International Business Machines Corporation

George Charles Correia

Gary Ray Hill

Voya Rista Markovich

Mark Vincent Pierson

Anthony P Ingraham

Kibby B Horsford

Michael D Lowell

Gordon C Osborne, Jr

Mark Andrew Couture

Richard Gordon Charlton

John Edward Cronin

Edmund Juris Sprogis

Robert R Cadieux

Howard F Garcia

Anthonty P Ingraham

Richard W Cummings

Sheila Konecke-Lease

Carol Braun

A spring probe (pogo pin) contactor for testing semiconductor devices with pogo pins within a spring probe contactor is disclosed. The contactor device has a plurality of pogo pins extending therefrom for testing the semiconductor device. A surface of the spring pogo pin contactor has an array of apertures for receiving each pogo pin for contacting of the plurality of contacts on the device under test in order to make contact with and compress the pogo pins. A three piece assembly is used to accurately position the pogo pins for ease of construction and repair.

Spring probe contactor for testing PGA devices

The present invention provides an apparatus and methods for holding a first semiconductor device in proper alignment to a second semiconductor device, whose size is different from the first device, while performing a C4 bond between the two devices. The apparatus for holding the two devices in proper alignment consists of a holding fixture, which includes upper and lower pocket receptacles for receiving the semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices are placed into the respective upper and lower slots aligned to two or more edges of the holding fixture.

Stacked chip process carrier

An apparatus used for holding a first semiconductor device in proper alignment to a second semiconductor device, whose size is different from the first device, while performing a C4 bond between the two devices. The apparatus for holding the two devices in proper alignment consists of a holding fixture, which includes upper and lower pocket receptacles for receiving the semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices are placed into the respective upper and lower slots aligned to two or more edges of the holding fixture.

Formation of a contact probe having a pattern of dendritic textured contacts complementary to that of a contact pad array on a bare chip allows formation of simultaneous temporary connections to all contact pads of the bare chip at a much reduced compressional force across the chip. The reliability of such connections at such a reduced force allows screening, burn-in and full functional testing of the bare chip at a high throughput by an automated apparatus to exploit potential economies of 'known good die' (KGD) processing for limiting or avoiding repair, rework and further processing of less than fully functional chips for complex electronic packages. The compressional force is sensed by a pressure sensor, the output of which controls the advancement of the bare chip toward the contact probe such that the dendritic textured contacts of the contact probe penetrate the contact pads of the bare chip.

Method and apparatus for testing integrated circuit chips

A method and apparatus for testing semi-conductor chips is disclosed. The individual semiconductor chips have I/O contacts. The apparatus is provided with an interposer that has contacts corresponding to the contacts on the semiconductor chip. Both the chip and the interposer contacts can be any known type including metal ball, bumps, or tabs or may be provided with dendritic surfaces. The chip contacts are first brought into relative loose temporary contact with the contacts on the interposer and then a compressive force greater that 5 grams per chip contact is applied to the chip to force the chip contacts into good electrical contact with the interposer contacts. Testing of the chip is then performed. The tests may include heating of the chip as well as the application of signals to the chip contacts. After testing the chip is removed from the substrate.

A process for fabricating a plurality of solder joints from a low melting point solder paste and high melting point solder balls is described. An abbreviated process flow is as follows: First, the solder balls are placed into cavities in an alignment boat, a vacuum is initiated to hold the boat and solder balls in place. Second, an amount of solder paste is applied directly onto the solder balls in the boat. Third, an alignment plate is placed over the alignment boat to provide a means of roughly aligning the solder ball/solder paste combination to the substrate. Fourth, the substrate is placed through the alignment plate on top of the solder balls in the boat. Pressure is applied to wet the solder paste to the conductive pads on the substrate. Finally, the substrate and alignment boat assembly is processed through a furnace for solder paste reflow. No expensive alignment tools are necessary as the substrate can at least partially realign itself to the array of solder balls during reflow because of the surface tension exerted by the molten solder paste as it wets the entirety of each conductive pad on the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Essex Junction, VT, United States of America

George Charles Correia