Abstract:
An apparatus may include a body to couple to a motherboard, the body defining an opening, and a support removably coupled to the body, the support to mount in the opening and to pass electrical interconnects to electrically couple an integrated circuit to the motherboard. In further aspects, an apparatus may include a plurality of electrical interconnects disposed in respective ones of a plurality of openings of the support, the plurality of electrical interconnects to electrically couple an integrated circuit to the motherboard, a base mounted on the body, the base defining base openings to pass the plurality of electrical interconnects, wherein the base is to receive the integrated circuit and to move toward the support so as the bring electrical contacts of the integrated circuit into contact with the plurality of electrical interconnects.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   A computer processing platform typically consists of a motherboard, a microprocessor coupled to the motherboard, and various other elements such as a power supply, peripheral controllers, and memory controllers that are also connected to the motherboard. The microprocessor and the other elements may be electrically coupled to one another via electrical traces formed on and/or within the motherboard. 
   A microprocessor may be tested to confirm that it operates properly with a computer processing platform in which the microprocessor is intended to be used. The testing may verify functionality of the microprocessor in response to received commands and to various states of the other elements coupled to the motherboard. The microprocessor may also be subjected to high electrostatic discharge, temperature, and/or vibration to see if it is capable of proper functioning within its environmental specifications. Some testing devices consist of a computer processing platform that allows a microprocessor to be placed thereon, tested, and removed, and allows other microprocessors to be successively placed thereon, tested, and removed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus and an integrated circuit under test according to some embodiments. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an apparatus according to some embodiments. Contactor  1  may receive an integrated circuit and be coupled to a motherboard to test the operation of the integrated circuit under various conditions. Contactor  1  comprises body  10 , support  20 , insert  30 , and base  40 . Elements  10  through  40  may be primarily composed of a suitable durable, electrostatic discharge-resistant, and temperature-resistant material as is or will be known in the art. Non-exhaustive examples include Orlon, Ultem, and PEEK-based materials. 
   Body  10  defines rectangular opening  15 , in which support  20  is mounted. Support  20  may rest on ledges (not shown) of body  10  extending into opening  15 . Support  20  may be separate from body  10 , and may define openings  25  to pass electrical interconnects (not shown). According to some embodiments, support  20  may be removed from body  10  and replaced with a new instantiation of support  20 . Such replacement may be desired if one or more of openings  25  is damaged during testing of an integrated circuit received by contactor  1 . 
   The above-mentioned electrical interconnects, embodiments of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , may electrically couple an integrated circuit received by contactor  1  to a motherboard to which contactor  1  is coupled. In this regard, body  10  includes connectors  17  to couple body  10  to corresponding structures of a motherboard. Any type of suitable connectors may be used in conjunction with some embodiments. 
   Insert  30  may be coupled to body  10  beneath support  20 . Insert  30  may define openings through which the above-mentioned electrical interconnects may pass. The defined openings of insert  30  may allow only a portion of each electrical interconnect to pass therethrough, thereby maintaining the electrical interconnects within respective openings  25  of support  20 . Springs  35  may be disposed between insert  30  and body  10  to allow resisted movement of insert  30  away from body  10 . 
   Base  40  defines base openings  45  for allowing the above-mentioned electrical interconnects to pass therethrough. Base  40  may receive an integrated circuit (not shown) such that one or more electrical contacts of the integrated circuit are positioned over one or more respective ones of base openings  45 . Springs  47  are disposed between base  40  and body  10  to allow resisted movement of base  40  towards body  10 . Such movement may bring the electrical contacts of the integrated circuit into contact with one or more electrical interconnects passing through base openings  45 . 
     FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of contactor  1  according to some embodiments. Contactor  1  of  FIG. 2  is shown coupled to motherboard  50 . Motherboard  50  may comprise any suitable material, such as FR4 material, and may be dedicated to platform validation testing. Accordingly, elements other than contactor  1  may also be coupled to motherboard  50 . Some of such elements according to some embodiments will be described below with respect to  FIG. 5 . 
     FIG. 2  also illustrates electrical interconnects  60 . Electrical interconnects  60  pass through respective ones of openings  25  of support  20 , base openings  45  of base  40 , and openings of insert  30 . Base  40  is suspended above support  20  by springs  47 , and electrical interconnects  60  therefore do not pass fully through openings  45 . In the illustrated embodiment, a width of the openings of insert  30  at a bottom surface of insert  30  is less than a width of a portion of electrical interconnects  60 . This arrangement may allow insert  30  to maintain electrical interconnects  60  within respective openings  25  of support  20 . However, narrower portions of electrical interconnects  60  may pass through the openings of insert  30  and touch respective electrical contacts of motherboard  50 . 
   Electrical interconnects  60  may comprise any one or more devices that provide an electrical connection between two elements that are in contact with different surfaces of interconnects  60 . According to some embodiments, electrical interconnects  60  comprise elements, such as pogo pins, that compress when end-to-end pressure is applied. 
   Support  20  is removably seated on ledges  19  of body  10 . Support  20  and insert  30  are depicted with fill patterns to distinguish themselves from surrounding elements of  FIG. 2 , rather than to illustrate any relative material composition. Similarly, interposer  70  is illustrated with a fill pattern that has no necessary relation to the composition of interposer  70 . According to some embodiments, interposer  70  is disposed between body  10  and motherboard  50 . Interposer  70  may therefore include or pass elements for coupling body to motherboard  50 . 
     FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of contactor  1  of  FIG. 2  after receiving integrated circuit (IC)  80  according to some embodiments. Integrated circuit  80  may comprise may comprise any IC, including but not limited to a microprocessor, a network processor, a controller hub, and a chipset. 
   Integrated circuit  80  may comprise an integrated circuit die disposed within an integrated circuit package. The integrated circuit die may include electrical devices integrated therein, and the integrated circuit package may comprise any ceramic, organic, and/or other suitable material including an electrical interface that is compatible with the arrangement of base openings  45  and electrical contacts  60 . According to some embodiments, integrated circuit  80  comprises an Organic Land Grid Array (OLGA) package including solder balls  85  that are in a Land Grid Array configuration and are electrically coupled to electrical devices of integrated circuit  80 . Alternative integrated circuit types and packaging may be used in conjunction with some embodiments. 
   The weight of integrated circuit  80  and/or other pressure applied to base  40  results in the compression of springs  47  and movement of base  40  towards support  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , this movement brings solder balls  85  into contact with respective ones of electrical interconnects  60 . Accordingly, solder balls  85  become electrically coupled to electrical contacts of motherboard  50 . 
     FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of process  400 . Process  400  may be used to test multiple ICs according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, process  400  may be used to validate microprocessor platform performance in a high-volume manufacturing environment. Process  400  may be executed by hardware, by software, and/or manually. 
   Initially, at  401 , an integrated circuit is placed on a support that is mounted in an opening. The opening, in turn, is defined by a body coupled to a motherboard. For example,  401  may comprise placing integrated circuit  80  on contactor  1  as shown in  FIG. 2 , resulting in the arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Integrated circuit  80  may be placed indirectly on support  20  as shown in  FIG. 3  according to some embodiments of  401 . According to other embodiments, an integrated circuit is placed in direct contact with a support. 
   The integrated circuit is tested at  402 . Testing may involve any currently- or hereafter-known testing methods and hardware. According to some embodiments, testing at  402  comprises performing processor platform validation using a testing platform that is based on motherboard  50 . 
     FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a testing platform according to some embodiments. Testing platform  500  comprises chassis  510 , actuator  520 , testing device  530 , and motherboard  50 . Cooling unit  540  is coupled to motherboard  50 , and is illustrated as if transparent to reveal contactor  1  and integrated circuit  80  disposed underneath. Also coupled to motherboard  50  and therefore to integrated circuit  80  are controller hub  550 , I/O controller  560 , Ethernet controller  570 , and memory  580 . Memory  580  may comprise any type of memory for storing data, such as a Single Data Rate Random Access Memory, a Double Data Rate Random Access Memory, a fully-buffered Dual In-line Memory Module, or a Programmable Read Only Memory. Motherboard  50  may comprise components of a desktop computing platform. 
   During testing at  402 , integrated circuit  80  may be subjected to various environmental conditions while executing instructions received from testing device  530 . Testing may include interactions between integrated circuit  80  and other elements of motherboard  50 . Cooling unit  540  may cool integrated circuit  80  using any cooling technique, including but not limited to techniques involving liquid coolant. Actuator  520  may move cooling unit  540  to a position that allows cooling unit  540  to cool integrated circuit  80 . Flow proceeds to  403  after testing is completed. 
   At  403 , it is determined whether the support has been used for more than a threshold number of testing cycles. One testing cycle may include all desired testing of an integrated circuit placed on the support. In this regard, it may be desirable to replace the support after the support has been used to perform a particular number of testing cycles. Flow proceeds to  404  if the threshold number of testing cycles has not been exceeded. 
   It is determined if the support is defective at  404 . The support may be determined to be defective if it is not suitable for use in testing. Examples of defects according to some embodiments include but are not limited to merging of two or more openings  25 , deformation of one or more openings  25 , and/or warping of support  20 . Defects may cause misalignment of one or more electrical connectors  60  and/or skewing of an interface between support  20  and base  40  or integrated circuit  80 . These defects may be caused by manufacturing errors and/or testing conditions such as heat, vibration, and pressure. 
   If the support is not determined to be defective at  404 , the integrated circuit is replaced with another integrated circuit at  405 . Replacing integrated circuit  80  may comprise using actuator  520  to move cooling unit  540  to a position away from integrated circuit  80 . The new integrated circuit is tested at  402  and flow continues therefrom as described above. 
   In a case that either of the determinations at  403  or  404  is affirmative, the integrated circuit is removed at  406 . Removal of the integrated circuit may be advantageous not only because testing of the integrated circuit may have been completed at  402 , but also because removal may allow access to support  20 . According to some embodiments of  406 , actuator  520  moves cooling unit  540  away from contactor  1 . Next, integrated circuit  80  is removed from base  40 . 
   The support is replaced at  407 . In some embodiments, base  40  is first removed from contactor  1 . Support  20  is then removed from opening  15  of body  10  and replaced with another support. Flow then returns to  401  to receive another integrated circuit and continue as described above. Some embodiments of process  400  therefore allow replacement of support  20  without requiring replacement of body  10 . 
   The several embodiments described herein are solely for the purpose of illustration. Some embodiments may include any currently or hereafter-known versions of the elements described herein. Therefore, persons skilled in the art will recognize from this description that other embodiments may be practiced with various modifications and alterations.