JP2002196015A - Fixing device for probe element - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and accurately fix a minute probe element to wiring. SOLUTION: This fixing device includes a gripping means gripping the probe element to be fixed, a stage receiving a probe unit, a driving means three- dimensionally and relatively moving the probe element gripped by the gripping means and the probe unit received by the stage, and a heating means heating a conductive adhesive, the probe element or the wiring and fixing the probe element to the wiring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an apparatus for fixing a probe element to a wiring of a probe unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an apparatus for conducting a current test on a flat test object such as an integrated circuit or a liquid crystal display panel, an electrode of the test object and a tester are connected by using an electrical connection device such as a probe card or a probe block. Electrically connected.

As one type of this type of electrical connection device, a plurality of wires are formed on one surface of an electrically insulating sheet-like member, and a contact as a probe element is attached to each wire as a conductive adhesive such as solder. A technique using a sheet-shaped probe unit bonded by a material has been proposed.

In this type of probe unit, the arrangement pitch of the plate-like test objects is small, and the arrangement pitch of the probe elements and the dimensions of the probe elements themselves are small. Formed into
The probe elements can be manufactured by fixing them collectively to the wiring.

[0005] However, if the arrangement pitch and the like of the plate-shaped test object and the probe element are small and the probe element itself is small, the fixing force between the probe element and the wiring by the conductive adhesive is small. In such a probe unit, the probe element may be peeled off from the wiring during use (electricity test). In such a case, a repair operation for fixing the probe element to the wiring again is performed.

[0006]

However, since the arrangement pitch of the plate-like inspection object and the probe element is small and the probe element itself is small, it is extremely difficult to manually perform the re-fixing operation. Further, an apparatus for performing the work of reattaching such a minute probe element to a wiring has not been put to practical use or proposed.

An object of the present invention is to enable a minute probe element to be easily and accurately fixed to a wiring.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for fixing a probe element to a wiring of a probe unit, comprising: a holding means for holding a probe element to be fixed; a stage for receiving the probe unit; Driving means for relatively moving the gripped probe element and the probe unit received by the stage three-dimensionally,
In order to fix the probe element to the wiring, a conductive adhesive, heating means for heating the probe element or the wiring are included.

The probe element grasped by the grasping means is placed on the wiring to be repaired by moving the grasping means and the probe unit relative to each other while the probe unit is received on the stage, and then placing the conductive element on the stage. The material, the probe element, or the wiring is heated by a heating unit, so that it is fixed to a predetermined wiring. Therefore, the minute probe element can be easily and accurately fixed to the wiring.

The gripping means includes a gripper for holding the probe element between tips of a pair of gripping pieces, and an opening / closing tool having a pair of opening / closing pieces coupled to the gripping pieces to open and close the tips of the gripping pieces. Can be prepared. By doing so, the minute probe element can be reliably held by the gripper and maintained in that state.

[0011] The tip of the gripping piece may have a spring property. By doing so, it is possible to reliably hold the micro probe element by the gripping piece and to surely maintain the state.

[0012] The gripping means may further include a screw for relatively displacing the openable and closable pieces so as to open and close the tips of the both gripping pieces. By doing so, the micro probe element can be easily and reliably gripped and released by the gripping tool, and the fixing operation can be further facilitated.

[0013] The driving means may include a moving mechanism for supporting the gripping means and moving three-dimensionally with respect to the stage. However, you may make it move a probe unit with respect to a holding means.

[0014] The heating means may include a heating coil arranged on each of the gripping pieces to heat the tip of each gripping piece. In this case, the probe element can be fixed to the wiring with a conductive adhesive such as solder.

[0015] The heating means may further include a pre-heating section for pre-heating the conductive adhesive attached to the probe element. By doing so, the pre-heating of the conductive adhesive reduces the fixing work time.

[0016] The fixing device may further include a gas supply nozzle for supplying an inert gas to a space where the operation of fixing the probe element to the wiring of the probe unit is performed. By doing so, it is possible to prevent oxidation of the heated portions of the probe element and the wiring.

An optical microscope capable of observing a place where the probe element is fixed to the wiring of the probe unit from above the stage can be included. By doing so, it is possible to more easily and more reliably hold and release the minute probe element by the holding tool, and the fixing operation becomes easier.

The stage may include a manually operated drive knob for moving the received probe unit in at least one direction within a horizontal plane.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A fixing device 10 is used for repairing a sheet-like probe unit 12 as shown in FIG.
The probe unit 12 has a plurality of wirings 14 formed in parallel on one surface of an electrically insulating sheet-like member 16 such as a polyimide film, and a contact 18 as a probe element is provided on each wiring 14 as a conductive element such as solder. It is adhered by the conductive adhesive 20.

The wiring 14 has a belt-like shape extending in parallel from one end to the other end of the sheet-like member 16.
Further, the electrodes are arranged at the same pitch as the arrangement pitch of the electrodes of the plate-shaped inspection object to be inspected. The wiring 14 is formed on the sheet-like member 16 by a known technique such as a printed wiring technique.

Each probe element 18 has a conductive seat 22
And a conductive contact 24 formed on the upper surface of the seat 22. Each seat 22 has a long plate shape having a width substantially equal to the width of the wiring 14 and a length larger than the width of the seat 22 but shorter than the wiring 14.
4 is fixed to the upper surface of the wiring 14 at the lower surface so as to extend in the longitudinal direction.

Each contact 24 is a protruding electrode projecting from the seat 22, and has a pyramid shape in the illustrated example.
It follows the seat 22 at the pyramidal bottom surface. Each contact 2
4 may have other shapes such as conical, hemispherical, and the like.
The probe element 18 can be manufactured by a known technique such as a utility pole method.

In the illustrated example, the probe unit 12
The probe element is peeled off from the wiring 14a. The fixing device 10 is used for re-fixing the probe element 18a to the wiring 14a from which the probe element has been removed. The probe element 18a used for re-fixing may be the peeled probe element itself or a new probe element. However, the probe element 18a used for re-adhesion
Has a conductive adhesive 20 a on the lower surface of the seat 22.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG.
Is a plate-shaped base 30 and a work stage 32 mounted on the base 30 to receive the probe unit 12.
A manipulator 34 for holding the probe element 18a to be fixed, a preheating stage 36 for preheating the conductive adhesive material 20 attached to the probe element 18a, an optical microscope 38 for observing a re-fixed portion, Gas supply nozzle 4 for supplying an inert gas to the work space where the fixing work is performed
0 is included.

The base 30 has a shape to be installed on a work table in the illustrated example. However, base 30
The work table itself may be used.

The work stage 32 includes a base 42 arranged on the base 30, a Y stage 44 supported on the base 42, and an X-stage 46 supported by the Y stage 44. The stage is for receiving the probe unit 12 on the X stage 46.

The work stage 32 includes a Y stage 4
4 to move Y in the Y direction (front-back direction) with respect to base 42
A knob 48 and an X knob 50 for moving the X stage 46 in the X direction (left-right direction) with respect to the Y stage 44 are provided. By turning both knobs 48 and 50, the probe unit 12 received by the X stage 46 is provided. Is moved two-dimensionally in a horizontal plane.

The manipulator 34 has a drive stage 54 mounted on a housing 52 mounted on the base 30. The housing 52 and the drive stage 54 are arranged on the left of the work stage 32.

The drive stage 54 is a manually operated XYZ stage including a Z stage 56 supported by the housing 52, an X stage 58 supported by the Z stage 56, and a Y stage 60 supported by the X stage 58. In addition, an inverted L-shaped support 62 is assembled on the Y stage 60.

The driving stage 54 includes a stage 5
Z knob 64 and X knob 66 for moving 6, 58 and 60 with respect to housing 52, stage 56 and stage 58 in the Z direction (vertical direction), the X direction and the Y direction, respectively.
And a Y knob 68, and these knobs 64,
By turning 66 and 68, the support 62 is moved three-dimensionally.

One end of the support 62 is assembled to the Y stage 60, and the other end bent from the one end extends vertically on the right side of the drive stage 54.

The opening / closing member 70 has a pair of long opening / closing pieces bent in an inverted L-shape. One end of each opening and closing piece is a guide 7
2 and extends in the X direction. The other end bent from one end extends vertically on the right side of the support 62. The other end portions of the two opening / closing pieces are crossed on the lower end side (tip side) and are combined in a scissors shape by a pivot pin 74. The pivot pin 74 is attached to the other end of the support 62.

The guide 72 is a linear guide mechanism using a linear rail and two linear guides. The linear rail is mounted on the support 62 so as to extend in the Y direction, and both linear guides are received above the linear rail so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the linear rail.

Each opening / closing piece of the opening / closing member 70 is assembled to a linear guide of the guide 72. For this reason, both opening and closing pieces can be individually moved in the Y direction. However, the movement of both open / close pieces is regulated by the adjusting screw 76 screwed to both open / close pieces.

The adjusting screw 76 has two screw portions extending from the knob portion in the Y direction, and is screwed to the opening / closing piece of the opening / closing member 70 at each screw portion. The two screw portions of the adjusting screw 76 are formed as so-called reverse screws in opposite directions. Therefore, the two opening / closing pieces are synchronously rotated in directions that are close to and away from each other by the rotation of the adjusting screw 76.

The two opening / closing pieces of the opening / closing member 70 are urged in directions approaching each other by a tension coil spring 78. As a result, the play of the opening / closing member 70 is absorbed, and the relative movement of the tips of both opening / closing pieces is accurately performed. Thereby, the opening and closing device 70
The relative movement of the distal end (lower end) of the opening / closing piece of the gripper 80 assembled to the distal end portion is also accurately performed.

The gripper 80 is formed in a tweezer shape so that the probe element 18a is jointly held between the tips of a pair of gripping pieces. As shown in FIG. 5, each gripping piece has a heating section 82 formed in a curved rod shape from a metal material such as tungsten, and a coil-like section wound around an upper portion of the heating section 82 via a heat insulating sheet 84. A heat generating portion 86; a heat insulating sheet 88 covering an area outside the heat generating portion 86;
And heat insulating holding pipe 90 covering around heat insulating sheet 88
And

Each holding piece is assembled to the opening / closing piece of the opening / closing tool 70 in the holding pipe 90 such that the tips of both holding pieces can be opened and closed. The heat generating section 86 includes a first temperature controller 92.
Is an electrothermal heater that generates heat by increasing the temperature by heating power supplied from the heating unit 8 through a pair of lead wires 94.
Heat 2

The tip of each gripping piece of the gripper 80 is smaller in cross-section than the upper part and has a flat inner surface 80a so that the probe element 18a can be easily and reliably gripped. , And further have a spring property. The inner side surface 80a is smaller than the width dimension of the seat 22,
It is larger than the height dimension of the probe element 18a.

The distal end of the gripper 80 is closed so as to grip and maintain the probe element 18a by moving the distal end of the open / close tool 70 in the direction opposite to each other by the adjusting screw 76. 70 opening and closing pieces are adjustment screws 76
The probe element 18a is opened so as to release the gripped probe element 18a by being moved in the direction away from each other. Therefore, the minute probe element 18a can be easily and reliably gripped by the gripper 80 and maintained in that state, and the probe element 18a can be easily and reliably released from the gripper 80.

The pre-heating stage 36 is formed in the shape of a thick plate-like block.
The probe element 18a is disposed on the work stage 32 so as not to hinder reattachment of the probe element 18a to the work stage 4a.

The preheating stage 36 supplies a heating current to the internal heating element from the second temperature controller 96 to the pair of lead wires 9.
Heat is generated by being supplied through the heating unit 8 to heat at least the upper surface. The heating element of the preheating stage 36 is also an electric heater. The preheating stage 36 is heated to a predetermined temperature before re-fixing. The preheating stage 36 may be a storage stage that stores a conductive adhesive such as solder in a molten state.

The microscope 38 is mounted on the base 30 by a pair of mounting tools 100 connected in an inverted L-shape. The objective lens of the microscope 38 is directed downward so as to be able to observe the work area where the probe element 18a is reattached to the wiring 14a and the vicinity thereof. The gas supply nozzle 40 is connected to an inert gas supply source 102.

The re-fixing operation by the fixing device 10 will be described below.

First, the probe unit 12 to be repaired is placed on the work stage 32 with the wiring 14 up, and the heating unit 86 of the gripper 80 is energized to maintain the heating unit 82 at a predetermined temperature. You.

Next, the probe element 18 a is gripped by the gripper 80 of the manipulator 34 and is mounted on the preheating stage 36. Thereby, the probe element 18
The conductive adhesive material 20a attached to the lower surface of a is melted. This step is performed by the drive stage 54 of the manipulator 34.

Next, the gripper 80 of the manipulator 34
Is raised to a predetermined height position by the drive stage 54, the gripper 80 of the manipulator 34 and the probe unit 12 on the work stage 32 are two-dimensionally moved in a horizontal plane, and the probe element 18a Is moved above the repaired portion of the wiring 14a. This step is performed by the work stage 32 or the drive stage 54.

The probe element 18a is gripped by the gripper 80 of the manipulator 34 when the probe element 18a is held between the distal end of the gripper 80 with the tip of the gripper 80 opened by the opening / closing tool 70 as shown in FIG. The gripper 80 is moved by the drive stage 54 so as to be positioned, and then the tip of the gripper 80 is closed by the opening / closing device 70,
Can go.

Next, the gripper 80 is lowered by the drive stage 54 as shown in FIG.
Is pressed against the repaired portion of the wiring 14a.

Next, the power supply to the heat generating portion 86 of the gripper 80 is cut off. As a result, the temperature of the heating unit 80 naturally decreases, and the temperature of the adhesive 20a decreases.
is solidified, and the probe element 18a is fixed to the wiring 14a.

Thereafter, the tip of the gripper 80 is opened, and the probe element 18a is released from the gripper 80. The release of the probe element 18a from the gripper 80 is performed by opening the tip of the gripper 80 with the opening and closing device 70.

While the probe element 18a is being gripped by the gripper 80, the tip of the gripper 80 is elastically deformed. For this reason, the probe element 18a is reliably held by the gripper 80, and the positional relationship between the probe element 18a and the gripper 80 is maintained in a constant state. For this reason, the minute probe element 18a can be easily and accurately fixed to the wiring 14a.

The above re-fixing operation can be performed while observing the relative position between the repaired portion of the wiring 14a in the horizontal plane and the gripped probe element 18a with the microscope 38. For this reason, the minute probe element 18a can be more easily and more reliably gripped and released by the gripper 80, and the fixing operation can be more easily performed.

During the re-fixing operation, an inert gas is supplied from the gas supply nozzle 40 to the repaired portion of the wiring 14a and the vicinity thereof, and the probe element 18a and the wiring 14a are repaired.
Oxidation at the repair location a and in the vicinity thereof is prevented.

As described above, in the fixing device 10,
The minute probe element 18a can be easily and accurately fixed to the wiring 14a.

Further, in the fixing device 10, since the conductive adhesive 20a applied to the probe element 18a is preheated in the preheating stage 36, the gripper 80
As compared with the case where the adhesive 20a is heated by the heat generating portion 86, the time required for the fixing operation is reduced by the amount of the preliminary heat.

In the above embodiment, the tension coil spring 78
However, another elastic body such as a compression coil spring or rubber may be used instead.

Further, the conductive adhesive 20 is heated by an electric heater.
Instead of heating a, the conductive adhesive may be heated by laser beam heating technology or spot welding technology, or the wiring 14a and the probe unit 18a may be directly connected by laser beam welding technology, spot welding technology, pressure welding technology, or the like. It may be welded.

The present invention can be applied not only to a device for fixing the probe element again to the wiring from which the probe element has been peeled off, but also to a device for newly fixing the probe element to each wiring.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The present invention can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a fixing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the fixing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view showing one embodiment of a manipulator used in the fixing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged right side view of the manipulator shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an embodiment of an opening / closing tool and a gripping tool used in the manipulator shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a fixing operation using the fixing device shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 fixing device 12 probe element 14 wiring 14a wiring to be repaired 16 sheet-like member 18 probe element 18a probe element to be fixed 20 conductive adhesive 20a conductive adhesive attached to probe element 18a. 22 seat 24 contact 30 base 32 work stage 34 manipulator 36 preheating stage 38 optical microscope 40 gas supply nozzle 48, 50 work stage drive knob 54 drive stage 64, 66, 68 drive stage drive knob 70 opening / closing member 76 Adjusting screw 78 Tension coil spring 80 Gripping tool 82 Heating section 84, 88 Heat insulating sheet 86 Heat generating section 90 Heat insulating pipe

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for fixing a probe element to a wiring of a probe unit, comprising: a gripper for gripping a probe element to be fixed, a stage for receiving the probe unit, and a probe element gripped by the gripper. Driving means for relatively moving the probe unit received by the stage three-dimensionally; and heating means for heating the conductive adhesive, the probe element or the wiring so as to fix the probe element to the wiring. And a device for fixing the probe element. 2. The gripping means comprises: a gripping tool for holding the probe element between tips of a pair of gripping pieces, and a pair of opening / closing pieces coupled to the gripping tool to open and close the tips of the gripping pieces. The fixing device according to claim 1, comprising: 3. A tip of the gripping piece has a spring property.
The fixing device according to claim 2. 4. The fixing device according to claim 3, wherein the gripping means further includes a screw for relatively displacing the openable and closable pieces so as to open and close the distal ends of the both gripping pieces. 5. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the driving unit has a moving mechanism that supports the holding unit and moves the holding unit three-dimensionally with respect to the stage. 6. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit includes a heating coil arranged on each of the gripping pieces and heating a tip of each gripping piece. 7. The fixing device according to claim 6, wherein the heating unit further includes a pre-heating unit that pre-heats the conductive adhesive attached to the probe element in advance. 8. The fixing device according to claim 6, further comprising a gas supply nozzle for supplying an inert gas to a space where the operation of fixing the probe element to the wiring of the probe unit is performed. 9. The optical microscope according to claim 1, further comprising an optical microscope capable of observing a position where the probe element is fixed to a wiring of the probe unit from above the stage.
Item 7. The fixing device according to Item 1. 10. The stage according to claim 1, wherein the stage includes a manually operated drive knob for moving the received probe unit in at least one direction within a horizontal plane.
Item 7. The fixing device according to Item 1.