Abstract: An improved design verification system for testing VLSI chips including an outer chassis with access hatches for servicing, removing and installing test circuitry. The chassis additionally incorporates an optics aperture and a manipulator interface which are used in conjunction with other test equipment such as wafer probers. A device-under-test (DUT) board for electromechanically positioning an integrated circuit device is electrically connected directly to a plurality of pin electronics (PE) boards through extended DUT board edge connectors. In addition to the direct DUT/PE boards connection, the PE boards are also directly connected to the backplane assembly through data edge connectors and power edge connectors.

Abstract: A fixture for clamping an integrated circuit chip testing board having a plurality of contact points to a testing platform having a plurality of corresponding protruding metal pins. The fixture includes a hinged cover with a latch for automatically aligning the testing board parallel to the testing platform and a means for automatically disabling the power supplied to the testing platform when the cover is opened and enabling the power when the cover is closed. The automatic alignment of the testing board parallel to the testing platform assures that the electrical connections between the contact points and their corresponding metal pins are substantially identical to thereby reduce testing errors caused by nonuniformity in the electrical interconnections.