Interconnect for microelectronic structures with enhanced spring characteristics
Granted: May 23, 2006
Patent Number:
7048548
An interconnection element and a method of forming an interconnection element. In one embodiment, the interconnection element includes a first structure and a second structure coupled to the first structure. The second structure coupled with the first material has a spring constant greater than the spring constant of the first structure alone. In one embodiment, the interconnection element is adapted to be coupled to an electronic component tracked as a conductive path from the…
Methods for making plated through holes usable as interconnection wire or probe attachments
Granted: April 11, 2006
Patent Number:
7024763
Methods are provided for making plated through holes usable for inserting and attaching connector probes. In a first method, a curved plated through hole is formed by bonding curved etchable wires to a first substrate, plating the wires with a non-etchable conductive material, encasing the plated wires with a dielectric material to form a second substrate, planing the second substrate to expose the etchable wire, and etching the wires to leave plated through holes. In a second method,…
Re-assembly process for MEMS structures
Granted: March 14, 2006
Patent Number:
7010854
Methods of fabricating an array of aligned microstructures on a substrate are disclosed. The microstructures may be spring contacts or other microelements. The methods disclosed include construction of an alignment substrate, alignment of die elements with the alignment substrate, and fixation of the aligned die elements to a backing substrate.
Test signal distribution system for IC tester
Granted: March 14, 2006
Patent Number:
7012442
A probe board provides signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and probes accessing terminals on the surfaces of ICs formed on a semiconductor wafer for receiving test signals form the IC tester. A branching signal path within the probe board distributes a test signal produced by one channel of the IC tester to several probes. Resistors within the branching signal path resistively isolate the probes from one another so that a fault occurring at any one IC terminal will not…
Photoresist formulation for high aspect ratio plating
Granted: February 28, 2006
Patent Number:
7005233
SU-8 photoresist compositions are modified to improve their adhesion properties by adding 1% to 6% of an adhesion promoter selected from the group consisting of glycidoxypropanetrimethoxysilane, mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, and aminopropyltrimethoxysilane. SU-8 photoresist compositions are modified to improve their resistance to cracking and film stress by adding 0.5% to 3% of a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of dialkylphthalates, dialkylmalonates, dialkylsebacates,…
Layered microelectronic contact and method for fabricating same
Granted: February 28, 2006
Patent Number:
7005751
A microelectronic spring contact for making electrical contact between a device and a mating substrate and method of making the same are disclosed. The spring contact has a compliant pad adhered to a substrate of the device and spaced apart from a terminal of the device. The compliant pad has a base adhered to the substrate, and side surfaces extending away from the substrate and tapering to a smaller end area distal from the substrate. A trace extends from the terminal of the device…
Method and system for compensating thermally induced motion of probe cards
Granted: February 21, 2006
Patent Number:
7002363
The present invention discloses a method and system compensating for thermally induced motion of probe cards used in testing die on a wafer. A probe card incorporating temperature control devices to maintain a uniform temperature throughout the thickness of the probe card is disclosed. A probe card incorporating bi-material stiffening elements which respond to changes in temperature in such a way as to counteract thermally induced motion of the probe card is disclosed including rolling…
Method and system for compensating thermally induced motion of probe cards
Granted: December 6, 2005
Patent Number:
6972578
The present invention discloses a method and system compensating for thermally induced motion of probe cards used in testing die on a wafer. A probe card incorporating temperature control devices to maintain a uniform temperature throughout the thickness of the probe card is disclosed. A probe card incorporating bi-material stiffening elements which respond to changes in temperature in such a way as to counteract thermally induced motion of the probe card is disclosed including rolling…
High performance probe system
Granted: November 15, 2005
Patent Number:
6965244
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…
Compensation for test signal degradation due to DUT fault
Granted: November 15, 2005
Patent Number:
6965248
An electronic device tester channel transmits a single test signal to multiple terminals of electronic devices under test (DUTs) through a set of isolation resistors. The tester channel employs feedback to automatically adjust the test signal voltage to compensate for affects of faults at any of the DUT terminals to prevent the faults from substantially affecting the test signal voltage.
Probe card covering system and method
Granted: November 1, 2005
Patent Number:
6960923
A probe card covering system includes a probe card for testing a die on a wafer, the probe card having contacts adapted for electrical engagement with the die; a removable cover connected to the probe card and positionable in a first position over the contacts of the probe card, the cover being movable to a second position exposing said contacts for the engagement with the die; and, wherein the cover is movable from the first position to the second position while the probe card is…
Tip structures
Granted: October 18, 2005
Patent Number:
6956174
An interconnection contact structure assembly including an electronic component having a surface and a conductive contact carried by the electronic component and accessible at the surface. The contact structure includes an internal flexible elongate member having first and second ends and with the first end forming a first intimate bond to the surface of said conductive contact terminal without the use of a separate bonding material. An electrically conductive shell is provided and is…
Helical microelectronic contact and method for fabricating same
Granted: September 27, 2005
Patent Number:
6948940
A microelectronic spring contact for making electrical contact between a device and a mating substrate and method of making the same are disclosed. The spring contact has a compliant pad adhered to a substrate of the device and spaced apart from a terminal of the device. The compliant pad has a base adhered to the substrate, and side surfaces extending away from the substrate and tapering to a smaller end area distal from the substrate. A trace extends from the terminal of the device in…
Interconnect assemblies and methods
Granted: September 27, 2005
Patent Number:
6948941
Interconnect assemblies and methods for forming and using them. In one example of the invention, an interconnect assembly comprises a substrate, a resilient contact element and a stop structure. The resilient contact element is disposed on the substrate and has at least a portion thereof which is capable of moving to a first position, which is defined by the stop structure, in which the resilient contact element is in mechanical and electrical contact with another contact element. In…
Predictive, adaptive power supply for an integrated circuit under test
Granted: September 27, 2005
Patent Number:
6949942
A main power source supplies current through path impedance to a power terminal of an integrated circuit device under test (DUT). The DUT's demand for current at the power input terminal temporarily increases following edges of a clock signal applied to the DUT during a test as transistors within the IC switch in response to the clock signal edges. To limit variation (noise) in voltage at the power input terminal, an auxiliary power supply supplies an additional current pulse to the…
Microelectronic contact structure
Granted: September 20, 2005
Patent Number:
6945827
An elongate, columnar micro-mechanical structure disposed along a central longitudinal axis; the structure is made up of laminated structural layers, each comprised of a structural material. The layers define a substantially rigid base portion at a proximal end of the structure, a resilient intermediate portion extending from the base portion along the central axis, and a contact tip extending from the resilient portion at a distal end of the structure. The resilient portion of the…
Method for forming microelectronic spring structures on a substrate
Granted: September 6, 2005
Patent Number:
6939474
A method for fabricating microelectronic spring structures is disclosed. In an initial step of the method, a layer of sacrificial material is formed over a substrate. Then, a contoured surface is developed in the sacrificial material, such as by molding the sacrificial material using a mold or stamp. The contoured surface provides a mold for at least one spring form, and preferably for an array of spring forms. If necessary, the sacrificial layer is then cured or hardened. A layer of…
Special contact points for accessing internal circuitry of an integrated circuit
Granted: September 6, 2005
Patent Number:
6940093
One embodiment of the present invention concerns an integrated circuit that includes bond pads and special contact pads or points. The bond pads are for interfacing the integrated circuit as a whole with an external circuit, and are to be bonded to a package or circuit board. The bond pads are disposed on the die in a predetermined alignment such as a peripheral, grid, or lead-on-center alignment. The special contact pads are used to provide external test patterns to internal circuits…
Probe card assembly for contacting a device with raised contact elements
Granted: August 30, 2005
Patent Number:
6937037
A probe card is provided for probing a semiconductor wafer with raised contact elements. In particular, the present invention is useful with resilient contact elements, such as springs. A probe card is designed to have terminals to mate with the contact elements on the wafer. In a preferred embodiment, the terminals are posts. In a preferred embodiment the terminals include a contact material suitable for repeated contacts. In one particularly preferred embodiment, a space transformer is…
Fiducial alignment marks on microelectronic spring contacts
Granted: August 23, 2005
Patent Number:
6933738
Microelectronic spring contacts with fiducial alignment marks for use on a semiconductor wafer contactor or similar apparatus, and methods for making such marks, are disclosed. Each alignment mark is placed on a pad adjacent to a contact tip. The alignment mark is positioned on the pad so that it will not contact the terminal or any other part of a wafer under test. The alignment mark and the contact tip are preferably positioned on the pad in the same lithographic step. Then, the pad…
