Membrane probing method using improved contact

• US 7,761,986 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2003
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Beaverton, Inc. (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cascade Microtech Incorporated (FormFactor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Kenneth, Koxxy, Martin, Gleason, Reed, Bayne, Michael A., Lesher, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Rick K
• Application Number:
  US10/705,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,451 Days
• Field of Search: 294/261, 298/82, 298/46, 298/74, 298/76, 438 14- 15, 324/754, 324/758
• US Class Current: 29/876
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06733 Geometry aspects G01R1/06727 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06738 related to tip portion
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0735 arranged on a flexible frame or film
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of measuring instruments , e.g. of probe tips
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2414 conductive elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2464 characterized by the contact point
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/20 by affixing prefabricated conductor pattern H05K1/187, H05K3/046, H05K3/4658, H05K3/4682 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4007 Surface contacts, e.g. bumps H05K3/4092 takes precedence; deposition of finish layers on pads H05K3/24; forming solder bumps H05K3/3457
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49121 Beam lead frame or beam lead device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49139 by inserting component lead or terminal into base aperture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49165 by forming conductive walled aperture in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 : by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49218 : with deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49815 : Disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49824 : to elastically deform work part or connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53509 : Means to assemble tire stud into tire tread

Abstract

A method of probing an electrical device using a membrane probing system having an improved contact. A membrane probe forms a contact having a ridge with a pair of inclined surfaces defining an acute angle such that, when pressed into an electrical pad of a device to be tested, the ridge penetrates into the electrical pad, shearing away any oxide on the surface of the pad. The device may then be tested.

Claims

1. A probing assembly for probing an electrical device comprising:

(a) a pair of contacts formed by locating conductive material within a plurality of depressions of a sacrificial substrate, each contact having a length and a contacting portion located nearer a first end of said length than a second end of said length, said contacting portions spaced apart but nearer to each other than said second ends are to one another and sufficiently near to each other to enable simultaneous contact with a single contact pad of said electrical device;

(b) each contact being electrically connected to a corresponding conductor; and

(c) an elastic assembly operating in respect to each contact to urge each contact, wherein each of said contacts is supported by a single continuous surface of said elastic assembly, when placed into pressing engagement with said electrical device, into tilting motion so that each contact is driven in accordance with said tilting motion into lateral scrubbing movement across said device, so that said lateral scrubbing movement of a first contact is opposite to that of the other contact of said pair.

2. The probing assembly for claim 1 wherein said elastic assembly comprises an elastomeric member having a first surface substantially resisting outward displacement normal to said first surface.

3. The probing assembly of claim 1 wherein each one of said contacts is tiltable independently of the other one of said contacts.

4. The probing assembly of claim 1 further including a base arranged substantially parallel to a surface of said electrical device, said elastic assembly being coupled to said base so as to enable portions of said surface of said elastic assembly to automatically tilt relative to said base in response to pressing engagement between said pair of contacts and said electrical device.

5. The probing assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said contacts has a downwardly protruding contacting portion.

6. The probing assembly of claim 1 wherein a first contact of said pair of contacts is electrically connected to a force connection of a Kelvin testing arrangement and a second contact of said pair of contacts is electrically connected to a sense connection of said Kelvin testing arrangement.