JP2010038777A - Contact probe and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contact probe for improving electrical contact properties in probing without reducing wear-resistance properties of a contact section and strength against force in a direction orthogonal to a conductive layer, and to provide a manufacturing method of the contact probe. <P>SOLUTION: In the manufacturing method of a contact probe where a plate member laminated on a flat surface is erected vertically for use, a sacrifice layer of which the surface gradually rises as the layer is separated from one end of the plate member is formed at an extension section of one end of the plate member laminated on a flat surface, a conductive layer is formed along the surfaces of the plate member and the sacrifice layer, and the conductive layer is ground so that the layer becomes parallel with the plane of the plate member, and a contact section of which the sectional area gradually decreases toward the tip is formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a contact probe and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly to an improvement of a contact probe formed by stacking conductive layers.

  In general, in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, an electrical characteristic test is performed on an electronic circuit formed on a semiconductor wafer. In such an electrical characteristic test for an inspection object, a contact probe that is brought into contact with an electrode pad on the inspection object to conduct is used. The contact probe is formed, for example, by laminating a plurality of conductive layers and used in a state where it is bonded to a probe substrate.

  FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective views showing a conventional contact probe 100 formed on the probe substrate 200. FIG. FIG. 11A shows the entire contact probe 100, and FIG. 11B shows a contact portion 134 formed at the tip of the beam portion 120. The contact probe 100 includes a beam part 120 in which a contact part 134 for contacting an electrode pad on an object to be inspected is formed and a base part 110 for joining to the probe substrate 200. The contact probe 100 is formed by laminating two outer layers 132 and an inner layer 133 sandwiched between the outer layers 132 as conductive layers 131, and these conductive layers 131 intersect the probe substrate 200. Are arranged as follows. The contact portion 134 is formed by causing the inner layer 133 to protrude from the end surface 132 a of the outer layer 132.

  The probe board 200 is electrically connected to the main board connected to the tester device, and constitutes a probe card together with the main board. At the time of inspection, signals are input / output between the tester device and the inspection object via the contact probes 1 to inspect the electrical characteristics of the inspection object.

  Conventionally, a tip portion made of a conductive material having a hardness higher than that of the contact probe main body is formed on the contact portion 134 of the contact probe, and the tip portion is brought into contact with an inspection object, thereby suppressing wear of the contact portion 134. Techniques are known (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In the contact probe described in Patent Document 1, a tip portion is embedded at the tip of the beam portion, and the entire tip portion is made of a material harder than the main body member. On the other hand, in the contact probe described in Patent Document 2, a tip portion made of a metal harder than the probe main body is attached to the probe main body by adhesion or welding.

  However, the probe of Patent Document 1 in which the entire contact portion is formed of a hard material has a problem in that the manufacturing cost increases because the hard material is more expensive than the main body member. Further, in the probe of Patent Document 2 in which the tip portion formed of a hard metal is attached to the probe body by adhesion or welding, the structure in which the tip portion is attached to the probe body by adhesion or welding is weak against a shearing force parallel to the joint surface. Therefore, there is a problem that the tip portion is easily peeled off from the probe body during probing.

Furthermore, the area of the tip surface 134a of the contact part 134 is determined by the thickness of the contact part in the direction intersecting the conductive layer (stacking direction) and the size in the direction parallel to the conductive layer at the tip of the contact part. As the area is smaller, a contact probe with better electrical contact during probing can be obtained. Therefore, from the viewpoint of improving electrical contact during probing, it is conceivable to reduce the area of the tip surface 134a by reducing the thickness of the contact portion. However, in the probe of Patent Document 1 in which the entire contact portion is formed of a hard material, if the thickness of the contact portion is reduced, the strength of the contact portion with respect to the force in the direction intersecting the conductive layer is reduced, and thus the contact portion is easily damaged. There was a problem that. Further, in the probe of Patent Document 2 in which the tip portion formed of a hard metal is attached to the probe body by adhesion or welding, there is a problem that the tip portion is more easily peeled off when the thickness of the tip portion is reduced.
JP 2006-337080 A JP 2006-300807 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, without increasing the manufacturing cost, and without reducing the wear resistance of the contact portion and the strength against the force in the direction intersecting the conductive layer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a contact probe with improved electrical contact and a method for manufacturing the contact probe.

  A contact probe manufacturing method according to a first aspect of the present invention is a contact probe manufacturing method in which a plate member laminated in a plane is used in an upright position, and is provided at an extension of one end of the plate member laminated in a plane. A sacrificial layer whose surface gradually rises as it moves away from one end of the plate member is formed, a conductive layer is formed along the surface of the plate member and the sacrificial layer, and the conductive layer is parallel to the plane of the plate member. The contact portion is ground so as to be a smooth surface, and a contact portion whose cross-sectional area gradually decreases as it approaches the tip is formed.

  In this manufacturing method, a conductive layer constituting the contact portion is formed using a sacrificial layer whose surface gradually rises as it is away from one end of the plate member, so that the conductive layer becomes a plane parallel to the plane of the plate member. To be ground. According to such a configuration, the contact portion that contacts the object to be inspected can be formed so that the cross-sectional area gradually decreases as it approaches the tip, so the strength of the contact portion with respect to the force in the direction intersecting the conductive layer The electrical contact property during probing can be improved without lowering.

  The manufacturing method of the contact probe according to the second aspect of the present invention is configured such that the sacrificial layer forms a plurality of layers in a stepped manner in addition to the above configuration.

  A contact probe according to a third aspect of the present invention is a contact probe that vertically uses a plate member in which two conductive outer layers and a conductive inner layer sandwiched between these outer layers are laminated in a plane. A contact portion in contact with an object includes a protrusion formed by causing the inner layer to protrude beyond the end surfaces of the two outer layers, and a contact film formed along a side surface of the protrusion and a tip surface of the protrusion. And is configured.

  According to such a configuration, since the contact portion includes the protrusion formed by protruding the inner layer, the side surface of the protrusion, and the contact film formed along the tip surface of the protrusion, contact with the shearing force is achieved. The strength of the part can be improved.

  The contact probe according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is configured such that, in addition to the above configuration, the contact film is made of a conductive material having a hardness higher than that of the inner layer. According to such a configuration, the entire contact portion is not formed of a conductive material having high hardness, but the contact portion is formed along the protruding portion, the side surface of the protruding portion, and the front end surface of the protruding portion. Therefore, the electrical contact property during probing can be improved without increasing the manufacturing cost and without reducing the wear resistance of the contact portion.

  According to the contact probe and the manufacturing method thereof according to the present invention, the contact portion that comes into contact with the object to be inspected can be formed so that the cross-sectional area gradually decreases as it approaches the tip. The electrical contact property at the time of probing can be improved without reducing the strength of the contact portion with respect to. In addition, since the contact portion includes a protrusion formed by protruding the inner layer, a side surface of the protrusion, and a contact film formed along the tip end surface of the protrusion, the strength of the contact portion against shearing force is improved. be able to. In addition, the entire contact portion is not formed of a conductive material having high hardness, but the contact portion is formed of a protruding portion, and a contact film formed along the side surface of the protruding portion and the front end surface of the protruding portion. Therefore, the electrical contact property during probing can be improved without increasing the manufacturing cost and without reducing the wear resistance of the contact portion.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing an example of a contact probe 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 1A shows the entire contact probe 1, and FIG. 1B shows a contact portion 4 formed at the tip of the beam portion 3.

  The contact probe 1 includes a beam portion 3 in which a contact portion 4 that contacts an electrode pad on an object to be inspected is formed, and a base portion 2 for joining to a probe substrate.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the contact probe 1 is formed by laminating a plurality of conductive layers 11. In other words, the contact probe 1 is a contact probe that uses plate members stacked in a plane vertically on a probe substrate.

  In this example, the contact probe 1 is formed by stacking three conductive layers 11 including two outer layers 12 facing each other and one inner layer 13 sandwiched between these outer layers 12. Here, a direction intersecting with the conductive layer 11 is referred to as a stacking direction.

  The two outer layers 12 may be formed of the same conductive material, or may be formed of different conductive materials. The inner layer 13 may be formed of the same conductive material as that of the outer layers 12, or may be formed of a different conductive material.

  The contact portion 4 is a structure that comes into contact with the inspection object, and is formed by projecting the inner layer 13 beyond the end faces 12a of the two outer layers 12 toward the inspection object.

  The front end portion of the contact portion 4 is thinner in the stacking direction than the inner layer 13 and has a convex shape when viewed from the direction intersecting the stacking direction.

  Further, the contact portion 4 is formed so that the length in the direction intersecting the stacking direction, that is, the width becomes narrower as the distance from the end surface 12a of the outer layer 12 increases. That is, the contact portion 4 has an isosceles trapezoidal shape when viewed from the stacking direction.

  2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing a configuration example at the tip of the beam portion 3 of the contact probe 1 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2A shows A1-A1 parallel to the stacking direction. A cross section is shown, and FIG. 2B shows an A2-A2 cross section perpendicular to the stacking direction.

  The contact portion 4 includes a projecting portion 13a formed by projecting the inner layer 13 from the end faces 12a of the two outer layers 12 toward the inspection object, and a contact film 14 made of a conductive material having a hardness higher than that of the inner layer 13. Composed.

  The contact film 14 is formed in parallel with the inner layer 13 along the side surface of the protruding portion 13 a and is a film thinner than the inner layer 13. The contact film 14 is formed so as to protrude from the tip end surface 13c of the protruding portion 13a toward the inspection object.

  Specifically, the contact film 14 extends along one side surface of the projecting portion 13a and extends along the tip surface 13c of the projecting portion 13a, and the inspection object is formed from the end portion of the creeping portion 14a. The tip part 14b protruded toward the end part and the extension part 14d extending along the other side surface of the protrusion part 13a, and a part thereof is adjacent to the tip part 14b.

  The creeping portion 14a and the tip portion 14b are formed as a single continuous film. Here, the contact film 14 is made of a conductive material whose hardness is higher than that of the inner layer 13, for example, ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir). It shall be formed from a conductive material containing at least one element among the elements.

  In the tip portion 14b, the thickness a2 in the stacking direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2A) is thinner than the thickness a1 of other portions in the contact portion 4 (a2 <a1). That is, the entire protruding portion B2 protruding from each end surface 12a of the two outer layers 12 is not thinned, but only the thickness a2 of the tip end portion 14b protruding from the tip end surface 13c of the protruding portion 13a is reduced to make the contact portion 4 It is formed.

  By configuring in this way, the entire contact portion 4 is not formed from a conductive material having high hardness, but the contact portion 4 is formed from the protruding portion 13a and the contact film 14 formed along the side surface of the protruding portion 13a. Since it is formed, the wear resistance of the contact portion 4 can be improved without increasing the manufacturing cost. In particular, since the contact film 14 formed so as to protrude from the tip end surface 13c of the protruding portion 13a toward the inspection object is formed in parallel with the inner layer 13 along the side surface of the protruding portion 13a, it intersects the conductive layer 11. It is possible to make the contact film 14 made of a conductive material having a high hardness against the shearing force in the direction of peeling difficult to peel off.

  Further, since the contact portion 4 is formed by causing the contact film 14 thinner than the inner layer 13 to protrude from the tip end surface 13c of the protrusion 13a, the strength of the contact portion 4 against the force in the direction intersecting the conductive layer 11 is reduced. Therefore, the electrical contact at the time of probing can be improved. In particular, since the thickness a2 of the tip end portion 14b in the stacking direction is thinner than the thickness a1 of the other portion of the contact portion 4, the contact surface pressure when contacting the inspection object can be increased.

  In this example, the contact film 14 further includes an end surface covering portion 14c formed along both opposing end surfaces 13b of the protruding portion 13a, and the creeping surface portion 14a, the tip end portion 14b, and the end surface covering portion 14c are It is formed as a continuous single film.

  Further, it is assumed that a part of the creeping portion 14a or the extending portion 14d of the contact film 14 is sandwiched between the outer layer 12 and the inner layer 13, respectively. As described above, by sandwiching a part of the contact film 14 between the outer layer 12 and the inner layer 13, the rigidity of the contact portion 4 can be improved.

  In this example, a part of the creeping portion 14 a and the extending portion 14 d is sandwiched between the outer layer 12 and the inner layer 13, so that an overlapping region B 1 overlapping the two outer layers 12 is formed in the contact film 14. That is, the creeping portion 14a of the contact film 14 is sandwiched between the upper outer layer 12 and the inner layer 13 in the overlapping region B1, and the extending portion 14d is sandwiched between the lower outer layer 12 and the inner layer 13.

  In addition, the width of the contact film 14 in the overlapping region B1 is the same as the width on the end surface 12a of the outer layer 12 of the contact portion 4.

  The tip portion 14b is formed such that, for example, the height from the tip surface 13c of the protruding portion 13a is lower than the height of the protruding portion 13a from the end surface 12a of the outer layer 12 in the direction perpendicular to the stacking direction. The At the time of inspection, the contact probe 1 and the object to be inspected move relative to each other in the direction intersecting the stacking direction, so that the entire front end surface of the end portion 14b comes into contact with the electrode pad of the object to be inspected.

  As described later, the contact film 14 described above is formed by electroplating in the step of forming the contact probe 1 by laminating the conductive layer 11. Therefore, in the contact film 14 formed in this way, the thickness of the extending portion extending along the boundary surface between the outer layer 12 and the inner layer 13 is substantially the same as the thickness of the tip portion 14b.

  However, in the step of forming the contact probe 1 described later, after forming a conductive thin film by electroplating, the upper end surface 14b is formed by grinding the upper surface of the thin film. Therefore, it is easy to make the thickness of the tip end portion 14b thinner than the thickness of the extending portion by adjusting the grinding amount.

  3-6 is a figure which showed an example of the process of forming the contact part 4 in the contact probe 1 of FIG. FIG. 3A shows a contact probe forming substrate 10 on which a sacrificial layer 17 is formed. When the contact portion 4 of the contact probe 1 is formed, first, a sacrificial layer 17 made of a conductive material different from the conductive layer 11 such as copper (Cu) is formed on the substrate 10 formed of silicon or the like. .

  FIG. 3B shows a substrate 10 in which a resist layer 18 is formed on the sacrificial layer 17 in FIG. 3A and the outer layer 12 is formed on the removed portion of the resist layer 18. After the sacrificial layer 17 is formed, a photoresist made of a photosensitive organic material is applied on the sacrificial layer 17 to form a resist layer 18. Then, the resist layer 18 is partially removed by selectively exposing the surface of the resist layer 18.

  Thus, the outer layer 12 which is the 1st conductive layer 11 is formed in the part from which the resist layer 18 was removed by electroplating.

  FIG. 3 (c) shows the substrate 10 from which the resist layer 18 of FIG. 3 (b) has been completely removed. After the formation of the outer layer 12, the resist layer 18 is completely removed.

  FIG. 3D shows a substrate 10 in which a sacrificial layer 19 is formed on the sacrificial layer 17 and the outer layer 12 of FIG. 3C and the surface of the sacrificial layer 19 is ground until the outer layer 12 is exposed. . A sacrificial layer 19 is formed on the sacrificial layer 17 and the outer layer 12 exposed by removing the resist layer 18 by electroplating. The sacrificial layer 19 is formed at least on the inspection object side with respect to the outer layer 12, and after the sacrificial layer 19 is formed, the surface of the sacrificial layer 19 is ground until the surface of the outer layer 12 is completely exposed. By this surface grinding, a flat surface composed of the outer layer 12 and the sacrificial layer 19 is formed.

  FIG. 4A shows a substrate 10 in which a resist layer 20 is formed on the outer layer 12 and the sacrificial layer 19 in FIG. 3D, and a sacrificial layer 21 is formed on the removed portion of the resist layer 20. Has been. On the smoothed outer layer 12 and sacrificial layer 19, a photoresist is applied to form a resist layer 20.

  Then, by selectively exposing the surface of the resist layer 20, the resist layer 20 in a region not facing the outer layer 12 is removed. A sacrificial layer 21 is formed on the portion where the resist layer 20 has been removed by electroplating.

  FIG. 4B shows the substrate 10 from which the resist layer 20 of FIG. 4A has been completely removed. After the formation of the sacrificial layer 21, the resist layer 20 is completely removed, and a pedestal composed of the sacrificial layer 21 for forming the tip end portion 14b is formed.

  FIG. 4C shows the substrate 10 in which a sacrificial layer 22 is further formed on the sacrificial layer 21 of FIG. After the formation of the sacrificial layer 21, a sacrificial layer 22 serving as a pedestal for forming the distal end portion 14b is further formed on the sacrificial layer 21 in the same manner as in FIGS. By these sacrificial layers 21 and 22, a step-like sacrificial layer having two steps toward the inspection object side is formed on the sacrificial layer 19.

  That is, in the steps from FIG. 3D to FIG. 4C, one end of the plate member laminated in a plane as the sacrificial layers 19, 21, and 22 formed by forming a plurality of layers in a stepped shape. In this extension portion, a sacrificial layer whose surface gradually rises with increasing distance from one end of the plate member is formed. By forming such a step-like sacrificial layer having at least two steps so that the floor becomes higher as the distance from the tip surface 13c of the protruding portion 13a increases, a sacrificial layer whose surface gradually rises can be configured. .

  FIG. 4D shows the substrate 10 from which a part of the resist layer 23 formed on the outer layer 12 and the sacrificial layers 19, 21, and 22 of FIG. 4C has been removed. Photoresist is applied again on the outer layer 12 and the sacrificial layers 19, 21, and 22 exposed by removing the resist layer to form a resist layer 23. Then, by selectively exposing the surface of the resist layer 23, a part of the resist layer 23 is removed. In this example, the end of the sacrificial layer 22 on the outer layer 12 side, the sacrificial layer 21 between the sacrificial layers 22 and 19, the sacrificial layer 19 between the sacrificial layer 21 and the outer layer 12, and the end of the outer layer 12 on the sacrificial layer 22 side. The resist layer 23 in the region facing the portion is removed.

  FIG. 4E shows the substrate 10 in which the conductive thin film 24 is formed in the portion where the resist layer 23 of FIG. 4D is removed. A conductive thin film 24 which becomes a part of the contact film 14 is formed by electroplating in the portion where the resist layer 23 is removed. That is, the process of FIG. 4E is a process of forming the thin film 24 as a conductive layer to be a contact film along the plate member and the sacrificial layers 19, 21, and 22 stacked in a plane. The thin film 24 formed in this way has a bent shape including a portion extending along the upper surface of the sacrificial layer 22 in addition to the portion constituting the tip portion 14b.

  FIG. 5A shows the substrate 10 from which the resist layer 23 of FIG. 4E has been completely removed. After the formation of the thin film 24, the resist layer 23 is completely removed, and the periphery of the thin film 24 is exposed.

  5B, a resist layer 25 is formed on the outer layer 12, the sacrificial layers 19, 22 and the thin film 24 of FIG. 5A, and a conductive layer as the inner layer 13 is formed on the removed portion of the resist layer 25. A substrate 10 with 26 formed thereon is shown. Photoresist is applied again on the outer layer 12, the sacrificial layers 19, 22 and the thin film 24 exposed by removing the resist layer 23, thereby forming a resist layer 25.

  Then, by selectively exposing the surface of the resist layer 25, the resist layer 25 in a region facing the outer layer 12 and the thin film 24 is removed. On the outer layer 12 and the thin film 24 exposed by removing the resist layer 25, a conductive layer 26 as the inner layer 13 is formed by electroplating.

  FIG. 5C shows the substrate 10 in which the surfaces of the resist layer 25 and the conductive layer 26 in FIG. 5B are ground until the sacrificial layer 22 is exposed. After the conductive layer 26 is formed, the surface of the resist layer 25 and the conductive layer 26 is ground until the surface of the sacrificial layer 22 is completely exposed, whereby the inner layer 13 is laminated on the first outer layer 12. Formed as. That is, the process of FIG. 5C is a process of grinding the thin film 24 so as to be a plane parallel to the plane of the plate member laminated on the plane.

  FIG. 5D shows the substrate 10 from which the resist layer 25 of FIG. 5C has been completely removed. After the inner layer 13 is formed, the resist layer 25 is completely removed.

  FIG. 5E shows a substrate 10 in which a contact film 14 is formed by forming a conductive thin film on the inner layer 13 and the thin film 24 in FIG. After the removal of the resist layer 25, a conductive thin film is formed on the inner layer 13 and the thin film 24 in the same manner as in FIGS. 4D, 4E, and 5A, and the contact film 14 is formed.

  6A, a resist layer 27 is formed on the inner layer 13, the sacrificial layers 19, 22 and the contact film 14 in FIG. 5E, and the outer layer 12 is formed on the removed portion of the resist layer 27. In FIG. A substrate 10 is shown. Photoresist is applied again on the inner layer 13, the sacrificial layers 19 and 22, and the contact film 14 after the contact film 14 is formed, and a resist layer 27 is formed.

  Then, by selectively exposing the surface of the resist layer 27, the resist layer 27 in a region facing the first outer layer 12 is removed. The outer layer 12 that is the third conductive layer 11 is formed by electroplating in the portion where the resist layer 27 is removed.

  FIG. 6B shows the substrate 10 from which the resist layer 27 of FIG. 6A has been completely removed. When the resist layer 27 is removed from the structure thus formed and the sacrificial layers 22, 21, 19 and 17 are removed, the contact probe 1 as shown in FIG. 1B is completed. By forming the contact film 14 using the step-like sacrificial layer having at least two steps in this way, the contact portion 4 that gradually decreases in cross-sectional area as it approaches the tip can be formed.

  According to the present embodiment, the entire contact portion 4 is not formed of a conductive material having high hardness, but the contact portion 4 is formed from the protruding portion 13a and the contact film 14 formed along the side surface of the protruding portion 13a. Since it is formed, the wear resistance of the contact portion 4 can be improved without increasing the manufacturing cost. In particular, since the contact film 14 formed so as to protrude from the tip end surface 13c of the protruding portion 13a toward the inspection object is formed in parallel with the inner layer 13 along the side surface of the protruding portion 13a, it intersects the conductive layer 11. It is possible to make the contact film 14 made of a conductive material having a high hardness against the shearing force in the direction of peeling difficult to peel off. Further, since the contact portion 4 is formed by causing the contact film 14 thinner than the inner layer 13 to protrude from the tip end surface 13c of the protrusion 13a, the strength of the contact portion 4 against the force in the direction intersecting the conductive layer 11 is reduced. Therefore, the electrical contact at the time of probing can be improved.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the first embodiment, in the step of forming the contact portion 4 of the contact probe 1 by laminating the conductive layer 11, the sacrificial layers 21 and 22 for forming the tip portion 14b of the contact film 14 and the inner layer 13 are formed. The example in the case of forming the resist layer 25 for the purpose separately has been described. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a case where a common sacrificial layer for forming the tip portion 14b and the inner layer 13 is formed will be described.

  7 and 8 are views showing an example of a process for forming the contact portion 4 of the contact probe 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7A shows the substrate 10 in which a resist layer 30 is formed on the outer layer 12 and the sacrificial layer 19 and a part of the resist layer 30 is removed as a continuation of FIG.

  A photoresist is applied on the smooth outer layer 12 and the sacrificial layer 19 to form a resist layer 30.

  When the surface of the resist layer 30 is selectively exposed, only the region other than the region corresponding to the inner layer 13 including the protruding portion 13a is exposed, and the resist layer 30 in that region is removed. .

  FIG. 7B shows the substrate 10 in which the sacrificial layer 31 is formed on the portion where the resist layer 30 of FIG. 7A is removed. On the sacrificial layer 19 exposed by removing the resist layer 30, a sacrificial layer 31 is laminated by electroplating.

  FIG. 7C shows the substrate 10 from which the resist layer 30 of FIG. 7B has been completely removed. After the formation of the sacrificial layer 31, the resist layer 30 is completely removed, and a space having a shape corresponding to the inner layer 13 is formed on the outer layer 12.

  FIG. 7D shows the substrate 10 in which a space having a shape corresponding to the distal end portion 14b is formed after the space having a shape corresponding to the inner layer 13 in FIG. 7C is formed. After the formation of the space corresponding to the inner layer 13, the sacrificial layer 32 is formed in the same manner as in FIGS. 7A and 7B, and the space corresponding to the tip end portion 14 b is formed on the sacrificial layer 31. .

  In FIG. 7E, a resist layer 33 is formed on the outer layer 12 and the sacrificial layers 19, 31 and 32 after the formation of the space corresponding to the tip portion 14b of FIG. The substrate 10 is shown with a portion removed. After the space having the shape corresponding to the tip end portion 14b is formed, a photoresist is applied again on the exposed outer layer 12 and the sacrificial layers 19, 31 and 32, and a resist layer 33 is formed. A part of the resist layer 33 is removed by selectively exposing the surface of the resist layer 33. In this example, the exposed sacrificial layer 19, the end of the outer layer 12 positioned on both sides of the exposed portion of the sacrificial layer 19 and the exposed portion of the sacrificial layer 31, and the end of the sacrificial layer 32 on the outer layer 12 side. The resist layer 33 in the region facing the part is removed.

  FIG. 8A shows the substrate 10 in which the conductive thin film 34 is formed on the portion where the resist layer 33 of FIG. 7E is removed. A conductive thin film 34 that becomes a part of the contact film 14 is formed by electroplating in the portion where the resist layer 33 is removed. The thin film 34 formed in this way has a bent shape including a portion extending along the upper surface of the sacrificial layer 32 in addition to the portion constituting the tip portion 14b.

  FIG. 8B shows the substrate 10 from which the resist layer 33 of FIG. 8A has been completely removed. After the formation of the thin film 34, the resist layer 33 is completely removed, and the periphery of the thin film 34 is exposed.

  FIG. 8C shows the substrate 10 in which the conductive layer 35 is formed on the outer layer 12, the sacrificial layer 32, and the thin film 34 of FIG. 8B. On the outer layer 12, the sacrificial layer 32, and the thin film 34 exposed by removing the resist layer 33, a conductive layer 35 as the inner layer 13 is formed by electroplating.

  FIG. 8D shows the substrate 10 in which the surface of the conductive layer 35 in FIG. 8C is ground until the sacrificial layer 32 is exposed. After the formation of the conductive layer 35, the inner layer 13 is formed as the conductive layer 11 laminated on the first outer layer 12 by grinding the surface of the conductive layer 35 until the surface of the sacrificial layer 32 is completely exposed. .

  After the inner layer 13 is formed in this way, a conductive thin film is formed on the inner layer 13 and the thin film 34 in the same manner as shown in FIG. 5E, and the contact film 14 is formed. Then, a resist layer is formed on the exposed inner layer 13, contact film 14 and sacrificial layer 32, and the surface of the resist layer is selectively exposed, whereby a resist layer in a region facing the first outer layer 12. Is removed. Thereafter, an outer layer 12 which is the third conductive layer 11 is formed by electroplating in the portion where the resist layer has been removed.

  When the resist layer is removed from the structure thus formed and the sacrificial layers 32, 31, 19 and 17 are removed, the contact probe 1 as shown in FIG. 1B is completed.

  In the first and second embodiments, an example has been described in which the contact film 14 is formed so as to sandwich the protruding portion 13a in the stacking direction and also sandwiched in a direction intersecting the stacking direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The contact film 14 only needs to be formed on the protrusion 13a so as to wrap around the tip surface 13c from at least one side surface intersecting the stacking direction. For example, the contact film 14 wraps around the tip surface 13c. The contact film 14 may not be formed on the side surface opposite to the side on which it is present. That is, the present invention includes a contact probe in which the contact film 14 is not formed on the upper side surface of the protruding portion 13a by omitting the process shown in FIG.

  In the first and second embodiments, the example in which the contact film 14 is formed along the side surface of the protruding portion 13a formed by protruding the inner layer 13 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. is not. For example, the contact portion is formed by gradually reducing the thickness of the protruding portion itself formed by protruding a part of the inner layer toward the inspection object from the end surface of the outer layer toward the inspection object. It may be a thing.

  9 and 10 are views showing an example of a process for forming a contact portion of a contact probe according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 9A to 9E are diagrams showing steps until the outer layer 40 and the conductive film 44 constituting the protruding portion are formed on the contact probe forming substrate 10 on which the sacrificial layer 17 is formed. is there.

  FIG. 9A shows the substrate 10 in which the outer layer 40 is formed on the sacrificial layer 17. After the formation of the sacrificial layer 17, an outer layer 12 having a predetermined shape, which is the first conductive layer 11, is formed by electroplating.

  FIG. 9B shows the substrate 10 in which the sacrificial layer 41 is formed on the sacrificial layer 17 and the outer layer 40 of FIG. 9A and the surface of the sacrificial layer 41 is ground until the outer layer 40 is exposed. . A sacrificial layer 41 is formed on the sacrificial layer 17 and the outer layer 40 by electroplating. The sacrificial layer 41 is formed at least on the inspection object side with respect to the outer layer 40. After the sacrificial layer 41 is formed, the surface of the sacrificial layer 41 is ground until the surface of the outer layer 40 is completely exposed. By this surface grinding, a flat surface composed of the outer layer 40 and the sacrificial layer 41 is formed.

  FIG. 9C shows the substrate 10 in which the sacrificial layer 42 is formed on the sacrificial layer 41 in FIG. 9B. The sacrificial layer 42 is formed on the sacrificial layer 41 through the same steps as in FIGS. FIG. 9D shows the substrate 10 in which a sacrificial layer 43 is formed on the sacrificial layer 42 in FIG. The sacrificial layer 43 is formed on the sacrificial layer 42 through the same steps as in FIGS. By these sacrificial layers 42 and 43, a stepped sacrificial layer having two steps toward the inspection object side is formed on the sacrificial layer 41.

  FIG. 9E shows the substrate 10 in which a conductive film 44 is formed on the outer layer 40 and the sacrificial layers 41, 42, and 43 of FIG. 9D. The conductive film 44 is formed on the outer layer 40 and the sacrificial layers 41, 42, and 43 through the same steps as those in FIGS. 7 (e) and 8 (a). The conductive film 44 formed in this way constitutes a protruding portion that is formed to protrude from the end surface of the outer layer 40 toward the inspection object. Here, it is assumed that the thickness of the conductive film 44 is thicker than the total thickness of the sacrificial layers 42 and 43.

  FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing steps from the formation of the conductive film 44 to the formation of the outer layer 46 on the side opposite to the outer layer 40. In FIG. 10A, after forming the conductive layer 45 which becomes a part of the inner layer on the outer layer 40 and the conductive film 44, the surfaces of the conductive layer 45 and the conductive film 44 are ground until the sacrificial layer 43 is exposed. A substrate 10 is shown.

  After the formation of the conductive layer 45, the surface of the conductive layer 45 and the conductive film 44 is ground until the surface of the sacrificial layer 43 is completely exposed, whereby the second conductive layer stacked on the first outer layer 40 is formed. As a result, an inner layer having a predetermined shape composed of the conductive film 44 and the conductive layer 45 is formed. At this time, the conductive layer 45 is completely removed from the conductive film 44.

  FIG. 10B shows the substrate 10 in which the outer layer 46 is formed as the third conductive layer on the conductive layer 45 and the conductive film 44 in FIG.

  In this way, by using the step-like sacrificial layers 42 and 43 having two steps toward the inspection object side, a contact portion in which the thickness of the protrusion itself is gradually reduced toward the inspection object is formed. can do.

It is the perspective view which showed an example of the contact probe 1 by Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example at the tip of a beam section 3 of the contact probe 1 of FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a process for forming a contact portion 4 in the contact probe 1 of FIG. 1, showing a process until a first outer layer 12 is formed on a substrate 10. It is the figure which showed an example of the process of forming the contact part 4 in the contact probe 1 of FIG. 1, and the process until the electroconductive thin film 24 is formed is shown. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a process for forming a contact portion 4 in the contact probe 1 of FIG. 1, showing a process until a contact film 14 is formed. It is the figure which showed an example of the process of forming the contact part 4 in the contact probe 1 of FIG. 1, and the process until the 3rd outer layer 12 is formed is shown. It is the figure which showed an example of the process of forming the contact part 4 of the contact probe 1 by Embodiment 2 of this invention, and the process after grinding of the sacrificial layer 19 surface is shown. It is the figure which showed an example of the process of forming the contact part 4 of the contact probe 1 by Embodiment 2 of this invention, and the process until the inner layer 13 is formed is shown. It is the figure which showed an example of the process of forming the contact part of the contact probe by other embodiment of this invention, and the process until the electrically conductive film 44 is formed is shown. It is the figure which showed an example of the process of forming the contact part of the contact probe by other embodiment of this invention, and the process until the outer layer 46 is formed is shown. 2 is a perspective view showing a conventional contact probe 100 formed on a probe substrate 200. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Contact probe 2 Base part 3 Beam part 4 Contact part 11 Conductive layer 12 Outer layer 12a End surface 13 Inner layer 13a Protruding part 13b End face 13c End face 14 Contact film 14a Creeping part 14b End part 14c End face covering part 14d Extending part B1 Overlapping area B2 Protruding portion

Claims (4)

A method of manufacturing a contact probe that uses a plate member laminated on a plane in an upright position,
A sacrificial layer whose surface gradually rises with increasing distance from one end of the plate member is formed on an extension of one end of the plate member laminated in a plane,
Forming a conductive layer along the surface of the plate member and the sacrificial layer;
A method of manufacturing a contact probe, wherein the conductive layer is ground so as to be parallel to a plane of the plate member, and a contact portion whose cross-sectional area gradually decreases toward the tip is formed.   The contact probe manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the sacrificial layer has a plurality of layers formed stepwise. In a contact probe that uses two conductive outer layers and a plate member in which a conductive inner layer sandwiched between these outer layers is stacked in a plane, and is used vertically,
The contact portion that comes into contact with the object to be inspected is a protrusion formed by protruding the inner layer from the end surfaces of the two outer layers,
A contact probe comprising: a side surface of the protruding portion; and a contact film formed along a tip end surface of the protruding portion.   The contact probe according to claim 3, wherein the contact film is made of a conductive material having a hardness higher than that of the inner layer.

Images