Probe card with contact apparatus and method of manufacture
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsRichard W. Arnold, James Forster, Reynaldo M. Rincon, Lester Wilson
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Abstract
A probe card having reliable “micro probe” contacts which include a base and an angled probe tip fabricated as a single unit from a thin sheet of a conductive metal having high tensile and yield strength, and coated with a noble metal. The micro probes are secured into precisely dimensioned, and positioned locations on the card, and are electrically connected to traces on the card. Design of the micro probes includes not only the base and probe tip, but also locking features, a stand-off to prevent over compression, and a necked down stem feature for release from the support strap used in transporting and plating during the manufacturing processes.
Claims22
A probe card apparatus for contacting and testing integrated circuit chips including:
- a coplanar probe card having first and second major surfaces;
- a plurality of slots of predetermined size and shape arrayed on and into said first surface with a portion of said slots extending to the second surface,
- a plurality of conductive traces on said first surface in close proximity to said slots, and
- a plurality of μ-probes secured into said slots, and connected electrically to said conductive traces, wherein said μ-probes comprise a single high yield strength metal covered by a thin coating of a noble metal, and including a base, a needle, and an insertion neck.
A probe device fashioned from a single section of metal having yield strength in the range of 120 to 250 kpsi covered by a thin coating of a noble metal, and including a base, a needle, and an insertion neck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.