Testing apparatus having substrate interconnect for discrete die burn-in for nonpackaged die

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A discrete testing apparatus for testing a semiconductor integrated circuit device in die form, comprising:

a) a first plate;

b) a die-receiving cavity in the first plate;

c) a second plate associated with the first plate;

d) one of the first and second plates having a plurality of connector leads thereon;

e) an intermediate substrate located within the die receiving cavity, the intermediate substrate having a plurality of die contacting conductors extending therefrom, the die contacting conductors extending to die contacts to establish electrical communication with contact locations on the die;

f) the die contacts being positioned so that, when the die is positioned in the die-receiving cavity, the die contacts are in alignment with contact locations on the die and extending to the contact locations to establish electrical communication with said contact locations; and

g) the connector leads in electrical communication with the die contacts, the connector leads being mounted to the one of the said plates.

2. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, and wherein;

the intermediate substrate is formed of semiconductor material, and the die contacting conductors are formed on the semiconductor material by semiconductor circuit fabrication techniques.

3. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 2, and wherein;

the intermediate substrate is of a thickness sufficient to be substantially rigid.

4. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 2, and wherein:

the intermediate substrate is sufficiently thin to be partially flexible.

5. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, and wherein:

the intermediate substrate is formed of a structure which includes silicon material, and the die contacting conductors are formed on the silicon material by semiconductor fabrication techniques.

6. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 5, and wherein;

the intermediate substrate is formed with a thickness sufficient to be substantially rigid.

7. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 5, and wherein:

the intermediate substrate is sufficiently thin to be partially flexible.

8. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1 and wherein:

a) the intermediate substrate is formed of a ceramic insulator, and the die contacting conductors are formed on a surface of the substrate; and

b) the intermediate substrate having a plurality of circuit traces formed thereon extending from the die contacting conductors to connection points in electrical communication with substrate bond pads wire bonded to contact pads on said one of the first and second plates having a plurality of connector leads thereon.

9. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1 and wherein:

the intermediate substrate is positioned in the die receiving cavity so that the die contacts on the intermediate substrate face away from the first plate, wherein the die is positioned above the intermediate substrate with the contact locations on the die facing the die receiving cavity.

10. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, and wherein:

the intermediate substrate is positioned in the die receiving cavity so that the die contacts on the intermediate substrate are in a face up position with respect to the die receiving cavity and the die is positioned above the intermediate substrate with the contact locations in a face down position on the die facing the die receiving cavity.

11. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, and wherein:

the die is positioned in the die receiving cavity so that the contact locations on the die are in a face up position with respect to the die contacts on the intermediate substrate and the intermediate substrate is positioned above the die with the die contacts in a face down position on the intermediate substrate.

12. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising:

a pad which is electrically conductive in a Z-axis, normal to a plane of the pad, and which provides electrical isolation across the plane of the pad, the pad being positioned between the die and the die contacts on the intermediate substrate.

13. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising:

a resilient pad to bias die received in the die receiving cavity with the intermediate substrate after the first and second plates have been mated, to apply sufficient pressure to maintain ohmic contact between said die contacts on the intermediate substrate and said contact locations on the die.

14. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 13, and wherein:

the die contacts on the intermediate substrate are formed as raised contact members which are in alignment with the die receiving cavity after the first and second plates have been mated, said contact members cooperating with said pad to apply sufficient pressure between said pad and said contact locations on the die to establish ohmic contact between said pad and said contact locations on the die.

15. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising:

the die receiving cavity having a biased platform therein, the biased platform exerting a biasing force against the die to establish an electrical connection between the contact locations on the die and the die contacts.

16. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising:

an elastomeric backing strip mounted within the die receiving cavity to secure the substrate in a position within the die receiving cavity by means of electrostatic attraction and frictional forces.

17. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising:

an elastomeric backing strip mounted within the die receiving cavity to secure the die in a position within the die receiving cavity by means of electrostatic attraction and frictional forces.

18. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising:

a clamp adapted to contact the second plate to bias the die towards the intermediate substrate.

19. A discrete testing apparatus for testing a semiconductor device in die form, comprising:

a) a first plate;

b) a die-receiving cavity in the first plate;

c) a second plate;

d) means to secure the first and second plates together;

e) an intermediate substrate having a plurality of conductors thereon and dimensioned to fit within the testing apparatus adjacent to the die when the die is in the die receiving cavity;

f) a pad which is electrically conductive in a Z-axis, normal to a plane of the pad, and which provides electrical isolation across the plane of the pad, the pad being positioned over the die between the die and the plurality of conductors; and

g) a plurality of die contacts formed on the plurality of conductors, the die contacts being positioned so that, when the first plate and the second plate are aligned and the die and the intermediate substrate are positioned in the die-receiving cavity, the die contacts are in alignment with contact locations on the die;

h) connector leads in an electrical communication with the plurality of die contacts; and

i) a support to hold the die, the pad, and the intermediate substrate together when the first plate and the second plate are secured together, thereby causing the die contacts to be maintained in electrical communication with said contact locations.

20. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 19, and wherein:

the intermediate substrate is formed as a structure which includes silicon material, and the die contacting conductors are formed on the silicon material by semiconductor fabrication techniques.

21. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 20, and wherein:

the intermediate substrate is of a thickness sufficient to be substantially rigid.

22. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 20, and wherein;

the intermediate substrate is sufficiently thin to be partially flexible.

23. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 19, and wherein:

a) the intermediate substrate is formed of a ceramic insulator, and the die contacting conductors are formed on a surface of the intermediate substrate; and

b) the intermediate substrate includes a plurality of circuit traces formed thereon extending from the die contacting conductors to connection points in electrical communication with substrate bond pads wire bonded to contact pads on said one of the first and second plates having a plurality of connector leads thereon.

24. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 19, and wherein:

the intermediate substrate extending beyond the confines of a fixture formed by the first and second plates and terminating in an external connector, the external connector including said connector leads.

25. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 19, and wherein:

said pad is elastically resilient, thereby biasing against the die received in the die receiving cavity with the intermediate substrate after the first and second plates have been mated.

26. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 19, further comprising:

means, separate from said pad, to bias the die received in the die receiving cavity with the intermediate substrate after the first and second plates have been mated, the means to bias cooperating with said pad to apply sufficient pressure between said pad and said contact locations on the die to establish ohmic contact between said pad and said contact locations on the die.

27. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 19, further comprising:

the die receiving cavity having a biased platform therein, the biased platform exerting a biasing force against the die, the biasing force cooperating with said pad in order to establish an electrical connection, through said pad, between the contact locations on the die and said plurality of die contacts.

28. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 27, and wherein:

the biased platform comprises an elastomeric polymer.

29. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 19, and wherein:

the intermediate substrate includes raised contact members which are in alignment with the die receiving cavity after the first and second plates have been mated, said contact members cooperating with said pad to apply sufficient pressure between said pad and said contact locations on the die to establish ohmic contact between said pad and said contact locations on the die.

30. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 21, further comprising:

a) an elastomeric strip, separate from said pad, cooperating with said pad to bias die received in the die receiving cavity with the intermediate substrate after the first and second plates have been mated, and to apply sufficient pressure between said pad and said contact locations on the die to establish ohmic contact between said pad and said contact locations on the die; and

b) the elastomeric strip further securing the die in a position within the die receiving cavity by means of electrostatic attraction and frictional forces, thereby permitting the die to be maintained in a positional alignment with respect to the die receiving cavity after being placed into the die receiving cavity and prior to mating the second plate with the first plate.

31. A discrete testing apparatus for testing a semiconductor integrated circuit device in die form, comprising:

a) a first plate;

b) means for holding a die in the testing apparatus;

c) a second plate mating with the first plate;

d) one of the first and second plates having a plurality of connector leads thereon;

e) a substrate located between the first and second plates having a plurality of die contacting conductors extending therefrom, the die contacting conductors extending to die contacts to establish electrical communication with contact locations on the die, held within the testing apparatus;

f) the die contacts being positioned so that, when the die is positioned between the first and second plates, the die contacts are in alignment with contact locations on the die;

g) means for biasing the die and substrate together; and

h) means for establishing electrical communication between the die contacts on the substrate and the connector leads on the one of the first and second plates.

32. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 31, and wherein:

the means for establishing electrical communication is bond wires attached to the intermediate substrate and to the first plate.

33. A discrete testing apparatus as described in claim 31, and wherein:

the means for biasing is a clamp attached to the first plate.