International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Peter W Neff

David Michael Audette

David Lewis Gardell

Grant W Wagner

Dustin M Fregeau

Frederick H Roy, Iii

Jacob Louis Moore

Craig M Bocash

Melissa Keefe

An IC device test probe has one or more clusters of a plurality of tapered probe tips that taper upon a taper plane that is orthogonal to a seating direction or force vector of the IC device test probe toward the IC device. Each of the plurality of tapered probe tips is seated against one contact of the IC device. In this manner, the IC device test probe is seated against multiple contacts and may therefore apply test signal(s) to these contacts serially, simultaneously, or the like. The IC device test probe allows the seating to small pitch IC devices and associated testing thereof. This allows for electrical characterization of the IC device by the same test signal(s) through the IC device test probe and ultimately through multiple contacts. The forces associated with seating the IC device test probe against the IC device contacts is effectively spread across multiple contacts.

Clustered rigid wafer test probe

Aspects of the invention include a wafer test device with a conformal laminate and rigid probes extending from the laminate to form an electrical connection with a microcircuit under test. The wafer test device also includes a spring plate on a side of the laminate that is opposite a side from which the rigid probes extend. The spring plate includes a conformal inner frame and a rigid outer frame. The laminate is attached to the inner frame of the spring plate.

Compliant wafer probe assembly

A wafer test device includes a test interconnect to interface with a microcircuit of the wafer at a first side and an interposer to interface with the test interconnect at a second side of the test interconnect, opposite the first side. The interposer connects the test interconnect, via a printed circuit board (PCB), to a test apparatus that determines and controls test patterns that are applied to the microcircuit via the test interconnect. A support structure supports the test interconnect and the interposer. The support structure includes an inner bearing to tilt the test interconnect to match a tilt of a surface of the microcircuit. An elastomer between the test interconnect and the interposer reduces deflection of the test interconnect during a process of connecting the test interconnect to the microcircuit.

Wafer probe with elastomer support

A probe card assembly for nondestructive integrated circuit testing is disclosed. The probe card assembly includes an outer gimbal bearing with a tapered bearing surface being mounted on a top surface of a printed circuit board. The probe card assembly further includes an inner gimbal bearing with a spherical bearing surface which contacts the tapered bearing surface of the outer gimbal bearing at a single point of contact about a circumference thereof. The probe card assembly further includes a spring plate mounted to the outer gimbal bearing, providing a downward force to a substrate.

Probe card assembly

A repairable rigid test probe system includes an annular gimbal supported by an annular gimbal bearing of a probe card assembly, a test substrate seated and aligned within the annular gimbal, a rigid die including thick periphery and a thin center containing an array of through holes that is aligned above the test substrate, and an array of rigid probes inserted into each of the array of through holes, where each rigid probe includes: a tail end that contacts a connection on a facing surface of the test substrate, a collar limiting a distance of insertion, and a tip that contacts a corresponding contact on a facing surface of a device under test.

Repairable rigid test probe card assembly

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a gimbal assembly test system including: a protective cover affixed to a test surface of a wafer probe card mounted within a gimbal bearing, wherein the protective cover includes an exterior surface oriented outward from the test surface of the wafer probe card; and a recess extending into the exterior surface of the protective cover and shaped to matingly engage a load cell tip therein.

Gimbal assembly test system and method

The disclosure describes a probe card assembly for nondestructive integrated circuit testing. The probe card assembly includes an outer gimbal bearing with a tapered bearing surface being mounted on a top surface of a printed circuit board. The probe card assembly further includes an inner gimbal bearing with a spherical bearing surface which contacts the tapered bearing surface of the outer gimbal bearing at a single point of contact about a circumference thereof. The probe card assembly further includes a spring plate mounted to the outer gimbal bearing, providing a downward force to a substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, VT, United States of America

Peter W Neff