JP2010243177A - Floating probe head structure probe card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a floating probe head structure probe card, including a probe head having a function of self-controlling the degree of parallel like a wafer; and preventing the periphery of the probe head from being contacted with the wafer. <P>SOLUTION: The floating probe head structure probe card 1 includes: a probe head 5 disposed between a tester 4 and a semiconductor device 31 to provide electric connection therebetween, the tester 4 performing an operation test by connecting the semiconductor device 31 formed on the wafer 3 with an LSI tester; a spiral contact 2' formed in the semiconductor device 31 side of the probe head 5 as an electrode 2' corresponding to the arrangement of an electrode 32 of the semiconductor device 31; a land 52 formed in the tester 4 side as an electrode 52 corresponding to arrangement of an electrode 2 of the tester 4; and a spacer 51, formed of an elastomer, positioned in the semiconductor device 31 side of the probe head 5 and positioned corresponding to the length and width of a dicing area 33. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a probe card for inspecting a multi-electrode semiconductor device such as a liquid crystal panel, a camera module, an IC, or an LSI, and more particularly to a floating probe head structure probe card having a probe head in a floating structure.

Semiconductor devices such as liquid crystal panels, camera modules, ICs, and LSIs are generally formed in a rectangular shape, and are provided with a large number of terminal electrodes (hereinafter simply referred to as “electrodes”) arranged on the edges and areas.
Such a device is subjected to an operation test or the like for each individual product in an inspection process during manufacture, and quality controlled so as to eliminate defective products from mass-produced products.

  Conventionally, in order to perform an operation test of these devices alone, an inspector is prepared by combining a drive circuit for operating the device, a signal processing circuit unique to the inspection, a measurement unit, a pass / fail judgment display unit, and the like. In the inspection stage, the electrical continuity between the inspecting device and the device to be inspected is inspected, and after the inspection, the continuity is released, the inspected device is removed from the inspecting device, the inspection is finished, and the product is shipped. The inspector uses a probe card in which a large number of probe needles corresponding to the arrangement and pitch (hereinafter also referred to as “electrode arrangement”) of the fine electrodes of the device are used, and this is sent to the inspection position of the device A device in which each electrode is brought into contact and inspected by using a probe card to connect the measuring means and the device is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

In addition, the tip of the spiral contact is formed flat, the formed flat surface is mirror-polished, and the land of the mounting substrate that contacts the spiral contact is also mirror-polished, so that the flat surface of the spiral contact A technique in which a land of a mounting board is bonded to a metal is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 2). According to Patent Document 2, the spiral contact is a triple wound spiral contact, and is positioned and fixed to a mounting board having a conductive land on the surface. This spiral contact is formed in a spiral shape from the root toward the center of the tip. In a convex spiral contact having a tip at the center of the spiral, the roots of the spiral contact are shifted from each other by 120 °. The three spiral contacts arranged in a spiral shape with the same center and parallel to each other are joined together at the tip, and united at the tip. The flat upper surface is provided with a mirror-like flat surface that is mirror-finished.
Thus, a spiral contact having a mirror-like flat surface on the top surface and a connection terminal also having a mirror-like flat surface on the connection surface can be brought into close contact with each other, and a triple spiral spiral contact can be obtained. The mirror-like flat surface of the connector and the mirror-like flat surface of the connection terminal face each other and overlap each other, so that the mirror-like flat surfaces are in close contact with each other to generate an intermetallic bond, thereby generating an intermetallic joint. Can be firmly bonded to each other.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a probe card 101 having a conventional probe head 105. As shown in FIG. 5, the conventional probe head 105 has a configuration in which it is suspended from the connector 106 in a floating state. When the probe head 105 contacts the electrode 132 of the semiconductor device 131 on the wafer 103, the probe head and the semiconductor device are formed. Since parallel accuracy with the processed wafer is not obtained or there are parallel intersections, it is necessary to adjust the probe head over a considerable amount of time so as to prevent the probe head from interfering with the wafer.

Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-298476 Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-222905

However, when inspecting semiconductor devices such as liquid crystal panels, camera modules, ICs, and LSIs, it becomes increasingly difficult to ensure the Z stroke of probing as the semiconductor devices become finer. Conventional probe heads need to make reliable contact so as not to cause poor contact when electrically connected to electrodes of a semiconductor device. In order to ensure such contact reliability and probe, The parallel accuracy with the wafer on which the semiconductor device is formed is important, but in order to obtain this parallel accuracy, parallel crossing occurs.
The present invention was devised to solve the above-described problems, and has a function in which the probe head autonomously adjusts the degree of parallelism following the wafer and prevents the periphery of the probe head from contacting the wafer. An object is to provide a probe card having a floating probe head structure.

A probe card having a floating probe head structure according to a first aspect of the present invention is provided between an inspection device for performing an operation test by connecting a semiconductor device formed on a wafer to be inspected to an LSI tester and the semiconductor device. A probe head that mediates electrical connection;
A spiral contact provided as an electrode corresponding to the arrangement of the electrodes of the semiconductor device on the semiconductor device side of the probe head;
A land provided as an electrode corresponding to the arrangement of the electrodes of the inspection device on the inspection device side of the probe head,
A plurality of spacers are provided on the semiconductor device side of the probe head at positions corresponding to vertical and horizontal dicing areas divided for each of the semiconductor devices formed on the wafer.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein the spacer has a plate thickness of a spiral contact provided on the semiconductor device side of the probe head, and It is characterized by being formed longer than the sum of the heights of the connection terminals provided in the semiconductor device.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is longer than a natural length of a spiral contact provided on the semiconductor device side of the probe head. It is formed.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is an elastic body.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 4, wherein the elastic body is an elastomer formed in a spherical shape.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is a rigid body.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 6, wherein the rigid body is spherical.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein a flat portion is formed at the center of the spiral in the land-like electrode on the tester side of the probe head. The flat part of the spiral contactor is joined by intermetallic joining.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein the flat electrode is formed at the center of the spiral in the land-like electrode on the tester side of the probe head. The flat portion of the spiral contactor is joined by soldering.

  According to the invention of claim 1, by providing a plurality of spacers at positions corresponding to the dicing area, the probe head has a function of autonomously adjusting the parallelism following the wafer, and the periphery of the probe head is Probing can be performed safely without contact with the wafer and without interfering with the probe head.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the spacer is formed longer than the sum of the plate thickness of the spiral contact provided on the semiconductor device side of the probe head and the height of the connection terminal provided on the semiconductor device. As a result, the spiral contact and the connection terminal are stopped by the spacer before the spiral contact and the connection terminal collide with each other, so that the spiral contact and the connection terminal can be prevented from colliding with each other and being in a barreled state.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the spacer is formed longer than the natural length of the spiral contact provided on the semiconductor device side of the probe head, thereby preventing the probe head from contacting the wafer. Can do.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the spacer is an elastic body, the probe head can be safely probed without interfering with the wafer.

  According to the invention of claim 5, since the elastic body is an elastomer formed in a spherical shape, the probe head can be safely probed without interfering with the wafer.

  According to the invention of claim 6, since the spacer is a rigid body, the probe head can be safely probed without interfering with the wafer.

  According to the invention of claim 7, since the rigid body is spherical, it is possible to perform probing safely while protecting the wafer and the probe.

  According to the invention according to claim 8, since the flat part of the spiral contact in which the flat part is formed at the center of the spiral is joined to the land-like electrode on the inspector side of the probe head by intermetallic joining, An electronic device such as a semiconductor device is firmly bonded without receiving a thermal history, and good electrical conduction can be achieved. In addition, since a rotational moment is generated in the flat part of the spiral contact during metal bonding, the bonding surfaces Au-Au are rubbed together, and foreign matters such as contamination of the connection surface, such as hydrocarbons, are removed. It can be removed and an intermetallic bond can be easily formed.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the flat part of the spiral contact having the flat part formed at the center of the spiral is joined to the land-like electrode on the inspector side of the probe head by low-temperature melting solder joining. Such an electronic device can be firmly bonded without receiving a thermal history, and good electrical conduction can be achieved.

  In other words, even if it is adjusted by manual initial setting or detected automatically by a laser sensor, etc., there is a parallel crossing for each wafer. Following this, the probe head follows the wafer surface and performs probing with the probe head to constitute self-contained.

It is the schematic for demonstrating the structure of embodiment of this invention, (a) is sectional drawing which shows the whole outline, (b) is an expanded sectional view of the A section shown to (a). It is the schematic for demonstrating the spiral contactor provided with the mirror surface plane on the front-end | tip flat surface, (a) is a top view, (b) (c) is sectional drawing of the DD line | wire shown to (a) (B), the integral part of the tip of the spiral contactor is finished to a mirror-like plane, and (c) is provided with a mirror-like plane part at the tip of the spiral contactor. It is an expanded sectional view of the B section shown in (b) of Drawing 1, (a) is a sectional view showing metal-to-metal joining to an electrode of a probe head, and (b) is a sectional view showing low temperature fusion soldering. It is the schematic for demonstrating operation | movement of embodiment of this invention, (a) is sectional drawing which shows the whole outline, (b) is an expanded sectional view of the C section shown to (a). It is sectional drawing which shows the conventional probe card.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a probe card having a floating probe head structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1A and 1B are schematic views of a probe card having a floating probe head structure for explaining the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a sectional view showing an overall outline, and FIG. It is an expanded sectional view of a part.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the probe card 1 having a floating probe head structure is an inspection in which a semiconductor device 31 formed on a wafer 3 to be inspected is mounted on a simulator (not shown) and an operation test is performed. A probe head 5 interposed between the container 4 and the semiconductor device 31 to mediate electrical connection; and an electrode 2 ′ corresponding to the arrangement of the electrodes 32 of the semiconductor device 31 on the semiconductor device 31 side of the probe head 5. And a land 52 provided as an electrode 52 corresponding to the arrangement of the electrode 2 of the inspection device 4 on the inspection device 4 side of the probe head 5, and the semiconductor device 31 of the probe head 5. At a position corresponding to a dicing area 33 provided vertically and horizontally to be divided for each semiconductor device 31 formed on the wafer 3. A sensor 51 was provided. The spacer 51 may be provided at a position corresponding to the intersection of the dicing area 33. The probe head 5 has an interposer structure, but is not limited thereto.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a spiral contact having a mirror-like flat surface on the tip flat surface, where (a) is a plan view, and (b) and (c) are DD shown in (a). It is sectional drawing of a line, (b) has finished the integral part of the front-end | tip of a spiral contact to the mirror-like plane, (c) has provided the mirror-like plane part at the front-end | tip of a spiral contact. The number of turns of each spiral contact is not limited to this embodiment, and can be changed.
Thus, the spacer 51 is applied in a substantially spherical shape by the dispenser at a position corresponding to the dicing area 33, and the spacer 51 is formed. The spacer 51 is an elastic body, and this elastic body is an elastomer formed in a spherical shape, whereby the probe card 1 can be positioned without damaging the wafer 3 by the probe head 5, The electrode can be electrically conducted without contact.
The spacer 51 is formed longer than the natural length of the spiral contact 2 ′ provided on the semiconductor device 31 side of the probe head 5, and can prevent the probe head 5 from contacting the wafer 3.

  The spacer 51 is more than the sum of the plate thickness of the spiral contact 2 ′ provided on the semiconductor device 31 side of the probe head 5 and the height of the connection terminal (solder ball) 32 provided on the semiconductor device 31. Since it is formed long and stops at the spacer 51 before the spiral contact 2 ′ and the connection terminal 32 collide, it is possible to prevent the spiral contact 2 ′ and the connection terminal 32 from colliding.

3A and 3B are enlarged cross-sectional views of a portion B shown in FIG. 1B. FIG. 3A is a cross-section in which the metal of the probe head is bonded to the electrode, and FIG. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the land-like electrode 52 on the side of the inspection device 4 of the probe head 5 on which the gold plating is applied has the spiral contact 2 having a flat portion at the center of the spiral. The flat portion 2a subjected to gold plating is joined by metal-to-metal joining, whereby an electronic device such as the semiconductor device 31 is firmly joined without receiving a thermal history, and good electrical conduction can be achieved. In addition, since a rotational moment is generated in the flat part of the spiral contact during metal bonding, the bonding surfaces Au-Au are rubbed together, and foreign matter such as contamination of the connection surface, such as hydrocarbons, is removed. Can be removed. In addition, when Au—Au are bonded to each other, the bonding surface is hardened by curing and good electrical conduction can be achieved.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the land-like electrode 52 on the side of the inspection device 4 of the probe head 5 has a flat portion 2a of the spiral contact 2 in which the flat portion 2a is formed at the center of the spiral. By soldering, low-temperature melting solder bonding is performed, whereby an electronic device such as a semiconductor device is firmly bonded without receiving a thermal history, and good electrical conduction can be achieved. Further, when the flat portion 2a of the spiral contact 2 is soldered to the land electrode 52 by soldering at a low temperature, the spiral contact can be easily exchanged and regenerated unlike the intermetallic bonding.

  At this time, the spiral contact 2 protrudes in a convex shape. The semiconductor device 31 has a structure in which connection terminals 32 such as solder balls are arranged in a matrix, and a mounting substrate (PWB) on which an electronic device such as the semiconductor device 31 is mounted is not subjected to a thermal history such as solder reflow. They can be joined together electrically and firmly by low-temperature heating at about 100 ° C. and metal-to-metal joining generated by an urging force of about 10 MPa due to the spring property of the spiral contact. Further, when the mirror finish is sub-nm or less, metal-to-metal bonding occurs at normal temperature (room temperature), and strong electrical and mechanical bonding can be achieved.

  The flat surface 2a of the spiral contact 2 and the mirror-like flat surface of the land 52 are mirror-finished to a surface roughness of 0.2 nm to 20 nm by CMP. The semiconductor device includes an IC, an LSI, a camera module, a liquid crystal panel, and the like. Then, a mirror-like flat surface is finished by CMP treatment, and a metal-to-metal bonding occurs by performing low-temperature heating at about 100 ° C. between the spiral contact that generates an urging force of about 10 MPa and the connection terminal. Electrically strong joints can be formed between them, and by mounting multi-electrode devices without soldering, they are electrically strong without causing damage to semiconductor devices due to thermal history. In addition, it can be soldered with a low-temperature molten solder paste between the spiral contact and the connection terminal, which may cause damage to the mounting substrate on which electronic components such as semiconductor devices are mounted due to thermal history. It is firmly joined electrically and mechanically without causing any problems.

Further, when a pressing force is applied against the urging force, the spiral contact member is flattened and contracted, and in the open state, the central portion rises in a conical shape and returns to the original shape. Therefore, even if the flatness of the device surface is low and there is some undulation, good conductive contact can always be maintained.
The number of turns of each spiral contact is not limited to this embodiment, and can be changed.

4 and 5 are schematic views for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention, and are enlarged cross-sectional views of a portion indicated by part A in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the electrodes corresponding to each of the probe head 5 and the wafer 3 are in good electrical contact due to the effect of the elastomer 51, and FIG. 5 shows a state before the good contact.
As shown in FIG. 4, the rigid body (stiffener) 11 is made of ceramic, and the rigid body 11, the printed circuit board (PWB) 12, and the connector 6 are fixed by fixing bolts 13. The probe head 5 is suspended by suspension bolts and nuts by the spring force of the spiral contact. The probe head 5 is not fixed to the inspection device but is in a suspended state, and is suspended in a floating state by springiness. However, a lower limit is provided below and stops at some point.

  A plurality of semiconductor devices 31 are formed on the silicon wafer 3, and solder balls 32 are provided as the electrodes 32. Dicing areas are provided vertically and horizontally around the individual semiconductor devices 31, and an elastomer is applied to the probe head 5 at a position corresponding to the vertical and horizontal dicing areas in a substantially spherical shape by a dispenser to form an elastic body. The body functions as a spacer. In addition, it may be plate-like instead of spherical, and silicon rubber may be used in place of the gel-like elastomer.

  When the probe head 5 as the probe head is tilted with respect to the silicon wafer 3, there is some tolerance in parallel accuracy no matter how much adjustment is made, and this gel-like round spacer 51 serves as a sponge spring. . That is, the probe head 5 in a floating state is pushed up with the contact portion serving as a fulcrum while avoiding a collision. The elastomer is provided in the dicing area, and the parallel accuracy between the silicon wafer and the probe card is corrected by itself to ensure the probing reliability.

  As shown in FIG. 5, of the two elastomers 51, the left elastomer 51 is in contact first. Thereafter, with the left elastomer 51 as a fulcrum, the probe head 5 contracts so that the spiral contact 2 on the inspection device 4 side is pushed in, and the spiral contact 2 ′ of the probe head 5 is soldered to the solder ball of the wafer 3. All 32 connect well.

  Conventionally, in probing work with full wafer one contact, the operator adjusts the base plate at the work site, and the inclination of the probe is considerable from end to end. For example, when the position of a wafer having a diameter of 300 mm is adjusted with a single touch, it is detected by a sensor, the distance is measured and adjusted by itself, and an automatic adjustment function is provided. It is a very effective invention in that such work and equipment are not necessary. It can be said that the present invention is simple and extremely good without the need for a cantilever. In addition, since the solder balls 32 as connection terminals protrude greatly from the semiconductor device surface, the spacer is made large. However, if the connection terminals are flat rather than solder balls, a gel film of only a few microns is attached. It doesn't matter if you just have it. The spacer may be a rigid body, but is preferably an elastic body in terms of absorbing an impact. Further, even if the spiral contactor is pressed, it can expand and contract to a flat state and is not destroyed.

  The elastomer is only applied to the probe head 5 at a position corresponding to the vertical and horizontal dicing areas with a dispenser, and when it hardens, it becomes an elastic body, and the resin is adhered to the dispenser as a spacer to adjust the flexibility of the spacer. It doesn't matter. In this structure, if the resin is applied slightly, the product and the wafer do not come into contact with each other, the parallel accuracy between the surfaces can be directly obtained, and the adjustment burden on the operator can be reduced. Further, the present invention cannot be realized without the spiral contact invented by the present applicant. The probe head using this spiral contactor functions even with a slight movement, and can be applied as a cantilever because the pitch can be further reduced. In addition, the spiral contact can be deformed from a flat state to a convex state, is not easily broken, and has a wide range of applications.

  The spacer may be a rigid body, and the elastic body has a pushing amount that does not further elastically deform, and the position is the sum of the plate thickness of the spiral contact and the height of the connection terminal provided in the semiconductor device. The spiral contactor and the connection terminal collide with each other by forming it longer than the sum of the plate thickness of the spiral contactor and the height of the connection terminal provided in the semiconductor device. Since it stops with a spacer before, it can prevent that a spiral contact and a connection terminal collide and it will be in a trunking state.

  The preferred embodiments have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, although described using the connector 6, the spiral contact 2 is directly soldered to the electrode of the printed circuit board 12, and the tip flat surface of the spiral contact is bonded to the land connection terminal of the probe head between metals. It may be one to which low-temperature melting solder bonding is applied.

  In probe cards for inspection of multi-electrode semiconductor devices such as liquid crystal panels, camera modules, ICs, and LSIs, the probe head has the function of adjusting the parallelism autonomously following the wafer and the periphery of the probe head contacts the wafer This is applied to a probe card having a floating probe head structure that prevents this.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Probe card 2, 2 'Spiral contact 3 Wafer 31 Semiconductor device 32 Solder ball, electrode 33 Dicing area (scribe line)
4 Inspection Machine 5 Probe Head 51 Spacer 52 Land, Connection Terminal Electrode 6 Connector

Claims (9)

A probe head that mediates electrical connection by interposing between the semiconductor device and an inspector that performs an operation test by connecting a semiconductor device formed on a wafer to be inspected to an LSI tester;
A spiral contact provided as an electrode corresponding to the arrangement of the electrodes of the semiconductor device on the semiconductor device side of the probe head;
A land provided as an electrode corresponding to the arrangement of the electrodes of the inspection device on the inspection device side of the probe head,
A floating probe head, wherein a plurality of spacers are provided on the semiconductor device side of the probe head at positions corresponding to vertical and horizontal dicing areas that are divided for each semiconductor device formed on the wafer. Structure probe card.   The spacer is formed to be longer than a sum of a plate thickness of a spiral contact provided on the semiconductor device side of the probe head and a height of a connection terminal provided on the semiconductor device. Item 5. A probe card having a floating probe head structure according to Item 1.   2. The probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is formed longer than a natural length of a spiral contact provided on the semiconductor device side of the probe head.   The probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is an elastic body.   5. The probe card having a floating probe head structure according to claim 4, wherein the elastic body is an elastomer formed in a spherical shape.   The probe card of the floating probe head structure according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is a rigid body.   7. The probe card having a floating probe head structure according to claim 6, wherein the rigid body is a polymer compound having flexibility.   2. The flat part of a spiral contact having a flat part formed at the center of a spiral is joined to the land-like electrode on the inspection instrument side of the probe head by metal-to-metal joining. The probe card of the floating probe head structure as described. 2. The flat part of a spiral contact having a flat part formed at the center of a spiral is joined to the land-like electrode on the inspection instrument side of the probe head by soldering. Probe card with floating probe head structure.

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