# US 11,079,429 B2 · ATE testing system and method for millimetre wave packaged integrated circuits

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- Number: US 11,079,429 B2
- Document ID: US11079429B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/905,110
- Filed: 2018-02-26
- Published: 2018-09-13
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-07
- Assignees: NXP B.V.
- Applicants: NXP B.V.
- Inventors: Abdellatif Zanati; Holger Mahnke
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079429B2

## CPC

- 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)}
- G01R 1/045: {Sockets or component fixtures for RF or HF testing}
- G01R 31/2896: {Testing of IC packages; Test features related to IC packages (containers per se H10W76/10, encapsulations per se H10W74/00)}
- G01R 31/2851: {Testing of integrated circuits [IC] (G01R31/317 takes precedence; testing individual devices G01R31/26; testing printed circuits G01R31/2801)}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

An ATE testing system (900, 1000) for millimetre wave (mmW) packaged integrated circuits (820) includes: at least one packaged integrated circuit (820); a radio frequency, RF, socket (700) configured to receive the at least one packaged integrated circuit (820) and facilitate routing RF signals thereto via at least one input connector and at least one output connector; and at least one interface configured to couple a tester to at least one packaged integrated circuit (820). The RF socket (700) includes a mmW absorber (1010) located adjacent the at least one output connector of the RF socket (700).

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automatic testing equipment (ATE) system for millimeter wave (mmW) packaged integrated circuits comprises:
a packaged integrated circuit;
a radio frequency (RF) socket configured to receive the packaged integrated circuit and facilitate routing RF signals thereto via at an input connector and an output connector; and
an interface configured to couple a tester to the packaged integrated circuit,
wherein the RF socket includes a mmW absorber located adjacent the output connector of the RF socket to provide isolation between respective input-output ports within and between the packaged integrated circuit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ATE testing system of claim 1, wherein the testing system comprises:
a multiple RF transceiver testing station load board configured to receive a plurality of packaged integrated circuits for testing; and
the mmW absorber located adjacent the output connector of the RF socket is configured to reduce cross coupling between the multiple RF transceiver testing stations.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The ATE testing system of claim 2, wherein the mmW absorber located adjacent the output connector of the RF socket is configured to reduce cross coupling between input or output connectors from the multiple RF transceiver testing stations.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ATE testing system of claim 1, wherein the RF socket comprises:
a flexible contact connected to a shield, wherein and the shield comprises at least one extended contiguous cut-out area located adjacent RF signal carrying pins and revealing more than one RF signal carrying pin.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ATE testing system of claim 1, wherein the mmW absorber located adjacent the output connector of the RF socket is configured to provide a termination and isolation between a plurality of output connectors in a region greater than 15 dB.

### Claim 6

A testing system for millimeter wave (mmW) packaged integrated circuits comprises:
a packaged integrated circuit;
a radio frequency (RF) socket configured to receive the packaged integrated circuit and facilitate routing RF signals thereto via an input connector and an output connector; and
an interface configured to couple a tester to the packaged integrated circuit,
wherein the RF socket comprises a shield comprising a hole for locating over a corresponding RF signal carrying pin and an extended contiguous cut-out area located adjacent RF signal carrying pins and revealing more than one RF signal carrying pin to provide isolation between respective input-output ports within and between the packaged integrated circuit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The testing system of claim 6, wherein the RF socket comprises:
a flexible dielectric comprising a flexible contact connected to a shield, the flexible contact comprising a cut-out area.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The testing system of claim 6, wherein the testing system is configured to support the same RF socket and associated testing board in laboratory measurements and an automatic test equipment (ATE).

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The testing system of claim 6, wherein the testing system comprises an RF built-in set test.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The testing system of claim 6, wherein the mmW packaged integrated circuits comprises one or more from a group of: a mixer, a low noise amplifier (LNA), a fifth generation communication integrated circuit operational in a 55-65 GHz range, or a radar RF transceivers operational in a 76-81 GHz range.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The testing system of claim 6, wherein the mmW packaged integrated circuit is tested in an automatic test equipment (ATE) or a mmW tester.

### Claim 12

A method for testing a millimeter wave (mmW) packaged integrated circuit (IC) connectable to a radio frequency (RF) socket, the method comprising:
matching an RF socket input connector or an RF socket output connector to an output impedance of the mmW packaged IC;
constructing a validation board with a matched termination; and
incorporating an interface for connecting the RF socket input connector or the RF socket output connector to a test equipment,
wherein the matching comprises creating a hole for locating over a corresponding RF signal carrying pin and creating an extended contiguous cut-out area in a shielding connected to the mmW packaged IC located adjacent RF signal carrying pins and revealing more than one RF signal carrying pin,
wherein the RF socket includes a mmW absorber located adjacent the output connector of the RF socket to provide isolation between respective input-output ports within and between the packaged IC.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the matching further comprises:
creating a cut-out area in an RF socket flexible contact connected to the shielding.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
locating a mmW absorber adjacent an output connector of the RF socket.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
constructing a multiple RF transceiver testing station load board,
wherein the mmW absorber located adjacent the output connector of the RF socket is configured to reduce cross coupling between input or output connectors of the multiple RF transceiver testing station.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein RF socket comprises a flexible dielectric with a flexible contact connected to the shielding.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the mmW packaged IC comprises one or more mixers, one or more low noise amplifiers, one or more fifth generation communication integrated circuits operational in a 55-65 GHz range, or one or more radar RF transceivers operational in a 76-81 GHz range, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the mmW packaged IC is tested in an automatic test equipment (ATE) or a mmW tester.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the mmW absorber is configured to provide a termination and isolation between a plurality of output connectors in a region greater than 15 dB.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the mmW absorber is configured to reduce cross coupling between input or output connectors from multiple RF transceiver testing stations.