JP2007113946A - Probe for burn-in test - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily manufacture probes having the same longitudinal dimension while the region of a needle tip can be made of a material different from those of a seating region and an arm region. <P>SOLUTION: A probe includes: a main body member provided with both a seating region to be mounted to a supporting member and an arm region extended to the right and left directions from a lower end part of the seating region; a needle tip member having a needle tip protruding downward from the tip of the arm region; and at least one reference member having a reference part protruding upward from the seating region. The needle tip member and the reference member are manufactured of the same material different from at least that of the seating region. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a probe used for an energization test of a flat test object such as a semiconductor integrated circuit.

  A flat test object such as a semiconductor integrated circuit is subjected to an energization test as to whether or not it is manufactured according to the specification. This type of energization test is performed using an electrical connection device such as a probe card, a probe block, or a probe unit that includes a plurality of probes (contacts) that are individually pressed against the electrodes of the object to be inspected. This type of electrical connection device is used to electrically connect an electrode of a device to be inspected and a tester in a current test device.

  As a probe used in this type of electrical connection device, a so-called photolithography technique for exposing and etching a photoresist and an electroforming technique (electroforming technique) for performing electroplating on the etched portion are used. There is a blade type manufactured by the method (Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-340654 A

  The blade-type probe includes a seat region (attachment portion) attached to a support member such as a wiring board or a ceramic substrate, an arm region (arm portion) extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the seat region, Includes a needle tip region (needle tip portion) that continues integrally below the distal end of the arm region, and a seat portion region (attachment portion) that continues integrally to the base end portion of the arm region, and cantilever the support member Supported in a beam shape.

  The needle tip region includes a pedestal that continues below the tip of the arm region, a contact portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the pedestal, and a reference portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the pedestal.

  In a state where the probe is assembled to the electrical connection device and assembled to the current test device, the tip of the contact portion (that is, the needle tip) is used as a location pressed against the electrode of the object to be inspected.

  In the conventional probe, the needle tip is pressed against the electrode of the object to be inspected during the test in a state where the electrical connection device is assembled to the current test device. Thereby, the overdrive acts on the probe, the probe is bent by elastic deformation in the arm region, and the needle tip slides with respect to the electrode of the object to be inspected.

  The conventional probe is entirely made of the same metal material. For this reason, if the probe is made of a tough (flexible) metal material such as nickel or an alloy thereof, the tip of the probe is severely worn and the probe is short-lived.

  On the other hand, if the probe is made of a high-strength metal material such as rhodium, the arm region is not easily elastically deformed when the overdrive acts on the probe, and as a result, the sliding amount of the needle tip with respect to the electrode of the object to be inspected is reduced. There is little and it is easy to break in an arm field.

  If the needle tip region is made of a material different from the seat region and the arm region, the needle tip region must be made of a material different from that of the seat portion region and the arm region. The body member forming the partial region and the arm region must be manufactured by a separate process. As a result, the following problems occur.

  In an electrical connection device equipped with multiple probes, support is required in order to cause the probe to have the same overdrive of the same size so that the pressing force (needle pressure) of the needle tip to the electrode of the object to be inspected is the same. The probe must be attached to the support member so that the height position of the needle tip from the member is the same.

  However, in order to manufacture the needle tip region with a material different from that of the seat region and the arm region, the photolithography process and the electroforming process must be performed at least twice in order to overlap the needle tip member and the body member. I must.

  As a result, even if the mask alignment accuracy in the photolithography process is increased, at least the error in the overlay between the probe tip member and the main body member (the mask position) is in the length dimension (that is, the height dimension) between the probes. An error is generated by a dimension corresponding to the alignment error). It is extremely difficult to attach a plurality of probes having such dimensional errors to the support member so that the height positions of the needle tips from the support member are the same.

  From the above, in an electrical connection device that uses a probe made of a material different from that of the seat region and the arm region in the needle tip region, the height position of the needle tip from the support member after the probe is mounted on the support member It is impossible to avoid the work of grinding the needle tip so that they are the same.

  An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily manufacture a probe having the same length dimension even though the needle tip region can be made of a different material from the seat region and the arm region.

  A probe according to the present invention has a body member including a seat region attached to a support member and an arm region extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the seat region, and a needle tip that projects downward from the tip of the arm region. A needle tip member and at least one reference member having a reference portion protruding upward from the seat region. The needle tip member and the reference member are made of the same material and at least different from the seat region.

  A part of the reference member may be embedded in the main body member.

  The probe may include at least two reference members having the reference portion having the same height level and spaced in the left-right direction.

  The reference portion may include a flat upper surface having the same height level.

  The needle tip member and the reference member may be made of a material harder than the main body member.

  The needle tip member includes a base portion at least partially embedded in the arm region, a contact portion that is pressed against the object to be inspected and protrudes downward from the base portion, and the left-right direction from the contact portion And a reference portion that is formed at a distance from the base portion and protrudes downward from the base portion.

  When the needle tip member and the reference member are made of the same material and different from the main body member, the needle tip member and the reference member can be manufactured by the same photolithography process and the same electroforming process.

  If the needle tip member and the reference member are simultaneously manufactured in the same process as described above, the needle tip member and the reference member can be manufactured using the same mask. Regardless of the alignment accuracy, the positional relationship between the needle tip and the reference portion is constant. As a result, although the needle tip region can be made of a different material from the seat region and the arm region, a probe having the same length dimension can be easily manufactured.

  If the needle tip member and the reference member can be made of a material different from that of the main body member, the needle tip member and the reference member are made of a high hardness material such as rhodium, and the main body member is made of high toughness such as nickel or an alloy thereof. It can be made of any (supple) material. Thereby, although the amount of wear of the needle tip is small, the main body member is easily elastically deformed during the overdrive operation, and a probe with a large amount of slip of the needle tip with respect to the electrode of the object to be inspected can be obtained.

  When a part of the reference member is embedded in the main body member, the coupling force between the reference member and the main body member becomes strong, and the reference member is prevented from peeling off from the main body member.

  When the probe includes at least two reference members spaced in the left-right direction and having the same height level, the probe can be attached to the support member in a state where the reference portions of the probes are in contact with the support member. . Thereby, attachment of the probe to the support member is facilitated, and the height dimension from the support member to the probe tip can be made the same.

  If the reference part includes a flat upper surface of the same height level, the probe is stabilized against the support member by abutting such upper surface against the support member, so that the probe is supported in such a maintained state. It can be easily and accurately attached to the member by soldering or the like. Thereby, the probe can be easily and accurately attached to the support member.

  When the needle tip member and the reference member are made of a material harder than the main body member, the wear amount of the needle tip is reduced.

  The needle tip member includes a base portion at least partially embedded in the arm region, a contact portion that is pressed against the object to be inspected and that protrudes downward from the base portion, and is spaced from the contact portion in the left-right direction. And a second reference portion that protrudes in the front-rear direction intersecting with the vertical direction from the base portion.

  When at least a part of the base of the needle tip member is embedded in the arm region and the contact portion protrudes downward from the base, the binding force between the needle tip member and the main body member becomes strong, and the needle tip member is removed from the main body member. It is prevented from peeling off.

  Further, when the needle tip member has the contact portion and the second reference portion, the tip of the contact portion having a positional relationship according to the specification (needle) is produced by manufacturing the needle tip member with a single material. A large number of probes having the tip) and the tip (reference point) of the second reference portion can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

  [Explanation of terms]

  In the present invention, in FIG. 1, the left-right direction is referred to as the left-right direction or the X direction, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is referred to as the thickness direction or the Y direction, and the up-down direction is referred to as the up-down direction or the Z direction. However, these directions differ depending on the posture in which the display substrate to be inspected is arranged in the inspection device, that is, the posture of the display substrate arranged in the inspection device.

  Therefore, in the above direction, the X direction and the Y direction are in any one of a horizontal plane, an inclined plane inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, and a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane, depending on the inspection apparatus in which the probe is arranged. It may be determined as such, or may be determined so as to be a combination of these surfaces.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the probe 10 is manufactured in a plate shape by a main body member 12, a needle tip member 14, and two reference members 16.

  The main body member 12 includes a seat region 18 and an arm region 20 extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the seat region 18.

  The seat region 18 includes a rectangular attachment portion 22 and an extension portion 24 that integrally extends downward from the lower end portion of the attachment portion 22, and continues to the arm region 20 integrally in the extension portion 24. Yes. The seat portion region 18 is attached to a support member such as a wiring board or a ceramic substrate at the upper end portion of the attachment portion 22 so that the entire probe 10 has a cantilever shape.

  The arm region 20 includes one connecting portion 26 protruding downward from the lower end portion of the extension portion 24 and upper and lower arm portions 28 and 30 protruding leftward and rightward from the connecting portion 26 in a state of being spaced apart in the vertical direction. And another connecting portion 32 that integrally connects the tip portions of both arm portions 28 and 30, and a lower arm 30 and a pedestal portion 34 that protrudes downward from the connecting portion 32.

  The pedestal portion 34 protrudes downward from the lower end portions of the arm portion 30 and the connecting portion 32, and acts as a pedestal or a seat. The lower end surface of the pedestal portion 34 is bent in a V shape with the middle in the left-right direction being a bent portion.

  The needle tip member 14 includes a base portion 36 embedded in the pedestal portion 34, a contact portion 38 that protrudes downward from the base portion 36, and a reference portion 40 that protrudes downward from the base portion 36. The base portion 36 has substantially the same shape as the lower end portion of the pedestal portion 34.

  The contact portion 38 and the reference portion 40 extend in the thickness direction and have an inverted trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. For this reason, the lower end surfaces of the contact portion 38 and the reference portion 40 are flat surfaces. The contact portion 38 and the reference portion 40 are spaced apart in the left-right direction so that the reference portion 40 is on the connection portion 26 side.

  The lower end surface of the contact portion 38 is a needle tip that is pressed against the object to be inspected. Similar to the probe described in Patent Document 1, the lower end surface of the reference portion 40 is a probe for the current test device, particularly in a state where the probe 10 is assembled in the electrical connection device and assembled in the current test device. It is used as a reference point for detecting the position of the needle tip and determining its XY coordinate position.

  The reference portion 40 is retracted from the contact portion 38 toward the base portion 36 so that the contact portion 40 does not come into contact with the device under test even when the needle tip is pressed against the device under test.

  The reference member 16 has a remaining portion embedded in the attachment portion 22 in a state in which a part projects upward from the attachment portion 22. The reference member 16 also has substantially the same thickness dimension as the needle tip member 14.

  The upper surface of the reference member 16 is a flat reference portion 42 having the same height level. For this reason, even if a large number of probes are manufactured, the length dimension H0 from the probe tip of the probe to the reference portion 42 of the reference member 16, that is, the height position of the reference portion 42 with respect to the needle tip is the same. Therefore, the reference portion 42 is used as a reference point for attaching the probe 10 to the support member.

  The protrusion amount H1 of the reference member 16 from the seat region 18 can be 0.1 mm or less, preferably 0.05 mm or less.

  The main body member 12 is made of a highly tough metal material such as nickel and its alloys and phosphor bronze, and the needle tip member 14 is made of a high hardness metal material such as cobalt and rhodium and their alloys.

  The probe 10 has a mounting portion 22 so that the probe 10 extends vertically downward from the lower surface of the support member by a conductive adhesive such as solder on the lower surface of a plate-like support member such as a wiring board or a probe substrate. At the upper end, it is attached. As a result, the electrical connecting device is assembled.

  According to the probe 10, since the height positions of the reference portions 42 of both reference members 16 are the same flat surface, the probe 10 can be stabilized with respect to the support member by bringing the reference portions 42 into contact with the lower surface of the support member. Then, the probe 10 can be attached to the support member by soldering or the like while the probe 10 is maintained as such.

  As a result, the probe 10 can be easily and accurately attached to the support member so that the probe 10 can be easily attached to the support member and the height dimension H0 from the support member to the needle tip of the probe 10 is the same. Can be attached. In the resulting electrical connecting device, the height position of the needle tip is the same.

  The electrical connection device in which the probe 10 is assembled is assembled in an energization test apparatus. In such an energization test apparatus, the reference portion 40 of the probe 10 is used for obtaining the XY coordinate position of the probe 10 in the energization test apparatus by detecting the lower end surface of the reference section 40 with a sensor such as a video camera. The obtained XY coordinate position is used for processing to detect and determine the XY coordinate position of the probe 10, particularly the needle tip, with respect to the electrical test apparatus.

  If the needle tip member 14 has the contact portion 38 and the reference portion 40 as in the probe 10, the needle tip member 14 can be made of a single material, so that the positional relationship between the needle tip and the reference point is determined. Can be produced according to the specifications.

  During the energization test, the probe 10 presses the lower end surface (needle tip) of the contact portion 38 against the electrode of the object to be inspected. Thereby, the overdrive acts on the probe 10.

  Since the main body member 12, particularly the arm portions 28, 30 are made of a tough metal material as described above, the probe 10 is greatly elastically deformed in the arm region 20, particularly the arm portions 28, 30, and the contact portion 38. The lower end surface of the slides with respect to the electrode of the object to be inspected. The slippage at this time is large.

  The lower end surface of the contact portion 38 slides with respect to the electrode of the object to be inspected to scrape off the oxide film formed on the electrode. At this time, since the needle tip member 14, particularly the contact portion 38 is made of a metal material at most, the amount of wear on the lower end surface of the contact portion 38 is small, and the probe 10 has a long life.

  In the probe 10, since the lower end surface of the reference portion 40 is retracted from the lower end surface of the contact portion 38 toward the base portion 36 side, even if the lower end surface of the contact portion 38 is pressed against the electrode of the object to be inspected. 40 is not in contact with the object to be inspected and its electrodes, and damage is prevented.

  In the probe 10, the base portion 36 and both reference members 16 of the needle tip member 14 are embedded in the pedestal portion 34 and the attachment portion 22 of the main body member 12, respectively. The bonding force with the member 16 is high.

  In the probe 10, since the height positions of both reference portions 42 are the same, the upper end of the attachment portion 22 does not need to be a flat surface. For example, the upper end of the attachment portion 22 may be an uneven surface 44 as shown in FIG. Good. In this case, the reference portion 42 only has to protrude upward from the highest portion of the uneven surface 44.

  The probe 10 as described above can be manufactured using a photolithography technique and an electroforming technique. An example of a probe manufacturing method will be described below with reference to FIG.

  First, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a base plate 50 is prepared, and a photoresist 52 is applied on the base plate 50. From the photoresist 52, a two-dot chain line 46 in FIG. The region corresponding to the lower body member 12 is exposed and developed, and a recess is formed in the exposed and developed region, and the conductive metal material is electroplated using an electroforming method in the recess. Is filled. The obtained filler 54 corresponds to a part of the main body member 12.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D, a photoresist 56 is applied on the photoresist 52 and the filler 54, and a region corresponding to the needle tip member 14 and both reference members 16 in the photoresist 56. Are exposed and developed, and recesses corresponding to the needle tip member 14 and both reference members 16 are formed in the exposed and developed regions, and the conductive metal material is electroformed using an electroforming method in the recesses. Filled by plating. The obtained filling 58 corresponds to the needle tip member 14 and both reference members 16.

  As shown in FIGS. 6E and 6F, a photoresist 60 is applied on the photoresist 56 and the filler 58, and an area corresponding to the remaining area of the main body member 12 in the photoresist 60 is exposed and developed. Then, a recess corresponding to the remaining region of the main body member 12 is formed in the photoresist 60 in the exposed and developed region, and the conductive metal material is filled in the recess by electroplating using an electroforming method. . The obtained filling 62 corresponds to the remaining part of the main body member 12.

  Thereafter, all the photoresists 52, 56 and 60 are removed, and the probe 10 in which the fillers 54, 58 and 62 are integrated is removed from the base plate 50.

  With reference to FIG. 7, another example of the probe manufacturing method will be described below.

  First, as shown in FIG. 7A, a sacrificial layer 72 for the needle tip member 14 and both reference members 16 is manufactured on the base plate 70 by a photolithography technique and an electroforming technique.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, the needle tip member 14 and both reference members 16 are manufactured on the base plate 70 and the sacrificial layer 72 by photolithography technology and electroforming technology.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, the main body member 12 is manufactured on the needle tip member 14 and both reference members 16, the base plate 70, and the sacrificial layer 72 by photolithography technology and electroforming technology.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7D, the sacrificial layer 72 is removed. Thereafter, the probe 10 including the main body member 12, the needle tip member 14, and both reference members 16 is peeled off from the base plate 70.

  In the probe 10 manufactured by another method, a part of the needle tip member 14 and both the reference members 16 are exposed on the front side (or the back side) of the main body member 12. As such, the probe may expose part of the needle tip member 14 and both reference members 16 to the front side (or back side) of the main body member 12.

  By any of the above manufacturing methods, a probe having a strong coupling relationship between the main body member 12, the needle tip member 14, and the two reference members 16 can be easily manufactured in large quantities and at low cost.

  In any of the above manufacturing methods, if the needle tip member 14 and both reference members 16 are simultaneously manufactured in the same process, the needle tip member 14 and both reference members can be manufactured using the same mask. Regardless of the overlay accuracy of the member 14 and both reference members 16 and the main body member 12, the positional relationship between the needle tip and the reference portion 42 is constant. As a result, although the needle tip member 14 can be made of a material different from that of the main body member 12, a large number of probes having the same dimensional relationship between the needle tip member 14 and the reference members 16 can be easily and in large quantities. Can be manufactured at a low price.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is a front view which shows the 1st Example of the probe which concerns on this invention. It is a left view of the probe shown in FIG. It is a top view of the probe shown in FIG. It is a bottom view of the probe shown in FIG. It is a front view which shows the 2nd Example of the probe which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating one Example of the manufacturing method of a probe. It is a figure for demonstrating the other Example of the manufacturing method of a probe.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Probe 12 Main body member 14 Needle tip member 16 Reference member 18 Seat part area 20 Arm area 22 Attachment part 24 Extension part 26,32 Connection part 28,30 Arm part 34 Seat part 36 Base part 38 Contact part 40 Reference part 42 Reference part

Claims (6)

  A body member comprising a seat region attached to the support member and an arm region extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the seat region, a needle tip member having a needle tip protruding downward from the tip of the arm region, and the seat At least one reference member having a reference portion protruding upward from the head region, wherein the needle tip member and the reference member are made of the same material and at least different from the seat region. Test probe.   The probe for energization testing according to claim 1, wherein a part of the reference member is embedded in the main body member.   2. The probe for energization testing according to claim 1, wherein the probe includes at least two reference members having the reference portion having the same height level and spaced in the left-right direction.   The probe for energization testing according to claim 2, wherein the reference portion includes a flat upper surface having the same height level.   The probe for energization testing according to claim 1, wherein the needle tip member and the reference member are made of a material harder than the main body member.   The needle tip member includes a base part at least partially embedded in the arm region, a contact part that is pressed against the object to be inspected and that protrudes downward from the base part, and a lateral direction from the contact part. 2. The probe for energization testing according to claim 1, further comprising: a second reference portion that is formed at an interval and is a second reference portion that protrudes downward from the base portion.

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