with the alignment frame 200. The alignment frame 200 also includes eight screw holes 214 for securing the alignment frame 200 to the socket body 100 by eight M2.5X 8L pan head screws 216. In addition, the alignment frame 200 includes two notches, a left notch 218 and a right notch 220, for receiving the main body 400. In particular, the alignment frame 200 has a first through hole 222 at the center corresponding to the dimple 142 (shown in fig. 4).

Fig. 6 is an isometric view illustrating a device mover 300. The device pusher 300 is directly mounted on a peripheral region of the IC device 90 for pushing the IC device 90 into close contact with the test socket 70 to establish a reliable electrical connection with the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 80. The device pusher 300 includes four screw holes 302 at four corners, respectively, for receiving the main body 400. Similarly, the device pusher 300 has a second through-hole 304 corresponding to the first through-hole 222. In particular, the device pusher 300 has a convex profile 306 around the second through hole to self-align the body 400 with the device pusher 300.

Fig. 7 is an isometric view showing a body 400 having a latch. The body 400 has a rectangular shape with a front side 402, a back side 404, a left side 406, and a right side 408. Body 400 also includes four threaded holes 418 at four corners, corresponding to four threaded holes 302, respectively. Body 400 also has two tabs, namely a front tab 410 and a rear tab 412, projecting from front side 402 and rear side 404, respectively. The front and rear projections 410, 412 have front and rear receptacles 414, 416, respectively, for receiving the front and rear alignment posts 210, 212, such that the main body 400 is precisely mounted on the alignment frame 200 along with the device mover 300. The main body 400 also has a third through-hole 426 at the center thereof corresponding to the second through-hole 304.

Device pusher 300 and body 400 are secured together by eight M3X 10L socket head cap screws 420 passing through threaded holes 302 and threaded holes 418. In particular, the body 400 includes two latches, namely, a left latch 422 and a right latch 424, for locking the left recess 218 and the right recess 220, respectively. It will be appreciated that the device pusher 300 and the body 400 are loosely secured together. Springs (not shown) are also used to connect the device pusher 300 and the main body 400 so that the holding mechanism 30 can accommodate the IC device 90 having a large thickness.

Fig. 8 shows an isometric view of a threaded knob 500. The threaded knob 500 cooperates with the body 400 for applying and adjusting a pushing force to the device pusher 300. In particular, the threaded knob 500 has a hand tightening edge 502 so that the threaded knob 500 can be secured by freehand rotation. The threaded knob 500 has a fourth through-hole 504 at its center corresponding to the third through-hole 426. As such, the first through-hole 222, the second through-hole 304, the third through-hole 426, and the fourth through-hole 504 are aligned for receiving the cooling mechanism 20. In particular, the threaded knob 500 has threads 506. The pitch of the thread 506 is in the range of 1.0 to 2.5 mm.

Fig. 9 is an isometric view showing the cooling plate 600 and the bottom 730 of the cooling container 700 mounted thereon. The cooling plate 600 has a groove 602 in the center thereof. The groove 602 has a top (not shown) and a bottom (not shown) opposite the top. The bottom has a flat profile to allow better contact of the cooling plate 600 with the IC device 90. The cooling plate 600 is made of copper (Cu) for effectively transferring heat between the coolant and the IC device. The cooling plate 600 is also plated with nickel (Ni) to prevent corrosion of copper (Cu). In contrast, the other components of the cooling mechanism 20 are made of aluminum (Al). The cooling plate 600 has eight screw holes 604 in the spherical area outside the recess 602. In addition, cooling plate 600 has a recess 606 in groove 602. The bottom 730 fits snugly within the groove 602 of the cooling plate 600; so that the cooling container 700 is coupled to the cooling plate 600 without any leakage. In particular, the bottom 730 has a plurality of spray holes 710 for pushing the low-temperature coolant from the cooling container 700 into the groove 602 of the cooling plate 600. The spray holes 710 are distributed almost uniformly over the bottom 730 of the cooling container 700.

Fig. 10 and 11 are isometric views showing a cooling vessel 700 viewed from above and from below, respectively. The cooling container 700 has a first chamber 702 and a second chamber 704 for temporarily storing coolant before heat exchange (referred to as low temperature coolant) and after heat exchange (referred to as high temperature coolant), respectively. The first chamber 702 and the second chamber 704 are separated by an intermediate layer 706. The intermediate layer 706 is made of an insulating material for preventing heat transfer between the low-temperature coolant and the high-temperature coolant. The cooling vessel 700 also has a first inflow channel 708 (shown in fig. 16) for introducing cryogenic coolant into the first chamber 702. The first inflow channel 708 is enclosed inside the cooling container 700 and has a first inlet 720 and a first outlet 722 as shown in fig. 10 and 11, respectively. As shown in fig. 11, the first chamber 702 has a plurality of injection holes 710 at the bottom of the cooling container 700 for pushing the low-temperature coolant into the groove 602.

When the cooling container 700 is aligned with the cooling plate 600, the cooling container 700 has eight screw holes 714 in the peripheral region corresponding to the screw holes 604. Accordingly, the cooling container 700 and the cooling plate 600 are fixed by inserting eight NKJ2-3 screws 716 into the screw holes 604 and the screw holes 714, respectively. In particular, the cooling container 700 has a transparent sidewall 718, which allows for a simple visual inspection to see if air bubbles are present in the second chamber 704. The side wall 718 is removable from the cooling container 700 and is therefore replaceable. In addition, the cooling vessel 700 has a channel with a first open end 726 (FIG. 10) and a second open end 728 (FIG. 11).

Fig. 12 and 13 are isometric views showing one cooling channel 800 viewed from above and from below, respectively. The cooling channel 800 has a top plate 802 and a bottom plate 804. When the cooling channel 800 is mounted on the cooling container 700, the bottom plate 804 covers the second chamber 704. The cooling channel 800 also has a second inflow channel 806 and an outflow channel 808 between the top plate 802 and the bottom plate 804. The second inflow channel 806 has a second inlet 810 exposed from the top plate 802 (shown in fig. 12) and a second outlet 812 exposed from the bottom plate 804 (shown in fig. 13), respectively. Similarly, the outflow channel 808 has an outflow inlet 814 and an outflow outlet 816 emerging from the bottom plate 804 and the top plate 802, respectively. In addition, a type K thermocouple 92 is also inserted into the cooling channel 800. The type K thermocouple 92 has a lower end 94 that emerges from the base plate 804. The type K thermocouple 92 is further inserted into the channel through the cooling vessel 700 until the lower end 94 extends into the recess 602 and contacts the recess 606. Since sufficient heat exchange is performed in the recess 602, the IC device 90 can be considered to have the same temperature as the coolant, and therefore the temperature of the IC device 90 can be estimated as the temperature of the coolant detected by the K-type thermocouple 92. The type K thermocouple 92 has an upper end opposite a lower end 94. The upper end is also connected to an electrical plug 98 which provides electrical power.

Fig. 14 is an isometric view showing a cooling pump head 40. The dimensions of the cooling pump head 40 are slightly larger than the dimensions of the cooling channel 800 such that the cooling channel 800 is just housed inside the cooling pump head 40.

Fig. 15 is an isometric view showing one heat sink 50 with a fan 56. The high-temperature coolant radiates heat at the radiator 50 to become a low-temperature coolant. The fan 56 serves to accelerate heat dissipation at the heat sink 50. The cooling system operates according to the following steps: the cryogenic coolant flows out of the heat sink 50 and enters the cooling system 10 through the inflow channel 22, which inflow channel 22 comprises the cooling pump head 40, the second inflow channel 806 of the cooling channel 800 and the first inflow channel 708 of the cooling container 700, and finally reaches the first chamber 702. Then, a low-temperature coolant is sprayed from the spray hole 710 into the groove 602 to cool the IC device 90. After heat exchange in the groove 602, the high temperature coolant flows out of the groove 602, passes through the second chamber 704 of the cooling container 700, the outflow channel 808 of the cooling channel 800 and the cooling pump head 40, and finally reaches the heat sink 50. The high temperature coolant is converted to a low temperature coolant at the radiator 50.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view showing the cooling system 10 after assembly. The inflow channel 22 includes, in order from top to bottom, a second inflow channel 806 of the cooling channel 800, a first inflow channel 708 of the cooling container 700, and the first chamber 702; the outflow channel 24 includes, in order from top to bottom, an outflow channel 808 of the cooling channel 800 and the second chamber 704 of the cooling container 700. The inflow channel 22 and the outflow channel 24 communicate at the groove 602 of the cooling plate 600. The inflow channel 22 and the outflow channel 24 are also connected to a heat sink 50 via a pump inlet 42 and a pump outlet 44, respectively, of the cooling pump head 40. Additionally, raised profile 306 of device pusher 300 is also clearly shown to automatically align body 400 with device pusher 300.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged view showing an assembly of a second example cooling system 900 provided in the present application, except for a radiator. Cooling system 900 has a similar structure to cooling system 10 described above. However, cooling system 900 includes a pump inlet 902 connected to a cooling channel 906; and a pump outlet 904 connected to a cooling pump head 908. In contrast to cooling system 10, pump inlet 902 and pump outlet 904 in cooling system 900 are adjustable (e.g., rotatable) about a cooling pump head 908. The cooling system 900 is suitable for semiconductor chips having a limited space because the pump inlet 902 and the pump outlet 904 can be adjusted to accommodate the limited space. Similar to cooling system 10, cooling system 900 includes an inflow channel (not shown) and an outflow channel (not shown) connected to pump inlet 902 and pump outlet 904, respectively. In some embodiments, coolant flows into and out of cooling system 900 via inflow and outflow channels, respectively. In some embodiments, coolant flows into and out of cooling system 900 via outflow and inflow channels, respectively. In other words, the inflow and outflow channels are arbitrarily chosen to distinguish only two separate channels and do not indicate the direction of flow of coolant into and out of cooling system 900.

Throughout this application, the word "comprising" and variations thereof mean "open" or "inclusive" language including not only the stated elements, but also additional, non-explicitly stated elements, unless otherwise specified.

The term "about" as used herein in reference to constituent component concentrations generally means a deviation of no more than +/-5%, or even +/-4%, +/-3%, +/-2%, +/-1%, or +/-0.5% of the stated value.

In this disclosure, some embodiments may employ a range format. The description of ranges is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the recitation of a range encompasses all possible sub-ranges as well as individual values within the range. For example, a range of "1 through 6" should be interpreted to include both the sub-ranges 1 through 3, 1 through 4, 1 through 5, 2 through 4, 2 through 6, 3 through 6, etc., and also include individual values within the ranges, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This rule applies regardless of the range size.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having read the foregoing disclosure that various modifications and adaptations to the use can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the use and these various modifications and adaptations are intended to be covered by the following claims.

Claims (10)

1. A cooling system for IC device testing, comprising:

a cooling mechanism for cooling said IC device;

a holding mechanism for holding the cooling mechanism;

a circulator configured to place a heat transfer liquid in communication with the cooling mechanism; and

a heat sink connected to the circulator;

wherein the cooling mechanism, the holding mechanism, and the circulator have a compact structure.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cooling mechanism comprises:

an inflow passage for allowing the heat transfer liquid to flow into the cooling mechanism; and

an outflow passage to allow the heat transfer liquid to flow out of the cooling mechanism;

wherein the inflow channel is separated from the outflow channel prior to the IC device.

3. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism further comprises:

an alignment frame capable of being disposed over a test socket of a printed circuit board;

a body capable of being disposed over the alignment frame; and

a threaded knob capable of being disposed on the body;

wherein the alignment frame is detachably fixed to the test socket by a first fastener.

4. The cooling system according to claim 3, wherein: the retention mechanism further includes a device pusher for forming a reliable electrical connection between the IC device and the printed circuit board.

5. The cooling system according to claim 4, wherein: the device pusher includes a self-aligning surface for adapting the cooling system to the height of the IC device.

6. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cooling mechanism further comprises:

a cooling plate in contact with said IC device;

a cooling container mounted on said cooling plate; and

a cooling channel mounted on the cooling plate.

7. The cooling system according to claim 6, wherein: the cooling plate includes a recess for exchanging heat between the heat transfer liquid and the IC device.

8. The cooling system of claim 6, wherein the cooling vessel comprises:

a first chamber for temporarily storing the heat transfer liquid before the heat transfer liquid flows into the cooling plate; and

a second chamber for temporarily storing the heat transfer liquid before the heat transfer liquid flows out of the cooling container.

9. The cooling system according to claim 8, wherein: the first chamber has a plurality of spray holes at the bottom of the cooling container for pushing the heat transfer liquid into the grooves of the cooling plate.

10. The cooling system according to claim 6, wherein: the circulator includes a cooling pump head mounted on the cooling passage for receiving a cooling pump; the cooling pump head includes a pump inlet and a pump outlet connected to the inflow channel and the outflow channel, respectively.

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