JP2011196746A - Vertically-movable type probe card, testing method, and testing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To evade damage of a test pad caused by contact of a defective probe needle by a simple mechanism, with respect to a vertically-movable type probe card, testing method and testing device.SOLUTION: The vertically-movable type probe card includes a set of probe needle groups corresponding in number to pads provided on a measuring object, support blocks for supporting the set of probe needle groups, a support member for fitting the plurality of support blocks in such a way as to be movable vertically, and a substrate to which the support member is stuck. Each support block of the probe card is suitable for the support member through a vertical-moving mechanism having a spring member and an engaging member.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vertically movable probe card, a test method, and a test apparatus, for example, a problem in simultaneously testing and measuring a plurality of objects to be inspected by a plurality of support blocks each having a set of probe needle groups. The present invention relates to a retracting mechanism for a support block having a gap.

  In the manufacturing process of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a large number of integrated circuit devices, that is, semiconductor chips are formed on a semiconductor wafer, and then a primary electrical characteristic test is performed on each semiconductor chip in the wafer state. Sorting out. Next, the semiconductor wafer is diced into semiconductor chips, and only the semiconductor chips determined as non-defective products in the sorting test, that is, the probing test, are taken out and packaged.

  With the recent improvement in the degree of integration of semiconductor integrated circuit devices, the time required for the probing test in the semiconductor wafer state tends to increase. Therefore, in the probing test, a test is performed by collectively contacting a plurality of chips formed on a semiconductor wafer with a support block having a pair of probe needles for a plurality of chips mounted on a probe card. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of a collective contact type probe card that is currently used. FIG. 8A is a schematic plan view, and FIG. 8B is a partially transparent side view. Here, it will be described as a probe card with two support blocks mounted on the base, but there are many types such as four-mount type, eight-mount type, and sixteen-mount type, but the basic relationship is the same. is there.

  As shown in the figure, the probe card 60 has a structure in which a support block 62 in which probe needles 63 and 64 constituting two sets of probe needle groups are implanted is fixed on a base 61. At the time of contact with the semiconductor wafer, a contact state or a non-contact state is selected by up / down of a wafer stage provided in the probe apparatus. At this time, each probe needle is brought into contact with the semiconductor chip with substantially the same pressure.

  Since the probe needle is fixed to the base with a simple structure, it cannot be moved except by stress from the wafer stage. When the probe needle contacts the semiconductor wafer, it is not The probe needle is brought into contact with a uniform stress.

  In such a batch test, if one of the multiple probe needle groups mounted on the probe card cannot be measured normally, the chip contacted by the defective probe needle group is determined to be a defective chip. As a result, the manufacturing yield is reduced.

  At this time, it is sufficient to remove the defective probe needle group from the contact object. However, since the probe needle and the probe card are fixed via the support block, only the defective probe needle group is removed from the contact object. I can't.

  Therefore, it was removed from the test object electrically by the control of the tester. A non-defective chip / non-defective chip is determined by contacting a non-defective probe needle group again with a semiconductor chip removed from the test target and performing a retest.

  It has also been proposed that the support block is a support block for each chip and contacts a plurality of chips at once. In this case, one of the support blocks may contact an unfinished chip that is necessarily formed on the periphery of the semiconductor wafer.

  Such a non-product chip formed in the peripheral portion is different from a normal product chip in terms of unevenness of pads and the like, so that the probe needle may be damaged at the time of contact. Therefore, it has been proposed to provide a vertical movement mechanism such as an electromagnetic coil or vacuum suction for each support block to contact only the product chip.

JP 2003-270268 A JP 2004-156976 A JP 2009-150746 A

  As described above, even if the measurement result by the defective probe needle group is excluded by electrical control of the tester, useless contact is made to the semiconductor chip. As a result, there is a problem that damage to the test pads arranged on the semiconductor chip is increased, and retesting is impossible for a product chip having a limited number of contact with the probe needle.

  In order to avoid such a retest problem, it is necessary to repair the probe card having the defective probe needle group for each probe card, and there is a problem that measurement cannot be performed during that time. In addition, the product support work such as correlation check is delayed due to the influence of the defective support block, resulting in a problem that efficient start-up cannot be performed.

  On the other hand, in the case of a probe card in which a vertical movement mechanism is provided in each support block, the defect of the support block is not a problem, and the probe needle is damaged due to contact with an unfinished chip.

  Therefore, the upper and lower mechanisms need to constantly monitor the chip arrangement state, and it is necessary to retract or contact a predetermined support block as needed according to the situation. Therefore, there is a problem that the vertical movement mechanism becomes complicated and the control thereof becomes complicated.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to avoid damaging the test pad due to a defective probe needle contact by a simple mechanism.

  From one disclosed aspect, a set of probe needle groups corresponding to the pads provided on the measurement object, a support block for supporting the set of probe needle groups, and a plurality of the support blocks can be moved up and down. A vertically movable probe card having a support member attached to the support member and a base for fixing the support member, wherein each of the support blocks has a vertically moving mechanism having a spring member and an engaging member with respect to the support member. A vertically movable probe card is provided.

  From another viewpoint to be disclosed, a test method using the above-described up and down movable probe card, wherein the up and down movement of the plurality of support blocks with respect to a support block having a defective probe needle group is provided. There is provided a test method for measuring the measurement object in a state in which only the support block having the defective probe needle group is selectively retreated upward by disengaging the engaging member of the moving mechanism. .

  Furthermore, from another viewpoint to disclose, a test apparatus equipped with the above-described vertically movable probe card is provided.

  According to the disclosed vertically movable probe card, test method, and test apparatus, it is possible to avoid damage to the test pad due to the contact of the defective support block with a simple mechanism.

It is composition explanatory drawing of the vertically movable probe card of embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual structure explanatory drawing of the vertically movable probe card of Example 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the state at the time of the measurement of the vertically movable probe card of Example 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the test apparatus carrying the up-and-down movable probe card of Example 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing during the test of a test apparatus. It is a conceptual structure explanatory drawing of the vertically movable probe card of Example 2 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the state at the time of the measurement of the vertically movable probe card of Example 2 of this invention. It is a conceptual structure explanatory drawing of the conventional probe card.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 1, the vertically movable probe card of embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a vertically movable probe card according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view when all are normal, and FIG. It is a schematic block diagram when the probe needle group supported by the support block is defective.

As shown in the figure, a plurality of support blocks 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ in which a plurality of probe needles 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ are implanted are formed in a disk shape made of a printed circuit board via a support member 4 provided with a vertical movement mechanism 6. Attached to the base 1. In the figure, the probe needle group is composed of 4 × 4 16 pins, but the number of pins is arbitrary, and the number of support blocks is 4, 8, 16, 24, 32, etc. It may be.

  In the figure, it corresponds to the test target device having the peripheral electrode, but the arrangement of the probe needle and the structure of the support block may be changed so as to correspond to the test target device having the area array type electrode. good. The test object is not limited to a semiconductor integrated circuit device, but can be applied to various electronic devices.

The support member 4 includes a plate member 5 attached to the base 1 using its peripheral portion, and eight vertical movement mechanisms 6 provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the rectangular support blocks 2 ₁ and 2 ₂ . The vertical movement mechanism 6 includes a cylindrical portion 7 having a through hole 9 and an engagement portion 8, a spring pressing portion 11, and a flexible engagement member 12, and one end is implanted in the support blocks 2 ₁ and 2 ₂ . It consists of a support 10 and a spring 15. The flexible engagement member 12 includes an operation rod 13 and an engagement portion 14.

As shown in the left diagram of FIG. 1B, when the support 10 is pushed in to engage the engaging portion 14 and the engaging portion 8, the support blocks 2 ₁ and 2 ₂ are shown in FIG. The probe needles 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ are brought into contact with the device under test.

On the other hand, as shown in the right figure of FIG. 1B, when the support column 10 is further pushed in to release the engagement state and the operating rod 13 is lifted upward while being tilted to the support column 10 side, The portion 14 is positioned above the engaging portion 8 and the engaged state is finally released. When the engaged state is released, the support blocks 2 ₁ and 2 ₂ are lifted up by the extension force of the spring 15 and are brought into close contact with the plate member 5. As a result, the probe needles 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ cannot contact the device under test.

Therefore, if there is a problem with _{one of} the probe needles 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ implanted in one of the support blocks 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , the flexible engagement member 12 causes the defective support block before the measurement is started. to release the 2 ₂ engagement state may be carried out the measurement.

In this case, only to release the engaged state in a single mechanical operation, because the other becomes totally unnecessary control mechanism, by a very simple mechanism, and the probe needles 3 ₂ with a defect and the pad of the device under test Can be reliably avoided. Further, it becomes possible to perform reliable testing side probe 3 ₁ is brought into contact with pads of the device under test alone is engaged with the first mechanical manipulation.

  Therefore, the vertically movable probe card according to the embodiment of the present invention can be configured by simply operating the engagement mechanism according to the quality of the probe needle before the start of measurement and setting the engagement / release state to the pad of the device under test. It is possible to perform a test in a state where undesired contact with is avoided.

  As a result, even if there is a defective support block, it is possible to perform test measurement without damaging the device under test, and the delay of product startup work such as correlation confirmation due to the influence of the defective support block This makes it possible to start up efficiently.

  Although the mechanism described in Patent Document 3 described above can retract the support block having the defective probe needle, it is necessary to always manage the electromagnetic coil or the air pressure during the measurement, and disconnection or air leakage may occur. If this happens, the desired effect cannot be obtained.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2 thru | or FIG. 5, the vertically movable probe card of Example 1 of this invention is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of members of the vertically movable probe card according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a schematic plan view, and FIG. 2 (b) is a partially transparent side view. is there.

As shown in the drawing, a plurality of support blocks 22 ₁ , 22 ₂ in which a plurality of cantilever type probe needles 23 ₁ , 23 ₂ are implanted are formed of a printed circuit board via a support member 24 provided with a vertical movement mechanism 26. It is attached to a disk-shaped base 21. In the figure, although the two probe needle groups in the horizontal direction overlap each other, they are actually shifted by a predetermined pitch.

The support member 24 includes a plate member 25 attached to the base 21 using its peripheral portion, and eight vertical movement mechanisms 26 provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the rectangular support blocks 22 ₁ and 22 ₂ . The vertical movement mechanism 26 includes a cylindrical portion 27 having a through hole 29 and an engagement portion 28, a spring pressing member 31 and a flexible engagement member 32, and one end thereof is implanted in the support blocks 22 ₁ and 22 ₂ . It consists of a support 30 and a spring 35. The flexible engagement member 32 includes an operation rod 33 and an engagement portion 34.

FIG. 3A is a partially transparent side view when the state of the probe needle is normal. By pushing the support column 30 to engage the engaging portion 34 and the engaging portion 28, the extension force of the spring 35 is used. The support blocks 22 ₁ and 22 ₂ are pushed downward in the drawing. As a result, the bottom surfaces of the support blocks 22 ₁ and 22 ₂ are lifted by about 1.0 mm from the plate member 25, and the probe needles 23 ₁ and 23 ₂ are brought into contact with the device under test.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), in the presence of a defect in the ₂ right probe needles 23, column 30 the operating rod 33 thereby temporarily release the engagement state, further pushing the four struts 30 In the state where it is tilted to the side, it is lifted upward to finally release the engaged state. When the engaged state is released, the support blocks 22 ₁ and 22 ₂ are lifted up by the extension force of the spring 35 and are brought into close contact with the plate member 25. As a result, the probe needles 23 ₁ and 23 ₂ cannot be brought into contact with the device under test.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a test apparatus equipped with the vertically movable probe card according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 (a) is a perspective view, and FIG. 4 (b) is an attachment of the probe card. It is a perspective view which shows a state. As shown in the drawing, the test apparatus, that is, the prober 40 includes a prober main body 41 and a test head 42 attached to the prober main body 41 so as to be freely opened and closed.

  A performance board 44 is attached to the test head 42, and contact pins (43) provided on the test head 42 abut against the performance board 44. On the other hand, the prober main body 41 is provided with a flock ring 46, and the vertically movable probe card 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is mounted on the flock ring 46, and the contact pin (47) provided on the flock ring 46 is vertically moved. It contacts the movable probe card 20.

A work unit 48 that can move in the xy direction is accommodated in the prober body 41, and a work subunit 49 having a stage that can move in the z direction is provided on the work unit 48. ing. A semiconductor wafer 50, which is a test object, is placed on the stage. During the test, the stage is raised in the z-direction, and a pad provided on the semiconductor wafer 50 and a probe needle (23 ₁ , 23 provided on the vertically movable probe card 20). 23 ₂ ).

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram during the test of the test apparatus, FIG. 5 (a) is a perspective view during the test, and FIG. 5 (b) is an explanatory diagram of a connection state of each member during the test. . As shown in FIG. 5A, when performing a test, the test head 42 is closed and the performance board 44 is brought into contact with the flock ring 46.

As shown in FIG. 5B, during the test, the contact pin 43 provided on the test head 42 contacts the performance board 44, and the contact pin 45 provided on the performance board 44 contacts the flock ring 46. Further, contact pins 47 provided on the flock ring 46 abut on the vertically movable probe card 20, and probe needles 23 ₁ and 23 ₂ provided on the vertically movable probe card 20 abut on pads provided on the semiconductor wafer 50. An electrical signal from the tester is input to the semiconductor wafer 50 through the above-described connection relation and measurement is performed.

At this time, before attaching the vertically movable probe card 20 to the prober main body 41, the state of the probe needles 23 ₁ and 23 ₂ provided on the vertically movable prober 20 was grasped, and the defective probe needle was implanted. The mechanical engagement mechanism of the support block is released to leave the support block.

  As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the support block in which the defective probe needle is implanted is released from the mechanical engagement mechanism, and is supported in which the normal probe needle is implanted. The block is always kept in an engaged state by a mechanical engagement mechanism.

  Therefore, in any state, the retracting operation is greatly simplified since the mechanical engagement mechanism is only operated once before being mounted on the prober main body 41. As a result, in order to maintain the retracted state or the contact state, it is not necessary to selectively operate the electromagnetic coil by supplying electric power from the outside, or the suction state or the pressed state is activated by operating a vacuum pump or a hydraulic mechanism. There is no need for selective control.

  Next, with reference to FIG.6 and FIG.7, the vertically movable probe card of Example 2 of this invention is demonstrated. FIGS. 6A and 6B are configuration explanatory views of the vertically movable probe card according to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6A is a schematic plan view, and FIG. 6B is a partially transparent side view.

A plurality of support blocks 37 _1, 37 ₂ a vertical plurality of probes 38 1 probing _type, 38 ₂ planted as shown in FIG via a support member 24 having a vertical movement mechanism 26, a printed circuit board It is attached to the disk-shaped base 21 which becomes. The probe needles 38 ₁ and 38 ₂ are connected to electrodes provided on the base 21 via wires 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ . The wires 39 ₁ and 39 ₂ may be any type, but are preferably coaxial wires in order to prevent crosstalk between adjacent wires.

The support member 24 includes a plate member 25 attached to the base 21 using its peripheral portion, and eight vertical movement mechanisms 26 provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the rectangular support blocks 22 ₁ and 22 ₂ . The vertical movement mechanism 26 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and includes a cylindrical portion 27 having a through hole 29 and an engaging portion 28, a spring pressing portion 31 and a flexible engaging member 32, and one end thereof is a support block. It consists of the support | pillar 30 and the spring 35 which were planted by 37 ₁ and 37 ₂ . The flexible engagement member 32 includes an operation rod 33 and an engagement portion 34.

FIG. 7A is a partially see-through side view when the state of the probe needle is normal. The support 30 is supported by the extension force of the spring 35 by pushing the support column 30 to engage the engaging portion 34 and the engaging portion 28. the block ₃₇ 1, 37 ₂ pushes downward in FIG. As a result, the bottom surface of the support block ₃₇ 1, 37 ₂ is lifted 1.0mm order of the plate member 25, the probe needle ₃₈ 1, 38 ₂ becomes capable of abutting state device under test.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), in the presence of a defect in the right side of the probe needles 38 _2, column 30 of the operating rod 33 thereby temporarily release the engagement state, further pushing the four struts 30 In the state where it is tilted to the side, it is lifted upward to finally release the engaged state. When the engaged state is released, the support blocks 37 ₁ and 37 ₂ are lifted up and brought into close contact with the plate member 25 by the extension force of the spring 35. As a result, the probe needles 38 ₁ and 38 ₂ cannot be brought into contact with the device under test.

  In the second embodiment of the present invention, since a vertical probing type probe needle is used as the probe needle, it is suitable for a multi-pin type probe card having a higher degree of integration. In the figure, the structure is an implanted structure for a peripheral electrode type chip, but it is also suitable for a probe card for an area array electrode type chip such as a BGA (ball grid array).

  The configuration of the prober equipped with the vertically movable probe card 36 according to the embodiment of the present invention is exactly the same as the prober equipped with the vertically movable probe card 20 according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. It is.

1, 21, 61 Base 2, 22, 37, 62 Support block 3, 23, 38, 63, 64 Probe needle 4, 24 Support member 5, 25 Plate member 6, 26 Vertical movement mechanism 7, 27 Cylindrical portion 8, 28 Engaging portions 9 and 29 Through holes 10 and 30 Posts 11 and 31 Spring pressing portions 12 and 32 Flexible engaging members 13 and 33 Operating rods 14 and 34 Engaging portions 15 and 35 Spring 20 and 36 Vertically movable probe Card 39 Wire 40 Prober 41 Prober body 42 Test head 43 Contact pin 44 Performance board 45 Contact pin 46 Flock ring 47 Contact pin 48 Work unit 49 Work subunit 50 Semiconductor wafer 60 Probe card

Claims (5)

A set of probe needles corresponding to the number of pads provided on the measurement object;
A support block for supporting the set of probe needle groups;
A support member for mounting the plurality of support blocks so as to be vertically movable;
A vertically movable probe card having a base to which the support member is fixed;
Each of the support blocks is a vertically movable probe card that is mounted on the support member via a vertical movement mechanism having a spring member and an engagement member.   2. The vertically movable probe card according to claim 1, wherein each probe needle constituting the probe needle group is a cantilever type probe needle.   2. The vertically movable probe card according to claim 1, wherein each probe needle constituting the probe needle group comprises a vertical probing type probe needle.   It is a test method using the up-and-down movable probe card of any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3, Comprising: With respect to the support block which has a probe needle group with a defect in these support blocks A test method for measuring the measurement object in a state where the engagement member of the vertical movement mechanism is disengaged and only the support block having the defective probe needle group is selectively retracted upward.   A test apparatus equipped with the vertically movable probe card according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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