JPH1183900A - Probe unit and probe card using it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure increase in the number of probes capable of being arranged by arranging a plurality of wiring boards at supports at intervals in the thickness direction. SOLUTION: A probe card 10 comprises a plurality of probe units 12 arranged in parallel substantilly at a center of a disc-shaped wiring board 14 by use of a frame 16. The probe unit 12 are respectively connected to the board 14 with a plurality of flat cables. An opening is formed to penetrate the board in the thickness direction. Each tester lander 24 is electrically connected to a porper connector part 22 through a wiring part. Each unit 12 includes a long plate-shaped support 30, a plurality of connection plates 32 arranged on one side of the support 30 at intervals in the thickness direction, and a plurality of probes 34 arranged in a multilayered style on the support 30. Accordingly, with a plurality of the wiring boards arranged on the support at intervals in the thickness direction, without reducing the size of connection part to the probe in the wiring part, the number of wiring parts can be increased, thereby enabling increase in the number of probes.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a probe unit having a plurality of probes and a probe card using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Energization test (electrical characteristic test) of integrated circuits
In general, the probe card used in the method (1) has a plurality of probes arranged on a wiring board. Such a probe card is also called a probe board or an inspection head, and various proposals have been made.

One of probe cards used for conducting a current test of a plurality of uncut integrated circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer.
One example is a probe card described in JP-A-7-201935. The probe card includes a wiring board having an opening in the center and having a plurality of wiring portions around the opening, and a plurality of probe units each having a plurality of probes attached to an elongated plate-shaped support.

Each probe unit includes a connection plate (wiring board) having a plurality of wiring portions (electrodes) in addition to the above-described probe and support. Each wiring portion of each connection plate is connected to a probe. The probe units are attached in parallel to the wiring board so as to pass through the openings. The probe of each probe unit and the wiring portion of the wiring board are connected via a flat cable having one end connected to the connection plate and the other end connected to the wiring board.

The probes of each probe unit include a plurality of probes connected to a test signal line and one or more probes connected to a ground potential. These probes are connected to a tester having a circuit for supplying electricity to the probes by a connector such as a pogo pin for connecting the tester and the wiring board, a wiring portion of the wiring board, and a wiring portion of the connection plate.

However, in the above-described probe card, it is difficult to increase the arrangement density of the wiring portions of the connection plate due to the need to solder each probe to the wiring portion of the connection plate. It is difficult to increase the number of probes.

[0007]

Therefore, it is desired to have a structure that can increase the number of probes that can be arranged.

[0008]

A probe unit according to the present invention comprises a long plate-like support and a plurality of connection plates having a plurality of wiring portions, which are arranged on the support at intervals in the thickness direction. A connecting plate, a plurality of probes arranged at intervals in a longitudinal direction of the connecting plate, the probes being connected to a wiring portion of the connecting plate, and assembling means for assembling the connecting plate to the supporting member. .

If a plurality of wiring boards are arranged on the support at intervals in the thickness direction as described above, the number of wiring parts can be increased without reducing the dimensions of the wiring parts to which the probes are connected. Therefore, the number of probes can be increased.

The wiring section includes at least a plurality of signal wiring sections and at least one ground wiring section having a conductive section extending from one surface to the other surface of the connection plate. One or more conductive spacers disposed between the mating connection plates and in contact with the ground wiring portion of the adjacent connection plate but not in contact with at least the signal wiring portion; and at least one assembly for mounting the connection plate to the support. Tool. With this configuration, since the ground wiring portions of the adjacent connection plates are electrically short-circuited by the spacers, no potential difference occurs in the ground wiring portions of the adjacent connection plates, and as a result, accurate test results, that is, inspections are performed. The result can be obtained.

[0011] The assembling tool may include a screw member penetrating the conductive portion of the connection plate and the spacer. With this configuration, the displacement of the spacer with respect to the adjacent connection plate is prevented by the screw member, and there is no possibility that the signal wiring portions are short-circuited to each other by the spacer, and the positional relationship between the adjacent connection plates is stabilized. In this case, the screw member may be screwed into the support, so that the relative positional relationship between the support and the connection plate is stabilized.

The spacer can be an elastic member, and the spacer can be compressed between adjacent connecting plates. Thereby, the positional relationship between the adjacent connection plates is further stabilized. In this case, a spacer can be arranged between the support and the connection plate adjacent thereto, whereby the relative positional relationship between the support and the connection plate is further stabilized.

The ground wiring portion has a first conductive portion formed on one surface of the connection plate and a second conductive portion formed on the other surface.
And a third conductive portion that penetrates the connection plate in the thickness direction and electrically connects the first and second conductive portions, and forms a spacer between adjacent connection plates. The first and second regions can be contacted. In this case, the third conductive portion can be a through hole having conductivity, and the assembling tool can be inserted through the through hole.

The signal wiring portion is formed in a band shape on one surface of the connection plate, and the second conductive portion can have an area larger than the first conductive portion. Thereby, the impedance between the signal wiring portion and the ground wiring portion can be maintained at a predetermined value.

[0015] The probes are arranged in a multilayer structure, divided into a plurality of probe groups for each layer, each probe group is individually associated with a connection plate, and the probes of each probe group are connected to the wiring section of the corresponding connection plate. Can be. Thereby, the arrangement pitch of the probes in each probe group can be increased, and the number of probes that can be arranged can be increased.

A probe card according to the present invention has a plate-shaped wiring board having an opening penetrating in a thickness direction, a plurality of wiring portions formed around the opening, and a connector portion connected to the wiring portion. A plurality of probe units arranged in parallel with the wiring board in a state penetrating the opening, and a plurality of probe units as described above, and a plurality of probe units corresponding to the probe unit and connecting the corresponding probe unit and the wiring board. And a plurality of flat cables each having a connection portion connected to the connector portion at one end.

According to the probe card having a plurality of probe units as described above, a plurality of integrated circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer can be simultaneously subjected to an energization test. Compared with the case where the energization test is performed one by one, the time required for the energization test of all the integrated circuits formed on one semiconductor wafer is significantly reduced.

Each flat cable includes a plurality of coaxial cable portions each having a core wire and an outer conductor. The outer conductor of each flat cable is connected to a ground wiring portion of a corresponding connection plate, and each core cable of each flat cable is connected. Can be connected to at least the signal wiring portion of the corresponding connection plate.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a probe card 10, not shown, is used for a conduction test (electric characteristic test) of a plurality of integrated circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer. . In the probe card 10, a plurality of probe units 12 are arranged substantially parallel to the center of a disk-shaped wiring board 14 by a frame 16, and each probe unit 12 is connected to the wiring board 14 by a plurality of flat cables 18.
Connected to

The wiring board 14 is manufactured from a plate made of an electrically insulating material. The wiring board 14 has a rectangular opening 20 formed in the center and a plurality of connector sections 2 formed around the opening 20 on one side of the wiring board 14.
2 and a number of tester lands 2 formed around them
And 4. The opening 20 penetrates the wiring board 14 in the thickness direction. Each tester land 24 is electrically connected to an appropriate connector section 22 by a wiring section (not shown).

The frame 16 has a rectangular shape forming an opening having the same size as the opening 20 of the wiring board 14, and each side of the frame 16 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
The frame 16 is for detachably attaching the plurality of probe units 12 to the wiring board 14,
It is bonded to the other surface of the wiring board 14.

Therefore, the frame 16 is mounted on the wiring board 1.
4 can be seen as one member. However, frame 16
May be removably attached to the wiring board 14 with a plurality of screw members, or the probe unit 12 may be removably or non-removably assembled to the wiring board 14 without using the frame 16.

Each probe unit 12 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3, a long plate-shaped support 30, a plurality of connection plates 32 arranged on one side of the support 30 at intervals in the thickness direction, and a multilayer structure (shown in FIG. In the example, a plurality of probes 34 arranged in a three-layer structure are included.

The support 30 is formed of an electrically insulating material in the form of a long plate having a rectangular cross section and a small width, and has a flange 36 extending from the upper end of each end in the longitudinal direction. Have. Each flange 36 has a through hole 38 formed therein. The lower surface of the support 30 is an inclined surface that is gradually lower from one side in the thickness direction to the other side.

Each connection plate 32 is formed in a rectangular shape from an electrically insulating material, and has at least a plurality of signal wiring portions 40 and a plurality of ground wiring portions 42. The signal wiring portion 40 is formed in the shape of a narrow band extending substantially in parallel from one end to the other end in the width direction of the connection plate 32 on one surface of the connection plate 32. The ground wiring portions 42 are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the connection plate.

The ground wiring portion 42 forms a conductive portion extending from one surface of the connection plate 32 to the other surface. The conductive portion forming the ground wiring portion 42 is connected to a first conductive portion 44 formed on one surface of the connection plate 32 and a second conductive portion 46 formed on the other surface. A third conductive portion that penetrates through the plate in the thickness direction and electrically connects the first and second conductive portions;

As shown in FIG. 5, the first conductive portion 44 is formed in a circular shape having a diameter larger than the width of the signal wiring portion 40. The second conductive portion 46 is formed over substantially the entire other surface of the connection plate 32,
It is common to all the ground wiring portions 42. The third conductive portion 48 has a cylindrical shape, and penetrates the first and second conductive portions 44 and 46 in the thickness direction of the connection plate 32. For this reason, the third conductive portion 48 is
And the second conductive portions 44 and 46 together with the connection plate 32
Is formed in the thickness direction.

The connection plates 32 are arranged in parallel on the one surface side of the support 30 with the wiring portions 40 facing away from the support 30 at intervals in the thickness direction. I have. A plurality of spacers 50 are arranged between the support 30 and the adjacent connection plate 32 and between the adjacent connection plates 32.

Each spacer 50 is made of conductive particles,
It has conductivity and elasticity like a conductive rubber in which a member or a wire is disposed in a rubber material, and has a shape of a washer having a large thickness. Each spacer 50 corresponds to the third conductive portion 48, and the center hole is aligned with the corresponding third conductive portion 48. Each spacer 50
Contacts the ground wiring portion 42 of the adjacent connection plate 32 but does not contact the signal wiring portion 40.

The connection plate 32 is compressed by the plurality of screw members 52 which are threaded to the support 30 through the ground wiring portion 42 (particularly, the third conductive portion 48) and the spacer 50. In a deformed state, the support 30 is assembled in parallel with the support 30. For this reason, the displacement of the spacer 50 with respect to the adjacent connection plate 32 is prevented by the screw member 52, and there is no possibility that the signal wiring portions 40 are short-circuited to each other by the spacer 50, and the positional relationship between the adjacent connection plates 32 is stabilized. Thus, the relative positional relationship between the support 30 and the connection plate 32 is stabilized.

Each probe 34 has a crank-like shape in which the needle tip and the needle rear are bent to the opposite side to the central needle main body, and the needle tip extends downward and the needle is extended. The rear part is adhered to the lower surface of the support 30 by an electrically insulating adhesive 54 so that the rear part extends toward the connection plate 32. The probes 34 of each layer are spaced in the longitudinal direction of the support 30.

The probes 34 are divided into probe groups for each layer, and each probe group corresponds to the connection plate 32. The probe 34 of each probe group is electrically connected to the wiring portion 40 or 42 of the corresponding connection plate 32 at the rear of the needle. In the illustrated example, each probe 34 is fixed to the wiring section 40 or 42 by soldering. Although not shown, the one or more first conductive portions 44 have an extension extending to the lower end of the connection plate 32 in parallel with the wiring portion 40, and the probe to be maintained at the ground potential does not. Electrical extension.

The probe unit 12 is arranged such that the support members 30 are substantially parallel (that is, in parallel with each other).
In FIG. 1, the frame member 16 (see FIG. 1) is used.
Attached to. Therefore, the probe unit 1
2, the probe 34 is located below the wiring board 14,
The connection plate 32 penetrates through the opening 20 of the wiring board 14 so as to be located above the wiring board 14.

Each flat cable 18 has a plurality of coaxial cable portions each having a core wire 58 and an external conductor 60, and has a connection portion (not shown) connected to the connector portion 22 of the wiring board 14 at one end. Part. In the illustrated example, five flat cables 18 are provided for one probe unit 12.

Each core wire 58 of each flat cable 18 is electrically connected to the signal wiring portion 40 of the corresponding connection plate 32 by soldering, and the outer conductor 60 of each flat cable 18 is connected to the corresponding connection plate 32. Ground wiring section 42
Are electrically connected to each other by soldering.

During the energization test, each probe 34 is connected to the connection plate 3
2. It is electrically connected to a tester provided with an energizing circuit by a flat cable 18, a wiring board 14, a pogo pin (not shown), and the like. Of the probes connected to the signal wiring section 40 of the connection plate 32, one or more probes are used for power supply, and the remaining probes are used for signals. On the other hand, the probe connected to the ground wiring portion 42 of the connection board 32 is used to supply a ground potential to the integrated circuit to be tested.

The ground wiring portion 42 of each connection plate 32 is connected to a tester via a conductive path (conductive connection means) formed by the connection plate 32, the flat cable 18, the wiring board 14, and pogo pins (not shown). You. In this state, the tips of the probes 34 are pressed by the electrodes of the integrated circuit on the semiconductor wafer, and the probes 34 are energized.

When the tip of the probe 34 is pressed against the electrode portion of the integrated circuit, each probe bends slightly in an arc. At this time, each probe tries to displace the semiconductor wafer by its own overdrive. However, such a force generated by each probe is, as shown in FIG. 1, at one side of the probe unit 12 with respect to an imaginary line 62 passing through the center of the wiring board 14 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the probe unit 12. By disposing the probe unit 12 on the other side in the opposite direction, the probe of one probe unit group and the probe of the other probe unit group are offset or reduced.

Each spacer 50 has conductivity at least in the thickness direction, and short-circuits the ground wiring portion 42 of the adjacent connection plate 32 of each probe unit 12 at a shorter distance than the above-described conductive path. As a result, since the ground wiring portions 42 of the probe units 12 are maintained at the conductive potential, no potential difference occurs between the ground wiring portions 42 of the adjacent connection plates 32, and as a result, accurate test results, that is, test results, are not obtained. Obtainable.

That is, when the grounding wiring portions 42 are individually connected to the earth potential portion of the tester, the length of the conductive path between the tester and the grounding wiring portion 42 or the electric resistance of these conductive paths is slightly reduced. Due to such a difference, a slight potential difference occurs between the ground wiring portions of the adjacent connection plates. Since such a potential difference becomes a difference between the ground potentials of the adjacent connection plates,
This difference in ground potential causes a difference in the response characteristics of the circuit elements of the integrated circuit or disturbs the signal waveform obtained by the tester,
As a result, accurate test results, that is, test results, cannot be obtained. However, when the ground potentials of the adjacent connection plates are the same, such a problem caused by the difference in the ground potential is solved.

By arranging a plurality of wiring boards on the support at intervals in the thickness direction as described above, the number of wiring parts can be increased without reducing the size of the connection part of the wiring part to the probe. Therefore, the number of probes can be increased.

Further, since the plurality of probes 34 are arranged in a multilayer structure and the probes of each probe group are connected to the corresponding wiring portions of the connection plate 32, the arrangement pitch of the probes of each probe group can be increased. The number of probes that can be arranged can be increased.

Further, since a plurality of probe units 12 are provided, a plurality of integrated circuits formed on the semiconductor wafer can be simultaneously subjected to an energization test. Therefore, a large number of integrated circuits on the semiconductor wafer are energized one by one. In comparison with the case, the time required for conducting tests on all the integrated circuits formed on one semiconductor wafer is significantly reduced.

It should be noted that a plurality of adjacent probes (for example, 5
The structure that contacts the electrode portion of the integrated circuit can further reduce the time required for conducting tests on all the integrated circuits formed on one semiconductor wafer.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the illustrated example, three connection plates 32 are arranged in three layers, and the probes 34 are arranged in a three-layer structure. However, four or more connection plates are used, and four probes are used.
It may be arranged in a multi-layer structure of more than layers. Further, the structure may be such that the probe group of one layer corresponds to two or more connection plates, or the structure may be such that the probe group of two or more layers commonly corresponds to one connection plate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of a probe card according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing one embodiment of a probe unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the probe unit shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing a part of a probe unit.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view showing an end of the probe unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Probe card 12 Probe unit 14 Wiring board 16 Frame 18 Flat cable 20 Opening of wiring board 22 Connector part 24 Tester land 30 Support body 32 Connection board 34 Probe 40 Signal wiring part 42 Ground wiring part 50 Spacer 52 Screw member

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A long plate-shaped support, a plurality of connection plates having a plurality of wiring portions, wherein the connection plates are arranged on the support at an interval in a thickness direction, and A probe unit, comprising: a plurality of probes arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction, the probes being connected to the wiring portion; and assembling means for assembling the connection plate to the support. 2. The wiring section includes at least a plurality of signal wiring sections and at least one ground wiring section having a conductive section extending from one surface to the other surface of the connection plate,
The assembling means is disposed between adjacent connection plates, and contacts one or more conductive spacers that contact the ground wiring portion of the adjacent connection plate but do not contact at least the signal wiring portion; and The probe unit according to claim 1, further comprising one or more assembling tools to be attached to the support. 3. The assembly tool according to claim 2, further comprising a screw member penetrating the conductive portion of the connection plate and the spacer.
The probe unit according to 1. 4. The probe unit according to claim 2, wherein the spacer has elasticity and is compressed between adjacent connection plates. 5. The ground wiring portion includes a first conductive portion formed on one surface of the connection plate, a second conductive portion formed on the other surface, and the connection plate. A third conductive portion penetrating in the thickness direction to electrically connect the first and second conductive portions, and the spacer is provided on the first and second regions of the adjacent connection plate. Claims 1, 2, 2 in contact.
The probe unit according to 3 or 4. 6. The signal wiring portion is formed in a band shape on one surface of the connection plate, and the second conductive portion has an area larger than the first conductive portion. The probe unit according to 1. 7. The probe is arranged in a multi-layer structure and divided into a plurality of probe groups for each layer, each probe group individually corresponding to the connection plate, and the probes of each probe group correspond to each other. Connected to the wiring section of the connection board,
The probe unit according to claim 1. 8. A plate-shaped wiring board having an opening penetrating in the thickness direction, a plurality of wiring portions formed around the opening, and a connector portion connected to the wiring portion, and a state penetrating the opening. A plurality of probe units arranged substantially in parallel with the wiring board, and a plurality of flat cables corresponding to the probe units and connecting the corresponding probe unit and the wiring board, and connected to the connector section. A probe card, comprising: a plurality of flat cables each having a connection portion at one end, wherein each probe unit is the probe unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7. 9. Each flat cable includes a plurality of coaxial cable portions each having a core wire and an outer conductor, and each core wire of each flat cable is connected to at least a signal wiring portion of a corresponding connection plate, The probe card according to claim 8, wherein the outer conductor of each flat cable is connected to a ground wiring portion of a corresponding connection plate.