Cantilever probe card
AssigneeSV Probe Pte. Ltd.
InventorsLich Thanh Tran, Son N. Dang, Gerald W. Back, Reynaldo M. Rincon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a flattened probe element wire is provided. A probe element wire includes a beam portion and a tip portion. At least a part of the tip portion is flattened. Flattened probe element wires may have greater z-direction height strength, thereby increasing maximum probe element wire z-direction vertical force. Flattened probe element wires may also have decreased variability in the flattened probe element wire tips. A probe card assembly may includes a substrate and a plurality of at least partially flattened probe element wires supported by the substrate. Such probe card assemblies may have an extended life and maintained within design parameters for a longer period of use.
Claims22
A probe card assembly, comprising:
- a substrate whose surface is parallel to an x-y plane, the x-y plane perpendicular to any plane in a z-direction;
- and
- a plurality of partially flattened probe element wires supported by the substrate, wherein each of the partially flattened probe element wires includes a flattened beam portion and a flattened tip portion extending from the flattened beam portion, wherein the flattened beam portion and the flattened tip portion share a substantially constant thickness to a plane in the z-direction, the height of the flattened beam portion and the flattened tip portion in the z-direction greater than the width of the flattened beam portion and the flattened tip portion that is parallel to the x-y plane.
A probe element wire, comprising:
- a partially flattened beam portion;
- and
- a flattened tip portion extending from the partially flattened beam portion and having a tip,
- wherein the partially flattened beam portion and the flattened tip portion share a substantially constant thickness in a single plane,
- the tip within the single plane and comprised of the probe element wire.
A method of processing a probe element wire, comprising the steps of:
- flattening a portion of the probe element wire to form a partially flattened beam portion and a flattened tip portion extending from the partially flattened beam portion and having a tip, wherein the partially flattened beam portion and the flattened tip portion share a substantially constant thickness in a single plane;
- and
- processing the tip to at least locate the tip within the single plane, the tip comprised of the probe element wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.