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AssigneeApplied Precision, LLC
InventorsJohn P. Stewart, Ronald C. Seubert, Donald B. Snow
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for inspecting integrated circuit probe cards in which the probe points of the probe card are scanned across a checkplate having a conductivity transition border. The impedances between the probe points and the checkplate as they cross the conductivity transition border are measured to determine when the probe points cross the border. The positions of the probe card when each of the probe points crosses the border are measured to determine the positions of the probe points relative to each other. In one embodiment, the checkplate is formed by a square conductive plate having three quadrants of insulated material and a single quadrant of conductive material mounted on its upper surface. These conductive strips connected to the conductive plate are positioned between the quadrants of insulative material to form the conductivity transition border. In other embodiments, multiple parallel strips or a single dot of conductive material are surrounded by insulative material.
A system for inspecting an integrated circuit probe card having a plurality of probe wires terminating in respective probe points arranged in a probe point array, said system comprising:
A checkplate usable for inspecting integrated circuit probe cards having a plurality of probe wires terminating in respective probe points arranged in a probe point array, said checkplate comprising a measurement surface having a measurement border formed thereon, and bisecting said measurement surface so that said measurement surface extends from opposite sides of said measurement border, said measurement surface being planar from one side of said measurement border to the other so that said probe points can easily slide across said measurement surface from ode side of said measurement border to the other said checkplate having means for determining on which side of said measurement border said probe points contact said measurement surface.
A method of inspecting an integrated circuit probe card having a plurality of probe wires terminating in respective probe points arranged in a probe point array, said method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.