Adhesive attaching, thermal releasing flat pack probe assembly

A probe assembly for contacting pins of an integrated circuit (IC) package having a body and having a plurality of pins extending horizontally outward from said body, the probe assembly comprising:

• a circuit board;
• a heating element attached to said circuit board for generating substantial heat when conducing a current;
• an adhesive providing a bond between said heating element and said IC package body, wherein said bond substantially weakens as said adhesive is warmed;
• a conductive probe attached to said circuit board for contacting one of said pins of said IC package;
• and
• means for selectively supplying said current to said heating element such that said heating element generates said substantial heat thereby warming said adhesive and causing it to substantially weaken said bond.

A probe assembly for contacting pins of an integrated circuit (IC) package having a body with a flat upper surface and having a plurality of input/output pins extending horizontally outward from said body, the probe assembly comprising:

• a base including a conductive heating element for generating substantial heat when conducing a current;
• a thermal-releasing adhesive creating a bond between said base and said IC package body, wherein said bond weakens as said adhesive warms;
• and
• a plurality of spring pin probes attached to said base for contacting said input/output pins of said IC package when said adhesive bonds said base to said IC package body.

An apparatus for testing a first integrated circuit (IC) having a body and pins extending horizontally outward from said body, the apparatus comprising:

• a base including a heating element;
• a second integrated circuit mounted on said base;
• an adhesive creating a bond between said base and said IC package body, wherein said bond substantially weakens when said adhesive is sufficiently warmed, wherein said heating element delivers sufficient heat to warm said adhesive thereby substantially weakening said bond;
• a plurality of probes attached to said base, each probe contacting a corresponding one of said pins;
• and
• a plurality of conductors, each linking a corresponding one of said probes to said second integrated circuit.