Spring
Probes
Spring probes are the heart of Signal Integrity’s business. We have twenty four years developing probes for IC test sockets, The resulting probe catalog can be counted on to deliver reliable, highest quality, maintainable, repeatable test sockets to our customers.
SPRING PROBES AT A GLANCE
Signal Integrity spring probes offer the most flexible, reliable, widest operating range for contact technology in semiconductor test applications. SII spring probes are a step above in material quality, clad construction and design IP features. The result is a socket design that stands up to the rigors of high volume manufacturing while not compromising your test specifications while operating at the low cost per insertion you require in a consumable product.
Overview
Key Features
- Material and metallurgical IP continuously improving process over 25 years
- Proprietary clad metal barrels for consistent, low contact resistance
- Proprietary coatings to extend probe life and performance
- Micro-miniature probe heat sinking to work in the highest current environments
- Advanced precious metal alloy probe contact points for long insertion count lifetime (Ideal for PMIC devices)
- Continuous length coverage from 2.5mm to 5mm operating lengths (We can fit your handler kit!)
- Minimum 0.7mm contact length – elastomer replacement and frequencies up to 70 GHz
- Plunger material and geometries to fit any contact surface
- Custom and semi-custom spring probe design and production
- Custom OEM electrical interconnects
- Custom probe tower and ATE interconnect systems
Browse the full catalog of Signal Integrity Spring Probes here.
Spring Probe Series
Series
table information
High-Frequency Performance
Choosing a Spring Probe for High-Frequency Performance
Choosing a spring probe will determine the maximum frequency that a socket can operate. Test sockets usually mark bandwidth where the insertion loss on the pin reaches -1dB.
As a passive element, the spring probe’s primary impact on the DUT IO performance is the impedance mismatch the socket introduces to the test channel. Signal Integrity has designed a family of probes with impedance control at pitches from 0.4mm to 1.0mm structures to match the device package to PCB impedance. This enables lower cost socket designs operating beyond 60 GHz.
Probes for Sockets 10GHz to 40GHz Test Sockets:
We offer 13 probe design selections at pitches from 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm that are measured from 18 GHz to 40 GHz. These probes are designed for applications requiring high bandwidth RF microwave and millimeter-wave carrier frequencies, or the capability to handle enough power in the 5th harmonic of a serial bit stream. These pins are targeted to socket designs for LGA or BGA arrays that require coverage of very high IO speeds and large per pin power consumption with the same probe pin.
Probes for a 10GHz Test Socket:
Almost all the probes we use in our socket library achieve at least a 10 GHz operating point. At frequencies to 10 GHz a socket design can simply choose a short enough probe to minimize reflection resonance and it will operate properly. We have a long list of large compliance probes that will operate with margin above 10 GHz.
For Socket Operation Above 40GHz:
We offer solutions up to 70 GHz Bandwidth. These parts require active participation with the customer in pre-design simulation and layout as well as socket housing design. We offer 4 probes between 1.0 mm and 1.5 mm in length with up to 0.2 mm of travel for applications that need bandwidth above 40 GHz.
Carrying Capacity
Current Carrying Capacity of Signal Integrity Spring Probes
5A Continuous Current Probes
Signal Integrity can design and manufacture sockets, selecting from 8 of our spring probe models that can operate from 4.5A to over 6.0 amps. These are excellent probes for large high power, high speed arrays achieving long lifetime, IO, and power performance in the most demanding production test environments for very large packages with planarity to consider. We take care to match the lengths of these probes to the lengths of our high frequency probes so large hybrid sockets can handle very high wattage and very high frequencies.
8A Continuous Current Probes
We can design and manufacture sockets, selecting from 7 of our 0.8mm and 1.0mm spring probes models that can operate from 6A to over 8.0 amps of continuous current. These high-power probes also operate well over 30 GHz. The probes form the base compliance structure in very high current connectors.
Very High Pulsed Current Contactors
We have developed socket and connector power modules for use in the very high current applications. These low inductance, low resistance, heat sinking power block modules are integrated into sockets to deliver very high pulsed currents from 600 to 1400 amps for short duration pulses.
Key Applications
01
Smart Power Management ICs
This application demands low contact resistance, high insertion count life kelvin sense lines on very small pads. Continuous current capacity per pin can be greater than 2.5Amps in very small packages.
02
Large Pin Count BGA Packages
Our hybrid spring contact solutions cover broadband interface frequencies up to 50 GHz, 8 to 10 amp continuous current capacity, long contact travel for very large package planarity, and precious metal alloy contacts to ensure long life on BGA contacts.
03
Chiplet and Wafer Level Chip Scale Package Test
Signal Integrity has a line of probes ideal for commercial and custom ATE hardware. These pins can be tuned to your application to meet the power, current, frequency, and contact resistance your test head needs. We are experts in this area and can develop the proper pin, housing, and cabling to fit your system. We deliver full simulations and 3D modeling with these products.
04
kVA test
To meet the kVA specs needed for EV, Charger, Solar and Battery test connections, our probes implement micro-heat sink designs to add thermal mass and increase thermal time constants into fine-pitch spring contact assemblies. We meet the short circuit and Rds_on specs for Si-C and IGBT devices. Clad barrels and solid precious metal contact surfaces. Proprietary particle coating to extend life in high current, hot contacts.
05
Medical, high temp and cryogenic applications
Probe designs in non-traditional materials for non-magnetic, cryogenic, quantum computing and wearable-medical device spring probe contact assemblies.