Stepped Probe Card Structure for Balanced Contact Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional probe cards with uniform probe sizes struggle to evenly contact devices under test with varying heights, leading to inconsistent balance contact force and compromised test accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A probe card structure featuring probe sets with different lengths and a stiffener that holds multiple guide plates at varying horizontal levels, ensuring consistent contact with devices of different heights through a stepped or concave-convex design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional probe card with uniform probe sizes is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the balance contact force becomes inconsistent when testing devices with different heights
Solution Approach 1:
The probe card structure is segmented into multiple guide plates (first guide plate, second guide plate, third guide plate) positioned at different horizontal levels, each supporting probes of different lengths. This segmentation allows the probe card to accommodate devices with different heights by providing appropriate probe lengths for each device, thereby ensuring consistent balance contact force across varying device heights while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a vertical dimension to the guide plate arrangement, positioning guide plates at different horizontal levels (first, second, and third levels) rather than in a single plane. This multi-level vertical arrangement enables probes of different lengths to be supported systematically, allowing the probe card to contact devices with varying heights effectively while maintaining structural organization and manufacturability.
2Ease of operation
If probes with different lengths are used to contact devices with different heights, then the balance contact force becomes consistent, but the guide plate structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate system is divided into multiple discrete guide plates (first, second, and third guide plates) positioned at different horizontal levels, with each guide plate supporting probes of specific lengths. This segmentation enables consistent contact with devices of different heights by matching probe lengths to device heights, while the modular nature of segmented guide plates keeps the overall structure manageable and organized rather than monolithic and overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-level guide plate structure serves multiple functions: it supports probes of different lengths, accommodates devices with varying heights, and maintains consistent balance contact force across all devices. This multi-functional design consolidates what could be seen as complexity into a unified system that handles diverse testing requirements through a single integrated structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A probe card structure including probe sets with different lengths is provided. The probe card structure includes an upper guide plate set, a lower guide plate set, a first probe set, a second probe set, and a stiffener. The upper guide plate set includes a first upper guide plate. The lower guide plate set includes a first lower guide plate and a second lower guide plate. The first probe set at least includes a plurality of first probes, and the second probe set includes a plurality of second probes with different lengths from the plurality of first probes. The stiffener holds the upper guide plate set and the upper guide plate set. The first lower guide plate and the second lower guide plate are not disposed on a same horizontal plane.