Abstract: An apparatus for electrically testing a semiconductor device comprises a probe card comprising a probe, wherein the probe comprises a probe tip. Further, the probe tip comprises a foot with an arbitrarily sized cross-section and an apex with an arbitrarily sized cross-section, wherein the cross-section of the foot is wider than the cross-section of the apex.

Abstract: A method of conducting a self-test on a non-contact voltage detector with self-test function is disclosed. The method includes receiving at a circuit a signal to power-on the non-contact voltage detector; testing the integrity of a probe by injecting a signal into the probe and checking for receipt of the signal at an input of a circuit; testing the integrity and functioning of the operating LED; testing the integrity and functioning of a voltage indicator LED; and lighting an operating LED only when the probe passes its integrity test and the voltage indicator LED passes its integrity test, otherwise powering down the non-contact voltage detector.

Abstract: Radio frequency (RF) probes are provided herein having a spherical shaped probe tip. The RF probes include a main body extending from a probe housing, and a contact portion integrally formed with the main body and extending radially from the main body. The contact portion includes a tip, with at least a portion of the tip having a spherical outer surface. The probe tip can be formed such that it extends from the contact portion at a predetermined angle. The probe tip can be formed having a spherical contact surface to provide a reduced contact area as compared to other probes having non-spherical shapes. The spherical contact surface can be configured to reduce accumulation of material from a surface of a device being tested and/or reduce damage to the surface of the device being tested.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector includes a housing holding at least one jack assembly with an inner conductor and an outer conductor arranged coaxial to the inner conductor. The second connector includes a socket with at least one opening extending in an axial direction. The opening includes a contact surface which in a mated position is electrically interconnected to an outer conductor of the jack assembly. In a direction of the axial extension (z-direction) of the opening, a contact surface is arranged which in the mated position is electrically interconnected to the inner conductor of the first connector part.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) film for a test socket is arranged between a semiconductor device and a test apparatus for performing an electrical test of the semiconductor device and includes a flexible bare film and a plurality of round-type MEMS bumps on the bare film, each of the MEMS bumps being formed on the bare film by using a MEMS processing technique, having an electrical contact with an electrode pad of the test apparatus or a conductive ball of the semiconductor device, and having a contact surface rounded from an edge side toward a center side in a convex manner in a direction toward the electrode pad or the conductive ball.

Abstract: An evaluation apparatus for a semiconductor device includes: a chuck stage that has a surface on which a plurality of probe holes are formed and sucks a semiconductor device; and a plurality of in-chuck probes that have first ends which are inserted into the respective probe holes, and second ends which protrude from the surface of the chuck stage, and come into contact with an arrangement surface of the semiconductor device arranged in the chuck stage, wherein a height protruding from the surface of the chuck stage of at least one of the in-chuck probes is different from a height protruding from the surface of the chuck stage of the other in-chuck probe.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a plug that mates with a receptacle. In a medical application, the plug is connected to electrical leads that pass through a patient's skin to an implanted medical device in the patient's body, while the receptacle is connected to external medical equipment. The plug is small in diameter so the size of the opening in the patient's skin can be minimized. All electrical contacts in the plug are on internal portions. The receptacle includes annular contacts that contact the internal electrical contacts on the plug when the plug and receptacle are properly mated. When the plug is plugged into the receptacle, spring-loaded retention arms in the receptacle lock into place on the plug, retaining the plug in the receptacle.

Abstract: A method of detecting the presence of a hazardous foreign voltage on a conductor includes the steps of sensing an electric field in the vicinity of the conductor with a first non-contact conductive sensor and sensing the electric field in the vicinity of the conductor with a second non-contact conductive sensor spaced a predetermined distance from the first non-contact conductive sensor. The difference between the electric field sensed by the first conductive sensor and the electric field sensed by the second conductive sensor is determined. The first conductive sensor preferably is shaped as a truncated spheroid. If the difference is less than a predetermined threshold, the sensed electric field is ignored as being induced by a distant source. If the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold, the electric field sensed by the first and second conductive sensors is considered to be indicative of the presence of a foreign voltage on the conductor.

Abstract: An evaluation apparatus for a semiconductor device includes: a chuck stage that has a surface on which a plurality of probe holes are formed and sucks a semiconductor device; and a plurality of in-chuck probes that have first ends which are inserted into the respective probe holes, and second ends which protrude from the surface of the chuck stage, and come into contact with an arrangement surface of the semiconductor device arranged in the chuck stage, wherein a height protruding from the surface of the chuck stage of at least one of the in-chuck probes is different from a height protruding from the surface of the chuck stage of the other in-chuck probe.

Abstract: A method for characterization of fixture utilizes a mirror symmetric THRU structure and either a HALF-THRU with a LOAD shunted to ground or a THRU with a LOAD shunted to ground located at the mirror reference plane. The method extracts the short, open, and thru measurements from the THRU structure due to the mirror symmetry. The HALF-THRU with a LOAD or the THRU with a LOAD shunted to ground located at the mirror reference plane provides the independent measurement to fully characterize the fixture. The resultant impedance or scattering parameter HALF-THRU model may be used in de-embedding a Device-Under-Test, a calibration routine, or computational simulations. The parameters of a HALF-THRU model may be stored in a memory storage circuit affixed to the associated HALF-THRU fixture. Some embodiments may include at least one memory storage circuit that attaches to the HALF-THRU fixture body affixed to an interposing matable connector.

Abstract: A system provides support for a device interrogation framework. The system may include an electronic device and an application server. The electronic device may perform a device interrogation to identify one or more device characteristics, and adaptively disable one or more application functions of a software application according to the device characteristics. For example, the electronic device may send the device characteristics to the application server, and the application server may apply a set of feature support criteria to determine particular application functions to enable or disable on the electronic device. The application server may send a compatibility determination to the electronic device specifying which application functions of the software application to disable.

Abstract: A resonant converter circuit comprising a controller having a Vbusdiv-input-terminal configured to receive a Vbusdiv-input-signal; and a Vbus-compensation-network. The Vbus-compensation-network comprising: a Vbus-input-terminal configured to receive a bus-voltage-signal; and a Vbusdiv-output-terminal configured to provide the Vbusdiv-input-signal to the controller; a reference terminal; an AC-impedance-network connected between the Vbus-input-terminal and the Vbusdiv-output-terminal, wherein the AC-impedance-network is configured to apply an AC transfer function to the received bus voltage signal; a DC-impedance-network connected between the Vbus-input-terminal and the Vbusdiv-output-terminal, wherein the DC-impedance-network is configured to apply a DC transfer function to the received bus voltage signal. The DC transfer function is different to the AC transfer function. The controller is configured to control operation of a resonant converter in accordance with the Vbusdiv-input-signal.

Abstract: A coaxial connector includes a connector front end connectable with a circuit board and a connector rear end connectable with a coaxial cable. An outer conductor arrangement connectable with an outer conductor of a coaxial cable at the connector rear end, which has a compensator means arranged at the connector front end and has at least one cup spring having a contacting zone configured to contact a contact face of a circuit board to establish an electrical interconnection between the outer conductor arrangement and the contact face. The cup spring has a center aperture that is at least partially encircled by the contacting zone. An inner conductor arrangement includes a contacting tip configured to contact a contacting point of a circuit board via the center aperture of the compensator means to establish an electrical contact between the inner conductor and the contacting point.

Abstract: A probe cover which is to be attached to a socket that is configured to support a plurality of contact probes, includes: a base; two positioning pins which are disposed on the base; and at least one supporting member which is disposed on the base. The two positioning pins and the supporting member are capable of positioning the base in a state where the base is separated from the socket by a predetermined distance, and a mutual separation distance between the two positioning pins is changeable.

Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes an antenna and a processor. The processor has at least four ports: a first input port coupled to a first portion of the continuity component; a first output port coupled in series to a first resistor coupled to the first portion of the antenna and to ground via a second resistor; a second output port coupled through a third resistor to the first portion of the antenna; and a second input port coupled to a second portion of the antenna and through a fourth resistor to ground. The processor is operable to activate and deactivate the appropriate ports to put the processor in one of three operating modes: an AC detection mode, an AC self-test mode, and a continuity test mode.

Abstract: An optical component includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a transfer board. A first electrically conductive path is disposed on a top surface of the first substrate. A second electrically conductive path is disposed on a bottom surface of the first substrate. A third electrically conductive path is disposed on a top surface of the second substrate. A microstrip line structure is disposed on the transfer board. The microstrip line structure includes a transfer line disposed on a top surface of the transfer board. The top surface of the second substrate is opposite to the bottom surface of the first substrate, where the second electrically conductive path fits the third electrically conductive path. The transfer board is disposed on the top of the top surface of the second substrate. One end of the transfer line is electrically connected to the first electrically conductive path by a wire bonding.

Abstract: A system for atomic force microscopy in which a sharp electrode tip of an flexing probe cantilever is positioned closely adjacent a sample being probed for its electrical characteristics. An optical beam irradiates a portion of the sample surrounding the probe tips and is modulated at a radio or lower modulation frequency. In one embodiment, a reference microwave signal is incident to the electrode tip. Microwave circuitry receives a microwave signal from the probe tip, which may be the reflection of the incident signal. Electronic circuitry processes the received signal with reference to the modulation frequency to produce one or more demodulated signals indicative of the electronic or atomic properties of the sample. Alternatively, the optical beam is pulsed and the demodulated signal is analyzed for its temporal characteristics. The beam may non-linearly produce the microwave signal. Two source lasers may have optical frequencies differing by the microwave frequency.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor wafer testing environment for routing signals used for testing integrated circuits formed onto a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer testing environment includes a semiconductor wafer tester to control overall operation and/or configuration of the semiconductor wafer testing environment and a semiconductor wafer prober to test the integrated circuits formed onto the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer prober includes a probe card having a transmission line coupler formed onto a flexible substrate. The transmission line coupler includes multiple transmission line coupling blocks that extend radially from a central point of the flexible substrate in a circular manner.

Abstract: A probe card includes a probe board and a needle disposed on the probe board, the needle including a needle tip. The needle tip includes a bottom surface having a long axis and a short axis that crosses the long axis. The needle tip includes a top surface being spaced apart from the bottom surface, wherein the top surface has a long axis and a short axis that crosses the long axis, and wherein the long axis of the bottom surface and the long axis of the top surface extend in different directions. The needle tip includes a side surface connecting the bottom surface with the top surface, wherein the side surface is twisted between the top and bottom surfaces.

Abstract: A three plate MIM capacitor test structure includes a three plate MIM capacitor, a first test wire in a metal layer above/below the three plate MIM, a second test wire below/above the three plate MIM, a third test wire below/above the three plate MIM, a first via connected to the first test wire, a second via connected to a middle plate of the three plate MIM, and a third via connected to the top and bottom plates of the three plate MIM. The test structure may verify the integrity the MIM capacitor by applying a potential to the first test wire, applying ground potential to both the second test wire and the third test wire, and detecting leakage current across the first test wire and the second and third test wires or detecting leakage current across the second test wire and the third test wire.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention are directed to electrochemical fabrication methods for forming structures or devices (e.g. microprobes for use in die level testing of semiconductor devices) from a core material and a shell or coating material that partially coats the surface of the structure. Other embodiments are directed to electrochemical fabrication methods for producing structures or devices (e.g. microprobes) from a core material and a shell or coating material that completely coats the surface of each layer from which the probe is formed including interlayer regions. Additional embodiments of the invention are directed to electrochemical fabrication methods for forming structures or devices (e.g. microprobes) from a core material and a shell or coating material wherein the coating material is located around each layer of the structure without locating the coating material in inter-layer regions.

Abstract: A contact inspection device includes: plural probes each having a first end to be brought into contact with a test object; a probe substrate including contact portions in contact with respective second ends of the probes; a probe head through which the probes extend and which is detachably attached to the probe substrate; and plural positioning members which are provided on a surface of the probe head facing the probe substrate and through which the probes extend. Each probe has a rotation restricted portion provided on the side of the second end. Each positioning member has rotation restricting portions adapted to engage the rotation restricted portions. When the positioning members are moved relative to each other, the rotation restricting portions align the probes and switch the probes from a rotation unrestricted state to a rotation restricted state.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a testing apparatus, a holding assembly and a probe card carrier. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the testing apparatus includes a basic circuit board having a first surface and a second surface; a holding assembly disposed on the first surface; a signal transfer assembly disposed on the second surface and electrically connected to the basic circuit board; and a probe card carrier configured to carry a probe card. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the probe card carrier is assembled to the holding assembly, the probe card is electrically connected to the signal transfer assembly.

Abstract: According to one aspect, an apparatus includes an expansion element, an expandable element, and a frame. The expandable element is configured to have an expanded state and an unexpanded state, wherein the expandable element is arranged to be inserted between a mated pair of printed circuit boards (PCBs) while in the unexpanded state. The expansion element is arranged to cause the expandable element to expand to the expanded state. When the expandable element is in the expanded state, the expandable element causes the pair of PCBs to demate. The frame is arranged to facilitate an insertion of the expandable element between the mated pair of PCBs. In one embodiment, the expandable element is an inflatable element and the expansion element is an inflator element that includes an air supply.

Abstract: A system for automatically establishing a temporary electrical power connection comprises a first coupling member including a sealing ring surrounding a first electrical coupling means and a second coupling member including a sealing ring contact surface surrounding a second electrical coupling means. The sealing ring and the sealing ring contact surface are configured for being pressed together, whereby they seal off a vacuum chamber. A vacuum conduit is connected to the vacuum chamber for establishing therein a vacuum capable of firmly holding together both coupling members, thereby defining a mechanical coupling position. The first or second electrical coupling means include a surface electrode dimensioned for achieving a plurality of possible electrical coupling positions around a central electrical coupling position. The seal ring and seal ring contact surface are configured for achieving a sealed contact and thereby a mechanical coupling position in each of these possible electrical coupling positions.

Abstract: Cantilever probes are produced for use in a test apparatus of integrated electronic circuits. The probes are configured to contact corresponding terminals of the electronic circuits to be tested during a test operation. The probe bodies are formed of electrically conductive materials. On a lower portion of each probe body that, in use, is directed to the respective terminal to be contacted, an electrically conductive contact region is formed having a first hardness value equal to or greater than 300 HV; each contact region and the respective probe body form the corresponding probe.

Abstract: A probe comprises a first end that contacts and separates from a test object and a second end that contacts a circuit board to perform inspection of the test object. The second end is provided with a rotation restricted portion that restricts rotation of the probe about the axial direction thereof. An extendable portion, which is freely extendable and contractible in the axial direction of the probe and has at least one spiral slit, is provided between the first end and the second end. The second end is formed by a tubular member. Also, at least two of the extendable portions are provided between the first end and the second end, and an intermediate portion is formed between the extendable portions.

Abstract: Testing probe and semiconductor testing fixture, and their fabrication methods are provided. A testing probe may configure a chamber through an insulating body. A first testing pin is disposed inside the chamber of the insulating body. The first testing pin includes: a first testing terminal on one end of the first testing pin and a first connection terminal on another end of the first testing pin. An elastic member is disposed inside the chamber and attached to the first testing pin to drive an upward or downward movement of the first testing pin along the chamber. A second testing pin is disposed around an outer sidewall surface of the insulating body enclosing the first testing pin. The second testing pin includes a second testing terminal on one end of the second testing pin and a second connection terminal on another end of the second testing pin.

Abstract: An apparatus for evaluating a semiconductor device includes: a chuck stage; an insulating substrate; a plurality of probes; a temperature adjustment unit; an evaluation/control unit; and a probe position/temperature inspection device including an inspection plate, a thermo-chromic material, a photographing unit, and an image processing unit. The photographing unit photographs a color-change image of the thermo-chromic material in a state in which distal end portions of the plurality of probes are pressed against the upper surface of the inspection plate. The image processing unit performs image processing to the color-change image to calculate in-plane positions and temperatures of the distal end portions of the plurality of probes.

Abstract: A multipoint probe for establishing an electrical connection between a test apparatus and a test sample, the multipoint probe comprising a base defining a top surface and a plurality of traces provided on the top surface, each trace individually interconnecting a contact pad and a contact electrode for establishing the electrical connection to the test sample, each trace comprising a wide portion connected to the contact pad and a narrow portion connected to the contact electrode; the first top surface comprising first intermediate surfaces, each interconnecting a pair of neighboring traces at their respective wide portions, and second intermediate surfaces, each interconnecting a pair of neighboring traces at their respective narrow portions, and the first intermediate surfaces being provided on a first level and the second intermediate surfaces being provided on a second level above the first level relative to the base.

Abstract: An eddy current testing to detect defects at the surface or at shallow depth in a blade root for an airplane engine fan is provided. The device includes a probe containing a sensor, the probe being hinge-mounted to the end of a handle, a guide presenting a reference surface, and a mechanism for adjusting the position of the guide parallel to an axis of the handle.

Abstract: A probe card for contacting an LED chip of flip-chip type includes a circuit board, two probes and a fixing seat. The circuit board has a mounting surface and a lateral edge. Each probe has a connecting portion mounted on the circuit board, an extending portion extending from the connecting portion, a cantilever portion connected with the extending portion and protruding out of the lateral edge, and a contacting portion extending from the cantilever portion. The fixing seat is mounted on the mounting surface of the circuit board and has a fixing surface. A part of the extending portion is located between the circuit board and the fixing seat. A test equipment for testing optical characteristics of an LED chip of flip-chip type is provided with the probe card.

Abstract: A method of testing a semiconductor device against electrostatic discharge includes operating the semiconductor device, and, while operating the semiconductor device, monitoring a functional performance of the semiconductor device. The monitoring includes monitoring one or more signal waveforms of respective one or more signals on respective one or more pins of the semiconductor device to obtain one or more monitor waveforms, and monitoring one or more register values of one or more registers of the semiconductor device to obtain one or more monitor register values as function of time. The method includes applying an electrostatic discharge event to the semiconductor device while monitoring the functional performance of the semiconductor device. The method can further comprise determining a functional change from the one or more monitor waveforms and the one or more monitor register values as function of time.

Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for providing a device attachment configured to releasably attach to and provide infrared imaging functionality to mobile phones or other portable electronic devices. For example, a device attachment may include a housing with a tub on a rear surface thereof shaped to at least partially receive a user device, an infrared sensor assembly disposed within the housing and configured to capture thermal infrared image data, and a processing module communicatively coupled to the infrared sensor assembly and configured to transmit the thermal infrared image data to the user device. Thermal infrared image data may be captured by the infrared sensor assembly and transmitted to the user device by the processing module in response to a request transmitted by an application program or other software/hardware routines running on the user device.

Abstract: An illustrative example conductor monitoring device includes a generator configured to radiate a field into a conductor. A detector is configured to detect at least some of the field propagated along the conductor. A processor is configured to determine when a change in the propagated field detected by the detector indicates contact between the conductor and a conductive blade of a wire processing machine. The example conductor monitoring device is capable of providing information regarding the condition of a conductor that has gone through a wire handling process that involves cutting the wire and stripping insulation from near the end of the cut wire, for example. The information regarding the condition of the wire is obtained without making contact with the wire and without interfering with or requiring any alteration of the wire handling process or machine.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a sensor sheet formed by a roll-to-roll scheme for a touch sensor, the sensor sheet including a roll sheet and a sensor electrode layer thereon, the sensor electrode layer including sensor electrodes running in a prescribed direction, the sensor sheet further including a terminal connected to the sensor electrode layer and alignment marks, the method including: arranging the sensor sheet on an inspection table of an inspection device, the inspection table having an alignment mark and inspection electrodes running in another prescribed direction such that at least one of the alignment marks aligns with the alignment mark on the inspection table and such that the inspection electrodes face the sensor electrodes orthogonally in a plan view and are vertically separated by a dielectric to form capacitances at respective intersections therebetween; measuring the capacitances at the respective intersections; and outputting the measured capacitances as an inspection result.

Abstract: A fluid pressure actuated device for establishing electrical contact includes a first side and a second side each defining a respective cavity. A respective flexible membrane is positioned across each cavity. Each membrane has an outer side that carries an electrically conducting contactor. The contactors are electrically connected to a conducting connector that extends at least partially through the device. Each flexible membrane extends and withdraws moving the associated electrically conducting contactor in opposing directions when fluid pressure is increased and decreased in the associated cavity. Each membrane may have an undulating shape by including concentric frustum portions that narrow in opposite directions. The contacts may have neutral positions that are internal relative to outer surfaces of the device until fluid pressure is increased in the respective cavities causing extension by movement of the membranes.

Abstract: The present invention describes essentially three different embodiments for the implementation of low impedance (over frequency) power delivery to a die. Such low impedance to a high frequency allows the die to operate at package-level speed, thus reducing yield loss at the packaging level. Each embodiment addresses a slightly different aspect of the overall wafer probe application. In each embodiment, however, the critical improvement of this disclosure is the location of the passive components used for supply filtering/decoupling relative to prior art. All three embodiments require a method to embed the passive components in close proximity to the pitch translation substrate or physically in the pitch translation substrate.

Abstract: A probe unit includes a probe pin and a support unit supporting the probe pin. The support unit includes first and second arms disposed at a distance along a direction in which the probe pin probes a probed object; a holding unit holding base ends of the arms; and a linking unit attached to the probe pin and linking front ends of the arms. The support unit constructs a four-bar linkage that permits linear or approximately linear movement of the probe pin in an opposite direction to the probing direction. The first and second arms have through-holes at positions slightly closer to the front ends than the base ends and positions slightly closer to the base ends than the front ends, center parts between the through-holes function as bars in the four-bar linkage, and formation positions of the through-holes function as joints in the four-bar linkage.

Abstract: A structure and method of facilitating testing of an electronic device (device under test or DUT) using a non-permanent and reusable structure to terminate contact pads and contact pin holes on a surface of the DUT.

Abstract: A circuit is designed to be executed in a predeterminable operating mode of a plurality of operating modes. The circuit includes a first functional unit and a second functional unit. The first functional unit is designed as a static functional unit that in each of the plurality of operating modes of the circuit carries out a consistent function. The second functional unit is designed as an adaptable functional unit that is designed to be configured, prior to the circuit being put into service, according to a first configuration of a plurality of different configurations and during the operating time of the circuit to maintain the first configuration so that the first configuration of the second functional unit defines the predeterminable operating mode of the circuit. This makes it possible to reduce the verification expenditure for the circuit because verification can be limited to the adaptable functional unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a test socket which allows for ease of alignment, and more particularly, to a test socket that is interposed between a device to be inspected and an inspection apparatus so as to electrically connect terminals of the device to be inspected and pads of the inspection apparatus, the test socket including: an alignment member that has a plurality of through-holes formed at points corresponding to the terminals of the device to be inspected or the pads of the inspection apparatus and is attached to the inspection apparatus such that the through-holes are located at the pads of the inspection apparatus; and an elastic conductive sheet including conductive parts that are disposed at the points corresponding to the terminals of the device to be inspected and include a plurality of conductive particles that are distributed in an insulating elastic material, insulating support parts that support the conductive parts and disconnect an electrical connection between adjacent conductive pa

Abstract: A coaxial connector includes a body having a longitudinal axis passing through first and second opposed body ends, the second body end for engaging a male coaxial connector, within the body a coil spring, a connector center conductor, and a second body end insulator supporting the connector center conductor, and a spring for urging an electromagnetic shield to protrude from the body.

Abstract: Responses of voltage and current probes are characterized or corrected. A voltage probe method includes measuring output of the voltage probe and a first output of a through, in response to an input signal applied to the through, with the voltage probe connected, measuring a second output of the through with the voltage probe disconnected, and characterizing the response of the voltage probe using the output of the voltage probe and the first and/or second outputs. A current probe method includes measuring output current of the current probe and first output current of a through, in response to an input signal applied to the through with the current probe connected in series, measuring second output current of the through with the current probe disconnected, and characterizing the response of the current probe using the output current of the current probe and the first and/or second output currents of the through.

Abstract: A printed circuit board may have embedded strain gauges. A strain gauge may be formed from a metal trace on a polymer substrate. The metal trace may form a variable strain gauge resistor that is incorporated into a bridge circuit for a strain gauge. The printed circuit may have a rigid printed circuit layer with a recess that receives the polymer substrate. Metal pads on the polymer substrate may be coupled to respective ends of the variable strain gauge resistor. The rigid printed circuit substrate with the recess may be laminated between additional rigid printed circuit layers. Vias may be formed through the additional rigid printed circuit layers to contact the metal pads. Embedded strain gauges may be used in gathering strain data when strain is imparted to a printed circuit during use of the printed circuit in an electronic device or during testing.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a probe card comprises a contact pad interface comprising front side contacts and back side contacts electrically coupled together. The front side contacts are arranged to simultaneously electrically couple respective bumps of a plurality of dies on a wafer, and the back side contacts are arranged to electrically couple respective contacts of a testing structure.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical contactor highly resistant to deformation capable of achieving satisfactory performance of electrical contact with a small number of elements. An electrical contactor of this invention includes a barrel having a spring part achieving a spring function formed in a partial section, and a first plunger and a second plunger inserted in the barrel through an opening at one end and an opening at an opposite end of the barrel and fixed to the barrel. It is preferable that an end part of the first plunger in the barrel and an end part of the second plunger in the barrel are placed in internal space of the same non-spring part not to achieve a spring function. It is preferable that the barrel has three or more spring parts separated while non-spring parts are placed between the spring parts.

Abstract: Wire probes are described that resist rotation during assembly into a probe head of a die tester. One example includes probe wires with a protrusion at a pre-determined position along the length of the wire. A probe substrate with pads on one side each to attach to and electrically connect with a probe wire and a pads on the opposite side to connect to test equipment and a probe holder above the substrate with holes. Each hole holds a respective one of the probe wires against the probe substrate. Each hole also has a key to mate with a protrusion of a respective probe wire so that the protrusions engage the keys to prevent rotation of the respective wire.

Abstract: A spring probe includes a needle, a spring sleeve sleeved onto the needle, and a protrusion. The spring sleeve has upper and lower non-spring sections, and at least a spring section therebetween. The needle has a bottom end portion protruding out from the lower non-spring section, and a top end portion located in the upper non-spring section. The protrusion is located at one of the top end portion and the upper non-spring section. The needle is movable relative to the upper non-spring section from an initial position to a connected position where the upper non-spring section is electrically connected with the needle through the protrusion when receiving an external force. As a result, the spring probe effectively prevents signals from being transmitted through the spring section, thereby improving stability of signal transmission and preventing the spring section from fracture.

Abstract: Provided is a method and an apparatus for acquiring electrical measurements of an electronic device. The method and the apparatus comprise securing an elastomeric connector at least partially inside a cavity within a truncated front end of an electrical probe, wherein the electrical probe is physically and electrically coupled to an electric cable; physically and electrically coupling the electric cable to a data processor; electrically connecting the elastomeric connector end to said electronic device; and outputting electrical measurement data from the elastomeric connector end through the electric cable to said data processor. The advantages are that the connection can be single wire per probe or two wires per probe, with only a single physical connection required, and the lack of probe damage to the feature being probed.