News - Component Test

RF Contactor compensates for HIB Tolerances

13 September 2017 - Multitest’s Link HB contactor exhibited excellent RF performance at customer sites ensuring ultra-clean high speed signals. The patent-pending design adds boardside compliance to compensate for board fabrication tolerances ensuring increased contact reliability and multisite stability.

Based on the established offset vertical architecture of the Link contactor, Multitest has developed the Link HB which adds boardside compliance with improved pin/pad concentrated contact. The proprietary design of the Link HB (patent pending) compensates for load board planarity tolerances, which are particularly critical in multisite applications.

The offset vertical architecture of the Link contactor family is designed to support superior test yield, maximum repeatability and low repair and replacement cost. The wipe motion of the probe provides scrub through oxides on the IC pads and cleans itself when moving back to its original free height.

This motion is fully decoupled from the connection to the test interface board resulting in a stable connection between the probe and the load board pad, avoiding pad wear and carbon debris buildup. This implementation also eliminates the potential for arcing between the probe and the test interface board pad.

Tony Tiengtum, Product Manager, commented, “Two recent European customers have confirmed the superior performance of the Link HB contactor. In feedback to us they said the actual performance of the contactor was as advertised and went on to say that the Link contactor technology made it seem like the sockets were essentially transparent from an electrical perspective.”

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