MEMS probes having decoupled electrical and mechanical design
AssigneeFormFactor, Inc.
InventorsKevin John Hughes, January Kister
Life of this patent
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Abstract
MEMS probes are provided having decoupled electrical and mechanical design. In these probes, electrical conduction is primarily through one or more electrically conductive rails, and mechanical compliance for vertical compression is provided by a coil. The resulting independence of electrical and mechanical design advantageously enables probes to have a combination of electrical and mechanical properties that cannot be obtained in probes where the probe body is subject to both electrical and mechanical design constraints.
Claims28
A probe for use in a vertical probe array, the probe comprising:
- a mechanically resilient first member;
- at least one electrically conductive second member;
- a probe tip configured to make temporary electrical contact to a device under test;
- a probe base configured to make electrical contact to a test apparatus;
- wherein a mechanical compliance between the probe tip and the probe base is primarily determined by the mechanically resilient first member;
- wherein an electrical current path between the probe tip and the probe base is primarily through the at least one electrically conductive second member;
- wherein the at least one electrically conductive second member is affixed to the mechanically resilient first member at the probe base.
A method of probing a device under test with one or more vertical probes, the method comprising:
- a) providing at least one probe comprising:
- a1) a mechanically resilient first member;
- a2) at least one electrically conductive second member;
- a3) a probe tip configured to make temporary electrical contact to a device under test;
- a4) a probe base configured to make electrical contact to a test apparatus;
- wherein a mechanical compliance between the probe tip and the probe base is primarily determined by the mechanically resilient first member;
- wherein an electrical current path between the probe tip and the probe base is primarily through the at least one electrically conductive second member;
- wherein the at least one electrically conductive second member is affixed to the mechanically resilient first member at the probe base;
- and
- b) probing a device under test with the at least one probe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.