JPH04297050A - Semiconductor inspection apparatus and preparation of its plane substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a semiconductor inspection apparatus having a probe, which can be adapted to the functional test of a semiconductor chip with electrode pads arranged at minute pitches, and which is superior in mechanical strength and durability. CONSTITUTION:A probe is composed of a probe card 10 and a glass substrate 20, which are integrally connected with each other by means of a joint material 17. In the probe card 10 is formed a through hole 11 which is electrically connected to a conductor pattern 22, whereas in the glass substrate 20 is formed a through hole 23 which is electrically connected to a conductor pattern 22. Formed at the end of the conductor pattern 22 is a protuberant electrode 21 which is brought in contact with an electrode pad of a semiconductor element.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The first aspect of the present invention relates to a semiconductor device testing device, and more particularly to a semiconductor testing device that can be applied to functional testing of semiconductor devices having minute pitch electrode pads. A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a flat substrate on which protruding electrodes are formed for use in a semiconductor testing device.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of a probe section of a conventional semiconductor testing device, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V--V in FIG. In the figure, 1 is a probe card, 2 is a probe needle provided on the bottom surface of the probe card 1 and makes electrical contact with the electrode pad of a semiconductor element, 3 is a through hole provided in the probe card 1, and 4 is a probe needle 2. This is a wiring pattern that electrically connects the through hole 3. Next, a method for testing the functionality of a semiconductor element using the probe section of the conventional semiconductor testing apparatus shown in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG. Probe card 1 is installed in semiconductor testing device main body 5 so that contact pins 6 and through holes 3 are in contact with each other. Further, the semiconductor element 7 is mounted on the stage 8. Next, the semiconductor testing device main body 5 or the stage 8 is operated to bring the tip of the probe needle 2 into contact with a desired electrode pad 9 of the semiconductor element 7. Here, the semiconductor testing device main body 5 supplies power and signals to the semiconductor element 7 via the contact pins 6, through holes 3, wiring patterns 4, probe needles 2, and electrode pads 9, and outputs the output from the semiconductor element 7. A signal is input to the semiconductor testing device main body 5 via the electrode pad 9, probe needle 2, wiring pattern 4, through hole 3 and contact pin 6,
A functional test is performed to determine whether the semiconductor element 7 is normal or abnormal.

However, in the probe structure of the conventional semiconductor testing device shown in FIG. 4, the positional accuracy of the tip of the probe needle 2 is poor, and as the pitch of the electrode pads 9 of the semiconductor element 7 becomes minute, the manufacturing process of the probe part becomes more difficult. The disadvantage was that it was difficult. Furthermore, even if a probe section that can accommodate the fine pitch of the electrode pads 9 could be manufactured, the needle diameter of the probe needle 2 would be small, resulting in a decrease in mechanical strength and durability.

As an improvement measure for this problem, the following probe section of a semiconductor inspection apparatus has been proposed. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the probe section of a conventional semiconductor testing device.
A wiring pattern 12 is formed to be in electrical contact with. 13 is a glass substrate, and this glass substrate 13 has
Protruding electrode 14, wiring pattern 15, and protruding electrode 14
A through hole 16 is formed to electrically connect the wiring pattern 15 and the wiring pattern 15 . Furthermore, by the bonding material 17,
Wiring pattern 12 of probe card 10 and glass substrate 1
The probe card 10 and the glass substrate 13 are electrically connected to each other, and the probe card 10 and the glass substrate 13 are integrated.

[0005] Here, the production of the glass substrate 13 having the protruding electrodes 14 will be explained based on FIGS. 8(a) to 8(d). First, as shown in FIG. 8A, the glass substrate 13 is selectively etched to form a through hole. Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the glass substrate 13 is coated with a conductor by electroless plating, and the wiring pattern 15 is formed by etching. Here, the through hole is also coated with a conductor. Further, the wiring pattern 15 is coated with an insulating coating, and a conductor is deposited in the through hole by electrolytic plating to form a through hole 16 filled with the conductor as shown in FIG. 8(c). Finally, as shown in FIG. 8(d), the entire surface of the glass substrate 13 is etched to make the through holes 16 protrude, thereby forming the protruding electrodes 14. Since the protruding electrode 14 is produced on the glass substrate 13 in this way,
A probe portion is obtained in which the pitch of the protruding electrodes 14 can be precisely formed to a fine pitch, and the electrode pads 9 can be adapted to a semiconductor element 7 having a fine pitch.

Next, FIG. 9 shows a method for testing the function of a semiconductor element using the probe section of the conventional semiconductor testing device shown in FIG.
The explanation will be based on. The probe card 10 is installed in the semiconductor testing device main body 5 so that the contact pins 6 and the through holes 11 are in contact with each other. Further, the semiconductor element 7 is mounted on the stage 8. Next, the semiconductor inspection equipment main body 5
Alternatively, the stage 8 is operated to bring the tip of the protruding electrode 14 into contact with a desired electrode pad 9 of the semiconductor element 7 . Here, the semiconductor testing device main body 5 supplies power and signals to the semiconductor element 7 via the contact pins 6, through holes 11, wiring patterns 12, 15, through holes 16, protruding electrodes 14, and electrode pads 9, The output signal from the semiconductor element 7 is inputted to the semiconductor inspection apparatus main body 5 via the electrode pad 9, the protruding electrode 14, the through hole 16, the wiring patterns 12, 15, the through hole 11, and the contact pin 6, and the semiconductor element 7 is confirmed to be normal. Perform a functional test to determine if there is an abnormality.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, in the conventional semiconductor testing apparatus, since the probe needle 2 makes electrical contact with the electrode pad 9 of the semiconductor element 7, the positional accuracy of the tip of the probe needle 2 has to be improved. There was a problem that the electrode pads 9 were not suitable for semiconductor elements 7 having a small pitch. Alternatively, instead of the probe needle 2, a protruding electrode 14 formed by etching the entire surface of the glass substrate 13 and protruding a through hole 16 was used to make electrical contact with the electrode pad 9 of the semiconductor element 7. When etching the entire surface of the probe 13, the conductor of the through hole 16 was also corroded, causing the protruding electrode 14 to come off, making it difficult to manufacture the probe section. The first invention of the present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is a semiconductor inspection device that is capable of responding to a minute electrode pad pitch and is equipped with a probe section that has sufficient mechanical strength and durability. The purpose is to obtain equipment. The second invention of the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is to provide a flat substrate of a probe section used in a semiconductor inspection device with sufficient mechanical strength and durability. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a flat substrate that can stably form protruding electrodes with a minute pitch.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A semiconductor testing device according to a first aspect of the present invention has a probe portion that includes a plurality of protruding electrodes for contacting electrode pads of a semiconductor element and is filled with an electrically conductive material. The device includes a flat substrate having a plurality of through holes and a wiring pattern formed on the same surface as the protruding electrodes and electrically connecting the protruding electrodes and the through holes. Further, in the method for manufacturing a flat substrate of a semiconductor inspection device according to the second aspect of the present invention, after forming a plurality of through holes in a flat substrate, the through holes are coated with an electrically conductive material. a step of forming a through hole in the planar substrate, a step of coating one surface of the flat substrate with an electrically conductive material and then forming a wiring pattern electrically connected to the through hole by patterning, and a step of forming a wiring pattern on the flat substrate. After coating the patterned surface with photoresist and removing the photoresist on the wiring pattern corresponding to the area where the protruding electrode is to be formed, an electrically conductive material is deposited and grown in the area where the photoresist is removed to form the protruding electrode. It has a step of forming.

[0009]

[Operation] In the first aspect of the present invention, since the protruding electrode and the wiring pattern are formed on the same surface of the flat substrate, the wiring pattern can be formed without etching the entire surface of the flat substrate. Protruding electrodes can be formed on the surface. In the second aspect of the present invention, a flat substrate is coated with an electrically conductive material and then patterned to form a wiring pattern, and the electrically conductive material is further deposited on the wiring pattern using a photoresist as a mask. Since the protruding electrodes are formed by growing the protruding electrodes, it is possible to form protruding electrodes with a minute pitch that have sufficient mechanical strength and durability without etching the entire surface of the flat substrate.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a probe section used in a semiconductor inspection device according to the first aspect of the present invention, and FIG.
1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. 1, and in the figure, the same or corresponding parts as the probe section of the conventional semiconductor testing apparatus shown in FIG. 7 are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted. In the figure, 20 is a glass substrate, and this glass substrate 20 includes:
A protruding electrode 21, a wiring pattern 22 electrically connected to the protruding electrode 21, and a through hole 23 electrically connected to the wiring pattern 22 are formed to constitute a flat substrate. Wiring pattern 22 of this glass substrate 20
is electrically connected to the wiring pattern 12 of the probe card 10 via the through hole 23 by the bonding material 17 . Furthermore, a probe card 10 and a glass substrate 20
are integrated with a bonding material 17 to form a probe section.

Here, regarding the manufacturing method of the glass substrate 20 having the above-mentioned protruding electrodes 21, the steps (a) to (g) in FIGS.
A description will be given based on the method for manufacturing a flat substrate according to the second aspect of the present invention shown in FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the glass substrate 20 is selectively etched to form a through hole. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the inner wall surface of the through hole and the joint portion 24 are metalized by electroless plating. Next, as shown in FIG. 3(c), a conductor is deposited in the through hole by electrolytic plating to form a conductor in the through hole 23.
form. Then, the glass substrate 2 is formed by electroless plating.
After coating one side of the conductor with a conductor, a photoresist is applied, exposed and developed using a photomask, unnecessary parts of the conductor are etched, and the photoresist is removed to form a structure as shown in Figure 3(d). A wiring pattern 22 is formed. Further, a photoresist is applied on the surface of the glass substrate 20 on which the wiring pattern 22 is formed, and then exposed and developed using a photomask to form the protruding electrodes 21 as shown in FIG. 3(e). Photoresist 25 with a partially open area
A conductor is deposited in the opening of the photoresist 25 by electrolytic plating, as shown in FIG. 3(f). Finally, the photoresist 25 is removed to form the protruding electrode 21 as shown in FIG. 3(g).

As described above, in the above embodiment, the protruding electrode 2
1 and the wiring pattern 22 are formed on the same surface of the glass substrate 20. Therefore, the wiring pattern 22 and the protruding electrode 21 can be formed using photolithography technology, with high positional accuracy and minute Pitch protruding electrode 21
can be manufactured stably. Furthermore, since the protruding electrodes 21 are formed on the wiring pattern 22 by electrolytic plating, mechanical strength and durability are excellent.

Here, the semiconductor testing device of the present invention using the probe section of the above embodiment can perform functional testing of semiconductor elements in the same way as the conventional semiconductor testing device using the conventional probe section shown in FIG. Can be done.

[0014] In the above embodiment, electrolytic plating is used to form the protruding electrodes 21 and the wiring patterns 22, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and screen printing technology or vapor deposition may be used. A similar effect can be obtained using technology. Further, in the above embodiment, the probe section is constructed by joining the probe card 10 and the glass substrate 20, but the probe section is constructed by the glass substrate 20 alone, and the through holes 23 of the glass substrate 20 and The same effect can be obtained even if the function test of the semiconductor element 7 is performed by bringing the probe pin 6 of the semiconductor testing device main body 5 into contact with the probe pin 6 of the semiconductor testing device main body 5.

[0015]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the probe portion includes a plurality of protruding electrodes for contacting electrode pads of a semiconductor element, and a plurality of through holes filled with an electrically conductive material. Since it is equipped with a flat substrate having a hole and a wiring pattern formed on the same surface as the protruding electrode and electrically connecting the protruding electrode and the through hole, the positional accuracy of the protruding electrode can be improved. This has the effect of providing a semiconductor testing device that can form protruding electrodes with a minute pitch and is applicable to functional testing of semiconductor elements with electrode pads that have a minute pitch. According to the second aspect of the present invention, a flat substrate is coated with an electrically conductive material and then patterned to form a wiring pattern, and then the electrically conductive material is coated on the wiring pattern using a photoresist as a mask. Since the protruding electrodes are formed by precipitation growth, the flat substrate of the probe part used in semiconductor inspection equipment has sufficient mechanical strength and durability without the need for etching the entire surface of the flat substrate. This has the effect of providing a method for manufacturing a flat substrate that can stably form protruding electrodes with a minute pitch.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a probe section used in a semiconductor testing device according to a first aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of a probe section used in the semiconductor testing device according to the first aspect of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A to 3G are process cross-sectional views for explaining the manufacturing process of a glass substrate having protruding electrodes according to the second aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of a probe section used in a conventional semiconductor testing device.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the probe section shown in FIG. 4 taken along line V-V.

6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of testing a semiconductor element by a semiconductor testing apparatus using the conventional probe section shown in FIG. 4. FIG.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a probe section used in a conventional semiconductor testing device.

8A to 8D are process cross-sectional views for explaining the manufacturing process of a glass substrate constituting a probe section used in the conventional semiconductor testing device shown in FIG. 7, respectively;

9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of testing a semiconductor element by a semiconductor testing apparatus using the conventional probe section shown in FIG. 7. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Probe card 11 Through hole 12 Wiring pattern 17 Bonding material 20 Glass substrate (flat substrate) 21 Protruding electrode 22 Wiring pattern 23 Through hole

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor testing apparatus for testing the semiconductor element by making electrical contact with an electrode pad of a semiconductor element by a probe part, wherein the probe part has a flat substrate, and the flat substrate has a flat substrate. a plurality of protruding electrodes for contacting the electrode pads; a plurality of through holes filled with an electrically conductive material; A semiconductor inspection device comprising a wiring pattern for connection. 2. A method for manufacturing the flat substrate in a semiconductor inspection apparatus in which the semiconductor element is inspected by making electrical contact with the semiconductor element by a protruding electrode formed on the flat substrate constituting the probe section, After forming a plurality of through holes in a flat substrate, the through holes are coated with an electrically conductive material to form a plurality of through holes, and one surface of the flat substrate is coated with an electrically conductive material. After coating, a step of forming a wiring pattern electrically connected to the through hole by patterning, and coating a photoresist on the surface of the flat substrate on which the wiring pattern is formed, and a region where the protruding electrode is formed. After removing the photoresist on the wiring pattern corresponding to the wiring pattern, forming the protruding electrode by depositing and growing an electrically conductive material in the photoresist removed area. Method.