Fine-pitch probing shield

A frame assembly for preventing debris from entering between probe pins of a probe assembly, the frame assembly comprising:

• an adhesive frame;
• and
• a non-conductive elastic material film supported on the adhesive frame,
• the non-conductive elastic material film defines holes arranged in accordance with an arrangement of the probe pins such that a location of each hole corresponds in location to a location of a corresponding one of the probe pins.

A probe pin insulator body for creating a non-conductive barrier around probe pins of a probe assembly, the probe pin insulator body comprising:

• an insulator body of non-conductive elastic material,
• the insulator body comprising opposed major surfaces and defining openings extending between the opposed major surfaces,
• the openings being arranged in accordance with an arrangement of the probe pins, and,
• at each opening, the insulator body tightly fits around opposite ends of a corresponding one of the probe pins and comprises concave surfaces that recede from sides of the corresponding one of the probe pins.

A method of assembling a probe assembly in which probe pins are arranged in a grouping to extend from an interposer body and away from a probe card, each probe pin comprising an elongate element and a tip at a distal end of the elongate element, the method comprising:

• supporting a mold on the interposer body to fit around the grouping of the probe pins;
• introducing a non-conductive elastic material in a semi-fluidic state into an interior region defined by the mold;
• and
• processing the non-conductive elastic material into a solidified state within the interior region to surround at least the elongate element of each probe pin.

A method of assembling a probe assembly in which probe pins are to be arranged in a grouping to extend from an interposer body and away from a probe card, each probe pin comprising an elongate element and a tip at a distal end of the elongate element, the method comprising:

• supporting a frame on the interposer body to fit around a location where the grouping of the probe pins is to be located;
• supportively disposing a non-conductive elastic material in the frame;
• forming holes in the non-conductive elastic material such that each hole corresponds in hole location to a probe pin location at which a corresponding one of the probe pins is to be located;
• and
• installing the grouping of the probe pins into the location such that, at each hole, the corresponding one of the probe pins extends through the hole.