DE10260238B4 - Adapter for testing one or more ladder arrangements and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

Adapter for testing one or more conductor assemblies (2) having a plurality of tracks in a finger tester, the conductor assembly (s) having a side (11) at which pads (16) are provided spaced at least a predetermined distance are spaced from the nearest adjacent contact point, so that this side of the conductor arrangement is contactable by means of an adapter, wherein
the adapter (1) has at least one contact field (17, 18) with a set of contact elements (6, 7, 26, 27), and the contact elements (6, 7, 26, 27) of the contact field (17, 18) in one Contact points (16) of the conductor arrangement corresponding arrangement are arranged, and
Contact elements (6; 26) each having a further contact element (7; 27) are electrically connected such that the conductor tracks of the conductor arrangement (s) are joined together to form several test nets on the side or the not contacted with the adapter (s) Ladder arrangement (s) have at least one contact point.

Description

The The invention relates to an adapter for testing one or more Conductor arrangements and methods. In particular, the invention relates an adapter for testing printed circuit boards and others essentially about plate-shaped, unpopulated Conductor arrangements. Such conductor arrangements are e.g. Chip Carrier, having a chip side, at which contact points for connecting are provided with an integrated circuit, and a connection side have, at which larger contact points are provided for connection to a further conductor arrangement. These Contact points on the connection side can be in a regular grid be arranged.

Known Devices for testing from unpopulated PCBs can in principle be divided into two groups. The first group includes the Devices with adapter, so-called parallel tester, in which all contact points of a printed circuit board at the same time by means of the adapter be contacted. The second group includes the so-called finger testers. These are devices that come with two or more test fingers scan the individual contact points sequentially.

Testing devices with adapter go, for example, from the DE 42 37 591 A1 , of the DE 44 06 538 A1 , of the DE 43 23 276 A1 , of the EP 215 146 B1 and the DE 38 38 413 A1 out.

such Adapters serve basically to that, the uneven configuration the contact points of the printed circuit board to be tested to the predetermined Basic grid of the electrical tester adapt. In modern, to be tested circuit boards are the contact points no longer in a uniform grid arranged, which is why the connection between the contact grid and the contact points producing contact needles in the adapter an inclination or deflection are arranged or a so-called translator is provided, the uniform contact grid in the uneven configuration the contact points "translated". These adapters will be therefore also referred to as raster adapter adapter.

Independent of the type of device are the individual tracks of bare circuit boards to breaks in the tracks ("interrupt test") and to electrical connections other tracks ("short circuit test") tested. The short circuit test can detect both low and high impedance Compounds include.

Either for the Interruption test as well for the short circuit test, different measuring methods are known. In this case, each track on a short circuit or each branch a trace on an interruption, so that at modern circuit boards with a variety of conductors one correspondingly high number of individual measuring operations are carried out got to.

From the EP 0 508 062 B1 For example, there is a method for testing printed circuit boards in which an inhomogeneous electric field is applied to the printed circuit board under test, whereby an electrical potential which forms due to the inhomogeneous electrical field is taken from a measuring probe to a contact point and the potential with the potential of others Checkpoints and / or compared with a reference. This method is called field measurement.

A further development of this field measurement is in the EP 0 772 054 A2 described. In this further development of the field measurement, the individual interconnects are tested for short circuit when testing a first circuit board by field measurements and for interruption by means of resistance measurements of the individual interconnects. From the resulting measured values, complex conductances are calculated, which are used as reference conductances for testing further printed circuit boards. By using these reference conductance values when testing additional printed circuit boards, the individual printed conductors can be tested for short circuits as well as for interruptions by means of a field measurement.

Of the EP 0 508 062 B1 corresponds to the US 5,268,645 and the EP 0 772 054 A2 corresponds to the US 5,903,160 , The disclosure of these documents is incorporated herein by reference and incorporated herein by reference.

From the DE 197 00 505 A1 introduces a method for testing printed circuit boards by shorting several power grids and / or ground networks of a printed circuit board and testing signal networks with a high test voltage against this network interconnection to short circuit. First, the interconnection of networks is set to a high potential and then tested the individual signal networks against this merger. As a result, the number of tests due to the high voltages very time-consuming tests can be drastically reduced, because the signal networks need not be tested against each power or ground network individually.

When testing so-called chip carriers, special demands are placed on the test device. Chip carriers are small printed circuit boards or conductor assembly, which on one side, the Have chip side, contact points at which one or more integrated circuits without housing directly connected and can be electrically connected by bonding with the contact points of the chip carrier. The contact points on the chip side are electrically connected by conductor tracks, each with a corresponding contact point on the opposite side of the chip carrier, the connection side. The chip carriers can have a spatial structure (see eg US 5,006,963 ) exhibit.

The contact points on the chip side are usually arranged very close to each other and small. In technical terms, this is referred to as a "high pitch." The contact points on the connection side are usually larger, and usually arranged in a grid.Typically, a BGA grid (ball grid array grid) is provided are described, for example, in MC ^{2 M®} BGA Type Multi-Chip Modules This publication is available on the Internet at www.valtronic.ch Other chip carriers are for example in the US 5,066,963 disclosed.

The Contact points on the chip side of the chip carrier are so fine trained and arranged close together that they are with usual Adapters are not contactable. That is why it is not possible to do such Chip Carrier to test with a parallel tester. Chip carriers are Mass produced in very high volumes. With conventional Fingertesters could the contact points of the chip side are contacted. A test with conventional Fingertesters is not economically viable as the sequential Scanning all contact points takes too much time when testing the chip carrier. For testing of chip carriers, therefore, special test devices been developed, which for contacting the connection side a Have adapter whose contact elements according to the contact points of the chip carrier are arranged on the connection side. Usually are the contact elements of the adapter in a predetermined grid, in particular a BGA grid arranged. The chip side of the chip carrier is contacted by means of freely movable contact fingers. The devices for testing chip carriers are thus combined Parallel / finger tester. With this device can be a high throughput achieved in the testing of chip carriers. These special devices However, they are very expensive, as both a parallel tester Evaluation as well as a finger tester Evaluation is provided and the test device only for very special Conductor arrangements, namely Chip carrier, usable.

Out The citation US 2001/013783 A1 is a device for Check unpopulated printed circuit boards out. This device has a so-called sample section, which is comparable with an adapter, and at the a variety are provided by probes. On this sample section becomes one too testing printed circuit board. On the circuit board to be tested there is an insulation film. There are probes provided with their Probes themselves on the insulation film and on this for contacting individual printed circuit board test points are movable. The probes of the sample section are about Switching devices connected to an evaluation. The Unit from sample section, switching electronics and evaluation device makes a parallel tester.

From the DE 44 17 580 C2 shows an apparatus for testing electronic circuit boards. This test device is designed to test the electrical component circuit boards. The test device described therein has an adapter in the form of a nail board on which a board to be tested can be placed. The upper side of the board with the electrical components provided therein is contacted by means of a sensor arrangement which has a contact pin which can be moved over the board. With this device, functional tests of the individual electrical components are performed. This device is similar to the above-described combined parallel / finger tester formed.

From the DE 38 38 413 A1 shows an adapter for an electronic tester for printed circuit boards, which has pad-like plugs of an electrically conductive resilient elastomer at its contact surfaces.

EP 0 772 054 A2 relates to a method used in a finger tester. However, the use of an adapter is not disclosed herein.

Of the The invention is therefore based on the object, simple, inexpensive means to provide with which unpopulated Conductor assemblies which are chip carriers or similar to these are formed, very fast with a conventional one Test device can be tested.

The The object is achieved by an adapter having the features of the claim or a method according to claim 23 solved. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

• – zumindest ein Kontaktfeld mit einem Satz Kontaktelemente, wobei die Kontaktelemente des Kontaktfeldes in einer den Kontaktstellen der Leiteranordnung entsprechenden Anordnung angeordnet sind, wobei
• – Kontaktelemente des Kontaktfeldes mit jeweils einem weiteren Kontaktelement derart elektrisch verbunden sind, dass die Leiterbahnen der Leiteranordnung(en) zu je einem Testnetz zusammengeschlossen sind, die auf der bzw. den nicht mit dem Adapter kontaktierten Seite(n) der Leiteranordnung(en) zumindest eine Kontaktstelle aufweisen.

An inventive adapter for testing one or more multi-track conductor assemblies in a finger tester, wherein the Conductor assemblies have a side at which contact points are provided, which are spaced by at least a predetermined distance from the next adjacent contact point, so that this side of the conductor arrangement is contactable by means of an adapter, comprising:

• - At least one contact pad with a set of contact elements, wherein the contact elements of the contact pad are arranged in an arrangement corresponding to the contact points of the conductor arrangement, wherein
• - Contact elements of the contact field with each another contact element are electrically connected such that the interconnects of the conductor arrangement (s) are each connected to a test network on the or not contacted with the adapter side (s) of the conductor arrangement (s) at least have a contact point.

With The invention thus provides an adapter, with which conductor arrangements be contacted on one side, wherein the conductor tracks of the conductor arrangements with one or more further tracks of this or one further conductor arrangement are electrically connected. The hereby resulting test networks have at least one contact point on the not contacted with the adapter side of the conductor arrangement, so that these test nets using a test finger of a finger tester are contactable. All tracks to be tested are part of one on the not contactable with the adapter side of the conductor arrangement contactable test network.

This System of adapter and one or more conductor arrangements can can be arranged in a finger tester and the test nets can be scanned become. Because of that the adapter several interconnects to test networks joined together are, in the individual measuring processes in each case multiple conductors tested at the same time, reducing the test speed compared to one usual Test in the finger tester is significantly increased.

There but the adapter itself not directly with an evaluation is connected, as is the case with conventional parallel testers Case, it can be easily and inexpensively manufactured. This especially applies if to the contact points of the conductor arrangement arranged in a predetermined, preferably standardized grid are. For Such conductor arrangements can under certain conditions even standardized adapters used that are not specifically for the conductor arrangement must be constructed.

To a preferred embodiment of Invention are the conductor tracks of the conductor arrangement (s) such over the Adapters electrically connected to each other, that the test networks at least two contact points on or not contacted with the adapter Have sides of the conductor arrangement (s). The provision at least two contact points in a test network allows an interruption test of the test network by means of a resistance measurement. Some manufacturers of conductor assemblies require that the tracks of the conductor assemblies be tested for interruptions by means of a resistance measurement, because they believe that such a resistance measurement in high-impedance interruptions would be the most reliable.

With Such a configured adapter can thus the tracks the conductor assembly quickly and easily in a finger tester Interruptions are tested by means of a resistance measurement.

Of the inventive adapter also allows testing of conductor assemblies on two sides Have contact points, in a one-sided finger tester. With the adapter according to the invention can thus the scope of conventional one-sided Finger tester on conductor assemblies that contact points on two sides have to be extended. With the adapter according to the invention can Conductor tracks of different conductor arrangements electrically to a Test network are interconnected. It is also possible on an adapter to provide several Leiteran orders, wherein tracks within a single conductor arrangement via the adapter electrically interconnected and interconnects of different conductor arrangements connected by the adapter to a test network.

Preferably many tracks become too few test networks, ideally only two test nets, electrically connected to each other by means of the adapter. This is expediently takes into account the so-called Shielded Adjacency criterion, i. that only Tracks to a test network with each other by means of the adapter due to their location in the conductor arrangement with the other tracks of the respective test network no short circuit can form because there is another track between them, which is not Part of this test network is, or a boundary layer to a another position is formed in the conductor arrangement. Linking the Tracks to a few test nets allow the measurements for investigation to short circuit to reduce a few measuring operations, here only the individual test networks are measured against each other have to.

In addition, the provision allows less test nets the use of high test voltages without significant time loss, since due to the few test networks, the increased voltage only a few times must be established. This principle is in the DE 197 00 505 A1 described.

Becomes In particular, the field measurement method used, the test networks with a single test tap for short circuit and if appropriate reference conductance are present, even tested for interruption.

These Test measurements can be performed with a known finger tester, the throughput no less than those specifically for testing chip carriers trained test devices. When using the field measurement the throughput can even be increased.

The Invention will be explained in more detail by way of example with reference to the drawings. In The drawings show schematically:

1 two chip carriers in a perspective view with a view of the chip side or the connection side,

2 the chip carrier off 1 , wherein only the contact points, conductor tracks and plated-through holes as well as the edge boundaries are shown,

3 an adapter according to the invention with the chip carriers from 1 and 2 .

4 an arrangement of the contact pins of the adapter 3 together with the chip carriers,

5 a further adapter according to the invention in a perspective view,

6 the adapter off 5 , wherein individual conductor tracks of the adapter are shown, in a plan view,

7 a finger tester in which an adapter according to the invention is used,

8th another adapter according to the invention in plan view,

9 roughly simplifies the arrangement of interconnected tracks of a chip carrier, and

10 an adapter with it fixed chip carriers in perspective view.

An inventive adapter 1 for testing four chip carriers 2 is in 3 shown schematically in perspective. The adapter has an adapter body 3 on, which is a plastic plate made of a non-electrically conductive material in the present embodiment. In the adapter body 3 are several through holes 4 for picking up a contact pin 5 brought in. The through holes are in the form of two dies each with 10 × 10 through holes 4 arranged. The center distance between two adjacent through holes 4 is 0.5-1 mm each. The through holes 4 are thus formed in a regular, square grid, which corresponds to a ball grid array (BGA).

The contact pins 5 each have a test tip at its two ends 6 . 7 on. For simple graphic representation are in 3 the contact pins 5 a large piece from the through hole 4 drawn above. In a concrete embodiment, the contact pins are 5 with their probes 6 . 7 only a few tenths of a mm at the top or bottom surface 8th . 9 of the adapter body 3 out. The contact pins 5 are preferably so-called spring contact pins, which are formed with a spring element, so that the contact pins 5 are elastically resilient compressible. Preferably, the contact pins are provided with a frictional engagement approximately in the region of their longitudinal center, which ensures that the contact pins 5 not from the through holes 4 fall out.

The probes 6 respectively. 7 a matrix of contact pins 5 in the area of one of the two surfaces 8th . 9 of the adapter body 3 each form a contact field 17 . 18 for contacting a chip carrier 2 ,

Such a chip carrier 2 is in the present embodiment, a small circuit board, the chip side 10 and a connection page 11 having ( 1 . 2 ). On the chip side 10 are small contact pads 12 formed, which in plan view a wreath of four arcuate segments 13 form. These contact pads 12 are used for bonding integrated circuits (not shown). From some of these contact pads 12 lead tracks 14 for through-connection 15 , Usually, all or at least almost all contact pads 12 with a conductor track 14 to a via 15 connected. For easier graphical representation are in the 1 - 4 only a few tracks 14 shown. These vias 15 are in the grid of the ball grid array on the chip carrier 2 formed and extend from the chip side 10 each to the connection side 11 , On the connection side 11 form the vias 15 one contact point each 16 , The vias 15 are holes with a diameter of eg <0.1 mm, which are completely coated or filled with an electrically conductive material. In the area of contact points 16 the electrically conductive material forms a contact pad 16 , The diameter of the contact pad 16 is much larger than the length or width of the contact pads 12 on the chip side 10 and is for example 0.5 mm. The contact points 16 are arranged in the regular grid (BGA grid) explained above, so that they are compared with the contact pads 12 the chip side 10 are very far apart and therefore much easier to contact with an adapter.

Because of the high contact point density on the chip side, chip carriers are generally formed from a multilayer printed circuit board. Therefore, in such a chip carrier, the vias do not always extend throughout the entire chip carrier. The 1 - 4 are simplified schematically in this regard.

Typical for chip carriers is that all or at least most of the tracks from the chip side led to the connection page are. In the present embodiment is the connection from the chip side to the connection side means accomplished the via. Only with complex chip carriers are provided conductor tracks, which are only two points of contact on the Connect chip side together and are not led to the connection side. However, the number of such traces are small in comparison to those who are led from the chip side to the connection side.

To test such a chip carrier 2 will this with its contact points 16 on a set of probes 6 set, each one a contact field 17 form. Another chip carrier 2 becomes with its contact points 16 on the probes 7 set that another contact field 18 form. The probes 6 . 7 the contact fields 17 . 18 are about the contact pins 5 connected in pairs electrically, so that the contact points 16 the two chip carriers 2 pairwise electrically connected ( 4 ).

On the adapter 1 In the present embodiment, two pairs of chip carriers 2 be arranged, with the contact points 16 the opposite chip carrier 2 be electrically connected in pairs.

The adapter 1 and the chip carrier 2 be tested in a finger tester 20 arranged ( 7 ). Such a finger tester 20 has several test fingers 21 in which in each case a test electrode 22 is integrated. The test fingers 21 can be parallel to the upper or lower surface of the adapter with the help of parallel to the surfaces of the chip carrier 2 be moved so that the electrodes with the contact pads 12 the chip carrier 2 can be contacted. For example, such a finger tester 16 test finger 21 on, with eight above and eight below the adapter 1 are arranged around the on both sides of the adapter 1 arranged chip carrier 2 to contact. The test fingers 21 are each on a sled 23 attached in a plane parallel to the surfaces of the adapter 1 can be moved. The sledges 23 are each with a vertically oriented actuating cylinder 24 provided with the test fingers 21 can be rotated around the vertical axis. Further, in the test finger 21 integrated a movement device, with the test fingers 21 perpendicular to the surface of the chip carrier 2 are movable to the test electrodes 22 the contact pads 12 to contact.

By connecting the contact points in pairs 16 by means of the adapter 1 For example, two tracks each 25 from two chip carriers 2 electrically connected together and form together with the electrical connection of the adapter, which in the present embodiment ( 3 . 4 ) from one of the contact pins 5 exists, a test network. The ends of such a test network are each from a contact pad 12 educated. Because the tracks 25 the chip carriers are usually not branched, such a test network usually has only two ends. These two ends or the corresponding contact pads 12 can simultaneously with each one test electrode 22 be contacted. Is by means of the test electrodes 22 If a test current is applied to the test network and the resistance of the test network is determined, then it can be deduced from this whether the two conductor tracks 25 the two chip carriers 2 have an interruption. This represents a conventional resistance measurement for testing for an interruption. By coupling two chip carriers by means of the adapter, a single trace can thus be used on both chip carriers with a single measurement 25 and thus two tracks 25 be tested for interruption at the same time.

When testing for shorts by means of a resistance measurement in each case adjacent test networks with a test electrode 22 contacted and measured the resistance between these two adjacent test nets. Here, too, two pairs of tracks are each 25 tested simultaneously.

With the adapter according to the invention 1 can thus be tested in a conventional finger tester chip carrier, being in a test At the same time, at least two chip carriers must be tested. The throughput of chip carriers to be tested corresponds to that of the special test device explained in the introduction, which has both an adapter and test fingers.

Another embodiment of an adapter according to the invention is in the 5 and 6 shown. This adapter 1 has as adapter body 3 a multilayer printed circuit board. At the surface of the adapter body 3 are used as contact elements instead of the probes described above 6 . 7 dimples 26 . 27 arranged, which are formed of an electrically conductive rubber material. These contact nubs 26 . 27 again form two contact fields 17 . 18 , wherein the contact nubs 26 . 27 within a contact field in each case to the contact points 16 of a chip carrier to be tested 2 corresponding arrangement are positioned so that with each contact nub 26 one contact point each 16 is contactable. In the present embodiment, the contact nubs 26 . 27 the two contact fields 17 . 18 arranged in a matrix arrangement corresponding to a BGA.

The contact nubs 26 of the contact field 17 are in pairs with the Kontaktnoppen 27 of the contact field 18 , ie in the same row and same column of the matrix via electrical conductors 28 connected. Preferably, in each case the contact studs, which are in the respective contact field 17 . 18 are provided at the same position - z. B. in each case lower left in 6 - electrically connected to each other. Such a pairwise connection of the contact elements of the contact fields 17 . 18 causes if two same chip carriers with same orientation on the contact fields 17 . 18 each time the same types of tracks 14 the chip carriers are electrically connected to each other, whereby the test algorithm substantially simplified, since in each case the same types of interconnects 14 be tested together, ie, that in each case the corresponding contact pads 12 the chip carrier 2 to contact, for example, to perform an interruption test.

In addition to the tracks 28 for pairing the contact elements of the contact fields 17 . 18 this adapter has one or more tracks 29 on ( 6 ) serving as the antenna (s) for the field measurement method. The field measurement method is in the EP 508 062 B1 and EP 772 054 A2 described in detail. This is done by means of the antenna 28 generates an inhomogeneous electric field and then by means of the test fingers 21 of each test network tapping the electrical potential arising on the test network. By comparing with the potential of another test network and / or with a reference, it can be determined whether the test network has a short circuit. This field measurement thus allows only one measurement tap on a test network to check for short circuit of this test network.

If complex guide values exist for the individual test networks as references, then according to the methods according to the EP 0 772 054 A2 Interruptions can also be determined by means of this field measurement method, whereby only a single test tap on the test network is necessary.

Since the test networks each have at least two tracks of two chip carriers 2 include, at least two traces are tested simultaneously in a single measurement. Since the field measurement method requires only a single tap for testing for interruption and / or short circuits, several test tracks are tested simultaneously with each test tap. This will increase the throughput of chip carriers under test 2 even significantly increased compared to the known special devices for testing chip carriers.

The adapter according to the invention is described above with reference to exemplary embodiments, in which in each case the contact elements of the contact fields 17 . 18 paired together. In the case of chip carriers formed from printed circuit boards, it is customary to provide a plurality of chip carriers on a printed circuit board in production, each of which represents a so-called benefit. It can be provided on a circuit board, for example, five or ten such benefits. In such a case, it is expedient to provide an adapter in which each benefit is assigned a contact field and the corresponding contact elements of the individual contact fields are all electrically connected to one another in the manner described above. In practice, since board manufacturers often require a resistance measurement for interrupt testing, the most preferred method will be a resistance measurement to measure the breaks and a field measurement to measure for short circuits. To measure for interruption, all endpoints of the test networks must be contacted at least once and to test for short circuits, each test network must be contacted only once, which can be a variety of tracks on the individual benefit or chip carriers tested simultaneously.

8th shows another adapter similar to the one in 5 and 6 shown adapter is formed. This adapter 1 has as adapter body 3 a circuit board on. At the surface of the adapter body 3 are contact pads as contact elements 30 arranged, for example, in turn, are formed of an electrically conductive rubber material. These contact studs form a single contact field 31 , The contact studs are each in the to the contact points 16 of a chip carrier to be tested 2 positioned corresponding to the arrangement, so that with each contact nub 30 one contact point each 16 is contactable. In the present embodiment, the contact nubs 30 arranged in a BGA corresponding matrix arrangement of 10 × 10.

In this embodiment, in the individual rows of the matrix are the contact nubs 30 with tracks 32 connected with each other. Here, a conductor path connects 32 each second contact nub 30 one of the rows. For a series of contact studs there are two printed conductors each 32 intended. Such a conductor arrangement can be formed directly on the surface of a simple printed circuit board. For this no multilayer printed circuit board is necessary.

In the present embodiment, five contact nubs each 30 electrically linked together. This means that five tracks of the chip carrier 2 , provided all contact points 16 with a conductor track 14 should be connected, are electrically interconnected.

Such an adapter can be used to test chip carriers 2 be used, their contact points 16 at the connection side 11 are arranged in a standardized latching arrangement. That means that this adapter is for different chip carriers 2 can be used provided the screening of the contact point 16 with the arrangement of the contact nubs 30 matches. This means that, for a chip carrier, a new adapter does not have to be constructed in principle in order to test it in a finger tester, provided that the arrangement of the contact points 16 of the chip carrier 2 is standardized and with the arrangement of the contact nubs 30 of the adapter 1 matches.

It is of course also possible, the contact nubs 30 connect with each other in another way, for example, contact nubs of different rows are electrically connected to each other or the number of electrically interconnected contact knobs is larger or smaller.

It may also be appropriate to have multiple contact fields 31 to provide on an adapter in which within a contact field, the contact elements (here: contact nubs 30 ) are electrically connected to each other and the individual contact elements of the different contact fields are also electrically connected to each other. For example, in the in 8th shown adapter individual Lei terbahnen 32 be electrically connected to corresponding conductor tracks in a corresponding further contact field.

9 schematically shows the conductor tracks of a chip carrier simplified 2 , which are each guided from the chip side to the connection side. By means of the adapter 8th For example, every other trace of a series of traces is electrically interconnected. In each row are thus two test nets 33 . 34 educated. Between two adjacent tracks of a test network is thus in each case a further trace of the other test network. This ensures that two adjacent tracks of a test network can not form a short circuit with each other without forming a short circuit with the other track of the other test network, which is arranged between these two tracks. This is called the Shielded Adjacency criterion, because each individual trace is shielded from an adjacent trace by the next adjacent trace of the same test network. With such a design of the test network, it is ensured that each short circuit between interconnects in the chip carrier can be determined by a short-circuit test between the corresponding test networks, which can each comprise a plurality of interconnects. In addition, such a combination of many interconnects allows a significant reduction in the number of test networks and thus a significant reduction in the measurement processes. In the adapter according to 8th In each case five interconnects are linked together. It is of course also possible that significantly more interconnects can be linked together, so the combination of up to 50 interconnects can be useful. Ideally, all traces will be linked to only two test nets, with the result that only a single measurement would have to be performed to test the chip carrier for a short circuit.

In a simple embodiment, it may be expedient, if longer, branched interconnects should be provided on the chip carrier, such as power or ground interconnects, only to link these longer interconnects together, so that there is a large test network opposite which the other tracks are tested in detail. For example, a high test voltage can then be applied once to this test network, in which case all other conductor tracks can be tested against this high test voltage within a short time. In this regard is on the DE 197 00 505 A1 directed.

10 shows a further adapter according to the invention, which is constructed similar to that in 3 shown adapter. Therefore, the same parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

The adapter 1 Each has four matrices, each with 10 × 10 through holes 4 to the recording each one of a contact pin 5 on. There are thus eight contact fields designed to accommodate eight chip carriers 2 , Adjacent to an adapter body 3 are each antenna plates 35 arranged, on each of which a cable 36 is provided for applying a potential to the antenna formed in the antenna plate. In the antenna plates 35 are the corresponding holes for the passage of the contact pins 5 educated. The antenna can be in the antenna plate 35 as an over almost the entire antenna plate 35 extending contact layer may be formed in the region of only the bore for receiving the contact pins 5 is isolated. However, the antenna may also have a complex structure.

Furthermore, two fixing plates 37 provided the same external dimensions as the adapter body 3 and the antenna plate 35 have. These fixation plates 37 each have four openings 38 on, which is slightly smaller than the outline of the chip carrier to be tested 2 are formed. The openings 38 are slightly undercut, so that at each opening 38 a circumferential, inwardly projecting boundary web 39 formed. In every opening 38 a chip carrier can be used, the chip carrier with its edge region in each case at the boundary web 39 is applied.

The fixing plates 37 , the antenna plates 35 and the adapter body 3 have corresponding through holes 40 on, in which Schraubverbindungsmittel 41 , ie appropriate screws and nuts, store, with which the fixing plates 37 and the adapter body disposed therebetween and the antenna plates interposed therebetween 35 be braced into a unit, with the individual chip carriers from the fixing plates 37 be pressed on the corresponding contact fields.

The screw connection means 41 represent a clamping device. Conveniently, these clamping devices are uniform over the surface of the adapter 1 spread, leaving an evenly distributed tension on the adapter 1 is exercised.

This adapter on which the chip carrier by means of fixing plates 37 can be arranged as a unit in a finger tester and tested. In the finger tester itself, no additional devices are needed to accommodate the adapter and the chip carriers.

Instead of the screw connection means described above 41 also quick release elements can be used.

It is of course also possible, instead of from the fixing plates 37 and screw connection means 41 existing fixing device, which is formed directly on the adapter to provide a fixing device in the form of a press with corresponding pressure plates in the finger tester.

There Significant when clamping the conductor assemblies on the adapter personnel exercised Need to become, it may also be appropriate that only a subset of those to be tested with an adapter Conductor assemblies is clamped and fixed and after their test another subset of the conductor assemblies clamped and fixed becomes. This is especially true for Tests of several conductor arrangements formed on a printed circuit board, so-called benefits, since the simultaneous tightening all the benefits due to the high forces can lead to significant mechanical problems. When testing Circuit boards with multiple uses may therefore be appropriate just to put a number of benefits on an adapter, wherein here two clamping bars are provided instead of the fixing plate, the each adjacent to both sides of the row benefits on the circuit board arranged and with the adapter body be tense.

One alternative method of testing a printed circuit board with many Benefit sees an adapter for testing only one or very much less benefit, i.e. that this adapter is only one or has few contact fields. This adapter is made by means of a corresponding mechanism to the contactable by the adapter Side of the printed circuit board pressed and carried out a corresponding measurement. After completing this Messvorganges, the adapter through the mechanism of the circuit board one piece removed and pushed to further benefits and pressed against them. It another test measurement can be performed. The adapter will thus in each case between the individual use or between groups Quilted by a few uses.

in the Of course, it is also possible within the scope of the invention instead specially provided in the adapter antennas conductor tracks on a chip carrier are designed to be used as antennas. This is especially true if the chip carrier has larger, branched tracks, such as. a trace for a power supply or for ground having.

The adapter according to the invention is explained above on the basis of exemplary embodiments for testing chip carriers. With an adapter according to the invention, however, not only chip carriers but also any conductor arrangements can be tested, which have contact points on one side, which are not arranged very close to each other and z. B. have a distance of at least 0.5 mm. The contact points on the other side can be configured as desired. You can in particular be very small and close together, since such contact points can be easily contacted with the test finger. The adapter according to the invention and a finger tester can also be used to test chip carriers which have a spatial contour in the region of the chip side.

The invention can be briefly summarized as follows:
The invention relates to an adapter for testing a conductor arrangement, in particular for testing a chip carrier. Such a conductor arrangement has on one side contact elements, which are not arranged with high density and have a minimum distance of, for example, 0.5 mm. The adapter has at least two contact pads, each with a set of contact elements, wherein with the contact elements of the contact fields in each case a conductor arrangement can be contacted at the not very dense contact points. The contact elements of one of the contact fields are electrically connected to one contact element of another contact field, so that the conductor tracks of two conductor arrangements are electrically connected to one another and can be tested simultaneously.

1

adapter

2

Chip Carrier

3

adapter body

4

Through Hole

5

pin

6

probe

7

probe

8th

surface

9

surface

10

chip side

11

connection page

12

contact pad

13

arcuate segment

14

conductor path

15

via

16

contact point

17

Contact field

18

Contact field

19

20

finger tester

21

test finger

22

test electrode

23

carriage

24

actuating cylinder

25

conductor path

26

Kontaktnoppe

27

Kontaktnoppe

28

conductor path

29

antenna

30

Kontaktnoppe

31

Contact field

32

conductor path

33

test network

34

test network

35

antenna plate

36

electric wire

37

fixing

38

opening

39

limiting web

40

drilling

41

screw fastening

Claims (29)

Adapter for testing one or more ladder arrangements ( 2 ), which have a plurality of tracks, in a finger tester, wherein the ladder arrangement (s) one side ( 11 ), at which contact points ( 16 ) are provided, which are spaced by at least a predetermined distance from the next adjacent contact point, so that this side of the conductor arrangement can be contacted by means of an adapter, wherein the adapter ( 1 ) at least one contact field ( 17 . 18 ) with a set of contact elements ( 6 . 7 ; 26 . 27 ), and the contact elements ( 6 . 7 ; 26 . 27 ) of the contact field ( 17 . 18 ) in one of the contact points ( 16 ) of the conductor arrangement corresponding arrangement are arranged, and contact elements ( 6 ; 26 ) each having a further contact element ( 7 ; 27 ) are electrically connected such that the conductor tracks of the conductor arrangement (s) are joined together to form several test nets which have at least one contact point on the side (s) of the conductor arrangement (s) not contacted with the adapter. Adapter according to claim 1, wherein the test networks at least two contact points on or not contacted with the adapter Have sides of the conductor arrangement (s). Adapter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the adapter ( 1 ) at least two contact fields ( 17 . 18 ) each with a set of contact elements ( 6 . 7 ; 26 . 27 ), and at least some contact elements ( 6 ; 26 ) one of the contact fields ( 17 ) each having a contact element ( 7 ; 27 ) of another contact field ( 18 ) are electrically connected. Adapter according to claim 3, wherein all contact elements ( 6 ; 26 ) one of the contact fields ( 17 ) with the contact elements ( 7 ; 27 ) of another contact field ( 18 ) are connected in pairs. Adapter according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the contact elements ( 26 . 27 ) of the individual contact fields ( 17 . 18 ) are connected to each other in such a way that in each case a contact element ( 26 ) of a contact field ( 17 ) at a certain point of the contact field ( 17 ) with a contact element ( 27 ) of another contact field ( 18 ) at the corresponding place of the contact field ( 18 ) is electrically connected. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein contact elements ( 30 ) of the contact field ( 31 ) with further contact elements ( 30 ) of this contact field ( 31 ) are electrically connected. Adapter according to claim 6, wherein the contact elements are electrically connected in pairs. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 3 or according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of contact elements of the contact field with each other electrically are connected so that multiple tracks of a to be tested Ladder arrangement are linked to a test network. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the conductor arrangement is a chip carrier having a connection side for attachment to a further conductor arrangement, wherein the contact points are contactable at the connection side by means of an adapter, and a chip side ( 10 ), at which contact points ( 12 ) are provided for connection to an integrated circuit. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the contact elements ( 6 . 7 ) by a respective tip of a contact pin ( 5 ) being represented. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the contact elements ( 26 . 27 ) are formed as knobs of electrically conductive rubber material. An adapter according to claim 10, wherein a respective tip ( 6 ) at one end of one of the contact pins ( 5 ) one of the contact elements of a contact field ( 17 ) and a tip ( 7 ) at the other end of the respective contact pin ( 5 ) one of the contact elements of another contact field ( 18 ). Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the adapter ( 1 ) an adapter body ( 3 ), on which conductor tracks ( 18 ) are provided to electrically connect the contact elements with each other. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the contact points can be contacted with an adapter ( 16 ) are spaced at a distance of at least 0.5 mm and preferably 1 mm from each other. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the contact points can be contacted with an adapter ( 16 ) are not smaller than 0.5 mm in diameter. Adapter according to one of Claims 1 to 15, the contact points which can be contacted with an adapter ( 16 ) are arranged in a regular grid, such as a ball-grid array. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the adapter comprises an antenna ( 29 ) for generating an inhomogeneous electric field. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the adapter ( 1 ) on opposite sides contact fields for receiving in each case a conductor arrangement ( 17 . 18 ) having. Adapter according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the adapter ( 1 ) a fixing device for fixing one or more conductor arrangements on the adapter ( 1 ) having. An adapter according to claim 19, wherein the fixing device comprises a fixing plate, which is fastened with a fastening device to an adapter body and is provided at least with an opening which is smaller than the outline of the conductor arrangement to be tested, so that when arranging a conductor arrangement between the adapter body and the fixing plate in the region of the opening, the conductor arrangement is fixed to the adapter and the side of the conductor arrangement not in contact with the adapter body ( 1 ) is freely accessible. An adapter according to claim 20, wherein the attachment means is designed as a screw connection. An adapter according to claim 20, wherein the attachment means is formed with a quick release closure. Method for testing a conductor arrangement in a finger tester by means of an adapter according to one of claims 1 to 22, wherein - at least one conductor arrangement ( 2 ) with a side which has contact points which can be contacted with an adapter, with the adapter ( 1 ), contact elements ( 6 . 7 ; 26 . 27 ) of a contact field of the adapter ( 1 ) in electrical contact with the corresponding contact points of the conductor arrangement ( 1 ), - the conductor arrangement ( 2 ) and the adapter ( 1 ) unit is placed in the finger tester without the adapter ( 1 ) is connected directly to a transmitter, and - by means of test finger ( 21 ) the contact points ( 12 ) of the conductor arrangement, which are not arranged on the side contacted with the adapter, can be contacted in order to provide printed conductors ( 14 ) of the conductor arrangements ( 2 ) for short circuit and / or interruption. Method according to claim 23, wherein the printed conductors ( 14 ) of the conductor arrangement ( 2 ) are tested for interruption by means of resistance measurements. Method according to claim 23, wherein printed conductors ( 14 ) of the conductor arrangement ( 2 ) are tested for interruption by the field measurement method. Method according to one of claims 23 to 25, wherein the printed conductors ( 14 ) of the conductor arrangements ( 2 ) are tested for short circuit using resistance measurements. Method according to one of claims 23 to 25, wherein the printed conductors ( 14 ) of the conductor arrangements ( 2 ) are tested for short circuit using the field measurement method. A method according to claim 25 or 27, wherein an adapter ( 1 ) with an antenna formed thereon ( 29 ) is used to perform the field measurement procedure. Method according to one of claims 25, 27 or 28, wherein in each case one conductor track ( 14 ) of the conductor arrangements to be tested ( 2 ) as an antenna ( 29 ) is used to perform the field measurement procedure.