The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 02, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2006
Makarand S. Shinde, Livermore, CA (US);
Richard A. Larder, Livermore, CA (US);
Timothy E. Cooper, Discovery Bay, CA (US);
Ravindra V. Shenoy, Dublin, CA (US);
Benjamin N. Eldridge, Danville, CA (US);
Makarand S. Shinde, Livermore, CA (US);
Richard A. Larder, Livermore, CA (US);
Timothy E. Cooper, Discovery Bay, CA (US);
Ravindra V. Shenoy, Dublin, CA (US);
Benjamin N. Eldridge, Danville, CA (US);
FormFactor, Inc., Livermore, CA (US);
Abstract
A mechanical support configuration for a probe card of a wafer test system is provided to increase support for a very low flexural strength substrate that supports spring probes. Increased mechanical support is provided by: (1) a frame around the periphery of the substrate having an increased sized horizontal extension over the surface of the substrate; (2) leaf springs with a bend enabling the leaf springs to extend vertically and engage the inner frame closer to the spring probes; (3) an insulating flexible membrane, or load support member machined into the inner frame, to engage the low flexural strength substrate farther away from its edge; (4) a support structure, such as support pins, added to provide support to counteract probe loading near the center of the space transformer substrate; and/or (5) a highly rigid interface tile provided between the probes and a lower flexural strength space transformer substrate.