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US 6,686,732 B2Granted
Low-cost tester interface module
AssigneeTeradyne, Inc.
InventorFrank Parrish
Life of this patent
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AssigneeTeradyne, Inc.
InventorFrank Parrish
Estimating the term…
An interface module for connecting a plurality of signal paths from a first electronic assembly to a second electronic assembly is disclosed. The interface module includes a plurality of coaxial cables having distal ends adapted for coupling to the first electronic assembly and proximal ends, each cable having a shield conductor and a center conductor. A stiffener formed with a plurality of throughbores receives the proximal ends of the plurality of signal cables, the stiffener having a flat termination side at one end of the plurality of throughbores. The module further includes a signal transition assembly having a flat substrate bonded to the stiffener termination side. The substrate includes respective opposite sides and is formed with spaced-apart signal paths and ground paths extending from one side to the other side. Each center conductor and shield conductor are electrically coupled to the signal paths and ground paths and mounted to the signal transition assembly to minimize relative axial displacement.
An interface module for connecting a plurality of signal paths from a first electronic assembly to a second electronic assembly, the interface module including:
An ATE interface for coupling high-frequency tester channels to a device-under-test, the interface including:
An interface module for connecting a plurality of signal paths from a first electronic assembly to a second electronic assembly, the interface module including:
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device disposed on a device-interface-board, the method including the steps:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks: interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester
Measuring probes: high frequency probes
With provisions for altering position, number or connection of probe tips; Adapting to differences in pitch: using an intermediate card or back…
General constructional details: screening arrangements against electric or magnetic fields, e.g. against earth's field
Term ended 20 Dec 2021 (estimated)
The invention relates generally to multi-conductor routing schemes, and more particularly an interface module for a high-performance semiconductor tester interface.
Sophisticated electronic assemblies often employ dense arrays of electrical conductors to deliver signals from one area to another. Routing large groups of conductors in an efficient and organized manner often proves problematic for a variety of reasons. The overall assembly cost, formfactor (size), conductor pitch and complexity all must typically be taken into account to determine a suitable routing method.
For high-performance semiconductor testers, tester signals up to several gigahertz are funneled and delivered from relatively large circuit boards known as channel cards, to the leads of a very compact device-under-test. Often, several thousand signal paths provide the signal delivery scheme between the DUT and the tester electronics. In order to preserve fidelity for such high-frequency signals, the signal paths are constructed to provide as close to a matched fifty-ohm impedance environment as possible. Providing such an environment with a large number of signal paths is a difficult endeavor.
The invention will be better understood by reference to the following more detailed description and accompanying drawings in which
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an interface module according to one form of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of an assembled interface module along line 2—2 of FIG. 1;
Referring now to FIG. 1, the interface module according to one form of the present invention, generally designated 10, employs a stiffener 12 that cooperates with a signal transition assembly 30 to prevent the respective shield and center conductors 22 and 24 of a plurality of coaxial cables 20 from “pistoning.” This enables the module to provide a reliable and robust connection scheme for, as an example, an automatic test equipment interface.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the stiffener 12 comprises a rectangular conductive body formed with an array of through-bores 14. The throughbores are formed to receive the coaxial cables 20 on a one-to-one basis. Preferably, the coaxial cables are of the ultra-miniature 50 ohm variety, allowing the throughbores to be of a relatively high-density center to center pitch, such as 0.120 inches apart.
The top side 17 of a conductive thin epoxy wafer 16 bonds to the bottom surface of the stiffener 12 and includes formed open-ended paths 19 that correspond in alignment to the stiffener through-bores 14 for nesting a portion of the distal end of each cable 20. More specifically, the wafer serves as a signal path return plane that forms a connection with each shield conductor 22 through a press-fit ferrule 23 (FIG. 2). The bottom side 19 of the wafer 16 bonds to the signal transition assembly 30.