Tester channel to multiple IC terminals
First Claim
1. A probe assembly comprising:
- a plurality of tester contacts disposed to connect to channels of a tester;
a plurality of device contact elements disposed to contact device terminals;
a first substrate comprising a plurality of first electrical connections;
a second substrate comprising a plurality of second electrical connections, wherein ones of said second electrical connections are electrically connected to ones of said first electrical connections to form signal paths from ones of said tester contacts to ones of said device contact elements, wherein a first of said signal paths electrically connects a first one of said tester contacts with a first set of two or more of said device contact elements; and
a resistor disposed on one of said first substrate or said second substrate, said resistor disposed within one of said signal pathswherein portions of said one of said signal paths have characteristic impedances and said resistor is in addition to said characteristic impedances.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A probe card provides signal paths between integrated circuit (IC) tester channels and probes accessing input and output pads of ICs to be tested. When a single tester channel is to access multiple (N) IC pads, the probe card provides a branching path linking the channel to each of the N IC input pads. Each branch of the test signal distribution path includes a resistor for isolating the IC input pad accessed via that branch from all other branches of the path so that a fault on that IC pad does not substantially affect the voltage of signals appearing on any other IC pad. When a single tester channel is to monitor output signals produced at N IC pads, the resistance in each branch of the signal path linking the pads of the tester channel is uniquely sized to that the voltage of the input signal supplied to the tester channel is a function of the combination of logic states of the signals produced at the N IC pads. The tester channel measures the voltage of its input signal so that the logic state of the signals produced at each of the N IC output pads can be determined from the measured voltage.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A probe assembly comprising:
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a plurality of tester contacts disposed to connect to channels of a tester; a plurality of device contact elements disposed to contact device terminals; a first substrate comprising a plurality of first electrical connections; a second substrate comprising a plurality of second electrical connections, wherein ones of said second electrical connections are electrically connected to ones of said first electrical connections to form signal paths from ones of said tester contacts to ones of said device contact elements, wherein a first of said signal paths electrically connects a first one of said tester contacts with a first set of two or more of said device contact elements; and a resistor disposed on one of said first substrate or said second substrate, said resistor disposed within one of said signal paths wherein portions of said one of said signal paths have characteristic impedances and said resistor is in addition to said characteristic impedances. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A probe assembly comprising:
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a plurality of tester contacts disposed to connect to channels of a tester; a plurality of device contact elements disposed to contact device terminals; a first substrate comprising a plurality of first electrical connections; a second substrate comprising a plurality of second electrical connections, wherein ones of said second electrical connections are electrically connected to ones of said first electrical connections to form signal paths from ones of said tester contacts to ones of said device contact elements, and wherein said second substrate comprises an interposer electrically connecting said first electrical connections to said device contact elements; a third substrate, wherein said device contact elements are disposed on said third substrate, and a resistor disposed on one of said first substrate, said second substrate, or said third substrate, said resistor disposed within one of said signal paths, wherein portions of said one of said signal paths have characteristic impedances and said resistor is in addition to said characteristic impedances. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification