A contact system for electrically engaging semiconductor components
includes an interface board mountable to an automated test handler, and a
floating substrate on the interface board. The interface board includes
interface contacts in electrical communication with external test
circuitry. The substrate includes flexible segments, and contactors having
contact pads on opposing sides of the flexible segments configured to
simultaneously electrically engage terminal contacts on the components,
and the interface contacts on the interface board. The contact pads
include conductive polymer layers that provide an increased compliancy for
the contactors. This increased compliancy allows the contactors to
accommodate variations in the dimensions and planarity of the terminal
contacts on the component. In addition, the substrate includes grooves
between the contactors which provide electrical isolation and allow the
contactors to move independently of one another. An alternate embodiment
contact system includes a Z-axis conductive polymer layer between the
substrate and the interface board. Also provided are test methods
employing the contact systems.
