Methods and apparatuses for dynamic probe adjustment

A method, in a prober, for dynamically positioning at least one contact electrode of a plurality of contact electrodes relative to at least one electrical contact of a plurality of electrical contacts after a substantial change in a condition, said method comprising:

• performing a measurement of a position of first at least one component of the prober;
• doing an estimation, at another time, of a position of second at least one component of the prober;
• and
• moving relative to each other at least one contact electrode of said plurality of contact electrodes and at least one electrical contact of said plurality of electrical contacts based on said estimation so that said at least one contact electrode is substantially in a predetermined position with respect to said at least one electrical contact.

A method for creating a mathematical model, for use in a prober, to predict a relative position of at least one contact electrode of a plurality of contact electrodes relative to at least one electrical contact of a plurality of electrical contacts after a substantial change in a condition, the prober having a plurality of components, said method comprising:

• determining first at least one component from said plurality of components, wherein first at least one position of said first at least one component is geometrically related to said relative position of said at least one contact electrode with respect to said at least one electrical contact;
• determining second at least one component from said plurality of components, wherein second at least one position of said second at least one component is geometrically related to said first at least one position of said first at least one component, said second at least one position being measurable;
• and
• constructing a dynamic model, for the prober, for said first at least one position of said first at least one component as a function of time.

A machine readable medium storing executable program instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause said processing system to perform operations, in a prober, comprising:

• performing a measurement of a position of first at least one component of the prober;
• doing an estimation, at another time, of a position of second at least one component of the prober;
• and
• moving relative to each other at least one contact electrode of said plurality of contact electrodes and at least one electrical contact of said plurality of electrical contacts based on said estimation so that said at least one contact electrode is substantially in a predetermined position with respect to said at least one electrical contact.

An apparatus for dynamically positioning at least one contact electrode of a plurality of contact electrodes relative to at least one electrical contact of a plurality of electrical contacts after a substantial change in a condition, said apparatus comprising:

• at least one motor assembly;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled with said processor, said memory having contained therein sequences of instructions which, when executed by said processor cause said processor to perform:
• predicting a relative position of at least one contact electrode of said plurality of contact electrodes with respect to a position of at least one electrical contact of said plurality of electrical contacts as a function of time;
• and
• causing said at least one motor assembly to perform movement, relative to each other, of at least one of said at least one contact electrode and said at least one electrical contact based on the prediction.

A prober, comprising:

• a substrate holding unit coupled to a motor assembly, said substrate holding unit configured to hold a substrate, wherein said substrate comprises at least one die having a plurality of electrical contacts;
• a probe card assembly, said probe card assembly comprising test probe fixture, wherein said test probe fixture holds a probe card having a plurality of contact electrodes;
• a processor coupled to the motor assembly;
• and
• a memory coupled with said processor, said memory having contained therein sequences of instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to perform:
• predicting a relative position of at least one contact electrode of said plurality of contact electrodes with respect to a position of at least one electrical contact of said plurality of electrical contacts as a function of time;
• and
• causing the motor assembly to perform movement of at least one of said at least one contact electrode and said at least one electrical contact based on the prediction.

A prober comprising:

• a frame;
• a substrate holding unit configured to hold a substrate which comprises a die, wherein the die having a plurality of electrical contacts, and the substrate holding unit coupled to the frame;
• a probe card assembly having a plurality of contact electrodes, the probe card assembly coupled to the frame,
• a motor assembly coupled to the frame and to at least one of the substrate holding unit and the probe card assembly;
• a processing system coupled to the motor assembly, the processing system configured to cause testing of the die by bringing the plurality of contact electrodes into electrical contact with electrical contacts on the die and configured to cause movement, through the motor assembly, of at least one of the substrate holding unit and the probe card assembly while testing of the die.