Array probe card

By utilizing conventional IC processing techniques, a membrane probe card has been fabricated on a silicon wafer and its functionality demonstrated. The probe card was able to provide a very large number of probe tips in an array form, permanently fixed in the X-Y plane via a transparent, flexible membrane. The use of an electrical current pulse, instead of a mechanical scrubbing motion, to break down the interfacial oxide has been demonstrated. The contact resistance was about 5*10/sup -5/ Omega -cm/sup 2/. The new probe card offers smaller probe parasitics. The addition of the active test circuitry on the probe card would allow very high speed wafer level testing.<
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