Integrated circuit testing apparatus

• US 6,552,555 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1999
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Custom One Design, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Custom One Design, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Andrew D., Most, Robert A., Dannen, Patrick G., Nuytkens, Peter R., Bromberg, Lev, Mitwalli, Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERVEROS, DEMETRIOS C
• Application Number:
  US09/443,849
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 324/754, 324/755, 324/761, 324/763, 324/765, 324/757, 324/760, 324/758, 439/482, 439/86
• US Class Current: 324/750.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2886 Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06

Abstract

An integrated circuit testing apparatus includes a probe card and a probe unit. The probe unit includes a plurality of conductive elastic bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to the probe card. The testing apparatus can further includes a substrate disposed between the probe card and the probe unit, and a flexible member disposed adjacent the substrate.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive elastomeric bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

wherein the probe card is in electrical communications with the plurality of conductive elastomeric bumps through a via which extends through a substrate supporting the bumps;

further comprising a flexible member disposed adjacent the substrate and a flexible conductor disposed within the flexible member for communication with the via.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible conductor comprises a gold fuzz ball.

3. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive elastomeric bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

wherein the probe,unit further comprises a plurality of ground pads disposed between a plurality of striplines and the bumps, where each stripline is connected to a respective bump;

wherein one of the plurality of striplines forms a laser trimmable flange of a waveguide.

4. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive elastomeric bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

further comprising a substrate disposed between the probe card and the probe unit;

wherein the probe unit further comprises one of an active or a passive component embedded within the probe unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the component comprises a capacitor.

6. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

wherein the probe card is in electrical communications with the plurality of conductive bumps through a via which extends through a substrate supporting the bumps;

further comprising a flexible member disposed adjacent the substrate and a flexible -conductor disposed within the flexible member for communication with the via.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the flexible conductor comprises a gold fuzz ball.

8. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive bumps and a plurality of conductors, including striplines, positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

wherein the probe unit further comprises a plurality of ground pads disposed between a plurality of striplines and the bumps, where each stripline is connected to a respective bump;

wherein at least one of the plurality of striplines forms a laser trimmable flange of a waveguide.

9. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive bumps, and

a plurality of muti-layed waveguides, with laser trimmable flanges which permit tuneabillty, to conduct signals to said conductive bumps.

10. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

further comprising.a substrate disposed between the probe card and the probe unit;

wherein the probe unit further comprises one of an active or a passive component embedded within the probe unit.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said component is embedded within the probe unit between the substrate and the interconnecting conductors of the probe unit.

12. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said component is a capacitor.

13. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said component is a multiplexer.

14. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

further comprising a substrate disposed between the probe card and the probe unit;

wherein the probe unit further comprises;

an active or a passive component mounted on the probe unit; and

an elastomeric layer between said passive component and said probe card to compensate for surface variations caused by component.

15. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality independently mobile sections, each comprised of at least one contact bump;

a flexible member supporting the plurality of said sections, so as to allow each section to move independently to compensate for differences of height of circuitry being tested.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the flexible member is an elastomeric sheet.

17. An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the bumps are made a conductive elastomeric material.

18. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card;

a probe unit including;

a plurality of conductive contact bumps; and

a plurality of voltage equilibrating sites around each of the plurality of bumps, each equilibrating site including;

a first conductor encircling an associated contact bump;

a conductor for supplying voltage to the first conductor separately from voltage supplied to the contact bump;

circuitry for sensing the static voltage on a device to be tested by contact with said probe unit and for placing a corresponding voltage on said first conductors.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18 further including a dielectric material placed between said contact bump and said first conductor.

20. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein:

said contact bump is round; and

said first conductor is a metal ring.

21. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein said contact bump is made of a conductive elastomeric material.

22. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein:

said equilibrating sites each further include;

a second conductor on said probe unit encircling said first conductor; and

a conductor for supplying voltage to the second conductor separately from voltage applied to the contact first conductor; and

said apparatus further includes circuitry for applying a sequence of different combinations of voltages to said first and second conductor so as electrostatically draw first dust particles of one charge and then dust particles of the other charge from said contact bumps.

23. An apparatus as in claim 22 further including a dielectric material placed between said first conductor and said second conductor.

24. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

wherein said contact bumps have been polished with diamond dust.

25. An apparatus as in claim 24 wherein said bumps are made of conductive elastomeric material.

26. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

wherein said contact bumps have been polished with silver dust.

27. An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein said bumps are made of conductive elastomeric material.

28. An integrated circuit testing apparatus comprising:

a probe card; and

a probe unit comprising a plurality of conductive elastomeric bumps and a plurality of conductors positioned to conduct signals from the bumps to said probe card;

wherein said elastomeric bumps have been passivated to remove unbound bonds or dangling bonds.

29. An apparatus as in claim 28 wherein said passivation has been performed with sulfur.