Intel Corporation

Primarion Corporation

Jun Ding

Jin Pan

Hua Zhu

Tim Swettlen

A method and apparatus for making a probe head that has reduced voltage droop and improved transient response. One embodiment a cable providing a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of power conductors including a first power conductor and a second power conductor, a probe head wired to the cable, a plurality of electrical contacts including a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, wherein each one of the plurality of electrical contacts is fixed to the probe head and wherein the first power conductor is connected to the first electrical contact, and a first regulatory device physically residing in the probe head and wired between the second power conductor and the first electrical contact. In some embodiments, the first regulatory device includes an active transient control device that senses an output voltage and sources or sinks an appropriate supplemental amount of current to improve transient response.

Embedded voltage regulator and active transient control device in probe head for improved power delivery and method

A probe burn resistant interface apparatus and method for testing an electronic device use a probe made of a shape memory alloy which upon overheating of the probe during functionality testing of an electronic device contracts the probe to disengage the probe from a contact electrically connected to the electronic device and stop current flow through the probe. Upon cooling of the probe, engagement of the probe with the contact is reestablished. The probe in an example embodiment is a wire which has a core made of a shape memory alloy and a layer of a highly elastic metal, for example copper, on an outer surface of the core to aid return of the probe from its contracted state to its initial state upon cooling an overheated probe for reestablishing electrical connection of the probe with the electronic device being tested.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Jun Ding