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EP0259162A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrated circuit probe system
Assignee: Tektronix Inc
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Filing: 1987-09-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-09-03
Abstract
Abstract The interface between an integrated circuit probing element and associated test equipment is provided by flexible ribbon cables that include a plurality of transmission lines. The cables are not an integral part of the probe housing, so their lengths can be selected independently of housing size constraints and can be chosen instead to optimize probe performance. The ribbon cable construction eliminates the many transmission line transitions found in conventional probing systems, thereby increasing probe bandwidth. The ribbon cable can be formed for direct connection to associated test equipment to eliminate all transmission line transitions.
Inventors
- 👤 Theodore G. Creedon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:44
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R1/00; G01R1/02; G01R1/06; G01R1/067; G01R1/073; G01R1/07307; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/2851; G01R31/2886
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
In a wafer probing apparatus having a support member with a plurality of wafer probing points, the improvement comprising: flexible cable means for coupling to the probing points, said flexible cable means having first and second ends and comprising a plurality of transmission line conductors and at least one ground conductor, said transmission line conductors being insulated from each other and from the ground conductor by an insulating material and diverging away from each other as they extend away from the first end, the transmission line conductors being connected at the first end to the probing points and at least a portion of the cable means being free to move relative to the support member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
In a wafer probing apparatus having a support member with a plurality of wafer probing points, the improvement comprising: flexible cable means for coupling to the probing points, said flexible cable means having first and second ends and comprising a plurality of transmission line conductors and at least one ground conductor, said transmission line conductors being insulated from each other and from the ground conductor by an insulating material and diverging away from each other as they extend away from the first end, the transmission line conductors being connected at the first end to the probing points and at least a portion of the cable means being free to move relative to the support member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 1 in which the cable means comprises a ribbon cable including first and second planar ground conductors on opposing surfaces of an insulating material and in which the transmission line conductors extend through the center of said insulating material in a plane parallel to said planar ground conductors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 1 which further includes a plurality of connector elements and means for coupling said connector elements to the second ends of the transmission line conductors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
150 words
The invention of claim 3 in which: the cable means comprises first and second planar ground conductors on opposing surfaces of an insulating material and in which the transmission line conductors extend through the center of said insulating material in a plane parallel to said planar ground conductors; one of the planar ground conductors and the insulating material between said ground conductor and the transmission line conductors are absent from the cable means for a distance extending from the second end of the cable; and the connector elements comprise SMA coaxial connectors which have been cut in a plane parallel to the connectors' longitudinal axes so as to receive the second end of the ribbon cable so that the center elements of the SMA connectors can establish contact with the transmission line conductors and the body of the SMA connectors can establish contact with one of the planar ground conductors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The invention of claim 1 in which the plurality of probing points are arrayed in four rows defining a rectangle, the improvement further comprising four of said cable means, each of said cable means coupling the probing points in a single row to a plurality of connector elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 1 in which the distance from each of the probing points to their corresponding connector elements through the transmission line conductors are equal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The invention of claim 1 which further includes a plurality of connector elements and in which the cable means extends away from the first end for a distance such that the transmission line conductors have diverged sufficiently away from one another to permit a connector element to be coupled directly to the second end of each of said conductors.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
203 words
A method for interfacing from a plurality of wafer probing points to a plurality of electronic equipment conductors including a ground lead that couples to electronic equipment, comprising the steps: providing a flexible ribbon cable having first and second ends, said cable including a plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors that diverge from each other as they extend from the first to the second ends, said line further including two planar ground conductors spaced above and below the transmission line conductors by an insulating material and in planes parallel thereto; coupling the transmission line conductors at the first end of the ribbon cable to the wafer probing points; removing a portion of one planar ground conductor at the second end of the ribbon transmission line and the insulating material between said removed planar ground conductor and the plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors so as to expose portions of said plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors; establishing pressure contacts between the exposed portions of the plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors and the plurality of conductors that couple to the electronic equipment; and establishing a pressure contact between a ribbon cable ground conductor and the ground lead that couples to the electronic equipment.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
203 words
A method for interfacing from a plurality of wafer probing points to a plurality of electronic equipment conductors including a ground lead that couples to electronic equipment, comprising the steps: providing a flexible ribbon cable having first and second ends, said cable including a plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors that diverge from each other as they extend from the first to the second ends, said line further including two planar ground conductors spaced above and below the transmission line conductors by an insulating material and in planes parallel thereto; coupling the transmission line conductors at the first end of the ribbon cable to the wafer probing points; removing a portion of one planar ground conductor at the second end of the ribbon transmission line and the insulating material between said removed planar ground conductor and the plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors so as to expose portions of said plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors; establishing pressure contacts between the exposed portions of the plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors and the plurality of conductors that couple to the electronic equipment; and establishing a pressure contact between a ribbon cable ground conductor and the ground lead that couples to the electronic equipment.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
210 words
An apparatus for interfacing a plurality of wafer probing points to a plurality of electronic equipment conductors including a ground lead that couples to electronic equipment comprising: a flexible ribbon cable having first and second ends, said cable including a plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors that diverge from each other as they extend from the first to the second ends, said line further including two planar ground conductors spaced above and below the transmission line conductors by an insulating material and in planes parallel thereto, one of said planar ground conductors and the insulating material between said ground conductor and the transmission lines not extending all the way to the second end so that the plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors is there exposed; means for coupling the transmission line conductors at the first end of the ribbon cable to the wafer probing points; and pressure connector means for establishing pressure contact between the plurality of exposed coplanar transmission line portions at the second end of the ribbon cable and the plurality of interfacing conductors that couple to the electronic equipment, said pressure connector means further including means for establishing pressure contact between one of the planar ground conductors and the ground lead that couples to the electronic equipment.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
210 words
An apparatus for interfacing a plurality of wafer probing points to a plurality of electronic equipment conductors including a ground lead that couples to electronic equipment comprising: a flexible ribbon cable having first and second ends, said cable including a plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors that diverge from each other as they extend from the first to the second ends, said line further including two planar ground conductors spaced above and below the transmission line conductors by an insulating material and in planes parallel thereto, one of said planar ground conductors and the insulating material between said ground conductor and the transmission lines not extending all the way to the second end so that the plurality of coplanar transmission line conductors is there exposed; means for coupling the transmission line conductors at the first end of the ribbon cable to the wafer probing points; and pressure connector means for establishing pressure contact between the plurality of exposed coplanar transmission line portions at the second end of the ribbon cable and the plurality of interfacing conductors that couple to the electronic equipment, said pressure connector means further including means for establishing pressure contact between one of the planar ground conductors and the ground lead that couples to the electronic equipment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 9 in which the plurality of interfacing conductors that couple to the electronic equipment terminates in a coplanar array that matingly corresponds to the termination of the transmission line conductors at the second end of the ribbon line, the apparatus further including: means for establishing registration between the corresponding electronic equipment conductors and transmission line conductors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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