Contact plate for use in standardizing tester channels of a tester system and a standardization system having such a contact plate

• US 7,323,861 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polaris Innovations Limited (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Bucksch, Thorsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Ha Tran
• Assistant Examiner(s): ISLA RODAS, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US11/065,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20050200372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/750.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention provides a standardization module for use in standardizing tester channels of a tester unit using a standardization unit for making contact with contact faces which are connected to the tester channels and for standardizing the tester channels. The standardization module has a first surface on which first contact faces are arranged in such a way that contact can be made by a contact making card of the tester unit with the first contact faces in a defined fashion. The standardization module has a second surface on which second contact faces are arranged in such a way that contact can be made with the second contact faces using the standardization unit. Each of the first contact faces is respectively connected to one of the second contact faces.

Claims

1. A standardization module for standardizing tester channels of a tester unit using a standardization unit, comprising:

a first surface on which a plurality of first contact faces are arranged on a first plane for connecting to the tester channels, wherein the plurality of first contact faces are configured to make direct physical contact in a planar manner, with respect to the first plane, with a plurality of contact-making needles of a contact-making card of the tester unit, the contact-making needles being configured to make direct physical contact with one or more integrated circuits formed on a wafer; and

a second surface on which a plurality of second contact faces are arranged for selectable contact with a moveable measuring tip of the standardization unit; and

a plurality of connections respectively connecting each one of the first contact faces to a respective one of the second contact faces wherein the first contact faces are arranged according to a first pattern on the first surface and the second contact faces are arranged according to a second pattern on the second surface, the first and second patterns being different, wherein each second contact face has a larger surface area than the respectively connected first contact face.

2. The standardization module of claim 1, wherein the arrangement of the first contact faces corresponds to an arrangement of one or more integrated circuits on a wafer which are designed to be tested utilizing the contact making card of the tester unit.

3. The standardization module of claim 1, wherein the first and the second contact faces are respectively connected such that the plurality of connections have substantially same transmission properties with respect to signal attenuation and signal delay.

4. The standardization module of claim 1, wherein the standardization module is made from one of a ceramic material and a multi-layer ceramic.

5. The standardization module of claim 1, wherein the first and the second contact faces are respectively connected such that the plurality of connections have substantially same transmission properties with respect to signal attenuation and signal delay.

6. A standardization system for standardizing tester channels of a tester unit, comprising:

a standardization unit; and

a standardization module, comprising;

a first surface on which a plurality of first contact faces are arranged in a first plane for connecting to the tester channels, wherein the plurality of first contact faces are configured to make direct physical contact in a planar manner, with respect to the first plane, with a plurality of contact-making needles of a contact-making card of the tester unit, the contact-making needles configured to make direct physical contact with one or more integrated circuits on a wafer; and

a second surface on which a plurality of second contact faces are arranged for selectable contact with the standardization unit; and

a plurality of connections respectively connecting each one of the first contact faces to a respective one of the second contact faces wherein the first contact faces are arranged according to a first pattern on the first surface and wherein the second contact faces are arranged according to a second pattern, different from the first pattern, on the second surface, and wherein each second contact face has a larger surface area than the respectively connected first contact face.

7. The standardization system of claim 6, wherein the standardization unit includes a moveable contact element for making selective contact with one or more of the second contact faces.

8. The standardization system of claim 6, wherein the standardization unit is configured for conducting measurements on housed components.

9. The standardization system of claim 6, wherein the first and the second contact faces are respectively connected such that the plurality of connections have substantially same transmission properties with respect to signal attenuation and signal delay.

10. The standardization system of claim 6, wherein the first and the second contact faces are respectively connected such that the plurality of connections have substantially same transmission properties with respect to signal attenuation and signal delay.

11. A tester system, comprising:

a tester unit comprising a contact making card having a plurality of contact making needles and a tester having a plurality of test channels connected to the plurality of contact-making needles of the contact making card, wherein the contact-making needles are configured to make direct physical contact in a planar manner, with respect to the first plane, with one or more integrated circuits on a wafer;

a standardization unit having a measuring tip; and

a standardization module, comprising;

a first surface on which a plurality of first contact faces are arranged in a first plane for connecting to the tester channels, wherein the plurality of first contact faces are configured to make direct physical contact in a planar manner with the plurality of contact-making needles of the contact-making card of the tester unit; and

a second surface on which a plurality of second contact faces are arranged for selectable contact with the measuring tip of the standardization unit; and

a plurality of connections respectively connecting each one of the first contact faces to a respective one of the second contact faces wherein the first contact faces are arranged according to a first pattern on the first surface and wherein the second contact faces are arranged according to a second pattern, different from the first pattern, on the second surface, and wherein each second contact face has a larger surface area than the respectively connected first contact face.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and the second contact faces are respectively connected such that the plurality of connections have substantially same transmission properties with respect to signal attenuation and signal delay.

13. The tester system of claim 11, wherein the test channels comprise a dual transmission line system.

14. The tester system of claim 11, wherein the first and the second contact faces are respectively connected such that the plurality of connections have substantially same transmission properties with respect to signal attenuation and signal delay.