Wafer test probe burn modeling and characterization

This study investigates the wafer probe temperature distribution along a probe body in order to model probe burn phenomenon by using computational mechanics techniques. The finite volume software is used to study the effects of different materials and different geometrical factors on the temperature along a special design vertical/spring and cantilever probe. The computation shows higher temperatures towards the probe tip region as a result of Joule heating. The probe burn is also observed at the tip region of spring and cantilever probes in wafer testing. This is believed to be due to very low heat dissipation rates resulting from very small sizes compared to the probe body.