Probe card for integrated circuit chip

• US 4,965,865 A
• Filed: 10/11/1989
• Issued: 10/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rucker & Kolls, Inc. (Eico, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Signal Corporation (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Trenary, Dale T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vinh P.
• Application Number:
  US07/255,779
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 324/72.5, 324/158 P, 324/158 F, 324/73 PC, 439/482
• US Class Current: 324/750.25
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07342 the body of the probe being at an angle other than perpendicular to test object, e.g. probe card

Abstract

A probe card provides an interconnection between pads on an integrated circuit chip and leads on a printed circuit board to test the chip operability. The card includes a dielectric substrate having a substantially planar surface and at least one channel disposed in such surface in a particular direction. Electrically conductive material is disposed in the channel to contact a conductive, preferably resilient, probe having a first portion disposed in the channel in abutting relationship with the planar surface on the support. Detents are provided in mating relationship in the channel and on the support to position the probe precisely in the channel. A second probe portion extends from the first portion at an angle to the first portion. A probe tip is at the end of the second portion to contact a pad on the chip. Additional detents may be provided on the support, either (a) in or (b) displaced from the channel and on the first portion of the probe to facilitate the precise positioning of the probe in the particular direction. A first electrical contact may be disposed on the planar surface of the support to engage a second contact on the second portion of the probe when the probe tip engages the chip pad with a particular force. The probe may be extended between the planar and opposite surfaces of the probe to provide a connector terminal for passing large currents through the probe. A spring terminal may also be coupled to the support to engage the probe and an associated lead on the board at opposite ends.

Claims

1. A probe card for interconnection between pads on an integrated circuit chip and leads on a printed circuit board to determine the operability of the integrated circuit, including,

a dielectric substrate having a substantially planar surface and having at least one channel in the planar surface,

there being a detent in the channel at a particular position in the channel,

electrically conductive material disposed in the channel, and

an electrically conductive probe having a first portion disposed in the channel, the first portion having a detent for mating with the detent in the channel, the electrically conductive probe having at least a second portion extending from the channel with a probe tip at the end of such portion for engagement with a particular one of the pads on the integrated circuit chip.

2. A probe card as set forth in claim 1 wherein

means are disposed in the channel for adhering the probe card in the channel with the probe card in contact with the electrically conductive material in the channel.

3. A probe card as set forth in claim 1, including,

dielectric material covering the probe card and electrically conductive material disposed on the dielectric material.

4. A probe card as set forth in claim 3 wherein

means are disposed in the channel for adhering the probe card in the channel with the probe card in contact with the electrically conductive material in the channel and wherein the second portion of the probe extends from the planar surface of the substrate at a particular angle to the planar surface.

5. A probe card for interconnection between pads on an integrated circuit chip and leads on a printed circuit board to determine the operability of the integrated circuit chip, including,

a dielectric substrate having a substantially planar surface and having at least one channel linearly disposed in the planar surface,

a detent disposed in the channel at a particular position in the channel,

electrically conductive material disposed in the channel along at least a portion of the length of the channel, and

a probe disposed in the channel and having first, second and third portions,

the first portion of the probe being disposed in the channel and having a detent at a particular position along the length of the first portion, the detent on the first portion of the probe mating with the detent in the channel,

the second portion of the probe being integral with the first portion of the probe and extending from the first portion at a first particular angle with respect to the planar surface of the dielectric substrate, and

the third portion of the probe including a probe tip and extending at a second particular angle with respect to the planar surface of the dielectric substrate.

6. A probe card as set forth in claim 5, including,

the probe being planar and being made from a resilient material and

the channel having a planar surface to receive the planar probe.

7. A probe card as set forth in claim 5, including,

means disposed in the planar surface of the channel to facilitate the disposition of the probe in the channel with the detents in mating relationship, and

means disposed on the probe for cooperating with the last mentioned means to facilitate the disposition of the probe in the channel with the detents in mating relationship.

8. A probe card as set forth in claim 5, wherein

the detent means on the dielectric substrate constitutes a projection and the detent means on the probe constitutes a socket for receiving the projection.

9. A probe card as set forth in claim 5 wherein

the facilitating means in the planar surface of the channel includes at least one aperture and the facilitating means on the probe includes at least one finger for disposition in the aperture.

10. A probe card as set forth in claim 9, including,

the wall in each of the channels substantially parallel to the planar surface of the substrate and each of the probes being provided with a planar configuration.

11. A probe card as set forth in claim 9, including,

the detent means on one of each channel and the associated probe being a projection and the detent means on the other one of each channel and the associated probe being a socket for mating with the projection.

12. A probe card as set forth in claim 9, including,

the probe being made from a resilient material,

a plurality of first contact means each associated with an individual one of the probes and disposed on the planar surface of the dielectric substrate at a position displaced from the associated channel, and

a plurality of second contact means disposed on the second portion of an individual one of the probes to engage the associated one of the first contact means when the probe tip means of such probe engages an associated one of the pads on the integrated circuit chip.

13. A probe card for interconnection between pads on an integrated circuit chip and leads on a printed circuit board to determine the operability of the integrated circuit chip, including,

a dielectric substrate having a planar surface, there being a plurality of channels in the planar surface, each of the channels being defined by at least one wall extending linearly on the dielectric substrate in spaced relationship to one another and terminating at its inner end at a position displaced from the center of the planar surface to contact an individual one of the pads on the integrated circuit chip,

there being electrically conductive material on at least one of the walls defining each of the channels,

a plurality of detents each disposed in an individual one of the channels at a particular position along the length of such channel,

a plurality of probes each disposed in an individual one of the channels and each having a first portion with a detent for mating with the detent in such individual channel, the first portion of each of the probes having a particular length and being disposed in abutting relationship with the wall of the associated channel along such particular length,

each of the probes having a second portion extending away from the planar surface of the dielectric substrate at a first particular angle relative to the planar surface of the dielectric substrate, and

each of the probes having a probe tip portion extending from the second portion of such probe at a second particular angle relative to the planar surface of the dielectric substrate.

14. A probe card for interconnection between pads on an integrated circuit chip and leads on a printed circuit board to determine the operability of the integrated circuit chip, including,

a dielectric substrate having a substantially planar surface and having at least one channel disposed in the planar surface in a particular direction,

a probe having first, second and third portions, the first portion of the probe being disposed in the channel in abutting relationship to the planar surface of the dielectric substrate,

the second portion of the probe extending from the first portion of the probe at an angle relative to the planar surface of the dielectric substrate,

the third portion of the probe extending from the second portion of the probe at an angle relative to the planar surface of the dielectric material and relative to the second portion of the probe and defining a probe tip for engaging one of the pads on the integrated circuit chip, and

detent means disposed at a particular position in the channel in the planar substrate and providing a cooperative relationship between the channel and the probe to produce a controlled positioning of the probe in the particular direction,

the detent means including a projection on an individual one of the channel and the probe and a socket on the other one of the channel and the probe to mate with the projection.

17. A probe card as set forth in claim 14 wherein

a spacer made from a dielectric material is disposed on the probe and electrically conductive material is disposed on the spacer in spaced relationship to the probe to define a conductive reference plane.

15. A probe card for interconnection between pads on an integrated circuit chip and leads on a printed circuit board to determine the operability of the integrated circuit chip, including,

a dielectric substrate having a substantially planar surface and having at least one channel disposed in the planar surface in a particular direction,

a probe having first, second and third portions, the first portion of the probe being disposed in the channel in abutting relationship to the planar surface of the dielectric substrate,

the second portion of the probe extending from the first portion of the probe at an angle relative to the planar surface of the dielectric substrate,

the third portion of the probe extending from the second portion of the probe at an angled relative to the planar surface of the dielectric material and the second portion of the probe and defining a probe tip for engaging one of the pads on the integrated circuit chip,

first detent means on the probe,

first detent means disposed at a particular position in the channel in the planar substrate and providing a cooperative relationship with the first detent means on the probe to produce a controlled positioning of the probe in the particular direction,

additional detent means disposed in the channel of the dielectric substrate and on the probe and displaced in the particular direction from the first detent means on the probe and in the channel and providing a cooperative relationship between the channel and the probe to facilitate the production of a controlled positioning of the probe in the particular direction.

16. A probe card as set forth in claim 15 wherein

the additional means includes cooperating detents in the channel and on the first portion of the probe for providing the cooperative relationship between the channel and the probe to facilitate the production of the controlled positioning of the probe in the particular direction.