High density, area array probe card apparatus
First Claim
1. A probe card contact apparatus including:
- a formed rigid substrate having a first major surface, and a second major surface, a flexible dielectric film patterned on one of said surfaces to form a plurality of electrically conductive leads terminated in contact pads on both ends, said dielectric film adhered to the substrate, and wrapped around the outer edges, such that the contact pads on one end of the leads are positioned on the first surface of the substrate and those on the opposite end are positioned on the second surface, and a contact element protrusion affixed to each of said contact pads.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A probe card apparatus comprising a rigid substrate having thermal expansion characteristics near that of silicon, laminated with a flex film having laser patterned leads and contact pads, and contact elements comprising noble metals protruding from two major surfaces, the first mirroring the closely spaced chip pads, and the second aligned to the more generously spaced probe card pads, providing an accurate and reproducible, low cost, rapidly fabricated probe contact device, capable of contacting very high density bond pads in either area array or perimeter locations, of being electrically optimized, and readily maintained.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A probe card contact apparatus including:
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a formed rigid substrate having a first major surface, and a second major surface, a flexible dielectric film patterned on one of said surfaces to form a plurality of electrically conductive leads terminated in contact pads on both ends, said dielectric film adhered to the substrate, and wrapped around the outer edges, such that the contact pads on one end of the leads are positioned on the first surface of the substrate and those on the opposite end are positioned on the second surface, and a contact element protrusion affixed to each of said contact pads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
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18. An apparatus wherein said contact pads and elements are spaced more closely on the first surface than on the second surface.
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21. An electrical test probe card including:
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a composite plastic disc having a plurality of electrical traces terminating on one end at the outer perimeter to a tester probe head, and centrally located terminals electrically attached to a chip contact apparatus, said chip contact apparatus comprising a formed rigid substrate having a first major surface, and a second major surface, a flexible dielectric film patterned on one of said surfaces to form a plurality of electrically conductive leads having contact pads on both ends, said dielectric film adhered to the substrate, and wrapped around the outer edges, such that the contact pads on one end of the leads are positioned on the first surface of the substrate and those on the opposite end are positioned on the second surface, and a contact element protrusion affixed to each of said contact pads. - View Dependent Claims (24, 26)
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22. A method of forming a probe card contact apparatus including the following steps:
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providing a rigid substrate having thermal expansion characteristics similar to that of silicon, and which mechanically conforms to a probe card holding mechanism, providing a flexible dielectric film having a layer of highly conductive, ductile metal on one surface, patterning an array of chip contact pads, the contact locations of a probe card, and the lead traces to interconnect the first and second sets of pads, etching the excess metal to form the contact and lead patterns, bonding a contact element on each of said contacts, aligning and adhering said film to the first surface of said substrate, wrapping around the outer edges, and terminating on the second surface. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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23. A method of forming a probe card contact apparatus including the following steps:
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providing a rigid substrate having thermal expansion characteristics similar to that of silicon, and which mechanically conforms to a probe card holding mechanism, providing a flexible dielectric film having a layer of highly conductive, ductile metal on one surface, inputting the patterns of chip input/output pads, the contact locations of a probe card, and the lead traces to interconnect the first and second sets of pads to a software program compatible with a computer controlled laser, laser ablating the excess metal to form the contact and lead patterns, bonding a contact element on each of said contacts, aligning and adhering said film to the first surface of said substrate, wrapping around the outer edges, and terminating on the second surface.
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Specification