Patent ID: 8614590

Claim:
An apparatus for providing signal paths between an integrated circuit (IC) tester and a plurality of IC pads of an IC to be tested, the apparatus comprising: an interface board comprising electrical connections connectable to the tester; a probe substrate; electrically conductive probes coupled to the probe substrate, each of the probes comprising a resilient elongate portion extending from a first surface of the probe substrate and a tip at an end of the elongate portion disposed to contact one of the pads of the IC; and a flexible substrate extending from a surface of the interface board and disposed at least in part directly between the surface of the interface board and a second surface of the probe substrate that is opposite the first surface of the probe substrate, the flexible substrate comprising electrically conductive traces upon or within the substrate, each of the conductive traces is a generally uniform transmission line upon or within the flexible substrate along a length of the flexible substrate from the interface board to an electrical connection from the conductive trace to the probe substrate, wherein each of the conductive traces is part of one of a plurality of signal paths connecting the electrical connections of the interface board with the probes.