METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATING AND TESTING A CHIP
First Claim
1. A nest element operable to precisely locate a chip having a plurality of interconnects exposed at a face of the chip to permit conductive connection to the chip through said interconnects, comprising:
- a pocket dimensioned to locate the chip within a tolerance of less than a width of one of said interconnects;
a plurality of tapered walls extending upwardly and outwardly from said pocket, said tapered walls adapted to receive a chip placed within said nest element and to guide the chip into said pocket under at least one of a force of gravity and an externally applied force; and
one or more vibration inducing devices activatable separately from a process used to place the chip within the nest element to impart a vibratory motion to the nest element to cause the placed chip to be guided along said tapered walls into said pocket.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A probe apparatus includes a nest element operable to precisely locate a chip having a plurality of exposed interconnects on a face of the chip to permit conductive connection to the chip through the interconnects. The nest element includes a pocket dimensioned to locate the chip within a tolerance of less than a width of one of the interconnects, and tapered walls extending upwardly and outwardly from the pocket, the tapered walls adapted to guide the chip into the pocket. One or more piezoelectric elements can be attached to or provided within to the nest element to impart vibration to the nest element, causing the chip to be “fluidized” such that the chip is guided into the pocket under the force of gravity or other externally applied force.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A nest element operable to precisely locate a chip having a plurality of interconnects exposed at a face of the chip to permit conductive connection to the chip through said interconnects, comprising:
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a pocket dimensioned to locate the chip within a tolerance of less than a width of one of said interconnects;
a plurality of tapered walls extending upwardly and outwardly from said pocket, said tapered walls adapted to receive a chip placed within said nest element and to guide the chip into said pocket under at least one of a force of gravity and an externally applied force; and
one or more vibration inducing devices activatable separately from a process used to place the chip within the nest element to impart a vibratory motion to the nest element to cause the placed chip to be guided along said tapered walls into said pocket. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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2. (canceled)
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18. A probe apparatus, comprising:
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a nest element operable to precisely locate a chip having a plurality of exposed interconnects on a face of the chip to permit conductive connection to the chip through said interconnects, the nest element including a pocket dimensioned to locate the chip within a tolerance of less than a width of one of said interconnects, tapered walls extending upwardly and outwardly from said pocket to receive a chip placed within said nest element and to guide the chip into said pocket, and one or more vibration inducing devices activatable separately from a process used to place the chip within the nest element to impart a vibratory motion to the nest element to cause the placed chip to be guided along said tapered walls into said pocket;
a probe element having inner contacts facing said interconnects and outer contacts facing away from said interconnects, the interconnects being aligned to said inner contacts when the chip is located by said pocket; and
an interconnect element having wiring traces and a plurality of terminals aligned to said outer contacts to provide conductive interconnection through said probe element to the chip when the chip is located by said pocket.
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19. A method of locating a chip to permit conductive connection to the chip through a plurality of interconnects exposed on a face of the chip, comprising:
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placing the chip at least coarsely within a nest element, the nest element including a pocket dimensioned to locate the chip within a tolerance of less than a width of one of the interconnects, the nest element having tapered walls extending upwardly and outwardly from the pocket to receive the chip, the tapered walls adapted to guide the chip into the pocket; and
activating one or more vibration inducing devices separately from actions performed to place the chip within the nest element to impart a vibratory motion to the nest element to cause the placed chip to be guided along the tapered walls into the pocket.
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20. A method of testing a chip including the method of locating the chip as claimed in 19, further comprising clamping the nest element to a probe element having conductive contacts aligned to the pocket, clamping the chip to the probe element to establish conductive contact between the interconnects of the chip and the conductive contacts, and flowing currents through the conductive contacts and the interconnects of the chip to test the chip.
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21. A method of simultaneously testing a plurality of chips, comprising:
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arranging a plurality of probe apparatuses in an array, each probe apparatus including a nest element having a pocket dimensioned to locate one chip within a tolerance of less than a width of one of a plurality of exposed interconnects of the chip, each nest element having tapered walls extending upwardly and outwardly from the pocket and adapted to guide the chip into the pocket, the probe apparatuses further including probe elements having conductive contacts aligned to the pockets;
placing chips with at least coarse alignment into the nest elements of respective ones of the plurality of probe apparatuses;
imparting vibratory motion to the probe apparatuses by actions separate from actions performed to place the chips during said step of placing to guide the chips into the pockets of the probe apparatuses;
clamping the chips to the respective probe elements to establish conductive contact between the interconnects of the chips and the conductive contacts of the probe elements; and
applying voltages and flowing currents simultaneously through the conductive contacts of at least some of the probe apparatuses and the interconnects of at least some of the chips to simultaneously test at least some of the chips. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification