Patent ID: 6788085
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A probe assembly for making electrical contact with circuit elements on an integrated circuit wafer, or the like, said probe comprising:a first support which is substantially flat; a second support disposed on said first member and providing a sidewall structure which extends substantially vertically upward from said substantially flat first support; a substantially flat mask having at least one aperture therein, said mask being supported by said second support at a substantially uniform distance from said first support; a flexible, self-supporting wire probe affixed to said first support, said wire probe having a pointed end which extends at least partially through said at least one aperture, said wire probe having two substantially oppositely directed bends therein so as to permit said wire probe to flex in response to force applied to said pointed end; said wire probe comprising a core material selected from the group consisting of platinum and platinum iridium alloys and being plated with material selected from the group consisting of nickel, gold, nickel alloys and gold alloys; and said wire probe having a core diameter d, a thickness, p, of concentrically disposed material, and an offset L, said offset being the horizontal distance between the point of affixation of said wire probe to said first support and the aperture through which said wire probe extends, said values of L, p and d being conjointly selected so as to define a point lying substantially within acceptable regions indicated in FIGS. 4A through 4D.