Frank-Michael Werner

Wafer level test solutions for IR sensors

Wafer probers provide an established platform for performing electrical measurements at wafer level for CMOS and similar process technologies. For testing IR sensors, the requirements are beyond the standard prober capabilities. This presentation will give an overview about state of the art IR sensor probing systems reaching from flexible engineering solutions to automated production needs. Cooled sensors typically need to be tested at a target temperature below 80 K. Not only is the device temperature important but also the surrounding environment is required to prevent background radiation from reaching the device under test. To achieve that, a cryogenic shield is protecting the movable chuck. By operating that shield to attract residual gases inside the chamber, a completely contamination-free test environment can be guaranteed. The use of special black coatings are furthermore supporting the removal of stray light. Typically, probe card needles are operating at ambient (room) temperature when connecting to the wafer. To avoid the entrance of heat, which can result in distorted measurements, the probe card is fully embedded into the cryogenic shield. A shutter system, located above the probe field, is designed to switch between the microscope view to align the sensor under the needles and the test relevant setup. This includes a completely closed position to take dark current measurements. Another position holds a possible filter glass with the required aperture opening. The necessary infrared sources to stimulate the device are located above.