Optical DUT Test Fixture With Short Spring Pins and Heat Sink Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor chip testing methods face challenges such as high manufacturing costs, mechanical instability, and performance compromises due to the use of traditional spring pins, which are difficult to manufacture and limit bandwidth, and require costly and damaging soldering processes.
Innovation Solution
A high-speed test fixture with a mechanical arm, interposer, and short spring pins, along with a self-calibrating optical placement system, allows for non-destructive testing of optical transmitters and receivers, enabling high-bandwidth connections without soldering, and precise alignment using imaging systems or micro-positioners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If spring pin length is reduced to increase bandwidth, then bandwidth is improved, but manufacturing cost and mechanical complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized fixture structure with precision positioning mechanisms and advanced spring pin designs as intermediaries between the DUT and test board. This mediator system enables high bandwidth testing (up to 30 GHz) while managing the mechanical complexity through standardized, reusable fixture components rather than modifying the DUT or test board directly.
2Speed
If spring pin length is reduced to increase bandwidth, then bandwidth is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal test fixture system that can accommodate multiple DUT types and testing scenarios through standardized spring pin designs and modular components. This multi-functional fixture reduces per-unit manufacturing costs by enabling reuse across different test configurations while maintaining high bandwidth performance through optimized spring pin geometry and material selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes spring pin parameters including length (reduced to 1.5 mm for 30 GHz bandwidth), material composition, and geometric features to achieve the desired bandwidth performance. By carefully controlling these parameters during manufacturing, the system achieves high-frequency performance while managing production costs through standardized manufacturing processes.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional testing methods are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but device performance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic spring pin mechanisms that can adapt their contact pressure and positioning to match the specific electrical and mechanical requirements of different DUTs. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to maintain optimal signal integrity for high-speed testing while using cost-effective spring pin materials and designs, thereby achieving both performance and cost objectives.
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 system achieves high-bandwidth testing up to 90 GHz with reduced manufacturing costs and minimal performance impact, allowing easy removal of faulty devices and reusability of test boards, while maintaining device integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The mechanical arm holding the DUT also serves as heat sinker for the DUT
Implementation Method 2
The interposer allows a direct high-speed electrical connection between the pads of the DUT and the Test board
Data Source
AI summary
A test system for a device under test (DUT) includes an arm to hold the DUT, the arm having a predetermined heat capacity to act as a heat sink for the DUT; spring pins each to secure the DUT pins to pads on a test board, each pin supporting a 90 gigahertz bandwidth; and an actuator coupled to the arm to align the DUT over a test board on a horizontal X-axis and a vertical Y-axis, the actuator providing a compressive Z-axis force on the DUT to electrically couple the DUT to the test board.