Non-destructive contact test
View Patent ↗A non-destructive contact test method and apparatus for testing an electric characteristic of a test object is provided. The method includes providing an apparatus having a conductor, wherein the conductor is in a liquid state; and using the conductor to contact a surface of the test object for testing the electric characteristic of the test object. Thus, damage to the test object during the test can be effectively avoided.
1. A non-destructive contact test method, for testing electric characteristics of a test object comprising:
providing an apparatus, comprising a conductor, said conductor being in a liquid state at a testing temperature; and
using said conductor to contact a surface of said test object for testing electric characteristics of said test object, wherein said test object is an active array comprising a plurality of pixels.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said conductor has a melting point lower than said testing temperature and said conductor is in a liquid state at said testing temperature.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a step of heating said conductor to transform said conductor into a liquid state before the step of using said conductor to contact said surface of said test object.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said conductor has a melting point lower than 400° C.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said conductor comprises mercury (Hg).
6. The method of claim 1 , further including using a height adjustment system to adjust a height of said conductor in the liquid state.
7. A non-destructive contact test method, for testing electric characteristics of a test object, wherein said test object is an active array, said active array comprising a plurality of pixels, said method comprising: (a) providing an apparatus comprising a plurality of conductors, said plurality of conductors being in a liquid state at a testing temperature;
(b) contacting contact surfaces of a partial number of said pixels using said conductors; and
(c) testing electric characteristics of said partial number of pixels.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising a step (d) of moving said apparatus to align over pixels other than said partial number of pixels after the step (c); and
repeating said steps (b), (c) and (d) until the testing of the electrical characteristics of each of said pixels are completed.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said plurality of conductors has a melting point lower than 400° C.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said conductor has a melting point lower than said testing temperature.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a step of heating said conductor to transform said conductor into a liquid state before the step of using said conductor to contact said surface of said test object.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein said apparatus further comprising a height adjustment system adjusting a height of said conductor in the liquid state.
13. An apparatus suitable for testing an electric characteristic of a test object, comprising:
a body, having an opening;
at least a conductor, said conductor being in a liquid state at a testing temperature, a portion of which is being exposed outside said body via said opening for contacting a surface of said test object, and being in a solid state at a temperature below the testing temperature; and
a heater heating said conductor to transform said conductor from solid state to liquid state, and to maintain said conductor in a liquid state during testing.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said conductor has a melting point lower than said testing temperature.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said conductor comprises mercury (Hg).
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a height adjustment system, adjusting a pressure within, the body to adjust a height of the exposed portion of the conductor at the liquid state.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said body is an insulating material.
18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said body is a conductive material.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a common conducting line connected to said body.
20. A method of in process testing electrical characteristics of an OLED array structure, comprising the steps of:
providing a test probe comprising a liquid conductive probe, wherein a portion of the liquid conductive probe extend outside the test probe;
adjusting a pressure within the test probe to adjust a height of said extended portion of the liquid conductive probe by using a height adjustment system;
contacting a test surface in the OLED array structure using the liquid conductive probe; and
obtaining data pertaining to the electrical characteristic of the OLED array structure.
21. The method of claim 7 , wherein said conductor comprises mercury (Hg).