WO2006017078A2 - Probe head having a membrane suspended probe - Google Patents

Probe head having a membrane suspended probe Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2006017078A2
WO2006017078A2 PCT/US2005/023806 US2005023806W WO2006017078A2 WO 2006017078 A2 WO2006017078 A2 WO 2006017078A2 US 2005023806 W US2005023806 W US 2005023806W WO 2006017078 A2 WO2006017078 A2 WO 2006017078A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
probe
contact
elastic membrane
space transformer
membrane
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2005/023806
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2006017078A3 (en
Inventor
Kenneth Smith
Michael Jolley
Victoria Van Syckel
Original Assignee
Cascade Microtech, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to US10/565,356 priority Critical patent/US7708544B2/en
Application filed by Cascade Microtech, Inc. filed Critical Cascade Microtech, Inc.
Priority to JP2007520437A priority patent/JP4980903B2/en
Priority to KR1020077001093A priority patent/KR101157449B1/en
Priority to CA002570886A priority patent/CA2570886A1/en
Priority to EP05764375.1A priority patent/EP1766426B1/en
Publication of WO2006017078A2 publication Critical patent/WO2006017078A2/en
Priority to IL180188A priority patent/IL180188A0/en
Publication of WO2006017078A3 publication Critical patent/WO2006017078A3/en

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R1/00Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
    • G01R1/02General constructional details
    • G01R1/06Measuring leads; Measuring probes
    • G01R1/067Measuring probes
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R1/00Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
    • G01R1/02General constructional details
    • G01R1/06Measuring leads; Measuring probes
    • G01R1/067Measuring probes
    • G01R1/073Multiple probes
    • G01R1/07307Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
    • G01R1/0735Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card arranged on a flexible frame or film
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R1/00Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
    • G01R1/02General constructional details
    • G01R1/06Measuring leads; Measuring probes
    • G01R1/067Measuring probes
    • G01R1/073Multiple probes
    • G01R1/07307Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
    • G01R1/07364Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card with provisions for altering position, number or connection of probe tips; Adapting to differences in pitch
    • G01R1/07371Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card with provisions for altering position, number or connection of probe tips; Adapting to differences in pitch using an intermediate card or back card with apertures through which the probes pass
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R31/00Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
    • G01R31/26Testing of individual semiconductor devices
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L22/00Testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment; Reliability measurements, i.e. testing of parts without further processing to modify the parts as such; Structural arrangements therefor
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B82NANOTECHNOLOGY
    • B82YSPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
    • B82Y15/00Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to probing assemblies of the type commonly used for testing integrated circuits (ICs) and, in particular, to a probing assembly providing finely pitched, compliant probes having very low inductance.
  • Integrated circuit technology permits fabrication of a number of discrete electronic circuit elements on a single substrate or "wafer.” After fabrication, this wafer is divided into a number of rectangular-shaped chips or dies where each die includes a rectangular or other regular arrangement of metallized contact pads or bond pads through which input and output connections can be made to the electronic circuit on the die.
  • testing of the circuit formed on each die is preferably performed while the dies are still joined together on the wafer.
  • One typical procedure is to support the wafer on a flat stage or "chuck" and move the wafer in X, Y, and Z directions relative to the head of a probing assembly so that probe tips projecting from the probing assembly can be moved from die to die for consecutive engagement with the contact pads of each die.
  • Respective signal, power, and ground conductors connect the probe tips to test instrumentation enabling each circuit to be sequentially connected to and operated by the test instrumentation.
  • One type of probing assembly used for testing integrated circuits utilizes a plurality of needle-like contacts arranged in a pattern matching the pattern of the contact pads on the device to be tested.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 show a probing assembly 20 that includes a needle card probe head 22 comprising an array of needle-like probes 24 restrained by upper 26 and lower 28 needle cards.
  • the upper and lower needle cards 26, 28 contain patterns of holes that correspond to the contact pad arrangement of the IC or other device to be tested with the probing assembly 20.
  • the lower end of each of the probes 24 extends through one of the holes in the lower needle card 28, terminating in a pointed probe tip.
  • the upper end of each of the probes 24 is restrained by a hole in the upper needle card 26.
  • the holes of the upper needle card 26 are covered by electrically conductive pads 32 arranged on a surface of a space transformer 30 (indicated by a bracket) preventing the upper ends of the probes from sliding through the upper needle card 26 when the lower ends of the probes are brought into pressing engagement with the contact pads on the device under test.
  • the space transformer is a rigid, multilayer plate having electrically conductive contacts 32, 36 on the opposing surfaces that are electrically connected by conductive traces 34 that extend through the plate.
  • the space transformer 30 re-routes the electrical signals from the finely pitched pattern of the needle probes 24 to a more coarsely pitched pattern obtainable on a probe card 38, a printed circuit board through which the test instrumentation is connected to the probing assembly.
  • the exemplary probing assembly 20 also includes an interposer 39 disposed between the space transformer 30 and the probe card 38.
  • the interposer 39 typically includes a plurality of elastically deformable contacts electrically connected through a substrate to provide compliant electrical connections on opposing sides of the substrate. The compliance of the conductors compensates for variations in the distances separating the respective terminals of the space transformer 30 and the probe card 38 promoting reliable electrical connections there between.
  • the needle probes 24 typically comprise a wire including complementary bends that form an upper section and a lower section that lie generally parallel to, but offset from each other, adjacent, respectively, the upper and lower ends of the probe.
  • the hole pattern of the lower needle card 28 is offset from the hole pattern in the upper needle card 26 to accommodate the offset of the ends of the probes.
  • Needle card probing assemblies have been used extensively in wafer testing, but the trend in electronic production, and, in particular, IC production, to higher frequency, more complex circuits having smaller circuit elements and geometries has exposed several limitations of this type of probing device.
  • the pitch the distance between the probes, is limited by manufacturing tolerances and assembly considerations to about 125Dm, a spacing greater than desirable for many ICs having finely pitched contact pads.
  • the metallic contact pads of the dies oxidize rapidly and the tip of the probe must sharpened so that it can be pushed into the surface of the contact pad to achieve the good conductivity required for accurate measurements.
  • the inductance of parallel conductors is a function of the length and distance between the conductors.
  • the relatively long, closely spaced, needle-like probes exhibit a single path inductance of 1-2 nH which is sufficient to substantially distort high frequency signals, limiting the usefulness of needle-type probes for testing high frequency devices.
  • a membrane probing assembly 40 includes a probe card 52 on which data and signal lines 48, 50 from the instrumentation are arranged and a membrane probing assembly 42.
  • the membrane probing assembly 42 includes a support element 54 formed of incompressible material such as a hard polymer. This element is detachably connected to the upper side of the probe card by screws 56 and corresponding nuts 58 (each screw passes through a respective attachment arm 60 of the support element, and a separate backing element 62 evenly distributes the clamping pressure of the screws over the entire back side of the supporting element).
  • the support element 54 includes a rearward base portion 64 to which the attachment arms 60 are integrally joined. Also included on the support element 54 is a forward support or plunger 66 that projects outwardly from the flat base portion. This forward support has angled sides 68 that converge toward a flat support surface 70 so as to give the forward support the shape of a truncated pyramid.
  • a flexible membrane assembly 72 is attached to the support after being aligned by means of alignment pins 74 included on the base portion. This flexible membrane assembly is formed by one or more plies of insulative polyimide film, and flexible conductive layers or strips are provided between or on these plies to form the data/signal lines 76.
  • the forward support 66 protrudes through a central opening 78 in the probe card so as to present the contacts which are arranged on a central region 80 of the flexible membrane assembly in suitable position for pressing engagement with the contact pads of the die or other device under test.
  • the membrane assembly includes radially extending arm segments 82 that are separated by inwardly curving edges 84 that give the assembly the shape of a formee cross, and these segments extend in an inclined manner along the angled sides 68 thereby clearing any upright components surrounding the pads.
  • a series of contact pads 86 terminate the data/signal lines 76 so that when the support element is mounted, these pads electrically engage corresponding termination pads provided on the upper side of the probe card so that the data/signal lines 48 on the probe card are electrically connected to the contacts on the central region.
  • the probing assembly 42 is capable of probing a dense arrangement of contact pads over a large number of contact cycles in a manner that provides generally reliable electrical connection between the contacts and pads in each cycle despite oxide buildup on the contact pads.
  • the membrane assembly is so constructed and connected to the support element that the contacts on the membrane assembly wipe or scrub, in a locally controlled manner, laterally across the contact pads when brought into pressing engagement with these pads.
  • FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the central region 80a of the membrane assembly 72a illustrating an embodiment in which the contacts 88 are arranged in a square-like pattern suitable for engagement with a corresponding square-like arrangement of contact pads on a die.
  • the membrane assembly provides space transformation from the very fine pitch of the densely packed contacts 88 to the more coarsely pitched contact pads 86 terminating the data/signal lines 76.
  • each contact comprises a relatively thick rigid beam 90 at one end of which is formed a rigid contact bump 92.
  • the contact bump includes thereon a contacting portion 93 which comprises a nub of rhodium fused to the contact bump.
  • each beam is formed in an overlapping connection with the end of a flexible conductive trace 76a to form a joint therewith.
  • This conductive trace in conjunction with a back-plane conductive layer 94 effectively provides a controlled impedance data or signal line to the contact because its dimensions are established using a photolithographic process.
  • the membrane assembly is interconnected to the flat support surface 70 by an interposed elastomeric layer 98, which layer is coextensive with the support surface and can be formed by a silicone rubber compound.
  • the flat support surface is made of incompressible material and is preferably a hard dielectric such as polysulfone or glass.
  • a locally scrubbing, membrane probing assembly provides contacts which can be finely pitched to engage contact pads on physically smaller devices and combines high conductivity with ruggedness and resistance to wear and damage.
  • Membrane suspended probes can also combine a greater section and shorter length to exhibit much lower inductance than typical needle probes permitting their use at higher frequencies and producing less signal distortion at all frequencies.
  • the probes and the signal and data lines are created on the surface of the membrane and connect to probe card terminals arranged around the periphery of the membrane.
  • membrane suspended probes have not been adaptable for use with the probe cards and space transformers suitable for use with a needle card-type probe heads where the signal paths pass through the center of the probing assembly and are arranged substantially parallel to the central axis of the probing assembly. What is desired, therefore, is a device and method for adapting robust, finely pitched, low inductance membrane suspended probes for use with the components of a probing assembly suited for use with a needle-type probe head.
  • FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective schematic diagram of a needle-type probing assembly.
  • FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a needle card probe head for use in a needle- type probing assembly.
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a membrane probing assembly bolted to a probe head and a wafer supported on a chuck in suitable position for probing by this assembly.
  • FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing various parts of the probing assembly of
  • FIG. 3 including a support element and flexible membrane assembly, and a fragmentary view of a probe card having data/signal lines connected with corresponding lines on the membrane assembly.
  • FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the membrane probing assembly of
  • FIG. 3 where a portion of the membrane assembly has been cut away to expose hidden portions of the support element.
  • FIG. 6 is a top elevational view of an exemplary support element.
  • FIGS. 7a and 7b are schematic side elevational views illustrating how the support element and membrane assembly are capable of tilting to match the orientation of the device under test.
  • FIG. 8 is an enlarged top elevational view of the central region of the construction of the membrane assembly of FIG. 4.
  • FIGS. 9a-9b are sectional views taken along lines 9a--9a in FIG. 8 first showing a contact before touchdown and then showing the same contact after touchdown and scrub movement across its respective pad.
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing, in dashed-line representation, the contact of FIGS. 9a-9a at the moment of initial touchdown and, in solid-line representation, the same contact after further vertical overtravel by the pad.
  • FIG. 1 1 is an exploded perspective schematic diagram of a probing assembly including a space transformer suitable for a needle-type probe head and a probe head having membrane suspended probes.
  • FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the probing assembly of FIG. 11.
  • FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a membrane suspended probe tip contacting a contact pad of a device under test.
  • FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a probe head adaptable to a needle card-type space transformer and incorporating a second embodiment of a membrane suspended probe.
  • FIG. 15 is bottom view of a space transformer including a plurality of probe tiles with membrane suspended probes.
  • FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a probe head tile including a membrane suspended probe.
  • an embodiment of a probing assembly 20 suitable for use with needle-type probes includes as its major functional components a probe card 38, an interp ⁇ ser 39, a space transformer 30, and a probe head 22.
  • needle-like probes 24 in the probe head provide a means of making temporary interconnections to contact pads on a die included on a semiconductor wafer or other device under test (DUT) and conducting signals to and from the integrated electrical circuit on the DUT.
  • the needle-like probes conduct the signals to and from the die through the probe head 22 to conductive terminals 32 or pads on the space transformer 30.
  • the signal paths of the needle card-type probing assembly are typically grouped around the center of the probing assembly and substantially normal to the device under test. While needle probes have been used extensively in probing ICs, needle probes have a number of limitations making them less than ideal for probing ICs and other devices having finely pitched features or operating at high frequencies. [0033] On the other hand, membrane probes can exhibit substantially lower inductance than needle-type probes making membrane probes desirable for probing high frequency circuitry. In addition, a membrane suspended probe tip can be arranged to provide local contact scrubbing to penetrate the insulating oxide layer that forms on the IC contact pad without accumulating contact pad material on the probe tip as is common with needle-type probes.
  • probes suspended on a membrane have not been adaptable to probing assemblies intended for use with needle-type probes because the membrane suspended probes and the conductive traces connecting the probes to the probe card are disposed on the surface of an elastic membrane with the traces radiating outward over the surface of the membrane to connect to probe card terminals arranged around the periphery of the membrane.
  • the current inventors concluded that the performance advantages of membrane suspended probes could be provided for a probing assembly originally intended for use with needle-type probes, if the membrane suspended probes could be conductively connected to a space transformer located on the opposite side of the membrane from the probe tips.
  • the needle card-type probing assembly can be converted to a probing assembly with membrane suspended probes by removing the needle card-type probe head and replacing it with the membrane probe head 102 that interfaces with the space transformer suitable for interfacing with the needle card-type probe head.
  • the probe card 38 is generally a conventional circuit board substrate having a plurality of terminals 120 (two of many shown) disposed on a surface thereof.
  • the terminals provide an interface for wires 122 that connect instrumentation (not shown) to the probing assembly.
  • the wires 122 may be connected to terminals 120 on one side of the probe card 38 which are, in turn, connected by conductive vias 124 to terminals 126 or traces on the opposing side of the circuit board.
  • Additional components may be mounted to the probe card 38 and connected to additional terminals 120.
  • the probe card 38 is typically round and commonly has a diameter on the order of 12 inches.
  • the terminals 122, 126 on the circuit board are often arranged at a 100 mil pitch or separation distance.
  • the probing assembly 100 includes an interposer 39 disposed between the probe card 38 and the space transformer 30.
  • An interposer comprises interconnected electrical contacts disposed on opposing sides of a substrate so that components on opposing sides of the substrate can be conductively interconnected.
  • An interposer is often used in a probing assembly to facilitate reliable conductive connection between the terminals of a probe card and the terminals on a space transformer. The interposer is also aids in accommodating differences in thermal expansion of the probe card 38 and the space transformer 30.
  • the interposer 39 comprises a substrate 128 and a plurality of fuzz buttons 130 (two are shown) that protrude through holes in the substrate.
  • the fuzz buttons 130 each comprise a fine wire that is compressed into a small cylindrical shape to produce an electrically conductive, elastic wire mass. As a general proposition, the fuzz buttons 130 are arranged at a pitch which matches that of the terminals 126 of the probe card 38. One end of each of the conductive fuzz buttons 130 is in contact with a terminal on the probe card 38 while the second end of the fuzz button is in contact with a terminal 140 on the space transformer 30.
  • the elastic fuzz buttons 130 are compressed providing compliance to accommodate variations in the separation distances between of the various terminals of the probe card and the space transformer and exerting pressure on the contacts to promote good conductivity.
  • the space transformer 30 (indicated by a bracket) comprises a suitable circuitized substrate 142, such as a multi-layer ceramic substrate having a plurality of terminals (contact areas, pads) 140 (two of many shown) disposed on the surface adjacent to the interposer 39 and a plurality of terminals (contact areas, pads) 144 (two of many shown) disposed on the opposing surface.
  • the contact pads 140 adjacent the interposer 39 are disposed at the pitch of the terminals of the probe card 38, and the contact pads 144 arranged on the opposing surface of the space transformer 30 are disposed at a finer pitch corresponding to the pitch and arrangement of the needle-type probes included in the needle card probe head to which the space transformer was intended to interface. While the pitch of the terminals of the probe card 38 is approximately 100 mil, the pitch of needle-type probes can be as fine as approximately 125 Dm.
  • Conductive traces 146 in the multilayer substrate 142 of the space transformer 30 re-route the electrical connections from the finely pitched pattern required to interface with the probe head to the more coarsely pitched pattern that is obtainable with a printed circuit board, such as the probe card 38.
  • the various elements of the probing assembly 100 are stacked and any suitable mechanism for stacking these components and ensuring reliable electrical contacts may be employed.
  • the probing assembly 100 includes a rigid rear mounting plate 150 arranged on one side of the probe card 38 and a rigid front mounting plate 152 disposed on the opposing side of the probe card. Screws 154 restrain the front mounting plate to the rear mounting plate 150.
  • a rectangular stand-off 156 with a central aperture to receive the space transformer 30 is attached to the front mounting plate.
  • a mounting ring 158 which is preferably made of a springy material such as phosphor bronze and which may have a pattern of springy tabs extending therefrom, is attachable by screws 160 to the stand-off 156 with the space transformer 30 captured between the mounting ring and the stand-off.
  • the mounting ring 156 also captures and retains a probe head 102 comprising a multilayer substrate 160 (indicated by a bracket) and a plurality of electrically conductive, membrane suspended probes 104.
  • the probes 104 comprise, generally, a relatively thick, rigid beam 164 with a beam contact 166 proximate one end of the beam and a probe tip 168 projecting from the beam proximate the second end of the beam.
  • the probe tip 168 has the shape of a truncated pyramid and the projecting end of the probe tip may be coated with a layer of nickel or rhodium to provide good electrical conductivity and wear resistant when repeatedly being pressed into engagement with contact pads on a device under test.
  • the beam contact 166 has a mushroom-shaped cross-section comprising a contact button with rounded edges, facilitating movable contact with the terminals 144 of the space transformer 30, and a cylindrical or prismatic base section that is slightly smaller than the contact button and connects the contact button to the beam.
  • the beam contact 166 projects from the side of the beam 164 opposite the beam tip 168 and in the opposite direction. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the beam contact projects at least flush with the upper surface of the multi-layer substrate 160 so that it is exposed from the upper surface of the substrate enabling conductive contact with the corresponding terminal 144 of the space transformer 30.
  • the ratio of the cross-section to the length is much greater for the membrane suspended probe 104 than for the typical needle probe 24 and, unlike the needle probe, the locally scrubbing, membrane suspended probe does not require a sharply pointed tip to penetrate the oxide buildup on the contact pads of the DUT.
  • the membrane probe head 102 has a single path inductance significantly less than 0.5 nH and been demonstrated with a single path inductance of 0.2 nH. As a result, the membrane suspended probes produce significantly less signal distortion and can be used at higher frequencies than needle-type probes that typically have inductance greater than 1 nH and often as much as 2 nH.
  • Gleason et al. U.S. Patent No. 6,708,386 B2, incorporated herein by reference, disclose a "bottom up” and a “top down” method for producing membrane probes. Either method can used to produce the membrane probe head 102.
  • Membrane suspended probes 104 produced by these methods can be constructed in arrays with pitches less than 100 Dm permitting the membrane suspended probes to used for testing devices with more dense contact pads than needle probes which are typically limited to pitches greater than 125 Dm by manufacturing and assembly considerations.
  • Portions of the beam contact 104 that engage the terminal 144 may also be coated with a layer nickel or rhodium to enhance electrical conductivity and wear resistance.
  • the multilayer substrate 160 comprises an elastic membrane 170 and a plurality of flexible insulating layers 172, 174.
  • the elastic membrane 170 is arranged proximate to or in contact with the surface of the space transformer 30.
  • the elastic membrane 170 may comprise a silicone rubber compound, such as ELMER'S STICK- ALLJ made by the Borden Company or Sylgard 182 by Dow Corning Corporation and is capable of exerting an elastic restoring force to a surface when the surface of the membrane is deformed.
  • the multilayer substrate 160 of the probe head also comprises flexible first 172 and second 174 insulating layers or members.
  • the first insulating layer 172 is disposed between the bottom surface 176 of the elastic membrane 170 and the upper surface of the beam 164 of the probe 104.
  • the second insulating layer 174 extends downward from the bottom surface of the first insulating layer 172 to a depth approximating the thickness of the beam portion 164 of the probe 104.
  • the first 172 and second 174 insulating layers are relatively thin and flexible in a direction normal to their surfaces but are sufficiently rigid in directions parallel to their surfaces to secure the lateral positions of the probes 104.
  • the first 172 and second 174 insulating layers may comprise polyimide, but can comprise any other dielectric material having appropriate physical properties.
  • the surface of the membrane is stretched and distorted and the elastic membrane exerts a force to restore the first insulating layer 172 and the probe 104 to the "at rest" position.
  • the upper surface of the elastic membrane 170 contacts the surface of the space transformer 30, upward displacement of the probe 104 and distortion the lower surface of the elastic membrane compresses the membrane producing additional restorative force on the first insulating layer 172.
  • the restorative force exerted by the elastic membrane 170 on the flexible insulating layer 172 returns the probe tip 104 to the initial position when the DUT 202 is moved away from the probe head 102 relieving the contact force at the probe tip 168.
  • a probe head 250 incorporating a second embodiment of a membrane suspended probe 215 may be used with space transformers 30 having projecting contacts 258, such as solder balls.
  • the probe 251 comprises a beam 252 having a probe tip 254 projecting from the beam at one end.
  • the beam contact 256 is exposed from the upper surface of the elastic membrane 260 through an aperture 266 that extends through the elastic membrane and the first insulating layer 262.
  • the projecting space transformer contact 258 contacts the beam 252 at the exposed beam contact 256 proximate the end of the beam opposite the probe tip 254.
  • one or more membrane suspended probes 104 are included on a tile 302 that can be adhered to a surface of a space transformer 30.
  • the tiles 302 comprise one or more probes 104 having a beam portion 164, an elastic membrane 304, a first insulating member 306 interposed between the beam portion of the probe and the lower surface of the elastic membrane, and a second insulating member 308 extending downward from the first insulating member approximately the depth of the beam portion of the probe.
  • the tile 302 is secured to the surface of the space transformer 30 by a double sided adhesive interface 310 that frames the upper surface of the tile's elastic membrane 304.
  • a space transformer 30 originally intended to interface with a needle card-type probe head can be converted to membrane suspended probes by removing the needle card-type probe head and adhering one or more tiles 302 including one or more membrane suspended probe 104 to the surface of the space transformer so that the probe's contact button 166 is positioned for contact with the space transformer contact 144.
  • probe 104 rotates about the interface of the contact button 166 and the space transformer contact 144.
  • the end of the beam portion 164 adjacent the probe tip 168 rotates upward producing local scrubbing of the probe tip and causing the first insulating layer 306 to distort the surface of the elastic membrane 304 which resists distortion with a restoring force.
  • One or more blank filler tiles 312 can be adhesively adhered to the surface of the space transformer 30 to provide the probe head with a continuous surface.
  • a probe head with membrane suspended probes permits a needle card- type probing assembly to be converted to utilize membrane suspended probes which can be more closely pitched and exhibit substantially lower inductance than needle-type probes. Signal distortion is substantially reduced permitting testing of devices operating at higher frequencies and greater measurement accuracy at all frequencies.

Abstract

A probe head including an elastic membrane capable of exerting a restoring force when one of the surfaces of the elastic membrane is distorted. A conductive probe includes a beam having a first end and a second end, with a probe tip proximate the first end for contacting a device under test A beam contact proximate the second end of the beam. The beam being movable to deform at least one surface of the elastic membrane.

Description

PROBE HEAD HAVING A MEMBRANE SUSPENDED PROBE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/586,299 entitled "Probe Head Having a Membrane Suspended Probe," invented by Kenneth Smith, Michael Jolley and Victoria Van Sycle on July 7, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to probing assemblies of the type commonly used for testing integrated circuits (ICs) and, in particular, to a probing assembly providing finely pitched, compliant probes having very low inductance.
[0003] Integrated circuit technology permits fabrication of a number of discrete electronic circuit elements on a single substrate or "wafer." After fabrication, this wafer is divided into a number of rectangular-shaped chips or dies where each die includes a rectangular or other regular arrangement of metallized contact pads or bond pads through which input and output connections can be made to the electronic circuit on the die.
Although each die is eventually packaged separately, for efficiency, testing of the circuit formed on each die is preferably performed while the dies are still joined together on the wafer. One typical procedure is to support the wafer on a flat stage or "chuck" and move the wafer in X, Y, and Z directions relative to the head of a probing assembly so that probe tips projecting from the probing assembly can be moved from die to die for consecutive engagement with the contact pads of each die. Respective signal, power, and ground conductors connect the probe tips to test instrumentation enabling each circuit to be sequentially connected to and operated by the test instrumentation. [0004] One type of probing assembly used for testing integrated circuits utilizes a plurality of needle-like contacts arranged in a pattern matching the pattern of the contact pads on the device to be tested. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a probing assembly 20 that includes a needle card probe head 22 comprising an array of needle-like probes 24 restrained by upper 26 and lower 28 needle cards. The upper and lower needle cards 26, 28 contain patterns of holes that correspond to the contact pad arrangement of the IC or other device to be tested with the probing assembly 20. The lower end of each of the probes 24 extends through one of the holes in the lower needle card 28, terminating in a pointed probe tip. The upper end of each of the probes 24 is restrained by a hole in the upper needle card 26. The holes of the upper needle card 26 are covered by electrically conductive pads 32 arranged on a surface of a space transformer 30 (indicated by a bracket) preventing the upper ends of the probes from sliding through the upper needle card 26 when the lower ends of the probes are brought into pressing engagement with the contact pads on the device under test. The space transformer is a rigid, multilayer plate having electrically conductive contacts 32, 36 on the opposing surfaces that are electrically connected by conductive traces 34 that extend through the plate. The space transformer 30 re-routes the electrical signals from the finely pitched pattern of the needle probes 24 to a more coarsely pitched pattern obtainable on a probe card 38, a printed circuit board through which the test instrumentation is connected to the probing assembly. [0005] The exemplary probing assembly 20 also includes an interposer 39 disposed between the space transformer 30 and the probe card 38. The interposer 39 typically includes a plurality of elastically deformable contacts electrically connected through a substrate to provide compliant electrical connections on opposing sides of the substrate. The compliance of the conductors compensates for variations in the distances separating the respective terminals of the space transformer 30 and the probe card 38 promoting reliable electrical connections there between.
[0006] The needle probes 24 typically comprise a wire including complementary bends that form an upper section and a lower section that lie generally parallel to, but offset from each other, adjacent, respectively, the upper and lower ends of the probe. The hole pattern of the lower needle card 28 is offset from the hole pattern in the upper needle card 26 to accommodate the offset of the ends of the probes. When the lower end of a probe is pressed into engagement with the contact pads on a die, the substantially columnar probe can bend at the offset, acting like a spring. The compliance provided by the elastic bending of the probe accommodates variations in probe length, probe head planarity, and wafer topography. [0007] Needle card probing assemblies have been used extensively in wafer testing, but the trend in electronic production, and, in particular, IC production, to higher frequency, more complex circuits having smaller circuit elements and geometries has exposed several limitations of this type of probing device. First, the pitch, the distance between the probes, is limited by manufacturing tolerances and assembly considerations to about 125Dm, a spacing greater than desirable for many ICs having finely pitched contact pads. In addition, the metallic contact pads of the dies oxidize rapidly and the tip of the probe must sharpened so that it can be pushed into the surface of the contact pad to achieve the good conductivity required for accurate measurements. This causes rapid dulling of the pointed probe ends, frequent bending or breaking of the probes, and may damage the contact pad if penetration is too great. The contact pad material also adheres to the probe and frequent cleaning is required which often damages the probes. Moreover, the inductance of parallel conductors is a function of the length and distance between the conductors. Typically, the relatively long, closely spaced, needle-like probes exhibit a single path inductance of 1-2 nH which is sufficient to substantially distort high frequency signals, limiting the usefulness of needle-type probes for testing high frequency devices.
[0008] A second type of probing assembly is described by Gleason et al. in
United States Patent No. 6,708,386 B2, incorporated herein by reference. Referring to FIG. 3, a membrane probing assembly 40 includes a probe card 52 on which data and signal lines 48, 50 from the instrumentation are arranged and a membrane probing assembly 42. Referring to FIGS. 3-4, the membrane probing assembly 42 includes a support element 54 formed of incompressible material such as a hard polymer. This element is detachably connected to the upper side of the probe card by screws 56 and corresponding nuts 58 (each screw passes through a respective attachment arm 60 of the support element, and a separate backing element 62 evenly distributes the clamping pressure of the screws over the entire back side of the supporting element). Different probing assemblies having different contact arrangements can be quickly substituted for each other as needed for probing devices having different arrangements of contact pads. [0009] Referring to FIGS. 4-5, the support element 54 includes a rearward base portion 64 to which the attachment arms 60 are integrally joined. Also included on the support element 54 is a forward support or plunger 66 that projects outwardly from the flat base portion. This forward support has angled sides 68 that converge toward a flat support surface 70 so as to give the forward support the shape of a truncated pyramid. Referring also to FIG. 4, a flexible membrane assembly 72 is attached to the support after being aligned by means of alignment pins 74 included on the base portion. This flexible membrane assembly is formed by one or more plies of insulative polyimide film, and flexible conductive layers or strips are provided between or on these plies to form the data/signal lines 76.
[0010] When the support element 54 is mounted on the upper side of the probe card 52 as shown in FIG. 5, the forward support 66 protrudes through a central opening 78 in the probe card so as to present the contacts which are arranged on a central region 80 of the flexible membrane assembly in suitable position for pressing engagement with the contact pads of the die or other device under test. Referring to FIG. 4, the membrane assembly includes radially extending arm segments 82 that are separated by inwardly curving edges 84 that give the assembly the shape of a formee cross, and these segments extend in an inclined manner along the angled sides 68 thereby clearing any upright components surrounding the pads. A series of contact pads 86 terminate the data/signal lines 76 so that when the support element is mounted, these pads electrically engage corresponding termination pads provided on the upper side of the probe card so that the data/signal lines 48 on the probe card are electrically connected to the contacts on the central region. [0011 ] The probing assembly 42 is capable of probing a dense arrangement of contact pads over a large number of contact cycles in a manner that provides generally reliable electrical connection between the contacts and pads in each cycle despite oxide buildup on the contact pads. The membrane assembly is so constructed and connected to the support element that the contacts on the membrane assembly wipe or scrub, in a locally controlled manner, laterally across the contact pads when brought into pressing engagement with these pads. [0012] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the central region 80a of the membrane assembly 72a illustrating an embodiment in which the contacts 88 are arranged in a square-like pattern suitable for engagement with a corresponding square-like arrangement of contact pads on a die. The membrane assembly provides space transformation from the very fine pitch of the densely packed contacts 88 to the more coarsely pitched contact pads 86 terminating the data/signal lines 76.
[0013] Referring also to FIG. 9a, which represents a sectional view taken along lines 9a~9a in FIG. 8, each contact comprises a relatively thick rigid beam 90 at one end of which is formed a rigid contact bump 92. The contact bump includes thereon a contacting portion 93 which comprises a nub of rhodium fused to the contact bump.
Using electroplating, each beam is formed in an overlapping connection with the end of a flexible conductive trace 76a to form a joint therewith. This conductive trace in conjunction with a back-plane conductive layer 94 effectively provides a controlled impedance data or signal line to the contact because its dimensions are established using a photolithographic process.
[0014] The membrane assembly is interconnected to the flat support surface 70 by an interposed elastomeric layer 98, which layer is coextensive with the support surface and can be formed by a silicone rubber compound. The flat support surface, as previously mentioned, is made of incompressible material and is preferably a hard dielectric such as polysulfone or glass. When one of the contacts 88 is brought into pressing engagement with a respective contact pad 100 of a die, as indicated in FIG. 10, the resulting off-center force on the rigid beam 90 and bump 92 structure causes the beam to pivot or tilt against the elastic recovery force provided by the elastomeric pad 98. This tilting motion is localized in the sense that a forward portion 102 of the beam moves a greater distance toward the flat support surface 70 than a rearward portion 104 of the same beam. The effect is such as to drive the contact into lateral scrubbing movement across the contact pad with a dashed-line and solid-line representation showing the beginning and ending positions, respectively, of the contact on the pad. In this fashion, the insulating oxide buildup on each contact pad is abraded so as to ensure adequate contact-to-pad electrical connections. [0015] A locally scrubbing, membrane probing assembly provides contacts which can be finely pitched to engage contact pads on physically smaller devices and combines high conductivity with ruggedness and resistance to wear and damage. Membrane suspended probes can also combine a greater section and shorter length to exhibit much lower inductance than typical needle probes permitting their use at higher frequencies and producing less signal distortion at all frequencies. However, the probes and the signal and data lines are created on the surface of the membrane and connect to probe card terminals arranged around the periphery of the membrane. Heretofore, membrane suspended probes have not been adaptable for use with the probe cards and space transformers suitable for use with a needle card-type probe heads where the signal paths pass through the center of the probing assembly and are arranged substantially parallel to the central axis of the probing assembly. What is desired, therefore, is a device and method for adapting robust, finely pitched, low inductance membrane suspended probes for use with the components of a probing assembly suited for use with a needle-type probe head.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective schematic diagram of a needle-type probing assembly. [0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a needle card probe head for use in a needle- type probing assembly.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a membrane probing assembly bolted to a probe head and a wafer supported on a chuck in suitable position for probing by this assembly. [0019] FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing various parts of the probing assembly of
FIG. 3, including a support element and flexible membrane assembly, and a fragmentary view of a probe card having data/signal lines connected with corresponding lines on the membrane assembly. [0020] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the membrane probing assembly of
FIG. 3 where a portion of the membrane assembly has been cut away to expose hidden portions of the support element.
[0021 ] FIG. 6 is a top elevational view of an exemplary support element. [0022] FIGS. 7a and 7b are schematic side elevational views illustrating how the support element and membrane assembly are capable of tilting to match the orientation of the device under test.
[0023] FIG. 8 is an enlarged top elevational view of the central region of the construction of the membrane assembly of FIG. 4. [0024] FIGS. 9a-9b are sectional views taken along lines 9a--9a in FIG. 8 first showing a contact before touchdown and then showing the same contact after touchdown and scrub movement across its respective pad.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing, in dashed-line representation, the contact of FIGS. 9a-9a at the moment of initial touchdown and, in solid-line representation, the same contact after further vertical overtravel by the pad.
[0026] FIG. 1 1 is an exploded perspective schematic diagram of a probing assembly including a space transformer suitable for a needle-type probe head and a probe head having membrane suspended probes.
[0027] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the probing assembly of FIG. 11.
[0028] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a membrane suspended probe tip contacting a contact pad of a device under test.
[0029] FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a probe head adaptable to a needle card-type space transformer and incorporating a second embodiment of a membrane suspended probe.
[0030] FIG. 15 is bottom view of a space transformer including a plurality of probe tiles with membrane suspended probes.
[0031 ] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a probe head tile including a membrane suspended probe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0032] Referring in detail to the drawings where similar parts of the invention are identified by like reference numerals, and, more particularly, to FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a probing assembly 20 suitable for use with needle-type probes includes as its major functional components a probe card 38, an interpσser 39, a space transformer 30, and a probe head 22. Referring also to FIG. 2, needle-like probes 24 in the probe head provide a means of making temporary interconnections to contact pads on a die included on a semiconductor wafer or other device under test (DUT) and conducting signals to and from the integrated electrical circuit on the DUT. The needle-like probes conduct the signals to and from the die through the probe head 22 to conductive terminals 32 or pads on the space transformer 30. The signal paths of the needle card-type probing assembly are typically grouped around the center of the probing assembly and substantially normal to the device under test. While needle probes have been used extensively in probing ICs, needle probes have a number of limitations making them less than ideal for probing ICs and other devices having finely pitched features or operating at high frequencies. [0033] On the other hand, membrane probes can exhibit substantially lower inductance than needle-type probes making membrane probes desirable for probing high frequency circuitry. In addition, a membrane suspended probe tip can be arranged to provide local contact scrubbing to penetrate the insulating oxide layer that forms on the IC contact pad without accumulating contact pad material on the probe tip as is common with needle-type probes. Heretofore, probes suspended on a membrane have not been adaptable to probing assemblies intended for use with needle-type probes because the membrane suspended probes and the conductive traces connecting the probes to the probe card are disposed on the surface of an elastic membrane with the traces radiating outward over the surface of the membrane to connect to probe card terminals arranged around the periphery of the membrane. The current inventors concluded that the performance advantages of membrane suspended probes could be provided for a probing assembly originally intended for use with needle-type probes, if the membrane suspended probes could be conductively connected to a space transformer located on the opposite side of the membrane from the probe tips. FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a probing assembly 100 including components suitable for use with a needle card type probe head that includes a probe head 102 having a plurality of elastic membrane suspended probes 104. The needle card-type probing assembly can be converted to a probing assembly with membrane suspended probes by removing the needle card-type probe head and replacing it with the membrane probe head 102 that interfaces with the space transformer suitable for interfacing with the needle card-type probe head. In the schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 12, certain elements and components are shown exaggerated, for illustrative clarity. [0034] The probe card 38 is generally a conventional circuit board substrate having a plurality of terminals 120 (two of many shown) disposed on a surface thereof. The terminals provide an interface for wires 122 that connect instrumentation (not shown) to the probing assembly. As illustrated, the wires 122 may be connected to terminals 120 on one side of the probe card 38 which are, in turn, connected by conductive vias 124 to terminals 126 or traces on the opposing side of the circuit board. Additional components (not shown), such as active and passive electronic components, connectors, and the like, may be mounted to the probe card 38 and connected to additional terminals 120. The probe card 38 is typically round and commonly has a diameter on the order of 12 inches. The terminals 122, 126 on the circuit board are often arranged at a 100 mil pitch or separation distance. [0035] While some probing assemblies do not utilize an interposer, the probing assembly 100 includes an interposer 39 disposed between the probe card 38 and the space transformer 30. An interposer comprises interconnected electrical contacts disposed on opposing sides of a substrate so that components on opposing sides of the substrate can be conductively interconnected. An interposer is often used in a probing assembly to facilitate reliable conductive connection between the terminals of a probe card and the terminals on a space transformer. The interposer is also aids in accommodating differences in thermal expansion of the probe card 38 and the space transformer 30. The interposer 39 comprises a substrate 128 and a plurality of fuzz buttons 130 (two are shown) that protrude through holes in the substrate. The fuzz buttons 130 each comprise a fine wire that is compressed into a small cylindrical shape to produce an electrically conductive, elastic wire mass. As a general proposition, the fuzz buttons 130 are arranged at a pitch which matches that of the terminals 126 of the probe card 38. One end of each of the conductive fuzz buttons 130 is in contact with a terminal on the probe card 38 while the second end of the fuzz button is in contact with a terminal 140 on the space transformer 30. The elastic fuzz buttons 130 are compressed providing compliance to accommodate variations in the separation distances between of the various terminals of the probe card and the space transformer and exerting pressure on the contacts to promote good conductivity. [0036] The fuzz buttons 130 protruding through the substrate 128 of the interposer 39 contact conductive terminals 140 on one side of the space transformer 30. The space transformer 30 (indicated by a bracket) comprises a suitable circuitized substrate 142, such as a multi-layer ceramic substrate having a plurality of terminals (contact areas, pads) 140 (two of many shown) disposed on the surface adjacent to the interposer 39 and a plurality of terminals (contact areas, pads) 144 (two of many shown) disposed on the opposing surface. In the exemplary probing assembly 100, the contact pads 140 adjacent the interposer 39 are disposed at the pitch of the terminals of the probe card 38, and the contact pads 144 arranged on the opposing surface of the space transformer 30 are disposed at a finer pitch corresponding to the pitch and arrangement of the needle-type probes included in the needle card probe head to which the space transformer was intended to interface. While the pitch of the terminals of the probe card 38 is approximately 100 mil, the pitch of needle-type probes can be as fine as approximately 125 Dm. Conductive traces 146 in the multilayer substrate 142 of the space transformer 30 re-route the electrical connections from the finely pitched pattern required to interface with the probe head to the more coarsely pitched pattern that is obtainable with a printed circuit board, such as the probe card 38.
[0037] The various elements of the probing assembly 100 are stacked and any suitable mechanism for stacking these components and ensuring reliable electrical contacts may be employed. As illustrated, the probing assembly 100 includes a rigid rear mounting plate 150 arranged on one side of the probe card 38 and a rigid front mounting plate 152 disposed on the opposing side of the probe card. Screws 154 restrain the front mounting plate to the rear mounting plate 150. A rectangular stand-off 156 with a central aperture to receive the space transformer 30 is attached to the front mounting plate. A mounting ring 158 which is preferably made of a springy material such as phosphor bronze and which may have a pattern of springy tabs extending therefrom, is attachable by screws 160 to the stand-off 156 with the space transformer 30 captured between the mounting ring and the stand-off.
[0038] The mounting ring 156 also captures and retains a probe head 102 comprising a multilayer substrate 160 (indicated by a bracket) and a plurality of electrically conductive, membrane suspended probes 104. The probes 104 comprise, generally, a relatively thick, rigid beam 164 with a beam contact 166 proximate one end of the beam and a probe tip 168 projecting from the beam proximate the second end of the beam. Although other shapes and materials may be utilized, typically, the probe tip 168 has the shape of a truncated pyramid and the projecting end of the probe tip may be coated with a layer of nickel or rhodium to provide good electrical conductivity and wear resistant when repeatedly being pressed into engagement with contact pads on a device under test. The beam contact 166 has a mushroom-shaped cross-section comprising a contact button with rounded edges, facilitating movable contact with the terminals 144 of the space transformer 30, and a cylindrical or prismatic base section that is slightly smaller than the contact button and connects the contact button to the beam. The beam contact 166 projects from the side of the beam 164 opposite the beam tip 168 and in the opposite direction. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the beam contact projects at least flush with the upper surface of the multi-layer substrate 160 so that it is exposed from the upper surface of the substrate enabling conductive contact with the corresponding terminal 144 of the space transformer 30. The ratio of the cross-section to the length is much greater for the membrane suspended probe 104 than for the typical needle probe 24 and, unlike the needle probe, the locally scrubbing, membrane suspended probe does not require a sharply pointed tip to penetrate the oxide buildup on the contact pads of the DUT. The membrane probe head 102 has a single path inductance significantly less than 0.5 nH and been demonstrated with a single path inductance of 0.2 nH. As a result, the membrane suspended probes produce significantly less signal distortion and can be used at higher frequencies than needle-type probes that typically have inductance greater than 1 nH and often as much as 2 nH.
[0039] Gleason et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,708,386 B2, incorporated herein by reference, disclose a "bottom up" and a "top down" method for producing membrane probes. Either method can used to produce the membrane probe head 102. Membrane suspended probes 104 produced by these methods can be constructed in arrays with pitches less than 100 Dm permitting the membrane suspended probes to used for testing devices with more dense contact pads than needle probes which are typically limited to pitches greater than 125 Dm by manufacturing and assembly considerations. Portions of the beam contact 104 that engage the terminal 144 may also be coated with a layer nickel or rhodium to enhance electrical conductivity and wear resistance. [0040] The multilayer substrate 160 comprises an elastic membrane 170 and a plurality of flexible insulating layers 172, 174. The elastic membrane 170 is arranged proximate to or in contact with the surface of the space transformer 30. The elastic membrane 170 may comprise a silicone rubber compound, such as ELMER'S STICK- ALLJ made by the Borden Company or Sylgard 182 by Dow Corning Corporation and is capable of exerting an elastic restoring force to a surface when the surface of the membrane is deformed. The multilayer substrate 160 of the probe head also comprises flexible first 172 and second 174 insulating layers or members. The first insulating layer 172 is disposed between the bottom surface 176 of the elastic membrane 170 and the upper surface of the beam 164 of the probe 104. The second insulating layer 174 extends downward from the bottom surface of the first insulating layer 172 to a depth approximating the thickness of the beam portion 164 of the probe 104. The first 172 and second 174 insulating layers are relatively thin and flexible in a direction normal to their surfaces but are sufficiently rigid in directions parallel to their surfaces to secure the lateral positions of the probes 104. The first 172 and second 174 insulating layers may comprise polyimide, but can comprise any other dielectric material having appropriate physical properties. [0041] Referring to FIG. 13, as the probe tip 168 is brought into pressing engagement with a respective contact pad 200 on a device under test 202, the resulting contact force urges the probe tip upward toward position 168'. Upward displacement of the probe 104 is resisted by the contact force at the interface of the space transformer contact 144 and the beam contact 166. As a result, the probe 104 is rotated toward position 104' causing the end of the probe tip 168 to be displaced laterally on the contact pad 200. This lateral displacement or scrubbing ("s") abrades the insulating oxide buildup on the contact pad ensuring reliable conductance between the probe tip 168 and the contact pad. As the probe tip 168 is displaced upward, the flexible first insulating layer 172 is displaced upward by the movement of the beam 166 pushing upward on the elastic membrane 170. The surface of the membrane is stretched and distorted and the elastic membrane exerts a force to restore the first insulating layer 172 and the probe 104 to the "at rest" position. When the upper surface of the elastic membrane 170 contacts the surface of the space transformer 30, upward displacement of the probe 104 and distortion the lower surface of the elastic membrane compresses the membrane producing additional restorative force on the first insulating layer 172. The restorative force exerted by the elastic membrane 170 on the flexible insulating layer 172 returns the probe tip 104 to the initial position when the DUT 202 is moved away from the probe head 102 relieving the contact force at the probe tip 168.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 14, a probe head 250 incorporating a second embodiment of a membrane suspended probe 215 may be used with space transformers 30 having projecting contacts 258, such as solder balls. The probe 251 comprises a beam 252 having a probe tip 254 projecting from the beam at one end. The beam contact 256 is exposed from the upper surface of the elastic membrane 260 through an aperture 266 that extends through the elastic membrane and the first insulating layer 262. The projecting space transformer contact 258 contacts the beam 252 at the exposed beam contact 256 proximate the end of the beam opposite the probe tip 254. When a contact pad 200 of a DUT 202 is pushed into contact with the probe tip 254 the probe rotates around the beam contact 256 producing the scrubbing action that removes the oxide buildup from the contact pad. [0043] Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, in another embodiment of the probe head having membrane suspended probes 300, one or more membrane suspended probes 104 are included on a tile 302 that can be adhered to a surface of a space transformer 30. The tiles 302 comprise one or more probes 104 having a beam portion 164, an elastic membrane 304, a first insulating member 306 interposed between the beam portion of the probe and the lower surface of the elastic membrane, and a second insulating member 308 extending downward from the first insulating member approximately the depth of the beam portion of the probe. The tile 302 is secured to the surface of the space transformer 30 by a double sided adhesive interface 310 that frames the upper surface of the tile's elastic membrane 304. A space transformer 30 originally intended to interface with a needle card-type probe head can be converted to membrane suspended probes by removing the needle card-type probe head and adhering one or more tiles 302 including one or more membrane suspended probe 104 to the surface of the space transformer so that the probe's contact button 166 is positioned for contact with the space transformer contact 144. When the probe tip 168 is pressed into contact with a contact pad on a DUT, probe 104 rotates about the interface of the contact button 166 and the space transformer contact 144. The end of the beam portion 164 adjacent the probe tip 168 rotates upward producing local scrubbing of the probe tip and causing the first insulating layer 306 to distort the surface of the elastic membrane 304 which resists distortion with a restoring force. One or more blank filler tiles 312 can be adhesively adhered to the surface of the space transformer 30 to provide the probe head with a continuous surface. [0044] A probe head with membrane suspended probes permits a needle card- type probing assembly to be converted to utilize membrane suspended probes which can be more closely pitched and exhibit substantially lower inductance than needle-type probes. Signal distortion is substantially reduced permitting testing of devices operating at higher frequencies and greater measurement accuracy at all frequencies. [0045] The detailed description, above, sets forth numerous specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuitry have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the present invention. [0046] All the references cited herein are incorporated by reference. [0047] The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

CLAIM(S)I claim:
1. A probe head comprising:
(a) an elastic membrane having a first surface and an opposing second surface, said elastic membrane capable of exerting a restoring force when one of said first and said second surfaces is distorted; and
(b) a conductive probe comprising a beam having a first end and a second end, a probe tip for contacting a device under test proximate said first end of said beam, and a beam contact proximate said second end of said beam and exposed from said first surface of said elastic membrane, said beam movable to deform said second surface of said elastic membrane.
2. The probe head of claim 1 further comprising an insulating member interposed between said beam and said elastic membrane, said insulating member movable by said beam to deform said second surface of said elastic membrane.
3. The probe head of claim 1 wherein said beam contact projects from said beam at least flush with said first surface of said elastic membrane.
4. A probe head comprising:
(a) an elastic membrane having a first surface and an opposing second surface, said elastic membrane capable of exerting a restoring force when at least one of said first and said second surfaces is distorted;
(b) a conductive probe comprising a beam having a first end, a second end, and a depth; a probe tip proximate said first end of said beam and projecting from said beam in a first direction; and a beam contact proximate said second end of said beam exposed to contact from said first surface of said elastic membrane; and
(c) a first insulating member having a first surface engaging said beam and a second surface engaging said second surface of said elastic member, said first insulating member movable by said beam to deform said second surface of said elastic membrane.
5. The probe head of claim 4 wherein said beam contact projects from said beam in a direction opposite said first direction and at least flush with said first surface of said elastic membrane.
6. The probe head of claim 4 further comprising a second insulating member having a first surface proximate said first surface of said first insulating member and a thickness approximating said depth of said beam.
7. A probing assembly comprising:
(a) a space transformer including an exposed conductive space transformer contact; (b) an elastic membrane having a first surface restrainable by said space transformer and an opposing second surface, said elastic membrane capable of exerting a restoring force when said second surface is distorted; and
(c) a conductive probe comprising a beam having a first end and a second end, a probe tip for contacting a device under test proximate said first end of said beam, and a beam contact proximate said second end of said beam and arranged to contact said space transformer contact, said beam movable to deform said second surface of said elastic membrane.
8. The probing assembly of claim 7 further comprising a first insulating member interposed between said beam and said elastic membrane, said first insulating member movable by said beam to deform said second surface of said elastic membrane.
9. The probe head of claim 7 wherein said beam contact projects from said beam at least flush with said first surface of said elastic membrane.
10. A probing assembly comprising:
(a) a space transformer having a surface and including a conductive space transformer contact exposed at said surface;
(b) an elastic membrane having a first surface restrainable by said surface of said space transformer and an opposing second surface, said elastic membrane capable of exerting a restoring force when said second surface is distorted;
(c) a conductive probe comprising a beam having a first end, a second end, and a depth, a probe tip proximate said first end of said beam and projecting from said beam in a first direction, and a beam contact proximate said second end of said beam and arranged to contact said space transformer contact; and
(d) a first insulating member having a first surface engaging said beam and a second surface engaging said second surface of said elastic member, said insulating member movable by said beam to deform said second surface of said elastic membrane.
1 1. The probe head of claim 10 wherein said beam contact projects from said beam in a direction opposite said first direction and at least flush with said first surface of said elastic membrane.
12. The probe head of claim 10 further comprising a second insulating member having a first surface proximate said first surface of said first insulating member and a thickness approximating said depth of said beam.
13. A method of reducing an inductance of a needle card probe assembly including a needle card probe head and a space transformer having a space transformer contact arranged to interface with said needle card probe head, said method comprising the steps of: (a) disengaging said needle card probe head from said space transformer; and
(b) engaging said space transformer with a membrane probe head comprising;
(i) an elastic membrane having a first surface restrainable by said space transformer and an opposing second surface, said elastic membrane capable of exerting a restoring force when second surface is distorted; (ii) a conductive probe comprising a beam having a first end, a second end, and a depth, a probe tip proximate said first end of said beam and projecting from said beam in a first direction, and a beam contact proximate said second end of said beam and arranged to contact said space transformer contact; and
(iii) a first insulating member having a first surface engaging said beam and a second surface engaging said second surface of said elastic member, said insulating member movable by said beam to deform said second surface of said elastic membrane.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein said beam contact of said membrane probe head projects from said beam in a direction opposite said first direction and at least flush with said first surface of said elastic membrane.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein said membrane probe head further comprising a second insulating member having a first surface proximate said first surface of said first insulating member and a thickness approximating said depth of said beam.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein said conductive probe has a single path inductance less than one nano-Henry.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein said conductive probe has a single path inductance less than one-half nano-Henry.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein said conductive probe has a single path inductance less than one-fourth nano-Henry.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of engaging said space transformer with said membrane probe head comprises the step adhering a tile including said elastic membrane and said conductive probe to a surface of said space transformer.
PCT/US2005/023806 2003-07-21 2005-07-05 Probe head having a membrane suspended probe WO2006017078A2 (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/565,356 US7708544B2 (en) 2003-07-21 2004-07-21 Apparatus and method for manufacturing microneedles
JP2007520437A JP4980903B2 (en) 2004-07-07 2005-07-05 Probe head with membrane suspension probe
KR1020077001093A KR101157449B1 (en) 2004-07-07 2005-07-05 Probe head having a membrane suspended probe
CA002570886A CA2570886A1 (en) 2004-07-07 2005-07-05 Probe head having a membrane suspended probe
EP05764375.1A EP1766426B1 (en) 2004-07-07 2005-07-05 Probe head having a membrane suspended probe
IL180188A IL180188A0 (en) 2004-07-07 2006-12-19 Probe head having a membrane suspended probe

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US58629904P 2004-07-07 2004-07-07
US60/586,299 2004-07-07

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2006017078A2 true WO2006017078A2 (en) 2006-02-16
WO2006017078A3 WO2006017078A3 (en) 2008-08-07

Family

ID=35839715

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2005/023806 WO2006017078A2 (en) 2003-07-21 2005-07-05 Probe head having a membrane suspended probe

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (2) US7368927B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1766426B1 (en)
JP (2) JP4980903B2 (en)
KR (1) KR101157449B1 (en)
CA (1) CA2570886A1 (en)
DE (1) DE202005021386U1 (en)
IL (1) IL180188A0 (en)
TW (1) TWI372249B (en)
WO (1) WO2006017078A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (49)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5914613A (en) 1996-08-08 1999-06-22 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Membrane probing system with local contact scrub
US6256882B1 (en) 1998-07-14 2001-07-10 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Membrane probing system
US6578264B1 (en) * 1999-06-04 2003-06-17 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Method for constructing a membrane probe using a depression
AU2002327490A1 (en) * 2001-08-21 2003-06-30 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Membrane probing system
JP4980903B2 (en) * 2004-07-07 2012-07-18 カスケード マイクロテック インコーポレイテッド Probe head with membrane suspension probe
JP5005195B2 (en) * 2005-07-13 2012-08-22 東京エレクトロン株式会社 Probe card manufacturing method
WO2007142204A1 (en) * 2006-06-08 2007-12-13 Nhk Spring Co., Ltd. Probe card
TWI321820B (en) * 2006-08-25 2010-03-11 Star Techn Inc Integrated circuits probing apparatus having a temperature-adjusting mechanism
US7579826B2 (en) * 2006-12-29 2009-08-25 Soo Ho Lee Test socket for semiconductor
JP4157589B1 (en) * 2007-01-30 2008-10-01 京セラ株式会社 Probe card assembly substrate, probe card assembly and semiconductor wafer inspection method
JP5426365B2 (en) * 2007-03-14 2014-02-26 日本発條株式会社 Probe card
WO2009011365A1 (en) * 2007-07-19 2009-01-22 Nhk Spring Co., Ltd. Probe card
US20090027071A1 (en) * 2007-07-23 2009-01-29 Finsar Corporation Probe tap
US7688089B2 (en) * 2008-01-25 2010-03-30 International Business Machines Corporation Compliant membrane thin film interposer probe for intergrated circuit device testing
DE102008011240B4 (en) * 2008-02-26 2016-11-17 Airbus Ds Electronics And Border Security Gmbh Device for contacting a T / R module with a test device
US7750651B2 (en) * 2008-03-07 2010-07-06 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Wafer level test probe card
JP5276895B2 (en) * 2008-05-19 2013-08-28 新光電気工業株式会社 Probe card and manufacturing method thereof
US7888957B2 (en) 2008-10-06 2011-02-15 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Probing apparatus with impedance optimized interface
WO2010059247A2 (en) * 2008-11-21 2010-05-27 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Replaceable coupon for a probing apparatus
US7987591B2 (en) * 2009-08-13 2011-08-02 International Business Machines Corporation Method of forming silicon chicklet pedestal
TWI409463B (en) * 2009-10-23 2013-09-21 King Yuan Electronics Co Ltd Probe card and structure reinforced test scoket therein
US20110147568A1 (en) * 2009-12-18 2011-06-23 Irvine Sensors Corporation High density array module and connector
US8487304B2 (en) 2010-04-30 2013-07-16 International Business Machines Corporation High performance compliant wafer test probe
US8970240B2 (en) 2010-11-04 2015-03-03 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Resilient electrical interposers, systems that include the interposers, and methods for using and forming the same
US9244099B2 (en) * 2011-05-09 2016-01-26 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Probe head assemblies, components thereof, test systems including the same, and methods of operating the same
JP5414739B2 (en) * 2011-05-25 2014-02-12 三菱電機株式会社 Semiconductor test jig
US8525168B2 (en) * 2011-07-11 2013-09-03 International Business Machines Corporation Integrated circuit (IC) test probe
US20130069680A1 (en) * 2011-09-16 2013-03-21 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Risers including a plurality of high aspect ratio electrical conduits and systems and methods of manufacture and use therof
JP5687172B2 (en) * 2011-11-01 2015-03-18 三菱電機株式会社 Semiconductor test jig and withstand voltage measurement method using the same
US8901948B2 (en) * 2011-12-05 2014-12-02 Winway Technology Co., Ltd. Wafer probe card
KR20140000561A (en) * 2012-06-25 2014-01-03 주식회사 세디콘 Probe card
WO2014099072A1 (en) * 2012-09-26 2014-06-26 The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York Micro-device transfer for hybrid photonic and electronic integration using polydimethylsiloxane probes
US9470715B2 (en) * 2013-01-11 2016-10-18 Mpi Corporation Probe head
TWM463903U (en) 2013-05-15 2013-10-21 Star Techn Inc Test assembly
US9435855B2 (en) 2013-11-19 2016-09-06 Teradyne, Inc. Interconnect for transmitting signals between a device and a tester
US9759745B2 (en) * 2014-04-29 2017-09-12 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. Probe card
US9594114B2 (en) 2014-06-26 2017-03-14 Teradyne, Inc. Structure for transmitting signals in an application space between a device under test and test electronics
US9733304B2 (en) * 2014-09-24 2017-08-15 Micron Technology, Inc. Semiconductor device test apparatuses
US10060963B2 (en) * 2016-04-01 2018-08-28 Formfactor Beaverton, Inc. Probe systems, storage media, and methods for wafer-level testing over extended temperature ranges
US10120020B2 (en) * 2016-06-16 2018-11-06 Formfactor Beaverton, Inc. Probe head assemblies and probe systems for testing integrated circuit devices
US9977052B2 (en) 2016-10-04 2018-05-22 Teradyne, Inc. Test fixture
IT201700017037A1 (en) 2017-02-15 2018-08-15 Technoprobe Spa Measurement board for high frequency applications
US10677815B2 (en) 2018-06-08 2020-06-09 Teradyne, Inc. Test system having distributed resources
KR20220053553A (en) * 2019-08-28 2022-04-29 주식회사 아도반테스토 Test apparatus, automated test equipment and methods for testing a device under test comprising a circuit and an antenna coupled to the circuit
US11363746B2 (en) 2019-09-06 2022-06-14 Teradyne, Inc. EMI shielding for a signal trace
TWI704358B (en) * 2019-09-16 2020-09-11 旺矽科技股份有限公司 Suitable for probe modules with multiple units to be tested with inclined conductive contacts
KR102271347B1 (en) * 2019-10-28 2021-06-30 주식회사 나노엑스 Probe-head for led probe device
US11862901B2 (en) 2020-12-15 2024-01-02 Teradyne, Inc. Interposer
KR102471772B1 (en) * 2020-12-23 2022-11-29 주식회사 에스디에이 Probe Card

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5529504A (en) 1995-04-18 1996-06-25 Hewlett-Packard Company Electrically anisotropic elastomeric structure with mechanical compliance and scrub
WO1997016737A1 (en) 1995-11-03 1997-05-09 Probe Technology Membrane for holding a probe tip in proper location
US6305230B1 (en) 1997-05-09 2001-10-23 Hitachi, Ltd. Connector and probing system
US20020019152A1 (en) 1993-11-16 2002-02-14 Benjamin N. Eldridge Microelectric contact structure

Family Cites Families (240)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1337866A (en) 1917-09-27 1920-04-20 Griffiths Ethel Grace System for protecting electric cables
US2142625A (en) 1932-07-06 1939-01-03 Hollandsche Draad En Kabelfab High tension cable
US2376101A (en) 1942-04-01 1945-05-15 Ferris Instr Corp Electrical energy transmission
US2389668A (en) 1943-03-04 1945-11-27 Barnes Drill Co Indexing mechanism for machine tables
US3193712A (en) 1962-03-21 1965-07-06 Clarence A Harris High voltage cable
US3230299A (en) 1962-07-18 1966-01-18 Gen Cable Corp Electrical cable with chemically bonded rubber layers
US3176091A (en) 1962-11-07 1965-03-30 Helmer C Hanson Controlled multiple switching unit
US3429040A (en) 1965-06-18 1969-02-25 Ibm Method of joining a component to a substrate
US3401126A (en) 1965-06-18 1968-09-10 Ibm Method of rendering noble metal conductive composition non-wettable by solder
US3445770A (en) 1965-12-27 1969-05-20 Philco Ford Corp Microelectronic test probe with defect marker access
US3442831A (en) 1966-04-21 1969-05-06 Borden Co Vinyl chloride polymerization process and latex
US3484679A (en) 1966-10-03 1969-12-16 North American Rockwell Electrical apparatus for changing the effective capacitance of a cable
US3441315A (en) 1967-07-07 1969-04-29 Artnell Co Seat and method for manufacturing the same
US3609539A (en) 1968-09-28 1971-09-28 Ibm Self-aligning kelvin probe
US3595228A (en) 1968-11-27 1971-07-27 Robert C Simon Flow line break alarm device
US3541222A (en) 1969-01-13 1970-11-17 Bunker Ramo Connector screen for interconnecting adjacent surfaces of laminar circuits and method of making
NL7003475A (en) 1969-03-28 1970-09-30
US3596228A (en) 1969-05-29 1971-07-27 Ibm Fluid actuated contactor
US3654585A (en) 1970-03-11 1972-04-04 Brooks Research And Mfg Inc Coordinate conversion for the testing of printed circuit boards
US3740900A (en) 1970-07-01 1973-06-26 Signetics Corp Vacuum chuck assembly for semiconductor manufacture
US3700998A (en) 1970-08-20 1972-10-24 Computer Test Corp Sample and hold circuit with switching isolation
US3714572A (en) 1970-08-21 1973-01-30 Rca Corp Alignment and test fixture apparatus
US3680037A (en) 1970-11-05 1972-07-25 Tech Wire Prod Inc Electrical interconnector
US3710251A (en) 1971-04-07 1973-01-09 Collins Radio Co Microelectric heat exchanger pedestal
GB1387587A (en) 1971-07-22 1975-03-19 Plessey Co Ltd Electrical interconnectors and connector assemblies
US3829076A (en) 1972-06-08 1974-08-13 H Sofy Dial index machine
US3858212A (en) 1972-08-29 1974-12-31 L Tompkins Multi-purpose information gathering and distribution system
US3952156A (en) 1972-09-07 1976-04-20 Xerox Corporation Signal processing system
CA970849A (en) 1972-09-18 1975-07-08 Malcolm P. Macmartin Low leakage isolating transformer for electromedical apparatus
US3806801A (en) 1972-12-26 1974-04-23 Ibm Probe contactor having buckling beam probes
US3839672A (en) 1973-02-05 1974-10-01 Belden Corp Method and apparatus for measuring the effectiveness of the shield in a coaxial cable
US3849728A (en) 1973-08-21 1974-11-19 Wentworth Labor Inc Fixed point probe card and an assembly and repair fixture therefor
US3936743A (en) 1974-03-05 1976-02-03 Electroglas, Inc. High speed precision chuck assembly
US3971610A (en) 1974-05-10 1976-07-27 Technical Wire Products, Inc. Conductive elastomeric contacts and connectors
US3976959A (en) 1974-07-22 1976-08-24 Gaspari Russell A Planar balun
US3970934A (en) 1974-08-12 1976-07-20 Akin Aksu Printed circuit board testing means
US4038599A (en) 1974-12-30 1977-07-26 International Business Machines Corporation High density wafer contacting and test system
US4038894A (en) 1975-07-18 1977-08-02 Springfield Tool And Die, Inc. Piercing apparatus
SE407115B (en) 1975-10-06 1979-03-12 Kabi Ab PROCEDURES AND METAL ELECTRODES FOR THE STUDY OF ENZYMATIC AND OTHER BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
US3992073A (en) 1975-11-24 1976-11-16 Technical Wire Products, Inc. Multi-conductor probe
US4049252A (en) 1976-02-04 1977-09-20 Bell Theodore F Index table
US4008900A (en) 1976-03-15 1977-02-22 John Freedom Indexing chuck
US4099120A (en) 1976-04-19 1978-07-04 Akin Aksu Probe head for testing printed circuit boards
US4027935A (en) 1976-06-21 1977-06-07 International Business Machines Corporation Contact for an electrical contactor assembly
US4115735A (en) 1976-10-14 1978-09-19 Faultfinders, Inc. Test fixture employing plural platens for advancing some or all of the probes of the test fixture
US4093988A (en) 1976-11-08 1978-06-06 General Electric Company High speed frequency response measurement
US4312117A (en) 1977-09-01 1982-01-26 Raytheon Company Integrated test and assembly device
US4184729A (en) 1977-10-13 1980-01-22 Bunker Ramo Corporation Flexible connector cable
US4135131A (en) 1977-10-14 1979-01-16 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Microwave time delay spectroscopic methods and apparatus for remote interrogation of biological targets
DE2849119A1 (en) 1978-11-13 1980-05-14 Siemens Ag METHOD AND CIRCUIT FOR DAMPING MEASUREMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR DETERMINING THE DAMPING AND / OR GROUP DISTANCE DISTORTION OF A MEASURED OBJECT
US4383217A (en) 1979-01-02 1983-05-10 Shiell Thomas J Collinear four-point probe head and mount for resistivity measurements
US4287473A (en) 1979-05-25 1981-09-01 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Nondestructive method for detecting defects in photodetector and solar cell devices
FI58719C (en) 1979-06-01 1981-04-10 Instrumentarium Oy DIAGNOSTISERINGSANORDNING FOER BROESTKANCER
US4277741A (en) 1979-06-25 1981-07-07 General Motors Corporation Microwave acoustic spectrometer
US4327180A (en) 1979-09-14 1982-04-27 Board Of Governors, Wayne State Univ. Method and apparatus for electromagnetic radiation of biological material
US4284033A (en) 1979-10-31 1981-08-18 Rca Corporation Means to orbit and rotate target wafers supported on planet member
US4330783A (en) 1979-11-23 1982-05-18 Toia Michael J Coaxially fed dipole antenna
US4284682A (en) 1980-04-30 1981-08-18 Nasa Heat sealable, flame and abrasion resistant coated fabric
US4357575A (en) 1980-06-17 1982-11-02 Dit-Mco International Corporation Apparatus for use in testing printed circuit process boards having means for positioning such boards in proper juxtaposition with electrical contacting assemblies
US4552033A (en) 1980-07-08 1985-11-12 Gebr. Marzhauser Wetzlar oHG Drive system for a microscope stage or the like
US4376920A (en) 1981-04-01 1983-03-15 Smith Kenneth L Shielded radio frequency transmission cable
US4425395A (en) 1981-04-30 1984-01-10 Fujikura Rubber Works, Ltd. Base fabrics for polyurethane-coated fabrics, polyurethane-coated fabrics and processes for their production
US4401945A (en) 1981-04-30 1983-08-30 The Valeron Corporation Apparatus for detecting the position of a probe relative to a workpiece
US4453142A (en) 1981-11-02 1984-06-05 Motorola Inc. Microstrip to waveguide transition
DE3202461C1 (en) 1982-01-27 1983-06-09 Fa. Carl Zeiss, 7920 Heidenheim Attachment of microscope objectives
US4468629A (en) 1982-05-27 1984-08-28 Trw Inc. NPN Operational amplifier
US4528504A (en) 1982-05-27 1985-07-09 Harris Corporation Pulsed linear integrated circuit tester
US4705447A (en) 1983-08-11 1987-11-10 Intest Corporation Electronic test head positioner for test systems
US4487996A (en) 1982-12-02 1984-12-11 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. Shielded electrical cable
US4581679A (en) 1983-05-31 1986-04-08 Trw Inc. Multi-element circuit construction
JPS59226167A (en) 1983-06-04 1984-12-19 Dainippon Screen Mfg Co Ltd Surface treating device for circuit board
FR2547945B1 (en) 1983-06-21 1986-05-02 Raffinage Cie Francaise NEW STRUCTURE OF ELECTRIC CABLE AND ITS APPLICATIONS
US4588950A (en) 1983-11-15 1986-05-13 Data Probe Corporation Test system for VLSI digital circuit and method of testing
JPS60136006U (en) 1984-02-20 1985-09-10 株式会社 潤工社 flat cable
US4646005A (en) 1984-03-16 1987-02-24 Motorola, Inc. Signal probe
US4722846A (en) * 1984-04-18 1988-02-02 Kikkoman Corporation Novel variant and process for producing light colored soy sauce using such variant
US4649339A (en) 1984-04-25 1987-03-10 Honeywell Inc. Integrated circuit interface
US4697143A (en) 1984-04-30 1987-09-29 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Wafer probe
JPS60235304A (en) 1984-05-08 1985-11-22 株式会社フジクラ Dc power cable
US4636722A (en) 1984-05-21 1987-01-13 Probe-Rite, Inc. High density probe-head with isolated and shielded transmission lines
US4515133A (en) 1984-05-31 1985-05-07 Frank Roman Fuel economizing device
DK291184D0 (en) 1984-06-13 1984-06-13 Boeegh Petersen Allan METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TESTING CIRCUIT PLATES
US4755747A (en) 1984-06-15 1988-07-05 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Wafer prober and a probe card to be used therewith
DE3428087A1 (en) 1984-07-30 1986-01-30 Kraftwerk Union AG, 4330 Mülheim CONCENTRIC THREE-WIRE CABLE
US4593243A (en) 1984-08-29 1986-06-03 Magnavox Government And Industrial Electronics Company Coplanar and stripline probe card apparatus
NL8403755A (en) 1984-12-11 1986-07-01 Philips Nv METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A MULTI-LAYER PRINTED WIRING WITH SEW-THROUGH TRACKS IN DIFFERENT LAYERS AND MULTI-LAYER PRINTED WIRES MADE BY THE METHOD
US4713347A (en) 1985-01-14 1987-12-15 Sensor Diagnostics, Inc. Measurement of ligand/anti-ligand interactions using bulk conductance
JPS61164338A (en) 1985-01-17 1986-07-25 Riken Denshi Kk Multiplex arithmetic type digital-analog converter
US4651115A (en) 1985-01-31 1987-03-17 Rca Corporation Waveguide-to-microstrip transition
US4744041A (en) 1985-03-04 1988-05-10 International Business Machines Corporation Method for testing DC motors
US4691163A (en) 1985-03-19 1987-09-01 Elscint Ltd. Dual frequency surface probes
US4755746A (en) 1985-04-24 1988-07-05 Prometrix Corporation Apparatus and methods for semiconductor wafer testing
US4684883A (en) 1985-05-13 1987-08-04 American Telephone And Telegraph Company, At&T Bell Laboratories Method of manufacturing high-quality semiconductor light-emitting devices
FR2585513B1 (en) 1985-07-23 1987-10-09 Thomson Csf COUPLING DEVICE BETWEEN A METAL WAVEGUIDE, A DIELECTRIC WAVEGUIDE AND A SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENT, AND MIXER USING THE SAME
DE3531893A1 (en) * 1985-09-06 1987-03-19 Siemens Ag METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE DISTRIBUTION OF DIELECTRICITY CONSTANTS IN AN EXAMINATION BODY, AND MEASURING ARRANGEMENT FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD
US4746857A (en) 1985-09-13 1988-05-24 Danippon Screen Mfg. Co. Ltd. Probing apparatus for measuring electrical characteristics of semiconductor device formed on wafer
US4749942A (en) 1985-09-26 1988-06-07 Tektronix, Inc. Wafer probe head
JPH0326643Y2 (en) 1985-09-30 1991-06-10
US5829128A (en) * 1993-11-16 1998-11-03 Formfactor, Inc. Method of mounting resilient contact structures to semiconductor devices
US6043563A (en) * 1997-05-06 2000-03-28 Formfactor, Inc. Electronic components with terminals and spring contact elements extending from areas which are remote from the terminals
US5917707A (en) * 1993-11-16 1999-06-29 Formfactor, Inc. Flexible contact structure with an electrically conductive shell
US5476211A (en) * 1993-11-16 1995-12-19 Form Factor, Inc. Method of manufacturing electrical contacts, using a sacrificial member
US4727319A (en) 1985-12-24 1988-02-23 Hughes Aircraft Company Apparatus for on-wafer testing of electrical circuits
DE3785681T2 (en) * 1986-01-24 1993-08-12 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd SHEET FILM CASSETTE AND DEVICE FOR LOADING SHEET FILMS.
JP2609232B2 (en) * 1986-09-04 1997-05-14 日本ヒューレット・パッカード株式会社 Floating drive circuit
US4673839A (en) 1986-09-08 1987-06-16 Tektronix, Inc. Piezoelectric pressure sensing apparatus for integrated circuit testing stations
US4904933A (en) * 1986-09-08 1990-02-27 Tektronix, Inc. Integrated circuit probe station
US4754239A (en) 1986-12-19 1988-06-28 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Waveguide to stripline transition assembly
US4727637A (en) 1987-01-20 1988-03-01 The Boeing Company Computer aided connector assembly method and apparatus
US4711563A (en) 1987-02-11 1987-12-08 Lass Bennett D Portable collapsible darkroom
US5082627A (en) * 1987-05-01 1992-01-21 Biotronic Systems Corporation Three dimensional binding site array for interfering with an electrical field
EP0298219A3 (en) * 1987-06-08 1990-08-01 Tektronix Inc. Method and apparatus for testing unpackaged integrated circuits in a hybrid circuit environment
US4912399A (en) * 1987-06-09 1990-03-27 Tektronix, Inc. Multiple lead probe for integrated circuits in wafer form
US4894612A (en) * 1987-08-13 1990-01-16 Hypres, Incorporated Soft probe for providing high speed on-wafer connections to a circuit
JPS6453429A (en) * 1987-08-24 1989-03-01 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Device for testing semiconductor chip
US5084671A (en) * 1987-09-02 1992-01-28 Tokyo Electron Limited Electric probing-test machine having a cooling system
JP2554669Y2 (en) * 1987-11-10 1997-11-17 博 寺町 Rotary positioning device
US4891584A (en) * 1988-03-21 1990-01-02 Semitest, Inc. Apparatus for making surface photovoltage measurements of a semiconductor
US4983910A (en) * 1988-05-20 1991-01-08 Stanford University Millimeter-wave active probe
US5003253A (en) * 1988-05-20 1991-03-26 The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University Millimeter-wave active probe system
US4987100A (en) * 1988-05-26 1991-01-22 International Business Machines Corporation Flexible carrier for an electronic device
US4991290A (en) * 1988-07-21 1991-02-12 Microelectronics And Computer Technology Flexible electrical interconnect and method of making
US4906920A (en) * 1988-10-11 1990-03-06 Hewlett-Packard Company Self-leveling membrane probe
US4893914A (en) * 1988-10-12 1990-01-16 The Micromanipulator Company, Inc. Test station
US4998062A (en) * 1988-10-25 1991-03-05 Tokyo Electron Limited Probe device having micro-strip line structure
US4904935A (en) * 1988-11-14 1990-02-27 Eaton Corporation Electrical circuit board text fixture having movable platens
US5089774A (en) * 1989-12-26 1992-02-18 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Apparatus and a method for checking a semiconductor
JPH03209737A (en) * 1990-01-11 1991-09-12 Tokyo Electron Ltd Probe equipment
US5187443A (en) * 1990-07-24 1993-02-16 Bereskin Alexander B Microwave test fixtures for determining the dielectric properties of a material
EP0493089B1 (en) * 1990-12-25 1998-09-16 Ngk Insulators, Ltd. Wafer heating apparatus and method for producing the same
US5097101A (en) * 1991-02-05 1992-03-17 Tektronix, Inc. Method of forming a conductive contact bump on a flexible substrate and a flexible substrate
US5487999A (en) * 1991-06-04 1996-01-30 Micron Technology, Inc. Method for fabricating a penetration limited contact having a rough textured surface
US5229782A (en) * 1991-07-19 1993-07-20 Conifer Corporation Stacked dual dipole MMDS feed
US5177438A (en) * 1991-08-02 1993-01-05 Motorola, Inc. Low resistance probe for semiconductor
US5180977A (en) * 1991-12-02 1993-01-19 Hoya Corporation Usa Membrane probe contact bump compliancy system
US5389885A (en) * 1992-01-27 1995-02-14 Everett Charles Technologies, Inc. Expandable diaphragm test modules and connectors
TW212252B (en) * 1992-05-01 1993-09-01 Martin Marietta Corp
US6295729B1 (en) * 1992-10-19 2001-10-02 International Business Machines Corporation Angled flying lead wire bonding process
US5371654A (en) * 1992-10-19 1994-12-06 International Business Machines Corporation Three dimensional high performance interconnection package
US5684669A (en) * 1995-06-07 1997-11-04 Applied Materials, Inc. Method for dechucking a workpiece from an electrostatic chuck
US5395253A (en) * 1993-04-29 1995-03-07 Hughes Aircraft Company Membrane connector with stretch induced micro scrub
JPH0714898A (en) * 1993-06-23 1995-01-17 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Equipment and method for testing and analyzing semiconductor wafer
JP3346838B2 (en) * 1993-06-29 2002-11-18 有限会社創造庵 Rotary movement mechanism
US5412866A (en) * 1993-07-01 1995-05-09 Hughes Aircraft Company Method of making a cast elastomer/membrane test probe assembly
JP3442822B2 (en) * 1993-07-28 2003-09-02 アジレント・テクノロジー株式会社 Measurement cable and measurement system
JP2710544B2 (en) * 1993-09-30 1998-02-10 インターナショナル・ビジネス・マシーンズ・コーポレイション Probe structure, method of forming probe structure
US6029344A (en) * 1993-11-16 2000-02-29 Formfactor, Inc. Composite interconnection element for microelectronic components, and method of making same
US6836962B2 (en) * 1993-11-16 2005-01-04 Formfactor, Inc. Method and apparatus for shaping spring elements
US5601740A (en) * 1993-11-16 1997-02-11 Formfactor, Inc. Method and apparatus for wirebonding, for severing bond wires, and for forming balls on the ends of bond wires
US6525555B1 (en) * 1993-11-16 2003-02-25 Formfactor, Inc. Wafer-level burn-in and test
US5878486A (en) * 1993-11-16 1999-03-09 Formfactor, Inc. Method of burning-in semiconductor devices
US6184053B1 (en) * 1993-11-16 2001-02-06 Formfactor, Inc. Method of making microelectronic spring contact elements
US5884398A (en) * 1993-11-16 1999-03-23 Form Factor, Inc. Mounting spring elements on semiconductor devices
US6442831B1 (en) * 1993-11-16 2002-09-03 Formfactor, Inc. Method for shaping spring elements
US6023103A (en) * 1994-11-15 2000-02-08 Formfactor, Inc. Chip-scale carrier for semiconductor devices including mounted spring contacts
US5798652A (en) * 1993-11-23 1998-08-25 Semicoa Semiconductors Method of batch testing surface mount devices using a substrate edge connector
US20020011859A1 (en) * 1993-12-23 2002-01-31 Kenneth R. Smith Method for forming conductive bumps for the purpose of contrructing a fine pitch test device
US5481938A (en) * 1994-05-02 1996-01-09 General Motors Corporation Position control apparatus for steering column
US5715819A (en) * 1994-05-26 1998-02-10 The Carolinas Heart Institute Microwave tomographic spectroscopy system and method
US5704355A (en) * 1994-07-01 1998-01-06 Bridges; Jack E. Non-invasive system for breast cancer detection
GB9417450D0 (en) * 1994-08-25 1994-10-19 Symmetricom Inc An antenna
US5488954A (en) * 1994-09-09 1996-02-06 Georgia Tech Research Corp. Ultrasonic transducer and method for using same
US5481196A (en) * 1994-11-08 1996-01-02 Nebraska Electronics, Inc. Process and apparatus for microwave diagnostics and therapy
US5720098A (en) * 1995-05-12 1998-02-24 Probe Technology Method for making a probe preserving a uniform stress distribution under deflection
US6685817B1 (en) * 1995-05-26 2004-02-03 Formfactor, Inc. Method and apparatus for controlling plating over a face of a substrate
US6033935A (en) * 1997-06-30 2000-03-07 Formfactor, Inc. Sockets for "springed" semiconductor devices
US6042712A (en) * 1995-05-26 2000-03-28 Formfactor, Inc. Apparatus for controlling plating over a face of a substrate
DE69635227T2 (en) * 1995-05-26 2006-06-29 Formfactor, Inc., Livermore CONTACT SUPPORT FOR FITTING SUBSTRATES WITH SPRING CONTACTS
US6002109A (en) * 1995-07-10 1999-12-14 Mattson Technology, Inc. System and method for thermal processing of a semiconductor substrate
JP3838381B2 (en) * 1995-11-22 2006-10-25 株式会社アドバンテスト Probe card
DE19605598C1 (en) * 1996-02-15 1996-10-31 Singulus Technologies Gmbh Substrate hold and release mechanism for vacuum chamber
US5726211A (en) * 1996-03-21 1998-03-10 International Business Machines Corporation Process for making a foamed elastometric polymer
US5869974A (en) * 1996-04-01 1999-02-09 Micron Technology, Inc. Micromachined probe card having compliant contact members for testing semiconductor wafers
US5914613A (en) * 1996-08-08 1999-06-22 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Membrane probing system with local contact scrub
US5869326A (en) * 1996-09-09 1999-02-09 Genetronics, Inc. Electroporation employing user-configured pulsing scheme
EP0925510B1 (en) * 1996-09-13 2007-04-11 International Business Machines Corporation Integrated compliant probe for wafer level test and burn-in
US6181149B1 (en) * 1996-09-26 2001-01-30 Delaware Capital Formation, Inc. Grid array package test contactor
US5883522A (en) * 1996-11-07 1999-03-16 National Semiconductor Corporation Apparatus and method for retaining a semiconductor wafer during testing
US6690185B1 (en) * 1997-01-15 2004-02-10 Formfactor, Inc. Large contactor with multiple, aligned contactor units
US6019612A (en) * 1997-02-10 2000-02-01 Kabushiki Kaisha Nihon Micronics Electrical connecting apparatus for electrically connecting a device to be tested
US6520778B1 (en) * 1997-02-18 2003-02-18 Formfactor, Inc. Microelectronic contact structures, and methods of making same
JP2934202B2 (en) * 1997-03-06 1999-08-16 山一電機株式会社 Method for forming conductive bumps on wiring board
US6013586A (en) * 1997-10-09 2000-01-11 Dimension Polyant Sailcloth, Inc. Tent material product and method of making tent material product
US6287776B1 (en) * 1998-02-02 2001-09-11 Signature Bioscience, Inc. Method for detecting and classifying nucleic acid hybridization
US6181144B1 (en) * 1998-02-25 2001-01-30 Micron Technology, Inc. Semiconductor probe card having resistance measuring circuitry and method fabrication
US6720501B1 (en) * 1998-04-14 2004-04-13 Formfactor, Inc. PC board having clustered blind vias
US6181416B1 (en) * 1998-04-14 2001-01-30 Optometrix, Inc. Schlieren method for imaging semiconductor device properties
TW440699B (en) * 1998-06-09 2001-06-16 Advantest Corp Test apparatus for electronic parts
US6256882B1 (en) * 1998-07-14 2001-07-10 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Membrane probing system
GB2342148B (en) * 1998-10-01 2000-12-20 Nippon Kokan Kk Method and apparatus for preventing snow from melting and for packing snow in artificial ski facility
US6175228B1 (en) * 1998-10-30 2001-01-16 Agilent Technologies Electronic probe for measuring high impedance tri-state logic circuits
JP2000150594A (en) * 1998-11-05 2000-05-30 Hitachi Ltd Connecting apparatus, manufacture of wiring film with biasing member and manufacture of inspection system and semiconductor element
US6169410B1 (en) * 1998-11-09 2001-01-02 Anritsu Company Wafer probe with built in RF frequency conversion module
US6672875B1 (en) * 1998-12-02 2004-01-06 Formfactor, Inc. Spring interconnect structures
US6206273B1 (en) * 1999-02-17 2001-03-27 International Business Machines Corporation Structures and processes to create a desired probetip contact geometry on a wafer test probe
AU5586000A (en) * 1999-02-22 2000-09-14 Paul Bryant Programmable active microwave ultrafine resonance spectrometer (pamurs) method and systems
US6218910B1 (en) * 1999-02-25 2001-04-17 Formfactor, Inc. High bandwidth passive integrated circuit tester probe card assembly
US6539531B2 (en) * 1999-02-25 2003-03-25 Formfactor, Inc. Method of designing, fabricating, testing and interconnecting an IC to external circuit nodes
US6208225B1 (en) * 1999-02-25 2001-03-27 Formfactor, Inc. Filter structures for integrated circuit interfaces
US6538538B2 (en) * 1999-02-25 2003-03-25 Formfactor, Inc. High frequency printed circuit board via
US6448865B1 (en) * 1999-02-25 2002-09-10 Formfactor, Inc. Integrated circuit interconnect system
US6499121B1 (en) * 1999-03-01 2002-12-24 Formfactor, Inc. Distributed interface for parallel testing of multiple devices using a single tester channel
US6419500B1 (en) * 1999-03-08 2002-07-16 Kulicke & Soffa Investment, Inc. Probe assembly having floatable buckling beam probes and apparatus for abrading the same
US6400166B2 (en) * 1999-04-15 2002-06-04 International Business Machines Corporation Micro probe and method of fabricating same
US6340895B1 (en) * 1999-07-14 2002-01-22 Aehr Test Systems, Inc. Wafer-level burn-in and test cartridge
US6713374B2 (en) * 1999-07-30 2004-03-30 Formfactor, Inc. Interconnect assemblies and methods
US6352454B1 (en) * 1999-10-20 2002-03-05 Xerox Corporation Wear-resistant spring contacts
US6339338B1 (en) * 2000-01-18 2002-01-15 Formfactor, Inc. Apparatus for reducing power supply noise in an integrated circuit
US6838890B2 (en) * 2000-02-25 2005-01-04 Cascade Microtech, Inc. Membrane probing system
US6509751B1 (en) * 2000-03-17 2003-01-21 Formfactor, Inc. Planarizer for a semiconductor contactor
US6677744B1 (en) * 2000-04-13 2004-01-13 Formfactor, Inc. System for measuring signal path resistance for an integrated circuit tester interconnect structure
US6379130B1 (en) * 2000-06-09 2002-04-30 Tecumseh Products Company Motor cover retention
JP2002022775A (en) * 2000-07-05 2002-01-23 Ando Electric Co Ltd Electro-optical probe and magneto-optical probe
JP2002039091A (en) * 2000-07-21 2002-02-06 Minebea Co Ltd Blower
GB0021975D0 (en) * 2000-09-07 2000-10-25 Optomed As Filter optic probes
WO2002052285A1 (en) * 2000-12-22 2002-07-04 Tokyo Electron Limited Probe cartridge assembly and multi-probe assembly
US7006046B2 (en) * 2001-02-15 2006-02-28 Integral Technologies, Inc. Low cost electronic probe devices manufactured from conductive loaded resin-based materials
US6512482B1 (en) * 2001-03-20 2003-01-28 Xilinx, Inc. Method and apparatus using a semiconductor die integrated antenna structure
US6856150B2 (en) * 2001-04-10 2005-02-15 Formfactor, Inc. Probe card with coplanar daughter card
US6525552B2 (en) * 2001-05-11 2003-02-25 Kulicke And Soffa Investments, Inc. Modular probe apparatus
JP2002340933A (en) * 2001-05-17 2002-11-27 Seiko Epson Corp Inspection jig of semiconductor device and its production method
US6729019B2 (en) * 2001-07-11 2004-05-04 Formfactor, Inc. Method of manufacturing a probe card
CA2353024C (en) * 2001-07-12 2005-12-06 Ibm Canada Limited-Ibm Canada Limitee Anti-vibration and anti-tilt microscope stand
US6678876B2 (en) * 2001-08-24 2004-01-13 Formfactor, Inc. Process and apparatus for finding paths through a routing space
US6862727B2 (en) * 2001-08-24 2005-03-01 Formfactor, Inc. Process and apparatus for adjusting traces
US6714828B2 (en) * 2001-09-17 2004-03-30 Formfactor, Inc. Method and system for designing a probe card
US6906540B2 (en) * 2001-09-20 2005-06-14 Wentworth Laboratories, Inc. Method for chemically etching photo-defined micro electrical contacts
US7071714B2 (en) * 2001-11-02 2006-07-04 Formfactor, Inc. Method and system for compensating for thermally induced motion of probe cards
US6655961B2 (en) * 2001-12-03 2003-12-02 Richard Day Cottrell Modified dental implant fixture
US6806697B2 (en) * 2002-04-05 2004-10-19 Agilent Technologies, Inc. Apparatus and method for canceling DC errors and noise generated by ground shield current in a probe
US7343185B2 (en) * 2002-06-21 2008-03-11 Nir Diagnostics Inc. Measurement of body compounds
JP2004171905A (en) * 2002-11-20 2004-06-17 Dainippon Printing Co Ltd Contact sheet for electronic device inspection, and its manufacturing method
US6987483B2 (en) * 2003-02-21 2006-01-17 Kyocera Wireless Corp. Effectively balanced dipole microstrip antenna
US6838885B2 (en) * 2003-03-05 2005-01-04 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Method of correcting measurement error and electronic component characteristic measurement apparatus
US7002133B2 (en) * 2003-04-11 2006-02-21 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Detecting one or more photons from their interactions with probe photons in a matter system
KR100523139B1 (en) * 2003-06-23 2005-10-20 주식회사 하이닉스반도체 Semiconductor device for reducing the number of probing pad used during wafer testing and method for testing the same
US7286013B2 (en) * 2003-09-18 2007-10-23 Avago Technologies Wireless Ip (Singapore) Pte Ltd Coupled-inductance differential amplifier
JP4980903B2 (en) * 2004-07-07 2012-07-18 カスケード マイクロテック インコーポレイテッド Probe head with membrane suspension probe
US7001785B1 (en) * 2004-12-06 2006-02-21 Veeco Instruments, Inc. Capacitance probe for thin dielectric film characterization
US7005879B1 (en) * 2005-03-01 2006-02-28 International Business Machines Corporation Device for probe card power bus noise reduction

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20020019152A1 (en) 1993-11-16 2002-02-14 Benjamin N. Eldridge Microelectric contact structure
US5529504A (en) 1995-04-18 1996-06-25 Hewlett-Packard Company Electrically anisotropic elastomeric structure with mechanical compliance and scrub
WO1997016737A1 (en) 1995-11-03 1997-05-09 Probe Technology Membrane for holding a probe tip in proper location
US6305230B1 (en) 1997-05-09 2001-10-23 Hitachi, Ltd. Connector and probing system

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of EP1766426A4

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR101157449B1 (en) 2012-06-22
DE202005021386U1 (en) 2007-11-29
US20080157795A1 (en) 2008-07-03
TW200606436A (en) 2006-02-16
TWI372249B (en) 2012-09-11
KR20070053696A (en) 2007-05-25
JP2008506112A (en) 2008-02-28
EP1766426A4 (en) 2011-07-06
JP5374568B2 (en) 2013-12-25
WO2006017078A3 (en) 2008-08-07
CA2570886A1 (en) 2006-02-16
EP1766426B1 (en) 2013-09-11
JP4980903B2 (en) 2012-07-18
US7514944B2 (en) 2009-04-07
JP2012068256A (en) 2012-04-05
IL180188A0 (en) 2007-06-03
EP1766426A2 (en) 2007-03-28
US20060006889A1 (en) 2006-01-12
US7368927B2 (en) 2008-05-06

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7368927B2 (en) Probe head having a membrane suspended probe
US10267848B2 (en) Method of electrically contacting a bond pad of a device under test with a probe
US5828226A (en) Probe card assembly for high density integrated circuits
US7888957B2 (en) Probing apparatus with impedance optimized interface
JP3727540B2 (en) Probe card for probing a wafer with raised contact elements
US6771084B2 (en) Single-sided compliant probe apparatus
US5189363A (en) Integrated circuit testing system having a cantilevered contact lead probe pattern mounted on a flexible tape for interconnecting an integrated circuit to a tester
US6471538B2 (en) Contact structure and production method thereof and probe contact assembly using same
JP4863585B2 (en) Contact structure, manufacturing method thereof, and probe contact assembly using the same
US20080029763A1 (en) Transmission Circuit, Connecting Sheet, Probe Sheet, Probe Card, Semiconductor Inspection System and Method of Manufacturing Semiconductor Device
US7628620B2 (en) Reinforced contact elements
JP2002196019A (en) Contact structure, its manufacturing method and probe contact assembly using this
JP2002062315A (en) Contact structure
WO2001096885A1 (en) Connector apparatus
JP2001099863A (en) Probe and probe card using the same
WO2001096894A1 (en) Compliant probe apparatus

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AE AG AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BW BY BZ CA CH CN CO CR CU CZ DE DK DM DZ EC EE EG ES FI GB GD GE GH GM HR HU ID IL IN IS JP KE KG KM KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV MA MD MG MK MN MW MX MZ NA NG NI NO NZ OM PG PH PL PT RO RU SC SD SE SG SK SL SM SY TJ TM TN TR TT TZ UA UG US UZ VC VN YU ZA ZM ZW

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): BW GH GM KE LS MW MZ NA SD SL SZ TZ UG ZM ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN GQ GW ML MR NE SN TD TG

DPEN Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed from 20040101)
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 2570886

Country of ref document: CA

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 3835/KOLNP/2006

Country of ref document: IN

Ref document number: 180188

Country of ref document: IL

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 12006502630

Country of ref document: PH

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 200580022731.5

Country of ref document: CN

Ref document number: 2007520437

Country of ref document: JP

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

WWW Wipo information: withdrawn in national office

Ref document number: DE

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 2005764375

Country of ref document: EP

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 1020077001093

Country of ref document: KR

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 2007104588

Country of ref document: RU

WWP Wipo information: published in national office

Ref document number: 2005764375

Country of ref document: EP

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 10565356

Country of ref document: US