Patents Assigned to Technoprobe S.p.A.
  • Patent number: 12085588
    Abstract: A probe head for testing a device under test includes an upper guide and a lower guide parallel to each other and spaced apart. Each of the guides is provided with a respective plurality of guide holes, a plurality of contact probes housed in the guide holes and provided each with a first end and with a second end, the first end being adapted to contact pads of a device under test. At least one additional guide is associated with one of the guides. The additional guide includes first guide holes, housing a first group of the contact probes, and second guide holes, housing a second group of the contact probes. The first and second guide holes are shifted with respect to the guide holes of the guide which said additional guide is associated with, and the shift of the first guide holes is in a direction opposite the shift of the second guide holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Stefano Felici
  • Patent number: 12032003
    Abstract: A probe head for a test equipment of electronic devices comprises a plurality of contact probes inserted in guide holes provided in at least one upper guide and one lower guide, a bending area for the contact probes being defined between the upper and lower guides, each contact probe having at least one first terminal portion which protrudes of a first length from the lower guide and ends with a contact tip (22A) adapted to abut onto a respective contact pad of a device to be tested, as well as a second terminal portion which protrudes of a second length from the upper guide and ends with a contact head adapted to abut onto a contact pad of a board for connecting or interfacing with the test equipment, suitably comprising at least one protection structure projecting from the upper guide in direction of a longitudinal development axis of the contact probes towards the board, the protection structure thus extending in correspondence of the contact heads of the contact probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Technoprobe, S.p.A.
    Inventor: Roberto Crippa
  • Patent number: 11867723
    Abstract: A probe head for testing a device under test integrated on a semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of contact probes, each having a first end and a second end, and at least one first lower guide and one second lower guide at the first end. The guides are parallel to each other and have a respective plurality of first and second guide holes for slidingly housing the contact probes. At least one third lower guide is substantially parallel to the first lower guide and to the second lower guide and includes a plurality of third guide holes for slidingly housing the contact probes. The guide holes are disposed in a shifted arrangement to eliminate a scrub movement of the first ends of each contact probe of the probe head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Stefano Felici
  • Patent number: 11415600
    Abstract: A probe card for testing a device under test having a plurality of contact pads includes a support plate having first contact pads thereon. A flexible membrane has a first face and a peripheral portion including second contact pads thereon. A plurality of contact probes are associated with a first face of the flexible membrane and are configured to abut onto the plurality of contact pads of the device under test. A sliding contact area includes: the first contact pads formed on the support plate; the second contact pads formed on the peripheral portion of the flexible membrane, the peripheral portion of the flexible membrane configured to come in pressing contact onto the support plate at the sliding contact area. A pressing element contacts the peripheral portion of the flexible membrane at the sliding contact area, and the pressing element puts the second contact pads into pressing contact with the first contact pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo Vettori
  • Patent number: 11402428
    Abstract: A probe card for a test equipment of electronic devices includes a flexible membrane configured to carry high frequency signals between a device under test and a support plate. The flexible membrane is connected to the support plate through a peripheral zone, and a damping structure is arranged between the support plate and the flexible membrane. A plurality of micro contact probes include a body extending between a first end and a second end, and the second end is configured to abut onto contact pads of the device under test, and the damping structure and the first ends of the micro contact probes are in contact with opposite faces of a same contact zone of the flexible membrane. The flexible membrane includes at least one weakening zone arranged between the contact zone and the peripheral zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo Vettori
  • Patent number: 11340262
    Abstract: A contact probe for a testing head of an apparatus for testing electronic devices comprises a body extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion being adapted to contact pads of a device under test. Suitably, the contact probe comprises a first section, which extends along the longitudinal axis from the first end portion and is made of an electrically non-conductive material, and a second section, which extends along the longitudinal axis from the second end portion up to the first section, the second section being electrically conductive and extending over a distance less than 1000 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Crippa, Flavio Maggioni, Andrea Calaon
  • Patent number: 11333681
    Abstract: A cantilever probe head includes a support ring associated with a PCB board and a plurality of contact probes, protruding from the support ring in a cantilever manner and being held by a support associated with the support ring. Each contact probe has a rod-like body having a longitudinal axis inclined with respect to a reference plane corresponding to a plane of a wafer of devices under test by the cantilever probe head, as well as at least one first end portion, provided in a first probe section protruding from the support in the direction of the wafer of devices under test, the first end portion being bent with respect to the longitudinal axis starting from a bending point and ending with a contact tip of the contact probe able to abut onto a contact pad of a device under test of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo Vettori
  • Patent number: 11307221
    Abstract: A cantilever contact probe includes a shaped probe body included between a descending probe section and an ascending probe section. At least one end portion is formed in the descending probe section, and bent with respect to a longitudinal axis starting from a bending point and ending with a contact tip of the cantilever contact probe that is configured to abut onto a contact pad of a device under test of that wafer. Suitably, the shaped probe body comprises at least one base portion, an upper portion extending, starting from the base portion, along a longitudinal extension axis of the shaped probe body, orthogonally to the reference plane and a top portion, connected to the upper portion and having a greater diameter than a diameter of the upper portion to form a T, the upper portion being the stem of the T and the top portion being the crosspiece of the T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo Vettori
  • Patent number: 11307222
    Abstract: A contact probe for a testing head for testing electronic devices includes a rod-like body made of a first conductive material and extending along a longitudinal axis, and a contact tip supported by the body at an end portion thereof. The contact tip is made of a second conductive material that is different from the first conductive material. The contact tip includes a contact zone configured to perform mechanical and electrical contact with contact pads of a device under test. The body and the contact tip include respective contact surfaces in contact with each other. The contact surfaces are complementary to each other and include respective connection elements engaging each other. The connection elements include a protruding element projecting from the contact surface of one among the body and the contact tip, and a recess made in the other among the body and the contact tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Fabio Morgana
  • Patent number: 11293941
    Abstract: An interface element (20) for a testing apparatus of electronic devices comprises at least one support (21) provided with a plurality of through-openings (22) that house respective interconnections elements (23), which extend between a first end (23a) and a second end (23b). Suitably, the interconnections elements (23) are made of a conductive elastomer that fills the openings (22) of the support (21), each of the interconnection elements (23) forming a conductive channel between different and opposing faces (Fa, Fb) of the support (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Crippa, Riccardo Vettori
  • Patent number: 11209463
    Abstract: A probe card for a testing apparatus of electronic devices comprises a probe head housing a plurality of contact probes, each contact probe having at least one contact tip adapted to abut onto contact pads of a device under test, as well as a main support and an intermediate support connected to the main support and adapted to realize a spatial transformation of distances between contact pads on its opposite faces as a space transformer, the probe card suitably also comprising at least one connecting element adapted to link the space transformer and the main support, this connecting element having a substantially rod-like body and being equipped with a first end portion comprising at least one terminal section adapted to be engaged in a corresponding housing realized in the space transformer and with a second terminal portion adapted to abut onto an abutment element linked to the main support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo Liberini
  • Patent number: 11131690
    Abstract: It is described a contact probe for a testing head of an apparatus for testing electronic devices including a body essentially extended along a longitudinal direction between a contact tip and a contact head, that contact probe comprising at least one multilayer structure, in turn including a superposition of at least one inner layer or core and a first inner coating layer, and an outer coating layer that completely covers the multilayer structure and made of a material having a higher hardness than a material realizing the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Crippa
  • Patent number: 9880202
    Abstract: A probe card for an apparatus for testing electronic devices comprises at least one probe head, a plurality of contact probes housed within the probe head, each contact probe having at least one contact tip suitable to abut against contact pads of a device to be tested, a supporting plate of the probe head, an interface plate, a stiffener associating the supporting plate and the interface plate, a plurality of connecting elements with clearance disposed between the supporting plate and the interface plate and housed in a floating manner in a plurality of respective seats made in the supporting plate, and a plurality of connecting elements without clearance disposed between the interface plate and the stiffener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventors: Riccardo Vettori, Riccardo Liberini
  • Patent number: 9829508
    Abstract: It is described a testing head for a testing equipment of an electronic device comprising at least one upper guide and a lower guide provided with guide holes, a plurality of contact probes inserted into the guide holes of the upper and lower guides and at least one containment element of the probes being is disposed between the upper and lower guides, each of the contact probes having at least one terminal portion which ends with a contact tip adapted to abut on a respective contact pad of the electronic device to be tested; at least one spacer element sandwiched between the containment element and at least one of the upper and lower guides, the spacer element being removable to adjust a length of the terminal portions of the contact probes projecting from the lower guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Felici, Raffaele Vallauri, Roberto Crippa
  • Patent number: 9429593
    Abstract: A testing head for a test equipment of electronic devices comprises a plurality of contact probes inserted into guiding holes made in at least one upper guide and in a lower guide, separate from one another by an air zone, the contact probes comprising at least one enlarged portion suitable for preventing the escape of such probes from the guiding holes. Conveniently, the enlarged portions of the contact probes adjacent according to a direction of distribution of contact pads of an integrated device to be tested have respective larger sides orthogonal to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Roberto Crippa
  • Patent number: 9423421
    Abstract: A testing head for a test equipment of electronic devices of the type includes a plurality of contact probes inserted into guide holes which are realized in at least an upper guide and a lower guide separated one another by an air zone. Each of such contact probes include at least a probe body having a substantially rectangular section and a projecting arm from the probe body which ends with a probe tip for contacting one of a plurality of contact pads of a device to be tested. The projecting arm projects outside the probe body so as to have a lug with respect to both faces of the probe body which converge in an edge in order to define a probe tip offset and external with respect to the probe body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Stefano Lazzari
  • Patent number: 9069015
    Abstract: An interface board of a testing head for a test equipment of electronic devices is described. The testing head includes a plurality of contact probes, each contact probe having at least one contact tip suitable to abut against contact pads of a device to be tested, as well as a contact element for the connection with a board of the test equipment. Suitably, the interface board comprises a substrate and at least one redirecting die housed on a first surface of that substrate and a plurality of contact pins projecting from a second surface of that substrate opposed to the first surface. The redirecting die includes at least one semiconductor substrate whereon at least a first plurality of contact pads is realized, suitable to contact a contact element of a contact probe of the testing head, the contact pins being suitable to contact the board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Flavio Maggioni, Riccardo Liberini
  • Patent number: 8981803
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a contact pad of a microstructure or device to be tested when it is in electric contact with a measure apparatus, being obtained by electrically contacting a flexible probe with said contact pad. The method includes mechanically engaging a free end of the flexible probe in a manner that sticks the free end in the pad; and laterally flexing, by a tip charge, the flexible probe in a manner that keeps the free end stuck in the pad, so as to locally dig into a covering layer of the pad and realize a localized crushing thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo Vettori
  • Publication number: 20120280702
    Abstract: A testing head for a test equipment of electronic devices of the type includes a plurality of contact probes inserted into guide holes which are realized in at least an upper guide and a lower guide separated one another by an air zone. Each of such contact probes include at least a probe body having a substantially rectangular section and a projecting arm from the probe body which ends with a probe tip for contacting one of a plurality of contact pads of a device to be tested. The projecting arm projects outside the probe body so as to have a lug with respect to both faces of the probe body which converge in an edge in order to define a probe tip offset and external with respect to the probe body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Technoprobe S.p.A,
    Inventor: Stefano Lazzari
  • Patent number: 7301354
    Abstract: A contact probe for a testing head is presented. The contact probe for a testing head has a plurality of these probes which are inserted in guide holes realized in respective dies, the probe comprising a rod-shaped body equipped at an end with at least a contact tip effective to ensure the mechanical and electrical contact with a corresponding contact pad of an integrated electronic device to be tested. The rod-shaped body has a nonuniform cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Crippa, Stefano Felici