Patent ID: 6420884
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A contact structure for testing a semiconductor wafer, a packaged LSI or a printed circuit board (device under test), comprising:a plurality of contact beams each of which exhibits a spring force in a transversal direction thereof to establish a contact force when the tip of each contact beam pressed against a contact target, each of said contact beams comprising: a silicon base having an inclined support portion created through an anisotropic etching process; an insulation layer having a planar shape for electrically insulating a beam portion from one another; and a conductive layer having a planar shape and made of conductive material formed on one surface of the insulation layer so that said beam portion is created by the insulation layer and the conductive layer; wherein the insulation layer and the conductive layer have substantially the same length; a contact substrate for mounting said plurality of contact beams, said contact substrate having grooves for receiving said silicon base therein in a manner to fix said contact beam in a diagonal direction; and a plurality of contact traces provided on a surface of said contact substrate and respectively connected to said contact beams.