ISBN 9783843948289

978-3-8439-4828-9, Reihe Ingenieurwissenschaften

Fabian von Kleist-Retzow
Robotic Liquid Metal Manipulation and Electrical Contact Probing at Small Scales

201 Seiten, Dissertation Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg (2021), Hardcover, D4

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

Contact measurement techniques are commonly applied for determining the electrical properties of materials. These techniques are especially critical for conducting quality assurance in the industry. However, characterizing devices which are submicrometer in size remains a great technical challenge.

As the size of the device under test shrinks, measurement errors contribute a larger portion to the measured value. For accurate characterization, precise definition of systematic errors is essential. Hence, there is a high priority to maintain a constant measuring environment. This includes avoiding misalignment between the probe and pad, as well as surface variations on the pad itself.

The present contribution investigates established methods, as well as develops new ones, for conducting contact measurements on the submicrometer scale with increased reliability and reproducibility. Two optimization possibilities were identified. First, the influence of operator errors was minimized by automation. Second, the use of liquid metal creates a solid-liquid-solid interface between the prober and pads, which minimizes wear and enables straight-forward, stable electrical contacting. For this purpose, dedicated robotic setups were developed to utilize liquid metal on a small scale with developed manipulation techniques for a high level of precision.