JP4849861B2 - Probe card - Google Patents

Description

Relates the probe card present invention for use in performing the inspecting electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected such as a semiconductor chip formed on a semiconductor wafer, in particular, defective probe was removed, replaced with a probe having an equivalent function Related to the probe card .

  In a conventional probe card, a plurality of probes are joined to pads formed on a wiring board, and when a failure such as breakage or wear occurs, the defective probe is removed from the pad and a new probe is removed. Have been made.

JP 2002-5960 A

  However, when replacing a defective probe, it is indispensable not only to have mechanical strength equal to or higher than that of the original probe, but also to pay close attention so that the position of the probe tip does not change before and after the replacement. It is. In addition, it is necessary to reliably perform a series of replacement operations, in which only defective probes are removed from probes arranged at a minute pitch, and new probes are joined to those parts without damaging normal probes. As the pitch of the probe becomes smaller, the operation becomes very difficult, and this is a big problem in promoting the increase in the number of pins and narrowing of the probe card.

  The present invention was created under the above-described background, and the object of the present invention is to provide a probe replacement method for a probe card that can easily and reliably replace a defective probe even when the probe pitch is reduced, and It is to provide a probe card.

The probe card of the present invention is a probe card in which a plurality of cantilevered probes are fixed on a wiring board, and a plurality of wirings are formed on the surface of the wiring board at intervals in parallel. In the wiring, a fixing area to which the probe is attached and an arrangement area to which the replacement probe is attached are set, and the arrangement area is set on a wiring on a linear extension line of the fixing area. The replacement probe is fixed to the wiring arrangement region from which the probe has been removed.

Another probe card according to the present invention includes a wiring board having a plurality of wirings formed on a surface thereof at intervals, a plurality of cantilevered probes, and a cantilevered replacement probe. The wiring has a fixing area and an arrangement area set on a linear extension of the fixing area, and the replacement probe is placed on at least one of the wiring arrangement areas. Each of the probes is fixed on the fixed region of the wiring.

When the base part of the probe remains on the fixing area , the replacement probe is brought into contact with the upper surface of the probe base part, or is straddled on the wiring board or the electric wiring across the base part of the probe. It is or so as to.

In the case of the probe card according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the replacement probe can be fixed to the replacement probe placement region set on the wiring board. It does not become a big obstacle. Therefore, even if the pitch of the probe is reduced, the probe can be easily and surely exchanged, which is of great significance in promoting the increase in the number of pins and narrowing of the probe card. In addition, since the probe replacement operation can be performed easily and reliably, the life of the probe card is extended.

In the case of the probe card according to claim 3 of the present invention, the tip of the probe is cut off, the base portion thereof remains, and the replacement probe is in contact with the base portion of the probe. In addition to the effect of item 1 , the mechanical strength of the replacement probe can be increased.

In the case of the probe card according to claim 4 of the present invention, the tip of the probe is cut off and the base portion remains, and the replacement probe straddles the base portion of the probe and hits the wiring board or the electric wiring. since a contact configuration, in addition to the effect of claim 1, regardless of the shape of the cut surface of the probe, it is possible to increase the mechanical strength of the replacement probe.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a partial perspective view of the probe card, FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the probe card taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic partial plan view of the probe card.

  The probe card shown here includes a wiring board 10 provided with a plurality of electric wirings 20 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and a plurality of terminals fixed on the wiring board 10 and electrically connected to the electric wirings 20. A probe 30 and a replacement probe 40 that is used instead of the probe 30 after excising the defective probe 30a (see FIG. 2) that has become defective due to breakage or wear are provided. Details will be described.

  In the present embodiment, the tip of the defective probe 30a is cut and the base portion 31a is left. The defective probe 30a thus removed is replaced with a replacement probe 40. 1 to 3 show a state after replacement. A broken line in FIG. 2 indicates a cut portion of the defective probe 30a.

  Electric wirings 20 are formed on the surface of the wiring board 10 at a predetermined interval. The electrical wiring 20 is a copper wiring pattern having a width of 15 μm formed on the wiring substrate 10. The shape is as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and a fixing region 21, an arrangement region 22, a conduction portion 23 and an electrode pad portion 24 are provided. That is, one end of the electrical wiring 20 is connected to the electrode pad portion 24, while the other end of the electrical wiring 20 is connected to the fixing region 21 through the conduction portion 23 and the arrangement region 22.

  The fixing region 21 is a linear region to which the probe 30 is fixed, and is arranged in a line at a pitch of 25 μm corresponding to the pitch of the electrodes of the object to be inspected (not shown). The arrangement region 22 is a linear region to which the replacement probe 40 is fixed, and is connected to the end of the fixing region 21 and extends in the same direction. The conduction portion 23 is an L-shaped region that is continuous with the end of the arrangement region 22. The electrode pad portion 24 is a square region connected to the end portion of the conducting portion 23 and is arranged in a line at a predetermined pitch.

  The probe 30 is a nickel cantilever probe. In the present embodiment, the electric wiring 20 is fixed to the fixing region 21 on the wiring board 10 in the extending direction. In this method, the electrical wiring 20 is created on the wiring substrate 10 using physical or chemical processing such as resist or etching, and then the electrical wiring 20 is created by the same processing. Specifically, it has a shoulder beam shape as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and has a plate-like base portion 31 having a dimension corresponding to the fixing region 21, and substantially 1 connected to an end portion of the base portion 31. / 4 It has an arc-shaped arm portion 32 and a contact portion 33 formed in a protruding shape at the tip of the arm portion 32.

  The width of the base portion 31 is set to 15 μm which is substantially the same as that of the electric wiring 20, while the length is 70 μm. The thickness of the tip of the arm part 32 is 20 to 30 μm. The contact portion 33 has a shape capable of being urged into contact with an electrode of an object to be inspected (not shown).

  In this embodiment, the replacement probe 40 has a shoulder beam shape similar to that of the probe 30 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is created using physical or chemical treatment such as resist or etching. It has been done. Specifically, a plate-like base portion 41 having a size corresponding to the arrangement region 22, and a substantially plate-like shape having a step at the end of the base portion 41 and having a step corresponding to the base portion 31 of the probe 30. The intermediate portion 42, an approximately ¼ arc-shaped arm portion 43 that is continuous with the end portion of the intermediate portion 42, and a contact portion 44 that is formed in a protruding shape at the distal end portion of the arm portion 43.

  Such a replacement probe 40 is on the electric wiring 20 of the defective probe 30a and is different from the position before the removal, specifically, from the position where the defective probe 30a is fixed (fixed region 21) to the electrode pad portion 24 side. The electrical wiring 20 is attached to a location (arrangement region 22) close to the side in the extending direction. In short, the arrangement area 22 is set as an area for fixing the replacement probe 40.

  In addition, the size and shape of the replacement probe 40 are set so as to exhibit the same function as the probe 30 when attached to the arrangement region 22. Therefore, the contact portion 44 of the replacement probe 40 has the same height as the contact portion 33 of the other probe 30. Further, the material and the cross-sectional area are set to be the same as those of the probe 30 so that the electrical properties of the probe itself do not change before and after replacement.

  When attaching the replacement probe 40 to the arrangement region 22, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate portion 42 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the base portion 31a of the defective probe 30a, and the base portion 41 and the arrangement region 22 are in this state. And a conductive portion 50 such as tungsten, aluminum, tin, tungsten, or carbon.

  As described above, since the intermediate portion 42 of the replacement probe 40 is in contact with the upper surface of the base portion 31a of the defective probe 30a, the mechanical strength of the replacement probe 40 is large. In addition, since the contact portion 44 coincides with the height of the contact portion 33 of the other probe 30, all the probes come into contact with the object to be inspected at the same height. It becomes possible to do.

  Next, a probe replacement method will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the probe card showing the defective probe cutting step according to the method, and FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the probe card showing the replacement probe mounting step according to the method. 4 and 5, a part of the wiring board 10 and the electric wiring 20 is not shown.

  In this embodiment, a process from excision of the defective probe 30a to attachment of the replacement probe 40 is performed semi-automatically using a focused ion beam processing apparatus (FIB) having a microscope function, a manipulation function, and a deposition function. . 4 and 5 show a state in which the probe card is set in a chamber (not shown) of the apparatus.

  First, the defective probe 30a is specified from the probes 30 of the probe card set in the chamber using the microscope function of the apparatus (see FIG. 4A). When the position of the defective probe 30a is specified by the user, an alignment mark is automatically attached to the attachment location of the replacement probe 40 by the apparatus.

  Subsequently, the defective probe 30a specified by the alignment mark is automatically excised (see FIGS. 4B and 4C). That is, the extraction probe Pr is set in a manipulator (not shown), the distal end portion of the extraction probe Pr comes into contact with the end surface of the distal end portion 32 of the defective probe 30a, and the extraction probe Pr becomes defective by the assist deposition function. To be joined. In this state, the ion beam is irradiated to cut the defective flow 30a leaving the base portion 31a. Thereafter, the manipulator is operated in reverse to transfer the cut defective probe 30a to a predetermined location in the chamber.

  When the defective probe 30a is excised in this way, the replacement probe 40 is automatically attached onto the wiring board 10 by the same apparatus as follows (see FIG. 5).

  First, the exchange probe with frame 40 ′ is set in the manipulator, and the exchange probe with frame 40 ′ is transferred to the wiring board 10 (see FIG. 5A). Then, the base portion 41 of the exchange probe with frame 40 ′ is brought into contact with the arrangement region 22 on the wiring board 10, and the intermediate portion 42 of the exchange probe with frame 40 ′ is brought into contact with the base portion 31a of the defective flow 30a. (See FIG. 5B). In this state, the height of the contact portion 44 of the replacement probe 40 ′ coincides with the contact portion 33 of the probe 30.

  With the replacement probe with frame 40 ′ thus aligned with the wiring board 10, the base portion 41 of the replacement probe with frame 40 ′ is placed in the arrangement region 22 on the electrical wiring 20 by the assist deposition function. Join. What has been devoted at this time is the joint 50. Thereafter, the frame 45 is cut from the exchange probe with frame 40 'by irradiating with an ion beam (see FIG. 5C). Thereafter, the manipulator is operated in reverse, and the cut frame 45 is transferred to a predetermined location in the chamber. Through this series of steps, the defective probe 30a is replaced with the replacement probe 40 by one unit.

  Note that the exchange probe 40 ′ with a frame has a frame 45 attached to the tip of the exchange probe 40, and the whole is produced by physical or chemical treatment such as resist or etching. It is. A portion of the frame 45 is gripped by the manipulator.

  In short, the removal probe Pr is joined to the tip of the defective probe 30a, and the tip of the defective probe 30a is cut while the defective probe 30a is held. Further, the frame replacement probe 40 ′ is aligned with the wiring board 10 while the frame 45 portion of the frame replacement probe 40 ′ is gripped. Furthermore, the frame-equipped replacement probe 40 ′ is attached on the arrangement region 22 at a position away from the arrangement of the probes 30 on the electric wiring 20.

  Therefore, the replacement work of the defective probe 30a is performed without damaging the normal probe 30, particularly the probes 30 located on both sides of the defective probe 30a, even though the probes 30 are arranged at a minute pitch of 25 μm. It became possible to do it easily and reliably. This basically has no change even if the pitch of the probe 30 becomes smaller than the current pitch, and therefore has great significance in promoting the increase in the number of pins and narrowing of the probe card. Accordingly, the life of the probe card itself can be extended.

  Next, modified examples of the probe card and the probe replacement method will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9 are partial cross-sectional views similar to FIG. 2 of the probe card, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the replacement probe. In addition, the same component number is attached | subjected about the component same as the said embodiment, and the description shall be abbreviate | omitted.

  The probe 70 for replacement of the probe card shown in FIG. 6 has a shoulder beam shape like the replacement probe 40 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but a plate-like base portion 71 having a dimension corresponding to the arrangement region 22; An intermediate portion 72 having a step-recessed cross-section extending across the base portion 31 of the probe 30 in the front-rear direction, and an end portion of the base portion 71 being substantially 1 / continuous to the end portion of the intermediate portion 72. It has a four arc-shaped arm portion 73 and a contact portion 74 formed in a protruding shape at the tip of the arm portion 73. A significant difference from the replacement probe 40 is that the base portion 31 is shaped so as to straddle the front and rear directions of the base portion 31 of the probe 30.

  A probe card replacement probe 80 shown in FIG. 7 has a shoulder-like beam shape like the replacement probe 40 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but a plate-like base portion 81 having a size corresponding to the arrangement region 22; The end portion of the base portion 81 is continuous with a step, and is slightly shorter than the base portion 81 of the probe 30. The intermediate portion 82 has a substantially arc shape that is continuous with the end portion of the intermediate portion 82. It has an arm part 83 and a contact part 84 formed in a protruding shape at the tip of the arm part 83. The major difference from the replacement probe 40 is the length of the base portion 81, which is such that the cut piece 321 remaining on the base portion 21 does not hit the arm portion 83.

  The replacement probe 90 of the probe card shown in FIG. 8 has a shoulder beam shape like the replacement probe 40 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but a plate-like base portion 91 having a size corresponding to the arrangement region 22; The end portion of the base portion 91 is connected with a step, and is slightly longer than the base portion 92 of the probe 30. The intermediate portion 92 has a substantially arc shape that is continuous with the end portion of the intermediate portion 92. The arm portion 93 and a contact portion 94 formed in a protruding shape at the tip portion of the arm portion 93 are provided. The main difference from the replacement probe 40 is the length of the base portion 91, in which the base portion 81 of the probe 30 is completely hidden.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, an insulating coating material (insulating portion 60) such as polyimide, photosensitive polyimide, epoxy resin, or photosensitive epoxy resin is applied on the surface of the wiring substrate 10, and the replacement probe 40. May be coated for permanent fixation to the wiring board 10 except for the tip. In this case, there is an effect that the mechanical strength of the replacement probe 40 is further increased. Of course, the replacement probe shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 may be used.

  Furthermore, since it is often the effect of external force that causes the probe 30 to become defective, it is almost always a plurality of defective probes 30a instead of one. For example, when there are two or three defective probes 30a, the defective probes 30a may be regenerated using a replacement probe group 100 as shown in FIG.

  The replacement probe group 100 shown here has a structure in which three replacement probes 40 ′ shown in FIG. 5A are arranged in a line at a pitch of 25 μm. In the figure, reference numeral 46 denotes a piece for connecting the probes 40 '.

  The method of regenerating three defective probes 30a using this replacement probe group 100 is exactly the same as the above example, and since three are regenerated at the same time as compared with the case of regenerating one by one, the working efficiency is remarkably improved. To improve. Of course, the number of probes constituting the replacement probe group is not limited to the above.

  Further, the method for attaching the replacement probe 40 is not limited. As a method of excising the defective probe 30a, an electric discharge machining apparatus or the like may be used. As a method of aligning the replacement probe 40 with the electric wiring 20, an electrostatic probe device or the like may be used. Further, the replacement probe 40 may be mounted on the electric wiring 20 by applying a conductive adhesive with a dispenser device.

It is a figure for demonstrating embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a perspective view of the part by which the probe was comprised among the probe cards. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the AA line in FIG. 1 of a probe card . It is a typical fragmentary top view of a probe card. It is a fragmentary perspective view of the probe card which shows the process of excising a defective probe. It is a fragmentary perspective view of the probe card which shows the process of attaching the replacement probe. It is a figure corresponding to FIG . 2 for demonstrating the modification of the probe for replacement | exchange. It is a figure corresponding to FIG . 2 for demonstrating the other modification of the probe for replacement | exchange. It is a figure corresponding to FIG . 2 for demonstrating the other modification of the probe for replacement | exchange. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of a probe card, Comprising: It is a fragmentary sectional view of a probe card. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of a probe replacement | exchange method, Comprising: It is a perspective view of the probe group for replacement | exchange.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Wiring board 20 Electrical wiring 21 Adhering area | region 22 Arrangement | positioning area 30 Probe 30a Defective probe 40 Replacement probe 100 Replacement probe group

Claims (4)

A probe card in which a plurality of cantilevered probes are fixed on a wiring board,
In the wiring board, a plurality of wirings are formed on the surface at intervals in parallel,
In the above wiring, a fixing area where a probe is attached and an arrangement area where a replacement probe is attached are set,
The arrangement area is set on the wiring on the linear extension of the fixing area ,
The probe card , wherein the replacement probe is fixed to an arrangement region of the wiring from which the probe is removed . A wiring board in which a plurality of wirings are formed at intervals on the surface;
A plurality of cantilevered probes,
With a cantilevered replacement probe,
The wiring has a fixed region and a placement region set on a linear extension of the fixed region,
The probe card, wherein the replacement probe is fixed on at least one wiring arrangement area, and the probe is fixed on a remaining wiring fixing area. The probe card according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base portion of the probe remains on the fixing region.
The probe card, wherein the replacement probe is in contact with an upper surface of a base portion of the probe. The probe card according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base portion of the probe remains on the fixing region.
The probe card, wherein the replacement probe is in contact with the wiring board across a base portion of the probe.

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