Thin IC Test Socket With Segmented Probes for High-Speed Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing test socket devices face challenges in manufacturing short probe lengths required for high-speed signal processing in integrated circuits (ICs) due to structural limitations, making it difficult to achieve stable contact load and stroke while maintaining signal transmission integrity.
Innovation Solution
A socket device with a thin structure incorporating a ground probe and signal probe, each with upper and lower contact pins supported by a coil spring, a conductive socket body with insulating layers and thin film members for electrical insulation and noise shielding, allowing for efficient high-speed signal processing and easy manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the probe length is shortened to enable high-speed signal processing, then signal transmission quality is improved, but manufacturing stability and contact reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is divided into multiple segments (first probe segment, second probe segment, third probe segment) that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows the probe to maintain a compact overall length while providing sufficient contact stroke through the relative movement of segments, thereby achieving both high-speed signal processing capability and stable contact reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe structure incorporates dynamic elements including elastic members that provide resilient contact force and allow the probe segments to move dynamically during contact establishment. This dynamic design enables the probe to adapt to contact variations while maintaining stable electrical connection, resolving the contradiction between short length and contact reliability.
2Speed
If the probe length is shortened to enable high-speed signal processing, then signal transmission quality is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the probe into multiple manufacturable segments that can be assembled, the design avoids the extreme manufacturing difficulty of creating a single-piece ultra-short probe. Each segment can be manufactured with standard tolerances and then assembled to achieve the final short overall length, making the manufacturing process more feasible.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe segments are designed to nest within each other or be positioned in a compact arrangement, allowing the overall probe to achieve a short length while maintaining adequate contact stroke capability. This nested configuration enables high-speed signal processing without requiring extremely precise single-piece manufacturing.
3Speed
If a thin structure is used to reduce probe length, then signal transmission performance is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The socket structure is segmented into functional modules (probe accommodation portion, insulating layer, lower insulating thin film member) that can be independently designed and manufactured. This modular segmentation reduces overall structural complexity while enabling the thin profile needed for high-speed signal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the socket are assigned different functional properties: the socket body provides mechanical support and grounding, the insulating layer provides electrical insulation where needed, and the thin film member provides additional insulation at the bottom. This localized functional assignment simplifies the overall design by giving each component a specific purpose rather than requiring a complex monolithic structure.
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 stable contact and efficient signal transmission for high-speed signals, preventing signal deterioration and noise interference, while simplifying the manufacturing process by using thin film members and plating layers for improved grounding and insulation.
Implementation Method 1
a coil spring elastically supporting the upper contact pin and the lower contact pin
Implementation Method 2
an insulating layer formed on a surface of the signal hole to electrically insulate the signal probe and the socket body
Implementation Method 3
a plating layer formed on a surface of the ground hole to make electrical contact with the ground hole
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a socket device used for testing integrated circuits (ICs) and, more particularly, a test socket device with a thin structure especially suitable for ICs required to process high-speed signals. The socket device includes a socket body configured to accommodate a ground probe and a signal probe, each having an upper contact pin, a lower contact pin and a coil spring, and to have noise shielding properties, and an insulating thin film member having electrical insulation properties and attached to the lower part or upper/lower parts of the socket body to elastically support the probes, and thus the socket device has a thin structure suitable for ICs required to process high-speed signals, and is easy to manufacture.