US 7,681,312 B2Granted

Membrane probing system

AssigneeCascade Microtech, Inc.

InventorsReed Gleason, Michael A. Bayne, Kenneth Smith, Timothy Lesher, Martin Koxxy

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A substrate, preferably constructed of a ductile material and a tool having the desired shape of the resulting device for contacting contact pads on a test device is brought into contact with the substrate. The tool is preferably constructed of a material that is harder than the substrate so that a depression can be readily made therein. A dielectric (insulative) layer, that is preferably patterned, is supported by the substrate. A conductive material is located within the depressions and then preferably lapped to remove excess from the top surface of the dielectric layer and to provide a flat overall surface. A trace is patterned on the dielectric layer and the conductive material. A polyimide layer is then preferably patterned over the entire surface. The substrate is then removed by any suitable process.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A probing assembly for probing an electrical device comprising:

(a) a rigid support:
(b) a membrane assembly having a region overlying said support;
(c) a plurality of elongate non-upright contacts supported by said region, each of said contacts having a length and a contacting portion spaced apart from the axis of moment of said contact, and each contact being electrically connected to a corresponding conductor that extends into said region;
(d) a control mechanism operating in respect to each contact to urge each contact, when placed into pressing engagement with said electrical device, into tilting motion so that different portions of each contact move different distances relative to said support so that each contact is driven in accordance with said tilting motion into lateral scrubbing movement across said electrical device, and each contact remaining supported by said membrane assembly along substantially all of said length during the tilting motion;
(e) wherein said contacts are formed by depositing conductive material in a depression in a sacrificial substrate by pressing a tool against a surface of said ductile substrate.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/888,429Filed 31 Jul 2007 · continuation
Priority: 14 Jul 1998
Published: US 2007/0283555 A113 Dec 2007
Granted: 23 Mar 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

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…:…
H01R 13/2414
Characterized by the resilient means: conductive elastomers
H01R 13/2464
Resilient; resiliently-mounted: characterized by the contact point
H01R 43/16
Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or…

Family

Application09/115,571Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jul 1998
Application09/814,584Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Mar 2001
Application11/036,739Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jan 2005
US 2007/0283555 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Dec 2007
US 7,266,889 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,860,009 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,256,882 B1Parent of this continuation
US 2001/0030549 A1Published application
US 2005/0136562 A1Published application
US 7,681,312 B2This patent

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