High-frequency cobra probe

• US 8,994,393 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ding, Hanyi, Green, Barton E., Ferrario, John, St. Pierre, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vazquez, Arleen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alejnikov, Jr., Robert P
• Application Number:
  US13/605,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 324/755.06, 324/755.11, 324/755.01
• US Class Current: 324/755.06
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07357 with flexible bodies, e.g. buckling beams
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A test device including cobra probes and a method of manufacturing is disclosed. The test device includes a conductive upper plate having an upper guide hole and a conductive lower plate having a lower guide hole. The test device also includes a conductive cobra probe disposed between the upper guide hole of the upper plate and the lower guide hole of the lower plate. A dielectric material insulates the cobra probe from the upper plate and the lower plate.

Claims

1. A test device, comprising

a conductive upper plate having an upper guide hole;

a conductive lower plate having a lower guide hole;

a conductive cobra probe disposed between the upper guide hole of the upper plate and the lower guide hole of the lower plate;

one or more dummy probes flanking the cobra probe; and

a dielectric material insulating the cobra probe from the upper plate and the lower plate,

wherein;

a lower end of the one or more dummy probes is contacting an interior surface of the lower plate;

the lower plate is connected to an electrical ground; and

an upper end of the one or more dummy probes is electrically grounded.

2. The test device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material clads surfaces of the cobra probe.

3. The test device if claim 1, wherein the dielectric material clads surfaces of the upper guide hole and the lower guide hole.

4. The test device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material clads the one or more dummy probes.

5. A test device comprising

an upper plate having an upper guide hole;

a lower plate having a lower guide hole;

a conductive cobra probe disposed between the upper guide hole of the upper plate and the lower guide hole of the lower plate; and

one or more dummy probes disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate flanking the cobra probe,

wherein;

the upper plate and the lower plate are comprised of a dielectric material;

a lower end of the one or more dummy probes contact a conductive plate mounted on the lower plate; and

the conductive plate is on an interior of the lower plate and is connected to a ground plane disposed on an opposite surface of the lower plate by at least one conductive via through the lower plate.

6. The test device of claim 5, wherein an upper end of the one or more dummy probes is electrically grounded.

7. The test device of claim 5, wherein a dielectric material clads the cobra probe and the one or more dummy probes.

8. The test device of claim 5, wherein a dielectric material clads the upper guide holes and the lower guide holes.

9. The test device of claim 5, wherein:

the lower plate comprises an upper dielectric layer, a lower dielectric layer, and a conductive layer sandwiched between the upper dielectric layer and the lower dielectric layer;

the conductive layer is electrically grounded; and

the lower ends of the one or more dummy probes contact the conductive layer via holes in the upper dielectric layer of the lower plate.

10. A method of forming a test device, comprising:

arranging a conductive cobra probe between an upper guide hole of an upper plate and a lower guide hole of a lower plate connected to an electrical ground;

insulating the cobra probe from the upper plate and the lower plate using a dielectric material; and

providing one or more dummy probes flanking the cobra probe, wherein the one or more dummy probes are provided such that a lower end of the one or more dummy probes is contacting an interior surface of the lower plate, and an upper end of the one or more dummy probes is electrically grounded.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming the upper plate and the lower plate from an electrically conductive material.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the insulating the cobra probe comprises cladding the cobra probe with a dielectric material.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the insulating the cobra probe comprises cladding the upper guide hole and the lower guide hole with a dielectric material.