公开(公告)号：US20190293685A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-26

申请号：US16362239

申请日：2019-03-22

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： January Kister ,  Chun-Chih Wang

IPC: G01R1/067 ,  G01R3/00

Abstract: A skate on a tip of a probe for testing electrical devices is a reduced thickness probe tip contact. Such a skate can advantageously increase contact pressure, but it can also undesirably reduce probe lifetime due to rapid mechanical wear of the skate. Here multilayer skate probes are provided where the overall shape of the probe tip is a smooth curved surface, as opposed to the conventional fin-like skate configuration. The skate layer is the most mechanically wear-resistant layer in the structure, so abrasive processing of the probe tip leads to a probe skate defined by the skate layer. The resulting probes provide the advantage of increased contact pressure without the disadvantage of reduced lifetime.

公开(公告)号：US20140044985A1

公开(公告)日：2014-02-13

申请号：US13963402

申请日：2013-08-09

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： January Kister

IPC: G01R3/00 ,  B23K26/38

CPC classification number: G01R3/00 ,  B23K26/38 ,  G01R1/06755 ,  Y10T428/12396

Abstract: A method of making a probe (and the resulting probe) comprising providing a metal foil, creating a tip on an edge of the foil, and laser cutting a body of the probe from the foil with one or more tips at an end of the body.

Abstract translation: 一种制造探针（和所得到的探针）的方法，包括提供金属箔，在箔的边缘上产生尖端，并且在身体的一端用一个或多个尖端从所述箔激光切割探针的主体 。

公开(公告)号：US20150192615A1

公开(公告)日：2015-07-09

申请号：US14664220

申请日：2015-03-20

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： January Kister

IPC: G01R1/073

CPC classification number: G01R1/073 ,  G01R1/06716 ,  G01R1/06733 ,  G01R1/06761 ,  G01R1/07357

Abstract: The present invention is a probe array for testing an electrical device under test comprising one or more ground/power probes and one or more signal probes and optionally a gas flow apparatus.

Abstract translation: 本发明是用于测试包括一个或多个接地/功率探针和一个或多个信号探针以及任选的气流装置的被测电气装置的探针阵列。

公开(公告)号：US20240201225A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-20

申请号：US18391228

申请日：2023-12-20

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： Kevin John Hughes ,  January Kister

IPC: G01R1/073

CPC classification number: G01R1/07307

Abstract: MEMS probes are provided having decoupled electrical and mechanical design. In these probes, electrical conduction is primarily through one or more electrically conductive rails, and mechanical compliance for vertical compression is provided by a coil. The resulting independence of electrical and mechanical design advantageously enables probes to have a combination of electrical and mechanical properties that cannot be obtained in probes where the probe body is subject to both electrical and mechanical design constraints.

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：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：US20130093450A1

公开(公告)日：2013-04-18

申请号：US13693971

申请日：2012-12-04

Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.

Inventor： January Kister

IPC: G01R1/073

CPC classification number: G01R1/07307 ,  G01R1/06733

Abstract: Improved probing of closely spaced contact pads is provided by an array of vertical probes having all of the probe tips aligned along a single contact line, while the probe bases are arranged in an array having two or more rows parallel to the contact line. With this arrangement of probes, the probe base thickness can be made greater than the contact pad spacing along the contact line, thereby advantageously increasing the lateral stiffness of the probes. The probe tip thickness is less than the contact pad spacing, so probes suitable for practicing the invention have a wide base section and a narrow tip section.

Abstract translation: 通过具有所有探针尖端沿着单个接触线对准的垂直探针的阵列提供紧密间隔的接触垫的改进的探测，而探针基底布置成平行于接触线的两行或更多行的阵列。 利用这种探针的布置，可以使探针基底厚度大于沿着接触线的接触垫间距，从而有利地增加探针的横向刚度。 探针尖端厚度小于接触垫间距，因此适用于实施本发明的探针具有宽的基部和窄的尖端部分。

公开(公告)号：US11293947B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-05

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 can 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：US11156637B2

公开(公告)日：2021-10-26

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.