HIGH PERFORMANCE PROBE SYSTEM
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A probe system for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and input/output, power and ground pads on the surfaces of ICs to be tested includes a probe board assembly, a flex cable and a set of probes arranged to contact the IC'"'"'s I/O pads. The probe board assembly includes one or more rigid substrate layers with traces and vias formed on or within the substrate layers providing relatively low bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing some of the IC'"'"'s pads. The flex cable provides relatively high bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing others of the IC'"'"'s pads.
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Citations
87 Claims
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1-71. -71. (canceled)
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72. A probe card assembly for providing electrical connection between an integrated circuit tester and a wafer, the probe card assembly comprising:
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an interface board comprising a first rigid substrate and a plurality of first electrical contacts arranged to make electrical connection to the integrated circuit tester when the probe card assembly is coupled to the integrated circuit tester; a probe board comprising a second rigid substrate, a plurality of probes disposed on a surface of the second substrate and arranged to make electrical connections to the wafer when the probe card is brought into contact with the wafer, and a plurality of first electrical paths interconnecting first ones of the probes to corresponding ones of the first electrical contacts of the interface board; and a flexible cable connected at a first end to the interface board and connected at a second end to the probe board, the flexible cable comprising a plurality of second electrical paths arranged at the first end to make electrical connection to the integrated circuit tester when the probe card assembly is coupled to the integrated circuit tester and electrically connected at the second end to second ones of the probes. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A process of testing a wafer using a probe card assembly for providing electrical connection between an integrated circuit tester and the wafer, the process comprising:
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installing a probe card assembly into the integrated circuit tester, the probe card assembly comprising; an interface board comprising a plurality of first electrical contacts electrically coupled to corresponding ones of a plurality of I/O ports of the integrated circuit tester, a probe board comprising a plurality of probes arranged to make electrical connections to a wafer when the probe card is brought into contact with the wafer, a plurality of first electrical paths interconnecting first ones of the probes to first ones of the input/output ports, the first electrical paths being disposed in the interface board and in the probe board, and a flexible cable coupled between said interface board and said probe board, the flexible cable comprising a plurality of second electrical paths interconnecting second ones of the probes to second ones of the I/O ports; positioning the wafer to make contact between pads on the wafer and corresponding ones of the probes; applying power signals to the wafer from the integrated circuit tester through ones of the first electrical paths; and applying test signals to the wafer from the integrated circuit tester through ones of the second electrical paths. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81)
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82. A process of making a probe card assembly for providing electrical connection between an integrated circuit tester and a wafer, the process comprising:
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providing an interface board comprising a first rigid substrate and a plurality of first electrical contacts arranged to make electrical connection to the integrated circuit tester when the probe card assembly is coupled to the integrated circuit tester; coupling a probe board to the interface board, wherein the probe board comprises a second rigid substrate, a plurality of probes disposed on a surface of the second substrate and arranged to make electrical connections to the wafer when the probe card is brought into contact with the wafer, and a plurality of first electrical paths interconnecting first ones of the probes to corresponding ones of the first electrical contacts of the interface board; and connecting a first end of a flexible cable to the interface board wherein the first end is positioned so that a plurality of second electrical paths disposed in the flexible cable are arranged to make electrical connection to the integrated circuit tester when the probe card assembly is coupled to the integrated circuit tester; and connecting a second end of the flexible cable to the probe board, wherein the second electrical paths are electrically connected at the second end to second ones of the probes. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
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Specification