Abstract:
An interconnection contact structure assembly including an electronic component (102) having a surface and a conductive contact terminal (103) carried by the electronic component (102) and accessible at the surface. The contact structure (101) includes an internal flexible elongate member (106) having first (107) and second ends (108) and with the first end (107) forming a first intimate bond to the surface of the conductive contact terminal (103) without the use of a separate bonding material. An electrically conductive shell (116) is provided and is formed of at least one layer of a conductive material enveloping the elongate member (106) and forming a second intimate bond with at least a portion of the conductive contact terminal immediately adjacent the first intimate bond.
Abstract:
Resilient contact structures (430) are mounted directly to bond pads (410) on semiconductor dies (402a, 402b), prior to the dies (402a, 402b) being singulated (separated) from a semiconductor wafer. This enables the semiconductor dies (402a, 402b) to be exercised (e.g., tested and/or burned-in) by connecting to the semiconductor dies (702, 704) with a circuit board (710) or the like having a plurality of terminals (712) disposed on a surface thereof. Subsequently, the semiconductor dies (402a, 402b) may be singulated from the semiconductor wafer, whereupon the same resilient contact structures (430) can be used to effect interconnections between the semiconductor dies and other electronic components (such as wiring substrates, semiconductor packages, etc.). Using the all-metallic composite interconnection elements (430) of the present invention as the resilient contact structures, burn-in (792) can be performed at temperatures of at least 150 DEG C, and can be completed in less than 60 minutes.
Abstract:
An exemplary die carrier is disclosed. In some embodiments, the die carrier can hold a plurality of singulated dies while the dies are tested. The dies can be arranged on the carrier in a pattern that facilities testing the dies. The carrier can be configured to allow interchangeable interfaces to different testers to be attached to and detached from the carrier. The carrier can also be configured as a shipping container for the dies.
Abstract:
A base controller disposed in a test cassette receives test data for testing a plurality of electronic devices. The base controller wirelessly transmits the test data to a plurality of wireless test control chips, which write the test data to each of the electronic devices. The wireless test control chips then read response data generated by the electronic devices, and the wireless test control chips wirelessly transmit the response data to the base controller.
Abstract:
Techniques for performing wafer-level burn-in and test of semiconductor devices include a test substrate having active electronic components such as ASICs mounted to an interconnection substrate or incorporated therein, metallic spring contact element effecting interconnections between the ASICs and a plurality of devices-under-test (DUTs) on a wafer-under-test (WUT), all disposed in a vacuum vessel so that the ASICs can be operated at temperatures independent from and significantly lower than the burn-in temperature of the DUTs. The spring contact elements may be mounted to either the DUTs or to the ASICs, and may fan out to relax tolerance constraints on aligning and interconnecting the ASICs and the DUTs. A significant reduction in interconnect count and consequent simplification of the interconnection substrate is realized because the ASICs are capable of receiving a plurality of signals for testing the DUTs over relatively few signal lines from a host controller and promulgating these signals over the relatively many interconnections between the ASICs and the DUTs. The ASICs can also generate at least a portion of these signals in response to control signals from the host controller. Physical alignment techniques are also described. Micromachined indentations on the front surface of the ASICs ensure capturing free ends of the spring contact elements. Micromachined features on the back surface of the ASICs and the front surface of the interconnection substrate to which they are mounted facilitate precise alignment of a plurality of ASICs on the support substrate.
Abstract:
Spring contact elements are fabricated by depositing at least one layer of metallic material into openings defined in masking layers deposited on a surface of a substrate which may be an electronic component such as an active semiconductor device. Each spring contact element has a base end, a contact end, and a central body portion. The contact end is offset in the z-axis (at a different height) and in at least one of the x and y directions from the base end. In this manner, a plurality of spring contact elements are fabricated in a prescribed spatial relationship with one another on the substrate. The spring contact elements make temporary (i.e., pressure) or permanent (e.g., joined by soldering or brazing or with a conductive adhesive) connections with terminals of another electronic component to effect electrical connections therebetween. In an exemplary application, the spring contact elements are disposed on semiconductor devices resident on a semiconductor wafer so that temporary connections can be made with the semiconductor devices to burn-in and/or test the semiconductor devices.
Abstract:
A probe card assembly (500) includes a probe card (502), a space transformer (506) having resilient contact structures (probe elements) (524) mounted directly to and extending from terminals (522) on a surface thereof, and an interposer (504) disposed between the space transformer (506) and the probe card (502). The space transformer (506) and interposer are "stacked up" so that the orientation of the space transformer (506), hence the orientation of the tips of the probe elements (524), can be adjusted without changing the orientation of the probe card. Suitable mechanisms (532, 536, 538, 546) for adjusting the orientation of the space transformer (506), and for determining what adjustments to make, are disclosed. Multiple die sites on a semiconductor wafer (508) are readily probed using the disclosed techniques, and the probe elements (524) can be arranged to optimize probing of an entire wafer (508). Composite interconnection elements (200) having a relatively soft core (206) covercoated by a relatively hard shell (218, 220) as the resilient contact structures are described.
Abstract:
Probe array structures and methods of making probe array structures are disclosed. A plurality of electrically conductive elongate contact structures disposed on a first substrate can be provided. The contact structures can then be partially encased in a securing material such that ends of the contact structures extend from a surface of the securing material. The exposed portions of the contact structures can then be captured in a second substrate.
Abstract:
A central test facility transmits wirelessly test data to a local test facility, which tests electronic devices using the test data. The local test facility transmits wirelessly response data generated by the electronic devices back to the central test facility, which analyzes the response data to determine which electronic devices passed the testing. The central test facility may provide the results of the testing to other entities, such as a design facility where the electronic devices were designed or a manufacturing facility where the electronic devices where manufactured. The central test facility may accept requests for test resources from any of a number of local test facilities, schedule test times corresponding to each test request, and at a scheduled test time, wirelessly transmits test data to a corresponding local test facility.
Abstract:
Spring contact elements are fabricated by depositing at least one layer of metallic material into openings defined on a sacrificial substrate. The openings may be within the surface of the substrate, or in one or more layers deposited on the surface of the sacrificial substrate. Each spring contact element has a base end portion, a contact end portion, and a central body portion. The contact end portion is offset in the z-axis (at a different height) than the central body portion. The base end portion is preferably offset in an opposite direction along the z-axis from the central body portion. In this manner, a plurality of spring contact elements are fabricated in a prescribed spatial relationship with one another on the sacrificial substrate. The spring contact elements are suitably mounted by their base end portions to corresponding terminals on an electronic component, such as a space transformer or a semiconductor device, whereupon the sacrificial substrate is removed so that the contact ends of the spring contact elements extend above the surface of the electronic component. In an exemplary use, the spring contact elements are thereby disposed on a space transformer component of a probe card assembly so that their contact ends effect pressure connections to corresponding terminals on another electronic component, for the purpose of probing the electronic component.