Cascade Microtech, Inc.

Tektronix, Inc.

Dale E Carlton

K Reed Gleason

Eric W Strid

Jerry B Schappacher

Keith E Jones

Clifford E Baker

William G Wilke

Ronald M Henricksen

Thomas A Myers

An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area.

System for evaluating probing networks

An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween despite, for example, variable positioning of the device-probing ends of the network on the probing areas. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area. Because the transmission structure uniformly transfers signals, the relative condition of the signals as they enter or leave each end will substantially match the condition of the signals as measured or presented by the reference unit, thereby enabling calibration of the network in reference to the device-probing ends. The assembly is particularly well-adapted for the evaluation of probe measurement networks of the type used for testing planar microelectronic devices.

Interconnect assembly for use in evaluating probing networks

Reference transmission line junction for probing device

An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective inner and outer probing areas in mutually coplanar relationship on the upper face of the base, a reference junction, and a high-frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred there-between despite, for example, variable positioning of the device-probing ends of the network on the probing areas. A preferred method for evaluating the signal channels of the network includes connecting a reference unit to the reference junction and successively positioning each device-probing end that corresponds to a signal channel of interest on the inner probing area. Because the transmission structure uniformly transfers signals, the relative condition of the signals as they enter or leave each end will substantially match the condition of the signals as measured or presented by the reference unit, thereby enabling calibration of the network in reference to the device-probing ends. The assembly is particularly well-adapted for the evaluation of probe measurement networks of the type used for testing planar microelectronic devices.

An interconnect assembly for evaluating a probe measurement network includes a base, respective first, second and third device-probing areas arranged on an upper face of the base in spaced-apart relation so that first, second and third device-probing ends belonging to the measurement network can be simultaneously placed on these respective areas, a reference junction, and a high frequency transmission structure connecting the probing areas and the reference junction so that high-frequency signals can be uniformly transferred therebetween despite variable positioning of the device-probing ends on the probing areas. Because the transmission structure uniformly transfers signals despite variable positioning of the device-probing ends, the measurement network can be accurately calibrated with reference, in particular, to the device-probing ends of the network by a reference unit connected to the reference junction.

System for evaluating probing networks that have multiple probing ends

A method of evaluating the signal conditions in a probe measurement network of the type having a plurality of separate measurement channels, where each channel communicates through a corresponding device-probing end. The method includes providing an assembly which includes a conductive planar probing area on the upper face of a base and a reference junction connected to the probing area by a high-frequency transmission structure. The method further includes placing the respective device-probing end of a first one of the measurement channels into contact with the planar probing area, transmitting a high-frequency signal through both the measurement channel and the reference junction and, thereafter, measuring the signal. This step is repeated for the other measurement channels and the signal conditions in the different channels are then evaluated by comparing the measured signals, where such evaluation is facilitated by maintaining, via the high-frequency transmission structure, a transmission line of substantially constant high-frequency transmission characteristic between each device-probing end coming into contact with the planar probing area and the reference junction.

Method of evaluating signal conditions in a probe measurement network

An adapter, having a dielectric substrate upon which are mounted an array of uniformly-spaced, coplanar conductive strips and impedance standards having similarly spaced coplanar leads, facilitates planar transmission line probe measurements of the high-speed electrical characteristics of a package or other interconnect structure for a high-speed integrated circuit. The conductive strips of the adapter are connected to the terminals of the package so as to simulate the integrated circuit connection, that is, with substantially identical length and spacing of bond wires. The planar probe, by contacting the conductive strips of the adapter, is able to measure the electrical characteristics of the package including the bond wires, thereby providing realistic measurements of the integrated circuit's environment. The impedance standards on the adapter are specially designed to enable the effects of the adapter to be removed from the measurements by calibration.

System for facilitating planar probe measurements of high-speed

The distribution with respect to time of an event defined by the waveform of a repetitive input signal having a magnitude that lies within a predetermined range of values is observed by generating a sample signal at least once during each repetition of the input signal, generating an n-bit digital timing signal representative of the time of occurrence of a sample signal relative to the time of occurrence of the trigger signal, and sampling the repetitive input signal and generating a memory enable signal in the event that the magnitude of the input signal at the time of sampling falls within the predetermined range of values. The memory locations of a memory having 2.sup.n separately addressable memory locations are allocated respectively to the 2.sup.n possible values of the timing signal, and the contents of a memory location of the memory means are incremented by one unit in the event that a memory enable signal is generated in response to a sample signal that is associated with the timing signal to which the location is allocated.

Method and apparatus for evaluating jitter

Apparatus for indicating proper compensation of an adjustable frequency compensation network comprises a signal source operable to apply a rectangular pulse train having a preselected peak magnitude to the frequency compensation network, and a peak detector circuit for comparing the output voltage of the frequency compensation network to at least one threshold value. The peak detector circuit is used to determine whether, at a time that follows a transition of a pulse of the pulse train by an interval that is less than one time constant of the frequency compensation network, the output voltage of the frequency compensation network bears a predetermined relationship to the threshold value.

Apparatus for indicating proper compensation of an adjustable frequency

A self-arming, prescaling frequency counter system comprises an armable frequency counter, an envelope detector, a prescaling pulse-shaper, and a delaying means. The envelope detector detects occurrence of an oscillating signal to be frequency measured and transmits an arming signal to arm the frequency counter for the duration of the oscillating signal. The prescaling pulse-shaper is coupled to receive the oscillating signal burst and generate a pulsed test signal of frequency an integer fraction of the oscillating signal frequency. The delaying means couples the test signal to the armable frequency counter input, delaying receipt of the pulsed signal burst until after the counter is armed, and delaying termination of the pulsed signal until after counter is disarmed. To minimize the width of the smallest signal burst which can be measured, the delay time is set approximately equal to the sum of the counter arming delay time, the counter disarming delay time and one cycle period of the lowest frequency signal to be measured by the counter.

Self-arming, prescaling frequency counter system

A circuit including a peak detector detects the distortion of the leading corner of a square-wave reference signal in the over-compensated condition of an attenuator probe and turns on an indicator light. The light turns off as the probe is adjusted to the properly compensated condition because the distortion is no longer detected.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Dale E Carlton