Integrated circuit interconnect system forming a multi-pole filter
Granted: October 1, 2002
Patent Number:
6459343
In an interconnect system for providing access to a common I/O terminal for multiple circuit devices such as drivers, receivers and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices implemented on an IC, each such device is provided with a separate contact pad within the IC. The contact pads are linked to one another and to the IC I/O terminal though inductive conductors such as bond wires, metalization layer traces in the IC, or legs of a forked, lithographically-defined spring contact…
Special contact points for accessing internal circuitry of an integrated circuit
Granted: September 24, 2002
Patent Number:
6456099
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…
Apparatus for reducing power supply noise in an integrated circuit
Granted: September 24, 2002
Patent Number:
6456103
A main power supply continuously provides a current to a power input terminal of an integrated circuit device under test (DUT). The DUT's demand for current at the power input terminal temporarily increases during state changes in synchronous logic circuits implemented within the DUT. To limit variation (noise) in voltage at the power input terminal arising from these temporary increases in current demand, a charged capacitor is connected to the power input terminal during each DUT…
Efficient parallel testing of integrated circuit devices using a known good device to generate expected responses
Granted: September 17, 2002
Patent Number:
6452411
A system for testing integrated circuit devices is disclosed in which a tester communicates with a known good device through a channel. Tester-DUT interface circuitry is provided for monitoring the channel while the tester is writing data as part of a test sequence to locations in the known good device. In response, the interface circuitry writes the data to corresponding locations in each of a number of devices under test (DUTs). The interface circuitry monitors the channel while the…
Integrated circuit interconnect system
Granted: September 10, 2002
Patent Number:
6448865
In an interconnect system for providing access to a common I/O terminal for multiple circuit devices such as drivers, receivers and electrostatic protection devices implemented on an IC, each such device is provided with a separate contact pad within the IC. The contact pads are linked to one another and to the IC I/O terminal though inductive conductors such as bond wires, metalization layer traces in the IC, or legs of a forked, lithographically-defined spring contact formed on the IC.…
Method for shaping spring elements
Granted: September 3, 2002
Patent Number:
6442831
Interconnection elements for electronic components, exhibiting desirable mechanical characteristics (such as resiliency, for making pressure contacts) are formed by using a shaping tool (512) to shape an elongate core element (502) of a soft material (such as gold or soft copper wire) to have a springable shape (including cantilever beam, S-shape, U-shape), and overcoating the shaped core element with a hard material (such as nickel and its alloys), to impart a desired spring (resilient)…
Contact structures with blades having a wiping motion
Granted: August 27, 2002
Patent Number:
6441315
An apparatus providing improved interconnection elements and tip structures for effecting pressure connections between terminals of electronic components is described. The tip structure of the present invention has a sharpened blade oriented on the upper surface of the tip structure such that the length of the blade is substantially parallel to the direction of horizontal movement of the tip structure as the tip structure deflects across the terminal of an electronic component. In this…
Concurrent design and subsequent partitioning of product and test die
Granted: August 6, 2002
Patent Number:
6429029
One embodiment of the present invention concerns a design methodology for generating a test die for a product die including the step of concurrently designing test circuitry and a product circuitry in a unified design. The test circuitry can be designed to provide a high degree of fault coverage for the corresponding product circuitry generally without regard to the amount of silicon area that will be required by the test circuitry. The design methodology then partitions the unified…
Apparatus for reducing power supply noise in an integrated circuit
Granted: January 15, 2002
Patent Number:
6339338
A main power supply continuously provides a current to a power input terminal of an integrated circuit device under test (DUT). The DUT's demand for current at the power input terminal temporarily increases during state changes in synchronous logic circuits implemented within the DUT. To limit variation (noise) in voltage at the power input terminal arising from these temporary increases in current demand, a charged capacitor is connected to the power input terminal during each DUT…
Interconnect assemblies and methods including ancillary electronic component connected in immediate proximity of semiconductor device
Granted: December 11, 2001
Patent Number:
6330164
The present invention provides an ancillary electrical component in very close proximity to a semiconductor device, preferably mounted directly to the semiconductor device. In one preferred embodiment, the ancillary electrical component is a capacitor. In a preferred embodiment, a terminal is provided on the semiconductor device such that the capacitor can be electrically connected directly to the terminals, as by soldering or with conductive epoxy. Connecting the capacitor between…
Partially-overcoated elongate contact structures
Granted: October 23, 2001
Patent Number:
6307161
Elongate contact structures (interconnection elements) are (formed on electronic components by bonding one (proximal) end of a core element to a terminal of the electronic component and applying a metallic material over the end portion of the core element. The metallic material may also cover a distal end portion of the core element. A central portion of the core element is not covered by the metallic material, but is preferably covered by a masking (insulating) material.
Interconnection substrates with resilient contact structures on both sides
Granted: August 14, 2001
Patent Number:
6274823
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…
Method of making and using lithographic contact springs
Granted: July 31, 2001
Patent Number:
6268015
A method of forming an interconnection, including a spring contact element, by lithographic techniques. In one embodiment, the method includes applying a masking material over a first portion of a substrate, the masking material having an opening which will define a first portion of a spring structure, depositing a structure material (e.g., conductive material) in the opening, and overfilling the opening with the structure material, removing a portion of the structure material, and…
Lithographic contact elements
Granted: July 3, 2001
Patent Number:
6255126
A method of forming an interconnection, including a spring contact element, by lithographic techniques. In one embodiment, the method includes applying a masking material over a first portion of a substrate, the masking material having an opening which will define a first portion of a spring structure, depositing a structure material (e.g., conductive material) in the opening, and overfilling the opening with the structure material, removing a portion of the structure material, and…
Probe card assembly and kit, and methods of using same
Granted: June 12, 2001
Patent Number:
6246247
A probe card assembly includes a probe card, a space transformer having resilient contact structures (probe elements) mounted directly thereto (i.e., without the need for additional connecting wires or the like) and extending from terminals on a surface thereof, and an interposer disposed between the space transformer and the probe card. The space transformer and interposer are “stacked up” so that the orientation of the space transformer, hence the orientation of the tips of…
Semiconductor devices with integral contact structures
Granted: June 5, 2001
Patent Number:
6242803
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…
Sockets for “springed” semiconductor devices
Granted: May 15, 2001
Patent Number:
6232149
Temporary connections to spring contact elements extending from an electronic component such as a semiconductor device are made by urging the electronic component, consequently the ends of the spring contact elements, vertically against terminals of an interconnection substrate, or by horizontally urging terminals of an interconnection substrate against end portions of the spring contact elements. A variety of terminal configurations are disclosed.
High bandwidth passive integrated circuit tester probe card assembly
Granted: April 17, 2001
Patent Number:
6218910
Described herein is a probe card assembly providing signal paths for conveying high frequency signals between bond pads of an integrated circuit (IC) and an IC tester. The frequency response of the probe card assembly is optimized by appropriately distributing, adjusting and impedance matching resistive, capacitive and inductive impedance values along the signal paths so that the interconnect system behaves as an appropriately tuned Butterworth or Chebyshev filter.
Electronic component with terminals and spring contact elements extending from areas which are remote from the terminals
Granted: April 10, 2001
Patent Number:
6215196
Spring contact elements are fabricated at areas on an electronic component remote from terminals to which they are electrically connected. For example, the spring contact elements may be mounted to remote regions such as distal ends of extended tails (conductive lines) which extend from a terminal of an electronic component to positions which are remote from the terminals. In this manner, a plurality of substantially identical spring contact elements can be mounted to the component so…
Method for manufacturing raised electrical contact pattern of controlled geometry
Granted: April 10, 2001
Patent Number:
6215670
An electronic assembly. The electronic assembly includes a first substrate which has a first set of contact pads and a second substrate which has a second set of contact pads. A plurality of elongate, springable interconnection elements are located between the first substrate and the second substrate. Each of the plurality of elongate, springable interconnect elements is free standing and has a portion permanently attached to a respective contact pad of the first set of contact pads and…
