Wafer probe

• US 7,233,160 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Beaverton, Inc. (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Andrews, Mike, Martin, John, Hayden, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): KARLSEN, ERNEST F
• Application Number:
  US09/997,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: 324/754, 324/758, 324/762
• US Class Current: 324/755.07
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06772 High frequency probes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49121 Beam lead frame or beam lead device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49147 Assembling terminal to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a probe for testing of integrated circuits or other microelectronic devices.

Claims

1. A probe comprising:

(a) a substantially rigid support base;

(b) a substantially and uniformly flexible circuit board attached and inclined with respect to said support base, wherein said circuit board includes a resistor-capacitor network comprising a first set of capacitors connected between adjacent power and ground transmission lines, and a second set of capacitors are not adjacent said power and ground transmission lines connected respectively to said first set of capacitors;

(c) an integrated tip assembly comprising a plurality of contact fingers supported by and extending from said circuit board, wherein said contact fingers are interconnected with said circuit board and are arranged as a unity assembly, wherein said plurality of contact fingers are maintained in a predetermined alignment when attached to said support by a tab proximate the ends of said plurality of contact fingers.

2. The probe of claim 1 wherein a plurality of said contact fingers extend in a radially outward direction from said base.

3. The probe of claim 2 wherein the arrangement of said contact fingers match the geometry of e contacting pads on a device under test.

4. The probe of claim 1 wherein said unitary assembly includes a tab proximate the ends of said plurality of contact fingers that maintains said contact fingers in said predetermined alignment.

5. The probe of claim 4 wherein said tab is removed prior to probing with said contact fingers.

6. The probe of claim 1 wherein said circuit board includes a respective trace for each of said contact fingers.

7. The probe of claim 6 wherein said respective traces are electrically interconnected to a connector suitable to interconnect to test equipment.

8. The probe of claim 5 wherein said removal of said tab leaves the ends of each of said plurality of contact fingers in a predetermined position.

9. The probe of claim 1 wherein said plurality of contact fingers is greater than three.