F.A.Q.

What does Ardent Concepts do?
What is the RC Springprobe™ made of?
What is the contact design?
What are the insulators made of?
What is the number of points you are capable of?
What is the contact interface geometry?
Why is the RC Springprobe™ better than conductive rubber?
Why is RC Springprobe™ better than pogo pins?
What install base do you have so far?
What is the relationship between resistance and cycle life for the RC Springprobe™?
What is the plating of the RC Springprobe™?
What is the current carrying capacity of the RC Springprobe™?
Q: What does Ardent Concepts do? back to top
A: Our firm is an Innovative Interconnect company. We have proprietary contact technology and supply high density compliant connector interfaces to the semiconductor manufacturing industry and the connector market at large. Our products offer some very compelling electrical characteristics that are extremely well suited for IC characterization and testing. We also build custom interfaces for a range of interconnect requirements.
Q: What is the RC Springprobe™/RC Scrub-R™ made of? back to top
A: Our contact technologies consist of all-metal, discrete node compression mount wire forms made from a number of different materials and platings based on the particular application. Some examples of materials used include Beryllium Copper, Paliney and Stainless Steel.
Q: What is the contact design? back to top
A: The RC Springprobe™ & RC Scrub-R™ designs are patented wire forms. The concept is of an offset torsion spring coil that does not act like a coil inductor. In fact, as the coils rub on each other, they short electrically, resulting in an extremely short signal path. Our contact design is highly scalable, with varying pitch, travel, force and free length.

Q: What are the insulators made of? back to top
A: Various forms of thermally stable plastic, including Torlon, Vespel and Ultem.
Q: What is the number of points you are capable of? back to top
A: We can design and build high node count interposer systems for many applications. Due to the low force required of our system, extremely high density connectors and sockets are possible at lower price points than competing solutions.
Q: What is the contact interface geometry? back to top
A: A trimmed wire end .002"-.003" in diameter
Q: Why are the RC Springprobe™ & RC Scrub-R™ better than conductive rubber? back to top
A: Less force, no memory, high cycle life, discrete contacts. In many cases, better electrical properties.

Q: Why are the RC Springprobe™ & RC Scrub-R™ better than pogo pins? back to top
A: Better electrical properties, more readily scalable, tighter pitch capability. Also, much less expensive
Q: What install base do you have? back to top
A: We have sites in production for RF BGA and LGA test, strip test interface, board to board interface, and high performance QFN. Our product is also used in a number of RF Area Array applications, military spec applications, and high volume interposer systems.
Q: What is the relationship between resistance and cycle life for the RC Springprobe™? back to top
A: Please see our most current FvDvR Curve here
Q: What is the plating of the RC Springprobe™ & RC Scrub-R™ ? back to top
A: Gold over nickel. We also have specialty plating available for specific applications.

Q: What is the current carrying capacity of the RC Springprobe™? back to top
A: 1 to 2.5 AMPs, depending on pitch.


 
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