Probe card assembly
View Patent ↗A probe card assembly has a probe contractor substrate having a plurality of probe contractor tips thereon and a probe card wiring board with an interposer disposed between the two. Support posts contacting the probe contractor substrate are vertically adjustable until secured by a locking mechanism which is coupled to the probe card wiring board. When the posts are secured in a fixed position, the position is one in which the plane of the plurality of probe contractor substrates is substantially parallel to a predetermined reference plane.
1. A probe card assembly comprising:
a first probe contactor substrate having a first plurality of probe contactor tips and a second probe contactor substrate having a second plurality of probe contactor tips;
a probe card wiring board;
an interposer disposed between and electrically coupled to the first probe contactor substrate and the probe card wiring board;
a sub-mount disposed between the probe card wiring board and the first and second probe contactor substrates;
a first support post for adjusting the first probe contactor substrate, the first support post being adjustable along its x-axis, its y-axis, and its z-axis and for tilt, tip, and yaw, until secured;
a first lock for fixedly securing an end of the first support post in a fixed position, coupled to the sub-mount, wherein the fixed position is one in which a plane of the first plurality of probe contactor tips is co-planar with a plane of the second plurality of probe contactor tips;
a second support post for adjusting the sub-mount substantially vertically, the second support post being vertically adjustable until secured; and
a second lock, coupled to a mounting structure, for securing an end of the second support post in a fixed position, wherein the fixed position is one in which a plane of the first plurality of probe contactor tips is substantially parallel to a predetermined reference plane.
2. The probe card assembly of claim 1 wherein the first lock allows the first support post to be moved along its x-axis, its y-axis, and its z-axis and for tip, tilt, and yaw prior to fixedly securing the first support post in a fixed position.
3. The probe card assembly of claim 2 wherein the first lock allows the first support post to be moved along its x-axis, its y-axis, and its z-axis approximately 50 μm.
4. The probe card assembly of claim 2 wherein the first lock allows the first support post to be moved along its x-axis, its y-axis, and its z-axis approximately 100 μm.
5. The probe card assembly of claim 2 wherein the first lock allows the first support post to be tipped or tilted approximately 100 arc-seconds.
6. The probe card assembly of claim 2 wherein the first lock allows the first support post to be tipped or tilted approximately 50 arc-seconds.
7. The probe card assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reference plane is a plane of the probe card wiring board.
8. The probe card assembly of claim 1 wherein the reference plane is a plane determined by a plurality of reference points.
9. The probe card assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second support post includes a flexible region to accommodate angular misalignment of the sub-mount with respect to the reference plane.
10. The probe card assembly of claim 9 wherein the flexible region is a thinned portion of the support post.
11. The probe card assembly of claim 9 wherein the flexible region is a spring element.
12. The probe card assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lock is a set screw locking collar.
13. The probe card assembly of claim 12 , wherein the set screw locking collar includes a support collar having an aperture through which to receive a set screw to securely affix the vertical position of the support post.
14. The probe card assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lock includes a collet.
15. The probe card assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lock is an adhesive bonded locking collar.
16. The probe card assembly of claim 1 wherein the first support post is coupled to the probe contactor substrate.
17. The probe card assembly of claim 1 wherein the first support post and the first lock are removable from the probe card assembly after the first support post has been fixedly secured by the first lock.
18. A probe card assembly comprising:
a first probe contactor substrate having a first plurality of probe contactor tips and a second probe contactor substrate having a second plurality of probe contactor tips;
a probe card wiring board;
an interposer disposed between and electrically coupled to the first probe contactor substrate and the probe card wiring board;
a first support structure contacting the first probe contactor substrate, the first support structure being adjustable along its x-axis, its y-axis, and its z-axis and in tilt, tip, and yaw, until secured; and
a first lock for securing an end of the first support structure in a fixed position.
19. The probe card assembly of claim 18 wherein the first lock allows the first support structure to be adjusted along its x-axis, its y-axis, and its z-axis and for tip, tilt, and yaw prior to fixedly securing the first support structure in a fixed position.
20. The probe card assembly of claim 19 wherein the first lock allows the first support structure to be moved along its x-axis, its y-axis, and its z-axis approximately 50 μm.
21. The probe card assembly of claim 19 wherein the first lock allows the first support structure to be moved along its x-axis, its y-axis, and its z-axis approximately 100 μm.
22. The probe card assembly of claim 19 wherein the first lock allows the first support structure to be tipped or tilted approximately 100 arc-seconds.
23. The probe card assembly of claim 19 wherein the first lock allows the first support structure to be tipped or tilted approximately 50 arc-seconds.
24. The probe card assembly of claim 18 further including a sub-mount and wherein the first lock is removably coupled to the sub-mount.
25. The probe card assembly of claim 24 , further including a second support structure for adjusting the sub-mount substantially vertically and wherein the second support structure includes a flexible region to accommodate angular misalignment of the sub-mount with respect to a reference plane.
26. The probe card assembly of claim 25 wherein the flexible region is a thinned portion of the support structure.
27. The probe card assembly of claim 25 wherein the flexible region is a spring element.
28. The probe card assembly of claim 18 , wherein the first lock is a set screw locking collar.
29. The probe card assembly of claim 28 , wherein the set screw locking collar includes a support collar having an aperture through which to receive a set screw to securely affix the vertical position of the support structure.
30. The probe card assembly of claim 18 , wherein the lock includes a collet.
31. The probe card assembly of claim 18 , wherein the first lock is an adhesive bonded locking collar.
32. The probe card assembly of claim 18 wherein the first support structure is coupled to the probe contactor substrate.
33. The probe card assembly of claim 18 wherein the first support structure and the first lock are removable from the probe card assembly after the first support structure has been fixedly secured by the first lock.
34. The probe contactor assembly of claim 18 wherein the first lock is removably coupled to the probe card wiring board.
35. The probe contactor assembly of claim 18 further including a stiffener coupled to the probe card wiring board.
36. The probe contactor assembly of claim 35 wherein the first lock is removably coupled to the stiffener.
37. The probe card assembly of claim 18 wherein the fixed position is one in which a plane of the first plurality of probe contactor tips is substantially co-planar with a plane of the second plurality of probe contactor tips.
38. The probe card assembly of claim 18 wherein the fixed position is one in which a Plane of the first plurality of probe contactor tips is substantially co-planar with a plane of the second plurality of probe contactor tips and a plane of the first plurality of probe contactor tips is substantially parallel to a reference plane.
39. The probe card assembly of claim 38 , wherein the reference plane is a plane of the probe card wiring board.
40. The probe card assembly of claim 38 wherein the reference plane is determined by a plurality of reference points.