Wentworth Laboratories Limited

Arthur Evans

Joseph R Baker

Jack Robert Lander

William F Thiessen

Robert P Rising

An improved vertical pin probing device is constructed with a housing spaced upper and lower dies of Invar.RTM., which substantially matches the coefficient of thermal expansion of the silicon wafer being probed. Spaced slots in the top and bottom dies of the housing contain inserts of Vespel.RTM.. The inserts are provided with matching patterns of holes supporting probe pins and insulating the probe pins from the housing.

Temperature compensated vertical pin probing device

A probe assembly adapted to test an integrated circuit (IC) device whose contact pads are deployed in a predetermined pattern in a common plane. The assembly includes a film membrane having a planar dielectric contactor zone and an array of suspension wings radiating from this zone. The wings are clamped at their ends by a mounting ring surrounding a port in a printed circuit board which exposes the contactor zone suspended below the board to the IC device to be tested, the ring being secured to the board. Deployed in a matching pattern on the exposed face of the contactor zone and cantilevered therefrom to assume an angle with respect thereto are spring contact fingers that are extensions of traces running along the wings of the membrane to leads on the printed circuit board. These leads extend to respective test terminals on the board which are connectable to electronic instrumentation for conducting tests on the IC device. When the IC device is raised to bring its contact pads into engagement with the spring fingers, this action causes the fingers to flex inwardly, and in doing so to scrub the contact pads and thereby ensure effective electrical contact therewith.

Probe assembly for testing integrated circuit devices

A test probe assembly for testing an integrated circuit (IC) device having contact pads deployed in a predetermined pattern in a common plane. The assembly includes a contactor formed by a flexible film of dielectric material having a rectangular planar central zone from whose corners extend radial slots to define suspension quadrants. Probe contacts formed on the undersurface of the central zone in a matching pattern are connected to probe terminals on the margins of the quadrants. The quadrants are marginally supported on corresponding branches of a mounting frame whereby the central zone sags below the frame which surrounds a central port in a printed circuit board, the port exposing the central zone to the IC device to be tested.

Test probe assembly for testing integrated circuit devices

A multi-level test probe assembly for checking an integrated circuit chip before terminal leads are applied to the contact pads thereof which are deployed on the chip on a common plane, some pads being inwardly displaced relative to other pads. The assembly includes a planar insulation card provided with a port and having a printed circuit thereon whose traces are connected to a plurality of test terminals connectable to external testing equipment. Surrounding the port and bonded to the card is a mounting ring of dielectric material having a flat face on which is supported a first radial array of fine wires lying in a horizontal plane, the trailing end of each wire being connected to a respective trace. The wires cantilever across the port and converge toward the central region thereof below which is disposed the chip to be tested, the tapered leading end of each wire being double bent to define a needle having a shank section and a tip section terminating in a tip which engages a respective contact pad on the chip. Overlying the first layer and bonded thereto is a second layer of dielectric material having embedded therein a second radial array of fine wires whose tips engage those contact pads on the chip not engaged by the first array.

Multi-level test probe assembly for IC chips

A test probe assembly for checking an integrated circuit chip before terminal leads are applied to the contacts thereof which are deployed on the chip in a common plane. The assembly includes a planar insulation card provided with a port and having a printed circuit thereon whose traces are connected to a plurality of test terminals connectable to external testing equipment. Surrounding the port and bonded to the card is a mounting ring of dielectric material having a flat face on which is supported a radial array of fine wires lying in a horizontal plane. These are maintained in their assigned positions by a layer of dielectric material adherent to the face, the wires being embedded in the layer. The wires cantilever across the port and converge toward the central region thereof below which is disposed the chip to be tested, the tapered leading end of each wire being double bent to define a needle having a shank section and a tip section terminating in a tip which engages a respective contact on the chip. The tip section has a downward slope whereby the tips of the needles are exposed to view through a microscope for purposes of alignment. The trailing end of each wire is soldered to a respective trace connecting each needle to a test terminal.

Test probe assembly for IC chips

Probes for a probe card adapted to test integrated circuit patterns having contacts deployed thereon, the card including an opening providing access to a pattern and a ring of spaced conductive pads surrounding the opening. The probes are adapted to be anchored on selected pads of the card, each probe being constituted by a rigid, blade-like needle-holder having a deflectable needle extending therefrom to engage a respective contact in the pattern being tested.

Probes for fixed point probe cards

A fixture for assembling a probe card adapted to test integrated circuit patterns having contacts deployed thereon. The card includes an opening providing access to a pattern and a ring of spaced conductive pads surrounding the opening. Anchored on selected pads are blade-like needle-holders having needles extending therefrom to engage the contacts in the pattern being tested. The fixture is designed to facilitate attachment of each needle-holder blade to its pad on the card and to orient the blade before such attachment so that the needle point is precisely aligned with the related contact.

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Brookfield Center, CT, United States of America

Arthur Evans