Method and apparatus for testing devices using serially controlled intelligent switches
Granted: July 12, 2011
Patent Number:
7977959
Methods and apparatus for testing devices using serially controlled intelligent switches have been described. In some embodiments, a probe card assembly can be provided that includes a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) serially coupled to form a chain, the chain coupled to at least one serial control line, the plurality of ICs including switches coupled to test probes, each of the switches being programmable responsive to a control signal on the at least one serial control line.
Method and apparatus for probe card alignment in a test system
Granted: July 12, 2011
Patent Number:
7977956
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for aligning a probe card assembly in a test system are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for testing devices may include a probe card assembly having a plurality of probes, each probe having a tip for contacting a device to be tested, and having an identified set of one or more features that are preselected in accordance with selected criteria for aligning the probe card assembly within a prober after installation therein. In some…
Electrical contactor, especially wafer level contactor, using fluid pressure
Granted: June 28, 2011
Patent Number:
7967621
An electrical interconnect assembly and methods for making an electrical interconnect assembly. In one embodiment, an interconnect assembly includes a flexible wiring layer having a plurality of first contact elements and a fluid containing structure which is coupled to the flexible wiring layer. The fluid, when contained in the fluid containing structure, presses the flexible wiring layer towards a device under test to form electrical interconnections between the first contact elements…
Self-monitoring switch
Granted: June 21, 2011
Patent Number:
7965084
Methods and apparatus for switching electrical signals are provided herein. In some embodiments a smart switch is provided, the smart switch may include a switch having a wipe capability; a monitor coupled to the switch for monitoring a performance characteristic thereof; and a controller configured to provide a stepped change in wipe applied by the switch between closing cycles thereof in response to the monitored performance characteristic. In some embodiments, an electronic device may…
Mechanical decoupling of a probe card assembly to improve thermal response
Granted: June 14, 2011
Patent Number:
7960989
A stiffener structure, a wiring substrate, and a frame having a major surface disposed in a stack can be part of a probe card assembly. The wiring substrate can be disposed between the frame and the stiffener structure, and probe substrates can be coupled to the frame by one or more non-adjustably fixed coupling mechanisms. Each of the probe substrates can have probes that are electrically connected through the probe card assembly to an electrical interface on the wiring substrate to a…
Closed-grid bus architecture for wafer interconnect structure
Granted: June 14, 2011
Patent Number:
7960990
An interconnect structure employs a closed-grid bus to link an integrated circuit tester channel to an array of input/output (I/O) pads on a semiconductor wafer so that the tester channel can concurrently communicate with all of the I/O pads. The interconnect structure includes a circuit board implementing an array of bus nodes, each corresponding to a separate one of the I/O pads. The circuit board includes at least two layers. Traces mounted on a first layer form a set of first…
Stacked guard structures
Granted: June 7, 2011
Patent Number:
7956633
Systems and methods for providing a stack with a guard plane embedded in the stack are disclosed. An electrical apparatus can be made by forming a stack comprising an electrically conductive signal structure, an electrical guard structure, and an electrically insulating structure disposed between the signal structure and the guard structure. The signal structure, insulating structure, and guard structure can be aligned one with another in the stack.
Stiffener assembly for use with testing devices
Granted: June 7, 2011
Patent Number:
7956635
A stiffener assembly for use with testing devices is provided herein. In some embodiments, a stiffener for use with testing devices includes an inner member; an outer member disposed in a predominantly spaced apart relation to the inner member; and a plurality of alignment mechanisms for orienting the inner and outer members with respect to each other, wherein the alignment mechanisms transfer forces applied to a lower surface of the inner member to the outer member and provide the…
AC coupled parameteric test probe
Granted: May 31, 2011
Patent Number:
7952375
A probe for contacting and testing ICs on a semiconductor device includes a dielectric insulating material tip. The dielectric tip does not contaminate the surface being probed unlike metal probe tips. A contact scrub is further not required with signals being capacitively or inductively coupled from the probe tip to the IC. Testing can be performed during early fabrication steps of the wafer without the need for applying a metalization layer to the wafer to form bond pads. Testing can…
Multilayered probe card
Granted: May 24, 2011
Patent Number:
7948252
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…
Method and apparatus for providing a tester integrated circuit for testing a semiconductor device under test
Granted: May 17, 2011
Patent Number:
7944225
Methods and apparatus for providing a tester integrated circuit (IC) for testing a semiconductor device under test (DUT) are described. Examples of the invention can relate to an apparatus for testing a semiconductor device under test (DUT). In some examples, the apparatus can include an integrated circuit (IC) coupled to test probes configured to contact pads on the DUT, the IC including a plurality of dedicated test circuits coupled to programmable logic, the programmable logic…
Providing an electrically conductive wall structure adjacent a contact structure of an electronic device
Granted: May 3, 2011
Patent Number:
7936177
Devices and methods for providing, making, and/or using an electronic apparatus having a wall structure adjacent a resilient contact structure on a substrate. The electronic apparatus can include a substrate and a plurality of electrically conductive resilient contact structures, which can extend from the substrate. A first of the contact structures can be part of an electrical path through the electronic apparatus. A first electrically conductive wall structure can also extend from the…
Contactless interfacing of test signals with a device under test
Granted: April 19, 2011
Patent Number:
7928750
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.
Method and system for designing a probe card
Granted: April 19, 2011
Patent Number:
7930219
A method and system for designing a probe card from data provided by prospective customers via the Internet is provided. Design specifications are entered into the system by prospective customers and compiled into a database. The collective feasibility of each set of design specifications is determined by an automated computer system and communicated to the prospective customer. If feasible, additional software enables prospective customers to create verification packages according to…
Probe card assembly for electronic device testing with DC test resource sharing
Granted: April 12, 2011
Patent Number:
7924035
A test system can include contact elements for making electrical connections with test points of a DUT. The test system can also include a DC test resource and a signal router, which can be configured to switch a DC channel from the DC test resource between individual contact elements in a group of contact elements.
Remote test facility with wireless interface to local test facilities
Granted: April 5, 2011
Patent Number:
7920989
A central test facility transmits wirelessly test data to a local test facility, which tests electronic devices using the test data. The local test facility transmits wirelessly response data generated by the electronic devices back to the central test facility, which analyzes the response data to determine which electronic devices passed the testing. The central test facility may provide the results of the testing to other entities, such as a design facility where the electronic devices…
Re-assembly process for MEMS structures
Granted: March 1, 2011
Patent Number:
7897435
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.
Probe card assembly with an interchangeable probe insert
Granted: March 1, 2011
Patent Number:
7898242
A probe card assembly can include an insert holder configured to hold a probe insert, which can include probes disposed in a particular configuration for probing a device to be tested. The probe card assembly can provide an electrical interface to a tester that can control testing of the device, and while attached to the probe card assembly, the insert holder can hold the probe insert such that the probe insert is electrically connected to electrical paths within the probe card assembly…
Configuration of shared tester channels to avoid electrical connections across die area boundary on a wafer
Granted: February 22, 2011
Patent Number:
7893700
A process or apparatus for testing a plurality of semiconductor dies on a semiconductor wafer utilizing a tester configured to test the dies in groups can include controlling as a logical whole provision of first test signals through a plurality of first communications channels to first probes organized into a plurality of N first probe die groups each configured to contact a different one of the dies of the wafer. One of the first communications channels can be a first common…
Method and apparatus for enhanced probe card architecture
Granted: February 22, 2011
Patent Number:
7893701
A technique for distributing power to a plurality of dies uses a probe card. The probe card can include a plurality of regulators, each regulator accepting a bulk power input and producing a regulated output. The regulated output can be controlled by a programmable controller that accepts a tester-controlled power input and adjusts the regulated outputs as a function of the tester-controlled power input.
