Patent · US Expired

High performance probe system

US6911835B2 · kind B2 · utility

100Cited by
20References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 5, 2003
Grant dateJun 28, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 5, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R3/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A probe system for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and input/output, power and ground pads on the surfaces of ICs to be tested includes a probe board assembly, a flex cable and a set of probes arranged to contact the IC's I/O pads. The probe board assembly includes one or more rigid substrate layers with traces and vias formed on or within the substrate layers providing relatively low bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing some of the IC's pads. The flex cable provides relatively high bandwidth signal paths linking the tester to probes accessing others of the IC's pads. A flex strip may alternatively be disposed behind a substrate with probes.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.