Probes with fiducial marks, probe systems including the same, and associated methods
AssigneeCascade Microtech, Inc.
InventorsBryan Conrad Bolt, Joseph George Frankel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Probes with fiducial marks, probe systems including the same, and associated methods. The probes include a beam portion and a probe tip that is configured to contact a device under test (DUT), and further include a fiducial mark formed on the beam portion that is configured to facilitate alignment of the probe and the DUT. The fiducial mark is configured to be visible to an optical assembly, and is in focus to the optical assembly within a depth of field of the optical assembly that is smaller than a depth of field over which the beam portion is in focus to the optical assembly. The methods include methods of utilizing and/or manufacturing the probes.
Claims20
A probe for a probe system, the probe comprising:
- a beam portion;
- a probe tip extending from the beam portion and configured to contact a device under test (DUT);
- and
- a fiducial mark formed on the beam portion and configured to facilitate alignment of the probe and the DUT, wherein the fiducial mark:
- (i) is configured to be visible to an optical assembly when the probe is brought into contact with the DUT;
- and
- (ii) is in focus to the optical assembly within a discrete depth of field of the optical assembly that is smaller than a depth of field over which the beam portion is in focus to the optical assembly.
A method of aligning a probe with a device under test (DUT), the method comprising:
- contacting a surface of the DUT with a probe tip of a probe to create a scrub mark on the surface of the DUT, wherein the probe includes a fiducial mark;
- at least substantially focusing an optical assembly on the scrub mark;
- at least substantially focusing the optical assembly on the fiducial mark;
- calculating a position of the fiducial mark with respect to the DUT, wherein the calculating is based, at least in part, on the at least substantially focusing on the scrub mark and the at least substantially focusing on the fiducial mark;
- and
- translating the probe tip with respect to the DUT to at least substantially align the probe tip and the DUT, wherein the translating is based, at least in part, on the calculating.
A method of manufacturing a probe with a fiducial mark, the method comprising:
- providing a probe that has a beam portion and a probe tip;
- and
- forming a fiducial mark on the beam portion, wherein the forming includes at least one of adding material to the beam portion and removing material from the beam portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.