JP2003255023A - Probe card and probe-card testing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a probe card for sufficiently restraining a probe card board from being bent by enhancing a heat dissipating property of the probe card board. <P>SOLUTION: The probe card is a probe card used to make a probe test on a semiconductor wafer in a high-temperature environment and is provided with the probe card board 10; a heat-dissipating reinforcing plate 17, installed on the surface side of the board; and a plurality of heat-dissipating through-holes in the reinforcing plate. In addition, the probe card comprises a plurality of heat-dissipating through-holes 22 formed in the board 10. Thereby, the heat dissipation properties of the board can be enhanced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a probe card for conducting a probe test on a semiconductor wafer and a probe test method using this probe card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a large number of IC chips are formed on a semiconductor wafer in a semiconductor process step, the individual IC chips of the semiconductor wafer are inspected for electrical characteristics to screen defective products. There is. A probe device is usually used for this inspection. In this probe device, an electrode pad of each IC chip on a semiconductor wafer is brought into contact with a probe needle of a probe card, and a predetermined voltage is applied from the probe needle to perform an electrical inspection such as a continuity test of each IC chip. It is a device for testing whether or not each IC chip has electrical characteristics through a tester.

The above-mentioned probe device has an I
A test head having pin electronics including a sample power source for applying a voltage to the C chip and an input unit for taking the output from the IC chip into the measurement unit, and a probe needle for contacting a predetermined electrode pad on the IC chip. It has a probe card and a connection ring having pogo pins for electrically connecting the test head and the probe needle. Then, such a probe device is provided with a relay board such as a linear motherboard or a performance board as required, and the probe card and the tester are electrically connected by these relay boards.

FIG. 4 (a) is a schematic plan view showing a conventional probe card, and FIG. 4 (b) is a sectional view taken along line 4b-4b shown in FIG. 4 (a). FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view showing how a semiconductor wafer is subjected to an electrical characteristic test under a high temperature environment.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the probe card is capable of simultaneously measuring 2 × 8 = 16 IC chips 111 on the semiconductor wafer 113 of the memory device. The probe card has a probe card substrate 110 on the surface and inside of which printed wiring is provided. The probe card substrate 110 is provided with a substrate opening area 110a at the center thereof.

A tester connection terminal area 115 is provided on the outer periphery of the probe card substrate 110, and a tester connection terminal 116 is arranged in the tester connection terminal area 115. Further, a heat radiation reinforcing plate 117 is provided on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate 110 so as to match the periphery of the substrate opening area 110a. The heat radiation reinforcing plate 117 is
During an electrical characteristic test under a high temperature environment, the heat dissipation of the substrate 110 is promoted to suppress the bending.

On the lower surface side of the probe card substrate 110, a fixing ring 112 made of a mold resin for fixing the probe needle is arranged in conformity with the periphery of the substrate opening area 110a. Further, on the lower surface side of the probe card substrate 110, as shown in FIG. 4B, a plurality of probe needles 114 are fixed along the circumference of the fixing ring 112, and the fixed base ends are fixed. It is connected to the printed wiring. The printed wiring is connected to the tester connection terminal 116 via a jumper wiring 118.

The arm portion of the probe needle 114 is extended toward the substrate opening area 110a. The arm portion of each probe needle 114 is bent in a substantially L shape so that the tip end thereof is substantially perpendicular to the probe card substrate 110. The tip of this arm portion has a stylus portion that comes into contact with the electrode pad of the IC chip 111 of the wafer 113. An intermediate node portion that is a part of the arm portion of each probe needle 114 is fixed and held by the resin of the fixing ring 112, and each probe needle 114 is firmly positioned and held.

When the electrical characteristic test is actually performed by the probe card, as shown in FIG. 4B, the semiconductor wafer 113 is held on the chuck table 119,
The chuck table 119 is heated to a predetermined temperature and the semiconductor wafer 113 is placed in a high temperature environment. Next, the stylus part of the probe needle 114 is guided to each electrode pad of the IC chip 111 of the wafer 113, and the stylus part is pressed against the electrode pad with a predetermined pressure by utilizing the elasticity of the arm part. As a result, the contact between the stylus portion and the electrode pad is favorably performed, and 16 I
The productivity can be improved by simultaneously performing the electrical characteristic test of the C chip 111. Further, the reliability of the IC chip can also be tested by performing the test in a high temperature environment.

As shown in FIG. 4 (c), in the measurement in a high temperature environment, a heat difference by the chuck table 119 causes a temperature difference between the back surface and the surface of the probe card. The back surface of the probe card becomes hot and the surface of the probe card becomes cold. For this reason, the substrate 110 may bend due to the difference in thermal expansion of the probe card substrate 110, making stable measurement impossible. In the above-mentioned conventional probe card, the heat dissipation reinforcing plate 1 is provided on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate 110.
17 is arranged to promote heat dissipation of the substrate 110 and suppress the bending of the substrate 110. However, with this heat dissipation reinforcing plate 117, the bending of the substrate 110 cannot be suppressed as expected.

FIG. 5 (a) is a schematic plan view showing another conventional probe card, and FIG. 5 (b) is a sectional view taken along line 5b-5b shown in FIG. 5 (a). The same parts as those in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals.

A substrate opening area 110a is formed in the center of the probe card substrate 110. This is so that the needle position can be easily adjusted even in the manual operation after the prober setup.

Further, the contact between the electrode pad of the IC chip on the semiconductor wafer 113 and the probe needle can be electrically connected by raising the chuck table 119 and applying overdrive. In order to suppress the bending at the central portion of the probe card substrate 110 at this time,
Reinforcement measures are taken by the reinforcing plate 117 made of metal such as stainless steel which is opened.

The IC chip 111 of the semiconductor wafer 113 here is an LCD driver product chip. Since the pad arrangement of this chip is biased toward a small number of pads on the input side and a large number of pads on the output side, the probe needles 114a and 114b arranged on the probe card substrate 110 are also made to correspond thereto. For example, the probe needle 11 on the input side
4a is a single-layer needle stand, and the output side probe needle 114b
By using a four-layer needle stand, the structure is such that short-circuiting does not occur especially between the needles on the output side and the multiple pads side.

As described above, in other conventional probe cards, since the reinforcing plate made of metal such as stainless steel is used, the weight of the entire probe card becomes heavy and it is inconvenient to handle.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a probe card obtained by removing the reinforcing plate from the other conventional probe card shown in FIG.

In the probe card shown in FIG. 6, since the reinforcing plate is not attached, the probe card can be lightened and the handling is convenient. However, IC chip 1
Since the input and output pads of 11 are unevenly arranged, the needle pressure of the probe needle on the output side increases when overdrive is applied, and as shown in FIG. The probe card substrate 110 is bent (floated) on the side. Therefore, the balance of the stylus pressure on the input / output side may be lost, and as a result, a stable electrical characteristic test may not be possible.

[0018]

As described above, in the conventional probe card, the heat radiation reinforcing plate 117 is arranged on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate 110 to promote the heat radiation of the substrate 110 and suppress the bending of the substrate 110. . However, with this heat dissipation reinforcing plate 117, the bending of the substrate 110 cannot be suppressed as expected.

Further, in other conventional probe cards, the weight of the entire probe card is heavy and it is inconvenient to handle. Further, in the probe card shown in FIG. 6, the stylus pressure on the input / output side may be unbalanced, and as a result, a stable electrical characteristic test may not be possible.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the heat dissipation of the probe card substrate, thereby sufficiently suppressing the bending of the probe card substrate and the probe card. To provide a test method. Further, another object of the present invention is to
It is an object of the present invention to provide a probe card and a probe test method capable of reducing the weight of a probe card substrate and performing a stable electrical characteristic test.

[0021]

To solve the above problems, a probe card according to the present invention is a probe card for performing a probe test on a semiconductor wafer in a high temperature environment. It is characterized by comprising a heat dissipation reinforcing plate provided on the upper surface side of the card substrate and a plurality of through holes for heat dissipation provided on the heat dissipation reinforcing plate.

According to the probe card, the heat dissipation reinforcing plate is arranged on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate, and the heat dissipation reinforcing plate is provided with the through holes for heat dissipation. Therefore, the heat dissipation from the semiconductor wafer can be improved even when the test is performed in a high temperature environment, and thus the temperature difference between the upper surface and the lower surface of the probe card substrate can be reduced. As a result, the bending of the probe card substrate can be sufficiently suppressed, and a stable electrical characteristic test can be performed.

Further, the probe card according to the present invention can further include a plurality of through holes for heat dissipation provided on the probe card substrate.

Further, in the probe card according to the present invention, it is preferable that the heat dissipation through hole provided in the probe card substrate and the heat dissipation through hole provided in the heat dissipation reinforcing plate are connected.

The probe card according to the present invention is a probe card for performing a probe test on a semiconductor wafer in a high temperature environment, and includes a probe card substrate and a plurality of through holes for heat dissipation provided on the probe card substrate. A heat radiation reinforcing plate provided on the upper surface side of the probe card board,
It is characterized by including.

Further, in the probe card according to the present invention, a tester connecting terminal area is formed on the outer periphery of the probe card substrate, and the heat radiation reinforcing plate is arranged so as to fill the inside of the tester connecting terminal area. It is also possible.

Further, in the probe card according to the present invention, a tester connecting terminal area is formed on the outer periphery of the probe card substrate, and the heat radiation reinforcing plate is arranged inside the tester connecting terminal area and provided on the probe card substrate. It is also possible that the provided through hole is arranged between the heat dissipation reinforcing plate and the tester connection terminal area.

Further, in the probe card according to the present invention, it is preferable that a resin fixing member is arranged in the central portion on the lower surface side of the probe card substrate, and the probe needle is fixed to this resin fixing member.

The probe card test method according to the present invention comprises:
A method for performing a probe test using the probe card according to claim 2, wherein the wafer is heated to a predetermined temperature and the probe needle of the probe card is pressed against each electrode pad of the IC chip of the wafer to perform the test. However, it is characterized in that heat is radiated by the through holes of the heat dissipation reinforcing plate and the through holes of the probe card substrate.

A probe card according to the present invention is a probe card for performing a probe test on a semiconductor wafer, and includes a probe card substrate and an eccentric load reinforcing plate provided on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate. However, the eccentric load reinforcing plate is formed of a transparent material.

According to the above probe card, by providing the unequal load reinforcing plate on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate,
Even if an unbalanced load due to a biased array of probe needles is applied to the probe card substrate, the probe card substrate can be prevented from bending. As a result, a stable electrical characteristic test becomes possible.

Further, in the probe card according to the present invention, a plurality of probe needles are arranged on the probe card substrate, and the number of probe needles on one side may be larger than the number of probe needles on the other side. is there.

Further, in the probe card according to the present invention, it is preferable that the transparent material is a transparent resin.
Since the unbalanced load reinforcing plate made of transparent resin is used as described above, the weight of the entire probe card can be reduced. This facilitates the handling of the probe card.

Further, in the probe card according to the present invention, it is possible that an opening is formed at the center of the probe card substrate. In this case, since the unbalanced load reinforcing plate is made of a transparent material, the probe needle can be seen from the upper surface of the probe card substrate.

The probe card test according to the present invention is a method of performing a probe test using the probe card according to claim 10, wherein the probe needle of the probe card is pressed against each electrode pad of the LCD driver chip of the wafer. It is characterized by conducting a test.

[0036]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view showing a probe card according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a view 1b-1 shown in FIG.
It is sectional drawing which followed the b line.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the probe card is capable of simultaneously measuring a plurality of IC chips 11 on the semiconductor wafer 13 of the memory device. The probe card has a probe card substrate (printed circuit board) 10 on the surface and inside of which printed wiring is provided. The probe card substrate 10 has no substrate opening area. A tester connection terminal area 15 is provided on the outer periphery of the probe card substrate 10, and a tester connection terminal 16 is arranged in the tester connection terminal area 15.

On the lower surface side of the probe card substrate 10, a fixing ring 12 made of a mold resin for fixing the probe needle is arranged in the central portion. Further, on the lower surface side of the probe card substrate 10, as shown in FIG. 1B, a plurality of probe needles 14 are fixed along the periphery of the fixing ring 12, and the fixed base end is the print. It is connected to the wiring. Is the printed wiring connected to the tester connection terminal 16 via a jumper wiring (not shown),
Alternatively, it is connected to the tester connection terminal 16 by multi-wire wiring in the printed board.

The arm portion of the probe needle 14 is extended downward in the central portion of the probe card substrate. The arm portion of each probe needle 14 is bent in a substantially L shape so that the tip end thereof is substantially perpendicular to the probe card substrate 10. The tip of this arm portion has a stylus portion that comes into contact with the electrode pad of the IC chip 11 of the wafer 13. An intermediate node portion which is a part of the arm portion of each probe needle 14 is fixed and held by the resin of the fixing ring 12, and each probe needle 14 is firmly positioned and held.

Further, inside the tester connection terminal area 15 on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate 10, a metal heat radiation reinforcing plate 17 having a substantially circular plane is provided. The heat dissipation reinforcing plate 17 promotes heat dissipation of the substrate 10 and suppresses bending of the substrate 10 during an electrical characteristic test under a high temperature environment.

The heat dissipation reinforcing plate 17 is provided with through holes 21 for heat dissipation. In addition, the probe card substrate 10
Also, several to several tens of similar through holes 22 are provided in the substrate area that does not affect the wiring from the probe needle 14 to the tester connection terminal 16. Probe card board 10
Through hole 22 and through hole 2 of heat dissipation reinforcing plate 17
1 and 1 are preferably provided at the same position as shown in FIG. As a result, the chuck table 1
The heat radiated from 9 can be released above the probe card substrate 10 through the through holes 21 and 22.

When actually performing an electrical characteristic test with a probe card, as shown in FIG. 1B, the semiconductor wafer 13 is held on the chuck table 19 and the chuck table 19 is heated by a heating mechanism (not shown). Then, the semiconductor wafer 13 is placed in a high temperature environment by being heated to a predetermined temperature. Then, the stylus portion of the probe needle 14 is guided to each electrode pad of the IC chip 11 of the wafer 13, and the stylus portion is pressed against the electrode pad with a predetermined pressure by utilizing the elasticity of the arm portion. As a result, the contact between the stylus portion and the electrode pad is favorably performed, and the productivity can be improved by simultaneously performing the electrical characteristic test of the plurality of IC chips 11. Further, the reliability of the IC chip can also be tested by performing the test in a high temperature environment.

According to the first embodiment, the heat dissipation reinforcing plate 17 is arranged on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate 10, the through hole 22 is provided in the probe card substrate 10, and the through hole 21 is provided in the heat dissipation reinforcing plate 17. It is provided. Therefore, the heat dissipation from the chuck table 19 can be improved, and thus the temperature difference between the upper surface and the lower surface of the probe card substrate 10 can be reduced as compared with the conventional probe card substrate. As a result, the bending of the probe card substrate can be sufficiently suppressed, and a stable electrical characteristic test can be performed.

FIG. 2 (a) is a schematic plan view showing a probe card according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 (b) is taken along line 2b-2b shown in FIG. 2 (a). FIG. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and only different parts will be described.

A metal heat radiation reinforcing plate 27 is provided in the central portion on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate 10. This heat radiation reinforcing plate 27 is used for an electrical characteristic test in a high temperature environment.
The heat dissipation of the substrate 10 is promoted and the bending of the substrate 10 is suppressed.

The heat dissipation reinforcing plate 17 is provided with through holes 21 for heat dissipation. In addition, the probe card substrate 10
Also, several to several tens of similar through holes 22 are provided in the substrate area that does not affect the wiring from the probe needle 14 to the tester connection terminal 16. Probe card board 10
A part of the through hole 22 provided in is disposed between the heat dissipation reinforcing plate 27 and the tester connection terminal area 15.

Also in the second embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

Further, in the second embodiment, since the heat radiation reinforcing plate 27 is provided in the central portion on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate 10, the bending in the central portion of the probe card substrate 10 can be suppressed as much as possible. The weight of the entire probe card can be reduced.

FIG. 3 (a) is a schematic plan view showing a probe card according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 (b) is taken along line 3b-3b shown in FIG. 3 (a). FIG. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and only different parts will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3B, a plurality of probe needles 14a, 14 are provided on the lower surface side of the probe card substrate 10.
b is fixed along the periphery of the fixing ring 12. The IC chip 11 of the semiconductor wafer 13 here is an LCD driver product chip. Since the pad arrangement of this chip is biased toward a small number of pads on the input side and a large number of pads on the output side, the probe needles 14a and 14b arranged on the probe card substrate 10 also correspond to this. For example, by setting the probe needle 14a on the input side to a one-layer needle stand and the probe needle 14b on the output side to a four-layer needle stand,
In particular, the structure is such that shorts do not occur between the needles on the output side multiple pads side.

No opening (substrate opening area) is formed in the probe card substrate 10. Fully automatic prober (automatic control of wafer alignment and needle alignment)
As the probe card for measuring the LCD driver and the like progresses, there is no need to provide an opening to the central portion of the probe card substrate 10 that disturbs the stylus pressure balance on the input / output side.
Therefore, the probe card substrate 10 has a structure in which an opening to the central portion is eliminated to control an unbalanced load on both the input and output sides.

An unbalanced load reinforcing plate 37 made of transparent resin or tempered glass or the like and having a substantially circular plane is provided in the central portion on the upper surface side of the probe card substrate 10. Thus, as a reinforcing measure, a reinforcing plate 3 made of transparent resin and having no opening is used.
7 is attached. The reinforcing plate 37 is provided on the substrate 1 by the overdrive during the electrical characteristic test.
The deflection of the substrate 10 due to an unbalanced load applied to 0 is suppressed.

According to the third embodiment described above, by eliminating the opening in the central portion of the probe card substrate 10, an eccentric load due to a biased arrangement of probe needles is applied to the substrate 10.
It is possible to suppress the substrate 10 from being bent even if it is added. As a result, a stable electrical characteristic test becomes possible.

Further, in the third embodiment, since the unbalanced load reinforcing plate 37 made of transparent resin is used, the weight of the entire probe card can be reduced. This facilitates the handling of the probe card.

Further, in the third embodiment, the probe card substrate which is not opened in the central portion is used, but it is also possible to use the probe card substrate which is opened in the central portion of the probe card substrate. In this case, the unbalanced load reinforcing plate 3
Since 7 is made of transparent resin, the probe needle can be seen from the upper surface of the probe card substrate. Further, in this case, by using the transparent resin for the reinforcing plate 37, the strength of the probe card substrate can be increased without opening the central portion of the reinforcing plate.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but can be implemented with various modifications.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a probe card and a probe test method capable of improving the heat dissipation of the probe card substrate and thereby sufficiently suppressing the bending of the probe card substrate. be able to.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a probe card and a probe test method capable of reducing the weight of the probe card substrate and performing a stable electrical characteristic test.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view showing a probe card according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line 1b-1b shown in FIG.

FIG. 2A is a schematic plan view showing a probe card according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line 2b-2b shown in FIG.

FIG. 3A is a schematic plan view showing a probe card according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line 3b-3b shown in FIG.

4A is a schematic plan view showing a conventional probe card, FIG. 4B is a sectional view taken along line 4b-4b shown in FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a semiconductor wafer. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing how the electrical characteristic test is performed in a high temperature environment.

5 (a) is a schematic plan view showing another conventional probe card, and FIG. 5 (b) is a cross-sectional view of 5b-5b shown in FIG. 5 (a).
It is sectional drawing which followed the line.

6 is a cross-sectional view showing a probe card in which a reinforcing plate is removed from the other conventional probe card shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 110 ... Probe card substrates 11, 111 ... IC chips 12, 112 ... Fixing rings 13, 113 ... Semiconductor wafers 14, 14a, 14b, 114, 114a, 114b ...
Probe needles 15, 115 ... Tester connection terminal areas 16, 116 ... Tester connection terminals 17, 27, 117 ... Heat radiation reinforcing plates 19, 119 ... Chuck tables 21, 22 ... Heat radiation through holes 37 ... Unbalanced load reinforcing plate 110a ... Substrate Opening area 118 ... Jumper wiring

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A probe card for performing a probe test on a semiconductor wafer in a high temperature environment, comprising a probe card substrate, a heat radiation reinforcing plate provided on an upper surface side of the probe card substrate, and the heat radiation reinforcing plate. A probe card, comprising: a plurality of through holes provided for heat dissipation. 2. The probe card according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of through holes for heat dissipation provided on the probe card substrate. 3. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation through hole provided in the probe card substrate and the heat dissipation through hole provided in the heat dissipation reinforcing plate are connected to each other. card. 4. A probe card for performing a probe test on a semiconductor wafer in a high temperature environment, comprising a probe card substrate and a plurality of through-hole probe card substrates for heat dissipation provided on the probe card substrate. A probe card comprising: a heat dissipation reinforcing plate provided on the. 5. The tester connecting terminal area is formed on the outer periphery of the probe card substrate, and the heat dissipation reinforcing plate is arranged so as to fill the inside of the tester connecting terminal area. 4. The probe card according to claim 1. 6. A tester connecting terminal area is formed on an outer periphery of the probe card board, the heat dissipation reinforcing plate is disposed inside the tester connecting terminal area, and a through hole provided in the probe card board has the heat dissipation reinforcing board. The probe card according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the probe card is arranged between the tester connection terminal area and the tester connection terminal area. 7. The resin fixing member is arranged in the central portion on the lower surface side of the probe card substrate, and the probe needle is fixed to the resin fixing member. The probe card according to item 1. 8. A method for performing a probe test using the probe card according to claim 2, wherein the wafer is heated to a predetermined temperature, and the probe needle of the probe card is pressed against each electrode pad of the IC chip of the wafer. A probe card test method characterized in that heat is radiated through the through holes of the heat dissipation reinforcing plate and the through holes of the probe card substrate while applying the test. 9. A probe card for performing a probe test on a semiconductor wafer, comprising: a probe card substrate; and an unbalanced load reinforcing plate provided on an upper surface side of the probe card substrate, A probe card in which the plate is formed of a transparent material. 10. The probe card according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of probe needles are arranged on the probe card substrate, and the number of probe needles on one side is larger than the number of probe needles on the other side. . 11. The probe card according to claim 9, wherein the transparent material is a transparent resin. 12. An opening is formed in the center of the probe card substrate.
The probe card according to claim 1. 13. A method of performing a probe test using the probe card according to claim 10, wherein the probe needle of the probe card is pressed against each electrode pad of the LCD driver chip of the wafer to perform the test. Test method for probe card.