JP2002190506A - Probe card - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a probe card that can easily prevent influence due to noise, and can easily arrange electronic components for composing a circuit required for measuring the electrical characteristics in an electronic circuit device which can be placed near the electronic circuit device. SOLUTION: This probe card has a substrate 2, a plurality of conductive probe pins 5 aligned on the surface of the substrate 2, while the plurality of conductive probe pins 5 can be brought into contact with an external connection terminal Pd of a semiconductor chip C as the electronic circuit device for measuring the electrical characteristics, and conductive plates 3 that are provided on the surface of the substrate 2, while the prove pins 5 are held between the conductive places 3 and are connected to reference potential.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a probe card used for measuring electrical characteristics of a semiconductor chip.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an inspection process of a semiconductor wafer such as silicon in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, for example,
Electrodes of a semiconductor chip formed on a wafer are electrically connected to a semiconductor device test device (LSI tester) using a probe card to test the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chip. The probe card has a substrate on which wiring to be electrically connected to the LSI tester is formed, a base end electrically connected to the wiring formed on the substrate, and a front end on which the electrodes of the semiconductor chip to be measured are arranged. And a plurality of conductive probe pins (tips) arranged in accordance with. At the time of electrical measurement of the semiconductor chip, the probe card is positioned with respect to the semiconductor chip to be measured,
The probe pins are brought into contact with the corresponding electrodes.

[0003]

In the above-described probe card, the ground terminal of the substrate and the electrode of the semiconductor chip to be measured are electrically separated from each other. For this reason, when measuring the high-frequency IC, there is a disadvantage that it is easily affected by external noise and it is difficult to perform stable measurement. On the other hand, high frequency I
In order to measure C, it is necessary to configure a circuit necessary for measurement of a filter or the like that removes a noise component included in a signal obtained from a probe pin, and electronic components such as a resistor and a capacitor constituting the circuit are required. It is more preferable that the closer to the electrode of the semiconductor chip the probe pin contacts. However, the number of electrodes on the semiconductor chip has increased with the progress of high integration and miniaturization of the semiconductor chip, and the number of probe pins has increased accordingly, and the pitch between the probe pins has also been reduced. I have. For this reason, there is a disadvantage that a region for mounting the above electronic component near the semiconductor chip is insufficient on the substrate, and the electronic component must be mounted at a position relatively far from the semiconductor chip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is less susceptible to noise and is an electronic component for forming a circuit necessary for measuring the electrical characteristics of an electronic circuit device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a probe card having a structure in which the probe card can be easily arranged near an electronic circuit device.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a probe card having a plurality of conductive members arranged on a surface of a substrate so as to be in contact with a substrate and external connection terminals of an electronic circuit device whose electric characteristics are to be measured. A probe plate; and a conductive plate provided on the surface of the substrate with the probe pin interposed therebetween and connected to a reference potential.

An insulator layer is provided between a surface of the conductive plate on the substrate and the probe pins.

The conductive plate has an opening from which a contact portion of the probe pin that contacts an external connection terminal of the electronic circuit device protrudes.

The conductive plate is electrically connected to a ground electrode formed on the substrate.

An electronic component constituting a measuring circuit is mounted on a non-installation surface opposite to the installation surface of the conductive plate.

The conductive plate includes a plurality of through holes for forming a connection path for electrically connecting the electronic component and the probe pins.

[0011] In the probe card of the present invention, the conductive plate connected to the reference potential is provided on the surface of the substrate with the probe pins interposed therebetween. Due to the electromagnetic shielding action of this conductive plate,
The influence of noise on the signal measured by the probe pin can be suppressed. In addition, by providing the conductive plate on the surface of the substrate, the non-installed surface of the conductive plate is provided with a mounting surface for mounting electronic components constituting a measuring circuit such as a capacitor and a resistance element for electrically connecting to the probe pins. Become. Since the mounting surface is adjacent to the probe pin, the electronic component can be arranged near the electronic circuit device.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a measurement system to which a probe card of the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, a probe card 1 is connected to a plurality of cables 101 by LS.
It is electrically connected to the I tester 102. The cable 101 is connected to a corresponding probe pin 5 provided on the probe card 1 and a ground terminal (not shown). The probe card 1 is positioned by a positioning device (not shown) with respect to a wafer W on which a plurality of semiconductor chips C are formed on a table (not shown), and a probe corresponding to an external connection terminal (not shown) formed on the semiconductor chip C. The pin 5 is brought into contact. Thereby, LS
The I tester 102 and the semiconductor chip C are electrically connected via the probe card 1. LSI tester 102
For example, by starting a program for testing the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chip C, supplying power to the semiconductor chip C, supplying a measurement signal, and measuring a response signal to the measurement signal, The electrical characteristics of the chip C are measured.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a schematic structure of the probe card 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the probe card 1 includes a substrate 2, a conductive plate 3,
And a probe pin 5.

The substrate 2 is a printed wiring board having a circular outer shape. As shown in FIG. 3, a wiring pattern 4 connected to the cable 101 and the probe pins 5 is formed on an upper surface 2a and a lower surface 2b. . This wiring pattern 4
Wiring pattern 4 formed on upper surface 2a of substrate 2 and lower surface 2
The wiring pattern 4 is electrically connected to the wiring pattern 4 by a plated through hole (not shown). Cable 10 via the wiring pattern 4 formed on the substrate 2
1 and each probe pin 5 are electrically connected.

The probe pins 5 are formed of a metal material, and are arranged radially from the center of the upper surface 2a of the substrate 2. Therefore, the interval between the probe pins 5 becomes narrower toward the tip of the probe pin 5. The probe pins 5 are made of, for example, a conductive material such as solder.
It is electrically connected to the wiring pattern 4 formed on the lower surface 2 b of the substrate 2 and is fixed to the lower surface 2 b of the substrate 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the tip 5a of the probe pin 5 is bent and protrudes from the lower surface 2b of the substrate 2. The tip 5a of the probe pin 5 is arranged at a position where it can contact the corresponding external connection terminal Pd of the semiconductor chip C to be measured.

The conductive plate 3 is formed of, for example, a metal plate such as a copper alloy. The conductive plate 3 is formed in an annular shape, and has an opening 3c at the center. This conductive plate 3
Is mounted on the lower surface 2b of the substrate 2 concentrically with the substrate 2, and the tip 5a of the probe pin 5 projects toward the lower surface 3b of the conductive plate 3 through the opening 3c. The conductive plate 3 has a sufficiently larger area than the ground terminal formed on the substrate 2. Also, the installation surface 3a of the conductive plate 3 on the substrate 2
An insulating layer 6 made of an insulating resin is provided between the substrate and the lower surface 2b of the substrate 2. This insulator layer 6
Is interposed between the lower surface 2b of the substrate 2 and the installation surface 3a of the conductive plate 3, whereby the probe pins 5 and the conductive plate 3 are electrically insulated.

Further, the conductive plate 3 is electrically connected to the ground terminal of the wiring pattern 4 formed on the lower surface 2b of the substrate 2. This connection is performed, for example, by partially removing the insulator layer 6 where the ground terminal is located, and connecting the ground terminal and the conductive plate 3 with a conductive material such as solder at a portion where the insulator layer 6 is removed. Can be performed. Thus, the conductive plate 3 is connected to the ground terminal formed on the substrate 2, and the conductive plate 3 is at the reference potential.

Next, an example of measuring the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chip C using the probe card 1 having the above configuration will be described. First, for example, the probe card 1 is positioned with respect to the wafer W held on the table, and the probe pins 5 corresponding to the external connection terminals Pd of the semiconductor chip C are brought into contact. In this state, the conductive plate 3 is arranged at a position close to the periphery of the semiconductor chip C. In a state where the semiconductor chip C and the LSI tester 2 are electrically connected, power and a measurement signal are applied from the LSI tester 2 to the semiconductor chip C.

For example, if the semiconductor chip C is in the MHz band or G
When a high-frequency circuit for processing a high-frequency signal in the Hz band is provided, noise tends to be superimposed on the signal detected by the probe pin 5, and it is difficult to perform stable measurement. In particular, assuming that the conductive plate 3 is not provided on the substrate 2, the probe pins 5 are relatively far from the ground terminal formed on the substrate 2, so that noise is easily applied to the probe pins 5. .

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the conductive plate 3 is
Are provided adjacent to the probe pins 5 arranged in the above. Since the conductive plate 3 is connected to the ground terminal formed on the substrate 2, the conductive plate 3 has an electromagnetic shielding effect of preventing noise from being applied to the probe pins 5. Further, the conductive plate 3
It has an area larger than the ground terminal formed on the substrate 2, and also has an electrostatic shielding effect of preventing noise from being applied to the probe pins 5.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a simple configuration in which the conductive plate 3 is simply placed on the substrate 2 on which the probe pins 5 are arranged enables a high-frequency signal to be measured.
The effect of noise on the signal transmitted by the probe pin 5 can be suppressed. As a result, the semiconductor chip C
It is possible to stably perform the electrical characteristics of the circuit formed in the above.

Second Embodiment FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing a schematic structure of a probe card according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. In FIGS. 4 and 5,
The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a probe card 201 according to this embodiment comprises a substrate 2 and a conductive plate 20.
3, a probe pin 5, and an electronic component 205. The substrate 2 and the probe pins 5 have the same configuration as the probe card 1 according to the first embodiment described above.

The conductive plate 203 is made of the same shape and material as the probe card 1 according to the first embodiment described above, but the conductive plate 203 connects the electronic component 205 and each probe pin 5. Through hole 203h. A plurality of through holes 203h are formed in the conductive plate 203 corresponding to the arrangement of the probe pins 5. Note that an insulating layer 6 is formed between the installation surface 203a of the conductive plate 203 and the lower surface 2b of the substrate 2, and the probe pins 5 and the conductive plate 203 are electrically insulated. Also,
The conductive plate 203 is electrically connected to a ground terminal formed on the substrate 2.

The electronic component 205 is mounted on the lower surface 203b opposite to the mounting surface 203a of the conductive plate 203, and is located near each through hole 203h of the conductive plate 203.
The electronic component 205 is an electronic component for configuring a measurement circuit that processes a signal transmitted by the probe pin 5. The measurement circuit is an electric circuit necessary for measuring electric characteristics of a circuit included in the semiconductor chip C such as a filter circuit that passes only a specific frequency component of a signal transmitted by the probe pin 5, for example. Examples of the electronic component 205 include a capacitor and a resistance element.

One end of the connection terminal of the electronic component 205 is connected to a through hole 203 by a connection member 206 such as solder.
h, it is electrically connected to the probe pin 5.
The other end of the connection terminal of electronic component 205 is directly connected to conductive plate 203.

Here, the structural features of the probe card 201 according to the present embodiment will be described. For example, when the semiconductor chip C has a high-frequency circuit, when measuring the electrical characteristics, from the viewpoint of suppressing the influence of noise,
The position of the electronic component 205 constituting the measuring circuit is preferably as close as possible to the external connection terminal Pd of the semiconductor chip C. Assuming that the conductive plate 203 does not exist, the electronic component 205 constituting the measurement circuit needs to be mounted on the substrate 2 and at a position close to the tip 5a of the probe pin 5.

On the other hand, the external connection terminal Pd of the semiconductor chip C
Exists, the number of the probe pins 5 increases in accordance with the number of the external connection terminals Pd, and the tip 5a of the probe pin 5
Becomes very narrow. Tip 5a of probe pin 5
Is very narrow, it becomes difficult to mount all the electronic components 205 on the substrate 2 and at a position close to the tip 5a of the probe pin 5, and the electronic components 205
Must be mounted at a position separated from the external connection terminals Pd of the semiconductor chip C.

In this embodiment, the conductive plate 203 is provided at a position close to the tip 5a of the probe pin 5, and the lower surface 203b of the conductive plate 203 is an area where the electronic component 205 can be mounted. . As described in the first embodiment, by providing the conductive plate 203 on the substrate 2 with the probe pins 5 interposed therebetween, an electromagnetic shielding effect and an electrostatic shielding effect for preventing noise from being applied to the probe pins 5 are provided. Is obtained. Further, in the present embodiment, the conductive plate 2 having an electromagnetic shielding effect and an electrostatic shielding effect is provided.
The electronic component 205 is mounted on the lower surface 203b of the conductive plate 203 by positively utilizing the lower surface 203b of the conductive plate 203, which is a vacant area generated by providing the “03”.

The conductive plate 203 is close to the external connection terminal Pd of the semiconductor chip C and has a sufficient area for mounting the electronic component 205. By mounting the electronic component 205 on the lower surface 203b of the conductive plate 203, the number of the probe pins 5 is increased and the tip 5a of the probe pins 5 is increased.
The electronic component 205 can be arranged at a position close to the external connection terminal Pd of the semiconductor chip C even if the distance between the components becomes narrower.

[0031]

According to the probe card of the present invention, when measuring the electric characteristics of the electronic circuit device, the influence of noise on the measurement signal transmitted by the probe pin can be suppressed. Further, according to the probe card of the present invention, it is possible to easily arrange electronic components for configuring a circuit necessary for measuring the electrical characteristics of the electronic circuit device at a position close to the electronic circuit device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a measurement system to which a probe card of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a schematic structure of a probe card according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing a schematic structure of a probe card according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

1,201 ... probe card, 2 ... substrate, 3,203 ...
Conductive plate, 4: wiring pattern, 5: probe pin, 6: insulator layer, 203h: through hole, C: semiconductor chip.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A substrate, a plurality of conductive probe pins arranged on a surface of the substrate so as to be able to contact an external connection terminal of an electronic circuit device whose electrical characteristics are to be measured. A probe card provided on the substrate surface and having a conductive plate connected to a reference potential. 2. The probe card according to claim 1, wherein an insulator layer is provided between a surface of the conductive plate on the substrate and the probe pins. 3. The probe card according to claim 1, wherein the conductive plate has an opening from which a contact portion of the probe pin that contacts an external connection terminal of the electronic circuit device protrudes. 4. The probe card according to claim 1, wherein said conductive plate is electrically connected to a ground electrode formed on said substrate. 5. The probe card according to claim 1, wherein an electronic component constituting a measurement circuit is mounted on a non-installation surface opposite to the installation surface of the conductive plate. 6. The probe card according to claim 1, wherein the conductive plate includes a plurality of through holes for forming a connection path for electrically connecting the electronic component and the probe pins.