US 6,310,483 B1 · Longitudinal type high frequency probe for narrow pitched electrodes

Abstract

A high-frequency probe according to the present invention comprises a probe chip that has an end part that is pressed to an electrode and is covered by a electrically conductive outer enclosure, and slides in a vertical direction by an inner surface of this electrically conductive outer enclosure inside this electrically conductive outer enclosure. A signal conductive pattern is fixed inside this probe chip and is connected with a inner conductor having elasticity. The inner conductor can be bent in the vertical direction at a central part of a hole having an opening, which is sufficiently long in the vertical direction, in the center space of a ground conductor, which is fixed to an end part of the main block, when the inner conductor is pressed due to contact of the end part. In addition, the high-frequency probe has a thin shape of a maximum thickness in a transverse direction which is perpendicular to the vertical direction that is a direction of the probe being pressed to a device electrode. The maximum thickness is substantially equal to a pitch between device electrodes, and can be formed in the construction of unifying a plurality of high-frequency probes.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A high-frequency probe for use in testing a device-under-test which has a ground electrode on a device stage, and a signal electrode formed on the device-under-test (DUT) at a level different in a vertical direction from the ground electrode, said probe comprising:

a main block;
an inner conductor which has one end part extending from said main block and having a tip for contacting the signal electrode of the device-under-test and another end part connected to an external conductor, said inner conductor having elasticity flexible at least in a vertical direction at said one end part, a direction of contacting and pressing said inner conductor to said device electrode being said vertical direction;
an insulating fixing member supported on said one end part of said inner conductor, a portion of said one end part of said inner conductor being included within said insulating fixing member;
and
a grounding conductive member which is connected to ground, which is arranged to have ground contacts for contacting the ground electrode of the device-under-test when the inner conductor is contacted with the signal electrode at the different level in the vertical direction;
said grounding conductive member slidably holding said insulating fixing member so that said one end part of said inner conductor can move in said vertical direction with the elasticity of said inner conductor, a support between the main block and the inner conductor acting as a fulcrum at the time of contact to the device-under-test.

3 more elements

A high-frequency probe comprising at least one high-frequency probe element, said high-frequency probe element comprising:

a main block having an internal space;
an inner conductor arranged in a central part of said internal space of said main block and having a portion extending from said main block;
a probe chip that is disposed on said portion of said inner conductor extending from said main block and having a conductive end part for contacting a device electrode of a device-under-test, an insulating substrate, and a signal conductive pattern laid on the substrate, and said probe chip being operable as an end portion of said inner conductor;
at least one spacer maintaining mutual positional relation of said inner conductor in said internal space of said main block;
a ground conductor located between said probe chip and the main block electrically connects to said main block, and has a longitudinal hole having a part through which said inner conductor passes for contacting a signal electrode of the device-under-test;
and
an electrically conductive outer enclosure that encloses said probe chip, electrically connects as an outer conductor portion of said probe chip with said ground conductor, and contacts disposed above and below said probe chip to engage at least a ground electrode of a device-under-test or a device stage conducting with the ground electrode;
said inner conductor having elasticity in said vertical direction at said part of said longitudinal hole of said ground conductor such that vertical movement occurs upon contact with the signal electrode of the device-under-test and said probe chip disposed on said inner conductor slides vertically within the outer enclosure, the spacer serving as a fulcrum for a flexing portion of the inner conductor.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Longitudinal type high frequency probe for narrow pitched electrodes

Life of this patent

Longitudinal type high frequency probe for narrow pitched electrodes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27