May 4, 2014. Ironwood Electronics' PB-BGA133A-Z-01 Socket Probe Adapter allows high-speed testing of BGA devices while accessing the signals using testers via header pins. Ironwood Electronics develops high-speed interfaces for processors, peripheral ICs, and memory devices and is a development partner with both Agilent and Tektronix. Features of the PB-BGA133A-Z-01 include shortest possible trace length for maximum speed, low inductance, low capacitance, and blind and buried via PCB design technology. This socket probe adapter is designed to interface with 0.5-mm-pitch fine-pitch ball-grid-array (FBGA) packages.
Ironwood's PB-BGA133A-Z-01 Socket Probe Adapter consists of two parts. The surface-mount base is soldered to the target system board in place of BGA133 0.5-mm-pitch, 14×14 array, 11-mm x 10-mm body using standard BGA soldering methods. The probe board with elastomer socket plugs into the SMT base and employs a PCB to deliver all data, address, control, and clock signals to header pins on 2.54-mm centers. To use, drop IC into the elastomer socket and apply downward force using compression screw in the socket lid. The socketed 133-pin BGA chip-top module will plug into the female BGA socket soldered to the development board.
The elastomer socket (in the top module) is constructed with high-performance and low-inductance gold-plated embedded wire on elastomer as interconnect material between device and probe board. The temperature range is -35 to +100°C. The pin self-inductance is 0.15 nH, and mutual inductance is 0.025 nH. Capacitance to ground is 0.01 pF. Current capacity is 2 A per pin.
The PB-BGA133A-Z-01 adapter is priced at $2,100 in quantities of 110 parts, with a lead time of 5 days. The component parts are also available individually.