JP2006284297A - Manufacturing method of contact probe structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the cost and the production lead time and improve adaptability to small lot multi-product production, in manufacturing a contact probe structure that constitutes a probe pin of a probe card for current-carrying inspection of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer and has a laminated structure of a plurality of plate metal materials. <P>SOLUTION: A pipe made of metal A having a characteristic mainly contributing to spring property and a wire made of metal B having a characteristic mainly contributing to the conductivity are inserted and combined to form a clad wire (a), and pulling and extending processing is repeated. A clad wire (c) pulled and extended to a predetermined wire diameter is rolled to form a ribbon-like clad plate (e). A center part of the ribbon-like clad plate (e) obtained by rolling that has a layer constitution of a double overlay shape is cut in the shape of a predetermined probe structure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a contact probe structure that constitutes probe pins of a probe card for energization inspection of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer.

Dozens or thousands of probe pins are attached to a wiring board for current inspection (wafer test) for inspecting electrical characteristics of an integrated circuit chip (semiconductor chip) cut from a semiconductor wafer constituting an integrated circuit. The arranged probe card is used, and the energization measurement is performed by connecting the tip of the probe pin to the network terminal of the semiconductor chip. In recent years, an integrated circuit (semiconductor integrated circuit) on a semiconductor wafer has a very fine circuit network with the development of manufacturing technology. Therefore, in the probe card, the pin arrangement has been made narrower in response to the narrower pitch of the electrode pads on the wafer, and accordingly, the probe pins have been made thinner or thinner. As a technique for enabling the thinning of the probe pin, a technique in which a plate material or foil made of a single material is cut into a predetermined shape (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2), LIGA, or photolithography. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technique (for example, see Non-Patent Document 3) in which a female die having a predetermined shape is manufactured by electroforming and then formed by electroforming is known.
JP 2002-164104 A JP 2001-91537 A “Sumitomo Electric Technical Review”, No. 164, p. 10-13)

  As described above, the probe pins of the probe card for semiconductor inspection are inevitably reduced in diameter or thickness as the pitch of the electrode pads on the wafer is reduced. However, a decrease in the cross-sectional area associated with a reduction in the diameter or thickness of the probe pin leads to a decrease in needle pressure (decrease in spring elasticity) and an increase in electrical resistance value. The contact probe structure that constitutes the probe pin is required to have the required springiness and conductivity, and a delicate design of the balance point of both characteristics is required, but it is cut out from a conventional plate or foil. The probe pin structure made of single or alloy material formed by electroforming or electroforming is designed for the balance point of both characteristics because the physical property of the single or alloy material determines the spring property and conductivity. The degree of freedom is extremely limited, and it is impossible to achieve both spring properties and conductivity, and to finely set the balance point between these two properties.

  Therefore, the present inventor has at least two or more layers of a plurality of metal materials having different physical characteristics including a metal material mainly having a characteristic contributing to spring properties and a metal material having a characteristic mainly contributing to conductivity. A plate material formed by laminating layers was used as a material, and a contact probe structure was formed by cutting the plate material into a predetermined shape.

  In that case, a clad plate material in which a metal material that mainly contributes to the spring property and a metal material that mainly contributes to the conductivity in a layer configuration of at least two layers can be used as a material. By cutting out a shape having a predetermined spring element from a plate material by press processing, wire electric discharge processing, laser processing, or the like, a contact probe structure having both needle pressure and conductivity in a predetermined balance can be formed.

  In other words, this contact probe structure is formed of a single metal material by forming a layer structure of a metal material having a characteristic mainly contributing to spring properties and a metal material having a characteristic mainly contributing to conductivity. This makes it possible to achieve both unsatisfactory springiness and conductivity. And the balance point of spring property and electroconductivity can be finely set by determining suitably the ratio of the thickness of each metal in the board | plate material which consists of 2 or more types of metals. Moreover, the wear resistance of the electrical contact portion (pin tip) can be improved by appropriately selecting the combination of metal materials.

  However, when manufacturing a contact probe structure from a clad plate material in this way, when trying to manufacture by using a ribbon-like clad plate material having a layer structure of a commercially available overlay shape and cutting it out to a predetermined shape from this material Since a commercially available clad plate material is not intended for a special use like a contact probe structure, a material having a desired layer configuration as a material of the contact probe structure is obtained and made into a desired thickness dimension. The lead time for rolling is increased, and the purchased clad plate itself is expensive, which becomes a negative factor in the production of a contact probe structure requiring high-mix low-volume production.

  The present invention provides a contact probe structure that constitutes a probe pin of a probe card for conducting an energization inspection of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer, in a contact probe structure having a plate-like laminated structure of a plurality of metal materials. The purpose is to reduce costs and shorten production lead time, and to improve compatibility with high-mix low-volume production.

  The present invention provides a contact probe structure that constitutes a probe pin of a probe card for conducting an energization inspection of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer, in a contact probe structure having a plate-like laminated structure of a plurality of metal materials. Since the contact probe structure to be manufactured preferably has an odd layer structure and a symmetrical structure with the center layer as the center, the layer structure of the contact probe structure to be manufactured is By using a clad wire, the cost can be reduced and the production lead time can be reduced in the production of a contact probe structure having a symmetrical layer structure.

  That is, the method for manufacturing a contact probe structure according to the present invention includes a plurality of metals having different physical characteristics, including a metal material having a characteristic mainly contributing to spring properties and a metal material having a characteristic mainly contributing to conductivity. To select the material and finally obtain the clad plate with the desired layer structure, insert the wire and pipes made of these metal materials with the appropriate diameter and wall thickness in a concentric arrangement and connect the clad wire. After forming and drawing the clad wire, it is rolled and rolled, and during the drawing and roll rolling processes, an annealing process is sandwiched between the centers, for example, excluding both sides. Forming a clad plate material having a symmetric structure centered on the central layer at the center, and for example, from the clad plate material, the central layer is centered at the central portion excluding both side portions, for example. From the center of the cladding plate having a layer construction of universal construction, fine blanking press processing, laser cutting, or by such as a wire electric discharge machining, cutting out the contact probe structure having a predetermined shape.

  The contact probe structure manufactured by this method is a plate-like laminated structure of a plurality of metal materials, and the layer structure of the plurality of metal materials is an odd number layer of three or more layers, and has a symmetrical structure centering on the center layer. It will be a thing.

  In this case, as the wire and pipe used as the material of the clad wire, a standard product that is generally available can be used as it is, and it is easily available and low in cost. In addition, the process of forming a clad wire from these wires and pipes, drawing and drawing and rolling them to form a clad plate material having a desired layer structure is relatively simple, and the production lead time can be shortened. It becomes.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the contact probe structure constituting the probe pin of the probe card for energization inspection of the integrated circuit on the semiconductor wafer is a plate-shaped laminated structure of a plurality of metal materials. In the manufacture of the structure, a clad wire made of a generally distributed material is used, a clad plate material is formed from the clad wire by a relatively simple process, and the contact probe structure is cut out from the clad plate material. Therefore, it is possible to realize cost reduction and production lead time reduction in the production of the contact probe structure, and it is possible to improve the suitability for high-mix low-volume production.

1 to 3 show an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view (a) and a side view (b) of a contact probe structure according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a flow of a manufacturing process of the contact probe structure. These are explanatory drawings which show the change of the cross-sectional shape of the clad material in the manufacturing process of the contact probe structure.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a contact probe structure (hereinafter referred to as a probe structure) that constitutes a probe pin of a probe card for conducting a current inspection of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer.

  This probe structure 1 is composed of a metal A having a characteristic that mainly contributes to spring properties and a metal B having a characteristic that mainly contributes to conductivity, and is mainly composed of a metal B having a characteristic that contributes to conductivity. With a layer (center layer) sandwiched between three layers with metal A layers that mainly contribute to spring properties on both sides, a layer structure with a symmetric structure centered on the center layer is formed at one end (tip). It has an electrode connection part 1a for contact connection to a network terminal on a semiconductor wafer, a base end connection part 1b connected and fixed to the wiring board 2 of the probe card at the other end (base end), and elastic deformation in the middle A vertical needle type probe pin having a possible bent spring portion 1c is formed. The probe structure may constitute a cantilever type or other probe pin in addition to the vertical needle type.

  The metal A which has the characteristic which mainly contributes to springiness which comprises two outside layers is stainless steel, for example. In addition, the metal B having a characteristic mainly contributing to conductivity in the middle is, for example, a gold alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, or the like.

  The outline of the manufacturing process of the contact probe structure 1 is as shown in FIG.

  First, the surface of the pipe made of metal A and the surface of the wire made of metal B are cleaned (steps S1 and S2).

  After that, a wire made of metal B is inserted and bonded inside the pipe made of metal A to form a clad wire in which metal A and metal B are connected concentrically with a circular cross section as shown in FIG. (Step S3).

  Then, the clad wire a is drawn and drawn into a clad wire having a small wire diameter as shown by b in FIG. 3 (step S4), and annealed as needed during the process (step S5). The wire processing is repeated to obtain a clad wire having a predetermined wire diameter as indicated by c in FIG. 3 (step S6). In this process, diffusion is promoted at the boundary surface between the metal A and the metal B by dislocation due to strong deformation in wire drawing and heating in annealing, and a strong bonding surface is formed.

  Then, the clad wire c drawn and drawn to the predetermined wire diameter is roll-rolled into a flat clad wire as indicated by d in FIG. 3 (step S7), and annealed as needed during the process (step S7). Step S8), a ribbon-like clad plate material having a predetermined thickness as shown by e in FIG. 3 is obtained. The ribbon-like clad plate material e thus obtained by roll rolling has a double overlay layer structure at the center portion excluding both side portions. Moreover, the metal bonding surface becomes stronger by this roll rolling and annealing.

  And the center part which became the double overlay shape layer structure of the ribbon-shaped clad board material e obtained by this roll rolling is made into a predetermined probe structure body by precision punching press processing, laser cutting processing, wire electric discharge processing, etc. Cut into a shape (step S10).

  Thus, for example, a probe structure 1 constituting a vertical needle type probe pin as shown in FIG. 1 is obtained. Then, if necessary, the entire surface or a part of the probe structure 1 is plated (such as gold plating), insulating coating, or the like.

  In the probe structure, the metal material to be used and the layer configuration (layer arrangement and thickness of each layer) are determined in consideration of the structure target size, the needle pressure, and the electrical resistance value, which are design target values. . When selecting a metal material, it is indispensable to have a combination of metals that can be clad. However, a large stress is applied to the structure due to the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal at the temperature at which the probe structure is used. It is also necessary to consider not causing distortion.

  In the case of a probe structure having an odd number of layers other than three layers, it can be manufactured by the same method. All of them have a symmetrical structure with the central layer as the center.

It is the front view (a) and side view (b) of the contact probe structure which concern on an example of embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the manufacturing process of the contact probe structure which concerns on an example of embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the change of the cross-sectional shape of a clad material in the manufacturing process of the contact probe structure which concerns on an example of embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Contact probe structure (probe structure)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1a Electrode contact part 1b Board | substrate connection part 1c Spring part 2 Wiring board A Metal with the characteristic mainly contributed to spring property B Metal with the characteristic mainly contributed to conductivity a, b, c, d Clad wire e Clad board material

Claims (2)

A method of manufacturing a contact probe structure that constitutes probe pins of a probe card for energization inspection of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer, which is a metal material mainly having a characteristic that contributes to springiness and mainly contributing to conductivity. After forming a clad wire made of a plurality of metal materials having different physical characteristics including a metal material having a characteristic to be rolled, a clad plate material is formed by roll rolling, and a contact probe structure of a predetermined shape is formed from the clad plate material A method for manufacturing a contact probe structure, characterized by cutting a body. A method of manufacturing a contact probe structure that constitutes probe pins of a probe card for energization inspection of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer, which is a metal material mainly having a characteristic that contributes to springiness and mainly contributing to conductivity. A metal wire having different physical characteristics including a metal material having a characteristic to be inserted is formed by concentrically arranging and bonding a wire and a pipe to form a clad wire, and the clad wire is drawn and drawn, and then rolled. Forming a clad plate material having a layer structure with a symmetric structure centering on the central layer in the central portion excluding both side portions, and cutting out a contact probe structure having a predetermined shape from the central portion of the clad plate material. A method of manufacturing a contact probe structure.

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