Page 11 - october22_previewaa.indd
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TAP TIMES -11- OCTOBER 2022
High-power socket design (from 10) way so there is no oxide buildup on the
on the nickel or BeCu material that would
ance function of the probe will help im- be under a plating layer that the cleaning
prove the time to failure for the pin. process would remove.
Probe plating improvements Finally, advanced materials can move heat
Material science and probe plating im- from the tight confines of the probe and
provements also help and require sophis- pad contact area to the larger volume
ticated thermal simulation. Using a noble components on the probe and probe heat
metal for the probe tip can be a good sink.
choice but the tip also needs to be hard to
endure the wear issues and achieve the Moving heat faster
expected lifetime number of insertions. Silicon carbide or diamond material mixed
with the plating or probe material will
Palladium is a common choice since there move heat faster to the larger mass items
is no outside plating on the probe tip. The in the heat transfer path.
abrasive cleaning on the homogeneous
material keeps the contact resistance con- The complexity and cost of this approach
sistent over the wear cycle. can be prohibitive unless it is justified by
increased equipment utilization.
The Pd contact has no plating to wear a- next page
