Posted by Matt Bergeron on Wed, Apr 25, 2012 @ 08:25 AM
Vancouver WA, April 25, 2012 - As a market leader in providing thermal solutions for semiconductor test, WELLS-CTI continues to develop innovative products to meet customers' needs. We are proud to introduce the Zephyr thermal control system to our line of DTT, Direct Touch Technology, products for precise control of DUT temperature during qualification test and characterization.
This air cooled system introduces a new way to cool Thermal Control Units (TCUs) which eliminates chilled water or EG fluids from the test area. Damage to boards, as a result of fluid leaks or lack of condensation control, is a thing of the past.
The Zephyr system is a portable easy to use tool used to control device temperature during test. Zephyr is an ideal solution for applications such as bench test characterization and can be seamlessly integrated into the larger production SLT environment.
Incorporating the experience and advantages of WELLS-CTI's TCU thermal heads with Direct Touch Technology, this solution is compact, reliable and quiet, ideally suited for qualification labs located in an "office" environment.
The modular pedestal design allows for quick changes to accommodate different package sizes and types and is easily adapted to test sockets and PC board footprints to match the smallest footprint size constraints.
“Zephyr is a prime example of how we listened to our customer’s concerns with their current processes and worked with them to make their testing more efficient,” saysMatt Bergeron, WELLS-CTI CEO. “We are proud of our engineering team and the effort they put forth to bring this product to market. We are looking forward to additional products to add to our DTT product line.”
Specifications:
- Wide Temperature Range: -40°C to 125°C
- Accuracy of +/- 2°C
- Quiet - Sound level less than 73dB
- Integrated Software Control
Posted by Susan Campbell on Thu, Apr 19, 2012 @ 10:51 AM
WELLS-CTI has been providing test and burn-in solutions for the LED market 
more and more recently. WELLS-CTI has seen a significant increase in demand for our TO sockets. To help meet this market demand, we’ve recently increased capacity and have focused on being able to provide low cost product as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you have any questions on the solutions we provide for the LED market or TO sockets, 
Us now for more information!
The 611 and 612 Series Offer A Wide Range of options including TO 5, .200mil Circle Diameter and TO 18, .100mil Circle Diameter
- Compatible with many Optical and LED Devices
- High Temperature Solutions
- Multi Site Solutions to Maximize Board Density and Lower
The Cost of Burn-in / TEST
TO Carriers High Rel Applications
- Lead Counts Ranging from 4 to 10 leads
- Material options available to meet specific test or transportation specifications
499 Series
- TO, SOT, DPAK & DPAK2
- Beryllium Copper for 150°C applications. Spinodal for High Temp Applications up to 200°C
- Current Rating normally exceeds Device Current Ratings
- Low Contact Resistance provides Long Useful Life
Posted by on Mon, Mar 12, 2012 @ 07:04 PM
WELLS-CTI is pleased to announce an agreement with Modustest (www.modustest.com) to sell our interface boards for the CR2600 and CR2601 Testers. All sales of the interface boards will be handled directly by Modustest starting immediately.
Modustest has been a supplier of Interface boards for over a year and handles, design, fabrication, assembly and configuration files. Modustest offers you full turnkey solution for your interface board requirements.
New requirements for interface boards can be handled directly by Modustest. If you need assistance with the initial transition please contact your WELLS-CTI Salesperson.
Your key Modustest contacts:
Kim Cimino, kcimino@modustest.com, Phone: (214) 552-6310
Woody Adams, wadams@modustest.com, (972)679-0120
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this transition period.
Best Regards,
John M. Hartstein
VP of Sales
WELLS-CTI, Inc.
Cell: (574) 329-5958
Posted by Chris Lopez on Wed, Jan 25, 2012 @ 12:00 AM
What do we mean by Thermal Management?
by Chris Lopez and James Forster
In trying to understand what thermal management might mean to others we decided to go-to-the-net and do what we all do every day – a Google search. The results were interesting and are the start of this discussion.
A Google search of “thermal management” produces more than 10 million hits. The first is an article on Wikipedia titled “Thermal management of electronic devices and systems”. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_management_of_electronic_devices_and_systems
This was encouraging since it certainly seemed appropriate to the semiconductor industry. BUT…...
It’s an interesting article and discusses the issues of thermal management at the commercial product level but it does not mention thermal management during test which is the focus of our interest.
The second hit is a link to “Active Thermal Management”
http://www.activethermal.com/index.html
This certainly appeared interesting ….but it was a link to a web page which sold fans for audio-video equipment with information on fans for cooling commercial products. Hmmm … what about thermal management of electronic devices under test?
The third hit is a link to the Tessera web site – this certainly looks better.
http://www.tessera.com/technologies/microelectronics/Pages/thermalmanagement.aspx
There is some interesting data here – if you hover over the word “heat” at the beginning of the second paragraph you will see a pop up table which states that “heat is the number one cause of electronics failure” and shows a pie chart indicating that 55% of all failures in electronic devices are due to heat. Maximum junction temperatures for handheld, high performance and power electronics are given and range from 85 to 125°C.
The focus is on cooling laptops, again another consumer product, using a Tessera patented technology “Silent Air Cooling Technology”. Interesting technology but certainly not what we were thinking about.
Certainly the “hits” are associated with thermal management of electronic products and the language includes “thermal resistance” and other terminology we use every day but there is little on thermal management during test in the first couple of pages.
Changing the search to “thermal management during burn-in” produced a smaller listing of approximately 2 ½ million hits and the first hit was a link to a 2005 article in Chip Scale Review titled “Controlling Thermal Demands During IC Burn-in” and introduced WELLS’ iSocket™ technology. See:-
http://www.chipscalereview.com/issues/0505/article.php?type=feature&article=f2
That’s encouraging and the CSR article stated that:-
…integrated circuits with varying power densities create thermal management problems for backend engineering and production personnel.
The second hit is a link to a paper by Tadayon and others at Intel from the Q3, 2000 issue of the Intel Technology Journal.
ftp://download.intel.com/technology/itj/q32000/pdf/thermal.pdf
OK this is from 2000 and a lot has happened since then but the fundamental issues discussed are still pertinent. This is an interesting summary of the test processes used by Intel and the different thermal/temperature concerns and impact on costs during test, burn-in and sort. A statement in the introduction states that…
Based on the information provided above, it is clear that thermal management plays a very important role in the testing of microprocessors. Thus, it is necessary to control the die temperature during test where the goal is to gauge the device performance while keeping the test simple, efficient, and cost-effective. It is, however, extremely difficult to accurately control the temperature of the die since the power dissipation of logic devices can vary substantially during the test cycle.
Conversations with our customers about their concerns would certainly agree with the assessment that thermal management is an important aspect of testing. However the outlook is not as bleak as suggested by the last sentence. Cost effective solutions are available today for monitoring and controlling individual DUT temperature during test and/or burn-in and these will be introduced below and discussed in greater detail in subsequent blogs.
Returning to the first Google search hit, the article in Chip Scale Review….. This was, we believe, one of the first articles which stated the problem of the variation of DUT (Device Under Test) temperatures in an identical environment under identical test conditions. Figure 1 below is from that article and highlights the problem of temperature variation in test. It was also part of a presentation titled “A Cost Effective, Flexible Approach to Automated Thermal Control During Burn-In” By Chris Lopez and others at the BiTS Workshop in 2005. That presentation can be viewed at….
http://www.bitsworkshop.org/archive/archive2005/archive2005.htm
Figure 1: Graph showing the DUT junction temperature variation for the burn-in of identical devices in the same ambient conditions.
This graph was developed with Mike Noel and others at Freescale, Austin and shows the variation of the junction temperature of a number of devices from the same lot which were tested in an oven at the same time. In the test the oven temperature was increased in a step fashion – the black line in the graph - and the DUT temperature monitored. As the temperature of the oven was increased the DUT junction temperature increased – but due to small differences in the performance of each device the junction temperatures of each DUT was slightly different.
The objective of the test was to get the DUT junction temperature to 125°C. However because of the small differences in each device the measured DUT temperatures could vary as much as 40°C.
If the temperature variation during burn-in can vary as much as 40°C then this is not a process under control. It is this temperature variation which required an understanding of Thermal Management in burn-in and led to the development of WELLS’ proprietary iSocket™ technology or ATC “Active Thermal Control”.
Utilizing ATC the temperature during burn-in can be controlled within 2°C. Figure 2 shows the temperature variation of the same devices shown in figure 1 when iSocket™ technology is enabled. The devices can be monitored and controlled and the burn-in process brought under control.
Active thermal control will be the subject of a future blog which will describe the fundamentals of this approach and the details of the iSocket™ technology by WELLS-CTI.
So what is Thermal Management? It is a process or technology which enables the monitoring and controlling of each and every device under test so that each device is tested within specified temperature limits regardless of the DUT power or any variation or the conditions such as air flow rate or ambient temperature within the chamber.
Figure 2: Graph showing the DUT junction temperature variation for the burn-in of the same devices in figure 1 when iSocket™ Active Thermal Control is enabled.
References used in this article:
1) “Controlling Thermal Demands During IC Burn-in”, Chris Lopez and Mark Murdza, Chip Scale Review, May - June 2005
2) “Thermal Challenges During Microprocessor Testing”, Pooya Tadayon, Intel Technology Journal Q3, 2000, Intel Corporation.
3) “A Cost Effective, Flexible Approach to Automated Thermal Control During Burn-In”, Chris Lopez, Brian Denheyer, Michael Noel, and Don VanOverloop, BiTS Workshop, March 2005.
Posted by Matt Bergeron on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 08:53 AM
We’ve had great success with customers who want innovative sockets that lower cost at the hand test/characterization stage. By molding a versatile socket body that can utilize a number of contact technologies (from elastomers to spring pins) we’ve been able to lower customer’s purchase prices by 60% - 70%. Our 890 series socket accommodates packages up to 15 x 15mm has a high force delivery system (up to 18Kg) with a Two Finger knob that is easy to operate even at high force. The lid assembly is easily removed and has an opening for thermal streams or equivalent air-flow temperature control systems. Ask WELLS-CTI for a quote utilizing the 890 series the next time you need a hand test socket.
Posted by Matt Bergeron on Thu, Nov 17, 2011 @ 10:56 AM
WELLS-CTI's sales and engineering efforts have focused heavily on Burn in sockets. While today we consider Burn in sockets a key product, we increasingly see a desire by our customers to have engineered solutions that focus on their particular test and thermal issues. Thermal control during the Qualification and Burn-in stages of test have become one of our forte’s with 
the introduction of our iSocket Technology in 2004 and later our Thermal Control Solutions (TCU) product line. Hand in hand with these products we’ve developed sockets that are geared towards these customer requirements as well – most notably our 89x sockets focused on Hand-Test/Characterization and our 86x sockets that have built in thermal control for iSocket and
MCC systems. Let us know if we can lend a hand in your difficult thermal control issues by contacting one of our sales team or WELLS-CTI directly.
Posted by Susan Campbell on Tue, Oct 18, 2011 @ 11:36 AM
WELLS-CTI is proud to be showcasing their products at LEDs 2011: Bringing Lighting to Life, be the fall’s leading lighting and LED event. Hundreds of lighting professionals will gather at the 12th installment of IntertechPira’s industry leading LEDs conference and sold-out exhibition to hear from Acuity, Cree, OSRAM, Philips and more. This year’s event will be held at the Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa from October 24-26, 2011 in San Diego, California, US.
WELLS-CTI will be showcasing their thermal testing expertise from heat sinks, air and liquid cooled systems, iSocket technology as well as custom thermal management solutions. Free exhibit passes for LEDs 2011 are available to meet with company representatives inSan Diego.
“Not all thermal testing can be provided by out of the box solutions. WELLS-CTI has a history of working with our customers to create custom solutions specific to their needs,” says Chris Lopez, WELLS-CTI Director of Applications Engineering.
LEDs 2011 will provide three full days of coverage of the latest technology, applications and end uses, luminaire and fixture design, and market expectations and analysis most relevant to the LEDs and lighting sectors. Organizations presenting at LEDs 2011 include ABILUX (Brazilian Lighting Industry Association), Acuity Brands Lighting , ASBAI (Brazilian Association for Architectural Lighting Designers), BetaLED, Cree, Digital Lumens, Excelitas Technologies, IMS Research, Inventronics, Intematix, io Lighting, Lithonia Lighting, Lighting Science Group, Lux Research, MSi, Nexxus Lighting, Nichia, Oree, OSRAM Sylvania, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, Philips Lumileds Lighting, Prescolite, Switch Lighting, Traxon Technologies and the U.S Department of Energy.
WELLS-CTI is located in booth #47.
For more information on WELLS-CTI's LED Thermal Capabilities visit www.wellscti.com/thermal_led.html
For more information about LEDs 2011, visit www.ledsconference.com
Posted by Susan Campbell on Wed, Sep 28, 2011 @ 09:13 PM
WELLS-CTI has extended its reach from semiconductor test into the medical field by developing an interface contactor used in a medical diagnostic instrument. This multi-year development program, led by the Aubrey Group based in Irvine Ca., for one of their customers, resulted in the contactor used in a medical sensor system.
The medical instrument, which requires a stable temperature environment, uses microfluidics and electronic detection technologies to enable state of the art molecular diagnostics techniques to test a patient’s DNA sample.
The connector module, jointly developed by engineers at WELLS-CTI and Aubrey Group holds the disposable sample cassette while maintaining the temperature of 
the patient’s fluid sample and providing electrical and pneumatic interfaces. The thermal interface maintains the sample temperature as the pneumatic interface moves the fluid through a series of sensors. Thermal, pneumatic, and mechanical interfaces were developed by Aubrey Group. The contact system, developed by WELLS-CTI provides the electrical interconnect between the sensor systems PCB and the sample cassette allowing the molecular diagnostics of the sample.
“We used WELLS-CTI buckle-beam contact technology, originally developed for testing integrated circuits under harsh conditions. This technology was selected for its high density and reliable performance. Integration with the thermal, mechanical, and pneumatic interface requirements required joint engineering talents of both companies to bring the project to successful conclusion and subsequent quantity production”, says Milan Trcka, Chief Technology Officer, and Director of Electrical Engineering at Aubrey Group.
“We are very proud of our engineering and manufacturing team’s efforts to jointly design and build this critical part of this technologically advanced medical device,” says Matt Bergeron, WELLS-CTI President and CEO.
Contact WELLS-CTI for more information, 800.348.2505, www.wellscti.com
Posted by Chris Lopez on Thu, Sep 22, 2011 @ 11:39 AM
WELLS-CTI has seen increasing needs for high temperature, low cost burn in solutions at 225°C or greater for automotive, downhole and other extreme temperature applications. As a quick example, we have delivered a bench-top design utilizing our iSocket technology that integrated a QFP socket. One of the benefits of the bench-top solution is that the socket and electronics were not inside a chamber being exposed to 225°C - only the DUT was exposed to the temperature. Customers were able to utilize traditional low cost PCB materials and components since the ambient temperature was not high. In the past these processes required high cost ceramic PCB’s and high temperature rated components. Please contact us if you have a need for High Temperature Burn-in.
Posted by James Forster on Tue, Sep 13, 2011 @ 11:23 AM
By Chris Lopez and James Forster
It’s a hot one out there …. This summer has certainly seen record temperatures and the semiconductor industry continues to forecast increasing devices powers and temperatures. While the 1959 movie “Some Like it Hot” starring Marilyn Monroe is considered one of the greatest comedies ever (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Some_Like_It_Hot) heat, or more precisely high temperatures, in the semiconductor world is a killer.
A number of sessions at the annual BiTS workshop have been dedicated to thermal issues and the measurement and control of DUT, Device Under Test, or junction temperatures. To those not familiar with the Burn-in process it is a strange test and against everything we would normally consider doing – place a perfectly good device into an oven and heat it to approximately 125°C. – Are you crazy? Yet that is exactly what we do but in some instances things can get out of control with disastrous consequences.
One of the early BiTS presentations by Mark Miller of AMD won the “Best Paper/Presentation in 2001 and has a great picture of what happens when things get out of control and go very very wrong ….. This is from Mark’s presentation titled "Next Generation Burn-in & Test System For Athlon Microprocessors: 'Hybrid Burn-in'" and shows the remains of a clamshell socket with the ceramic PGA still inside after a thermal runaway event.
http://www.bitsworkshop.org/archive/archive2001/2001s5.pdf
The next few blogs will discuss thermal issues in test and burn-in and describe how the industry has moved for static burn-in to active thermal control and how we can burn-in high power devices and prevent the kind of damage seen in Mark Millers picture.