Patent Abstract:
A contactor apparatus used in automatic testing of integrated circuits is provided. The invented apparatus, or assembly, enables the rapid automated test transition from testing a plurality of devices of a first body shape to a plurality of devices having a second body shape, where both types of devices have electrical contacts arranged within a device contact plane and according to a common grid pattern. The common grid pattern may be arranged along an X and an orthogonal Y axis, where contact points are spaced at identical intervals along each axis, e.g. a contact point at each 0.8 millimeter by 0.8 millimeter location, or where the contact points are spaced at differing intervals in each dimension, e.g. a plurality of contact points located at 0.8 millimeter lengths along the X axis and at 1.2 millimeter lengths along the Y axis.

Full Description:
CONTINUATION-IN-PART  
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-in-Part to Application No. 09/488, 240, filed on Jan. 20, 2000. The previous Application No. 09/488,240 is hereby abandoned. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing electrical signal pathways during test between an electronic device, such as an electronic module or an integrated electrical semiconductor circuit, and an automated test system. The invented assembly more particularly relates to interfacing systems that position an electrical device, the device having electrical contacts arranged within a substantially planar pattern and in a two-dimensional spacing pattern that is common to a plurality of electronic device products.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The costs of testing integrated circuit die and packaged electrical devices are significant components of the manufacturing costs of semiconductor devices. The prior art attempts to limit the costs of testing but requires the use of electrical contactors that are overly specific to particular device types. There is therefore a long felt need to provide a test contactor that may be more easily reconfigurable and/or to be useful in testing a wider variety of part numbers than the prior art allows.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus, or assembly, useful in testing an electronic device or semiconductor device by an automated test system.  
           [0005]    An invented contactor apparatus, or contactor assembly, useful in testing a device under test with an automated test system is provided. The contactor assembly, or assembly, includes a signal distribution board, a pogo body having a plurality of pins, and a device nest. The assembly, or electrical interconnect, provides signal pathways between a set of device electrical contacts of a device under test and the pin electronics of the automated test system.  
           [0006]    The device under test, or device, seats within the nest and makes electrical contact with the test system via the pins and the signal distribution board. The device may be a packaged or a partially packaged electronic device, such as a discrete device, a transistor or a plurality of transistors, an electronic memory, a logic device, a linear or analog device, a mixed signal device, a multi-chip module or an integrated semiconductor circuits.  
           [0007]    The signal distribution board has a tester side, an upper side and a plurality of signal distribution traces. The traces are composed of an electrically conductive material or composite, such as copper or a copper alloy, or other suitable electrically conductive materials known in the art, in singularly or in combination. Each trace includes a tester side contact, an upper side contact and a signal distribution pathway. Each trace provides an electrical signal pathway from its tester side contact to its upper side contact via its signal distribution pathway. Each trace electrical signal pathway may include one or more passive or active electrical devices and may be bi-directional or unidirectional. The tester side contacts are located along the tester side of the signal distribution board and in a pattern that partially or completely matches a pin electronics pattern of the tester, whereby some or all of the pin electronics contacts of the tester can simultaneously make separate electrical contacts with individual tester side contacts of certain or all of the traces of the signal distribution board. The upper side contacts of the traces are located along the upper side of the signal distribution board and in a two-dimensional grid pattern. The two-dimensional grid pattern may be a partially or totally arranged according to a personality pattern, the personality pattern including a contact pattern or patterns that match a pattern or patterns of device electrical contacts of a variety of electronic device products. The device electrical contact pattern may partially or wholly match a common grid array pattern, where the personality pattern, or grid pattern, comprises the common grid pattern and the personality pattern additionally matches or repeatedly matches the device contact patterns of a plurality of functionally differing or differently shaped packaged or partially packaged devices.  
           [0008]    In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention the personality pattern may provide or include a pattern for locating a plurality of electrical contacts in an orthogonal, two-dimensional X axis and Y axis pattern with substantially equivalent X and Y separations of 0.5 millimeter, 0.6 millimeter, 0.8 millimeter, 0.75 millimeter, 1.0 millimeter, 1.2 millimeter, or another suitable device electrical contact arrangement or location pattern known in the art.  
           [0009]    In certain still alternate preferred embodiments the personality pattern may alternatively or additionally include a pattern for locating a plurality of device electrical contacts in an orthogonal, two-dimensional X axis and Y axis pattern wherein the separations between certain or all of the electrical device contacts are in a first spacing along the X axis, such as 0.8 millimeter, and a second spacing along the Y axis, such as 1.2 millimeter. The resulting pattern may thereby provide device electrical contacts located in a grid at every or at certain X and Y locations in a 0.8 millimeter X axis by 1.2 millimeter Y axis array, or in another suitable spacing pattern or planar array known in the art.  
           [0010]    The pogo body houses a plurality pins, each pin having a board contact, a body and a device contact. The pins are electrical conductive and may comprise suitable electrically conductive materials or composites known in the art, such as gold, nickel, copper or metal alloys, in singularity or in combination.  
           [0011]    The pogo body, or vertical signal frame  6 , of the preferred embodiment is detachably attached to the signal distribution board by latches, screws, attachments, guide pin and receiver bushing features, ramp and pin mechanisms, or other suitable detachable attachment systems known in the art. The plurality of pins, or plurality of elongate vertical pins, of the preferred embodiment each have a board contact, an elongate body and a device contact. The vertical signal frame  6  maintains the plurality of elongate vertical pins in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the upper side of the signal distribution board. The elongate vertical pins are arranged in a pattern within or by the vertical signal frame  6  that matches a device electrical contact pattern of the device under test. The personality pattern of the preferred embodiment repeatedly matches the device electrical contact pattern whereby a plurality of devices having similar or identical device electrical contact patterns may be substantially simultaneously in electrical contact with the automated test system.  
           [0012]    The device nest device is a mechanical component that is designed to guide the device under test into an orientation with the pogo body that enables the substantially simultaneous electrical connection of a plurality of electrical contacts of the device under test with the plurality of pins of the pogo body. In the preferred embodiment, the device nest is detachably attached to the vertical signal frame  6  and guides the plurality of electrical contacts of the device under test into electrical contact with the device contacts of the elongate vertical pins. The device nest is designed in accordance with the physical form and dimensions of the device under test and the orientation of the package or partial package of the device under test with the device electrical contact pattern of the device under test. The device nest has a frame with an aperture. The aperture is shaped within the frame to conform to the shape of the package or partial package of the device and to guide the device into electrical contact with the plurality of elongate vertical pins. The aperture is further shaped to stabilize the device within the device nest while the automated tester tests the device.  
           [0013]    In the preferred embodiment the device under test may be a ball grid array device that has a device electrical contact pattern arranged in a substantially two-dimensional planar pattern, where individual contacts are located at regular X axis and Y axis displacements of 0.5 millimeter, 0.6 millimeter, 0.8 millimeter, 0.75 millimeter, 1.0 millimeter, 1.2 millimeter, or any suitable device electrical contact arrangement or location pattern known in the art. It is not necessary that the device under test have an electrical contact at each possible X, Y location within the device electrical contact pattern or the personality pattern.  
           [0014]    The device nest of the preferred embodiment is designed to seat the device under test into an orientation that enables electrical connectivity between the plurality of electrical contacts of the device under test and the plurality of device contacts of the elongate vertical pins, whereby the device under test or a plurality of devices may be electrically tested by the automated test system and via the invented assembly or a plurality of invented assemblies.  
           [0015]    The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    These, and further features of the invention, may be better understood with reference to the accompanying specification and drawings depicting the preferred embodiment, in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in situ with an automated test system.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIGS. 2A and 2B are a tester side and an upper side of a contactor board of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a device nest and a vertical signal frame of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1. preferred embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1 and attached to the automated test system of FIG. 1.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 attached to a test head of FIG. 1.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5A is a contact side of a device having a plurality of ball grid contacts.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5B is a side view of the device of FIG. 5A.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5C is the contact pattern of the device of FIG. 5A.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6A is a contact side of an alternate device having a plurality of ball grid contacts.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6B is a side view of the alternate device of FIG. 6A.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6C is the contact pattern of the alternate device of FIG. 6A.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a personality pattern that matches both of the device electrical contact patterns of the devices of FIGS. 5A and 5B.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8A through 8F is a cutaway perspective view of the device of FIG. 5A entering the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 and moving into a test position of FIG. 8F  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 9 is a cutaway perspective view of another device nest that is useful in guiding two devices identical to the device under test of FIG. 5A into substantially simultaneous electrical connection with the automated test system of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]    In describing the preferred embodiments, certain terminology is utilized for the sake of clarity. Such terminology is intended to encompass the recited embodiment, as well as all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner for a similar purpose to achieve a similar result. Reference is made in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment to the drawings accompanying this disclosure. These drawings illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made by one skilled in the art and in light of this disclosure and without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.  
         [0031]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention  2 , or electrical interconnect  2 , is detachably attached to a test head  4  of an automated electrical device test system. The interconnect  2  comprises an electrical signal distribution board  6 , a pogo body  8  and a device nest  10 . Electrical distribution board  6 , or contactor board  6  is detachably attached to the test head  4  by tester attachments  12 . Tester attachments  12  may comprise a screw, a thru hole in the contactor board  6  and a tapped receiver in the test head  4 , or another suitable detachable attachment mechanism or system known in the art.  
         [0032]    A handler guide fixture  14  of the contactor board is useful to orient a test handler or wafer prober to the interconnect  2  for docking the test head  4  to the handler or prober. The handler guide fixture  14  may be a guide pin, a guide pin receiver, a guide pin bushing, or another suitable mechanical guide or registration system known in the art.  
         [0033]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the contactor board  6  has a tester side  16  and an upper side  18 . The tester side  16  of the contactor board  6  has a pattern  20  of tester side contacts  22  that match a pin electronics pattern of the test head  4 , whereby the tester side  16  makes simultaneous electrical contact with a plurality of pin electronics contacts of the test head  4  at the tester side contacts  22  when the interconnect  2  is detachably attached to the test head  4 . The tester side  16  additionally has a tester attachment and release mechanism  24  that enables the contactor board  6  to be detachably attached and subsequently detached or released from the test head  4 . The upper side  18  of the contactor board  6  has a pattern  26  of upper side contacts  28  that match a contact pattern  29  of one or more electrical device types. The upper side  18  of the contactor board  6  optionally has the handler guide fixture  14  that may be a guide pin, or a guide pin bushing, or another suitable mechanical registration or docking element known in the art. The upper side  18  additionally has an optional set of guide fixtures  30  useful for aligning the pogo body  8 , or vertical signal frame  8 , or the device nest  10  with the contactor board  6 . The contactor board  6  further comprises a stiffener frame  35  that increases the planarity of the contactor board  6 . the stiffener frame  35  may be made of a sufficiently rigid metal or other sufficiently rigid material, element or composite known in the art.  
         [0034]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, cross sectional views of the device nest  10  and the vertical signal frame  8  of the interconnect shows the floating plate  32  and the elongate vertical pins  34  of the vertical signal frame  8 . The floating plate  32  has a plurality of apertures  36  that allow the elongate pins  34  to extend through the vertical signal frame  8  and the floating plate  32  when the floating plate  32  is pressed against the vertical signal frame  8 . The floating plate  32  provides protects the interconnect  2  from debris and contamination and also provides a stability to a device as the device falls into or is pressed through the device nest  10  and towards the vertical signal frame  8 .  
         [0035]    The elongate pins  34  are electrically conductive and are made with copper, gold, or another suitable electrically conductive material, element or composite known in the art. Each elongate pin  34  has a device contact  38 , an elongate body  40 , and a tester contact  42 . Each elongate pin  34  may be spring loaded or spring biased whereby the device contact and/or the tester contact press against an object when the elongate body  34  is compressed against or by the body, where the may be, for example, the test head  4  or an electrical device.  
         [0036]    The cross-sectional views of the interconnect  2  of FIGS. 3 and 4 show the optional guide fixtures  30 ,  50  of the upper side  18  aligning the vertical signal frame  8  or the device nest  10  with the contactor board  6 . A detachable attachment screw  44  passes through a vertical signal frame receiver  46  of the vertical signal frame  8  and screws into a tapped receiver  48  of the contactor board  6 . The vertical signal frame  8  is thereby detachably attached to the contactor board  6  by the detachable attachment screw  44 .  
         [0037]    The cross-sectional views of the interconnect  2  of FIGS. 3 and 4 additionally show an optional nest guide fixture  50  of the vertical signal frame  8  aligning the device nest  10  with the vertical signal frame  8 . A detachable attachment screw  52  passes through a device nest receiver  54  of the device nest  10  and screws into a tapped frame receiver  56  of the vertical signal frame  8 . The device nest  10  is thereby detachably attached to the vertical signal frame  8  by the detachable attachment screw  44 .  
         [0038]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 3, a plurality of pin receivers  58  of the vertical signal frame  8  orient the elongate pins  34  and substantially enable the electrical connection of the elongate pins  34  with the contactor board  6  and an electrical device under test.  
         [0039]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, a crosssectional view of the interconnect  2  as attached to the test head  4  shows the optional guide fixtures  30  &amp;  14  and the nest guide fixture  50  aligning the device nest  6  and the vertical signal frame and the contactor board  6  with the test head  4 . A plurality of signal distribution traces  59  of the contactor board  6  each individually provide an electrical signal pathway from an individual upper side contact  28  to an individual tester side contact  22 .Certain alternate preferred embodiments of the present invention include signal distribution traces  59  that provide a signal pathway from an individual tester side contact  22  to a plurality of upper side contacts  28 , and/or include signal distribution traces  58  that provide a signal pathway from an individual upper side contact  28  to a plurality of tester side contacts  22 , and/or include signal distribution traces  58  that provide a signal pathway from two or more upper side contacts  28  to two or more tester side  22  contacts.  
         [0040]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 5A, a contact side  60  of an electrical device  62  has a plurality of ball grid contacts  64 . The side view of FIG. SB of the electrical device  62 , or device  62 , shows two dimensions of a body  64  of the device  62 . The device  62  has  48  ball grid contacts  64  arranged in an X-Y orthogonal pattern  66  of contact locations  68  spaced at each 0.80 by 0.80 millimeter X, Y intersection. An alternate vertical signal frame  70  of FIG. 5C has a pattern of pin receivers  58  that match the pattern  66  of contact locations  68  of the device  62 , whereby the alternate vertical signal frame  70  may be positioned to enable a plurality of vertical pins  34  to simultaneously make electrical contact with the device  62 .  
         [0041]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 6A, an alternate contact side  72  of an alternate electrical device  74  has a plurality of ball grid contacts  64 . The side view of FIG. 6B of the alternate electrical device  74 , or device  74 , shows two dimensions of a body  76  of the alternate device  74 . The alternate device  74  has  41  ball grid contacts  64  arranged in an alternate X-Y orthogonal pattern  78  of contact locations  68  spaced according to and within a larger pattern of 0.80 by 0.80 millimeter X, Y intersections. An alternate vertical signal frame  80  of FIG. 5C has a pattern of pin receivers  58  that match the alternate pattern  78  of contact locations  68  of the alternate device  74 , whereby the alternate vertical signal frame  80  may be positioned to enable a plurality of vertical pins  34  to simultaneously make electrical contact with the alternate device  74 . Of particular note, the vertical signal frame  70  may be used to make contact with the ball grid contacts  64  of FIG. 6A as the pattern of pin receivers  58  of the vertical signal frame  70  is a superset of the alternate pattern  78  of contact locations  68  of the alternate device  74 . The vertical signal frame  70  may thus be used to test either the device  62  of FIG. 5A or the alternate device  74  of FIG. 6A. In some cases, appropriate pin receivers  58  of the vertical signal frame  70  are preferably presented to the alternate device  74  without vertical pins, either to save the cost of unnecessary elongate pins  34 , or to avoid unnecessary compressing of the devices against the unnecessary pins.  
         [0042]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a personality pattern  82  that simultaneously matches the device electrical contact patterns  66  &amp;  78  of the devices of FIGS. 5A and 5B. The personality pattern may be sized to fit the contact patterns  66  &amp;  78  of families of device types, or package styles, or of industry standard contact patterns. The provision of vertical signal frames  8 ,  70  &amp;  80  that have a pattern of pin receivers  58  that match a personality pattern  82  common to industry standard manufacturing practices enables certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to be used with large pluralities of electrical device product types, makes and models. An individual vertical signal frame  8 ,  70  &amp;  80  may thereby have an increased economic value over the prior art by a ubiquitous utility in testing pluralities of device types with the vertical signal frame  8 ,  70  &amp;  80 .  
         [0043]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIGS. 8A through 8F is a cutaway perspective view shows the device  62  of FIG. 5A entering the interconnect  2  and moving into a test position  84  as shown in FIG. 8F. The device nest  10  is sized to accept the device  62  into a nest aperture  86  of the device nest  10 . The device nest  10  is further sized and shaped to encourage the non-destructive settling or advancement of the device  62  towards the floating plate  32  and the elongate pins  34 . FIGS. 8A through 8F show a progressive travel of the device  62  from outside of the device nest  10 , as per FIG. 8A, and to a test position  84  where the device is compressing the elongate pins  34  and making electrical contact with the interconnect  2 . The device nest  10  may be sized to fit the bodies  64  &amp;  76  of families of device types, or package styles, or of industry standard contact patterns. The provision of device nests  10  that enable and encourage the nondestructive insertion into the interconnect  2  of a body style or a plurality of styles common to industry standard manufacturing practices enables certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to be used with large pluralities of electrical device product types, makes and models. An individual device nest  10  may thereby have an increased economic value over the prior art by a ubiquitous utility in testing pluralities of device types with a same device nest  10 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 9 is a cutaway perspective view of a multiple device nest  90  that is useful in guiding two devices  62  into substantially simultaneous electrical connection with the automated test head  4  of FIG. 1. A cutaway perspective view of the multiple device nest  90  that is useful in guiding two devices identical to the device  62  of FIG. 5A into substantially simultaneous electrical connection with the automated test head  4  of FIG. 1. The multiple device nest  90  is detachably attached to one, two or more vertical signal frames  70 ,  80  or  92  and is used to enable the simultaneous or non-simultaneous placement of separate devices  62  into each of a plurality of device nest apertures  86  and frames  70 ,  80  or  92 , whereby a plurality of devices  62  may be tested by the automated head  4  of FIG. 1.  
         [0045]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Other suitable electrical interfacing techniques and methods known in the art can be applied in numerous specific modalities by one skilled in the art and in light of the description of the present invention described herein. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6