International Business Machines Corporation

Frederick L Taber, Jr

Paul M Gaschke

Charles Hampton Perry

Suryanarayan G Hegde

Dale Curtis McHerron

Gobinda Das

Mark R LaForce

Steven J Duda

John F Vetrero

Angelo M Giaimo

Gobina Das

A nonresilient rigid test probe arrangement which is designed for testing the integrity of silicon semiconductor device wafers or chips, and which eliminates pliant conditions encountered by current text fixtures, which are adverse to the attainment of satisfactory test results with rigid probes. The test system interface assembly includes a rigid ceramic substrate which forms a pedestal over which the rigid probe makes electrical contact. A PC board is located on the opposite side of the ceramic substrate. A clamp ring retains the PC board to a test head system with mating precision reference surfaces formed therebetween. Pogo pin connectors extend between the PC board and the test head system. A stiffening element having a control aperture is bolted through the PC board to the clamp ring, all of which form a rigid test probe arrangement.

Wafer probe interface arrangement with nonresilient probe elements and support structure

A multiple-chip probe assembly suitable for wafer testing over a wide temperature range includes a plurality of individual buckling beam probe elements. A support structure supports the plurality of buckling beam probe elements in an arrangement in accordance with an electrical contact footprint for use in electrically contacting multiple chips of a wafer under test and enables buckling movement in a contacting direction of the plurality of buckling beams. The support structure includes a principal support material having a thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) matched with the wafer under test and a second material other than the principal support material, wherein a contact positioning of the plurality of buckling beam probe elements upon the wafer under test during a testing operation is maintained. The second material prevents an individual probe element from electrically contacting the principal support material.

Large area multiple-chip probe assembly and method of making the same

Growing community of inventors

Lagrangeville, NY, United States of America

Frederick L Taber, Jr