| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080254651 | SPRING INTERCONNECT STRUCTURES - An interconnection element of a spring (body) including a first resilient element with a first contact region and a second contact region and a first securing region and a second resilient element, with a third contact region and a second securing region. The second resilient element is coupled to the first resilient element through respective securing regions and positioned such that upon sufficient displacement of the first contact region toward the second resilient element, the second contact region will contact the third contact region. The interconnection, in one aspect, is of a size suitable for directly contacting a semiconductor device. A large substrate with a plurality of such interconnection elements can be used as a wafer-level contactor. The interconnection element, in another aspect, is of a size suitable for contacting a packaged semiconductor device, such as in an LGA package. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080272794 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A PROBE CARD - A method of designing and manufacturing a probe card assembly includes prefabricating one or more elements of the probe card assembly to one or more predefined designs. Thereafter, design data regarding a newly designed semiconductor device is received along with data describing the tester and testing algorithms to be used to test the semiconductor device. Using the received data, one or more of the prefabricated elements is selected. Again using the received data, one or more of the selected prefabricated elements is customized. The probe card assembly is then built using the selected and customized elements. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20090139040 | APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR CLEANING TEST PROBES - Apparatuses and methods for cleaning test probes used in a semiconductor testing machine of the type having a plurality of test probes configured to contact the surface of a semiconductor wafer to test one or more dies formed thereon. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a roller-support arm and a cylindrical roller supported by the roller-support arm. The roller has an outer surface comprising a sticky material. Debris on the probes will adhere to the sticky material as roller is rolled across tips of the probes. The probes are thereby cleaned. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090139965 | PROBE ARRAY AND METHOD OF ITS MANUFACTURE - A method of forming a probe array includes forming a layer of tip material over a block of probe material. A first electron discharge machine (EDM) electrode is positioned over the layer of tip material, the EDM electrode having a plurality of openings corresponding to a plurality of probes to be formed. Excess material from the layer of tip material and the block of probe material is removed to form the plurality of probes. A substrate having a plurality of through holes corresponding to the plurality of probes is positioned so that the probes penetrate the plurality of through holes. The substrate is bonded to the plurality of probes. Excess probe material is removed so as to planarize the substrate. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090263986 | SPRING INTERCONNECT STRUCTURES - An interconnection element of a spring (body) including a first resilient element with a first contact region and a second contact region and a first securing region and a second resilient element, with a third contact region and a second securing region. The second resilient element is coupled to the first resilient element through respective securing regions and positioned such that upon sufficient displacement of the first contact region toward the second resilient element, the second contact region will contact the third contact region. The interconnection, in one aspect, is of a size suitable for directly contacting a semiconductor device. A large substrate with a plurality of such interconnection elements can be used as a wafer-level contactor. The interconnection element, in another aspect, is of a size suitable for contacting a packaged semiconductor device, such as in an LGA package. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090286429 | MICROELECTRONIC CONTACT STRUCTURES, AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME - Microelectronic contact structures are fabricated by separately forming, then joining together, various components thereof. Each contact structure has three components: a “post” component, a “beam” component, and a “tip” component. The resulting contact structure, mounted to an electronic component, is useful for making an electrical connection with another electronic component. The post component can be fabricated on a sacrificial substrate, joined to the electronic component and its sacrificial substrate removed. Alternatively, the post component can be formed on the electronic component. The beam and tip components can each be fabricated on a sacrificial substrate. The beam component is joined to the post component and its sacrificial substrate is removed, and the tip component is joined to the beam component and its sacrificial substrate is removed. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090291573 | PROBE CARD ASSEMBLY AND KIT, AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME - A probe card assembly includes a probe card, a space transformer having resilient contact structures (probe elements) mounted directly to (i.e., without the need for additional connecting wires or the like) and extending from terminals on a surface thereof, and an interposer disposed between the space transformer and the probe card. The space transformer and interposer are “stacked up” so that the orientation of the space transformer, hence the orientation of the tips of the probe elements, can be adjusted without changing the orientation of the probe card. Suitable mechanisms for adjusting the orientation of the space transformer, and for determining what adjustments to make, are disclosed. The interposer has resilient contact structures extending from both the top and bottom surfaces thereof, and ensures that electrical connections are maintained between the space transformer and the probe card throughout the space transformer's range of adjustment, by virtue of the interposer's inherent compliance. Multiple die sites on a semiconductor wafer are readily probed using the disclosed techniques, and the probe elements can be arranged to optimize probing of an entire wafer. Composite interconnection elements having a relatively soft core overcoated by a relatively hard shell, as the resilient contact structures are described. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20100000080 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING THERMALLY INDUCED MOTION OF A PROBE CARD ASSEMBLY - A probe card assembly can include a probe head assembly having probes for contacting an electronic device to be tested. The probe head assembly can be electrically connected to a wiring substrate and mechanically attached to a stiffener plate. The wiring substrate can provide electrical connections to a testing apparatus, and the stiffener plate can provide structure for attaching the probe card assembly to the testing apparatus. The stiffener plate can have a greater mechanical strength than the wiring substrate and can be less susceptible to thermally induced movement than the wiring substrate. The wiring substrate may be attached to the stiffener plate at a central location of the wiring substrate. Space may be provided at other locations where the wiring substrate is attached to the stiffener plate so that the wiring substrate can expand and contract with respect to the stiffener plate. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100065963 | METHOD OF WIREBONDING THAT UTILIZES A GAS FLOW WITHIN A CAPILLARY FROM WHICH A WIRE IS PLAYED OUT - Contact structures for a variety of electronic components can be formed to have primarily elastic properties. The contact structures can be free standing, and can be coupled to a variety of different electronic components such as a probe card assembly, a semiconductor wafer or dies, an interposer, or the like. Tips of the contact structures can have a topology that facilities contact with another electronic component. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100088888 | LITHOGRAPHIC CONTACT ELEMENTS - A method of forming an interconnection, including a spring contact element, by lithographic techniques. In one embodiment, the method includes applying a masking material over a first portion of a substrate, the masking material having an opening which will define a first portion of a spring structure, depositing a structure material (e.g., conductive material) in the opening, and overfilling the opening with the structure material, removing a portion of the structure material, and removing a first portion of the masking material. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the first portion of the spring structure is freed of masking material. In one aspect of the invention, the method includes planarizing the masking material layer and structure material to remove a portion of the structure material. In another aspect, the spring structure formed includes one of a post portion, a beam portion, and a tip structure portion. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100093229 | MICROELECTRONIC CONTACT STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME - Spring contact elements are fabricated by depositing at least one layer of metallic material into openings defined on a sacrificial substrate. The openings may be within the surface of the substrate, or in one or more layers deposited on the surface of the sacrificial substrate. Each spring contact element has a base end portion, a contact end portion, and a central body portion. The contact end portion is offset in the z-axis (at a different height) than the central body portion. The base end portion is preferably offset in an opposite direction along the z-axis from the central body portion. In this manner, a plurality of spring contact elements are fabricated in a prescribed spatial relationship with one another on the sacrificial substrate. The spring contact elements are suitably mounted by their base end portions to corresponding terminals on an electronic component, such as a space transformer or a semiconductor device, whereupon the sacrificial substrate is removed so that the contact ends of the spring contact elements extend above the surface of the electronic component. In an exemplary use, the spring contact elements are thereby disposed on a space transformer component of a probe card assembly so that their contact ends effect pressure connections to corresponding terminals on another electronic component, for the purpose of probing the electronic component. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100224303 | METHOD TO BUILD ROBUST MECHANICAL STRUCTURES ON SUBSTRATE SURFACES - A robust mechanical structure is provided to prevent small foundation structures formed on a substrate from detaching from the substrate surface. The strengthened structure is formed by plating a foundation metal layer on a seed layer and then embedding the plated foundation structure in an adhesive polymer material, such as epoxy. Components, such as spring probes, can then be constructed on the plated foundation. The adhesive polymer material better assures the adhesion of the metal foundation structure to the substrate surface by counteracting forces applied to an element, such as a spring probe, attached to the plated foundation. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100263432 | METHODS FOR PLANARIZING A SEMICONDUCTOR CONTACTOR - A planarizer for a probe card assembly. A planarizer includes a first control member extending from a substrate in a probe card assembly. The first control member extends through at least one substrate in the probe card assembly and is accessible from an exposed side of an exterior substrate in the probe card assembly. Actuating the first control member causes a deflection of the substrate connected to the first control member. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100323551 | SHARPENED, ORIENTED CONTACT TIP STRUCTURES - An apparatus and method providing improved interconnection elements and tip structures for effecting pressure connections between terminals of electronic components is described. The tip structure of the present invention has a sharpened blade oriented on the upper surface of the tip structure such that the length of the blade is substantially parallel to the direction of horizontal movement of the tip structure as the tip structure deflects across the terminal of an electronic component. In this manner, the sharpened substantially parallel oriented blade slices cleanly through any non-conductive layer(s) on the surface of the terminal and provides a reliable electrical connection between the interconnection element and the terminal of the electrical component. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110057018 | METHOD OF WIREBONDING THAT UTILIZES A GAS FLOW WITHIN A CAPILLARY FROM WHICH A WIRE IS PLAYED OUT - Contact structures exhibiting resilience or compliance for a variety of electronic components are formed by bonding a free end of a wire to a substrate, configuring the wire into a wire stem having a springable shape, severing the wire stem, and overcoating the wire stem with at least one layer of a material chosen primarily for its structural (resiliency, compliance) characteristics. A variety of techniques for configuring, severing, and overcoating the wire stem are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a free end of a wire stem is bonded to a contact area on a substrate, the wire stem is configured to have a springable shape, the wire stem is severed to be free-standing by an electrical discharge, and the free-standing wire stem is overcoated by plating. A variety of materials for the wire stem (which serves as a falsework) and for the overcoat (which serves as a superstructure over the falsework) are disclosed. Various techniques are described for mounting the contact structures to a variety of electronic components (e.g., semiconductor wafers and dies, semiconductor packages, interposers, interconnect substrates, etc.), and various process sequences are described. The resilient contact structures described herein are ideal for making a “temporary” (probe) connections to an electronic component such as a semiconductor die, for burn-in and functional testing. The self-same resilient contact structures can be used for subsequent permanent mounting of the electronic component, such as by soldering to a printed circuit board (PCB). An irregular topography can be created on or imparted to the tip of the contact structure to enhance its ability to interconnect resiliently with another electronic component. Among the numerous advantages of the present invention is the great facility with which the tips of a plurality of contact structures can be made to be coplanar with one another. Other techniques and embodiments, such as wherein the falsework wirestem protrudes beyond an end of the superstructure, or is melted down, and wherein multiple free-standing resilient contact structures can be fabricated from loops, are described. | 03-10-2011 |
