Wafer probe

• US 7,456,646 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Andrews, Mike, Martin, John, Hayden, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen; Ernest F
• Application Number:
  US11/975,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20080042677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 324/762, 297/05, 298/27
• US Class Current: 324/755.11
• 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 method of constructing a probe, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a circuit board including a plurality of conductive traces and a securement for a support;

(b) consolidating a plurality of elongate contact fingers each comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, said plurality of contact fingers maintained as a unity assembly by a tab interconnecting said contact fingers proximate one end of said contact fingers such that said plurality of contact fingers are maintained in a predetermined alignment with said first end portions spaced for contacting respective ones of a plurality of pads of a device under test and said second end portions spaced to engage respective ones of said conductive traces;

(c) conductively bonding said second end portions of said plurality of contact fingers to respective conductive traces, said first ends of said contact fingers extending beyond an edge of said circuit board; and

(d) removing said tab from said contact fingers.

2. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 wherein said tab is removed from said plurality of contact fingers prior to probing a device under test.

3. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 wherein an elongate contact finger defines a longitudinal axis connecting said first end portion and said second end portion and a plurality of said contact fingers are arranged with respective longitudinal axes converging at a point more distant from said respective second end portions of said contact fingers than from said respective first end portions thereof and more distant from said respective second end portions than said respective first end portions.

4. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 further comprising the step of interconnecting a resistor-capacitor network supported by said circuit board to at least one of said contact fingers.

5. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 wherein said circuit board is substantially planar.

6. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 wherein said unitary assembly includes a tab proximate the first end portions of said plurality of contact fingers that maintains said contact fingers in said predetermined alignment.

7. The method of constructing a probe of claim 6 wherein said tab is removed prior to probing with said contact fingers.

8. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 wherein said respective traces are electrically interconnected to a connector suitable to interconnect to test equipment.

9. The method of constructing a probe of claim 7 wherein said removal of said tab leaves the first end portion of each of said plurality of contact fingers in a predetermined position.

10. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 wherein said plurality of contact fingers is greater than three.

11. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 wherein said circuit board includes additional electrical elements interconnected to said contact fingers.

12. The method of constructing a probe of claim 1 further comprising the step of securing said circuit board to a base, said circuit board inclined with respect to said base.

13. The method of constructing a probe of claim 12 wherein said circuit board includes additional electrical elements interconnected to said contact fingers.