Apparatus and method of protecting a probe card during a sort sequence
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorEdward M. Ickes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for protecting a probe card during a sort sequence are provided. With the apparatus and method, one or more probe card protectors are attached to a probe card. When the wafer is driven toward the probe card, if an amount of overdriving of the probe card occurs, the probe card protectors come into contact with the wafer. By pressing against the wafer, the probe card protectors generate a force that causes a driver motor of the driving mechanism to stall, thereby avoiding any further overdrive of the probe card and avoiding damage to the probe card.
Claims23
An apparatus, conmprising:
- a probe card;
- and
- a least on one probe card protector attached to a side of the probe card,
- wherein the at least one probe card protector is configureded to prevent unacceptable overdrive of the probe card relative to a wafer, and
- wherein the at least one probe card protector inhibits an amount of overdrive of the wafer toward the probe card by pressing against the wafer to thereby stall a driving motor driving the probe card toward the wafer.
A method or making a probe card, comprising:
- providing probe card;
- providing at least one probe card protector;
- and
- attaching the at least one probe card protector to a probe side of the probe card, wherein the at least one probe card protectors is configured to prevent unacceptable overdrive of the probe card relative to a wafer, and
- wherein the at least one probe card protector inhibits an amount of overdrive of the wafer toward the probe card by pressing against the wafer to thereby stall a driving motor of driving the probe card toward the wafer.
A method of protecting a probe card during a sort sequence, comprising:
- driving the probe card toward a wafer;
- and
- inhibiting an amount of overdrive of the wafer toward the probe card using at least one probe card protector attached to the probe card, wherein the at least one probe card protector inhibits an amount of overdrive of the wafer toward the probe card by pressing against the wafer to thereby stall a driving motor driving the probe card toward the wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.