公开(公告)号：US20210389348A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-16

申请号：US17345613

申请日：2021-06-11

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Tim Lesher ,  Jason William Cosman

IPC: G01R1/073 ,  G01R1/067

Abstract: Vertical transmission line probes having alternating capacitive and inductive sections are provided. These alternating sections can be designed to provide a desired transmission line impedance (e.g., between 10 and 100 Ohms, preferably 50 Ohms). Probe flexure in operation is mainly in the inductive sections, advantageously reducing flexure stresses on the dielectrics in the capacitive sections.

公开(公告)号：US11181550B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-23

申请号：US16421243

申请日：2019-05-23

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Sia Choon Beng ,  Kazuki Negishi

IPC: G01R1/073 ,  G01R1/067 ,  G01R31/28

Abstract: Probe systems and methods including electric contact detection. The probe systems include a probe assembly and a chuck. The probe systems also include a translation structure configured to operatively translate the probe assembly and/or the chuck and an instrumentation package configured to detect contact between the probe system and a device under test (DUT) and to test operation of the DUT. The instrumentation package includes a continuity detection circuit, a test circuit, and a translation structure control circuit. The continuity detection circuit is configured to detect electrical continuity between a first probe electrical conductor and a second probe electrical conductor. The test circuit is configured to electrically test the DUT. The translation structure control circuit is configured to control the operation of the translation structure. The methods include monitoring continuity between a first probe and a second probe and controlling the operation of a probe system based upon the monitoring.

公开(公告)号：US11156640B2

公开(公告)日：2021-10-26

申请号：US16175341

申请日：2018-10-30

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Mukesh Selvaraj ,  January Kister

IPC: G01R1/073 ,  G01R1/067 ,  G01R3/00

Abstract: Probes are connected to the space transformer via multiple carrier plates. Electrical contacts from the probes to the space transformer are by way of spring tail features on the probes that connect to the space transformer and not to the carrier plates. In other words, the carrier plates are purely mechanical in function. This configuration can significantly reduce probe array fabrication time relative to sequential placement of individual probes on the space transformer. Multiple probe carrier plates can be populated with probes in parallel, and the final sequential assembly of carrier plates onto the space transformer has a greatly reduced operation count. Deviations of the space transformer from flatness can be compensated for.

公开(公告)号：US11047879B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-29

申请号：US16600142

申请日：2019-10-11

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Gavin Neil Fisher ,  Thomas Reiner Thaerigen ,  Peter McCann ,  Rodney Jones ,  Koby L. Duckworth

IPC: G01R31/01 ,  G01R1/067 ,  G01R35/00 ,  G01R31/28 ,  G01R1/073

Abstract: Probe systems and methods are disclosed herein. The methods include directly measuring a distance between a first manipulated assembly and a second manipulated assembly, contacting first and second probes with first and second contact locations, providing a test signal to an electrical structure, and receiving a resultant signal from the electrical structure. The methods further include characterizing at least one of a probe system and the electrical structure based upon the distance. In one embodiment, the probe systems include a measurement device configured to directly measure a distance between a first manipulated assembly and a second manipulated assembly. In another embodiment, the probe systems include a probe head assembly including a platen, a manipulator operatively attached to the platen, a vector network analyzer (VNA) extender operatively attached to the manipulator, and a probe operatively attached to the VNA extender.

公开(公告)号：US20210190860A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-24

申请号：US17111283

申请日：2020-12-03

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Masahiro Sameshima

IPC: G01R31/28 ,  G01R31/319 ,  G01R1/44

Abstract: Double-sided probe systems with thermal control systems and related methods. Thermally-controlled, double-sided probe systems include a probe assembly configured to test one or more devices under test (DUTs) of a substrate and a chuck configured to support the substrate. The probe assembly includes a thermal control system configured to at least partially control a substrate temperature of the substrate while the probe assembly tests the DUT(s). The chuck is configured to support the substrate such that the probe assembly has access to each of a first substrate side of the substrate and a second substrate side of the substrate while the substrate is operatively supported by the chuck. In some examples, methods of operating double-sided probe systems include regulating the substrate temperature with the thermal control system.

公开(公告)号：US20200341030A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-29

申请号：US16858976

申请日：2020-04-27

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Mukesh Selvaraj ,  January Kister

IPC: G01R1/073 ,  G01R1/067

Abstract: A probe-on-carrier architecture is provided, where several vertical probes are disposed on each probe carrier and the probe carriers are affixed to the space transformer. Each vertical probe has two flexible members. The first flexible member makes electrical contact to the space transformer. The second flexible member makes temporary electrical contact to the device under test. A mechanical stiffener can be used to deal with the possible lack of flatness and thermal expansion of the space transformer. The mechanical stiffener can be affixed to the space transformer to bring the flatness and thermal expansion of the space transformer to within specifications. Alternatively, the mechanical stiffener ca be affixed to the space transformer without trying to bring the flatness and thermal expansion of the space transformer to within specifications.

公开(公告)号：US20190383857A1

公开(公告)日：2019-12-19

申请号：US16440468

申请日：2019-06-13

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： January Kister ,  Roy Swart ,  Edin Sijercic

IPC: G01R1/067

Abstract: Probes for testing electrical circuits having decoupled electrical and mechanical design are provided. For example, a mechanically resilient core can be surrounded by an electrically conductive shell. In this way, electrical parameters of the probes are determined by the shells and mechanical parameters of the probes are determined by the cores. An important application of this approach is to provide impedance matched transmission line probes.

公开(公告)号：US10266402B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-23

申请号：US13681967

申请日：2012-11-20

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Onnik Yaglioglu ,  Benjamin N. Eldridge ,  Alexander Slocum

IPC: B82Y30/00 ,  G01R1/067 ,  G01Q70/12 ,  G01R1/073

Abstract: Electrically conductive columns of intertwined carbon nanotubes embedded in a mass of material flexible, resilient electrically insulating material can be used as electrically conductive contact probes. The columns can extend between opposing sides of the mass of material. Terminals of a wiring substrate can extend into the columns and be electrically connected to an electrical interface to a tester that controls testing of a device under test. A pair of physically interlocked structures can coupling the mass of material to the wiring substrate. The pair can include a receptacle and a protrusion.

公开(公告)号：US10132833B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-20

申请号：US14327254

申请日：2014-07-09

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Benjamin N. Eldridge

IPC: G01R1/06 ,  G01R1/067

Abstract: A multiple conduction path probe can provide an electrically conductive signal path from a first contact end to a second contact end. The probe can also include an electrically conductive secondary path and an electrically insulated gap between the signal path and the secondary path. A probe assembly can comprise multiple such probes disposed in passages in substantially parallel electrically conductive guide plates. In some configurations, the probe assembly can include one or more secondary probes disposed in passages of the conductive guide plates and electrically connected to one or both of the guide plates. Some of the probes can be electrically insulated from the guide plates and thus provide signal paths, and others of the probes can be electrically connected to the guide plates and thus provide secondary paths.

公开(公告)号：US20180164223A1

公开(公告)日：2018-06-14

申请号：US15835380

申请日：2017-12-07

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Nobuhiro Kawamata ,  Toshihiro Kasai ,  Hiromitsu Sasanami ,  Shigeki Mori

IPC: G01N21/88 ,  G02B27/09 ,  H04N1/028 ,  G01R31/28

CPC classification number: G01N21/8806 ,  G01J1/0418 ,  G01J1/08 ,  G01J1/32 ,  G01J1/42 ,  G01J2001/4252 ,  G01R31/2831 ,  G01R31/2889 ,  G01R31/311 ,  G02B27/0955 ,  H04N1/028 ,  H04N1/0288 ,  H04N1/02885

Abstract: Improved wafer-scale testing of optoelectronic devices, such as CMOS image scan devices, is provided. A probe card includes an LED light source corresponding to each device under test in the wafer. The LED light sources provide light from a phosphor illuminated by the LED. A pinhole and lens arrangement is used to collimate the light provided to the devices under test. Uniformity of illumination can be provided by closed loop control of the LED light sources using internal optical signals as feedback signals, in combination with calibration data relating the optical signal values to emitted optical intensity. Uniformity of illumination can be further improved by providing a neutral density filter for each LED light source to improve uniformity from one source to another and/or to improve uniformity of the radiation pattern from each LED light source.