Method and apparatus for capacitively testing a semiconductor die

An apparatus for testing a semiconductor die having first and second die terminals, the apparatus comprising:

• a silicon substrate;
• a first conductive projection connected to and extending away from a surface of the substrate, the first projection being alignable with the first die terminal when the substrate is engaged with the die;
• a portion of dielectric material other than a native oxide material attached to the first projection and positioned intermediate the first projection and the first die terminal when the first projection is aligned with the first die terminal, the portion of dielectric material having a thickness that permits the first projection to be capacitively coupled with the first die terminal;
• and
• a second conductive projection connected to and extending away from the surface of the substrate, the second projection being aligned with the second die terminal when the first projection is aligned with the first die terminal.

An apparatus for testing a semiconductor die having first and second die terminals, the apparatus comprising:

• a silicon substrate adapted to engage the semiconductor die and having first and second silicon projections extending away from a surface thereof, the first and second projections being adapted to align with the first and second die terminals, respectively, when the substrate is engaged with the die;
• a first portion of insulating material at least partially covering the first projection;
• a second portion of insulating material at least partially covering the second projection;
• a first portion of conductive material at least partially covering the first portion of insulating material;
• a second portion of conductive material at least partially covering the second portion of insulating material;
• and
• a portion of dielectric material other than a native oxide attached to the first portion of conductive material and positioned intermediate the first portion of conductive material and the first die terminal when the first projection is aligned with the first die terminal, the portion of dielectric material having a thickness and composition such that the first portion of conductive material is capacitively coupled with the first die terminal when the substrate engages the semiconductor die.

A test apparatus for capacitively testing a semiconductor die having a first and second die terminals, produced by a process comprising:

• forming a first test terminal on a substrate, the first test terminal having a conductive portion alignable with the first die terminal when the substrate is positioned proximate the die;
• forming a second test terminal on the substrate, the second test terminal having a conductive portion alignable with the second die terminal while the first test terminal is aligned with the first die terminal when the substrate is positioned proximate the die;
• and
• forming a layer of dielectric material other than a native oxide on at least the conductive portion of the first test terminal, the layer of dielectric material being intermediate the conductive portion and the first die terminal and having a thickness and composition such that the first test terminal is capacitively coupled with the first die terminal when the substrate is positioned proximate the die.

A test apparatus for capacitively testing a semiconductor die having first and second die terminals, produced by a process comprising:

• forming first and second projections on a silicon substrate;
• applying a first portion of insulating material to the first projection and a second portion of insulating material to the second projection;
• applying a first portion of conductive material to the first portion of insulating material and a second portion of conductive material to the second portion of insulating material;
• and
• forming a layer of a dielectric material other than a native oxide on at least the first portion of conductive material, the layer of dielectric material being intermediate the first conductive material and the first die terminal and having a composition and thickness so that the first portion of conductive material is capacitively coupled to the first die terminal when the test apparatus is engaged with the semiconductor die.