Providing an electrically conductive wall structure adjacent a contact structure of an electronic device

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of electrically conductive resilient contact structures extending from the substrate, a first of the contact structures being part of an electrical path through the electronic apparatus, the contact structures configured to be compressed by contact with terminals of a device and thereby make electrical connections with the terminals; and

a first electrically conductive rigid wall structure extending from the substrate and disposed adjacent at least one of the contact structures, an end surface of the rigid wall structure disposed to contact directly the device and thereby limit compression of the resilient contact structures by the device, wherein the first wall structure is electrically connected to a return current path within the electronic apparatus for alternating current signals or system power on the first contact structure.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connection for electrically connecting the electrical path to a source of the alternating current signals.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the return current path is connected to common ground.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the return current path is connected to system power, and the system power is coupled by an alternating current coupler to common ground.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the alternating current coupler comprises a capacitor electrically connecting the system power to the common ground.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connection for electrically connecting the electrical path to the system power.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the return current path is connected to common ground.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:

a second of the contact structures is part of the return current path;

a second electrically conductive rigid wall structure extends from the substrate and is disposed adjacent the second contact structure; and

the second wall structure is electrically connected to the electrical path.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the return current path is connected to common ground.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first contact structure and the first wall structure extend from a first surface of the substrate;

a second of the contact structures extends from a second surface of the substrate, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the second contact structure being electrically connected to the first contact structure through the substrate, the second contact structure being part of the electrical path;

the apparatus further comprising:

a second electrically conductive rigid wall structure extending from the second surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the second contact structure, the second wall structure being electrically connected to the return current path.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

a multiplicity of the contact structures are disposed in at least two rows;

a first portion of the wall structure is disposed between ones of the contact structures in different rows; and

a second portion of the wall structure is disposed adjacent at least one of the contact structures in one of the rows.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

ones of the contact structures are disposed in a row;

a length of a wall structure extends less than a length of the rows.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of ones of the contact structures comprise extension structures extending from opposite sides of the contact structure.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic apparatus is part of a probe card assembly comprising an electrical interface to a tester and a plurality of probes for contacting an electronic component to be tested, the electrical path extending from the interface to one of the probes.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, while each of the contact structures is uncompressed, each of the contact structures extends a greater distance from the substrate than a distance the first wall structure extends from the substrate.

16. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of electrically conductive resilient contact structures extending from the substrate, a first of the contact structures being part of an electrical path through the electronic apparatus; and

a first electrically conductive wall structure extending from the substrate and disposed adjacent at least one of the contact structures, wherein the first wall structure is electrically connected to a return current path within the electronic apparatus for alternating current signals or system power on the first contact structure, wherein:

the first contact structure and the first wall structure extend from a first surface of the substrate;

a second of the contact structures extends from a second surface of the substrate, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the second contact structure being electrically connected to the first contact structure through the substrate, the second contact structure being part of the electrical path;

the electronic apparatus further comprising:

a second electrically conductive wall structure extending from the second surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the second contact structure, the second wall structure being electrically connected to the return current path,

wherein:

a third of the contact structures extends from the first surface of the substrate and is part of the return current path;

a fourth of the contact structures extends from the second surface of the substrate and is part of the return current path, the fourth contact structure being electrically connected through the substrate to the third contact structure;

the electronic apparatus further comprising:

a third electrically conductive wall structure extending from the first surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the fourth contact structure, the fourth wall structure being electrically connected to the electrical path; and

a fourth electrically conductive wall structure extending from the second surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the third contact structure, the third wall structure being electrically connected to the electrical path.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:

the first wall structure is rigid,

the second wall structure is rigid,

the third wall structure is rigid, and

the fourth wall structure is rigid.

18. A process of testing an electronic device (DUT), the process comprising:

effecting contact between a probing apparatus and the DUT, the contact establishing a plurality of electrical paths through the probing apparatus to the DUT;

providing one of system power or test signals to the DUT through an electrical path within the probing apparatus, the electrical path comprising a first resilient contact structure extending from a surface of a substrate that is part of the probing apparatus, the contact structures configured to be compressed by contact with terminals of a device and thereby make electrical connections with the terminals; and

returning current from the one of the system power or the test signals through a return current path that is electrically connected to a first electrically conductive rigid wall structure extending from the surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the first contact structure, an end surface of the rigid wall structure disposed to contact directly the device and thereby limit compression of the resilient contact structures by the device.

19. The process of claim 18 , wherein the providing comprises providing test signals that are alternating current signals through the electrical path to the DUT.

20. The process of claim 19 , wherein the return current path is common ground connected to the DUT.

21. The process of claim 19 , wherein the return current path is connected to the system power provided to the DUT, the process further comprising coupling by an alternating current coupling mechanism the system power to common ground connected to the DUT.

22. The process of claim 21 , wherein the coupling comprises capacitively coupling the system power to the common ground.

23. The process of claim 18 , wherein the providing comprises forcing system power through the electrical path to the DUT.

24. The process of claim 23 , wherein:

the return current path comprises a second resilient contact structure extending from the surface of the substrate; and

the electrical path is electrically connected to a second electrically conductive rigid wall structure extending from the surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the second contact structure.

25. The process of claim 23 , wherein the return current path is common ground.

26. The process of claim 18 , wherein the probing apparatus is a probe card assembly comprising an interface to a tester configured to control testing of the DUT and a plurality of probes for contacting terminals of the DUT, the electrical paths being between the interface the probes; and

the process further comprises connecting the interface of the probing apparatus to the tester.