Probe Card Integrated Circuit Amplifies Low Power Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current probe card configuration and testing apparatus struggle to test integrated circuit (IC) devices operating at low power levels, as the available power is insufficient to drive electrical signals through solder bumps or interconnections, making it difficult to communicate with and evaluate such devices.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an active integrated circuit (IC) with input/output (I/O) capability onto the probe card, which amplifies the test signals received from the IC devices, enabling accurate measurement of low power signals by boosting them to a level readable by the testing equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If IC devices are designed to operate at low power levels with small buffers, then power consumption is reduced and cross-device communication efficiency is improved, but the ability to drive electrical signals through solder bumps or interconnections to the probe card deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary integrated circuit is introduced between the low-power IC device and the probe card. This intermediary circuit receives the weak test signals from the IC device, amplifies them to a level suitable for external testing apparatus, and enables reliable communication without requiring the IC device itself to have high drive capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system provides power and signal amplification services to the low-power IC device through the intermediary circuit. The external testing apparatus supplies the necessary power through the probe card to the intermediary circuit, which then enables the low-power IC device to be tested despite its insufficient own power for driving signals through the full test path.
2Use of energy by moving object
If IC devices operate at low signal strength, then power efficiency is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring the signals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary integrated circuit acts as a signal mediator that receives weak test signals from the low-power IC device, amplifies them to a detectable level, and transmits them to the external testing apparatus. This resolves the detection difficulty while preserving the power efficiency benefits of low signal strength operation.
3Device complexity
If the probe card configuration is kept simple without integrated amplification, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing cost is lowered, but the ability to test low power IC devices is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The probe card is designed with multi-functionality by integrating an active IC that can amplify signals. This single integrated circuit serves multiple functions: signal amplification, power distribution, and interface between the low-power IC device and the external testing apparatus, enabling the probe card to handle both simple and low-power device 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
This solution allows for effective testing of IC devices with low power signals, enabling faster testing speeds and high data rates, even for stacked die configurations or chips with minimal I/O buffers, by amplifying the response signals to a level that can be processed by the testing apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
the integrated circuit is operable to amplify the test signal
Data Source
AI summary
A device tester is provided. The device tester includes a probe card and a substrate coupled to the probe card. The substrate has a plurality of layers for routing a signal. An integrated circuit is coupled to the substrate. The integrated circuit is operable to transmit an input signal received from a testing apparatus to a device under test through the substrate to a signal probe. The signal probe is further operable to receive a test signal from the device under test in response to the input signal, wherein the integrated circuit is operable to amplify the test signal, and transmit the amplified test signal to the testing apparatus.