Temperature compensated vertical pin probing device

• US 6,297,657 B1
• Filed: 01/11/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WinWay Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Wentworth Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: McQuade, Francis T., Thiessen, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy
• Application Number:
  US09/228,016
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 324/761, 324/754, 324/755, 324/758, 324/158.1, 324/760
• US Class Current: 324/754.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07314 the body of the probe being perpendicular to test object, e.g. bed of nails or probe with bump contacts on a rigid support on an elastic support, e.g. a film, G01R1/0735
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07357 with flexible bodies, e.g. buckling beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07371 using an intermediate card or back card with apertures through which the probes pass

Abstract

An improved vertical pin probing device is constructed using Invar, which substantially matches the coefficient of thermal expansion of the silicon wafer being probed. Spaced dies with Invar foils supporting the probe pins are coated with wear-resistant dielectric materials having lubricity to permit the probe pins to slide in the holes during probing.

Claims

1. An improved temperature compensated vertical pin probing device for probing integrated circuits over a large temperature range, the integrated circuits having spaced contact pads on a circuit substrate to be contacted by probe pins for testing, the probing device being of a known type comprising upper and lower spaced die members respectively defining upper and lower patterns of holes therethrough corresponding to the integrated circuit contact pad spacing at a preselected temperature, and a plurality of probe pins, each pin being slidably disposed in a pair of upper and lower holes and extending from a said lower hole in the lower die to terminate in a probe tip, the improvement comprising:

a die member having a die substrate with a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially the same as that of the circuit substrate, the die substrate comprising a laminated structure of thin metal alloy foils of Invar having at least the inside of the holes in the die substrate coated with a layer of wear-resistant insulating material having a lubricity facilitating sliding of the probe pins in the holes.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the insulating coating is selected from a group consisting of Parylene, aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide and silicon dioxide.

3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the lubricity is provided by an anti-stick coating of Xylan.

4. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein both upper and lower die members comprise said die substrate.

5. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said insulating coating comprises a layer of Parylene with an anti-stick coating of Xylan surrounding said laminated structure.

6. An improved temperature compensated vertical pin probing device for probing integrated circuits over a large temperature range, the integrated circuits having spaced contact pads on a circuit substrate to be contacted by probe pins for testing, the probing device being of a known type comprising upper and lower spaced die members respectively defining upper and lower patterns of holes therethrough corresponding to the integrated circuit contact pad spacing at a preselected temperature, and a plurality of probe pins, each pin being slidably disposed in a pair of upper and lower holes and extending from a said lower hole in the lower die to terminate in a probe tip, the improvement comprising:

at least one of said die members having an outer spacer block defining a central opening and adapted for attachment to the other die member and a die substrate comprising at least one laminated structure comprising a plurality of thin metal alloy foils of Invar attached to the spacer block and bridging the central opening, said foil laminated structure defining one of said patterns of holes, the foil laminated structure having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially the same as that of the circuit substrate, said die substrate being coated with a layer of wear-resistant insulating material and a layer of anti-stick material having a lubricity facilitating sliding of the probe pins in the holes.