JP3818108B2 - Probe tip cleaning member, probe cleaning device, and probe tip cleaning method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a probe tip cleaning member, a probe cleaning device, and a probe tip cleaning method for removing foreign matter adhering to a tip portion of a probe.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When measuring the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor chip or the like formed in large numbers on a semiconductor wafer, a probe card having a large number of probes arranged in accordance with electrode pads of the semiconductor chip or the like is used. That is, after setting the semiconductor wafer on the stage, the stage is moved in the direction of the probe card, and the tip of the probe is pressed against the electrode pad of the semiconductor chip (overdrive). In this state, since the semiconductor chip and the semiconductor tester are electrically connected through the probe, the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chip are measured by the semiconductor tester. Such measurement is performed at the stage of the inspection process after the semiconductor wafer manufacturing process is completed.
[0003]
However, since the tip portion of the probe is overdriven by the electrode pad, a part of the electrode pad is easily scraped off, and foreign matter such as scraped aluminum powder may adhere to the tip portion of the probe. If the attached foreign matter is left as it is, a conduction failure between the probe and the electrode pad occurs, and accurate measurement cannot be performed. In order to avoid such a situation, the probe tip is cleaned after the probe card has been used for a predetermined time. A probe tip cleaning member is used at this time.
[0004]
A conventional probe tip cleaning member is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-244074. As shown in FIG. 7A, the polishing layer 2 is formed on the surface of the substrate 1 having the same shape and the same dimensions as the semiconductor wafer. In the polishing layer 2, a fine abrasive material such as alumina, silicon carbide or diamond is mixed in an elastic base material such as silicon rubber or urethane rubber. That is, as shown in FIG. 7B, the tip of the probe 3 is brought into contact with the surface of the polishing layer 2 several times substantially perpendicularly, and in this process, the foreign matter adhering to the tip of the probe 3 is removed. It has become. Unlike the conventional one using a ceramic plate, it is difficult to polish the tip surface of the probe, so that it is possible to extend the life of the probe.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of the above conventional example, a problem has been pointed out that the peripheral side surface of the distal end portion of the probe is easily polished during the cleaning process. The tip of the probe is as thin as about 20 μm, and this may be reduced to about half by several tens of cleanings. In particular, when the probe is automatically cleaned, both the tip of the probe and the probe tip cleaning member are photographed with a CCD camera, and the movement of the stage is controlled through image recognition. When the diameter of the tip of the probe is about half as thin as the initial diameter, it becomes impossible to recognize the tip of the probe with the CCD camera, and the automatic cleaning process of the probe is stopped.
[0006]
The present invention was created under the above-described background, and the main object thereof is a probe tip cleaning member, a probe cleaning device, and a probe in which the peripheral side surface of the tip portion of the probe is hard to be polished during the cleaning process. The object is to provide a tip cleaning method.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A probe tip cleaning member according to the present invention is a probe tip cleaning member used to remove foreign matter adhering to a tip portion of a probe, and is formed on a substrate having a rough surface and on the surface of the substrate. The polishing layer has a thickness necessary for cleaning only the tip surface, not the peripheral side surface of the probe, and the pressing force acting through the tip surface of the probe during cleaning Thus, the probe has an elastic layer whose surface is recessed to a depth that can reach the rough surface of the substrate, and has a particle size that can enter the rough surface of the substrate, and A fine abrasive containing abrasive particles suitable for cleaning the tip surface is mixed.
[0008]
In such a configuration, when the tip end surface of the probe is brought into contact with the polishing layer, the polishing layer is depressed by the pressing force at this time, and the tip end surface of the probe becomes close to the rough surface on the surface of the substrate. Since the abrasive particles of the fine abrasive material mixed in the polishing layer enter the rough surface, the tip surface of the probe is cleaned by the abrasive particles. Since the polishing layer has a thickness necessary for cleaning only the tip surface of the probe, even if the probe is repeatedly cleaned, its peripheral side surface is hardly polished and the tip portion of the probe may be deformed. Almost disappear.
[0009]
When the substrate is softer than the probe, the surface of the substrate may be coated with a hard film that is harder than the probe.
[0010]
When the tip surface of the probe has a spherical shape, the polishing layer preferably has a double structure of an upper polishing layer using soft rubber as a base material and a lower polishing layer using hard rubber as a base material.
[0011]
A probe cleaning device according to the present invention is a device that removes foreign matter adhering to a tip portion of a probe attached to a probe card, and is set on a stage that is moved relative to the probe card and the stage The probe tip cleaning member and a control unit for moving the stage relative to each other are provided, and the control unit moves the stage relatively to thereby move the tip end surface of the probe attached on the surface of the probe card. Near the rough surface on the surface of the substrate or the hard resin film of the probe tip cleaning member, and in this state, the tip of the probe is penetrated by the abrasive particles of fine abrasive that enter the rough surface and are mixed into the polishing layer. The stage is designed to move relatively finely so that the surface can be cleaned. That.
[0012]
For the probe tip cleaning member used in such a probe cleaning apparatus, instead of the substrate, a hard resin film that can be easily attached on the stage of the probe cleaning apparatus and has a rough surface is used. It is desirable to use a material that can be easily cut into an arbitrary shape according to the stage including the polishing layer.
[0013]
A probe tip cleaning method according to the present invention is a method for removing foreign matter adhering to a tip portion of a probe attached to a probe card using the probe cleaning device, wherein the probe tip cleaning member is set on a stage. The stage is moved relative to the probe card, whereby the tip surface of the probe mounted on the surface of the probe card is brought into contact with the polishing layer of the probe tip cleaning member, and the polishing is performed by the pressing force at this time. A fine powder that has entered the rough surface and is mixed into the polishing layer in a state where the surface of the layer is recessed and the tip surface of the probe is close to the rough surface on the surface of the substrate or the hard resin film of the probe tip cleaning member The probe tip surface is cleaned by the abrasive particles of the abrasive. It is characterized in that so as to relatively finely moving the stage relative to the card.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a probe tip cleaning member, FIG. 2 is a schematic enlarged side view of the probe tip cleaning member showing a state in which the flat tip surface of the probe is cleaned, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic enlarged side view of the probe tip cleaning member showing how the tip surface of the probe is being cleaned, FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the member for explaining a modification of the probe tip cleaning member, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of the probe cleaning device, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the member for explaining another modified example of the probe tip cleaning member.
[0015]
The probe tip cleaning member A shown in FIG. 1 is used to remove foreign matter adhering to the tip portion of the probe 110. As shown in FIG. 1A, a substrate 10 having a rough surface 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) and a polishing layer 20 formed on the surface of the substrate 10 are provided. Hereinafter, each part will be described in detail.
[0016]
Here, a wafer, glass, metal plate, ceramic plate or the like is used as the substrate 10. A rough surface 11 as shown in FIG. 2 or 3 is formed on the surface of the wafer or the like using a technique such as PVD or CVD. The surface roughness of the rough surface 11 is set to about 1 to 10 times the average particle diameter of abrasive particles 21 described later. When a material having a rough surface 11 on the surface is used as the substrate 10 from the beginning, treatments such as PVD and CVD are unnecessary.
[0017]
It is desirable to select a substrate 10 having a Vickers hardness equivalent to or higher than that of the probe 110. However, when the hardness of the substrate 10 is softer than that of the probe 110, the surface of the substrate 10 may be coated with a hard film 12 that is harder than the probe 110. For the material of the hard film 12, TiN, Si3N4, DLC, etc. are selected in consideration of the material of the probe 110, the tip shape, etc., and the thickness is preferably 0.1 μm or more.
[0018]
The polishing layer 20 is a layer having elasticity such that the surface is depressed by a pressing force acting through the tip surface of the probe 110 during cleaning. Here, silicon rubber, urethane rubber or the like is used. The polishing layer 20 is mixed with a fine abrasive powder made of abrasive particles 21 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) suitable for cleaning the rough surface 11 and cleaning the tip surface of the probe 110. Here, silicon, silica, alumina, silicon carbide, diamond powder, or the like is used as the fine powder abrasive. The material and particle size are appropriately selected according to the material of the probe 110 and the shape of the tip surface, and the volume content is preferably set to about 1 to 50%.
[0019]
The polishing layer 20 has a thickness necessary for cleaning only the distal end surface, not the peripheral side surface of the probe 110. That is, the conventional thickness of about 0.5 mm is changed to a thickness of about 0.1 μm to 100 μm. A specific value may be appropriately selected in accordance with the material of the probe 110, the shape of the tip surface, and the like within this range.
[0020]
In the case of the probe tip cleaning member A configured as described above, when the tip surface of the probe 110 is brought into contact with the polishing layer 20, the polishing layer 20 is depressed by the pressing force at this time, as shown in FIG. It will be. At this time, although the tip surface of the probe 110 is in a state of being close to the rough surface 11 on the surface of the substrate 10, the polishing layer 20 that is thinly stretched when contacting the probe serves as a cushioning material.
[0021]
Note that the shape of the recess of the polishing layer 20 at the time of probe contact varies slightly depending on the shape of the tip surface of the probe 110 and the like. For example, when the tip surface of the probe 110 is flat, the shape is as shown in FIG. 2, while when the shape of the tip surface of the probe 110 is spherical, the shape is as shown in FIG.
[0022]
Since the fine particles of abrasive particles 21 mixed in the polishing layer 20 enter the rough surface 11, when the probe 110 or the like is finely moved, the tip surface of the probe 110 is cleaned by the abrasive particles 21. In particular, when the shape of the tip surface of the probe 110 as shown in FIG. 2 is flat, burrs are likely to adhere firmly to the tip surface of the probe 110, but this burrs can also be completely removed. Further, since the polishing layer 20 has a thickness necessary for cleaning only the tip surface of the probe 110, the peripheral side surface thereof is difficult to be polished even if the probe 110 is repeatedly cleaned, and the tip of the probe 110 is not polished. The portion is hardly deformed. In particular, even if the tip surface of the probe 110 as shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 is flat or spherical, the shape hardly changes.
[0023]
When the probe 110 has a Vickers hardness of 1000 or less and the tip end surface is spherical, it is desirable to use a probe tip cleaning member A having a structure as shown in FIG. The only structural difference from the above is the polishing layer 20 '. The polishing layer 20 ′ is composed of an upper polishing layer 21 ′ using a soft rubber (here, a gel of JIS A10 or lower) as a base material and a soft rubber (using a gel of JIS A50 or higher) as a base material. It has a double structure with the lower polishing layer 22 ' . The point that the fine abrasive is mixed is the same as the above.
[0024]
It has been confirmed that when the probe tip cleaning member A is used to repeatedly clean the probe 100, the shape of the spherical surface of the tip surface of the probe 100 is further maintained as compared with the above.
[0025]
It may be carried out manually for cleaning the probe 110, but in practice automatically common to clean the probe 110 using a probe cleaning apparatus B as shown in FIG. 5.
[0026]
The probe cleaning device B is a device that removes foreign matter adhering to the tip portion of the probe 110 attached to the probe card 100, and is set on the stage 200 that moves relative to the probe card 100 and the stage 200. The probe tip cleaning member A and the control unit 300 that moves the stage 200 relatively are provided. Specifically, the control unit 300 is a microcomputer or the like.
[0027]
The probe cleaning device B is a measurement device itself that measures the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor chip or the like using the probe card 100, and is obtained by adding a slight design change to the control unit of the measurement device. It represents as.
[0028]
The control unit 300 relatively moves the stage 200, thereby causing the tip surface of the probe 110 attached on the surface of the probe card 100 to be on the surface of the substrate 10 (or the hard resin film 12) of the probe tip cleaning member A. In this state, the stage 200 is relatively moved so that the tip surface of the probe 110 is cleaned by the abrasive particles 21 of the fine abrasive that enters the rough surface 11 and is mixed in the polishing layer 20. The structure is finely moved.
[0029]
Next, a process in which the probe 110 is cleaned by the probe cleaning apparatus B configured as described above will be described.
[0030]
First, the probe tip cleaning member A is set on the stage 200, the stage 200 is moved relative to the probe card 100, and the tip surface of the probe 110 attached on the surface of the probe card 100 is moved to the probe tip cleaning member. A is brought into contact with the polishing layer 20 of A. The surface of the polishing layer 20 is depressed by the pressing force at this time. Fine powder abrasive that enters the rough surface 11 and is mixed into the polishing layer 20 in a state where the tip surface of the probe 110 is close to the rough surface 11 on the surface of the substrate 10 (or the hard resin film 12) of the probe tip cleaning member A. The stage 200 is finely moved relative to the probe card 100 so that the tip surface of the probe 110 is cleaned by the abrasive particles 21. This completes the cleaning of the tip surface of the probe 110.
[0031]
In the controller 300, when the stage 200 is automatically moved, actually, both the tip portion of the probe 110 and the probe tip cleaning member A are photographed by a CCD camera (not shown). That is, the movement of the stage 200 is controlled through image recognition of a screen shot with a CCD camera. However, as long as the probe tip cleaning member A is used to clean the tip portion of the probe 110, the diameter of the probe 110 is unlikely to be reduced even if the probe 110 is repeatedly cleaned, unlike the conventional example. The tip portion of the probe 110 can be reliably recognized with the CCD camera, and the automatic cleaning process of the probe 110 is not stopped.
[0032]
When the probe 110 is cleaned using the probe cleaning device B, a probe tip cleaning member A1 having a structure as shown in FIG. 6 may be used.
[0033]
This probe tip cleaning member A1 uses, instead of the substrate 10, a hard resin film 30 that can be easily attached to the stage 200 of the probe cleaning apparatus B and has a rough surface. And it is the structure using the material which can be easily cut into arbitrary shapes according to the stage 200 including polishing layer 20 '. In the figure, reference numeral 50 denotes a wafer attached to the stage 200, and reference numeral 40 in the figure denotes an adhesive for attaching the probe tip cleaning member A1 onto the wafer 50.
[0034]
About the material of the hard resin film | membrane 30, it is a polyimide film, PET film, etc., The thickness is 4 micrometers-300 micrometers. A rough surface similar to that shown in FIG. 2 or 3 is formed on the surface by using a technique such as PVD or CVD. A material having a rough surface on the surface is used as the hard resin film 30 from the beginning. When used, PVD, CVD, etc. are not necessary. The polishing layer 20 ′ is exactly the same as that shown in FIG.
[0035]
Here, the probe tip cleaning member A1 is affixed on the wafer 50, but it is natural that it may be directly attached on the stage 200.
[0036]
Such a probe tip cleaning member A1 has the same merit as that shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. Further, although there are various shapes and dimensions of the stage 200 of the probe cleaning apparatus B, the probe tip cleaning member A1 can be easily cut into an arbitrary shape when the probe tip cleaning member A1 is used. It can be easily applied to various types of probe cleaning apparatuses B, and is advantageous in terms of versatility.
[0037]
The probe tip cleaning member according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the substrate, polishing layer, fine abrasive material, etc. can be appropriately set and changed as long as it has the same function as described above. is there. In addition, the probe cleaning device according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, as long as the probe tip cleaning member is used and cleaning is performed while bringing the probe tip surface close to the rough surface of the probe tip cleaning member substrate, You can make any design changes.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the case of the probe tip cleaning member according to the present invention, the polishing layer formed on the substrate has a thickness necessary for cleaning only the tip surface of the probe, and is a push acting through the probe tip surface during cleaning. The probe is elastic so that the tip surface of the probe is depressed to a depth that allows the probe to reach the rough surface of the substrate, and has a particle size that can enter the rough surface of the substrate. Since the fine abrasive powder composed of abrasive particles suitable for cleaning the tip surface of the substrate is mixed, the abrasive particles mixed in the polishing layer enter the rough surface of the substrate, and the tip surface of the probe is covered. Grind. That is, since only the tip surface of the probe is polished, even if the probe is repeatedly cleaned, its peripheral side surface is hardly polished, and the probe tip is hardly deformed. There is an advantage that the shape of the surface is maintained.
[0039]
In the case of the probe cleaning device and the probe tip cleaning method according to the present invention, the probe tip cleaning member is used to clean the tip portion of the probe.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a probe tip cleaning member for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic enlarged side view of the probe tip cleaning member showing a state in which the flat tip surface of the probe is also cleaned. .
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic enlarged side view of the probe tip cleaning member also showing a state in which the spherical tip surface of the probe is cleaned; is there.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the same member for explaining a modification of the probe tip cleaning member.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic configuration diagram of a probe cleaning device.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the same member for explaining another modified example of the probe tip cleaning member.
FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a conventional example, and is a cross-sectional view of a probe tip cleaning member.
[Explanation of symbols]
A Probe tip cleaning member 10 Substrate 11 Rough surface 20 Polishing layer 21 Abrasive particle B Probe cleaning device 100 Probe card 110 Probe 200 Stage 300 Control unit

Claims (6)

A probe tip cleaning member used to remove foreign matter adhering to the probe tip portion includes a substrate whose surface is roughened and a polishing layer formed on the surface of the substrate. The polishing layer has a thickness necessary for cleaning only the tip surface of the probe, not the peripheral side surface of the probe, and the tip surface of the probe is caused to move by the pressing force acting through the tip surface of the probe during cleaning. Abrasive particles having elasticity that allows the surface to be depressed to a depth that can reach the rough surface, having a particle size that can enter the rough surface of the substrate, and suitable for cleaning the tip surface of the probe A probe tip cleaning member in which a fine abrasive powder made of is mixed.   2. The probe tip cleaning member according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the substrate is coated with a hard film harder than the probe.   3. The probe tip cleaning member according to claim 1, wherein the polishing layer has a double structure of an upper polishing layer using soft rubber as a base material and a lower polishing layer using hard rubber as a base material. A probe tip cleaning member. The probe tip cleaning member according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein instead of the substrate, a hard resin film that is easy to be affixed on a stage of a probe cleaning device and whose surface is roughened is used. A probe tip cleaning member comprising a material that can be easily cut into an arbitrary shape according to the stage including the polishing layer. 5. A probe cleaning apparatus for removing foreign matter adhering to a probe tip attached to a probe card, wherein the stage is moved relative to the probe card, and the stage is set on the stage. The probe tip cleaning member described above and a control unit that moves the stage relatively, the control unit moves the stage relatively, and thereby the tip of the probe attached on the surface of the probe card The surface of the probe tip cleaning member is brought close to a rough surface on the surface of the substrate or the hard resin film, and in this state, the abrasive particles of the fine abrasive that enter the rough surface and are mixed into the polishing layer The stage is relatively finely moved so that the front end surface is cleaned. Probe cleaning apparatus that. 6. A probe tip cleaning method for removing foreign matter adhering to a tip portion of a probe attached to a probe card using the probe cleaning device of claim 5, wherein the probe tip cleaning member of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4 is placed on a stage. And the stage is moved relative to the probe card so that the tip of the probe mounted on the surface of the probe card is brought into contact with the polishing layer of the probe tip cleaning member. The surface of the polishing layer is recessed by pressure, and the probe tip surface enters the rough surface with the probe tip cleaning member close to the rough surface on the substrate or the surface of the hard resin film, and enters the polishing layer. As the tip of the probe is cleaned by the abrasive particles of the fine abrasive powder mixed, Probe tip cleaning method is characterized in that so as to relatively finely moving the stage relative to the lobes card.

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