Patent EP0259163A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0259163A2
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EP
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Semiconductor wafer probe
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 A flexible thin film probe head extends below a probe frame and supports a plurality of wafer contact bumps in planar array. An elastic member is positioned between a rigid plate and the surface of the thin film opposite the contact bumps so as to provide a controlled pressure interconnect between the I/O pads on the wafer and the contact bumps. Interface between the contact bumps and external test equipment is made through constant impedance transmission lines on the probe head and on an adjoining substrate. The two sets of transmission lines are coupled together by mechanical pressure contacts so as to facilitate the substitution of other probe heads having different wafer I/O pad configurations. Interface between the transmission lines on the printed circuit board and a set of semirigid coaxial cables is made by a second pressure interface so as to simplify assembly of the unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Dale R. Rath
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:55
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R1/00; G01R1/02; G01R1/06; G01R1/067; G01R1/073; G01R1/07307; G01R1/0735
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus for probing an integrated circuit comprising: a probe frame below which the integrated circuit is to be positioned; a plurality of electrical contact means for making electrical contact with the integrated circuit; three dimensional insulating support means mounted on the probe frame for supporting on a contact supporting portion thereof the plurality of electrical contact means in a common first plane, said first plane being located below the probe frame; and a plurality of first conductor means for connecting to the plurality of electrical contact means, said plurality of first conductor means extending along the insulating support means and terminating adjacent a peripheral edge thereof on a second plane parallel to and spaced above the first.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus for probing an integrated circuit comprising: a probe frame below which the integrated circuit is to be positioned; a plurality of electrical contact means for making electrical contact with the integrated circuit; three dimensional insulating support means mounted on the probe frame for supporting on a contact supporting portion thereof the plurality of electrical contact means in a common first plane, said first plane being located below the probe frame; and a plurality of first conductor means for connecting to the plurality of electrical contact means, said plurality of first conductor means extending along the insulating support means and terminating adjacent a peripheral edge thereof on a second plane parallel to and spaced above the first.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The probe of claim 1 in which the plurality of first conductor means comprise transmission lines each including a transmission line conductor on a first side of the support means operated in conjunction with a ground plane conductor on a second, opposite side of said support means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
The probe of claim 1 which further includes: a plurality of second conductor means having first and second ends, for coupling at their first ends to the terminations of the plurality of first conductor means; mechanical contact means for removably connecting the second conductor means at their first ends to the first conductor means by mechanical contact; and a plurality of connector means for connecting to the plurality of second conductor means at their second ends.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The probe of claim 3 in which the plurality of first conductor means comprises metal traces formed on the surface of the three dimensional insulating support means and in which the plurality of second conductor means comprises transmission line conductors operated in conjunction with a ground plane conductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The probe of claim 1 which further includes pressure means for cooperating to cause the plurality of electrical contact means resiliently to deflect when said plurality of contact means is pressed against the integrated circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The probe of claim 5 in which the pressure means includes: an inelastic member; and elastic means for elastically coupling the contact supporting portion of the three dimensional insulating support means to the inelastic member, whereby pressure applied by the integrated circuit to the plurality of electrical contact means causes the elastic means to compress.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The probe of claim 1 in which the three dimensional insulating support means comprises an insulating material having a substantially truncated pyramidal geometry including four trapezoidally shaped sides each having a short edge at the truncation and a parallel larger edge at the pyramidal base.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The probe of claim 7 in which the three dimensional insulating support means includes an insulated truncation surface connecting the four short edges, said insulated trucation surface comprising the contact supporting portion of the three dimensional support means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The probe of claim 1 in which the electrical contact supporting portion of the three dimensional insulating support means defines an orifice through which marking ink can be applied to the integrated circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
125 words
An integrated circuit probing system comprising: a support member; a plurality of coplanar transmission lines bonded to the support member and originating near a central region thereof, each of said transmission lines comprising a transmission line conductor operated in conjunction with a ground conductor; probe means including: a plurality of electrical contacts for contacting the integrated circuit; a probe structural member onto which the plurality of electrical contacts are mounted; and a plurality of probe conductors bonded to the probe structural member for coupling to the plurality of electrical contacts; the probing system further comprising mounting means for removably mounting the probe head means in the central region of the common member so that the probe conductors make pressure contact with the transmission line conductors.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
125 words
An integrated circuit probing system comprising: a support member; a plurality of coplanar transmission lines bonded to the support member and originating near a central region thereof, each of said transmission lines comprising a transmission line conductor operated in conjunction with a ground conductor; probe means including: a plurality of electrical contacts for contacting the integrated circuit; a probe structural member onto which the plurality of electrical contacts are mounted; and a plurality of probe conductors bonded to the probe structural member for coupling to the plurality of electrical contacts; the probing system further comprising mounting means for removably mounting the probe head means in the central region of the common member so that the probe conductors make pressure contact with the transmission line conductors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
73 words
The probing system of claim 10 in which: the probe structural member includes a planar peripheral lip; the probe conductors are formed on a surface of the structural member and terminate on the planar peripheral, i.e.; the transmission line conductors are exposed at their originations near the central region of the support member; and the mounting means comprises means for pressing the coplanar probe conductor terminations against the coplanar transmission line conductor originations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
94 words
The probing system of claim 10 which further includes interface means for connecting the transmission lines to semirigid coaxial cables which have been cut at their ends to expose a planar surface including the center conductor and the outer conductor, said interface means including: receiving means for receiving the uncut, semicircular side of each semirigid coaxial cable; and clamping means for clamping the planar surface of each semirigid cable against a corresponding planar transmission line so that mechanical contact is established between the corresponding elements of the semirigid cable and the planar transmission line.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
102 words
The probing system of claim 12 in which: the support member comprises a planar insulating substrate; the transmission lines comprise a plurality of radially extending coplanar conductors bonded to the insulating substrate operated in conjunction with a ground plane formed on the same insulating substrate intermediate the plurality of conductors; and the interface means includes means for establishing mechanical contact between the center conductor of each semirigid coaxial cable and one of the coplanar conductors on the insulating substrate and further establishing mechanical contact between the ground conductor of each semirigid coaxial cable and the ground plane formed on the insulating substrate.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for coupling a plurality of coplanar transmission lines that terminate near the edge of an insulating substrate to a plurality of semirigid coaxial cables which have been cut at their ends to expose a planar surface including the center conductor and the outer conductor, comprising: receiving means having a plurality of recesses for receiving the uncut, circular side of each semirigid coaxial cable; rib means for urging the planar surface of each semirigid coaxial cable against a corresponding coplanar transmission line; and clamping means for compressing the rib means towards the receiving means so that mechanical contact is established between the center conductor of the semirigid coaxial cable and the corresponding conductor in the coplanar transmission line, the clamping means further including means for establishing mechanical contact between the ground conductor of the semirigid coaxial cable and the corresponding ground plane on the coplanar transmission line.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for coupling a plurality of coplanar transmission lines that terminate near the edge of an insulating substrate to a plurality of semirigid coaxial cables which have been cut at their ends to expose a planar surface including the center conductor and the outer conductor, comprising: receiving means having a plurality of recesses for receiving the uncut, circular side of each semirigid coaxial cable; rib means for urging the planar surface of each semirigid coaxial cable against a corresponding coplanar transmission line; and clamping means for compressing the rib means towards the receiving means so that mechanical contact is established between the center conductor of the semirigid coaxial cable and the corresponding conductor in the coplanar transmission line, the clamping means further including means for establishing mechanical contact between the ground conductor of the semirigid coaxial cable and the corresponding ground plane on the coplanar transmission line.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for coupling a plurality of coplanar transmission lines to a plurality of semirigid coaxial cables comprising the steps: cutting each semirigid coaxial cable at its end along a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cable so as to expose a planar surface including the center conductor and the outer conductor; positioning each cut end of a semirigid cable against a corresponding termination of a coplanar transmission line along the edge of the insulating substrate; and pressing the exposed planar surface of the semirigid coaxial cable against the coplanar transmission line so as to establish contact between the ground of the semirigid coaxial cable and the ground plane of the coplanar transmission line, and so as to establish contact between the center conductor of the semirigid coaxial cable and the unbalanced conductor of the coplanar transmission line.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for coupling a plurality of coplanar transmission lines to a plurality of semirigid coaxial cables comprising the steps: cutting each semirigid coaxial cable at its end along a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cable so as to expose a planar surface including the center conductor and the outer conductor; positioning each cut end of a semirigid cable against a corresponding termination of a coplanar transmission line along the edge of the insulating substrate; and pressing the exposed planar surface of the semirigid coaxial cable against the coplanar transmission line so as to establish contact between the ground of the semirigid coaxial cable and the ground plane of the coplanar transmission line, and so as to establish contact between the center conductor of the semirigid coaxial cable and the unbalanced conductor of the coplanar transmission line.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a wafer probing system having a probe head with opposed first and second sides, the first side supporting a plurality of wafer contacting elements, an apparatus for moderating the force applied to the wafer by the wafer contacting elements, comprising: an elastic member having opposed first and second sides; coupling means coupling the first side of the elastic member to the second side of the probe head; and securing means for holding the second side of the elastic member in a fixed position, so that force applied by the wafer contacts to the wafer causes the elastic member to compress, thereby moderating the force applied to the wafer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a wafer probing system having a probe head with opposed first and second sides, the first side supporting a plurality of wafer contacting elements, an apparatus for moderating the force applied to the wafer by the wafer contacting elements, comprising: an elastic member having opposed first and second sides; coupling means coupling the first side of the elastic member to the second side of the probe head; and securing means for holding the second side of the elastic member in a fixed position, so that force applied by the wafer contacts to the wafer causes the elastic member to compress, thereby moderating the force applied to the wafer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 16 in which the coupling means comprises an inelastic element having a planar surface, said inelastic element being interposed between the elastic member and the second side of the probe head with its planar surface adjacent the probe head.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 17 in which the probe head and the elastic element both include transparent materials and the elastic member defines a transparent path, so that the probe can be optically aligned over the wafer by observation through the apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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