International Business Machines Corporation

Edward S Hoyt

Robert J Gauthier, Jr

Lloyd Andre Walls

John A Watson

Donald J Cook

Harvey C Allard, Jr

Joseph Zauchner

Dain E Reinhart

Timothy A Horel

A method and apparatus for automated testing of a plurality of electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices on a wafer. The wafer has M padsets and N conductive pads on each padset, where m is at least 1, and n is at least 2, and each ESD device is conductively coupled to a unique plurality of pads of a padset of the M padsets. Testing sequences, under program control of a computer system, implement the testing of the ESD devices.

Automation of transmission line pulse testing of electrostatic discharge devices

A probe for testing integrated circuit wafers is disclosed herein. The probe comprises a ceramic body having an extended voltage contact on the upper most surface, an extended ground contact on the lower most surface, sets of interdigitated internal metallic plates, one set of plates beginning at the voltage contact and extending part way into the body and the other set of plates beginning at the ground contact and extending interdigitally into the body between the other set of plates, but separated therefrom by the material of the body and a needle-like member contacts which connected to one of the needle-like members has a cantilevered tip adapted to contact a semiconductor circuit interconnection pad.

Capacitor power probe

A probe card apparatus and method which allows reconfiguration of the probing circuits. A first probe card member has a plurality of incomplete probing circuits which are associated with a plurality of contact holes. An adapter ring member, having a plurality of T-shaped conductive lines terminated in contact holes, is removably mounted in close proximity to the first probe card member. Spring-loaded contact pins provide contact between the members such that the T-shaped conductive lines are used to complete the probing circuit. The T-shaped conductive lines are severable lines, and discrete electronic components can be connected between respective contact holes. As the adapter ring member is of a removably attachable construction, the entire probe card circuitry is reconfigurable by a simple change of the adaptor ring.

Probe card apparatus and method of providing same with reconfigurable

A high impedance voltage probe with excellent high frequency response and extremely light loading of the circuit under test. The probe uses an IGFET input device having its source connected to a constant current source and to an amplifying device, and its drain connected to a variable voltage source. The output of the amplifying device is connected to a constant current source, to a non-linear voltage translating device and to an output terminal. The voltage translating device is also connected to the variable current source.

Growing community of inventors

South Burlington, VT, United States of America

Edward S Hoyt