Formfactor, Inc.

Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.

Formfactor Beaverton, Inc.

Cascade Microtech, Inc.

Joseph George Frankel

Kazuki Negishi

Michael E Simmons

Eric Robert Christenson

Bryan Conrad Bolt

Christopher Anthony Storm

Koby L Duckworth

Robbie Ingram-Goble

Daniel Rishavy

Mario René Berg

Bob Beauchaine

Doug Gibson

Quan Yuan

Probes that define retroreflectors, probe systems that include the probes, and methods of utilizing the probes. The probes include the retroreflector, which is defined by a retroreflector body. The retroreflector body includes a first side, an opposed second side, a tapered region that extends from the first side, and a light-receiving region that is defined on the second side. The probes also include a probe tip, which is configured to provide a test signal to a device under test (DUT) and/or to receive a resultant signal from the DUT. The retroreflector is configured to receive light, via the light-receiving region, at a light angle of incidence. The retroreflector also is configured to emit at least an emitted fraction of the light, from the retroreflector body and via the light-receiving region, at a light angle of emission that is at least substantially equal to the light angle of incidence.

Probes that define retroreflectors, probe systems that include the probes, and methods of utilizing the probes

Probe systems and methods of characterizing optical coupling between an optical probe of a probe system and a calibration structure. The probe systems include a probe assembly that includes an optical probe, a support surface configured to support a substrate, and a signal generation and analysis assembly configured to generate an optical signal and to provide the optical signal to the optical device via the optical probe. The probe systems also include an electrically actuated positioning assembly, a calibration structure configured to receive the optical signal, and an optical detector configured to detect a signal intensity of the optical signal. The probe systems further include a controller programmed to control the probe system to generate a representation of signal intensity as a function of the relative orientation between the optical probe and the calibration structure. The methods include methods of operating the probe systems.

Probe systems and methods for characterizing optical coupling between an optical probe of a probe system and a calibration structure

Methods for maintaining gap spacing between an optical probe of a probe system and an optical device of a device under test and probe systems that perform the methods. The methods include determining a desired relative orientation between the optical probe and the DUT and optically testing the optical device with the optical probe. The methods also include maintaining the desired relative orientation during the optically testing. The maintaining includes repeatedly and sequentially collecting an existing DUT image of a DUT reference structure of the DUT and an existing probe image of a probe reference structure of the optical probe, determining a probe-DUT offset between an existing relative orientation between the optical probe and the DUT and the desired relative orientation, and adjusting the relative orientation to return the optical probe and the DUT to the desired relative orientation.

Methods for maintaining gap spacing between an optical probe of a probe system and an optical device of a device under test, and probe systems that perform the methods

Probe systems for optically probing a device under test (DUT) and methods of operating the probe systems. The probe systems include a probing assembly that includes an optical probe that defines a probe tip and a distance sensor. The probe systems also include a support surface configured to support a substrate, which defines a substrate surface and includes an optical device positioned below the substrate surface. The probe systems further include a positioning assembly configured to selectively regulate a relative orientation between the probing assembly and the DUT. The probe systems also include a controller programmed to control the operation of the probe systems. The methods include methods of operating the probe systems.

Probe systems for optically probing a device under test and methods of operating the probe systems

Calibration chucks for optical probe systems, optical probe systems including the calibration chucks, and methods of utilizing the optical probe systems. The calibration chucks include a calibration chuck body that defines a calibration chuck support surface. The calibration chucks also include at least one optical calibration structure that is supported by the calibration chuck body. The at least one optical calibration structure includes a horizontal viewing structure. The horizontal viewing structure is configured to facilitate viewing of a horizontally viewed region from a horizontal viewing direction that is at least substantially parallel to the calibration chuck support surface. The horizontal viewing structure also is configured to facilitate viewing of the horizontally viewed region via an imaging device of the optical probe system that is positioned vertically above the calibration chuck support surface.

Calibration chucks for optical probe systems, optical probe systems including the calibration chucks, and methods of utilizing the optical probe systems

Probes with fiducial targets, probe systems including the same, and associated methods. The probes include a probe body, a probe beam, a probe tip configured to contact a device under test (DUT), and a fiducial target affixed to the probe beam. The fiducial target is configured to be visible to an optical system to determine a position of the probe tip relative to the DUT. The methods include methods of utilizing and/or manufacturing the probes.

Probes with fiducial targets, probe systems including the same, and associated methods

Probe systems and methods for calibrating capacitive height sensing measurements. A probe system includes a probe assembly with a probe support body that supports a capacitive displacement sensor that terminates in a sensing tip relative to a substrate and that is configured to generate an uncalibrated capacitive height measurement. A method of utilizing the probe system to generate a calibrated capacitive height measurement includes receiving a height calibration structure architecture; calculating a layer impedance magnitude of each substrate layer of the height calibration structure; and calculating a total layer impedance magnitude of the height calibration structure. The method further includes measuring a measured impedance magnitude and calculating the calibrated capacitive height measurement.

Probe systems and methods for calibrating capacitive height sensing measurements

Shielded probe systems are disclosed herein. The probe systems are configured to test a device under test (DUT) and include a measurement chamber that at least partially bounds an enclosed volume, an aperture defined by the measurement chamber, a probing assembly, and a shielding structure. The probing assembly includes a probe, which is oriented within the enclosed volume, a probe arm, which is operatively attached to the probe, and a manipulator, which is operatively attached to the probe arm. At least a portion of the probing assembly extends through the aperture. The shielding structure extends between the measurement chamber and the probing assembly and is configured to restrict fluid flow through the aperture and shield the enclosed volume from an ambient environment that surrounds the measurement chamber while maintaining at least a threshold separation distance from the probe arm throughout a probe arm range-of-motion thereof.

Shielded probe systems

Probes with fiducial marks, probe systems including the same, and associated methods. The probes include a beam portion and a probe tip that is configured to contact a device under test (DUT), and further include a fiducial mark formed on the beam portion that is configured to facilitate alignment of the probe and the DUT. The fiducial mark is configured to be visible to an optical assembly, and is in focus to the optical assembly within a depth of field of the optical assembly that is smaller than a depth of field over which the beam portion is in focus to the optical assembly. The methods include methods of utilizing and/or manufacturing the probes.

Probes with fiducial marks, probe systems including the same, and associated methods

A laser machining system () employs a fast positioner (), such as a pair of galvanometer mirrors (), that directs a beam axis () at a specified velocity to a start position of a cutting path () in coincidence with one of multiple laser pulses emitted from a laser () a constant laser pulse repetition rate, which runs independently of the relative position of the beam axis () with respect to the workpiece ().

Laser emission-based control of beam positioner

An apparatus for processing a workpiece can be exemplarily characterized as including a processing tool having a processing region within which a workpiece can be processed, and an illumination system configured to direct detection light into the processing region. In this embodiment, detection light directable by the illumination system has a wavelength to which the workpiece is at least partially opaque. The apparatus may further include an image sensor configured to detect a characteristic of the detection light transmitted through the processing region and a chuck configured to support a workpiece such that at least a portion of the workpiece is disposable within the processing region and is illuminatable by the detection light. Methods for processing a workpiece are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for processing workpieces

A magnetically levitated monolithic stage positioning system includes linear three phase motors and coil windings connected to the monolithic stage that interact with a ferromagnetic base. The linear three phase motors may be excited to provide motion in an X-axis direction, motion in a Y-axis direction, and rotation about a Z-axis. The monolithic stage is levitated on an air bearing. The plurality of coil windings connected to the monolithic stage may serve to magnetically preload the air bearing. The plurality of coil windings may be excited to provide motion in a Z-axis direction and rotation of the monolithic stage about the X-axis and about the Y-axis.

Growing community of inventors

Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Joseph George Frankel