JP2003149267A - Terminal for measuring electric and electronic characteristics of semiconductor device, and method for manufacturing the terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a terminal for electric/electronic measurement that can repeat the contact with the electrode of a semiconductor device without any cleaning or by extremely reducing the chance of cleaning. SOLUTION: A carbon ion of 1×10<16> ions/cm<2> or higher, and 1×10<19> ions/cm<2> or less is injected into the surface of a terminal 1 that is brought into contact with the electrode of a semiconductor device, thus preventing the surface from being scratched, preventing foreign objects from being adhered, and preventing the alloying of terminal constituents and electrode constituents.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a probe terminal or the like which can perform stable inspection in the electric and electronic characteristic inspection of a semiconductor element even if the contact with the element side electrode is drastically reduced in cleaning frequency or repeated without cleaning. Of the terminal for characteristic measurement of.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Inspection of electric and electronic characteristics of a semiconductor device is carried out by bringing a probe terminal of an inspection machine into contact with an electrode of the device.

The electrodes on the element side are gold, aluminum, copper,
In many cases, solder or the like is used as the material, while the probe terminal of the inspection device is made of copper, gold, platinum, nickel, chromium, tungsten, rhenium, rhodium, palladium, beryllium-copper alloy, or the like.

An oxide film is generally formed on the surface of the electrode, and foreign matter is also adsorbed. Therefore, in the characteristic inspection, in order to obtain a reliable contact, a method in which a probe terminal having a sharp tip is bited into the electrode is adopted. Specifically, it is pressed vertically or slid to bite.

[0005]

On the contact surface of the probe terminal, foreign matter such as electrode material or oxide adheres to the contact surface of the probe terminal repeatedly to change the contact resistance or generate dust. Among these phenomena, the change in contact resistance reduces the reliability of the inspection.

For this reason, a method is adopted in which foreign matter adhering to the contact surface of the probe terminal is regularly removed by cleaning. Cleaning for contact surface regeneration,
Removal by air blow or brushing, adsorption by suction plate, polishing, dissolution by acid or alkali, JP-A-10-18
There are various methods such as plasma cleaning shown in No. 5953, but in any case, the execution of the cleaning greatly reduces the inspection efficiency.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the need for terminal cleaning or to extremely reduce the number of terminals in order to improve inspection efficiency.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, carbon ions are implanted on the surface, and the implantation amount is 1 × 10 ¹⁶ ions / cm ² or more, 1 × 10 ¹⁹ or more. Provided is a terminal for measuring electrical and electronic characteristics, which is less than or equal to ions / cm ² .

This terminal is 50 nm or more from the surface, 20
The average carbon concentration in the region of 0 nm or less is 0.5 at% or more,
It is preferable that the average carbon concentration is 50 at% or less and the average carbon concentration in the region 50 nm or less from the surface is 1 at% or more and 80 at% or less. At least the surface of the terminal material to be ion-implanted is beryllium-copper alloy, copper, silver, gold, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium, rhenium, chromium, molybdenum, or tungsten, or a main component of these. It is also preferable that it is formed of the material

For these terminals, a method of implanting carbon ions with energy of 10 keV or more and 80 keV or less on the surface or a method of implanting carbon ions on the surface a plurality of times by changing the implantation energy, and the minimum implantation at this time Energy 1
It is manufactured by a method of 0 keV or more and 80 keV or less.
In either method, it is preferable to apply a pulsed DC voltage to a terminal arranged in a carbon or hydrocarbon gas or plasma atmosphere to inject carbon ions.

[0011]

In the terminal of the present invention in which carbon ions are implanted, the adhesion of foreign matter is greatly reduced. This is for the following reasons. (I) By injecting carbon, the hardness of the surface of the terminal is increased, and the scratches that become the starting point for foreign matter adhesion are less likely to occur. (Ii) Chemically stable amorphous carbon is deposited on the surface layer of the terminal to suppress physical adsorption and chemical adsorption. (Iii) The alloying of the terminal component and the electrode component is suppressed.

The ion implantation amount is 1 × 10 ¹⁶ ions / c.
If it is less than m ^2, it is too small and the effect of preventing foreign matter from adhering is not recognized. On the other hand, the implantation of 1 × 10 ¹⁹ ions / cm ² or more is not preferable because the treatment time is too long and the cost burden increases. Further, since the amount of carbon increases, there is a problem that the electric resistance increases. However, the effect of preventing foreign matter from adhering is recognized even when the injection amount is larger than this.

This carbon ion implantation amount is 8 × 10 ¹⁶ io.
It is more preferably ns / cm ² or more and 5 × 10 ¹⁸ ions / cm ² or less.

Further, from the surface, 50 nm or more, 200 nm
The average carbon concentration in the following region is 0.5 at% or more, 50a
When it is t% or less, the scratch resistance of the terminal surface is increased, and it becomes difficult to form a scratch which is a base point of foreign matter adhesion. When the average carbon concentration in this region is 0.5 at% or less, the scratch resistance is low and the effect of preventing foreign matter adhesion is small. On the other hand, the effect of improving the scratch resistance is recognized even when the average carbon concentration exceeds 50 at%,
It takes too much processing time to obtain the average concentration of 50 at% or more, which leads to cost increase. Therefore, the upper limit is 50 at%.
It is good to stop to a certain degree.

Further, the shallow region of 50 nm or less from the surface is a region that actually contacts the electrode material, and a higher effect is required for preventing foreign matter from adhering. If the average carbon concentration in this region is 1 at% or less, the effect of preventing the adhesion of foreign matter is not sufficient. On the other hand, if the average carbon concentration is 80 at% or more, it takes too much processing time and costs increase. Further, since there is a problem that the electric resistance increases as the carbon amount increases, it is more preferable to set it to 5 at% or more and 80 at% or less. However, the effect of preventing foreign matter from adhering is 80 at
Percentage of injection of more than% is also recognized.

At least the surface of the terminal material is preferably formed of the above-mentioned material. Beryllium-copper alloy, copper,
Silver and gold have low electric resistance of themselves, and are suitable for measuring minute currents. In addition, these, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium and rhenium, the injected carbon is difficult to diffuse, the effect of preventing foreign substances from adhering to the surface can be maintained for a long time, and a chemically stable amorphous carbon phase is easily formed. There is also.

Chromium, molybdenum and tungsten are excellent in strength and are suitable for terminals to be thinned. In addition to this,
The injected carbon forms a carbide, and the effect of improving scratch resistance is also high.

The above materials can be used by forming the entire terminal by itself or by coating the surface of a terminal made of a different material with a method such as plating.

The effect of the present invention is particularly remarkable when the element-side electrode is made of gold, aluminum, copper, solder or the like. All of these electrode materials are soft and easily transferred to the terminal, but the transfer is unlikely to occur in the terminal into which carbon ions are implanted.

Next, in the terminal manufacturing method of the present invention,
When the implantation of carbon ions is performed at an energy of 10 keV or less, carbon ions are deposited on the surface of the terminal or are reflected and are not implanted in the surface layer. When the carbon film is formed by depositing on the surface, the electric resistance increases. Further, unless reflected and injected into the surface layer, the effect of preventing foreign matter from adhering cannot be obtained.
On the other hand, when the implantation energy is 80 keV or more, carbon enters too deeply, and the implantation layer cannot be efficiently formed near the surface layer.
Therefore, the implantation energy is in the proper range of 10 keV to 80 keV.

Carbon ions may be multistage energy implanted. The multi-stage energy implantation is a method in which the implantation energy is changed and the ions are implanted in a plurality of times. Considering scratch resistance, it is desirable to implant carbon ions not only in the surface layer but also in deep regions. If carbon is attempted to enter a deep region by one-time ion implantation, it is impossible to efficiently form an implanted layer near the surface layer as described above. According to the multi-stage energy injection, there is no such problem, and carbon can be widely distributed in the depth direction. In this case, since it is necessary to secure a minimum amount of carbon in the surface layer portion, the minimum implantation energy is set to 10 keV or more and 80 keV or less.

In addition, carbon ions can be injected by a method of extracting an ion beam from an ion source, but this method has excellent controllability, but has a drawback that it is difficult to process a large area and the processing time is long. is there. On the other hand, a method of arranging the terminal in a carbon or hydrocarbon gas or plasma atmosphere and applying a pulsed DC voltage to the terminal allows a large area and short-time implantation process.

When the atmosphere is gas, the gas is turned into plasma at the moment when the negative DC voltage is applied, and the cations therein are accelerated and injected into the terminal. Even when the atmosphere is plasma, positive ions in the atmosphere are accelerated and injected into the terminal by applying a negative DC voltage.

[0024]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of a terminal of the present invention. 1 shows a probe needle for a cantilever type probe card, FIG. 2 shows a probe needle for a vertical type probe card, and FIG. 3 shows a pointed terminal for a membrane type probe card. The basic form of the probe card is the three forms listed here, but the terminal of the present invention is not limited to the probe card.

1 and 2 terminals (probe needle)
In each of the terminals 3 of FIGS. 1 and 2, at least the surface is preferably beryllium-copper alloy, copper, silver,
It is formed of gold, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium, rhenium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, or a material containing these as main components.

The terminals 1, 2, 3 have a surface of 1 × 10 ¹⁶ ions / cm ² or more and 1 × 10 ¹⁹ ions.
Carbon ions are implanted in an amount of less than / cm ² .

The following is a more detailed example.

Example 1 Carbon ions were injected into a metal material, and the occurrence of seizure was investigated by the pin-on-disk method.

The metal material to be injected is a beryllium-copper alloy, copper, silver, gold, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium, rhenium, chromium, assuming a probe terminal material.
Molybdenum and tungsten were applied.

As the mating material, gold, aluminum, copper, or solder was applied, assuming an electrode.

The implantation energy is 5 keV to 400 ke.
Energy up to V, injection amount is 6 × 10 ¹⁵ ions
A range from / cm ² to 2 × 10 ¹⁹ ions / cm ² was applied.

The pin-on-disk test was conducted under a load of 1N.
Sliding speed was 5 mm / sec, sliding frequency was 10,000 times, room temperature, and no lubrication.

The results are shown in Tables 1 to 7.

[0034]

[Table 1]

[0035]

[Table 2]

[0036]

[Table 3]

[0037]

[Table 4]

[0038]

[Table 5]

[0039]

[Table 6]

[0040]

[Table 7]

From these results, with proper carbon injection,
It can be seen that the image sticking disappears.

Further, Tables 1, 3, and 6 show the contact resistance when the injected metal piece and the mating material are brought into contact with each other with a load of 0.5N. It can be seen that the contact resistance increases in the region where the implantation amount (average carbon concentration) is large and in the condition where the implantation energy is low and the carbon film is deposited.

Example 2-Carbon ions are applied to the tip of the gold-plated probe terminal.
6 × 10 ¹⁷ ions / cm ^{2 was} injected at keV.

This terminal was applied to the inspection of a semiconductor element having an aluminum electrode and a solder electrode. For gold-plated terminals without carbon ion implantation, use 2 aluminum electrodes.
Although the cleaning was performed 1,000 times with the solder electrode every 3,000 times, the carbon-implanted electrodes could be used without any abnormality even if they were used 20,000 times.

EXAMPLE 3 Carbon ion was added to a tungsten probe terminal with 30,
2 × 10 ¹⁷ ions / c at each energy of 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 keV
Multi-stage energy injection was performed so that the total injection amount was m ² and the injection amount was 1.4 × 10 ¹⁸ ions / cm ² .

The semiconductor element was inspected by bringing this terminal into contact with an aluminum electrode. With the carbon ion-unimplanted terminal, it is possible to satisfactorily perform the inspection at intervals of 150 cleanings, but with the implanted terminal, even cleaning every 80,000 times.

Example 4 A probe terminal made of beryllium-copper alloy was placed in a vacuum chamber. A pulse DC power supply was connected to the terminals. Introduce methane gas to the atmosphere up to a pressure of 0.2 Pa, and
A pulse voltage of 10 kV, a frequency of 10 Hz and a duty ratio of 10% was applied. 3 × 10 ¹⁸ ions in terms of current value
/ Cm ² injection was performed.

An inspection was conducted by bringing this terminal into contact with the solder electrode of the semiconductor element. The uninjected terminal was cleaned every 10,000 times, but the injected terminal showed no abnormality after 50,000 times of use.

[0049]

As described above, the characteristic measuring terminal according to the present invention causes no scratching or foreign matter adhesion even if repeated contact with the element-side electrode due to the implantation of carbon ions on the surface thereof, without cleaning. In addition, there is an effect that the characteristic inspection of the semiconductor element can be performed efficiently and reliably by extremely reducing the opportunity of cleaning.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a terminal of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another example of the terminal.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing still another example of the terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3 terminals

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. The surface is implanted with carbon ions,
Injection amount is 1 × 10 ¹⁶ions / cm²Above 1 × 10
¹⁹ions / cm²A semiconductor characterized in that
Terminal for measuring electrical and electronic characteristics of the element. 2. The average carbon concentration in a region of 50 nm or more and 200 nm or less from the surface is 0.5 at% or more and 50 at%.
The terminal for measuring electrical and electronic characteristics of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The terminal for measuring electric and electronic characteristics of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the average carbon concentration in a region of 50 nm or less from the surface is 1 at% or more and 80 at% or less. 4. A beryllium-copper alloy, copper, silver, gold, nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium, rhenium, chromium, at least the surface of the terminal material to be ion-implanted.
The terminal for measuring electric and electronic characteristics of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, which is made of molybdenum or tungsten or a material containing any of these as a main component. 5. The surface of the terminal is 10 keV or more, 80 k
A method for manufacturing a terminal, wherein carbon ions are implanted with an energy of eV or less to obtain the terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. The carbon ions are injected into the surface of the terminal a plurality of times by changing the injection energy, and the minimum injection energy at this time is set to 10 keV or more and 80 keV or less.
4. A method for manufacturing a terminal, comprising obtaining the terminal according to any one of 4 to 4. 7. The method for manufacturing a terminal according to claim 6, wherein a carbon ion is implanted by applying a pulsed DC voltage to the terminal arranged in a carbon or hydrocarbon gas or plasma atmosphere.