A multiple mode buckling beam probe assembly

摘要

A multiple mode buckling beam probe assembly (50) is formed by top and bottom mating locating guides (70, 74) interposed between a space transformer die (52) bearing exposed wire contact ends (56) and an underlying substrate (58) having correspondingly positioned conductive pads (60). Wire probes (62) pass slidingly through aligned holes (72, 76) within the top (70) and bottom (74) mating locating guides. At least one center locating guide (82) having correspondingly aligned holes (84) with the top and bottom locating guides slidably receives the wire probes (62) and is spaced at different distances from the top and bottom locating guides. Interposed between the center locating guide and the top and bottom locating guides are respective slotted guides (86,90,94) having elongated slots (88,92,96) through which the wire probes pass, which slots are offset relative to the top, bottom and center locating guide holes (72, 76, 80). This permits an increase in axial deflections of the wire probes over a standard buckling beam probe, adequately confines the directionality of the buckling wire probes, achieves greater probe density, and permits the controlled sequence and magnitude of seach buckle in multiple mode buckling with the characteristic force versus deflection curve for the buckling wire probes being tailorable to a specific user's need.