Best in Test Finalists: Test accessories and interconnects
-- Test & Measurement World, 12/22/2008 2:00:00 AM
→ Edge 400a Series Contactors, Johnstech International
→ Gemini Kelvin Spring Pins, Everett Charles
→ Lead Free Test Probes, Interconnect Devices
→ Synergetix Dyno Test Socket for QFN Devices, Interconnect Devices
→ Ultra High Density (UHD) Interconnect Builder, W.L. Gore & Associates
→ W2630A Series DDR2 and DDR3 BGA Probes, Agilent Technologies
Edge 400a Series Contactors
Johnstech International
www.johnstech.com
Intended for testing low-voltage, high-speed SDRAM, FB-DIMM, DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3 memory modules, the Edge 400a Series contactors combine a modular design for easy component configuration and replacement with improved warped-module handling. Standard reference designs are available for fast delivery, or you can customize the Edge 400a Series for your testing needs.
The modular construction of the Edge 400a Series comprises configurable and replaceable components—including alignment towers, guide rails, voltage keys, ejector levers, contacts, and elastomers—that allow you to tailor the contactor to suit your application. Edge 400a also offers 0.60-mm and 1.00-mm pitches to meet numerous JEDEC DDR MO specifications and RoHS-compliant contacts that achieve a short electrical path to the memory module.
The Edge 400a lowers overall cost of test with consistent, reliable, and repeatable results achieved through high-fidelity electrical performance and mechanical reliability. Teamed with Johnstech’s King Tiger tester, which is targeted for DDR3 1.6-Gbps data rates, the Edge 400a delivers the signal integrity necessary for accurate and analytical bus and pattern testing.
The price of the Edge 400a Series test contactor depends on I/O count, package bundling, and quantity discounts. A basic configuration costs $2200.
Gemini Kelvin Spring Pins
Everett Charles
www.ectinfo.com
The Gemini Kelvin is a spring probe for high-performance contactors used for semiconductor test and Kelvin contact applications. Unlike conventional spring probes, which are made of two or three lathe-turned parts, a spring, and male and female components that are crimped together, the Gemini is fabricated out of pieces that are not turned and, therefore, can have more complex shapes. Gemini probes can handle in-line devices (such as MLFs) with pitches as fine as 0.4 mm and arrays (such as BGAs) with pitches as small as 0.65 mm.
A Kelvin contact is only effective if the force and sense are independent all the way to the device contact point. As device pitches get smaller, making two independent contacts on the contact point becomes challenging. The architecture of the Gemini Kelvin probes allows the device-side tips to be very close together (0.006 in.), while keeping the board side tips farther apart (0.018 in.), which simplifies board manufacturing.
Each of the probe halves has a dual-cantilever fork, which grasps the other piece. The dual-fork design guarantees redundant bias, resulting in consistent probe resistance.
The Gemini Kelvin spring probe costs $6 in volume quantities.
Lead Free Test Probes
Interconnect Devices
www.idinet.com
Probing boards that are manufactured with lead-free materials and processes can prove challenging. Contact can be difficult and can degrade rapidly, as probe tips wear and become contaminated with metallic oxides. The LF (Lead Free) probe series is designed to prolong probe life and increase first-pass yield for cost-effective lead-free PCB (printed-circuit board) test.
The bifurcation and compliant fingers on the LF probe barrel provide a low and consistent resistance, while substantially reducing the ability of the contaminants to enter the probe housing. An obtuse blade plunger tip provides long life, and according to the manufacturer, its Duralloy plating offers the least amount of intermetallic contamination when compared with gold, palladium, and cobalt platings.
LF series test probes come in versions with 100-mil-, 75-mil, and 50-mil centers and have an 8-oz spring force, which provides the best combination of high penetration and low board stress. Probes are capable of testing lead-free boards for over 100,000 cycles with a typical resistance of less than 30 mμ without any degradation in the plunger geometry.
Interconnect Devices claims that the LF probe costs less than competitive designs and only a few cents more than a standard probe from the company.
Synergetix Dyno Test Socket for QFN Devices
Interconnect Devices
www.idinet.com
Dyno test sockets for QFN (quad flat no lead) devices employ a wiping contact that ensures low and consistent contact resistance and higher first-pass yield in harsh and demanding applications. The contact’s monolithic design scrubs across the surface of the device lead, penetrating contaminants through hundreds of thousands of insertions. Because of its design, the contact is nearly self-cleaning, requiring only minimal intervention over its cycle life.
The Dyno contact, available in Synergetix test sockets, features several other benefits including:
„h device compliance of 0.23 mm for easy setup and high-yield production;
„h mechanical life cycle of 500,000 insertions;
„h harmless to load-board pads;
„h current rating of 5 A continuous per contact;
„h Endura plating for intermetallic contamination resistance;
„h compatibility with most existing offset load boards; and
„h capable of being be cross-populated with conventional spring contact probes for ground pad, corner pad, and other applications.
According to Interconnect Devices, the price of the Dyno socket is similar to a probe-based test socket and significantly less than competing shaped-metal test sockets.
Ultra High Density (UHD) Interconnect Builder
W.L. Gore & Associates
www.gore.com
Using the Web-based GORE Ultra High Density Interconnect Builder, you can configure GORE UHD (utra high density) interconnects for use in bench test systems, instrument probe cables, parallel data links, production floor equipment, and automated test equipment. The tool lets you graphically build and modify your high-data–rate interconnect assembly configurations.
GORE UHD Interconnects provide an integrated system of board-mount headers and ganged assemblies with reliable signal integrity performance. Cost savings are achieved through shorter test setup, fewer calibrations, and smaller boards. GORE UHD Interconnects also enable lower loss, lower skew, better impedance control, and shorter board trace lengths.
The Interconnect Builder steps you through the selection of cable assemblies, with operating frequencies to 15 GHz and data rates of up to 10 Gbps, and connector types. It provides complete specifications for each product and even lets you click on associated technical notes. In addition, the tool provides quick turnaround for quotations and assembly delivery.
W2630A Series DDR2 and DDR3 BGA Probes
Agilent Technologies
www.agilent.com
Agilent says that DDR2 and DDR3 BGA probes in the W2630A series are the industry’s first ball-grid array probes that enable probing directly at the balls of the BGA. Used with oscilloscopes and logic analyzers for physical-layer and functional test, the DDR BGA probes let you probe DRAM buses for both DDR compliance test and protocol validation.
The probes provide signal access to the clock, strobe, data, address, and command signals of the BGA package for making electrical and timing measurements with an oscilloscope. Since the DDR JEDEC specification is defined at the DRAM ballout, the probes offer direct signal access to the BGA package for true compliance testing.
Full access to all DRAM buses also allows protocol and cross-bus timing analysis with a logic analyzer. The B4621A software bus decoder presents DDR2 and DDR3 protocol decode information in a bus-translation format for easy validation.
W2630A series probes eliminate tedious measurement setup and enable probing in tight spaces. DDR2 BGA probes are available for X8 and X16 DRAM packages, while DDR3 BGA probes support X4, X8, and X16 DRAM chips.
The DDR3 X8 or X16 10-probe set costs $1500; the DDR2 X8 or X16 4-probe set costs $1999.
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