Advantest has been granted a patent for a stand-alone active thermal interposer device used in testing system-in-package devices. The device includes a body layer with heating zones that can be controlled by a thermal controller to heat different areas of the device under test (DUT) to different temperatures. The device is placed between a cold plate and the DUT, allowing for precise temperature control during testing. GlobalData’s report on Advantest gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s company profile on Advantest, NFC-enabled implants was a key innovation area identified from patents. Advantest's grant share as of September 2023 was 36%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Patent granted for a stand-alone active thermal interposer device
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11774492B2) describes a testing device for testing electronic devices. The device includes a cold plate, an active thermal interposer device, and a thermal controller. The active thermal interposer device has multiple heating zones that can heat and cool different regions of the device under test (DUT) to different temperatures. The thermal controller is responsible for controlling the cold plate and each of the heating zones.
The testing device may also include an insulation cover with an injection port to reduce condensation from the cold plate during testing. Additionally, the device can have various cooling systems such as liquid cooling, gaseous cooling, or a phase-change cooling system to remove heat from the cold plate.
A thermal interface material layer is placed between the active thermal interposer device and the cold plate to transfer thermal energy. This layer may have cutouts to prevent a pick and place handler from adhering to it.
The heating zones of the active thermal interposer device can be resistive heaters or a Peltier device. The device can be customized for different types of DUTs and may have a base layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) with tungsten or molybdenum traces.
In another aspect, the patent describes a testing arrangement that includes a socket device, a cold plate, an active thermal interposer device, and a thermal controller. The thermal controller uses firmware to control the cold plate and the heating zones of the active thermal interposer device to regulate the temperature of different regions of the DUT during testing. The firmware obtains temperatures from temperature sensors on the cold plate and the heating zones, as well as from the DUT itself.
The testing arrangement may also include a stand-alone active thermal interposer device and a thermal interface material layer for efficient thermal energy transfer.
Overall, this patent presents a testing device and arrangement that allows for precise temperature control during the testing of electronic devices. The device includes various cooling systems, customizable features, and a thermal controller with firmware for accurate temperature regulation.
To know more about GlobalData’s detailed insights on Advantest, buy the report here.
Data Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
