Probe contract system having planarity adjustment mechanism

A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:

• a contact substrate having a plurality of contactors mounted thereon where tips of the contactors contact the contact targets when the contact targets are pressed against the probe contact system;
• a probe card for mounting the contact substrate for establishing electrical communication between the contactors and a test head of a semiconductor test system;
• a conductive elastomer provided between the contact substrate and the probe card, the conductive elastomer comprising an elastic sheet and a plurality of conductive filaments embedded in the elastic sheet in a direction substantially perpendicular to the elastic sheet;
• mounting means for fixedly mounting the contact substrate on the probe card;
• an intermediate ring attached to an outer area of the probe card;
• a gap sensor for measuring a distance between the contact substrate and the contact targets in a non-contact manner, the gap sensor being directly formed on the contact substrate;
• a probe card ring attached to a frame of the probe contact system for mechanically coupling the probe card to the frame through the intermediate ring;
• a plurality of connection members for connecting the intermediate ring to the probe card ring at three or more locations on the intermediate ring, the connection member being adjustable for changing a gap between the intermediate ring and the probe card ring.

A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:

• a contact substrate having a plurality of contactors mounted thereon where tips of the contactors contact the contact targets when the contact targets are pressed against the probe contact system;
• a probe card for mounting the contact substrate for establishing electrical communication between the contactors and a test head of a semiconductor test system;
• a conductive elastomer provided between the contact substrate and the probe card, the conductive elastomer comprising an elastic sheet and a plurality of conductive filaments embedded in the elastic sheet in a direction perpendicular to the elastic sheet;
• mounting means for fixedly mounting the contact substrate on the probe card;
• a probe card ring attached to a frame of the probe contact system for mechanically coupling the probe card to the frame;
• a plurality of connection members for connecting the probe card to the probe card ring at three or more locations on the probe card, the connection member being adjustable for changing a gap between the probe card and the probe card ring;
• a gap sensor for measuring a gap between the contact substrate and a target substrate at predetermined locations of the contact substrate in a non-contact manner, the gap sensor being directly formed on the contact substrate;
• a controller for generating a control signal based on a detection signal from the gap sensor indicating a size of the gap between the contact substrate and the target substrate;
• and
• a motor for driving the connection member based on the control signal from the controller.