EverBeing CG-196 Cryogenic Probe Station

When probing at cryogenics temperature the wafer needs to be inside a vacuum chamber. The Everbeing CG-196 can handle high temperatures of 400, 500, 600 & 700°C in the vacuum chamber.

EverBeing Vacuum Environment Probing

There are two main probing applicaions that require a vacuum environment:

Cryogenics:

If a wafer is probed at a cryogenic temperature, some moisture will appear and freeze onto the wafer. This moisture will result in leakage currents, and therefore potentially false measurements.The moisture in the chamber is removed by the vacuum pump, the pump has to be kept running at all times during the measurement.

High Temperature, Oxygen-Free:

When a wafer is heated up to more than 300, 400, 500°C, oxidation will occur on the wafer. The higher the temperature, the more the wafer surface will oxidese.The oxidation will make the wafer degrade electrically, physically & mechanically. The oxygen in the chamber is removed by the vacuum pump, the pump has to be kept running at all times during the measurement.

Since the chuck is controlled thermally in these applications, both for cryogenics and high temperature, the probed tip on the wafer will shift somewhat 
by the wafer shrinkage and expansion. As a result, some of the tips have to be re-positioned by the micropositioner with the control knobs X-Y-Z on the ouside of the vacuum chamber. Alternatively, motorized micropositioners with a joystick control panel can re-position the tip inside the chamber easily.