Method and apparatus for adjusting a multi-substrate probe structure
Granted: December 30, 2008
Patent Number:
7471094
A probe card assembly comprises multiple probe substrates attached to a mounting assembly. Each probe substrate includes a set of probes, and together, the sets of probes on each probe substrate compose an array of probes for contacting a device to be tested. Adjustment mechanisms are configured to impart forces to each probe substrate to move individually each substrate with respect to the mounting assembly. The adjustment mechanisms may translate each probe substrate in an “x,”…
Contactless interfacing of test signals with a device under test
Granted: December 16, 2008
Patent Number:
7466157
An interface device receives test data from a tester. A signal representing the test data is transmitted to a device under test through electromagnetically coupled structures on the interface device and the device under test. The device under test processes the test data and generates response data. A signal representing the response data is transmitted to the interface device through electromagnetically coupled structures on the device under test and the interface device.
Methods of probing an electronic device
Granted: December 9, 2008
Patent Number:
7463043
An electronic device is moved into a first position such that terminals of the electronic device are adjacent probes for making electrical contact with the terminals. The electronic device is then moved horizontally or diagonally such that the terminals contact the probes. Test data are then communicated to and from the electronic device through the probes.
Apparatuses and methods for cleaning test probes
Granted: December 2, 2008
Patent Number:
7458123
Apparatuses and methods for cleaning test probes used in a semiconductor testing machine of the type having a plurality of test probes configured to contact the surface of a semiconductor wafer to test one or more dies formed thereon. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a roller-support arm and a cylindrical roller supported by the roller-support arm. The roller has an outer surface comprising a sticky material. Debris on the probes will adhere to the sticky material as roller is…
Shaped spring
Granted: December 2, 2008
Patent Number:
7458816
An interconnection element that includes a first element material adapted to be coupled to a substrate and a second element material comprising a material having a transformable property such that upon transformation, a shape of the interconnection is modified. An example is a material that has a transformable property such that a volume of the first and/or second element material may undergo a thermal transformation from one volume to a different volume (such as a smaller volume).
Method to build a wirebond probe card in a many at a time fashion
Granted: December 2, 2008
Patent Number:
7459795
Resilient spring contacts for use in wafer test probing are provided that can be manufactured with a very fine pitch spacing and precisely located on a support substrate. The resilient contact structures are adapted for wire bonding to an electrical circuit on a space transformer substrate. The support substrates with attached spring contacts can be manufactured together in large numbers and diced up and tested before attachment to a space transformer substrate to improve yield. The…
Electrical contactor, especially wafer level contactor, using fluid pressure
Granted: November 25, 2008
Patent Number:
7455540
An interconnect assembly can include a semiconductor device that is to be tested, and the semiconductor device can include compliant, elongate contact structures that provide an electrical interface to the semiconductor device. The interconnect assembly can also include a flexible wiring substrate, which can have electrical connections to a semiconductor tester. The flexible wiring substrate can also include electrically conductive contact features located on the substrate in a pattern…
Method and apparatus for remotely buffering test channels
Granted: November 18, 2008
Patent Number:
7453258
A system is provided to enable leakage current measurement or parametric tests to be performed with an isolation buffer provided in a channel line. Multiple such isolation buffers are used to connect a single signal channel to multiple lines. Leakage current measurement is provided by providing a buffer bypass element, such as a resistor or transmission gate, between the input and output of each buffer. The buffer bypass element can be used to calibrate buffer delay out of the test…
Process and apparatus for adjusting traces
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7444623
Traces routed through a computer depiction of a routing area of a system, such as an electronics system, comprise a plurality of connected nodes. The traces may be smoothed, straightened, or otherwise adjusted (e.g., to correct design rule violations) by assigning forces to the nodes and moving the nodes in accordance with the nodes. The forces may be based on such things as the proximity of the nodes to each other and to obstacles in the routing area.
Air bridge structures and methods of making and using air bridge structures
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7444253
A probe card assembly, according to some embodiments of the invention, can comprise a tester interface configured to make electrical connections with a test controller, a plurality of electrically conductive probes disposed to contact terminals of an electronic device to be tested, and a plurality of electrically conductive data paths connecting the tester interface and the probes. At least one of the data paths can comprise an air bridge structure trace comprising an electrically…
High performance probe system
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7443181
A probe system for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and input/output, power and ground pads on the surfaces of ICs to be tested includes a probe board assembly, a flex cable and a set of probes arranged to contact the IC's I/O pads. The probe board assembly includes one or more rigid substrate layers with traces and vias formed on or within the substrate layers providing relatively low bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing some of…
Variable width resilient conductive contact structures
Granted: October 14, 2008
Patent Number:
7435108
Interconnect assemblies having resilient contact elements and methods for making these assemblies. In one aspect, the interconnect assembly includes a substrate and a resilient electrical contact element disposed on the substrate. A first portion of the resilient contact structure is disposed on the substrate and a second portion extends away from the substrate and is capable of moving from a first position to a second position under the application of a force. A stop structure is…
Electronic package with direct cooling of active electronic components
Granted: October 7, 2008
Patent Number:
7433188
A cooling assembly includes a package with one or more dies cooled by direct cooling. The cooled package includes one or more dies with active electronic components. A coolant port allows a coolant to enter the package and directly cool the active electronic components of the dies.
Method and apparatus for increasing operating frequency of a system for testing electronic devices
Granted: August 19, 2008
Patent Number:
7414418
A test system includes a communications channel that terminals in a probe, which contacts an input terminal of an electronic device to be tested. A resistor is connected between the communications channel near the probe and ground. The resistor reduces the input resistance of the terminal and thereby reduces the rise and fall times of the input terminal. The channel may be terminated in a branch having multiple paths in which each path is terminated with a probe for contacting a terminal…
Composite wiring structure having a wiring block and an insulating layer with electrical connections to probes
Granted: July 15, 2008
Patent Number:
7400157
A method of designing and manufacturing a probe card assembly includes prefabricating one or more elements of the probe card assembly to one or more predefined designs. Thereafter, design data regarding a newly designed semiconductor device is received along with data describing the tester and testing algorithms to be used to test the semiconductor device. Using the received data, one or more of the prefabricated elements is selected. Again using the received data, one or more of the…
Wafer level interposer
Granted: July 8, 2008
Patent Number:
7396236
Double-sided interposer assemblies and methods for forming and using them. In one example of the invention, an interposer comprises a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite of said first surface, a first plurality of contact elements disposed on said first side of said substrate, and a second plurality of contact elements disposed on said second surface of said substrate, wherein said interposer connects electronic devices via said first and said second plurality…
Apparatus for providing a high frequency loop back with a DC path for a parametric test
Granted: June 17, 2008
Patent Number:
7388424
A high fidelity “loop-back” or interconnection of terminal pads of an IC on a wafer being tested in production is provided, while simultaneously a DC or low frequency path is provided back to a test system. Two or more IC pads are connected by probes forming the “loop-back,” each probe forming an inductor, the probes being connected together through a trace in a substrate. A capacitor is then provided on a layer of the substrate connected to the trace to form a three-pole filter.…
Reinforced contact elements
Granted: June 10, 2008
Patent Number:
7384277
Embodiments of reinforced resilient elements and methods for fabricating same are provided herein. In one embodiment, a reinforced resilient element includes a resilient element configured to electrically probe a device to be tested, the resilient element having a first end and an opposing second end; and a reinforcement member having a first end affixed to the resilient element at the first end thereof or at a point disposed between the first and the second ends of the resilient…
Method of designing a probe card apparatus with desired compliance characteristics
Granted: June 10, 2008
Patent Number:
7385411
A probe card apparatus is configured to have a desired overall amount of compliance. The compliance of the probes of the probe card apparatus is determined, and an additional, predetermined amount of compliance is designed into the probe card apparatus so that the sum of the additional compliance and the compliance of the probes total the overall desired compliance of the probe card apparatus.
Spring interconnect structures
Granted: May 13, 2008
Patent Number:
7371072
An interconnection element of a spring (body) including a first resilient element with a first contact region and a second contact region and a first securing region and a second resilient element, with a third contact region and a second securing region. The second resilient element is coupled to the first resilient element through respective securing regions and positioned such that upon sufficient displacement of the first contact region toward the second resilient element, the second…
