High performance probe system

• US 7,443,181 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington; Jermele M
• Application Number:
  US11/758,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20070229100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/755.03
• 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 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31905 Interface with the device under test [DUT], e.g. arrangements between the test head and the DUT, mechanical aspects, fixture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A probe system for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and input/output, power and ground pads on the surfaces of ICs to be tested includes a probe board assembly, a flex cable and a set of probes arranged to contact the IC'"'"'s I/O pads. The probe board assembly includes one or more rigid substrate layers with traces and vias formed on or within the substrate layers providing relatively low bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing some of the IC'"'"'s pads. The flex cable provides relatively high bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing others of the IC'"'"'s pads.

Claims

1. A probe card assembly for testing integrated circuits (ICs) with an IC tester, the probe card assembly comprising:

a support substrate having a plurality of contact pads thereon;

a plurality of probes for electrically connecting to pads on the IC, each of the plurality of probes mounted to respective contact pads on the support substrate and having a tip end; and

a flexible cable conductively linked to at least a portion of the plurality of probes at a point on a respective probe between the contact pad and the tip end, the flexible cable capable of carrying a plurality of electronic signals from the IC tester to the respective probes.

2. The probe card assembly of claim 1, further comprising a connector on one end of the flexible cable and wherein the connector is adapted to be attached to a corresponding connector to the IC tester.

3. The probe card assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a wiring substrate having a plurality of conductive traces and a plurality of connectors, the plurality of connecters adapted to be attached to the IC tester and carry signals from the IC tester to the conductive traces, and

the flexible cable is connected to one or more of the conductive traces.

4. The probe card assembly of claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of connectors are on a first surface of the wiring substrate and the flexible cable is connected on a second opposing surface of the wiring substrate.

5. The probe card assembly of claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of connectors are on a first surface of the wiring substrate and the flexible cable is connected on the first surface of the wiring substrate.

6. The probe card assembly of claim 3, further comprising a connector on one end of the flexible cable, and

wherein a first plurality of signals are conductively linked from the wiring substrate to a corresponding plurality of the probes through the support substrate and a second plurality of signals are conductively linked to the connector on one end of the flexible cable.

7. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein electrically conductive portions of the flexible cable physically contact the plurality of probes at the point on the respective probe between the contact pad and the tip end.

8. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein each probe comprises an elongate body between the tip end and an end of the probe attached to the contact pad.

9. The probe card assembly of claim 8, where the elongate body comprises a spring.

10. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein the contact pads are electrically conductive.

11. The probe card assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible cable is physically connected directly to the point on the respective probe between the contact pad and the tip end.