WIRELESS PROBE CARD VERIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120239339A1
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Inventors: Kaneko, Susumu
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT

Abstract

A probe card assembly can include a wireless link to an external verifier (e.g., debugger). The wireless link can interface to a boundary scan interface of a controller on the probe card assembly. The wireless link can allow for verification of the probe card assembly while it is installed within a prober.

Claims

1. A probe card assembly comprising:

a first substrate;

a plurality of resilient probes disposed on said substrate and arranged to contact corresponding pads of a device under test;

a tester interface;

a test circuit electrically coupled to said tester interface and electrically coupled to ones of said plurality of resilient probes;

a controller coupled to said test circuit, said controller comprising an interface;

a wireless transceiver coupled to said interface of said controller wherein said wireless transceiver can establish a wireless communications link with an external computer.

2. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein said interface of said controller is a boundary scan interface.

3. The probe card assembly of claim 2, wherein said boundary scan interface is a joint test access group (JTAG) compliant interface.

4. The probe card assembly of claim 3, wherein said wireless transceiver communicates JTAG commands and status across said wireless communications link.

5. The probe card assembly of claim 3, wherein said wireless transceiver translates commands received on said wireless communications link into a plurality of JTAG commands on said boundary scan interface.

6. The probe card assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second substrate coupled to said first substrate, wherein said test circuit and said controller are disposed on said second substrate.

7. The probe card assembly of claim 6, further comprising a daughter card coupled to said second substrate, wherein said wireless transceiver is disposed on said daughter card.

8. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein said test circuit comprises a means for providing test resource enhancement.

9. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein said test circuit comprises a means for providing power supply expansion.

10. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein said controller controls operation of said probe card assembly based on commands received via said wireless communications link.

11. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein said external computer is a verifier.

12. A wireless verification attachment for a probe card assembly comprising:

a substrate sized to fit within a space between a test head and a probe card assembly when said probe card assembly is installed into a prober;

an electrical connector disposed on said substrate and positioned to mechanically and electrically connect to an electrical interface disposed on said probe card assembly; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to said electrical interface and capable of establishing a wireless communications link with an external computer.

13. The wireless verification attachment of claim 12, wherein said electrical interface is a boundary scan interface.

14. The wireless verification attachment of claim 13, wherein said boundary scan interface comprises a joint test access group (JTAG) compliant interface.

15. The wireless verification attachment of claim 14, wherein said wireless transceiver replicates JTAG signals of said external computer at said electrical connector using information transferred across said wireless communications link.

16. The wireless verification attachment of claim 14, further comprising a controller electrically coupled to said wireless transceiver and said electrical connector, wherein said controller generates JTAG signals at said electrical connector using information transferred across said wireless communications link.

17. The wireless verification attachment of claim 16, wherein said controller translates commands received across said wireless communications link into a plurality of JTAG commands at said electrical connector.

18. The wireless verification attachment of claim 12, wherein said external computer is a verifier.

19. A method of probe card verification comprising:

obtaining a probe card assembly, wherein said probe card assembly comprises a tester interface, a controller electrically coupled to said tester interface wherein said controller controls operation of said probe card assembly, a wireless transceiver electrically coupled to said controller via an electrical interface, and a plurality of resilient probes coupled to said controller;

installing said probe card assembly in a prober, wherein said tester interface of said probe card assembly electrically interfaces to a test head;

establishing a wireless communications link between said wireless transceiver and an external computer positioned outside of said prober; and

using said wireless communications link to communicate commands from said external computer to said controller; and

using said wireless communications link to communicate status from said controller to said external computer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said electrical interface is a boundary scan interface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said commands and said status correspond to joint test access group (JTAG) compliant signals replicated at said boundary scan interface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said wireless transceiver converts JTAG compliant signals at said boundary scan interface and the commands and status communicated across said wireless communications link.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said status comprises a state of at least one signal at said tester interface.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said status comprises a state of at least one signal at said resilient probes.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said commands comprise setting a state of at least one signal at said tester interface.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said commands comprise setting a state of at least one signal at said resilient probes.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein said external computer provides a display corresponding to at least one signal within said probe card assembly.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein said obtaining comprises installing a daughter card comprising said wireless transceiver onto a probe card base comprising said controller.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein said external computer is a verifier.