US 7,403,025 B2Granted

Membrane probing system

AssigneeCascade Microtech, Inc.

InventorsPaul A. Tervo, Kenneth R. Smith, Clarence E. Cowan, Mike P. Dauphinais, Martin J. Koxxy

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A membrane probing assembly includes a probe card with conductors supported thereon, wherein the conductors include at least a signal conductor located between a pair of spaced apart guard conductors. A membrane assembly includes a membrane with contacts thereon, and supporting at least a signal conductor located between a pair of spaced apart guard conductors. The guard conductors of the probe card are electrically interconnected proximate the interconnection between the probe card and the membrane assembly. The guard conductors of the membrane assembly are electrically interconnected proximate the interconnection between the probe card and the membrane assembly.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A membrane probing assembly comprising:

(a) a probe card with conductors supported thereon, including:
(i) an elongate probe card signal conductor including an end portion and a first portion having a first edge and a second edge;
and
(ii) a probe card guard conductor comprising a first portion spaced apart from said first edge of said first portion of said probe card signal conductor, a second portion spaced apart from said second edge of said first portion of said probe signal conductor and a third portion interconnecting said first and said second portions of said probe guard conductor proximate to, but spaced apart from said end portion of said probe card signal conductor;
and
(b) a membrane assembly including a membrane supporting:
(i) an elongate membrane signal conductor including an end portion and a first portion having a first edge and a second edge;
and
(ii) a membrane guard conductor comprising a first portion spaced apart from said first edge of said first portion of said membrane signal conductor, a second portion spaced apart from said second edge of said first portion of said membrane signal conductor and a third portion interconnecting said first and said second portions of said membrane guard conductor proximate to, but spaced apart from said end portion of said membrane signal conductor.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/509,176Filed 23 Aug 2006 · continuation
Priority: 25 Feb 2000
Published: US 2006/0284630 A121 Dec 2006
Granted: 22 Jul 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G01R 31/2889
Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks: interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester
G01R 1/0735
With individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or…:…
G01R 1/06772
Measuring probes: high frequency probes
G01R
Measuring electric variables

Family

Application60/184,851Us provisional application · filed 25 Feb 2000
Application09/637,527Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Nov 2000
Application10/909,229Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Jul 2004
Application11/144,852Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Jun 2005
US 2006/0284630 A1Pre-grant publication · published 21 Dec 2006
US 7,148,711 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,930,498 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,838,890 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2003/0132767 A1Published application
US 2005/0007131 A1Published application
US 2005/0248359 A1Published application
US 7,403,025 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.