Importance

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Abstract

Ground shield apparatus for improving a test jig apparatus (10) is disclosed for providing accurate and reliable evaluation of a wide variety of test devices which propagate signals having frequencies in excess of one gigahertz over a broad range of temperatures. A circular ground wall (12) encloses a multi-layer arrangement of disc-shaped dielectric layers (18, 22) which both enclose and are attached to a conductive ground plane (20). Plated-through holes (26) are deployed at the periphery of each of the discs (18, 20, 22) in order to electrically couple upper and lower ground rings (24, 25) to the ground wall (12) and the ground plane (20). External jig connectors (16) are mounted in connector holes (14) formed in the ground wall (12). Conductive signal traces (30A, 30B) are etched on the exterior faces of the dielectric discs (18, 22) and are joined to the external jig connectors (16) and test device pin terminals (28) which are arranged to receive and hold a test device ( 36) such as an integrated circuit. Conductive ground strips and ground blades (32) are etched upon and implanted in dielectric and conductive layers (18, 20, 22) respectively in order to ameliorate undesirable electromagnetic as well as electrostatic interference among adjacent signal conveying traces (30).

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First Claim