Increase ATE Load Board Life: Multitest’s Mercury® Contactors Minimize Pad Wear
Multitest’s ECT Interface Product Division conducted a study to analyze the effects of spring probes on load board pads. In the high-volume production testing of semiconductors, test cell cost and reliability are very important to control. ATE load boards are critical test cell components and test contactors must not damage the load board pads. Multitest’s flat-technology Mercury® contactors virtually eliminate PCB pad damage.
In a controlled study of spring probe geometries performed on a variety of ATE load board contact pads, the Mercury® ‘J’ tip (radius-flat) PCB-side geometry displaced the least amount of surface gold plating on pads 0.5 mm pitch and larger.
The evaluation tested the most common PCB pad plating formulations against five different probe tip styles. Optical photographs were taken of the PCB pads before and after the cycling, and scanning electron microscope images and energy dispersive X-ray analyses were performed on the pads after each test ― looking for plating integrity of the pads and copper foil penetration.
Based on a severity ranking system, the Mercury® radius-flat probes consistently scored the lowest damage rating to each PCB pad.
Multitest continues to enhance PCB pad life and consequently reduce test cell costs by continuing to optimize the socket tip design as well as optimize the PCB pad surface finish with new platings and coatings.
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