TRANSFERRING ELECTRONIC PROBE ASSEMBLIES TO SPACE TRANSFORMERS
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- forming a plurality of probes in a sacrificial material on a sacrificial substrate via microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes,wherein tips of said plurality of probes are formed adjacent to said sacrificial substrate and the remaining structure of said plurality of probes extends outward from said sacrificial substrate;
attaching said sacrificial material comprising said plurality of probes to a space transformer,wherein said space transformer comprises a plurality of contacts on one surface for contacting said plurality of probes at a probe pitch and a corresponding second plurality of contacts on another surface at a second pitch, larger than said probe pitch, wherein each of said second plurality of contacts is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of probes;
removing said sacrificial substrate; and
removing said sacrificial material, while leaving said plurality of probes intact.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Transferring electronic probe assemblies to space transformers. In accordance with a first method embodiment, a plurality of probes is formed in a sacrificial material on a sacrificial substrate via microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes. The tips of the plurality of probes are formed adjacent to the sacrificial substrate and the remaining structure of the plurality of probes extends outward from the sacrificial substrate. The sacrificial material comprising the plurality of probes is attached to a space transformer. The space transformer includes a plurality of contacts on one surface for contacting the plurality of probes at a probe pitch and a corresponding second plurality of contacts on another surface at a second pitch, larger than the probe pitch, wherein each of the second plurality of contacts is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of probes. The sacrificial substrate is removed, and the sacrificial material is removed, leaving the plurality of probes intact.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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forming a plurality of probes in a sacrificial material on a sacrificial substrate via microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes, wherein tips of said plurality of probes are formed adjacent to said sacrificial substrate and the remaining structure of said plurality of probes extends outward from said sacrificial substrate; attaching said sacrificial material comprising said plurality of probes to a space transformer, wherein said space transformer comprises a plurality of contacts on one surface for contacting said plurality of probes at a probe pitch and a corresponding second plurality of contacts on another surface at a second pitch, larger than said probe pitch, wherein each of said second plurality of contacts is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of probes; removing said sacrificial substrate; and removing said sacrificial material, while leaving said plurality of probes intact. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a space transformer having first contacts at a first pitch on a first face, and second contacts at a second pitch on a second face; a fine pitch space transformer having third contacts at said second pitch on a first face and fourth contacts at a probe pitch on a second face, said first face of said fine pitch space transformer functionally coupled to said second contacts of said second face of said space transformer; and a plurality of fine pitch electronic probes, suitable for contacting test points of an integrated circuit, at a probe pitch functionally coupled to said fourth contacts of said second face of said fine pitch space transformer, wherein said plurality of fine pitch electronic probes are configured to be removed as a whole from an assembly of said space transformer and said fine space transformer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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forming a plurality of probes in a primary sacrificial material on a sacrificial substrate via microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes, wherein tips of said plurality of probes are formed away from said sacrificial substrate and the remaining structure of said plurality of probes extends outward from said sacrificial substrate; removing said primary sacrificial material; encapsulating said plurality of probes in a secondary sacrificial material; bonding said encapsulated plurality of probes to a space transformer; and removing said secondary sacrificial material. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification