JP2010091541A - Probe assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a probe assembly which facilitates simultaneous inspection of a plurality of chips of LSIs having narrow pitches and multiple pins. <P>SOLUTION: The probe assembly is employed for performing circuit inspection of semiconductor chips by using a resin film bonded with metallic foil, etching the metallic foil and forming on the resin film a conductive part comprising a probe, laminating a plurality of such resin films provided with probes, and bringing tips of the probes into contact with the electrode pads of the semiconductor chips collectively. In the probe assembly, the plurality of resin films with the probes are laminated, each of which has a plurality of probe structure sections comprising spring deformation sections and arranged on one resin film with a probe at positions where mutual interference does not occur, in the x direction (direction of pad arrangement) and in the z direction (direction perpendicular to the semiconductor chip surfaces) inside the resin film surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a probe assembly of a prober apparatus used for circuit inspection of a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on a semiconductor wafer in a manufacturing process of an electronic device such as an LSI. In particular, the present invention relates to a probe assembly of a prober apparatus used for a probing test in which a probe is brought into contact with a circuit terminal (pad) arranged on a semiconductor chip in a wafer state and the electrical continuity of the semiconductor chip is collectively measured.

  With the advancement of semiconductor technology, the degree of integration of electronic devices has improved, and the number of circuit terminals (pads) on each semiconductor chip has increased, and along with that, the pad area has been reduced by reducing the pad area and the pad pitch. Miniaturization is progressing.

  On the other hand, even in a probe card used for inspecting a semiconductor circuit by electrically connecting pads on the semiconductor circuit by a probe group (probe), the number of pads on the semiconductor chip is increased, the pad area is reduced, and the pad pitch is reduced. In order to cope with this trend, the density of probe arrays has been increased.

(General configuration of probe card)
Generally, a probe card is a central part of a printed wiring board having a standard rough pitch land or through-hole for connection with an inspection device in the periphery as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-075503. In order to arrange the probe assembly arranged in a narrow pitch and convert the high-density wiring near the probe assembly into a standard coarse pitch pad or through-hole around the common wiring board, a flexible flat cable or the like is used. Is connected through.

(Example of probe with resin film)
Further, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-279209, a probe assembly is made of a resin film to which a copper alloy foil is bonded, and the copper alloy foil is etched to probe on the resin film. And a conductive part including the output terminal part, and a plurality of the probes with the resin film are laminated, and the output terminal parts are shifted at a rough pitch when the probes with the resin film are laminated. Each resin film is formed. As a result, it is possible to connect to a printed wiring board with a somewhat rough pitch even in the vicinity of the probe assembly while being compatible with a narrow pitch pad of LSI, which contributes to the improvement of the probing test function.

(Need for simultaneous measurement of multiple chips)
On the other hand, shortening of LSI inspection time is required in accordance with the demand for lower LSI cost. Therefore, a prober device capable of simultaneously measuring a plurality of adjacent LSI chips on the same wafer has been developed, and has already been partially put into practical use mainly in the field of memory LSIs having a relatively coarse pad pitch.

(LCD driver LSI with advanced pitch)
Currently, the LSI having the narrowest pitch pad and having a large number of pins is an LSI mainly used for driving a liquid crystal panel (hereinafter referred to as an LCD driver LSI). LSIs with more than 500 pins with a pad pitch of about 30 μm have been developed. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the pad arrangement also depends on the number of pins (a) only two opposite sides, (b) four peripheral sides, (c) four peripheral sides, and one of them is Some are arranged in a staggered pattern to support multiple pins.

(Current status of LCD driver LSI measurement)
As shown in FIG. 10, an electrical measurement method on the LCD driver LSI wafer includes a probe assembly 91 in which a machined cantilever is arranged and fixed so as to correspond to pads around the LSI to be measured. A probe card is used that is arranged in the approximate center of the common wiring board 92 and wired from each probe to a common pad 94 arranged around the common wiring board 92 via a flexible flat cable 93 or the like.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-075503 JP 2007-279209 A

  However, in the cantilever type probe assembly having the above-described configuration, a mounting area for wiring is required in the periphery of one LSI to be measured, and particularly in the periphery 4 as shown in FIGS. It is difficult to measure a plurality of chips arranged on the side at the same time.

  In addition, in the probe with a resin film as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-279209, the probe assembly method in which one LSI chip is arranged at the periphery of the probe is further improved for simultaneous measurement of a plurality of chips. There arises a problem that it is necessary to increase the density of the probe pins.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. In a prober apparatus using a probe assembly developed in response to a narrow pitch of pads on a semiconductor chip, the advantage of the probe with a resin film is obtained. By applying and efficiently responding to the LSI pad array composed of adjacent narrow pitch and multiple pins, we provide an inexpensive probe assembly that facilitates simultaneous measurement of multiple LSIs and shortens LSI inspection time The purpose is to contribute.

  The present invention uses a resin film to which a metal foil is bonded, etching the metal foil to form a conductive part including a probe on the resin film, and laminating a plurality of the resin films with the probe to form a semiconductor chip In the probe assembly for performing the circuit inspection of the semiconductor chip by bringing the tip of the probe into contact with the electrode pads at once, the probe structure part including a plurality of spring deformation parts on the one resin film with the probe, A configuration in which a plurality of the resin films with the probe arranged in positions that do not interfere with each other in the x direction (pad arrangement direction) and the z direction (direction perpendicular to the semiconductor chip surface) in the xyz orthogonal coordinate system in the resin film surface; Probe assembly.

  The resin film with a probe is a probe assembly configured to have the probe on one end side and an output terminal connected to an inspection apparatus on the other end side.

  The output terminal portion is a probe assembly configured to be formed on each resin film so that the arrangement positions thereof are shifted at substantially equal pitches when the probes with resin film are laminated.

  In the probe assembly, the plurality of probe structures on the same resin film and the conductive portion including the output terminal are electrically insulated from each other.

  The spring deformed portions of the plurality of probe structures on the same resin film have substantially the same shape, the vertical probes extended from the spring deformed portions have different shapes, and the tips of the respective vertical probes are arranged with respect to the z direction. It is a probe assembly configured to be arranged at substantially the same position.

  Among the plurality of vertical probes on the same resin film, the tip position of at least one vertical probe is set to another probe in the y direction (direction perpendicular to the resin film surface, that is, the stacking direction) from the tip position of the other vertical probe. The probe assembly has a configuration in which a conductive portion in the vicinity of a probe structure including a vertical probe and a resin film are displaced so as to have a phase difference by a y-direction distance between a corresponding pad and an adjacent pad. The above x, y, and z form a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system.

  The tip of the vertical probe is a probe assembly configured to be held by a guide hole and to be regulated in position.

  In the probe assembly, the probe structure is a cantilever structure or a parallel spring structure including a plurality of substantially parallel beams.

  According to the prober apparatus of the present invention, the probe structure including a plurality of spring deformation portions on one of the resin films with a probe is in the x direction (pad array direction) and the z direction (semiconductor chip surface) in the resin film surface. Since the probe assembly is configured by laminating a plurality of the resin films with the probe arranged at positions that do not interfere with each other in the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction), an arbitrary set over a plurality of adjacent LSI chip pads It is possible to cope with a resin film with a probe, and it is possible to simultaneously measure a plurality of chips of a narrow pitch and multi-pin LSI.

(First embodiment)
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a probe assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a front view of a pair of resin films with a probe constituting the probe assembly corresponding to the y-direction pad arrangement in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the probe assembly 1 corresponding to the x-direction pad arrangement in FIG. The front view of a pair of resin film with a probe is shown.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a set of simultaneous measurement LSIs of LSIs to be inspected 101, 102, and 103 that are in contact with each other. 113, 114, 123, 124, 133, 134. This embodiment exemplifies the three-chip simultaneous measurement in FIG. 9B.

  2 is a probe assembly A1 corresponding to the y-direction pad array groups 111, 112 and 121, and 3 is a probe assembly A2 corresponding to the y-direction pad array groups 122, 131 and 132. Reference numeral 4 denotes a probe assembly B1 corresponding to the x-direction pad array groups 113, 123 and 133, and reference numeral 5 denotes a probe assembly B2 (not shown in FIG. 1) corresponding to the x-direction pad array groups 114, 124 and 134.

  These probe assemblies A 1, A 2, B 1, and B 2 are arranged so as to correspond to the pad arrangement of the LSIs 111 to 134 to be inspected, and are fixed by support rods 81 to constitute the probe assembly 1.

  Details of each of the resin films with a probe constituting the probe assemblies A1, A2, B1, and B2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  2 and 5, 200 is a front view of an arbitrary resin film with a probe constituting the probe assembly A1, and 300 is a front view of an arbitrary resin film with a probe constituting the probe assembly A2. The resin film with a probe 200 is obtained by bonding a metal foil (for example, a copper foil such as beryllium copper or an alloy foil containing gold or silver) on a resin film 201 (for example, polyimide resin) and etching the metal foil. Thus, the conductive portions 210, 220, and 230 are formed. A probe structure 211 is formed on one end side of the conductive portion 210 by the same etching process. In the present embodiment, a configuration is shown in which a probe deforming section 211 has a spring deformed portion with substantially parallel beams 212 and 213, and a vertical probe 214 projects from the tip thereof. On the other hand, the other end side has an output terminal portion 215 that is connected to a common wiring board, and enables electrical connection to an inspection apparatus.

  Further, each of the conductive portions 220 and 230 similarly has probe structure portions 221 and 231 on one end side, and has substantially parallel beams 222, 223 and 232 and 233 which are spring deformed portions, and vertical probes 224 and 234 at the tips thereof. . On the other hand, output terminal portions 225 and 235 connected to the common wiring board are provided on the other end side. The conductive portions 210, 220, and 230 are electrically independent from each other.

  The resin film with probe 300 has a shape that is substantially symmetrical to the resin film with probe 200, and the configuration is the same as that of the resin film with probe 200, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  3, 400 is a front view of an arbitrary resin film with a probe constituting the probe assembly B1, and 500 is a front view of an arbitrary resin film with a probe constituting the probe assembly B2. The resin film with probe 400 forms a conductive portion 410 by bonding a metal foil (for example, beryllium copper) on a resin film 401 (for example, polyimide resin) and etching the metal foil. A probe structure portion 411 is formed on one end side of the conductive portion 410 in the same etching process. In the present embodiment, a configuration is shown in which the probe structure portion 411 has a spring deformed portion by substantially parallel beams 412 and 413 and a vertical probe 414 protrudes from the tip thereof. On the other hand, the other end side has an output terminal portion 415 that is connected to a common wiring board, and enables electrical connection to an inspection apparatus.

  The resin film with a probe 500 has a shape that is substantially symmetrical with the resin film with a probe 400, and the configuration is the same as that of the resin film with a probe 400, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  Each of the resin films with a probe has holes 241, 341, 441, and 541 for allowing the support rod 6 to pass therethrough. Further, the resin films 201, 301, 401, and 501 have an optimum outer shape by laser processing or the like in order to project the distal end portions of the vertical probe portions 214, 314, 414, and 514 and the output terminal portions 215, 315, 415, and 515. Has been decided.

  Each of the resin films with a probe described above is arranged and fixed at a predetermined interval as shown in FIG. 1 using a support bar 81 so as to correspond to an LSI pad.

  The functions in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the probe assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 shows details of the vicinity of the probe structure portion according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  4 and 5, the conductive portion 210 in the resin film with probe 200 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 111 of the LSI 101 to be inspected, and the tip of the vertical probe 214 is positioned at the position of the pad array group 111. It is set to become. The conductive portion 220 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 112 of the LSI 101 to be inspected, and is set so that the tip of the vertical probe 224 is positioned at the pad array group 112. Further, the conductive portion 230 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 121 of the LSI 102 to be inspected, and is set so that the tip of the vertical probe 234 is positioned at the pad array group 121.

  Similarly, the conductive portion 310 in the probe-attached resin film 300 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 132 of the LSI 103 to be inspected, and the tip of the vertical probe 314 is positioned at the pad array group 132. Is set. The conductive portion 320 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 131 of the LSI 103 to be inspected, and is set so that the tip of the vertical probe 324 is positioned at the pad array group 131. Further, the conductive portion 330 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 122 of the LSI to be inspected 102, and is set so that the tip of the vertical probe 334 is positioned at the pad array group 122.

  That is, according to the present invention, a plurality of probe groups configured in one probe-equipped resin film can serve as a part of a plurality of LSI pad arrays.

  In FIG. 4, the conductive portion 410 in the resin film with probe 400 is responsible for electrical inspection of the x-direction pad array groups 113, 123, and 133 of the LSIs 101, 102, and 103 to be inspected, and the tip of the vertical probe 414 is the pad The positions are set to be the positions of the array groups 113, 123, and 133. The conductive portion 510 of the resin film with probe 500 is responsible for electrical inspection of the x-direction pad array groups 114, 124, and 134 of the LSIs 101, 102, and 103 to be inspected, and the tip of the vertical probe 514 is the pad array group. 114, 124, and 134 are set.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a probe assembly capable of simultaneously measuring three adjacent LSI chips of an LSI having pads with a peripheral four-sided array. It can be done.

(Second Embodiment)
6, 7 and 8 are diagrams showing a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing details of the second embodiment, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are an elevation view and a front view showing functions according to the second embodiment.

  6 to 8, reference numerals 600 and 700 denote resin films with probes, and the configuration is the same as that of the resin films with probes 200 and 300, respectively. Reference numerals 104 and 105 denote a peripheral four-sided arrangement shown in FIG. 9C, and one of the four sides is a staggered arrangement, that is, one side of the y-direction pad arrangement group is periodically (1 in this embodiment). The LSIs to be inspected are arranged in different positions in the xy direction (for each pad).

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the probe structure portion 631 and the vertical probe 634 formed in the conductive portion 630 of the probe-attached resin film 600 and a nearby resin film (not shown) are connected to the other end 635 of the probe structure portion 631. Can be made to correspond to one y-direction pad array group 143 of the staggered array of the LSIs to be inspected.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, by inserting the guide plate 82 into the guide hole 83 of the guide plate 82 provided in advance according to the pad position of the LSI to be inspected, and fixing the guide plate 82 at a predetermined position, It is possible to accurately determine the tip positions of all the probes including the tip of the vertical probe 634 rotated in the y direction.

  Functions using the second embodiment described above will be described with reference to FIGS. The conductive portion 610 in the resin film with probe 600 is in charge of electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 141 of the LSI 104 to be inspected, and is set so that the tip of the vertical probe 614 is positioned at the pad array group 141. Yes. The conductive portion 620 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 142 that is one of the staggered array of the LSI 104 to be inspected, and the tip of the vertical probe 624 is positioned at the pad array group 142. Is set. Further, the conductive portion 630 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 143 that is the other of the staggered array of the LSI 104 to be inspected, and the tip of the rotated vertical probe 634 is the position of the pad array group 143. Is set to

  Similarly, the conductive portion 710 in the resin film with probe 700 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 153 that is one of the staggered array of the LSI 105 to be inspected, and the tip of the vertical probe 714 is the pad array group. It is set to be at position 153. This is similar to the rotation of the conductive portion 630 in the resin film with probe 600, and the probe structure portion 711 and the vertical probe 714 formed in the conductive portion 710 and the resin film in the vicinity thereof are roughly connected to the other end 715 of the probe structure portion 711. By rotating in the y direction as the center, it is possible to correspond to one y-direction pad array group 153 of the staggered array of LSIs 105 to be inspected.

  The conductive portion 720 is responsible for electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 152 that is the other of the staggered array of the LSI 105 to be inspected, and the tip of the vertical probe 724 is positioned at the pad array group 152. Is set. Further, the conductive portion 730 performs electrical inspection of the y-direction pad array group 151 of the LSI 105 to be inspected, and is set so that the tip of the vertical probe 734 is positioned at the pad array group 151.

  That is, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, one LSI including a staggered arrangement is obtained by rotating and deforming at least one probe of a plurality of probe groups configured in one resin film with a probe. It is possible to assume an x-direction pad array.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, simultaneous measurement of two LSI chips adjacent to each other having a pad with an array of four sides and a zigzag on one side is possible. A possible probe assembly can be provided.

  In the second embodiment of the present invention, an example in which only one probe of a plurality of probe groups configured in one resin film with a probe is rotated is illustrated, but two or more probes are rotated. Thus, it is possible to cope with an x-direction pad arrangement that does not coincide with the x-direction axis of the resin film with a probe.

  According to the prober apparatus of the present invention, the probe structure including a plurality of spring deformation portions on one of the resin films with a probe is in the x direction (pad array direction) and the z direction (semiconductor chip surface) in the resin film surface. Since the probe assembly has a configuration in which a plurality of the resin films with probes arranged in positions that do not interfere with each other in the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction), an arbitrary set of adjacent LSI chip pads or a peripheral 4 It is possible to match any set of LSI x-directional pads with side-by-side and staggered-side pads with a single resin film with a probe. This enables simultaneous measurement of multiple chips. According to this configuration, the present invention can be applied not only to the exemplified LCD driver LSI but also to a logic LSI or memory LSI having a similar pad arrangement.

It is a perspective view which shows the schematic structure in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of a pair of resin film with a probe corresponding to a y direction pad arrangement. It is a front view of a pair of resin film with a probe corresponding to a x direction pad arrangement. It is an elevation view of the probe assembly in the 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is detail drawing of the probe structure part vicinity in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the detail of 2nd Embodiment. It is an elevation which shows the function by 2nd Embodiment. It is a front view which shows the function by 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the kind of pad arrangement | sequence of the present LSI. It is a figure which shows the example of the conventional prober apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 Probe assembly 100 Simultaneous measurement LSI set 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 LSI to be inspected
111, 112, 121, 122, 131, 132,
141, 142, 143, 151, 152, 153 y-direction pad array group 113, 114, 123, 124,
133, 134, 144, 145, 154, 155 x-direction pad array group 2 probe assembly A1
200 Resin film with probe 201 Resin films 210, 220, 230 Conductive portions 211, 221, 231 Probe structure portions 212, 213, 222, 223, 232, 233 General parallel beams 214, 224, 234 Vertical probes 215, 225, 235 Output Terminal part 241 Hole 3 Probe assembly A2
300 Resin film with probe 301 Resin films 310, 320, 330 Conductive portions 311, 321, 331 Probe structure portions 312, 313, 322, 323, 333 333 Approximate parallel beams 314, 324, 334 Vertical probes 315, 325, 335 Output Terminal part 341 Hole 4 Probe assembly B1
400 Resin film with probe 401 Resin film 410 Conductive portion 411 Probe structure portion 412, 413 Approximate parallel beam 414 Vertical probe 415 Output terminal portion 441 Hole 5 Probe assembly B2
500 Resin film with probe 501 Resin film 510 Conductive portion 511 Probe structure portion 512, 513 General parallel beam 514 Vertical probe 515 Output terminal portion 541 Hole 600 Resin film with probe 601 Resin films 610, 620, 630 Conductive portions 611, 621, 631 Probe structure parts 614, 624, 634 Vertical probe 635 Rotation center 641 Hole 700 Resin film with probe 701 Resin films 710, 720, 730 Conductive parts 711, 721, 731 Probe structure parts 714, 724, 734 Vertical probe 715 Rotation center 741 Hole 81 Support rod 82 Guide plate 83 Guide hole 91 Probe assembly 92 Common wiring board 93 Flexible flat cable 94 Common pad 95 LSI to be inspected
96 wafers

Claims (9)

Using a resin film to which a metal foil is bonded, etching the metal foil to form a conductive part including a probe on the resin film, and laminating a plurality of the resin films with the probe to form electrode pads of a semiconductor chip. In a probe assembly for performing a circuit inspection of a semiconductor chip by bringing the tip of the probe into contact at a time,
A probe structure including a plurality of spring deformation portions on one resin film with a probe interferes with each other in the x direction (pad arrangement direction) and the z direction (direction perpendicular to the semiconductor chip surface) in the resin film surface. A probe assembly, wherein a plurality of the resin films with a probe disposed at a position not to be stacked are laminated.   2. The probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the resin film with a probe has the probe structure portion on one end side and an output terminal portion connected to an inspection device on the other end side.   3. The prober device according to claim 2, wherein the output terminal portion is formed on each resin film such that when the probes with a resin film are laminated, the arrangement positions thereof are shifted at substantially equal pitches.   The probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the conductive parts including the plurality of probe structure parts and the output terminal parts on the same resin film are electrically insulated from each other.   The spring deformed portions of the plurality of probe structures on the same resin film have substantially the same shape, the vertical probes extended from the spring deformed portions have different lengths, and the tips of the respective vertical probes are arranged in the z direction. 2. The probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the probe assembly is disposed at substantially the same position.   Among the plurality of probe structures on the same resin film, the tip position of at least one vertical probe corresponds to the other probe in the y direction (direction perpendicular to the resin film surface) from the tip position of the other vertical probe. 2. The probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the conductive portion and the resin film in the vicinity of the probe structure including the vertical probe are displaced so as to have a phase difference by a distance in the y direction between the pad and the adjacent pad.   The probe assembly according to claim 1 or 6, wherein a tip end portion of the vertical probe is held by a guide hole so that a position thereof is regulated.   The probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the probe structure is a cantilever structure.   The probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the probe structure portion is a parallel spring structure composed of a plurality of substantially parallel beams.

Images