Patent · US Active

Excess overdrive detector for probe cards

US7365551B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
13References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 26, 2006
Grant dateApr 29, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 5, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R1/06794
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A novel structure for a probe card that comprises a deformable metal or other deformable material for detecting excess overdrive and a method for using the same are disclosed. This detection structure may be positioned on the substrate along the bending path of the probe, such that should the probe experience excess overdrive, then the detection structure will permanently deform where it is hit by any portion of the probe. Alternatively, the detection structure may be embedded in the substrate, and may also function as a fiducial for alignment detection. Inspection of the probe card, and specifically the detection structure, will reveal whether any probe has experienced excess overdrive. Should the inspection reveal that certain regions of the card experienced excess overdrive, this may indicate a planarity problem that affects production line yield.

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