Mechanically compliant high frequency electrical connector

An electrical connector for making electrical connections between a pin electronics card (PEC) and an IC device under test (DUT) loadboard comprised in the test head of a digital logic IC device tester and for mechanically coupling the PEC and DUT loadboard substantially at right angles to each other, said PEC comprising a test electrical first path, said DUT loadboard comprising a test electrical first path continuation, said electrical connector making electrical connections between a first set of electrical contact pads electrically coupled to the PEC test electrical first path and a second set of electrical contact pads electrically coupled to the DUT loadboard test electrical first path continuation for conducting test signals and pin signals between the PEC and a DUT mounted on the DUT loadboard, said electrical connector comprising:

• an elastomeric electrical conductor providing a first set of relatively high frequency signal conducting compressible electrical connector paths between said first and second sets of electrical contact pads;
• a compression mounting assembly including a holder mounting the elastomeric electrical conductor between said first and second sets of electrical contact pads and in electrical contact with the first and second sets of electrical contact pads, said compression mounting assembly being coupled in a defined position with respect to the PEC and comprising an intermediate third circuit board mounted and oriented substantially in parallel with the DUT loadboard and substantially at right angles to the PEC, said second set of electrical contact pads being formed on the second circuit board, said first set of electrical contact pads being formed on the third circuit board for alignment with the second set of electrical contact pads, said first set of electrical contact pads being electrically connected to the first circuit board by electrical leads;
• and mechanical spring means coupled to the electrical connector for spring loading the compression mounting assembly for compressing said elastomeric electrical conductor between the first and second sets of electrical contact pads, said mechanical spring means adding a relatively high mechanical compliance spring coupling between the first and second circuit boards in combination with the high frequency signal conducting elastomeric electrical conductor for accommodating relative motion between the first and second circuit boards due to warpage or misalignment.