Abstract: A socket cartridge including: a contactor holder adapted to hold one or more electrical contactors disposed therein; and one or more pairs of spring structures; wherein each spring structure (a) is attached at a proximal end to the contactor holder, (b) includes an engagement feature disposed at a distal end thereof and a spring member attached to the engagement feature, and (c) the spring member is adapted to urge the engagement feature in a direction that points outward from a distal end of the contactor holder. A socket assembly that includes: (a) a mounting plate having one or more pairs of mating guides disposed on opposite sides of an aperture; and (b) the socket cartridge disposed in the aperture.

Abstract: Apparatus to control a temperature of a device that includes: a thermal head adapted to be thermally contacted to the device; a combined path to the thermal head; a first path maintained at a first temperature and connected to the combined path; a second path maintained at a second temperature different from the first temperature and connected to the combined path; a third path connected to the combined path; a pump assembly operable to circulate thermal transfer fluid: from the thermal head, through each of the first, second and third paths, from each of the first, second and third paths, through the combined path, and from the combined path, to and through the thermal head; and a valve assembly operable to control amounts of thermal transfer fluid that flow into the first and second paths, thereby controlling the temperature.

Abstract: One embodiment is a connector for making electrical connection to a bulbous terminal, the connector including: a metal tube with a cylindrical wall extending from a mating end, wherein: (a) two or more slots perforate the wall and extend from the mating end along the tube; (b) two or more apertures perforate the wall and are disposed in a circumferential array disposed a distance from the mating end; and (c) each of the two or more slots transects one of the two or more apertures to divide the mating end of the tube into resilient prongs.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for setting and controlling temperature of a device that includes: (a) thermally contacting the device to a heat transfer apparatus, the heat transfer apparatus having an apparatus intake to receive thermal transfer fluid, an apparatus exhaust to output thermal transfer fluid, and a conduit to conduct thermal transfer fluid from the apparatus intake to the apparatus exhaust through the heat transfer apparatus; (b) flowing a first thermal transfer fluid in a first thermal control circuit at a first temperature, and flowing a second thermal transfer fluid in a second thermal control circuit at a second temperature; (c) at a first predetermined time, directing the first thermal transfer fluid to flow to the apparatus intake, and from the apparatus exhaust back to the first thermal control circuit and the second thermal transfer fluid to flow in the second thermal control circuit without flowing to the apparatus intake; and (d) at a second predetermined time, di

Abstract: One embodiment is a probe head for contacting microelectronic devices substantially lying in a test plane, the probe head including: (a) one or more substrate tiles having one or more probe tips disposed on a top surface thereof; and (b) a registration-alignment apparatus that holds the one or more substrate tiles: (i) in position so that the one or more probe tips are held in the test plane, and (ii) aligned so that the one or more probe tips are substantially coplanar to the test plane, which registration-alignment apparatus includes: (i) one or more capture elements affixed, directly or indirectly, to a frame; (ii) three or more posts mechanically supporting each of the one or more substrate tiles; and (iii) alignment actuators affixed, directly or indirectly, to the frame and the posts, which alignment actuators may be actuated to enable the posts to move in response to forces applied thereto from the one or more substrate tiles, and may be actuated to prevent the posts from moving.

Abstract: A socket assembly for connecting an array of bulbous terminals such as balls wherein the female element is a miniature tube that has resilient prongs that grip the corresponding terminals with varying force during insertion and deletion. The tube is of resilient conductive material that has been sliced or helically partitioned into opposing prongs forming slots of a width that increases with axial distance from the end of the tube so as to allow the prongs of the connector to grip around the ball-like bulbous terminal and mechanically retain the terminal within the connector. The tubular element of the connector may be made by forming prongs in one or both ends of a tube by cuts of a width that increases with distance from the end of the tube.

Abstract: A socket assembly formed of hollow tubes for connecting an array of terminals off opposing electronic structures with both axial and lateral resilience, wherein the resilience is achieved through angular cuts in the tubes.

Abstract: One embodiment is an axially compliant electrical contactor for interconnecting microelectronic devices, the contactor including: an insulative sleeve having a hole therethrough; and a metal tube having a cylindrical wall being slidably disposed in the hole; wherein: (a) two or more elongated slots through the cylindrical wall extend from a first circumferential collar of the tube to a second circumferential collar of the tube; (b) the two or more slots form two or more elongated resilient legs connecting the first collar and the second collar; and (c) a portion of each elongated leg is disposed in the hole.

Abstract: One embodiment is a carrier for holding devices that includes a tray having one or more sites in which a device may be held, and a frame resiliently coupled to the tray so the tray is movable with respect to the frame.

Abstract: One embodiment is a transport apparatus for moving carriers of microelectronic devices along a track, the transport apparatus including: (a) a track with two rails adapted to support the carriers; (b) a trolley adapted to be transported in a direction along the track by a linear actuator; and (c) a first and a second engagement feature attached to the trolley wherein the first engagement feature is adapted to engage temporarily with a first of the carriers, and the second engagement feature is adapted to engage temporarily with a second of the carriers; wherein a predetermined movement of the trolley slidably moves the first carrier onto a test position and slidably moves the second carrier off the test position simultaneously.

Abstract: A socket assembly formed of hollow tubes for connecting an array of terminals off opposing electronic structures with both axial and lateral resilience, wherein the resilience is achieved through angular cuts in the tubes.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus including a fluid coupler interfaced to a test head that includes: (a) a first ring having a top surface disposed in a first plane; (b) a first movable ring, the first movable ring being movable substantially normal to the first plane relative to the first ring; (c) a first flexible diaphragm attached to the first ring along a first attachment perimeter that encloses a first effective surface area, the first flexible diaphragm being attached to the first movable ring; (d) a second ring having a top surface disposed in a second plane; (e) a second movable ring, the second movable ring being movable substantially normal to the first plane; and (f) a second flexible diaphragm attached to the second ring along a second attachment perimeter that encloses a second effective surface area, the second flexible diaphragm being attached to the second movable ring; wherein: (i) the first flexible diaphragm and the second flexible diaphragm form a first channel for f

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for cooling a microelectronic device including: (a) a rigid support ring having a top surface and a bottom surface; (b) a mechanically resilient, thermally conductive bottom membrane having a top and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the membrane is attached to the bottom surface of the ring; and (c) a multiplicity of thermally conductive posts having top and bottom surfaces, the posts being disposed with their bottom surfaces in thermal contact with the top surface of the bottom membrane over an area, wherein the posts are arrayed in the area with spaces therebetween so that heat transferred from the microelectronic device to the bottom surface of the membrane may be transferred to the multiplicity of thermally conductive posts.

Abstract: A socket assembly formed of hollow tubes for connecting an array of terminals off opposing electronic structures with both axial and lateral resilience, wherein the resilience is achieved through angular cuts in the tubes.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a socket useful to contact an electronic device, the socket including: (a) a body comprised of two or more contactor holder plates, each including one or more through holes; and (b) one or more contactors are disposed in one or more of the through holes; wherein an aperture in the body is adapted for introduction of thermal transfer fluid between two or more of the contactor holder plates.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a compliant thermal contactor that includes a resilient metal film having a plurality of first thermally conductive, compliant posts disposed in an array on a top side thereof and a plurality of second thermally conductive, compliant posts disposed in an array on a bottom side thereof.

Abstract: One embodiment is an axially compliant electrical contactor for interconnecting microelectronic devices, the contactor including: an insulative sleeve having a hole therethrough; and a metal tube having a cylindrical wall being slidably disposed in the hole; wherein: (a) two or more elongated slots through the cylindrical wall extend from a first circumferential collar of the tube to a second circumferential collar of the tube; (b) the two or more slots form two or more elongated resilient legs connecting the first collar and the second collar; and (c) a portion of each elongated leg is disposed in the hole.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for aligning a first workpiece to a second work piece that includes: (a) placing the first workpiece on an alignment apparatus including: (i) two or more fluid chambers disposed in fixed relation to each other, the chambers having a movable wall and one or more apertures for admitting or releasing fluid; (ii) fluid channels coupled to the one or more apertures that enable fluid to flow between at least two of the fluid chambers; and (iii) one or more valves disposed to enable or to stop the flow of fluid through one or more of the one or more fluid channels; (b) pumping incompressible fluid into the fluid chambers; (c) opening the one or more valves; (d) bringing the first and second workpieces into contact; (e) waiting a predetermined time for fluid flow in the fluid channels; (f) determining whether the first and second workpieces are aligned; (g) if they are aligned, shutting the valves; and (h) if they are not aligned, moving the second workpiece a prede

Abstract: One embodiment is a carrier for releasably holding devices in a contact plane that includes: a body having one or more sites each having an aperture with a portion in which a device may be held (holding portion); and at least one of the one or more sites having a first resilient prong and a second resilient prong; wherein: (i) the first resilient prong has: (a) a proximal end affixed to the body, (b) a first contactor edge disposed in the contact plane, and (c) a movable distal end extending beyond the holding portion; (ii) the second resilient prong has: (a) a proximal end affixed to the body, (b) a second contactor edge disposed in the contact plane, and (c) a movable distal end extending beyond the holding portion; (iii) a contactor edge of a first portion of a perimeter of the aperture (third contactor edge) and a contactor edge of a second portion of the perimeter are disposed in the contact plane (fourth contactor edge); (iv) an actuating edge of the movable distal end of the first prong (first actuatin

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an alignment apparatus useful to align a test head that includes: (a) two or more fluid chambers disposed in fixed relation to each other, the chambers having a movable wall and one or more apertures for admitting or releasing fluid; (b) fluid channels coupled to the one or more apertures that enable fluid to flow between at least two of the fluid chambers; and (c) one or more valves disposed to enable or to stop the flow of fluid through one or more of the one or more fluid channels.