Interposer and test assembly for testing electronic devices

• US 20070075726A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TTM Technologies North America, LLC (TTM Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Endicott Interconnect Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Chan, Benson, Markovich, Voya, Egitto, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,501,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/754.180
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06711 Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0735 arranged on a flexible frame or film
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0367 Metallic bump or raised conductor not used as solder bump
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0394 Conductor crossing over a hole in the substrate or a gap between two separate substrate parts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09627 Special connections between adjacent vias, not for grounding vias
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09745 Recess in conductor, e.g. in pad or in metallic substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10378 Interposers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/365 by abutting, i.e. without alloying process
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4007 Surface contacts, e.g. bumps H05K3/4092 takes precedence; deposition of finish layers on pads H05K3/24; forming solder bumps H05K3/3457

Abstract

A test apparatus which uses a pair of substrates and housing to interconnect a host substrate (e.g., PCB) to an electronic device (e.g., semiconductor chip) to accomplish testing of the device. The apparatus includes a housing designed for being positioned on the PCB and have one of the substrates oriented therein during device engagement. The engaging contacts of the upper (second) substrate are sculpted to assure effective chip connection.

Claims

1. An interposer for interconnecting an electronic device and a circuitized substrate, said interposer comprising:

a housing adapted for being positioned on a host circuitized substrate including a plurality of host conductor pads;

a first circuitized substrate positioned within said housing and including a first plurality of contact pads of a first density, selected ones of said first plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate adapted for engaging respective ones of said host conductor pads of said host circuitized substrate; and

a second circuitized substrate positioned on said first circuitized substrate and electrically coupled thereto, said second circuitized substrate adapted for engaging an electronic device including a plurality of contact sites thereon of a second density different than said first density of said first plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate, said second circuitized substrate including a first plurality of sculpted contact members of a density similar to said second density of said contact sites of said electronic device, selected ones of said first plurality of sculpted contact members of said second circuitized substrate adapted for engaging respective ones of said contact sites of said electronic device when said electronic device is positioned on said second circuitized substrate, said first circuitized substrate including a plurality of conductive lines therein which intercouple said selected ones of said first plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate to said selected ones of said first plurality of contact members of said second circuitized substrate.

2. The interposer of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a cavity therein, said first circuitized substrate adapted for being movably positioned within said cavity of said housing.

3. The interposer of claim 2 wherein said cavity is of substantially rectangular configuration.

4. The interposer of claim 1 wherein said first circuitized substrate includes a second plurality of contact pads located on an opposite side of said first circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact pads, selected ones of said plurality of conductive lines electrically interconnecting selected ones of said contact pads of said plurality of contact pads to selected ones of said contact pads of said second plurality of contact pads.

5. The interposer of claim 4 wherein said second circuitized substrate includes a second plurality of contact members located on an opposite side of said second circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact members and a plurality of conducting lines interconnecting selected ones of said contact members of said first plurality of contact members with selected ones of said contact members of said second plurality of contact members, said second plurality of contact members not being sculpted.

6. The interposer of claim 5 wherein said second plurality of contact members located on said opposite side of said second circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact members are also of a density similar to said second density of said contact sites of said electronic device.

7. The interposer of claim 5 wherein said conducting lines interconnecting said first and second pluralities of contact members are thru-holes.

8. The interposer of claim 5 wherein said second plurality of contact pads located on said opposite side of said first circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact pads are electrically coupled to said second plurality of contact members located on said opposite side of said second circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact members.

9. The interposer of claim 8 further including a plurality of interconnecting contacts, selected ones of said plurality of interconnecting contacts interconnecting selected ones of said second plurality of contact members of said second circuitized substrate to selected ones of said second plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate.

10. The interposer of claim 9 wherein said interconnecting contacts are solder balls.

11. A test assembly for testing an electronic device, said test assembly comprising:

a host circuitized substrate including a plurality of host conductor pads;

a housing positioned on said host circuitized substrate substantially over said plurality of host conductor pads;

a first circuitized substrate positioned within said housing and including a first plurality of contact pads of a first density, selected ones of said first plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate adapted for engaging respective ones of said host conductor pads of said host circuitized substrate; and

a second circuitized substrate positioned on said first circuitized substrate and electrically coupled thereto, said second circuitized substrate adapted for engaging an electronic device including a plurality of contact sites thereon of a second density different than said first density of said first plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate, said second circuitized substrate including a first plurality of sculpted contact members of a density similar to said second density of said electronic device, selected ones of said first plurality of sculpted contact members of said second circuitized substrate adapted for engaging respective ones of said contact sites of said electronic device when said electronic device is positioned on said second circuitized substrate, said first circuitized substrate including a plurality of conductive lines therein which intercouple said selected ones of said first plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate to said selected ones of said first plurality of contact members of said second circuitized substrate such that testing of said electronic device may occur while said electronic device is positioned on said second circuitized substrate and said test assembly is in operation.

12. The test assembly of claim 11 wherein said housing includes a cavity therein, said first circuitized substrate adapted for being movably positioned within said cavity of said housing.

13. The test assembly of claim 11 including a plurality of pins, said pins aligning said housing on said host circuitized substrate.

14. The test assembly of claim 11 wherein said host circuitized substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

15. The test assembly of claim 11 further including a plurality of compressible mesh members, selected ones of said compressible mesh members interconnecting selected ones of said first plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate to selected ones of said host conductor pads of said host circuitized substrate.

16. The test assembly of claim 15 wherein said housing includes a plurality of openings therein, each of said compressible mesh members being positioned within said openings within said housing.

17. The test assembly of claim 11 wherein said first circuitized substrate includes a second plurality of contact pads located on an opposite side of said first circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact pads, selected ones of said plurality of conductive lines electrically interconnecting selected ones of said contact pads of said plurality of contact pads to selected ones of said contact pads of said second plurality of contact pads.

18. The test assembly of claim 17 wherein said second circuitized substrate includes a second plurality of contact members located on an opposite side of said second circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact members and a plurality of conducting lines interconnecting selected ones of said contact members of said first plurality of contact members with selected ones of said contact members of said second plurality of contact members, said second plurality of contact members not being sculpted.

19. The test apparatus of claim 17 wherein said second plurality of contact pads located on said opposite side of said first circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact pads are electrically coupled to said second plurality of contact members located on said opposite side of said second circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact members.

20. The test apparatus of claim 19 further including a plurality of interconnecting contacts, selected ones of said plurality of interconnecting contacts interconnecting selected ones of said second plurality of contact members of said second circuitized substrate to selected ones of said second plurality of contact pads of said first circuitized substrate.

21. The test apparatus of claim 17 wherein said second plurality of contact members located on said opposite side of said second circuitized substrate from said first plurality of contact members are also of a density similar to said second density of said contact sites of said electronic device.

22. The test apparatus of claim 21 wherein said conducting lines interconnecting said first and second pluralities of contact members are thru-holes.