Probe card assembly with a dielectric strip structure coupled to a side of at least a portion of the probes

• US 7,495,459 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SV Probe Pte Ltd. (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SV Probe Pte Ltd. (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Tunaboylu, Bahadir, Kilicaslan, Habib
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PARESH H
• Application Number:
  US11/837,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/750.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence

Abstract

A probe card assembly for providing electrical interconnection between a semiconductor device to be tested and a test system is provided. The probe card assembly includes a plurality of probes supported by a support substrate, each of the plurality of probes including an end portion extending away from the support substrate. The end portion is configured to be electrically connected to a semiconductor device to be tested. The probe card assembly also includes a dielectric sheet positioned between the support substrate and the end portion of the plurality of probes such that the probes extend through apertures defined by the dielectric sheet.

Claims

1. A probe card assembly for providing electrical interconnection between a semiconductor device to be tested and a test system, the probe card assembly comprising:

a plurality of probes supported by a support substrate, each of the plurality of probes including an end portion extending away from the support substrate, the end portion being configured to be electrically connected to a semiconductor device to be tested; and

a dielectric strip coupled to a side of at least a portion of the plurality of probes at a position on the portion of the plurality of probes between the support substrate and the end portion of the portion of the plurality of probes.

2. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of probes comprises signal probes and power probes, and wherein the dielectric strip is coupled to at least a portion of the power probes.

3. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the dielectric strip includes an adhesive surface for coupling to the portion of the plurality of probes.

4. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electrically conductive material disposed on the dielectric strip, the electrically conductive material being disposed on a surface of the dielectric strip opposite the portion of the plurality of probes.

5. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the electrically conductive material is along substantially an entire length of the surface of the dielectric strip opposite the portion of the plurality of probes.

6. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the electrically conductive material is provided as a series of metallic contacts on a surface of the dielectric strip opposite the portion of the plurality of probes, the metallic contacts being positioned substantially opposite the respective probes.

7. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 1, comprising one or more other dielectric strips coupled to the side of the portion of the portion of the plurality of probes at one or more other positions on the portion of the plurality of probes between the support substrate and the end portion of the portion of the plurality of probes.

8. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the dielectric strip has a dielectric coefficient of at least about 10.

9. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the dielectric strip has a dielectric constant of at least about 100.

10. The probe card assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the support substrate is a space transformer.