JP3881543B2 - Contact probe and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a contact probe for performing an electrical test such as a circuit test by bringing a contact pin into contact with a fine electrode of an object to be inspected such as a semiconductor IC chip or an LCD (liquid crystal display), and a manufacturing method thereof.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a probe device presses a contact pin of a contact probe against each electrode pad (hereinafter referred to as a pad) such as a semiconductor chip such as an IC chip or an LSI, or an LCD (liquid crystal display), and a tester via a printed circuit board. Used for electrical testing by connecting to.
For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the contact probe 1 has a film 3 deposited on a plurality of pattern wirings 2 made of Ni-based alloy or the like via an adhesive layer, and the tip ends of the pattern wirings 2 are contacted. Pins 2a are used. Further, a window portion 4 is formed in the wide base portion 1b of the film, and the window portion 4 is provided with lead-out wiring portions 5 for pattern wirings 2.
The film 3 may be made of a resin film layer such as polyimide, or may be a film obtained by laminating a metal film layer such as copper foil as a ground on a resin film layer such as polyimide.
[0003]
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, such a contact probe 1 is incorporated into a mechanical part 7 such as a mounting base, top clamp, or bottom clamp to form a probe device 8, and contact pins 2a. This is brought into contact with fine electrode terminals such as pads and bumps (pad 18a of IC chip 18 in FIG. 15).
That is, in the probe device 8 shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, for example, a top clamp 11 is attached on a printed circuit board 10 having a disk shape and a central window portion 10a, and the tip 1a of the contact probe 1 is attached to a double-sided tape or the like. The mounting base 12 attached to the lower surface is fixed to the top clamp 11 with a bolt or the like. Then, the base 1 b of the contact probe 1 is pressed by the bottom clamp 14. At that time, the printed circuit board 10 and the base 1b of the contact probe 1 are positioned relative to each other by positioning pins.
As a result, the tip end portion 1 a of the contact probe 1 is held in an inclined state downward on the lower surface of the mounting base 12, and the lead-out wiring portion 5 of the pattern wiring 2. The body 15 is pressed against the electrode 16 on the lower surface of the printed circuit board 10 through the window 4 and is held in contact.
[0004]
Incidentally, each of the pattern wirings 2 including the contact pins 2a of the contact probe 1 described above is manufactured by a photolithography / plating method using a mask exposure technique, and the tip 20 of the contact pin 2a is shown in FIG. Thus, it is formed in a plate shape of a substantially semicircular arc. Here, the tip portion 20 of the contact pin 2 a is composed of a top arc-shaped top surface 21, a bottom surface 22, and a side surface 23 that are attached to the film 3.
Further, in order to reduce the contact resistance when contacting the pad 18a, as shown in FIG. 16, the contact surface 24 polished by cutting obliquely from the lower surface 22 to the front end of the side surface 23 is formed at the front end of the contact pin 2a. Was.
[0005]
When the contact pins 2a are brought into contact with the pads 18a of the IC chip 18, for example, the pads 18a are horizontally arranged, and the inclination angle θ of the contact pins 2a with respect to the pads 18a is set to about 20 °, for example.
On the other hand, since the surface of the pad 18a formed of aluminum alloy or gold is oxidized in air and covered with a thin oxide film or adsorbate, the pad 18a is overdriven and shown in FIG. It is necessary to scrape the surface oxide film or adsorbate on the contact surface 24 of the tip 20 (referred to as scrub), expose the metal such as aluminum or gold inside, and make sure electrical connection with the contact pin 2a at the contact surface 24. There is.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 17, the pad 18a of the IC chip 18 is provided with an insulating film (insulating member) called a passivation 26 at the edge thereof, and the passivation 26 reaches a position higher than the surface of the pad 18a. It is raised. Therefore, when scrubbing, the contact pin 2a may come into contact with the passivation 26 and damage the passivation 26.
[0007]
There is a contact probe in which a recess is formed in the lower surface 22 of the contact pin 2a so as to avoid such interference with the passivation 26 so that the pad 18a can be scrubbed. However, there is a problem that the strength of the contact pin 2a is reduced because the thickness of the contact pin 2a is reduced by forming the recess in the contact pin 2a in this way.
[0008]
The inventor discloses a contact probe in which a protrusion is formed at the tip of a contact pin 2a as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-249144.
In the contact probe configured as described above, the surface of the pad 18a is projected by the protrusion protruding from the contact pin 2a while the portions other than the tip of the contact pin 2a are separated from the pad 18a to avoid interference with the passivation 26. Can be scrubbed.
However, since this protrusion is formed by bonding or plating, the shape thereof is substantially hemispherical. When the protruding portion is spherical in this way, the protruding portion easily slips on the pad 18a when scrubbing, and the surface of the pad 18a cannot be rubbed strongly, and reliable conduction with the contact pin 2a is maintained. It was difficult. In particular, when the material of the pad 18a is aluminum or the like and the surface thereof is covered with a hard oxide film, the oxide film on the surface of the pad 18a may not be sufficiently scraped off.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a contact probe that can satisfactorily scrub electrodes of an object to be inspected while avoiding interference with passivation, and a method for manufacturing the same. And
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  In the contact probe according to the present invention, in the contact probe in which each tip of the plurality of pattern wirings to which the film is attached is a contact pin, the tip of the contact pin,The tip forms a ridgelineProtrusions are provided, and the contact pin is provided on the first metal layer and the first metal layer, and is not harder or less wear resistant than the first metal layer, but is conductive. A high second metal layer, and the protrusion is formed of the first metal layer.The protruding portion is formed by dividing a protruding line forming a linear ridge line extending in the arrangement direction of the contact pins across the plurality of contact pins for each contact pin.It is characterized by that.
[0011]
  In the contact probe configured as described above, since the protrusion is provided at the tip of the contact pin, the portion other than the tip of the contact pin is projected from the contact pin in a state of being separated from the object to be inspected. The protrusions scrub the electrode of the object to be inspected. As a result, even if a passivation or the like is provided around the electrode of the object to be inspected, the contact pin protrudes from the contact pin while avoiding interference between the contact pin and the passivation even if the inclination angle of the contact pin is further reduced. The surface of the electrode is scrubbed by the protruding portion.
  And the protrusion isThe tip is ridgelineSince it has a sharp shape, it is easy to bite against the electrode surface during scrubbing. For example, even if the electrode surface is covered with an oxide film or an adsorbent, these are removed to remove the inside of the electrode. The metal can be exposed and the conduction with the contact pin is ensuredit can.
  Further, the contact pin is provided on the first metal layer and the first metal layer, and is not harder than the first metal layer or less wear-resistant but highly conductive. Since the protrusion is formed of the first metal layer, the protrusion is made of a hard or highly wear-resistant material, while improving scrub performance and durability. A contact probe with improved contact pin conductivity can be obtained.
[0012]
Further, the protruding portion may be constituted by a protruding member embedded in the tip portion of the contact pin.
In this case, the shape of the protrusion member constituting the protrusion becomes the shape of the protrusion as it is. Since the protrusion is a separate member from the contact pin and can be formed in a desired shape in advance, the degree of freedom and shape accuracy of the protrusion can be further improved.
In addition, since the protruding portion is constituted by a member different from the contact pin in this way, for example, the protruding member is made of hard or highly wear-resistant material such as Ni with emphasis on scrub performance and durability, for example, The contact pin is made of a material having higher conductivity than the protruding member, for example, copper or the like with emphasis on conductivity, and a contact probe having good conductivity performance in addition to high scrub performance and durability can be obtained.
[0013]
The contact probe manufacturing method according to the present invention is a contact probe manufacturing method in which a tip end portion of a pattern wiring formed on a film is used as a contact pin, for forming a metal layer provided for the contact pin. A recess forming step for forming a recess at a position to be a base of a portion forming the tip of the contact pin on the surface of the substrate layer to be a base, and applying a mask on the substrate layer before and after the recess forming step; A plating process for forming a metal layer to be used for the contact pins on a portion where the mask is not applied by a plating process; and a film deposition process for depositing the film on the metal layer from which the mask has been removed; And a separation step of separating the film layer and the metal layer from the substrate layer. .
[0014]
  In this contact probe manufacturing method, a recess is formed at a position serving as a base of a portion that forms the tip of the contact pin on the surface of a substrate layer that is a base for forming a metal layer provided for the contact pin (a step of forming a recess). ). Then, a mask is applied on the substrate layer before and after the recess formation step. Here, this indentation forming step may be performed either before or after the mask formation.
  Subsequently, a metal layer to be used for the contact pins is formed by plating on the part where the mask is not applied (plating process). Since the depression is formed on the surface of the substrate layer, a protrusion having an outer shape in which the inner shape of the depression is transferred is formed on the portion of the metal layer provided for the contact pin that forms the tip of the contact pin. Is done.
  Furthermore, a film is deposited on the metal layer from which the mask has been removed (film deposition process), and the portion consisting of the film and the metal layer is separated from the substrate layer (separation process), so that the tip of the contact pin A contact probe in which a protrusion is formed can be obtained.
  Further, in this contact probe manufacturing method, the recess formed in the substrate layer in the recess forming step is a groove extending along the contact pin arrangement direction and extending over a plurality of contact pin forming regions. Yes. Thus, by forming a mask on the surface of the substrate layer, the groove formed in the substrate layer is divided for each contact pin formation region by the mask surrounding the contact pin formation region. Then, by forming a metal layer to be used for the contact pin in the contact pin forming region in the plating process, a protrusion formed by transferring the inner surface shape of the groove is formed at the tip of each contact pin. Become. Here, if the portion located between adjacent contact pin formation regions in the groove is not sufficiently filled with a mask, it may be formed in a state where adjacent contact pins are connected. After forming the contact pins, unnecessary portions may be removed by laser processing or the like.
[0015]
Since the shape of the protrusion is a transfer of the shape of the inner surface of the recess formed in the substrate layer, by controlling the inner surface shape of the recess, the shape of the protrusion is suitable for scrubbing, that is, the tip is conical. Or a shape having a ridgeline.
The indentation can be formed, for example, by pressing an indenter whose tip shape is the same as the shape of the projection to be formed on the substrate. In this case, it is easier to give the shape of the protrusion, compared to the case where the protrusion is formed by bonding or plating the tip of the contact pin formed in advance, the shape accuracy is high, and the shape of the protrusion is When the protrusion is formed by performing bonding or plating, it can be formed into a shape suitable for scrub that could not be applied, that is, a shape in which the tip forms a cone or a ridgeline.
Here, the formation of the recess may be performed using any other method besides the indenter as described above.
[0016]
In this contact probe manufacturing method, the recess formed in the substrate layer in the recess forming step may be a blind hole or a groove having a V-shape in cross section. Thereby, the shape of a projection part can be made into the shape where the front-end | tip forms the cone shape or the ridgeline.
[0017]
  Moreover, in this contact probe manufacturing method,In the plating process, first, a first metal layer that forms at least the inside of the recess is formed. Next, the first metal layer is not harder or less wear-resistant but has higher conductivity than the first metal layer. Forming two metal layersMay be. In this case,A contact probe with improved conductivity performance of the contact pin can be obtained while improving the scrub performance and durability by using the protrusion as a hard or highly wear-resistant material.
[0018]
Here, in the above contact probe manufacturing method, when the dent is directly formed in the substrate layer, for example, it takes time to position the mask with respect to the dent when the mask is formed again. It is difficult to use.
Therefore, the method for manufacturing a contact probe includes a base metal layer forming step of forming a base metal layer of a material that adheres to or is bonded to the material of the contact pin on the substrate layer before the recess formation step. In the forming step, a recess may be formed in the base metal layer instead of the substrate layer, and in the separation step, the portion made of the film, the metal layer, and the base metal layer may be separated from the substrate layer.
In this case, since a depression is formed in the base metal layer formed on the substrate layer, after manufacturing the contact probe, the base metal layer is formed again on the substrate layer, thereby reusing the substrate layer. can do.
In addition, the substrate layer is formed of a high-strength material such as stainless steel, and the base metal layer is formed of a material such as copper that is more easily plastically deformed than the substrate layer, thereby ensuring the strength of the substrate layer and repeated use. The number of repetitions of the indenter can be improved by reducing the indenter consumption by repeating the formation of the indentation. .
Furthermore, when the base metal layer is formed of a material that is easily plastically deformed in this way, it can be easily peeled off from the substrate layer when the base metal layer is separated from the substrate layer.
[0019]
  The contact probe manufacturing method according to the present invention is a contact probe manufacturing method in which a tip end portion of a pattern wiring formed on a film is used as a contact pin, for forming a metal layer provided for the contact pin. An embedding step of providing a protruding member with the tip embedded in the substrate layer at a position to be the base of the portion forming the tip of the contact pin on the surface of the substrate layer serving as a base; A plating process for forming a metal layer to be used for the contact pins on a portion where the mask is not applied by plating, and a metal layer from which the mask is removed. A film deposition process for depositing the film; a portion comprising the film, the metal layer, and the protruding member; And a separation step of separating the layersMay be.
[0020]
In this contact probe manufacturing method, the tip is embedded in the substrate layer at the position that becomes the base of the portion that forms the tip of the contact pin on the surface of the substrate layer that forms the base for forming the metal layer used for the contact pin. Protruding members are provided in the raised state (embedding step). Then, a mask is applied on the substrate layer before and after the embedding process. Here, this embedding process may be performed either before or after the mask formation.
Subsequently, a metal layer to be used for the contact pin is formed by a plating process in a portion where the mask is not applied (plating process step). Since the protruding member is provided on the surface of the substrate layer with the tip embedded, the protruding member is embedded in a portion of the metal layer provided for the contact pin that forms the tip of the contact pin.
Further, a film is deposited on the metal layer from which the mask has been removed (film deposition process), and the portion consisting of the film, the metal layer, and the protruding member is separated from the substrate layer (separation process), and the contact pin The tip of the projection member is exposed at the tip of the contact probe, and a contact probe having a projection formed by the projection member can be obtained.
In this case, the shape of the protrusion member constituting the protrusion becomes the shape of the protrusion as it is. Since the protrusion is a separate member from the contact pin and can be formed in a desired shape in advance, the degree of freedom and shape accuracy of the protrusion can be further improved.
In addition, since the protrusion is formed of a member different from the contact pin as described above, the protrusion and the contact pin can be formed of a material suitable for each purpose.
[0021]
Here, in the method of manufacturing the contact probe, when the protruding member is directly embedded in the substrate layer, it is difficult to reuse the substrate layer.
Therefore, the contact probe manufacturing method includes a base metal layer forming step of forming a base metal layer of a material that adheres to or is bonded to the material of the contact pin on the substrate layer at a stage before the embedded step, and the embedded step Then, instead of the substrate layer, the projecting member is embedded in the base metal layer, and in the separation step, the part made up of the film, the metal layer, the projecting member, and the base metal layer is separated from the part made up of the substrate layer. Good. In this case, after manufacturing the contact probe, the substrate layer can be reused by forming the base metal layer again on the substrate layer.
In addition, the substrate layer is formed of a high-strength material such as stainless steel, and the base metal layer is formed of a material such as copper that is more easily plastically deformed than the substrate layer, thereby ensuring the strength of the substrate layer and repeated use. The number of times can be improved, and embedding of the indenter into the base metal layer can be facilitated.
Furthermore, when the base metal layer is formed of a material that is easily plastically deformed in this way, it can be easily peeled off from the substrate layer when the base metal layer is separated from the substrate layer.
[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, and the same or similar parts as those of the above-described prior art will be described using the same reference numerals.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tip portion of a contact probe according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a central sectional view taken along line AA of the contact probe shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a contact pin of the contact probe according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which the contact pins according to the present embodiment are brought into contact with the pads of the IC chip.
[0023]
The contact probe 31 of the present embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the contact probe 1 shown in FIG. 13, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pattern wiring 32 formed of a metal such as a Ni-based alloy is used as a polyimide. The film 33 is attached to one side of the film 33 or the like. The leading end of the pattern wiring 32 is provided up to the leading end 31 a of the film 33.
[0024]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the film 33 is deposited on a plurality of pattern wirings 32... Made of a Ni-based alloy layer (metal layer) via an adhesive layer (not shown), and the leading end of the film 33. The tip ends of the pattern wirings 32 on the 31a side are contact pins 32a. Here, the contact pin 32 a may protrude from the tip 31 a of the film 33.
As shown in FIG. 2, a window portion 4 is formed in the wide base portion 33 b of the film 33, and lead-out wiring portions 5 of pattern wirings 32 are provided in the window portion 4.
Here, the film 33 is configured by laminating a metal film layer 37 of Cu, Ni, Ni-based alloy or the like as a ground on a resin film layer 36 of polyimide or the like to which the pattern wirings 32 are attached. You may be comprised only by the film layer 36. FIG.
Further, the film 33 is provided with an alignment hole for aligning and fixing the contact probe 31, for example, and a positioning pin is inserted into the alignment hole so as to align the mounting position on the probe device. It may be.
[0025]
The contact pin 32a has, for example, a substantially quadrangular cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. And a side surface 43 provided between the upper and lower surfaces 41, 42, and a protrusion 44 that can be brought into contact with the pad 18 a of the IC chip 18 is formed on the lower surface 42. .
Since the front end portion of the contact pin 32a is substantially semicircular, the front end portion 43a of the side surface 43 is a convex curved surface having a substantially cylindrical circumferential surface shape.
[0026]
The protrusion 44 has a conical or ridged tip. In the present embodiment, the shape of the protruding portion 44 is configured by a ridge that forms a ridge line whose tip extends in the width direction of the contact pin 32a. Here, the direction of the protrusion is not limited to this, and may extend in the longitudinal direction of the contact pin 32a.
The protrusions 44 have a length W in the longitudinal direction of the contact pin 32a, when the pads 18a of the IC chip 18 are scrubbed, as shown in FIG. 4, the passivations 26A and 26B ( In FIG. 4, the maximum scrub length start point (shown by a one-dot chain line) to the end point (two-dot chain line) in a range where the contact pins 32a do not contact the passivations 26 and 26 for convenience sake 26A and 26B. (The state indicated by) is not brought into contact with the passivation 26. That is, if the length L of the region of the pad 18a not covered with the passivation 26 is 45 μm, for example, the dimension W is preferably 15 μm or less.
[0027]
Further, the protrusion amount H of the protrusion 44 from the lower surface 42 is ensured so that the portions other than the protrusion 44 of the contact pin 32a do not contact the pad 18a and the passivation 26 when the protrusion 44 is brought into contact with the pad 18a. Has been. That is, if the height h of the passivation 26 from the pad 18a is 5 μm, for example, the protrusion amount H is 5 μm or more, preferably 10 μm or more.
When the protruding amount H of the protruding portion 44 is smaller than 5 μm, the portion other than the protruding portion 44 of the contact pin 32a is too close to the pad 18a and the passivation 26 during overdrive, and comes into contact with the pad 18a and the passivation 26. There is a risk of damaging it.
[0028]
It is also desirable to reduce the scrub length of the pad 18a by the tip of the contact pin 32a so that the tip of the contact pin 32a does not hit the passivation 26B in the scrub direction and be damaged during scrubbing. Therefore, since the protrusion 44 is set to have a short dimension W in the longitudinal direction of the contact pin 32a, when the protrusion H is larger than 50 μm, the protrusion H of the protrusion 44 is the contact of the protrusion 44. It becomes larger than the dimension W of the longitudinal direction of the pin 32a. Since the contact pin 32a is in contact with the pad 18a in an inclined state, if the protrusion amount H is too large as described above, the protrusion 44 may be bent by the stress applied during scrubbing. For this reason, the protrusion amount H of the protrusion 44 is 5 μm or more, and preferably 50 μm or less.
[0029]
Next, a process of creating the contact probe 31 configured as described above will be described in the order of processes with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 5A to 5D and FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams showing a manufacturing process of the contact probe according to the present embodiment, and the left side shows a state seen from the front, and the right side. Shows a side view.
Here, the contact pin 32a of the contact probe 31 is formed on the support metal plate 46 (substrate layer) by plating.
[0030]
[Base metal layer formation process (underlying metal layer formation process)]
First, as shown in FIG. 5A, a base metal layer (base) for forming a metal layer to be used for contact pins is formed on a support metal plate 46 made of stainless steel by Cu (copper) plating. Metal layer) 47 is formed. The thickness T of the base metal layer 47 is set to be larger than the protrusion amount H of the protrusion 44 formed on the contact pin 32a. In the present embodiment, the thickness T is 25 μm.
[0031]
[Indentation process]
Next, in the base metal layer 47, a recess 47a is formed at a position serving as a base of a portion forming the tip of the contact pin 32a. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, the recess 47 a is formed by pressing an indenter 45 whose tip shape is the same as the inner shape of the desired recess 47 a against the base metal layer 47. The depth D1 of the recess 47a is the same as the protrusion amount H of the protrusion 44 formed on the contact pin 32a.
The tip shape of the indenter 45 can be, for example, a cone, a polygonal pyramid, or a mountain shape whose tip forms a ridgeline. As a result, the depression 47a formed in the base metal layer 47 is a blind hole or groove having a V-shape in cross section. In the present embodiment, the tip shape of the indenter 45 is a mountain shape with the tip forming a ridge line, thereby forming a groove-like recess 47a having a V-shape in cross section. Since the indentation 47a is formed by transferring the tip shape of the indenter 45, it is easy to give the shape of the inner surface shape, and the shape accuracy is high.
[0032]
[Pattern formation process]
As shown in FIG. 5B, after a photoresist layer 48 is formed on the base metal layer 47, a predetermined pattern is formed on the photoresist layer 48 by photolithography as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5D, the photoresist layer 48 is developed to remove the portion that becomes the pattern wiring 32 and an opening is formed in the remaining photoresist layer (mask) 48, as shown in FIG. A portion 48a is formed.
The photomask 49 is set so that the opening 48 a is formed on the recess 47 a of the base metal layer 47. Here, the indentation forming step may be performed after the formation of the photoresist layer 48. In this case, in the base metal layer 47, a recess is formed at a portion of the base metal layer 47 that is exposed in the opening 48a and becomes a base of the tip of the contact pin 32a.
[0033]
In the present embodiment, the photoresist layer 48 is formed of a negative photoresist, but a desired photoresist 48 may be formed by employing a positive photoresist.
In the present embodiment, the photoresist layer 48 corresponds to a “mask” in the claims of the present application. However, the “mask” in the claims of the present application is not limited to the one in which the opening 48a is formed through the exposure / development process using the photomask 49 like the photoresist layer 48 of the present embodiment. is not. For example, a film or the like in which an opening 48a is formed in advance at a place to be plated (that is, formed in advance in a state indicated by reference numeral 48 in FIG. 5D) may be used. In the present invention, when such a film or the like is used as a “mask”, the mask formation step in this embodiment is not necessary.
[0034]
[Plating process]
Then, as shown in FIG. 6A, a Ni-based alloy layer (metal layer) N to be the pattern wiring 32 is formed in the opening 48a by electrolytic plating. Here, the metal layer is not limited to the Ni-based alloy, and may be made of Ni.
Thereby, the Ni-based alloy layer N is formed in the opening 48a and the recess 47a, and the inner surface shape of the recess 47a is accurately transferred to the Ni-based alloy layer N formed in the recess 47a.
After the plating process, the photoresist layer 48 is removed as shown in FIG.
[0035]
[Film deposition process]
Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (c), the Ni base alloy layer N is covered so as to cover the contact pin 32a shown in the drawing (that is, the tip of the pattern wiring 32). The film 33 is adhered with an adhesive 50.
[0036]
[Separation process]
Then, as shown in FIG. 6D, the film 33, the pattern wiring 32, the protrusion 44, and the base metal layer 47 are separated from the supporting metal plate 46, and the base metal layer 47 is removed by etching or the like. Thus, the protrusion 44 is exposed to complete the contact probe 31.
In the contact probe manufacturing method, the base metal layer 47 is formed on the support metal plate 46 in the base metal layer forming step, and the recess 47a is formed in the base metal layer 47 in the recess forming step. Therefore, after the contact probe 31 is manufactured, the support metal plate 46 can be reused by forming the base metal layer 47 on the support metal plate 46 again.
Further, since the supporting metal plate 46 is made of stainless steel having a high strength and the base metal layer 47 is made of copper that is more easily plastically deformed than the supporting metal plate 46, the strength of the supporting metal plate 46 is ensured and repeated. The number of uses of the indenter 45 can be improved, the formation of the depression 47a in the base metal layer 47 by the indenter 45 is facilitated, and consumption of the indenter 45 due to repeated formation of the depression is reduced. Can be improved.
Furthermore, by forming the base metal layer 47 with a material that is easily plastically deformed in this way, the base metal layer 47 can be easily separated from the support metal plate 46 when the base metal layer 47 is separated from the support metal layer 46.
[0037]
The contact probe 31 according to the present embodiment is configured as described above, and the operation thereof will be described next.
The contact probe 31 according to the present embodiment is mounted on the mechanical part 7 and incorporated in the probe device 8 as in the contact probe 1 shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the contact pin 32a has an inclination angle θ with respect to the pad 18a of the IC chip 18 set to about 20 °.
Here, the contact probe 31 consisting of the film 33 and the pattern wiring 32 is too soft, and the portion protruding from the mounting base 12 may be bent immediately when overdrive is applied. A part of the contact probe 31 is protruded from the mounting base 12 between the lower surface 12a and each contact probe 31, and a thin plate made of an elastic body having a thickness of, for example, about 0.1 mm is interposed. May be. In this way, the tip 31a is supported from the upper surface side by a thin plate to provide springiness and secure the needle pressure of the contact pin 32a. As this thin plate, for example, a metal plate or the like is used.
Alternatively, for the same purpose, the contact pin 32a may be protruded from the film 33, and a reinforcing member may be provided on the upper surface 41 of the contact pin 32a protruding from the film 33. For example, a rigid body having an insulating property such as a ceramic plate may be laminated on the upper surface 41 of the contact pin 32a.
[0038]
In the electrical test, each contact pin 32 a abuts a bump 44 a formed on the pad of the semiconductor chip 18 with a protrusion 44 provided on the lower surface 42 of the tip.
At this time, in each contact pin 32a, the protrusion 44 is located between the passivations 26A and 26B, and is in a state indicated by a non-contact dash-dot line in proximity to the passivation 26A (starting from this position).
From this state, if the overdrive is applied and the pad 18a is moved relative to the contact pin 32a and the protrusion 44 is pressed against the surface of the pad 18a and scrubbing is applied, the protrusion 44 will cause the surface of the pad 18a (eg, (Aluminum oxide film) and the adsorbate on the surface of the pad 18a can be scraped off.
Then, the protrusion 44 of the contact pin 32a is scrubbed to a position (becomes the end point) indicated by a two-dot chain line immediately before coming into contact with the other passivation 26B.
[0039]
At the time of scrubbing, the contact pin 32a abuts against the pad 18a of the IC chip 18 by the projection 44 provided on the lower surface 42 of the tip portion, and scrubs the surface of the pad 18a. At this time, the contact pin 32a is provided with the protrusion 44 so that a portion other than the tip is separated from the surface of the pad 18a. As a result, interference between the contact pin 32a and the passivation 26A is avoided, and the passivation 26 is not damaged.
[0040]
And since the protrusion 44 has a ridgeline at the tip, and has a sharp shape, the surface of the pad 18a is good to bite during scrubbing. For example, the surface of the pad 18a has an oxide film or an adsorbate. Even if it is covered with, the metal inside the pad 18a can be exposed by removing them, and the conduction with the contact pin 32a can be ensured.
[0041]
As described above, according to the contact probe 31 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the protrusions 44 are provided at the tip of the contact pin 32a, so that the portion other than the tip of the contact pin 32a is pad 18a. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the interference between the passivation 26 provided on the pad 18a and the contact pin 32a and to scrub the pad 18a of the IC chip 18 with the protrusion 44.
Furthermore, since the tip of the protrusion forms a ridge line and bites the surface of the pad 18a, the pad 18a can be scrubbed well.
Since the shape of the protruding portion 44 is the same as the tip shape of the indenter 45 used for manufacturing the contact pin, the protruding portion is formed as compared with the case where the protruding portion is formed by bonding or plating the tip of the contact pin formed in advance. The shape of the projection 44 is easy and the shape accuracy is high, and the shape of the projection 44 is suitable for scrubs that could not be imparted when the projection was formed by bonding or plating, that is, The tip can be formed into a conical shape or a ridgeline.
[0042]
Here, in the method of manufacturing the contact probe 31 described in the above embodiment, the contact probe 31 is manufactured by forming the recess 47a in the base metal layer 47 using the indenter 45 corresponding to each recess 47a. Although shown, it is not restricted to this, For example, you may manufacture the contact probe 31 by a manufacturing method as shown in FIG. 7, FIG. FIGS. 7A to 7C and FIGS. 8A and 8B are views showing another example of the manufacturing process of the contact probe according to the present embodiment, and the left side is seen from the front. The right side shows a view from the side.
[0043]
In the contact probe manufacturing method shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in the indentation forming step of the contact probe manufacturing process described above, instead of the indenter 45, the indenter has a ridge line as shown in FIG. 51, groove-shaped recesses 47b extending in the arrangement direction of the contact pins 32a and extending over a plurality of contact pin formation regions are formed.
[0044]
Then, in the pattern forming process performed subsequent to the recess forming process, after a photoresist layer 48 is formed on the base metal layer 47 as shown in FIG. 7B, as shown in FIG. 7C. The photoresist layer 48 is exposed by applying a photomask 49 having a predetermined pattern by photolithography, and the photoresist layer 48 is developed to form the pattern wiring 32 as shown in FIG. An opening 48 a is formed in the photoresist layer 48 that remains after removal.
As a result, in the groove-like recess 47b extending over the plurality of contact pin formation regions, the portion other than the contact pin formation region is filled with the photoresist layer 48 and divided for each contact pin formation region.
[0045]
Then, in the plating process, as shown in FIG. 8B, a Ni-based alloy layer N is formed in the opening 47a and the recess 47b divided for each contact pin formation region, and formed in the recess 47b. The inner shape of the recess 47b is accurately transferred to the Ni-based alloy layer N.
Further, the photoresist layer 48 is removed, and thereafter, through the film deposition process and the separation process, the contact probe 31 having the projection 44 formed at the tip is obtained in the same manner as in the contact probe manufacturing method. Can do.
Here, if the portion located between adjacent contact pin formation regions in the groove-like recess 47b is not sufficiently filled with the photoresist layer 48, the adjacent contact pins 32a are formed in a connected state. In this case, unnecessary portions may be removed by laser processing or the like after the contact pins 32a are formed.
[0046]
Here, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the base metal layer 47 is formed on the support metal plate 46 and the depression 47a or the depression 47b is formed in the base metal layer 47 is shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the base metal layer 47 is not formed on the support metal plate 46, but the recess 47a or the recess 47b is formed directly on the support metal plate 46, and the Ni-based alloy layer N is formed directly on the support metal plate 46. May be.
[0047]
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the shape of the projection part 44 was made into the shape which has a linear ridgeline, it is not restricted to this, For example, as shown in FIG. The contact pin 32a may be formed in a substantially V shape with the tip side on the bottom and the base side on the top.
[0048]
In the contact probe manufacturing method described in the above embodiment, the Ni-based alloy layer N is formed in the opening 48a of the photoresist layer 48 and the recess 47a (or the recess 47b) of the base metal layer 47 in the plating process. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least in the recess 47a (or the recess 47b), a hard or highly wear-resistant first metal layer such as Ni or a Ni-based alloy is formed. After that, a second metal layer made of a highly conductive metal such as copper may be formed. In this case, it is possible to obtain a contact probe with improved conductivity performance of the contact pin 32a while improving the scrub performance and durability by using the protrusion 44 as a hard or highly wear-resistant material.
[0049]
[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 11. The same reference numerals are used for the same or similar parts as those in the first embodiment of the present invention. explain. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a contact probe according to the second embodiment, and FIGS. 11 and 12 are views showing a manufacturing process of the contact probe according to the second embodiment.
In the contact probe 61 shown in the present embodiment, in the contact probe 31 shown in the first embodiment, instead of providing the protrusion 44 integrally at the tip of the contact pin 32a, a protrusion member is provided at the tip of the contact pin 32a. 62 is embedded, and a protruding portion 64 is formed by the protruding member 62.
The protruding member 62 has a tip shape formed in advance in a desired shape, and the tip has a cone shape, a polygonal pyramid, or a mountain shape having a ridge line at the tip. In the present embodiment, the tip shape of the protruding member 62 is a conical shape.
[0050]
Thus, since the protrusion 64 is formed of a member different from the contact pin 32a, for example, the protrusion member 62 is formed of a hard or highly wear-resistant material, such as Ni, with emphasis on scrub performance and durability. The contact pin 32a is made of a material having higher conductivity than the projecting member 62, for example, copper, giving importance to conductivity, and the contact probe 61 having good conductivity performance in addition to high scrub performance and durability is obtained. be able to.
[0051]
Next, with reference to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, a process of creating the contact probe 46 will be described in the order of processes. 11A to 11D and FIGS. 12A to 12D are views showing a manufacturing process of the contact probe according to the present embodiment, and the left side shows a state seen from the front, and the right side. Shows a side view.
As shown in FIG. 11A, the contact probe 46 is formed by performing a base metal layer forming step and then a recess forming step in the same manner as the contact probe 31 forming step shown in the first embodiment. Instead, it goes through an embedding process.
[0052]
[Embedding process]
Next, as shown in FIG. 11B, in the base metal layer 47, the tip of the protruding member 62 is embedded at a position that becomes the base of the portion that forms the tip of the contact pin 32a. The embedding depth D2 of the protruding member 62 is the same as the protruding amount H of the protruding portion 64 formed on the contact pin 32a. In the protrusion 64, the portion exposed on the base metal layer 47 is a portion embedded in the contact pin 32a, and the height of the exposed portion is sufficiently ensured so that the contact pin 32a is reliably embedded. To do.
[0053]
Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 11C and 11D, a photoresist layer 48 in which a portion to become the pattern wiring 32 is formed as an opening 48a through a pattern forming process in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Form. In this state, a portion of the protruding member 62 located on the base metal layer 47 is exposed in the opening 48a.
Here, the embedding process may be performed after the formation of the photoresist layer 48. In this case, the protruding member 62 is embedded in the opening 48a of the photoresist layer 48 in the portion that becomes the tip of the contact pin 32a.
[0054]
[Plating process]
Then, as shown in FIG. 12A, a Ni-based alloy layer N to be the pattern wiring 32 is formed in the opening 48a by electrolytic plating. Here, the metal layer is not limited to the Ni-based alloy, and may be made of Ni.
When the Ni metal layer N is formed, the protruding member 62 has a portion exposed on the base metal layer 47 embedded in a portion of the Ni metal layer N that forms the tip of the contact pin 32a. The protrusion 64 is provided.
After the plating process, the photoresist layer 48 is removed as shown in FIG.
[0055]
Then, as shown in FIG. 5 (c), the film 33 is bonded onto the Ni-based alloy layer N through the film deposition process, and then in the separation process, as shown in FIG. The pattern wiring 32, the projecting member 62, and the base metal layer 47 are separated from the supporting metal plate 46, and the base metal layer 47 is removed by etching or the like to expose the projecting portions 64. The contact probe 61 is completed.
[0056]
Here, in the contact probe manufacturing method, the base metal layer 47 is formed on the support metal plate 46 in the base metal layer forming step, and the protruding member 62 is embedded in the base metal layer 47 in the embedding step. Therefore, after the contact probe 61 is manufactured, the support metal plate 46 can be reused by forming the base metal layer 47 on the support metal plate 46 again.
[0057]
【The invention's effect】
  The present invention has the following effects.
  According to the contact probe of the present invention, the protrusion is provided at the tip of the contact pin, and the electrode of the object to be inspected is scrubbed well by the protrusion, so that the passivation and the contact provided in the object to be inspected are contacted. By avoiding interference with the pins, the electrodes of the object to be inspected can be scrubbed satisfactorily by the protrusions.
  Furthermore, since the tip of the projection forms a ridge line and the bite against the surface of the electrode is good, the electrode can be scrubbed satisfactorily.
  AndThe contact pin is provided on the first metal layer, and a second metal layer that is not harder or less wear-resistant but has higher conductivity than the first metal layer. Since the protrusion is formed of the first metal layer, the protrusion is made of a hard or highly wear-resistant material to improve the scrub performance and durability, and the contact pin conductivity performance is improved. An improved contact probe can be obtained.
[0058]
  Further, the protrusion is configured by a protrusion member embedded in the tip of the contact pin.MayIn addition, the degree of freedom and shape accuracy of the shape of the protrusion can be further improved. In addition, since the protrusion is configured by a member different from the contact pin in this way, the material of the protrusion and the contact pin can be configured by a material suitable for each application, thereby improving the performance of the contact probe. Can do.
[0059]
According to the contact probe manufacturing method of the present invention, a recess is formed in a substrate layer that is a base when a contact pin is formed by plating, and a protrusion having an inner surface shape of the recess transferred to the tip of the contact pin. Therefore, a contact probe having a higher degree of freedom in shape of the protrusion and higher shape accuracy can be manufactured as compared with the case where the protrusion is formed by bonding or plating at the tip of a contact pin formed in advance. In particular, the protrusion can be formed into a shape in which the tip cannot be formed by bonding or plating, and the tip forms a cone or a ridgeline.
[0060]
Then, in the above contact probe manufacturing method, instead of forming the recess directly on the substrate layer, by forming the recess in the base metal layer formed on the substrate layer, By forming the base metal layer on the substrate layer again, the substrate layer can be reused.
[0061]
  Further, in the method for manufacturing a contact probe according to the present invention, instead of forming a depression in the substrate layer or the base metal layer, the protruding member is positioned at the position that becomes the base of the portion that forms the tip of the contact pin in the substrate layer or the base metal layer A metal layer that is provided to the contact pin in a portion where the mask is not provided, and a mask is provided on the substrate layer before and after the tip is embedded in the substrate layer. A contact probe with a protrusion that forms a protrusion at the tip of the contact pin is manufactured by formingMay.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a distal end portion of a contact probe according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a central sectional view taken along line AA of the entire contact probe shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a contact pin of the contact probe according to the first embodiment as viewed obliquely from below.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state where contact pins according to the first embodiment are brought into contact with pads of an IC chip.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing manufacturing steps of the contact probe according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing manufacturing steps of the contact probe according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the manufacturing process of the contact probe according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the manufacturing process of the contact probe according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of another shape of the contact probe according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a shape of a contact probe according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing manufacturing steps of the contact probe according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a manufacturing process of a contact probe according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a plan view of a conventional contact probe.
FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional probe device.
15 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the probe device shown in FIG.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a contact pin of a conventional contact probe as viewed obliquely from below.
FIG. 17 is a side view showing contact and scrubbing between a conventional contact pin and a pad of an IC chip.
[Explanation of symbols]
31, 61 Contact probe 32 Pattern wiring
32a contact pin 33 film
44, 64 Projection 46 Support metal plate (substrate layer)
47 Base metal layer (underlying metal layer) 47a, 47b
48 Photoresist layer (mask) 62 Projection member
N Ni-based alloy layer (metal layer used for contact pins)

Claims (5)

In a contact probe in which each tip of a plurality of pattern wirings to which a film is applied is a contact pin,
The tip of the contact pin is provided with a protrusion whose tip forms a ridgeline ,
The contact pin is provided on the first metal layer and the first metal layer, and is a second metal that is not harder or less wear-resistant but has higher conductivity than the first metal layer. And having a layer
The protrusion is formed of the first metal layer, and the protrusion includes a protrusion that forms a linear ridge line extending in the arrangement direction of the contact pins across the plurality of contact pins. A contact probe characterized by being divided for each pin . A method of manufacturing a contact probe in which a tip of a pattern wiring formed on a film is used as a contact pin,
A recess forming step for forming a recess at a position to be a base of a portion forming a tip of the contact pin on a surface of a substrate layer serving as a base for forming a metal layer provided for the contact pin;
A plating treatment step of applying a mask on the substrate layer before and after the recess formation step, and forming a metal layer to be provided to the contact pins on a portion where the mask is not applied by plating treatment;
A film deposition process for depositing the film on the metal layer from which the mask has been removed;
A separation step of separating the film and the metal layer and the substrate layer;
A method of manufacturing a contact probe, wherein the recess formed in the substrate layer in the recess forming step is a groove extending in the arrangement direction of the contact pins and extending over a plurality of contact pin forming regions.   In the plating process, first, a first metal layer that forms at least the inside of the recess is formed, and then, the first metal layer is not harder or less wear-resistant but has higher conductivity than the first metal layer. The method of manufacturing a contact probe according to claim 2, wherein two metal layers are formed. A base metal layer forming step of forming a base metal layer made of a material that is more easily plastically deformed than the substrate layer by being attached to or bonded to the material of the contact pin on the substrate layer at a stage before the depression forming step; ,
In the recess formation step, the recess is formed in the base metal layer instead of the substrate layer,
The contact probe manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein, in the separation step, the film, the portion made of the metal layer and the base metal layer, and the substrate layer are separated.   5. The recess according to claim 2, wherein the recess formed in the substrate layer in the recess forming step is a blind hole or a groove having a V shape in a sectional view. Contact probe manufacturing method.

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