Flexible Substrate Probe Card for High-Frequency IC Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional probe cards for high-frequency signal testing face challenges in achieving dense probe positioning due to the large size of coaxial cables and wires, leading to interference and disorderly connections, which hinder effective signal transmission and testing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A probe card design featuring a flexible substrate with arrayed conductive strips directly connected to probes, allowing for orderly arrangement and flexible positioning, combined with a coaxial cable with an electromagnetic shielding layer to manage interference, enabling high-density testing of integrated circuit devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a thick insulator is used in the coaxial cable to provide desired impedance, then the impedance control is improved, but the cable size becomes large which prevents dense probe positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional thick-insulator coaxial cable with a flexible substrate containing thin conductive traces. This flexible substrate approach maintains impedance control through precise trace design while dramatically reducing the overall size, enabling dense probe positioning for high-frequency testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and dimensional parameters of the electrical connection medium from rigid thick-insulator cable to flexible thin-substrate trace. This parameter transformation allows the system to achieve both proper impedance control and compact size suitable for high-density probe arrays.
2Reliability
If conventional wires are used to connect probe distal ends to the circuit board, then electrical connection is achieved, but the wires push each other causing disorderly arrangement and signal transmission quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible substrate with printed conductive traces instead of conventional wires. This flexible film approach provides ordered, non-interfering connections between probes and circuit board, maintaining both electrical reliability and precise spatial arrangement for high-density probe arrays.
3Productivity
If probes are positioned with high density for high-frequency testing, then testing capability is improved, but EMI interference increases and shielding becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible substrate with integrated shielding structures that conform to the high-density probe arrangement. This flexible shielding approach provides effective EMI protection while accommodating the compact, high-density probe configuration needed for modern high-frequency testing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables dense and efficient probe positioning, reduces signal interference, and facilitates reliable signal transmission by using a flexible substrate with conductive strips and a coaxial cable with effective shielding, suitable for high-frequency testing of integrated circuit devices with differential signals.
Implementation Method 1
a coaxial cable with an electromagnetic shielding layer to manage interference
Data Source
AI summary
A probe card includes a circuit board, a flexible substrate, and a plurality of probes. The flexible substrate includes a plurality of arrayed conductive strips. The plurality of conductive strips is electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The plurality of probes is fixed to the printed circuit board, and the end of each probe is attached to one corresponding conductive strip.