High performance probe system
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and a plurality of IC pads on a surface of an IC to be tested, the apparatus comprising:
- a substantially flexible substrate including a first signal path conductively linked to a first point on the flexible substrate;
a conductive first probe for contacting the first point on the flexible substrate and for contacting a first IC pad of the plurality of IC pads;
a rigid substrate including an electrical path for linking the IC tester to the first signal path of the flexible substrate; and
a first structural member for attaching to a second probe on the flexible substrate so as to substantially inhibit freedom of movement of the second probe relative to the rigid substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A probe system for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and input/output, power and ground pads on the surfaces of ICs to be tested includes a probe board assembly, a flex cable and a set of probes arranged to contact the IC'"'"'s I/O pads. The probe board assembly includes one or more rigid substrate layers with traces and vias formed on or within the substrate layers providing relatively low bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing some of the IC'"'"'s pads. The flex cable provides relatively high bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing others of the IC'"'"'s pads.
88 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and a plurality of IC pads on a surface of an IC to be tested, the apparatus comprising:
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a substantially flexible substrate including a first signal path conductively linked to a first point on the flexible substrate;
a conductive first probe for contacting the first point on the flexible substrate and for contacting a first IC pad of the plurality of IC pads;
a rigid substrate including an electrical path for linking the IC tester to the first signal path of the flexible substrate; and
a first structural member for attaching to a second probe on the flexible substrate so as to substantially inhibit freedom of movement of the second probe relative to the rigid substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and a plurality of IC pads on a surface of an IC to be tested, the apparatus comprising:
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a rigid substrate;
a substantially flexible substrate including a conductive first probe extending between the flexible substrate and a first IC pad of the plurality of pads and a first path for connecting to the first probe; and
a structural member attached to an end portion of the flexible substrate and to the rigid substrate to substantially inhibit freedom of movement of the end portion relative to the rigid substrate, the structural member providing a conductive link between the first signal path and the IC tester. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for providing signal paths between test equipment and a first integrated circuit (IC) pad and first IC pad on an IC to be tested, the apparatus comprising:
a probe board assembly comprising at least a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer and a first signal path through the probe board assembly, wherein;
the first substrate layer includes a first contact and a second contact, the first contact linking the IC pad to the first signal path, and the second contact connecting to a second signal path the second signal path provided around at least one of the substrate layers of the probe board assembly. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
Specification