Method and apparatus for amplifying electrical test signals from a micromechanical device
First Claim
1. An apparatus for testing performance characteristics of a microelectromechanical device, said microelectromechanical device having movable mechanical members, wherein said apparatus comprises:
- at least one test probe having one end in operable electrical communication with at least one of the movable mechanical members of the microelectromechanical device for receiving electrical signals indicative of the movement of the movable mechanical member;
an analyzer for receiving the electrical signals from said test probe at a location remote from the microelectromechanical device, wherein said analyzer analyzes the electrical signals to determine the performance characteristics of the microelectromechanical device;
communication means for transmitting the electrical signals from the test probe to the analyzer; and
an amplifier in operable electrical communication with said test probe and said communication means, wherein said amplifier is in close proximity to said test probe such that said amplifier amplifies the electrical signals prior to transmission of the electrical signals by said communication means such that the electrical signals are amplified before sufficient noise has been introduced into the electrical signals to reduce a signal to noise ratio of the electrical signals to less than 10 decibels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for testing performance characteristics of a MEMs device. The apparatus includes a test probe that is electrically connected to a mechanical member of the MEMs device for receiving electrical data signals from the MEMs device that are indicative of the movement of the mechanical member due to external excitation . The apparatus also includes communications or transmitting the signals from the test probe and an analyzer for receiving the signals and for analyzing the signals to determine the performance characteristics of the MEMs device. The apparatus a so includes an amplifier connected between the test probe and the communications. The amplifier is placed in close proximity to the test probe such at it amplifies the signals prior to transmission of the signals by the communications. As such, the electrical data signals are amplified before sufficient noise is introduced into the signals to reduce their signal to noise ratio to less than a predetermined level. By amplifying the signals prior to the introduction of significant noise, the signals, which may have relatively small amplitude, are not obscured by the noise.
100 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for testing performance characteristics of a microelectromechanical device, said microelectromechanical device having movable mechanical members, wherein said apparatus comprises:
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at least one test probe having one end in operable electrical communication with at least one of the movable mechanical members of the microelectromechanical device for receiving electrical signals indicative of the movement of the movable mechanical member;
an analyzer for receiving the electrical signals from said test probe at a location remote from the microelectromechanical device, wherein said analyzer analyzes the electrical signals to determine the performance characteristics of the microelectromechanical device;
communication means for transmitting the electrical signals from the test probe to the analyzer; and
an amplifier in operable electrical communication with said test probe and said communication means, wherein said amplifier is in close proximity to said test probe such that said amplifier amplifies the electrical signals prior to transmission of the electrical signals by said communication means such that the electrical signals are amplified before sufficient noise has been introduced into the electrical signals to reduce a signal to noise ratio of the electrical signals to less than 10 decibels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for determining performance characteristics of a plurality of microelectromechanical devices located on a common wafer, wherein each microelectromechanical device has at least one movable mechanical member, wherein said apparatus comprises:
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at least one test probe having one end in operable electrical communication with an output of at least one of the movable mechanical members of at least one of the microelectromechanical devices for receiving electrical signals indicative of the movement of the movable mechanical member;
an excitation probe connected to an input of at least one of the movable mechanical members of at least one of the microelectromechanical devices, wherein said excitation probe provides an electrical signal to the movable mechanical member, thereby causing the movable mechanical member to move and generate electrical output;
an analyzer for receiving the electrical signals from said test probe at a location remote from the microelectromechanical device, wherein said analyzer analyzes the electrical signals to determine the performance characteristics of the microelectromechanical device;
communication means for transmitting the electrical signals from the test probe to the analyzer; and
an amplifier in operable electrical communication with said test probe and said communication means, wherein said amplifier is in close proximity to said test probe such that said amplifier amplifies the electrical signals prior to transmission of the electrical signals by said communication means such that the electrical signals are amplified before sufficient noise has been introduced into the electrical signals to reduce a signal to noise ratio of the electrical signals to less than 10 decibels, and wherein said analyzer determines the performance characteristics of the microelectromechanical device without initially separating the microelectromechanical device from the wafer. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification