JP2024061087A - Electrical contact, electrical connection structure, and electrical connection device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] It is possible to suppress wear of a specific arm when making contact, and to adjust the amount of flexure of the arm while maintaining the frequency characteristics by shortening the overall length of the electrical contactor. [Solution] The present invention is a vertical-type electrical contactor comprising a first base having a first contact portion that electrically contacts the electrode terminal of the test object, a second base having a second contact portion that electrically contacts the electrode portion, and a plurality of elastic members including a plurality of arm portions branched from a plate-like member connected to each of the first base and the second base, and each of the plurality of elastic members is arranged in a line in the thickness direction of the first base and the second base. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to electrical contacts, electrical connection structures, and electrical connection devices, and can be applied to electrical connection devices used for electrical inspections such as electrical tests of semiconductor integrated circuits formed on a wafer.

To electrically test each semiconductor integrated circuit (test subject) on a wafer, a testing device (tester) is used, with a probe card (electrical connection device) with multiple probes attached to the test head. During testing, the probes of the probe card are brought into electrical contact with the electrode terminals of the semiconductor integrated circuit. The tester main body then supplies electrical signals to the semiconductor integrated circuit via the probes, and the tester main body also analyzes the electrical signals from the semiconductor integrated circuit via the probes, thereby performing the electrical test.

Patent Document 1 discloses a vertical probe mounted on a vertical probe card. The vertical probe has a first contact portion, a second contact portion, and a branch portion, and the branch portion has a ring-shaped hole. When the vertical probe is set on the probe card, the first contact portion and the branch portion of the vertical probe are inserted into the first through-hole of the first probe substrate, so that the branch portion is held between the first probe substrate and the second probe substrate. In this way, the branch portion having the ring-shaped hole is held within the probe card body, so that the vertical probe can exert elasticity without offset when making contact.

US Patent Publication No. 2019/0212367

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for narrower probe pitches, and the diameter of the through-holes (in the above example, the first through-holes of the first probe substrate) that house the vertical probes in the probe substrate tends to become smaller. There is also a demand to shorten the overall length of the probes in order to improve the frequency characteristics of the inspection signals transmitted through the vertical probes and thereby improve the inspection accuracy of the inspection device.

However, due to processing errors when forming the probe, the widths of the two arms at the branching part of the vertical probe may differ. If this happens, one of the arms may bend significantly when making contact and hit the wall of the through hole hard, causing the arm to wear out.

It is also possible to control the load on the arm in order to adjust the amount of deflection of the arm to be smaller. However, as the overall length of the vertical probe tends to be shorter, there are fewer parts where the load can be controlled, making it difficult to adjust the amount of deflection. On the other hand, if the overall length of the vertical probe is increased and new parts where the load can be controlled are provided, there is a possibility that the frequency characteristics will deteriorate.

Therefore, there is a demand for an electrical contactor, electrical connection structure, and electrical connection device that can suppress wear on a specific arm during contact and adjust the amount of arm deflection while shortening the overall length of the electrical contactor and maintaining the frequency characteristics.

In order to solve this problem, the first invention is a vertical electrical contactor comprising a first base having a first contact portion that electrically contacts an electrode terminal of a test object, a second base having a second contact portion that electrically contacts the electrode portion, and a plurality of elastic members including a plurality of arm portions branched from a plate-like member connected to each of the first base and the second base, characterized in that each of the plurality of elastic members is arranged in a line in the thickness direction of the first base and the second base.

The second invention is an electrical connection structure comprising a through hole formed in a support substrate, and an electrical contact inserted into the through hole, one tip of which contacts the electrode portion and the other tip of which contacts the electrode terminal of the test subject, the electrical contact having a first base having a first contact portion that electrically contacts the electrode terminal of the test subject, a second base having a second contact portion that electrically contacts the electrode portion, a plurality of arms formed by branching a plate-like member connected to each of the first base and the second base, and a plurality of elastic members having openings, each of the plurality of elastic members being arranged in a line in the thickness direction of the first base and the second base.

The third invention is an electrical connection device that includes a support substrate that supports a plurality of electrical contacts and electrically connects an object to be tested to an inspection device, and has the electrical contact structure of the electrical contacts of the first invention.

The present invention makes it possible to suppress wear on a specific arm during contact, shorten the overall length of the electrical contact, and adjust the amount of arm deflection while maintaining frequency characteristics.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an electrical contact according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the electrical contact according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an electrical contact according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the electrical contact of the embodiment. 1 is a plan view showing a main configuration of an electrical connecting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the main configuration of the electrical connecting device according to the embodiment. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating configurations of electrical contacts held in a probe assembly according to an embodiment before and during contact. FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing the configuration of an electrical contact according to a modified embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a plan view of the electrical contact. FIG. 9A is a perspective view showing the configuration of an electrical contact according to a modified embodiment, and FIG. 9B is a plan view of the electrical contact. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the deflection of an arm portion of the electrical contact of FIG. 9 when the electrical contact is contacted; FIG. 11 is a front view of an electrical contact according to a modified embodiment (part 1). FIG. 13 is a front view of an electrical contact according to a modified embodiment (part 2).

(A) Main Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of an electrical contact, an electrical connection structure, and an electrical connection device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In this embodiment, the present invention is used to provide an example of an electrical connection device that is attached to an inspection device (hereinafter also referred to as a "tester") that inspects the electrical characteristics (e.g., electrical conduction tests) of multiple semiconductor integrated circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer.

The "electrical connection device" has multiple electrical contacts that electrically contact each electrode of the test subject, and electrically connects the test subject to the tester main body of the test device (tester). The electrical connection device is, for example, a probe card, and in this embodiment, a vertical probe card is exemplified, and the electrical contacts are exemplified as vertical probes.

An "inspected object" is an object whose electrical characteristics are inspected by the inspection device, such as an integrated circuit or a semiconductor wafer. A "semiconductor wafer" has multiple integrated circuits with circuit patterns formed on the wafer, and is assumed to be in the state before dowsing.

(A-1-1) Configuration of the Electrical Connecting Device Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the main configuration of the electrical connecting device according to the embodiment, and Fig. 6 is a front view showing the main configuration of the electrical connecting device according to the embodiment.

In Figures 5 and 6, the electrical connection device 1 according to the embodiment has a wiring board 2, a connection board 3, and a probe assembly 5.

Note that although the electrical connection device 1 in Figures 5 and 6 shows the main components, it is not limited to these components and actually includes components that are not shown. In the following, "upper" and "lower" will be referred to with attention to the vertical direction in Figure 6.

The electrical connection device 1 is attached to the test head of an inspection device (tester) (not shown), and during inspection, the electrical contacts 21 are electrically connected to the electrode terminals 16 of the test subject 15, thereby electrically connecting the tester main body (not shown) to the test subject 15.

During testing, the electrical connection device 1 supplies electrical signals from the tester main body to the electrode terminals 16 of the test subject 15 via the electrical contacts 21, and also supplies electrical signals from the test subject 15 to the tester main body via the electrical contacts 21. In this way, the electrical connection device 1 electrically connects between the test subject 15 and the tester main body, allowing the tester main body to test the electrical characteristics of the test subject 15.

The object under test 15 is placed on the top surface of a chuck connected to an inspection stage such as a multi-axis stage, and the position of the object under test 15 on the chuck can be adjusted by driving the inspection stage. For example, during inspection, the object under test 15 on the chuck and the underside of the wiring board 2 of the electrical connection device 1 are brought relatively close to each other so that each electrode terminal 16 of the object under test 15 comes into electrical contact with the contact portion of the corresponding electrical contactor 21.

[Wiring board 2]
The wiring board 2 is made of a resin material such as polyimide, and is, for example, a printed circuit board formed in a substantially circular plate shape. A rectangular opening 7 is formed in the center of one surface (e.g., the upper surface) of the wiring board 2. The rectangular opening 7 is an opening that penetrates the wiring board 2 in the plate thickness direction (Z-axis direction), and the connection board 3 is attached to the opening 7. In addition, a large number of connection parts (not shown) are formed and aligned on one surface of the wiring board 2.

Furthermore, a plurality of tester connection parts 8 that connect to the electrical circuit of the tester main body are formed on the outer edge of the wiring board 2. Each connection part on one side of the wiring board 2 is electrically connected via a conductive path (not shown) of the wiring board 2.

[Connection board 3]
The connection board 3 is a board made of an electrically insulating material, and is attached to the opening 7 of the wiring board 2. The connection board 3 has a rectangular portion 11 in the shape of a rectangular plate that is accommodated in the opening 7, and a rectangular annular flange 12 that protrudes from the outer edge of the rectangular portion 11 on one surface (e.g., the upper surface) of the rectangular portion 11.

The rectangular portion 11 is placed within the opening 7 of the wiring board 2, and with the annular flange 12 placed on the edge of the opening 7, the annular flange 12 is attached to the wiring board 2 by a number of screw members 13.

The rectangular portion 11 has multiple through holes 14 formed in the thickness direction of the substrate (Z-axis direction, plate thickness direction). Each through hole 14 is formed to correspond to the position of an electrode terminal 16 of the test object 15.

One end of each wire is inserted into each through hole 14 of the connection board 3 and electrically connected to the corresponding electrical contact 21 via the wiring pattern on the other surface (e.g., the bottom surface) of the wiring board 2. The other end of each wire is connected to the corresponding connection part. Therefore, each electrical contact 21 is connected to the connection part through the wire, and is connected to the electrical circuit of the tester main body via the connection part and the tester connection part 8.

The tip of one end of each wiring inserted into each through hole 14 only needs to be electrically connectable to the corresponding electrical contact 21. For example, as described above, one end of the wiring connects to the electrical contact 21 via the wiring pattern of the wiring board 2. As another method, one end of the wiring may be directly connected to the corresponding electrical contact 21. As yet another method, one end of the wiring may be indirectly connected to each electrical contact 21 via a conductive path and a connection terminal provided on the wiring board 2 (or the connection board 3).

[Probe Assembly 5]
The probe assembly 5 is a member that holds the multiple electrical contacts 21. The probe assembly 5 includes a support substrate that supports the multiple electrical contacts 21, and the support substrate includes through holes 71 at positions that correspond to the positions of the multiple electrode terminals 16 of the device under test 15.

The probe assembly 5 holds a plurality of electrical contacts 21 by accommodating the electrical contacts 21 in each of a plurality of through holes 71 provided in the support substrate.

The probe assembly 5 is a plate-like member made of an electrically insulating material. The probe assembly 5 is attached to the other surface (e.g., the bottom surface) of the connection board 3 so that the tip of each electrical contact 21 can electrically contact the electrode terminal 16 of the corresponding test subject 15.

(A-1-2) Detailed configuration of the electrical contact 21 Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the electrical contact 21 according to the embodiment. Fig. 2 is a front view of the electrical contact 21, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the electrical contact 21, and Fig. 4 is a side view of the electrical contact 21.

For ease of explanation, the size, wire diameter, length, width, thickness, etc. of the electrical contacts 21 illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 are highlighted and are not limited to those shown.

In Figures 1 to 4, the electrical contact 21 has a first contact portion 56, a second contact portion 57, a first connecting portion (also called the "first base portion") 55, a second connecting portion (also called the "second base portion") 62, a first arm portion 51, a second arm portion 52, a third arm portion 53, and a fourth arm portion 54.

The electrical contactor 21 is generally a vertical probe made of a conductive material and has elasticity in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The electrical contactor 21 electrically connects the electrode terminal 16 of the test subject 15 to the tester body, and during testing, it electrically contacts the electrode terminal 16 of the test subject 15 and the wiring pattern formed on the underside of the wiring board 2.

In the electrical contact 21, the first contact portion 56 is a portion that electrically contacts the electrode terminal 16 of the test subject 15, and the second contact portion 57 is a portion that electrically contacts the wiring pattern of the wiring board 2.

The first connecting portion 55 is a portion formed integrally with the first contact portion 56. The first connecting portion 55 has a prism shape with a substantially rectangular cross section, and the end opposite the end where the first contact portion 56 is present (for example, the upper end of the first connecting portion 55 when the electrical contact 21 is set) is connected to each of the first arm portion 51, the second arm portion 52, the third arm portion 53, and the fourth arm portion 54. Note that the shape of the first connecting portion 55 is not limited to a prism, and may be a cylinder, a cone, a polygonal pyramid, or a polygonal prism other than a square.

The second connecting portion 62 is a portion formed integrally with the second contact portion 57, and functions as a base portion on which the second contact portion 57 is provided. The second connecting portion 62 also functions as a portion that connects the first arm portion 51, the second arm portion 52, the third arm portion 53, and the fourth arm portion 54.

The members branch out continuously and integrally from the first connecting portion 55 toward the second connecting portion 62 (or from the second connecting portion 62 toward the first connecting portion 55). These branched members are the first arm portion 51, the second arm portion 52, the third arm portion 53, and the fourth arm portion 54.

The first arm portion 51, the second arm portion 52, the third arm portion 53, and the fourth arm portion 54 are each a thin, plate-like member.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first arm portion 51 and the third arm portion 53 are provided on the right side of the axis L of the electrical contact 21 and are arranged side by side in the thickness direction T (e.g., the Y-axis direction) of the electrical contact 21.

On the other hand, the second arm portion 52 and the fourth arm portion 54 are provided on the left side of the axis L and are arranged side by side in the thickness direction T (e.g., the Y-axis direction) of the electrical contact 21.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, when focusing on the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52, the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52 are provided on one surface side of the electrical contact 21, and are provided flat (i.e. flush) with respect to the one surface without any step.

In other words, the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52 are paired together on the same plane as one surface of the plate-shaped electrical contact 21, forming an annular member having an opening 60.

When a contact load is applied to a ring-shaped member having a first arm portion 51, a second arm portion 52, and an opening 60 formed by the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52, the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52 store energy and exert elasticity in the vertical direction. For this reason, the ring-shaped member is also called an elastic member.

Although the opening 60 is, for example, a long hole, the opening 60 may be a slit, a perforation, etc., as long as both arm portions have an elastic structure.

Similarly, looking at the third arm portion 53 and the fourth arm portion 54, the third arm portion 53 and the fourth arm portion 54 are provided on the other surface side of the electrical contact 21, and are flat (i.e. flush) with respect to the other surface without any steps. In other words, the third arm portion 53 and the fourth arm portion 54 form a pair on the same plane as the other surface of the plate-shaped electrical contact 21, forming an annular member having an opening 60.

In other words, the first arm portion 51, the second arm portion 52, the third arm portion 53, and the fourth arm portion 54 are each a plate-like member that branches to the left and right (e.g., in the X-axis direction) with respect to the axis L of the electrical contact 21 between the first connecting portion 55 and the second connecting portion 62, and the arm portions on the same side (e.g., the first arm portion 51 and the third arm portion 53) are arranged in the thickness direction T of the electrical contact 21.

The first arm portion 51, the second arm portion 52, the third arm portion 53, and the fourth arm portion 54 are arranged perpendicular to a plane that includes the thickness direction T of the electrical contact 21.

Furthermore, the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52 each branch off on one surface side of the electrical contact 21, and the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52 form a ring shape having an opening 60. Similarly, the third arm portion 53 and the fourth arm portion 54 each branch off on the other surface side of the electrical contact 21, and the third arm portion 53 and the fourth arm portion 54 form a ring shape having an opening 60.

In general, when using a vertical probe, it is difficult to make the vertical probe exhibit elasticity in the up-down direction. Conventionally, in order to make a vertical probe exhibit elasticity in the up-down direction, for example, a needle-shaped probe needs to be tilted or bent.

In contrast, the electrical contact 21 of the embodiment can exert elasticity in the vertical direction by, for example, forming a ring shape (or a perforation) between the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52.

In addition, the electrical contacts 21 of the vertical probe can be easily aligned with the electrode terminals 16 of the test subject 15, leading to improved testing accuracy.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first arm portion 51, the second arm portion 52, the third arm portion 53, and the fourth arm portion 54 are each a thin plate-like member, so that there is a gap 61 between the arm portions on the same side, such as the first arm portion 51 and the third arm portion 53, and the electrical contact 21 penetrates in the left-right direction (e.g., the X-axis direction).

The first connecting portion 55 and the second connecting portion 62, which support the first arm portion 51, the second arm portion 52, the third arm portion 53, and the fourth arm portion 54 arranged in the thickness direction T, have the function of adjusting the thickness of the electrical contact 21.

For example, the length of the gap 61 can be shortened by reducing the thickness of the first connecting portion 55 and the second connecting portion 62. Therefore, in order to accommodate the narrower pitch of the electrode terminals 16 of the test subject 15, it is possible to accommodate a case in which the diameter of the through hole provided in the substrate of the probe assembly 5 is reduced. Conversely, the thickness of the first connecting portion 55 and the second connecting portion 62 can be increased, for example, to lengthen the gap 61 between the arm portions or to increase the number of arm portions.

(A-2) Electrical connection structure of electrical contact 21

(A-2-1) Configuration of Electrical Contactor 21 Before Contact Next, the electrical connection structure of the electrical contactor 21 held in the probe assembly 5 will be described.

Figure 7 (A) is a diagram showing the configuration of the electrical contactor 21 held in the probe assembly 5 before contact, and Figure 7 (B) is a diagram showing the configuration of the electrical contactor 21 when contact is made.

First, the configuration of the electrical contact 21 before contact, which is held in the probe assembly 5, will be described using FIG. 7(A).

In FIG. 7(A), the probe assembly 5 includes a first support substrate (also called the "top plate" or "upper plate") 72 and a second support substrate (also called the "bottom plate" or "lower plate") 74. The probe assembly 5 also has a number of through holes 71 to accommodate each of the electrical contacts 21.

In the probe assembly 5, the through holes 71 are formed at positions corresponding to the positions of the electrode terminals 16 of the test subject 15, and the number of through holes 71 formed is the same as the number of electrode terminals 16 of the test subject 15.

The through hole 71 of the probe assembly 5 is formed in the thickness direction of the first support substrate 72 and the second support substrate 74, and penetrates from the first support hole 711 of the first support substrate 72 to the second support hole 712 of the second support substrate 74. The inner wall surface of the through hole 71 is called the wall surface 73.

Here, if the electrical contact 21 can be accommodated while maintaining the elasticity of the plate-shaped electrical contact 21 in the vertical direction, the hole shape of the through hole 71 can be, for example, circular, elongated, elliptical, rectangular, etc. in a plan view.

In other words, the hole shape of the first support hole 711 of the first support substrate 72 can also be, for example, circular, elongated, elliptical, rectangular, etc. in a plan view to match the hole shape of the through hole 71.

The size of the first support hole 711 of the first support substrate 72 can be set to a size that allows the electrical contact 21 to be inserted. For example, when the hole shape of the first support hole 711 in a plan view is circular, the diameter of the first support hole 711 can be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the width of the electrical contact 21.

On the other hand, the hole shape of the second support hole 712 of the second support substrate 74 is shaped to match the cross-sectional shape of the first connecting portion 55 of the electrical contact 21, and can be, for example, a circle, an elongated hole, an ellipse, a rectangle, etc. in a plan view.

The size of the second support hole 712 of the second support substrate 74 can be set to a size that allows the first connecting portion 55 of the electrical contact 21 to be inserted. For example, when the hole shape of the second support hole 712 in a plan view is circular, the diameter of the second support hole 712 can be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the width length of the first connecting portion 55 of the electrical contact 21.

Next, a method for inserting the electrical contact 21 into the through hole 71 of the probe assembly 5 will be illustrated. The method for inserting the electrical contact 21 into the through hole 71 is not limited to the following.

For example, the electrical contact 21 can be inserted from the first support hole 711 side of the first support substrate 72. In this case, the first contact portion 56 of the electrical contact 21 is inserted into the first support hole 711 of the first support substrate 72, and then the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54 of the electrical contact 21 are inserted into the first support hole 711.

When the electrical contact 21 is fully inserted into the through hole 17, the first contact portion 56 and the first connecting portion 55 of the electrical contact 21 are inserted into the second support hole 712 of the second support substrate 74. In this way, the electrical contact 21 can be inserted into the through hole 17, and the electrical contact 21 can be held inside the through hole 17.

To facilitate smooth insertion of the electrical contact 21 into the through hole 71, the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54 of the electrical contact 21 each have a sloped portion 592 near the boundary with the first connecting portion 55.

For example, if we use the same pair of first arm portion 51 and second arm portion 52, the sloped surface 592 of the first arm portion 51 and the sloped surface 592 of the second arm portion 52 are tapered toward the first connecting portion 55.

The third arm portion 53 and the fourth arm portion 54 also have a sloped portion 592, and when inserting the electrical contact 21 into the first support hole 711 of the first support board 72, even if the sloped portions 592 of the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54 come into contact with the edge of the first support hole 711, the sloped portions 592 slide along the edge of the first support hole 711, allowing for smooth insertion.

In addition, each of the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54 of the electrical contact 21 also has a slope portion 581 near the boundary with the second connecting portion 62.

For example, in the case of the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52 of the same pair, the sloped surface 581 of the first arm portion 51 and the sloped surface 581 of the second arm portion 52 are tapered toward the second connecting portion 62. In this case as well, the electrical contact 21 can be inserted smoothly.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, in order to prevent the electrical contact 21 from falling out, the second support substrate 74 in the through hole 71 has a support portion 741 that supports the electrical contact 21 on the periphery of the second support hole 712.

On the other hand, the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54 of the electrical contact 21 each have a supported portion 591 that is supported by the support portion 741 of the second support substrate 74 within the through hole 71.

In other words, when the electrical contact 21 is inserted into the through hole 17, the supported portions 591 of the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54 function as stoppers, and the supported portions 591 of the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54 catch on the support portion 741 of the second support board 74, preventing the electrical contact 21 from falling off.

(A-2-2) Configuration of Electrical Contactor 21 at the Time of Contact Next, the configuration of electrical contactor 21 at the time of contact will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7B, during testing, the electrical contact 21 is pressed while being housed in the through hole 71 of the probe assembly 5. This causes the first contact portion 56 of the electrical contact 21 to contact the electrode terminal 16 of the test subject 15, and the second contact portion 57 of the electrical contact 21 to contact the wiring pattern of the wiring board 2.

When a contact load is applied to the electrical contact 21, the load is applied to each of the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54. As a result, the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54 are deformed (e.g., bent) so as to be convex outward and store energy. At this time, the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54, which exert elasticity independently, are each deformed while coming into contact with the wall surface 73 of the through hole 71.

Conventionally, one specific arm portion would hit the wall surface hard, causing only that specific arm portion to wear out. However, according to this embodiment, the multiple arm portions (first arm portion 51 to fourth arm portion 54) can be prevented from contacting the wall surface 73, and by arranging the arm portions side by side in the thickness direction, frictional forces can be dispersed, thereby preventing wear on the electrical contact 21.

In addition, in recent years, there has been a demand for electrical contacts with shorter overall lengths in order to improve frequency characteristics, making it difficult to control the load on the arm portions. However, the electrical contactor 21, which has multiple arm portions, can distribute the load to the first arm portion 51 to the fourth arm portion 54, making it easier to control the load on the arm portions and adjust the amount of deflection of the arm portions.

One method for adjusting the amount of deflection of the arm section is to change the cross-sectional shape of the arm section for each arm or for each annular member. For example, the amount of deflection of the arm section can be adjusted to be smaller by increasing the width or thickness of the arm section. In this case, since there are multiple arm sections to be adjusted for load (for example, first arm section 51 to fourth arm section 54), it is easier to adjust the amount of deflection than before. Also, for example, the cross-sectional shape (width, thickness) of the arm section can be adjusted for each arm section or for each annular member.

The upper and lower ends of the opening 60 in the annular member may have different shapes. In this case, the amount of deflection of the arm portion forming the opening 60 can be adjusted. For example, the upper and lower ends of the opening 60 may have an elliptical, circular, or rectangular shape with rounded corners in a front view, but the shapes of the upper and lower ends may be different. For example, the width of the upper end of the opening 60 (length in the X-axis direction) and the width of the lower end may be different lengths.

(A-3) Advantages of the embodiment As described above, according to this embodiment, by providing a plurality of arms (first arm 51 to fourth arm 54) as branching members in the thickness direction on both the left and right sides of axis L of electrical contact 21, the plurality of arms come into contact with wall surface 73 of the through hole when contact is made, dispersing frictional force. As a result, it is possible to prevent only specific arms from wearing out.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the load on the arm can be adjusted even if the overall length is shortened, so the amount of deflection of the arm can be adjusted while maintaining the frequency characteristics.

(B) Other Embodiments Although various modified embodiments have been mentioned in the above-described embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to the following modified embodiments.

(B-1) In the above embodiment, the electrical contact 21 has four arms (first arm 51 to fourth arm 54). However, the configuration of the electrical contact 21 is not limited to this, and may have the following configuration:

(B-1-1) Figure 8 (A) is a perspective view showing the configuration of electrical contact 21A in a modified embodiment, and Figure 8 (B) is a plan view of electrical contact 21A.

The electrical contact 21A illustrated in Figures 8(A) and 8(B) has a thicker first connecting portion 55 and second connecting portion 62, and four arm portions 81, 83, 85, and 87 are provided in the thickness direction on the left side of the electrical contact 21A, and four arm portions 82, 84, 86, and 88 are provided in the thickness direction on the right side. In other words, the electrical contact 21A has four sets of annular members.

In this way, the electrical contact of the present invention is not particularly limited in number as long as it has multiple arm portions on each of the left and right sides in the thickness direction. In other words, the electrical contact may have multiple sets of annular members, each of which is formed with two arm portions.

When multiple annular members are provided in the thickness direction, the distance between adjacent annular members is constant. Alternatively, the distance between adjacent annular members may be different.

(B-1-2) Figure 9 (A) is a perspective view showing the configuration of an electrical contact 21B in a modified embodiment, and Figure 9 (B) is a plan view of the electrical contact 21B. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram explaining the deflection of the arm portion when the electrical contact 21B makes contact.

The electrical contact 21B illustrated in Figures 9(A) and 9(B) includes four first to fourth arm portions 51 to 54, similar to the electrical contact 21 in Figure 1 of the embodiment described above. In addition, the electrical contact 21B includes a fifth arm portion 91 connected to the first connecting portion 55 and the second connecting portion 62 between the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52, and a sixth arm portion 92 connected to the first connecting portion 55 and the second connecting portion 62 between the third arm portion 53 and the fourth arm portion 54.

The fifth arm portion 91 and the sixth arm portion 92 are plate-shaped members made of a conductive material. When contact is made, as shown in FIG. 10, the fifth arm portion 91 and the sixth arm portion 92 bend and store energy so as to be convex outward relative to the central axis of the electrical contact 21B.

In this way, the electrical contact of the present invention can adjust the amount of deflection of the arm portions by providing a fifth arm portion 91 and a sixth arm portion 92 on the opening 60 of the annular member formed by the two arm portions.

Here, as illustrated in Figures 9(A) and 9(B), the fifth arm portion 91 is not provided on the flat surfaces of the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52, but is placed on the surfaces of the first connecting portion 55 and the second connecting portion 62. In other words, the fifth arm portion 91 is positioned in a state where it protrudes from the flat surfaces (planes) of the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52.

Similarly, the sixth arm portion 92 is positioned so as to protrude from the flat surfaces (planes) of the third arm portion 53 and the fourth arm portion 54.

In this way, by arranging the fifth arm portion 91 and the sixth arm portion 92 in a protruding state, even if a load is applied to each arm portion (first arm portion 51 to fourth arm portion, fifth arm portion 91, sixth arm portion 92) during contact, the fifth arm portion 91 and the sixth arm portion 92 can effectively exert the springiness of the first arm portion 51 to fourth arm portion 54 without interfering with it. Furthermore, the fifth arm portion 91 and the sixth arm portion 92 can each exert their elasticity independently.

In addition, the electrical contact in FIG. 9(A) is provided with a fifth arm portion 91 and a sixth arm portion 92 for each set of annular members, but it is also possible to provide arm portions on only one of the sets of annular members rather than providing arm portions on all sets of annular members.

(B-2) The electrical contact of the present invention may be provided with three or more branched arm portions and an annular member having two or more openings. This is a further modification of Figures 9(A) to 9(B). In this case as well, the amount of deflection of the arm portions can be adjusted.

(B-3) In the above-described embodiment, it was mentioned that the cross-sectional shape of the arm portion can be adjusted for each arm portion or each annular member in order to adjust the amount of change (deflection) of the arm portion when a contact load is applied. An example of this is described using Figures 9 and 11.

For example, comparing the cross sections of the fifth arm portion 91 and the first arm portion 51, etc. in Figures 9(A) and 9(B), the cross sections of the fifth arm portion 91 and the first arm portion 51, etc. are each rectangular, but the height and width of the cross section of the fifth arm portion 91 can be made shorter than the height and width of the cross section of the first arm portion 51, etc. In this way, by making the cross section area of the fifth arm portion 91 smaller than the cross section area of the first arm portion 51, etc., it is possible to adjust the amount of change of each of the fifth arm portion 91 and the first arm portion 51, etc. when a contact load is applied.

Another example will be described with reference to FIG. 11. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the width of the lower portion 511 of the first arm portion 51 can be made smaller than the width of the upper portion of the same first arm portion 51, and the cross-sectional shape of the upper portion, which has a larger width, differs from the cross-sectional shape of the lower portion, which has a smaller width. This makes it possible to adjust the amount of change when a contact load is applied, even with the same first arm portion 51. In this way, the cross-sectional shapes of one arm portion may be made different. The same can be said for the other, second arm portion 52.

(B-4) In the above embodiment, it was mentioned that the shape of the upper end side and the shape of the lower end side of the opening 60 in the annular member may be different. An example of this is described below using the drawings.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the opening 60 of the annular member is generally rectangular, but the upper end of the opening 60 has rounded corners, while the lower end of the opening 60 is tapered so that the width of the opening decreases the further downward. In this way, by making the upper end shape and the lower end shape of the opening 60 different, it is possible to adjust the amount of change in the arm portion that forms the opening 60 (for example, the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52 in the example of FIG. 2).

As another example, as shown in FIG. 12, the opening 60 of the annular member is shaped like an inverted triangle, and the corners of the upper end of the opening 60 are rounded. The opening 60 is tapered so that the width of the opening 60 decreases as it moves downward from the corners of the upper end of the opening 60, and the lower end of the opening 60 has a narrow side. By making the opening 60 of the annular member shaped like an inverted triangle as shown in FIG. 12, it is possible to adjust the amount of change in the arm portion (for example, the first arm portion 51 and the second arm portion 52 in the example of FIG. 12) when a contact load is applied.

Furthermore, by using a ring-shaped member having a generally inverted triangular shape as shown in FIG. 12, it is possible to obtain the effect of smoothly inserting the electrical contact 21D into the through hole 71 of the probe assembly 5.

1...electrical connection device, 2...wiring board, 3...connection board, 5...probe assembly, 7...opening, 8...tester connection portion, 11...rectangular portion, 12...annular flange, 13...screw member, 14...through hole, 15...test subject, 16...electrode terminal, 17...through hole, 21, 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D...electrical contact, 51-54...first arm portion to fourth arm portion, 91...fifth arm portion, 92...third arm portion 6 arm portion, 81 to 88... arm portion, 55... first connecting portion (first base portion), 56... first contact portion, 57... second contact portion, 60... opening, 61... gap, 62... second connecting portion (second base portion), 71... through hole, 72... first supporting substrate, 73... wall surface, 74... second supporting substrate, 581... inclined portion, 591... supported portion, 592... inclined portion, 711... first supporting hole, 712... second supporting hole, 741... supporting portion.

Claims (6)

In vertical electrical contacts,
a first base portion having a first contact portion that is in electrical contact with an electrode terminal of the device under test;
a second base portion having a second contact portion that is in electrical contact with the electrode portion;
a plurality of elastic members including a plurality of arm portions branched from a plate-like member connected to each of the first base portion and the second base portion;
Equipped with
The electrical contact, wherein the plurality of elastic members are arranged in a line in a thickness direction of the first base portion and the second base portion. The electrical contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the multiple elastic members is an annular member having an opening formed by the multiple arm portions. The electrical contactor according to claim 2, characterized in that the cross-sectional shape of each of the arm portions is formed so that the amount of deformation caused by the contact load can be adjusted for each of the arm portions or each of the annular members. The electrical contactor according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening shape at the upper end and the opening shape at the lower end of the opening are different shapes. A through hole formed in a support substrate;
an electrical contact that is inserted into the through hole, one tip of which contacts the electrode portion and the other tip of which contacts an electrode terminal of a device under test;
The electrical contact is
a first base portion having a first contact portion that electrically contacts the electrode terminal of the device under test;
a second base portion having a second contact portion that is in electrical contact with the electrode portion;
a plurality of arm portions formed by branching a plate-like member connected to each of the first base portion and the second base portion, and a plurality of elastic members each having an opening;
having
the plurality of elastic members are arranged in a line in a thickness direction of the first base portion and the second base portion. An electrical connection device comprising a support substrate supporting a plurality of electrical contacts and electrically connecting an object to be tested and an inspection device, the electrical connection device having an electrical contact structure of the electrical contacts according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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