Contact engines, probe head assemblies, probe systems, and associated methods for on-wafer testing of the wireless operation of a device under test
First Claim
1. A contact engine for testing a device under test (DUT), the contact engine comprising:
- a flexible dielectric membrane having a first surface and an opposed second surface;
a plurality of probes supported by the flexible dielectric membrane and oriented, relative to one another, to contact a plurality of contact locations on the DUT, wherein each probe in the plurality of probes includes a corresponding probe tip that projects from the second surface of the flexible dielectric membrane and is configured to electrically and physically contact a corresponding contact location of the plurality of contact locations; and
at least one membrane antenna supported by the flexible dielectric membrane;
wherein at least one probe in the plurality of probes is a membrane antenna-connected probe configured to electrically interconnect the membrane antenna and the DUT to permit excitation of the membrane antenna by the DUT.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Contact engines, probe head assemblies, probe systems, and associated methods for on-wafer testing of the wireless operation of a device under test (DUT). A contact engine includes a flexible dielectric membrane having a first surface and a second surface and a plurality of probes supported by the flexible dielectric membrane. The plurality of probes are oriented to contact a plurality of contact locations on the DUT. Each probe in the plurality of probes includes a corresponding probe tip that projects from the second surface of the flexible dielectric membrane and is configured to electrically and physically contact a corresponding contact location of the plurality of contact locations. The contact engine further includes at least one membrane antenna supported by the flexible dielectric membrane. A probe head assembly includes the contact engine. A probe system includes the probe head assembly. Associated methods include methods of utilizing the contact engine.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A contact engine for testing a device under test (DUT), the contact engine comprising:
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a flexible dielectric membrane having a first surface and an opposed second surface; a plurality of probes supported by the flexible dielectric membrane and oriented, relative to one another, to contact a plurality of contact locations on the DUT, wherein each probe in the plurality of probes includes a corresponding probe tip that projects from the second surface of the flexible dielectric membrane and is configured to electrically and physically contact a corresponding contact location of the plurality of contact locations; and at least one membrane antenna supported by the flexible dielectric membrane; wherein at least one probe in the plurality of probes is a membrane antenna-connected probe configured to electrically interconnect the membrane antenna and the DUT to permit excitation of the membrane antenna by the DUT. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A probe system, comprising:
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a substrate that includes a device under test (DUT); a chuck defining a support surface configured to support the substrate; a probe head assembly including; (i) a platen; (ii) a contact engine support structure operatively attached to the platen; and (iii) a contact engine, wherein the contact engine includes; (a) a flexible dielectric membrane having a first surface and an opposed second surface; (b) a plurality of probes supported by the flexible dielectric membrane and oriented, relative to one another, to contact a plurality of contact locations on the DUT, wherein each probe in the plurality of probes includes a corresponding probe tip that projects from the second surface of the flexible dielectric membrane and is configured to electrically and physically contact a corresponding contact location of the plurality of contact locations; and (c) at least one membrane antenna supported by the flexible dielectric membrane; and a translation structure configured to selectively and electrically contact the plurality of probes with a corresponding plurality of contact locations on the DUT; wherein; (i) the flexible dielectric membrane is mechanically supported by the contact engine support structure; (ii) the first surface of the flexible dielectric membrane faces toward the contact engine support structure; (iii) the second surface of the flexible dielectric membrane faces away from the contact engine support structure; (iv) the second surface of the flexible dielectric membrane faces toward the support surface; (v) the plurality of probes includes a power supply probe, which is configured to convey a power supply electric current to the DUT, and a power receipt probe, which is configured to receive the power supply electric current from the DUT; (vi) the substrate includes a first DUT antenna and a second DUT antenna that is spaced-apart from the first DUT antenna; (vii) the membrane antenna is a first membrane antenna, which is configured to receive a DUT wireless signal from the first DUT antenna; (viii) the contact engine further includes a second membrane antenna; (ix) the probe head assembly further includes a conveyance structure, which is configured to convey the DUT wireless signal from the first membrane antenna to the second membrane antenna; and (x) the second membrane antenna is configured to provide the DUT wireless signal to the second DUT antenna. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification