Probe station having multiple enclosures

• US 7,190,181 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Jeffrey A., Hayden, Leonard A., Dougherty, R. Mark, Peters, Ron A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington; Jermele
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUNG X
• Application Number:
  US10/980,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20050062489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 324/754, 324/158.1, 324/454, 324/765, 324/758, 324/755, 324/761, 333/246, 158/761
• US Class Current: 324/750.27
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/18 Screening arrangements against electric or magnetic fields, e.g. against earth's field
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/002 where the device under test is an electronic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2808 Holding, conveying or contacting devices, e.g. test adapters, edge connectors, extender boards probe, multiprobe, probe manipulator or probe fixture G01R1/067
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/286 External aspects, e.g. related to chambers, contacting devices or handlers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2886 Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence

Abstract

A probe station for probing a test device has a chuck element for supporting the test device. An electrically conductive outer shield enclosure at least partially encloses such chuck element to provide EMI shielding therefor. An electrically conductive inner shield enclosure is interposed between and insulated from the outer shield enclosure and the chuck element, and at least partially encloses the chuck element.

Claims

1. A probe station for probing a test device, said probe station comprising:

(a) a chuck for supporting said test device;

(b) a plurality of electrically conductive members, each electrically isolated from, and at least partially enclosing said chuck; and

(c) a selector member capable of alternately;

(i) electrically isolating said electrically conductive members from each other; and

(ii) electrically interconnecting one said conductive member with at least one other said conductive member.

2. The probe station of claim 1 having only two said conductive members.

3. The probe station of claim 1 including an outer conductive member at least partially surrounding at least one other said conductive member.