JP2004138552A - Ic socket - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inspect various IC devices by sharing a socket board. <P>SOLUTION: This IC socket has a three-layered structure comprising an IC device mounting part, a signal array conversion part and a socket board connection part. The IC device mounting part has IC device contact pins to be electrically connected to pin terminals of a loaded IC device, at least to the number corresponding to the pin terminals. The socket board connection part has socket board contact pins to be electrically connected to external connection terminals to the number corresponding at least to the IC device contact pins among a plurality of external connection terminals arranged on the socket board. The signal array conversion part connects electrically the IC device contact pins to the socket board contact pins. By replacing these parts in accordance with the IC device, inspection can be performed by sharing the socket board, even if not only a signal array to each pin terminal but also the number or pitches of the pin terminals are different. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an IC socket for mounting a device under test on a test socket board, which is used in an IC test apparatus for evaluating electrical characteristics of an IC device (semiconductor integrated circuit). In particular, even for IC devices with different signal pin arrangements such as the number of signal pins and the pitch between signal pins as well as the signal arrangement for each signal pin, a dedicated test socket board is manufactured individually for each IC device. The present invention relates to an IC socket capable of testing different types of IC devices by sharing one test socket board without performing the same.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to ship an IC device of which performance and quality are guaranteed as a final product, it is necessary to extract all or a part of the IC device in each step of a manufacturing section and an inspection section and to inspect its electrical characteristics. An IC test apparatus is an apparatus for inspecting the electrical characteristics of such an IC device. The IC test apparatus gives predetermined test pattern data to an IC device to be tested mounted on a test socket board, that is, a device under test (DUT: Device Under Test), and thereby gives test pattern data from the device under test. The electrical characteristics are inspected by reading the output data and analyzing the output data of the device under test to see if there is any problem in the basic operation and function of the device under test. In such an IC test apparatus, the signal of the IC device to be tested is usually provided so that the IC device can be easily replaced and tested instead of mounting the IC device on the test socket board as it is. An IC device is mounted on a test socket board via an IC socket corresponding to the pin arrangement.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in a conventionally known IC test apparatus, a test socket board is manufactured for each type of IC device, that is, in accordance with the arrangement of signal pins up to the IC socket. However, even if the signal pin arrangement such as the number of signal pins (including solder balls) and the pitch between signal pins (that is, the signal pin spacing) is the same, as well as the external shape of the IC device, each signal pin of the IC device In order to inspect an IC device different from a manufactured test socket board with a pin assignment such as a signal arrangement and power supply / ground (GND) to the test socket board, it was necessary to manufacture a new test socket board. However, newly manufacturing a test socket board requires a long manufacturing period and high manufacturing costs. As a result, the user was not able to inspect the IC device at all until a new test socket board was completed, which caused delays in IC device development and increased development costs. Was. As one of methods for solving such a problem, a method of performing pin assignment array conversion using a printed board or the like provided with a special wiring for converting signals has been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-2002). However, even such a method cannot cope with IC devices having different signal pin arrangements such as the number of signal pins and the pitch between signal pins, and a new test is required to inspect such IC devices. There was still a need to make a socket board for use.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has a new test socket board for an IC device having not only a signal arrangement to each signal pin but also a signal pin arrangement such as a signal pin number and a signal pin interval. It is an object of the present invention to provide an IC socket capable of testing a wide variety of IC devices by sharing one test socket board without manufacturing the same.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The IC socket according to the present invention can exchangeably mount an IC device to be inspected when inspecting the electrical characteristics of the IC device, and electrically connects the mounted IC device to the socket board. Mounting an IC device having an IC device mounted thereon and having at least as many IC device contact pins as the number of the pin terminals electrically connected to pin terminals of the mounted IC device. A socket board connection unit having socket board contact pins electrically connected to at least as many external connection terminals as the IC device contact pins out of a plurality of external connection terminals arranged on the socket board; It is provided detachably between the IC device mounting portion and the socket board connection portion, A signal array conversion unit that electrically connects the IC device contact pins and the socket board contact pins to allocate each signal from the socket board in accordance with a signal array assigned to a pin terminal of the mounted IC device. It is equipped with.
[0006]
According to the present invention, the IC socket has a three-layer structure of an IC device mounting section, a signal array conversion section, and a socket board connection section, and each is exchanged according to the IC device to be inspected, thereby providing each pin terminal (signal pin). Even if the IC devices have different pin arrangements such as the number of pin terminals and the pitch between pin terminals as well as the signal arrangements for the IC devices, a dedicated test socket board must be individually manufactured for each IC device. In addition, different types of IC devices can be inspected by sharing one test socket board. That is, the IC device mounting section mounts the IC device and has at least as many IC device contact pins as the number of the pin terminals electrically connected to the pin terminals of the mounted IC device. By exchanging the parts, it becomes possible to inspect IC devices having different pin terminal pitches. Since the socket board connection portion has the socket board contact pins electrically connected to at least as many external connection terminals as the IC device contact pins among the plurality of external connection terminals arranged on the socket board, By exchanging the socket board connection part, it becomes possible to supply only signals necessary for inspection to the IC device. The signal array conversion unit is detachably provided between the IC device mounting unit and the socket board connection unit, and is mounted by electrically connecting the IC device contact pins and the socket board contact pins. By allocating each signal from the socket board according to the signal arrangement assigned to the pin terminals of the IC device, it is possible to inspect IC devices having different signal arrangements by exchanging the signal arrangement conversion unit. Become. In this way, different types of IC devices can be inspected by sharing one test socket board.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0008]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of an IC socket according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the IC socket shown in FIG. As can be understood from FIGS. 1 and 2, the IC socket X according to the present invention can be detachably mounted at a predetermined position on the socket board substrate 4, and is mounted on the socket board substrate 4 by surface mounting. The IC device D is inspected by transmitting and receiving various signals to and from the test target IC device D mounted in the IC socket X through a circuit including a chip resistor, a capacitor, and the like. I have. On the socket board 4, a plurality of signals are transmitted and received by the connection terminal 4a, which is a contact point for transmitting and receiving various signals corresponding to the circuit to and from the IC device D mounted in the IC socket X. (See FIG. 2). That is, the IC socket X is mounted so that the IC device D mounted on the IC device mounting portion 10 of the device-side contact socket 1 and each circuit on the socket board substrate 4 are conducted, and the socket is connected via the connection terminal 4a. An applied value (for example, address data, test pattern data, a write enable signal, a chip select signal, and the like) and determination reference information (also referred to as a determination value) from the board substrate 4 to the IC device D mounted on the IC device mounting unit 10. Are transmitted, and the IC device D is inspected by analyzing obtained output data (output voltage data, output timing measurement value, pass / fail data, etc.) from the IC device D. ing.
[0009]
The IC socket X shown in this embodiment is roughly composed of a device-side contact socket 1, a signal conversion board 2, and a socket board-side contact socket 3, which can be separated independently. That is, the IC socket X has a three-layer structure. For this purpose, by appropriately combining the device-side contact socket 1, the signal conversion board 2, and the socket board-side contact socket 3 each having a plurality of different patterns, it is possible to inspect IC devices D of different types according to the combination. It is possible to configure an IC socket X on which an IC device D can be mounted. Further, the IC device mounting section 10 in the IC socket X can easily replace the mounted IC device D to be tested, thereby quickly and quickly switching a large number of different types of IC devices D. Can be inspected.
[0010]
The details of the IC socket X according to the present invention having the three-layer structure that can be separated as described above will be described. The device-side contact socket 1 arranged at the uppermost layer of the IC socket X has an IC device mounting section 10 on which an IC device D under test can be removably mounted, and converts the device-side contact socket 1 into a signal. The mounting board A and the socket board side contact socket 3 are provided together with mounting screws A for fixing the socket board 4 at a predetermined position. In the IC device mounting section 10, a plurality of contact pins 1a are formed at appropriate intervals so as to penetrate the device-side contact socket 1. The plurality of contact pins 1a are pin terminals elastically protruded by a spring called a pogo pin, and have top ends facing each pin terminal (not shown) of an IC device D (not shown) mounted on the IC device mounting portion 10. (Also called a lead). On the other hand, the downwardly directed tip portion makes elastic contact with the connection terminal 2 a on the surface of the signal conversion board 2 disposed below the device-side contact socket 1. That is, the contact pins 1 a are for ensuring conduction between the IC device D mounted on the IC device mounting unit 10 and the signal conversion board 2. Therefore, the arrangement position of the contact pins 1a (the pitch between the signal pins, the arrangement shape, etc.) and the number of the contact pins 1a differ depending on the type of the IC device D. A device-side contact socket 1 having a contact pin 1a corresponding to the type of IC device D to be mounted on the device is used.
[0011]
The signal conversion board 2 disposed in the middle part of the IC socket X, that is, below the device-side contact socket 1 is a signal conversion circuit. In this embodiment, the IC device D mounted on the IC device mounting portion 10 and the socket board At least conversion of various signals transmitted / received to / from the substrate 4 and arrangement of signals such as power / ground are executed. A plurality of connection terminals 4a for transmitting and receiving various signals are arranged on the surface of the socket board 4, and the signals transmitted and received by the connection terminals 4a are always the same signal. That is, the signal arrangement on the socket board 4 is fixed. When the signal arrangement on the socket board substrate 4 is different from the signal arrangement of the IC device D, the signal arrangement is converted by using the corresponding signal conversion board 2 so that the socket board 4 and the IC device D can be connected to each other. Inspection can be performed by matching the signal arrangement between the two. Further, even when the number of signals required for the inspection differs between the socket board substrate 4 and the IC device D, the inspection can be performed by using the corresponding signal conversion substrate 2. In this way, by incorporating the signal conversion board 2 which is a replaceable signal conversion circuit in the IC socket X, only the signal conversion board 2 is replaced regardless of the signal arrangement on the socket board board 4. Thus, inspection of IC devices D having different signal arrangements can be performed using the same socket board substrate 4. The signal conversion board 2 is gripped so as to be sandwiched between the device-side contact socket 1 and the socket board-side contact socket 3, and can be easily detached by loosening the mounting pin A. With this configuration, only the signal conversion board 2 can be easily exchanged from the IC socket X as needed.
[0012]
In the lowermost layer portion of the IC socket X, that is, the socket board side contact socket 3 arranged below the signal conversion board 2, a plurality of contact pins 3a are provided at appropriate intervals so as to penetrate the socket board side contact socket 3. Are configured. The plurality of contact pins 3a are, for example, pogo pins, and the upper end portions are in elastic contact with the connection terminals 2b formed on the surface of the signal conversion board 2 arranged above the contact socket 3 on the socket board side. On the other hand, the lower end makes elastic contact with one or more of the plurality of connection terminals 4a among the plurality of connection terminals 4a formed on the socket board substrate 4 arranged below the socket board side contact socket 3. That is, the contact pins 3 a are for ensuring conduction between the signal conversion board 2 and the socket board board 4. The number of the contact pins 3a corresponds to the type of the IC device D to be tested, and the contact pins 3a can selectively extract various signals, power supply / ground, and the like required for inspection from the socket board substrate 4. Like that. The IC socket X, which has a three-layer structure including the device-side contact socket 1, the signal conversion board 2, and the socket board-side contact socket 3, includes a connection terminal 4a of a circuit surface-mounted on the socket board 4 and a socket board side. It is attached so that the contact pins 3a of the contact socket 3 come into contact with the contact pins. That is, on the surface of the socket board 4, all connection terminals 4a (contact points) capable of exchanging various kinds of signals, power supply / ground, etc. necessary for inspecting all IC devices regardless of the type of IC devices are provided. A signal necessary for the test is extracted by making the contact pins 3a elastically contact only the connection terminals for exchanging signals necessary for testing the IC device to be tested from the connection terminals 4a. You can do it.
[0013]
When the IC socket X having a three-layer structure that can be separated from each other is used, different types of IC devices can be changed by appropriately changing the combination of the device-side contact socket 1, the signal conversion board 2, and the socket board-side contact socket 3. Can be easily inspected. For example, when testing IC devices that have the same signal pin arrangement such as the number of signal pins and the pitch between signal pins but differ only in the signal arrangement, it is only necessary to replace the signal conversion board 2. For example, when inspecting IC devices having the same number of signal pins and the same signal arrangement but different pitches between signal pins, it is only necessary to replace the device-side contact socket 1 and the signal conversion board 2. For example, when inspecting IC devices having different signal pin arrangements such as the number of signal pins and the pitch between signal pins, the device-side contact socket 1 and the signal conversion board 2 (and in some cases, the socket board-side contact socket 3 may also be used). Can be replaced).
[0014]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, by changing the combination of each layer of the IC socket X having a separable three-layer structure according to the type of the IC device under test, not only the signal arrangement to each signal pin but also the signal pin Even for IC devices with different signal pin arrangements such as the number and pitch between signal pins, a single test socket board can be used to inspect a wide variety of IC devices without manufacturing a new test socket board. An excellent effect that it can be easily performed is obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of an IC socket according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing one embodiment of an IC socket according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
X: IC socket, 1: Device side contact socket, 1a (3a): Contact pin (pogo pin), 2: Signal conversion board, 2a (2b): Signal conversion board connection terminal, 3: Socket board side contact socket 4, socket board substrate, 4a, connection terminal of socket board substrate, 10: IC device mounting portion, A: mounting screw, D: IC device

Claims (3)

When inspecting the electrical characteristics of the IC device, the IC device to be inspected can be exchangeably mounted, and an IC socket used to electrically connect the mounted IC device to the socket board. So,
An IC device mounting portion having an IC device mounted thereon and having at least as many IC device contact pins as the number of the pin terminals electrically connected to the pin terminals of the mounted IC device;
A socket board connection portion having socket board contact pins electrically connected to at least as many external connection terminals as the IC device contact pins among the plurality of external connection terminals arranged on the socket board;
A pin terminal of the mounted IC device, which is detachably provided between the IC device mounting portion and the socket board connection portion, and electrically connects the IC device contact pin and the socket board contact pin. And a signal array conversion unit for allocating each signal from the socket board in accordance with the signal array allocated to the IC socket. The IC device mounting portion is provided detachably, and is replaced with an IC device mounting portion having the IC device contact pins arranged at intervals corresponding to the pitch of the pin terminals of the IC device to be mounted. 2. The IC socket according to claim 1, wherein IC devices having different terminal pitches can be inspected. The socket board connection portion is provided detachably, and is replaced with a socket board connection portion having the socket board contact pins corresponding to the number of pin terminals of the mounted IC device, so that the number of pin terminals differs. The IC socket according to claim 1, wherein the IC device can be inspected.

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