RECONFIGURABLE ELECTRIC FIELD PROBE

• US 20140132297A1
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Yun, Changhan Hobie, Kim, Dong Wook, Hwang, Kyu-Pyung, Song, Young K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,151,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/750.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07 Non contact-making probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/002 where the device under test is an electronic circuit

Abstract

Systems and methods for EMC, EMI and ESD testing are described. A probe comprises a center conductor extending along an axis of the probe, a probe tip, and a shield coaxially aligned with the center conductor and configured to provide electromagnetic screening for the probe tip. One or more actuators may change the relative positions of the probe tip and shield with respect to a device under test, thereby enabling control of sensitivity and resolution of the probe.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) probe, comprising:

a center conductor extending along an axis of the EMC probe and having a probe tip at one end;

a shield coaxially aligned with the axial conductor and configured to provide electromagnetic screening for the probe tip; and

at least one actuator configured to axially translate the probe tip or the shield and thereby change the position of the probe tip relative to the shield.

2. The EMC probe of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator moves the probe tip along the axis such that a first distance measured between the probe tip and a device under test (DUT) is changed while a second distance measured between the shield and the DUT remains unchanged.

3. The EMC probe of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator moves the shield in a direction parallel to the axial conductor without moving the probe tip such that a first distance measured between the shield and a DUT is changed.

4. The EMC probe of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator comprises one or more of:

an actuator operative to move the probe tip along the axis such that a first distance measured between the probe tip and the DUT is increased or decreased; and

an actuator that moves the shield in a direction parallel to the axial conductor such that a second distance measured between the shield and a DUT is changed.

5. The EMC probe of claim 4, wherein the probe tip is adapted to detect an electric field proximate to an area of interest on a surface of the DUT.

6. The EMC probe of claim 5, wherein the first distance is selected to obtain a desired sensitivity of the EMC probe to the electric field.

7. The EMC probe of claim 5, wherein the second distance determines size of the area of interest.

8. The EMC probe of claim 4, wherein the probe tip is adapted to create an electric field proximate to an area of interest on a surface of the DUT.

9. The EMC probe of claim 8, wherein the first distance is selected to control the strength of the electric field.

10. The EMC probe of claim 8, wherein the second distance determines size of the area of interest.

11. The EMC probe of claim 4, wherein the EMC probe is adapted to measure electromagnetic radiation detected by the probe tip, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is generated at an area of interest on a surface of the DUT, or transmitted through the area of interest on the surface of the DUT.

12. The EMC probe of claim 11, wherein the first distance is selected to obtain a desired sensitivity of the EMC probe to the electromagnetic radiation.

13. The EMC probe of claim 11, wherein the second distance determines size of the area of interest.

14. The EMC probe of claim 4, wherein the EMC probe is adapted to transmit electromagnetic radiation through the probe tip toward an area of interest on a surface of the DUT.

15. The EMC probe of claim 14, wherein the first distance is selected to control power of the electromagnetic radiation at the area of interest.

16. The EMC probe of claim 14, wherein the second distance determines size of the area of interest.

17. The EMC probe of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator is controlled by a computing device.

18. The EMC probe of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator comprises one or more of an electromechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, an electrostatic actuator, and a solenoid.

19. The EMC probe of claim 1, wherein the EMC probe is one of a plurality of collocated probes, wherein two or more of the collocated probes target different areas of a DUT.

20. The EMC probe of claim 19, wherein the collocated probes include an array of probes.

21. The EMC probe of claim 19, wherein the collocated probes comprise micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) actuators provided on a semiconductor device.

22. The EMC probe of claim 1, further comprising:

a substantially cylindrical housing surrounding the shield and the center conductor; and

a dielectric disposed between the shield and the center conductor.

23. A method for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing, comprising:

positioning a probe proximate to a device under test (DUT), wherein the probe comprises a center conductor extending along an axis of the probe and having a probe tip at one end and a shield coaxially aligned with the center conductor and configured to provide electromagnetic screening for the probe tip;

targeting an area of interest on the DUT by adjusting a geometry between the probe tip and the shield; and

performing at least one EMC test on the DUT.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein targeting the area of interest includes selecting the extent of the area of interest and adjusting the shield to electromagnetically screen the probe tip from electrical fields outside the area of interest.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein adjusting the shield includes moving the shield in a direction parallel to the center conductor.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising adjusting sensitivity of the probe by axially translating the probe tip or the shield and thereby change the position of the probe tip relative to the shield.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising controlling one or more actuators to select the geometry between the probe tip and the shield, wherein each of the one or more actuators is operative to move the shield in the direction parallel to the center conductor, or is operative to axially translate the probe tip.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the one or more actuators comprises one or more of an electromechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, an electrostatic actuator, and a solenoid.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein performing the at least one EMC test comprises measuring an electric field proximate to the area of interest.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein performing the at least one EMC test comprises creating an electric field proximate to the area of interest.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein performing the at least one EMC test comprises measuring an electromagnetic radiation emanating from the area of interest.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein performing the at least one EMC test comprises transmitting electromagnetic radiation toward the area of interest.

33. An apparatus for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing, comprising:

means for positioning a probe proximate to a device under test (DUT), wherein the probe comprises a center conductor extending along an axis of the probe and having a probe tip at one end and a shield coaxially aligned with the center conductor and configured to provide electromagnetic screening for the probe tip;

means for targeting an area of interest on the DUT by adjusting a geometry between the probe tip and the shield; and

means for performing at least one EMC test on the DUT.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for targeting the area of interest selects the extent of the area of interest and adjusts the shield to electromagnetically screen the probe tip from electrical fields outside the area of interest.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the means for adjusting the shield moves the shield in a direction parallel to the center conductor.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising means for adjusting sensitivity of the probe by axially translating the probe tip or the shield and thereby change the position of the probe tip relative to the shield.

37. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising means for controlling one or more actuators to select the geometry between the probe tip and the shield, wherein each of the one or more actuators is operative to move the shield in the direction parallel to the center conductor, or is operative to axially translate the probe tip.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the one or more actuators comprises one or more of an electromechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, an electrostatic actuator, and a solenoid.

39. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for performing at least one EMC test measures an electric field proximate to the area of interest.

40. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for performing at least one EMC test creates an electric field proximate to the area of interest.

41. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for performing at least one EMC test measures an electromagnetic radiation emanating from the area of interest.

42. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for performing at least one EMC test transmits electromagnetic radiation toward the area of interest.

43. An apparatus for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

position a probe proximate to a device under test (DUT), wherein the probe comprises a center conductor extending along an axis of the probe and having a probe tip at one end and a shield coaxially aligned with the center conductor and configured to provide electromagnetic screening for the probe tip;

target an area of interest on the DUT by adjusting a geometry between the probe tip and the shield; and

perform at least one EMC test on the DUT.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processing system targets the area of interest by selecting the extent of the area of interest and adjusting the shield to electromagnetically screen the probe tip from electrical fields outside the area of interest.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the processing system adjusts the shield by moving the shield in a direction parallel to the center conductor.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the processing system is further configured to adjust sensitivity of the probe by axially translating the probe tip or the shield and thereby change the position of the probe tip relative to the shield.

47. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processing system is further configured to control one or more actuators to select the geometry between the probe tip and the shield, wherein each of the one or more actuators is operative to move the shield in the direction parallel to the center conductor, or is operative to axially translate the probe tip.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the one or more actuators comprises one or more of an electromechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, an electrostatic actuator, and a solenoid.

49. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processing system performs the at least one EMC test by measuring an electric field proximate to the area of interest.

50. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processing system performs the at least one EMC test by creating an electric field proximate to the area of interest.

51. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processing system performs the at least one EMC test by measuring an electromagnetic radiation emanating from the area of interest.

52. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processing system performs the at least one EMC test by transmitting electromagnetic radiation toward the area of interest.

53. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

positioning a probe proximate to a device under test (DUT), wherein the probe comprises a center conductor extending along an axis of the probe and having a probe tip at one end and a shield coaxially aligned with the center conductor and configured to provide electromagnetic screening for the probe tip;

targeting an area of interest on the DUT by adjusting a geometry between the probe tip and the shield; and

performing at least one EMC test on the DUT.

54. The computer program product of claim 53, wherein targeting the area of interest includes selecting the extent of the area of interest and adjusting the shield to electromagnetically screen the probe tip from electrical fields outside the area of interest.

55. The computer program product of claim 54, wherein adjusting the shield includes moving the shield in a direction parallel to the center conductor.

56. The computer program product of claim 55, further comprising code for adjusting sensitivity of the probe by axially translating the probe tip or the shield and thereby change the position of the probe tip relative to the shield.

57. The computer program product of claim 53, further comprising code for controlling one or more actuators to select the geometry between the probe tip and the shield, wherein each of the one or more actuators is operative to move the shield in the direction parallel to the center conductor, or is operative to axially translate the probe tip.

58. The computer program product of claim 57, wherein the one or more actuators comprises one or more of an electromechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, an electrostatic actuator, and a solenoid.

59. The computer program product of claim 53, wherein performing the at least one EMC test comprises measuring an electric field proximate to the area of interest.

60. The computer program product of claim 53, wherein performing the at least one EMC test comprises creating an electric field proximate to the area of interest.

61. The computer program product of claim 53, wherein performing the at least one EMC test comprises measuring an electromagnetic radiation emanating from the area of interest.

62. The computer program product of claim 53, wherein performing the at least one EMC test comprises transmitting electromagnetic radiation toward the area of interest.