Testing of electronic circuits using an active probe integrated circuit

• US 8,928,343 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scanimetrics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Scanimetrics, Inc.
• Inventors: Sellathamby, Christopher V., Slupsky, Steven, Moore, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tung X
• Application Number:
  US12/594,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,469 Days
• Field of Search: 32475401-7543, 32476201-7621, 32475501-75511
• US Class Current: 324/754.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06711 Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06722 Spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06727 Cantilever beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07307 with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
• 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: G01R 1/07385 using switching of signals between probe tips and test bed, i.e. the standard contact matrix which in its turn connects to the tester
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318505 Test of Modular systems, e.g. Wafers, MCM's
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for transmission/reception of signals between automatic test equipment (ATE) and a device under test (DUT). A probe card has a plurality of associated proximate active probe integrated circuits (APIC) connected to a plurality of probes. Each APIC interfaces with one or more test interface points on the DUT through probes. Each APIC receives and processes signals communicated between the ATE and the DUT. Low information content signals transmitted from the ATE are processed into high information content signals for transmission to the probe immediately adjacent the APIC, and high information content or time critical signals received by the APIC from the DUT are transmitted as low information content signals to the ATE. Because the APIC is immediately adjacent the probe there is minimum loss or distortion of the information in the signal from the DUT.

Claims

1. A probe card comprising:

at least one reprogrammable active probe integrated circuit (APIC) positioned immediately adjacent and coupled to at least one probe array on a common substrate, the APIC being manufactured to test more than one device under test (DUT) with more than one different physical architecture, the at least one probe array being physically configurable to suit a DUT having a physical architecture capable of being tested by the APIC and the APIC being programmed to perform at least one desired signal transformation to suit the at least one probe array and the DUT, to provide power to the DUT, or to perform a desired signal transformation and provide power to the DUT.

2. The probe card of claim 1, wherein the probe array comprises one or more probes and is physically reconfigurable by repositioning one or more probes, actuating one or more probes or bending one or more probes.

3. The probe card of claim 1, wherein the APIC is integrally formed with at least one probe in the probe array.

4. The probe card of claim 1, further comprising at least one control signal channel, wherein, during operation:

the probe array transmits a test signal from the APIC to the DUT and transmits a test response signal from the DUT to the APIC; and

at least one control signal channel transmits a control signal from a test controller in parallel or in series to the APIC, and at least one control signal channel transmits a control response signal from the at least one APIC to the test controller;

the at least one APIC performing the desired signal transformation on at least one of the control signal and the control response signal.

5. The probe card of claim 4, wherein at least one of the control signal channels is one of a wireless channel, an electrical channel, an RF channel or a light channel.

6. The probe card of claim 1, wherein the probe array is reconfigurable by bending one or more probes, by actuating one or more probes or by removing and repositioning one or more probes.

7. The probe card of claim 1, wherein the probe array comprises one or more probes.

8. The probe card of claim 7, wherein each probe is one of a cantilever probe, vertical probe, cobra probe, solder ball, microspring, a MEMS probe, a non-contact probe and a resilient contact.

9. The probe card of claim 1, comprising more than one APIC, wherein each APIC is programmed to conduct at least one specific test on the DUT.

10. The probe card of claim 1, wherein the APIC is positioned at a proximate end of the associated probe, a distal end of the associated probe or at a position between the proximate end and the distal end of the associated probe.

11. The probe card of claim 1, wherein at least one APIC is coupled with a probe in a one to one relationship.

12. The probe card of claim 1, comprising more than one APIC coupled to one of the at least one probe array.

13. A probe card comprising:

at least one probe of claim 1; and

at least one control signal channel for transmitting a control signal from a test controller to the APIC, wherein, in operation;

the probe transmits a test signal from the APIC to the DUT and transmits a test response signal from the DUT to the APIC;

at least one control signal channel transmits a control signal from a test controller in parallel or in series to at least one APIC, and at least one control signal channel transmits a control response signal from the at least one APIC to the test controller; and

the at least one APIC performing the desired signal transformation on at least one of the control signal and the control response signal.

14. The probe card of claim 13, wherein the at least one probe comprises a probe array, and wherein the probe array is reconfigurable by bending one or more probes, by actuating one or more probes or by removing and repositioning one or more probes.

15. A method of forming a probe card, the method comprising the steps of:

characterizing a device under test (DUT) having a physical architecture;

physically configuring a probe array based on the characterization of the characterized DUT;

coupling at least one programmable active probe integrated circuit (APIC) to the physically configured probe array, the APIC being manufactured to test the characterized DUT and at least one DUT having a physical architecture that is different than the characterized DUT;

reprogramming the at least one APIC to perform a desired signal transformation, to provide power to the DUT, or to perform a desired signal transformation and provide power to the DUT based on the characterization of the DUT.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of integrally forming at least one APIC with or placing at least one APIC immediately adjacent to a probe in the probe array.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

providing at least one control signal channel;

transmitting a control signal through at least one control signal channel from a test controller in parallel or in series to the APIC;

transmitting a test signal through at least one probe in the probe array from the APIC to the DUT in response to the control signal;

transmitting a test response signal through at least one probe in the probe array from the DUT to the APIC in response to the test signal;

transmitting a control response signal through at least one control signal channel from the APIC to the test controller; and

the at least one APIC performing the desired signal ansformation on at least one of the control signal and the control response signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting at least one of the test signal and the test response signal comprises transmitting a signal selected from a group consisting of:

RF signals, analog signals, digital signals, the control signal and the control response signal are signals having a frequency below RF signal.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein reconfiguring the probe array comprises bending one or more probes or removing and repositioning one or more probes.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one APIC is coupled with a probe in a one to one relationship.

21. The method of claim 15, comprising more than one APIC coupled to one of the at least one probe array.