Development and Testing of a Transparent Cryogenic Probe Card Based on Silicon Carbide MEMS

The proposed work will develop a fully functional and fully tested small pitch cryogenic probe card. The prototype cards designed and fabricated under this project will be designed for cryogenic testing of focal plane arrays but the technology will allow customization over a wide range of probe tip counts and probe tip placement locations. The probe card will provide industry standard probe tip force and displacement, allowing direct use in existing commercial cryogenic probe stations. Furthermore, the probe card will include features designed to simplify alignment, which is anticipated to be challenging given the very small pitch of the probe tips and probe features on the focal plane array die. The work will be divided into three separate design, build, and test iterations of prototype probe cards. The initial design will be based on the design developed during the Phase I project. The final prototype will be a refined and tested probe card product ready to transitioned for military and commercial use. The team conducting this work is highly experienced in cryogenic probe card design and production, MEMS fabrication, and 3D fabrication techniques which will enable the team to move quickly in developing the proposed small pitch probe card technology.