Abstract: A connector includes a metal cylinder with three or more slots cut from a first end and three or more slots cut from a second end which are intercalated between the slots from the first end, whereby the connector is radially compressible along its entire length. The connector is adapted for insertion at one end into a hole in a circuit board, thereby making electrical contact to traces in the circuit board.

Abstract: A connector includes a metal cylinder with three or more slots cut from a first end and three or more slots cut from a second end which are intercalated between the slots from the first end, whereby the connector is radially compressible along its entire length. The connector is adapted for insertion at one end into a hole in a circuit board, thereby making electrical contact to traces in the circuit board.

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: 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: 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: 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 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 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: 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: 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: 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 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 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.

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 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: One embodiment of the present invention is a mounting apparatus that includes: (a) a first ring having a first surface and a second surface; (b) a second ring having a first surface and a second surface, which second ring is movable with respect to the first ring; (c) a first flexible diaphragm attached to: (i) the first surface of the first ring along a first-surface-first-ring attachment perimeter that encloses a first effective surface area, and (ii) the first surface of the second ring along a first-surface-second-ring attachment perimeter; and (d) a second flexible diaphragm attached to: (i) the second surface of the first ring along a second-surface-first-ring attachment perimeter that encloses a second effective surface area, and (ii) the second surface of the second ring at a second-surface-second-ring attachment perimeter; wherein: the first and second flexible diaphragms and the first and second rings form a chamber with one or more intake apertures.

Abstract: A self-cleaning socket for contacting terminals on a microelectronic device wherein the first end of compliant tubular contactors rotate and wipe against terminals urged downwardly against the first end of the contactors. A rotational wipe of a contactor against a mating terminal breaks through any surface contamination layers on the terminal, thereby producing good electrical contact therebetween. Rotation of the first end of a contactor is caused by a downward deflection of a collar supported by two or more helical legs along a midsection of the contactor. Deflection of the collar distorts the resilient helical legs, each of which exerts a force on the collar which add up to produce a torsional force on the collar, thereby providing a rotational wipe in response to a downward urging of a terminal against the contactor. A void along the axis of the tubular contactor provides a reservoir to hold debris dislodged from the terminal and to keep the debris from interfering with operation of the contactor.