JPH05240877A - Prober for measuring semiconductor integrated circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable sure electric contact to an electrode pad without damaging semiconductor tip by forming the part of probe contacting to an electric pad spherically and a part of the needle with an elastic body. CONSTITUTION:At the tip of a rod having stiffness, a plate spring 5 bended in round shape is fixed to form a needle 4 of a prober. When the spring constant of the plate spring 5 is set properly, proper contact pressure to the electrode pad 3 is obtained and thus certain electric contact is obtained. By bending the plate spring in round shape, the pushing pressure becomes dull and the semiconductor tip 1 is never be damaged. If the needle 4 is elastic rod and the tip is made spherical, the contact pressure to the pad 3 is given by the elasticity of the rod. And by making the push pressure part sphere shape, the damage on the tip 1 is avoided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a prober for measuring a semiconductor integrated circuit, and more particularly to a prober for measuring a semiconductor integrated circuit having a probe which comes into contact with an electrode pad which is an input / output terminal in a chip-like semiconductor integrated circuit device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a view showing a probe in an example of a conventional semiconductor integrated circuit measuring prober. Conventionally, a prober for measuring a semiconductor integrated circuit of this type (hereinafter, simply referred to as a prober) is composed of a prober main body attached to a probe head of a probing device and a probe with which a plurality of probes are struck by the prober main body. It was

When a semiconductor integrated circuit is measured and tested by using this prober, first, as shown in FIG. 4, the prober is lowered and the probe 4 is placed on the electrode pad exposed from the passivation film 2 of the semiconductor chip 1. Of the integrated circuit formed on the semiconductor chip 1 through the probe 4 to support the signal, and send the signal to the main body of the tester connected to the probe hud to determine the quality of the integrated circuit. It was

[0004]

However, in this conventional prober, since the needle-shaped probe is pressed against the electrode pad on the semiconductor chip for electrical connection, the electrode pad is often pressed by the pressing force of the probe. If the diffusion layer under the electrode pad or the electrode pad is damaged, or if the pressing position of the probe is incorrect, there is a problem that the passivation film of the semiconductor chip and the wiring are damaged.

An object of the present invention is to provide a prober capable of surely making electrical contact with an electrode pad for measurement without damaging the semiconductor chip.

[0006]

A first prober of the present invention is a prober for measuring a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising a plurality of probes that come into contact with electrode pads of a semiconductor chip, which are input / output terminals of the semiconductor integrated circuit. It is characterized in that a portion of the probe contacting the electrode pad is formed into a spherical surface, and a part of the probe is formed of an elastic body that applies a contact pressure to the electrode pad.

The second prober of the present invention is characterized in that a plurality of conductive elastic wires are embedded in the tip portion of the probe.

[0008]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a probe in a first embodiment of a prober of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the probe 4 of this prober has a leaf spring 5 bent in a round shape attached to the tip of a rigid rod. Otherwise, it is the same as the conventional example. By attaching the leaf spring 5 to the tip of the rod body, the contact pressure for contacting the electrode pad 3 can be surely obtained by properly setting the spring constant of the leaf spring 5. Further, by bending the leaf spring 5 into a round shape, the pressing portion becomes dull and the semiconductor chip 1 is not damaged.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a probe in a second embodiment of the prober of the present invention. In this prober, as shown in FIG. 2, the main body of the probe 4 has an elastic rod shape, and its tip has a spherical shape. In this way, the contact pressure with the electrode pad 3 is given by the elasticity of the rod body, and the pressing portion is made spherical, so that the semiconductor chip 1 is not damaged.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a probe in a third embodiment of the prober of the present invention. In this prober, as shown in FIG. 3, a conductive elastic wire is formed on the embedded brush 6 at the tip of the rigid probe 4. This prober can also surely obtain contact without giving concentrated stress to the semiconductor chip 1.

[0011]

As described above, according to the present invention, the portion in contact with the electrode pad is formed into a spherical shape, a round shape or a multi-point contact so that stress is not concentrated, and the main body portion or one of the main body portion is provided so that the contact pressure is constant. By making the portion an elastic body, electrical contact can be surely obtained without damaging the semiconductor chip.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a probe in a first embodiment of a prober of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a probe in a second embodiment of the prober of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a probe in a third embodiment of the prober of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a probe in an example of a conventional prober.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 semiconductor chip 2 passivation 3 electrode pad 4 probe 5 leaf spring 6 brush

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A prober for measuring a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising a plurality of probes that come into contact with electrode pads of a semiconductor chip, which is an input / output terminal of a semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein a portion of the probe that comes into contact with the electrode pads is spherical. A prober for semiconductor integrated circuit measurement, wherein the probe is formed and a part of the probe is formed of an elastic body that applies a contact pressure to the electrode pad. 2. The prober for measuring a semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of conductive elastic wires are embedded in the tip portion of the probe.