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US 7,030,632 B2Granted
Compliant contract structures, contactor cards and test system including same
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsCharles M. Watkins, Kyle K. Kirby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compliant contact structure and contactor card for operably coupling with a semiconductor device to be tested includes a substantially planar substrate with a compliant contact formed therein. The compliant contact structure includes a portion fixed within the substrate and at least another portion integral with the fixed portion, laterally unsupported within a thickness of the substrate and extending beyond a side thereof. Dual-sided compliant contact structures, methods of forming compliant contact structures, a method of testing a semiconductor device and a testing system are also disclosed.
Claims18
A contact structure, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- at least one conductive compliant contact including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the substrate;
- and
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate, within a thickness of the substrate and extending beyond one side thereof;
- and
- the substrate further configured to receive therein at least a portion of the at least one laterally unsupported portion when the at least one laterally unsupported portion flexs.
4 more elements
A contact structure, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- at least one conductive compliant contact including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the substrate;
- and
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate, within a thickness of the substrate and extending beyond one side thereof, wherein the substrate is further configured with a recess extending peripherally about the at least one laterally unsupported portion of the at least one compliant contact.
3 more elements
A contact structure, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- at least one conductive compliant contact including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the substrate;
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate, within a thickness of the substrate and extending beyond one side thereof;
- and
- a conductive element operably coupled to the portion of the at least one compliant contact fixed within the portion of the substrate and extending across a side thereof opposite the one side beyond which the at least one laterally unsupported portion extends.
4 more elements
A contact structure, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- at least one conductive compliant contact including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the substrate;
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate, within a thickness of the substrate and extending beyond one side thereof;
- and
- a dielectric layer laterally surrounding the portion of the at least one compliant contact fixed within the portion of the substrate.
4 more elements
A contactor card for use in testing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- a plurality of conductive compliant contacts carried by the substrate and arranged in a pattern selected for contact with contact pads carried by a semiconductor substrate to be tested, each compliant contact of the plurality including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the planar substrate;
- and
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate, within a thickness of the substrate and extending beyond one side thereof;
- and
- the substrate further configured to receive therein at least a portion of the at least one laterally unsupported portion when the at least one laterally unsupported portion flexs.
4 more elements
A contactor card for use in testing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- a plurality of conductive compliant contacts carried by the planar substrate and arranged in a pattern selected for contact with contact pads carried by a semiconductor substrate to be tested, each compliant contact of the plurality including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the planar substrate;
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the planar substrate, within a thickness of the planar substrate and extending beyond one side thereof;
- and
- wherein the planar substrate is further configured with a recess extending peripherally about the at least one laterally unsupported portion of each of the plurality of compliant contacts.
4 more elements
A contactor card for use in testing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- a plurality of conductive compliant contacts carried by the planar substrate and arranged in a pattern selected for contact with contact pads carried by a semiconductor substrate to be tested, each compliant contact of the plurality including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the planar substrate;
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate, within a thickness of the planar substrate and extending beyond one side thereof;
- and
- a conductive element operably coupled to the portion of at least some of the plurality of compliant contacts fixed within the portion of the planar substrate and extending across a side thereof opposite the one side beyond which the at least one laterally unsupported portion extends.
4 more elements
A contactor card for use in testing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- a plurality of conductive compliant contacts carried by the substrate and arranged in a pattern selected for contact with contact pads carried by a semiconductor substrate to be tested, each compliant contact of the plurality including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the planar substrate;
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate, within a thickness of the substrate and extending beyond one side thereof;
- and
- a dielectric layer laterally surrounding the portion of each of the plurality of compliant contacts fixed within the portion of the planar substrate.
4 more elements
A semiconductor substrate testing system, comprising:
- a contactor card configured for operable coupling with a semiconductor substrate to be tested, including:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- a plurality of conductive compliant contacts carried by the substrate of the contactor card and arranged in a pattern selected for contact with contact pads carried by the semiconductor substrate to be tested, each compliant contact of the plurality including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the substrate of the contactor card;
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate of the contactor card, within a thickness of the substrate of the contactor card and extending beyond one side thereof;
- and
- the substrate further configured to receive therein at least a portion of the at least one laterally unsupported portion when one of the at least one laterally unsupported portion flexs;
- and
- a tester operably coupled to the contactor card and configured to apply test signals to the semiconductor substrate through the contactor card.
7 more elements
A semiconductor substrate testing system, comprising:
- a contactor card configured for operable coupling with a semiconductor substrate to be tested, including:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- a plurality of conductive compliant contacts carried by the substrate of the contactor card and arranged in a pattern selected for contact with contact pads carried by the semiconductor substrate to be tested, each compliant contact of the plurality including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the substrate of the contactor card;
- and
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate of the contactor card, within a thickness of the substrate of the contactor card and extending beyond one side thereof:
- a tester operably coupled to the contactor card and configured to apply test signals to the semiconductor substrate through the contactor card;
- and
- wherein the substrate of the contactor card is further configured with a recess extending peripherally about the at least one laterally unsupported portion of each of the plurality of compliant contacts.
7 more elements
A semiconductor substrate testing system, comprising:
- a contactor card configured for operable coupling with a semiconductor substrate to be tested, including:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- a plurality of conductive compliant contacts carried by the substrate of the contactor card and arranged in a pattern selected for contact with contact pads carried by the semiconductor substrate to be tested, each compliant contact of the plurality including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the substrate of the contactor card;
- and
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate of the contactor card, within a thickness of the substrate of the contactor card and extending beyond one side thereof;
- a conductive element operably coupled to the portion of at least some of the plurality of compliant contacts fixed within the portion of the substrate of the contactor card and extending across a side thereof opposite the side beyond which the at least one laterally unsupported portion extends;
- a tester operably coupled to the contactor card and configured to apply test signals to the semiconductor substrate through the contactor card.
6 more elements
A semiconductor substrate testing system, comprising:
- a contactor card configured for operable coupling with a semiconductor substrate to be tested, including:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- and
- a plurality of conductive compliant contacts carried by the substrate of the contactor card and arranged in a pattern selected for contact with contact pads carried by the semiconductor substrate to be tested, each compliant contact of the plurality including:
- a portion fixed within a portion of the substrate of the contactor card;
- and
- at least one laterally unsupported portion integral with the portion fixed within the portion of the substrate of the contactor card, within a thickness of the substrate of the contactor card and extending beyond one side thereof;
- a dielectric layer laterally surrounding the portion of each of the plurality of compliant contacts fixed within the portion of the substrate of the contactor card;
- and
- a tester operably coupled to the contactor card and configured to apply test signals to the semiconductor substrate through the contactor card.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.