JPS62284396A - Probing system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 3. Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a probing method for arrayed contact pads, and more particularly, to a method for probing microscopic contact pads arrayed at microscopic intervals. This invention relates to a probing method suitable for probing.

[Prior Art] In a liquid crystal display panel used in a liquid crystal television, wiring patterns made of aluminum or the like are arranged in a matrix on a glass substrate using a vapor deposition method or the like. The ends of the X-direction and the X-direction wiring patterns are connected to contact pads and pads arranged around the periphery of the glass substrate. These contact pads are extremely small and arranged at minute intervals.

In the case of a certain liquid crystal display panel, for a wiring pattern in the Y direction, there are 1280 contact pads with a width of about 100 μm and a length of about 4 I, and an arrangement pitch of about 200 μm (center distance between adjacent contact pads). - Arranged in columns. In addition, for the wiring pattern in the X direction, there are 6 contact pads with a width of about 160 μm and a length of about 4 mm.
00 pieces are arranged in a row with an arrangement pinch (center distance between adjacent contact pads) of about 320 μm. The wiring patterns in the X direction are each connected to the gates of thin film FETs formed on the glass substrate, and the wiring patterns in the Y direction are respectively connected to the drains or sources of the thin film FETs.

In such a liquid crystal display panel, short-circuit inspections are performed between wiring patterns, between gates and sources of thin film FETs, and between gates and drains before applying liquid crystal. In order to perform such an inspection, it is necessary to temporarily connect (probe) the contact pad to a test circuit with an outer M≦.

Conventionally, in this type of probing, the width of the contact doper and the alignment pinch are extremely small, so a minute contact needle similar to the probe used for probing LS wafers is used as the contact doper.

This is done by hitting the board.

In addition, when a relatively large contactor is brought into contact with multiple contact pads and pads at the same time and short circuits are detected for multiple contact pads, it is possible to find the contact pad related to the short among the multiple contact pads. A two-step probing method has also been attempted, in which a contact needle is sequentially brought into contact with each of the contact pads.

[Problems to be solved] However, with either probing method, the sharp tip of the contact needle hits the contact pad, which may damage the contact pad and damage the contact pad material. There is a problem of separating it and attaching it to the surrounding area. If the contact pad material adheres to the surrounding area in this way, it will cause trouble in the subsequent product coating process, which is extremely undesirable.

In addition, the overall dimensions of the contact needle are relatively thick (and
Since it is technically difficult to arrange them at such a high density, it is difficult to arrange a large number of contact needles in one body corresponding to a large number of contact pads, and to position and contact both at once. Can not. Therefore, it is necessary to repeat the operation of positioning one or a relatively small number of contact needles on the corresponding contact pads and performing probing. The positioning is also done using a microscope [
The method was to confirm the position with a single glance.

As described above, the conventional method has the problem of poor probing efficiency.

[Objective of the Invention] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve such conventional problems and to provide a solution for a large number of minute contact pads arranged at minute intervals, such as the contact pads of a liquid crystal display panel. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a new probing method suitable for probing.

[Lower stage for solving the problem] In order to achieve this object, in the present invention, C. N conductor patterns are arranged at intervals narrower than the width of the contact pads, corresponding to each of the arranged contact pads. Te+
) i (arranged in the arrangement direction of the contact pads ri
The flexible wiring board formed on the Jff3 base is stacked on the contact pad arrangement surface, and the flexible wiring board is
By pressing the bull wiring board against the contact pad array surface using a pressing member, N number of corresponding conductor patterns are brought into pressure contact with each contact pad, and each contact pad is probed.

[Operation] Since the conductor pattern of the flexible wiring board and the contact pad are brought into pressure contact, it almost completely prevents the problem of the material of the contact band peeling off and adhering to the surrounding area, which occurs when the contact side is brought into contact. ·,can.

Moreover, such a flexible wiring board in which fine conductor patterns are arranged at high density can be relatively easily realized. For example, a flexible wiring board in which conductor patterns with a width of 50 μm or less are arranged at a high density of IO lines/mm-L or more can be easily realized.

Therefore, even for minute contact pads that are arranged in high density, such as the contact pads of the liquid crystal display panel, it is difficult to prepare a flexible wiring board that is suitable for the microcontact pads and to align a large number of contact pads and conductor patterns. can be done at once.

The flexible wiring board and the contact pad are in the correct relative position, and the conductor pattern and the contact pad are
If they are in constant contact, the conductor pattern will conduct to the contact pad through the contact pad, so by checking the continuity between conductor patterns that correspond to the same contact pattern, it is possible to determine whether the conductor pattern is in contact with the contact pad or pad. It can be easily confirmed.

For example, consider the case of probing for short-circuit or disconnection inspection of a liquid crystal display panel. If the contact pad and the conductor pattern are not in constant contact with each other, the test results will not be reliable.

According to the probing method of the present invention, since the contact can be easily confirmed, the reliability of the test results can be improved.

Furthermore, by checking the contact between the contact pad and the conductor pattern, it is possible to check whether the flexible wiring board and the contact pad are properly aligned.
The relative positioning of the flexible wiring board and the contact pads can be quickly and easily performed without relying on visual inspection, and automation is also easy.

As described above, according to the present invention, efficient probing can be performed on micro contact pads arranged in a high density arrangement.

[Example below, the drawings are Z! ! ((Now, one embodiment of this invention will be explained.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a simplified embodiment of the probing method according to the present invention. In this figure, 10 is a liquid crystal display panel, and 12' is a flexible wiring board.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view for explaining the contact pad arrangement of the liquid crystal display panel IQ. On the surface of a glass substrate 20, which is the base of the liquid crystal display panel 10, minute contact pads 22 are formed in rows at a high density around the periphery. Note that the contact pad 22
are arranged in both the X and Y directions as described in 11η, but
Only one of them is shown in the figure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the flexible wiring board 12 viewed from the conductor pattern forming surface. This flexible wiring board 12 has a flexible base 3 such as a polyimide resin film.
0. However, a large number of conductor patterns 32 are arranged in a dense array.

This flexible wiring board 12 has one end portion 12
a is superimposed on the arrangement surface of the contact pads 22 of the liquid crystal display panel IO, and in this end portion 12a, the conductor patterns 32 are arranged at a minute arrangement pitch corresponding to the arrangement pitch of the contact pads 22. Further, at the end portion 12a, the conductor pattern 32 is plated with gold or the like in order to improve contact with the contact pad 227. Hereinafter, the plated portion t1 will be referred to as end r, 1<32a.

Two conductor patterns 32 are arranged on the flexible wiring board 12 in correspondence with each contact pad 22. The end r portion 32a of the two conductor patterns 32 corresponding to each contact pad 22 is connected to the contact pad 2.
They are arranged at intervals narrower than the width of 2.

The other end portion 12b of the flexible wiring board 12 is
) Connected directly to a circuit board equipped with circuits for inspection, positioning control, etc., or indirectly through a connector. In order to facilitate the connection, the arrangement pitch of the conductor patterns 32 is widened at the end portion 12b, and a connection pad portion 32b for this purpose is provided.

1 In FIG. 1, an end portion 1221 of the flexible wiring board 12 is fixed to the frame member 40.

Further, on the + side of the end 81S portion 12a, a flexible iA film 42 with good lubricity is placed, and this is also fixed to the frame member 40.

44 is a chuck that holds the liquid crystal manual panel 10;
It is attached to a moving table 46 so as to be able to move minutely in the direction of arrangement of the contact pads. 48 is a piezo actuator for minutely moving the chuck 44 in the contact pad arrangement direction.

The end portion 12a of the flexible wiring board 12 is placed overlapping the arrangement surface of the contact pads 22 of the liquid crystal display panel 10 as shown in the figure, so that the terminal portion 32a of each conductor pattern 32 is placed on the corresponding contact pad 22. , and alignment with the liquid crystal display panel 10 is performed. This alignment is performed by slightly moving the liquid crystal display panel 10 using the actuator 48.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the width and arrangement interval of the edge pads 32a in relation to the contact pads 22. Contact between the end portion 12a of the flexible wiring board 12 and the liquid crystal display panel 10.

When the pads 22 are positioned at +l':L<32, the end r portions 32a of the two pieces corresponding to each contact pad 22 come into pressure contact with each other, as shown in this figure, and the terminals m<32
a is made conductive to phase lf by contact pad 22.

Therefore, the two corresponding to any contact pads 22
By checking the conductivity between the conductive patterns 32 of the book, it can be determined whether or not the positioning is correct. Furthermore, by checking the conductivity between the conductor patterns corresponding to each contact pad 22, the conductor pattern 32
The contact between the terminal FM', 32a and the contact pad 22 can be confirmed.

Referring again to FIG. 1, 50 is a roller whose surface portion is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and is rotatably attached to a metal fitting 52 with a shaft 54. 421., along the arrangement of the contact pads 22, the film 4
2, the end portion 12a of the flexible/pull wiring board 12 is partially pressed against the liquid crystal display panel 10.

56 is a screw shaft for rolling the roller 50, each end of which is supported by bearings 58, 80 fixed to the frame member 40. 62 is a motor for rotating the screw shaft 56.

64 is a nut member that is screwed onto the screw shaft 56. For attachment, the metal fitting 52 is fixed to this nut member 64. A guide bar 66 is fixed to the bearing member 58, 60 in parallel with the screw shaft 56. The NAND member 64 is guided by the guide bar 66 and moves in the contact pad arrangement direction without tilting.

In such a configuration, when the screw shaft 56 is rotated by the motor 62, the nut member 64 moves in the direction in which the contact pads 22 are arranged while being guided by the guide bar 66. With this movement, the roller 50 moves the film 420 and partially presses the end portion 12a against the liquid crystal display panel 10 via the film 42. Only the end T portion 32a of the pressed portion is pressed into contact with the corresponding contact pad 22, and the contact pad 22 is electrically connected to an external test circuit or the like.

In this way, as the roller 50 is transferred, the contact pads 22 are sequentially probed. Since probing is performed by pressing the contact pad 22 into contact with the terminal portion 32a of the conductor pattern 32 of the flexible wiring board 12, if the contact pad 22 is scratched, the material peels off and adheres to the surrounding area. No such problem arises.

Further, since the roller 50 partially presses the end portion 12a of the flexible wiring board 12, the end portion 12a
Or, even if there is warpage of the contact pad arrangement surface or local variations in the thickness of the end portion 12a or the contact pad 22, the pressing force between the end portion 12a of the portion 12a and the contact pad 22 may be insufficient. The two can be brought into stable contact without causing any inconvenience.

Note that all of the contact pads 22 are not brought into contact with the terminal portions 32a of the conductive pattern 32 at the same time, but only some of the contact pads 22 in the portions pressed by the rollers 50 are brought into contact with the terminal portions 32a. However, as described in i) '1 above, it is preferable to perform short-circuit inspection of the liquid crystal display panel while sequentially scanning the contact pads 22, so the roller 50 comes to the position of the contact pad 22 that is being scanned. If the transfer of the roller 50 is controlled in this manner, short-circuit inspection and the like can be performed without any trouble.

Further, according to the flexible wiring board manufacturing technology, the pattern width and arrangement pitch of the terminal ffl<32a of the conductor pattern 32 can be made sufficiently small.

Therefore, even if the pattern width and arrangement pinch of the contact pads 22 become extremely small, a corresponding flexible wiring board 12 can be prepared, a large number of contact pads 22 and terminals ffl<32a can be positioned at once, and probing can be carried out efficiently. It can be performed.

Furthermore, in the case of short-circuit inspection or disconnection inspection of the liquid crystal display panel 10, if a certain contact pad 22 and the end r portion 33a of the conductive pattern 32 are not in normal contact, even if a short circuit has occurred with respect to that contact pad 22, It is not detected, and conversely, even if there is no disconnection,
It will be detected as a disconnection. However, according to the present invention, the contact can be confirmed by checking the continuity between the two conductive patterns 32 corresponding to each contact pad 22, so that such erroneous test results can be easily eliminated. This can improve the reliability of the test.

Further, by utilizing the electrical conduction between such conductor patterns, it is possible to automatically align the end portion 12a of the flexible wiring board 12 and the contact pad 22. This will be explained below.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a control system for positioning. In this figure, 32a7 and 32a2
is the yJ child part 32a of the main conductor pattern 32 that is associated with a specific contact pad 22 (the above,
This conductor pattern is called a specific conductor pattern, and its terminal part is called a specific terminal part).

70 is a continuity check circuit that checks continuity between specific conductor patterns. 72 is a drive circuit that drives the piezo actuator 48 in response to the output signal of the continuity check circuit 70.

Positioning is performed as follows. In the preparation stage for the probing operation, the motor 62 is controlled by a control circuit (not shown) so that the roller 50 is positioned at the specific terminal portion 32a7, 32a2 of the end portion 12a of the flexible wiring board 12.

Then, the continuity check circuit 70 and the drive circuit 72 are activated.

If there is no continuity between the specific conductor patterns, the continuity check circuit 70 sends out a non-continuity detection signal, and in response to this, the drive circuit 72 drives the piezo actuator 48 to gradually advance. As a result, the liquid crystal display panel IO is gradually moved by a minute amount 111 in the direction.

This minute movement causes the liquid crystal display panel 10 to move 1! : When the piezo actuator 48 is moved to a new position, conduction occurs between the specific conductor patterns and the continuity check circuit 70 no longer sends out a non-continuity detection signal, so the drive circuit 72 stops the piezo actuator 48. Positioning is now complete, and the probing operation begins.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

For example, in the embodiment, flexible wiring board 1
In order to prevent excessive force in the roller moving direction from being applied to the end portion 12a of the roller 50 and the end portion 1
A film 42 with good lubricity is interposed between it and 2a. However, if the friction between the roller 50 and the end portion 12a is sufficiently small, the film 42 may be omitted.

Further, in the embodiment, the elasticity of the roller 50 is used to
A substantially constant pressing force is applied to the end j'm12a and the contact pad 22. However, for example, by attaching the roller 50 to a metal fitting 52 so that the roller 50 can be moved up and down to a certain extent, and further urging the roller 50 downward with a constant force using a spring or the like, the roller 50 can be made to have no elasticity. Rollers can also be used.

Instead of roller 50, other shifting members such as spheres can also be used.

Furthermore, the flexible wiring board may be pressed by a non-rotating (moving) member instead of the transfer member. However, in that case, the film 4 in the above embodiment may be pressed.
2 or the like is desired to prevent excessive force from being applied to the flexible wiring board due to the movement of the member.

Furthermore, a plurality of moving members such as the rollers 50 may be provided with their positions shifted in the moving direction.

In this way, the number of contact bands that can be simultaneously probed can be increased.

Alternatively, all the terminals 32a of the flexible wiring board 12 may be pressed against the liquid crystal display panel 10 at the same time by one or more fixed pressing members.

[Effects of the Invention] In this invention, a plurality of conductive patterns are arranged in the direction in which the contact pads are arranged at intervals narrower than the width of the contact pads, and the conductor patterns are flexible. The flexible wiring board formed on the base of the contact pad is stacked on the surface where the contact pads are arranged.
By pressing the flexible wiring board against the contact pad arrangement surface with a pressing member, a plurality of conductor patterns are pressed into contact with each contact pad,
Probe the contact pad.

With such a probing method, as described in detail below, the problem of the contact pad material peeling off and adhering to the surrounding area can be almost completely prevented.

Also, for fine contact pads arranged in high density, such as the contact pads of the liquid crystal display panel,
Efficient probing can be performed by aligning a large number of contact pads and conductor patterns at once.

Furthermore, since contact between the contact pad and the conductor pattern can be easily confirmed, short-circuit inspection of the liquid crystal display panel,
The reliability of wire breakage inspection can be increased.

Furthermore, while confirming the contact between the contact pad and the conductor pattern by checking the continuity between the conductor patterns, it is possible to easily and quickly position the flexible wiring board and the contact pad without relying on one-sight. Its automation is also easy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a simplified embodiment of the probing method according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic top view for explaining the contact pad arrangement of a liquid crystal display panel, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the relationship between the end Y part of the conductor pattern of the flexible wiring board and the contact pad, and FIG. is a schematic block diagram showing a control system for positioning the end portion of the flexible wiring board and the liquid crystal personnel panel. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10...Liquid crystal display panel, 12...Flexible wiring board, 12a...End portion of flexible wiring board, 22
...Contact pad, 32...Conductor pattern, 3
2a... Terminal portion of conductor pattern, 40... Frame member,
42...film, 44...chunk, 46...
Piezo actuator, 50...roller, 56...
Screw shaft, 62... Motor, 64... Nut member, 60... Guide bar, 70... Continuity check circuit, 72... Drive circuit. Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A probing method for arranged contact pads, in which a plurality of conductor patterns are arranged in the arrangement direction of the contact pads at intervals narrower than the width of the contact pads in correspondence to each of the contact pads, and the conductor patterns are flexible. A flexible wiring board formed on a flexible base is stacked on the contact pad arrangement surface, and by pressing the flexible wiring board against the contact pad arrangement surface with a pressing member, a corresponding one is applied to each of the contact pads. A probing method characterized in that a plurality of the conductor patterns are pressed into contact with each other. (2) The probing method according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member presses the flexible wiring board through a film member with good lubricity. (3) According to claim 1 or 2, the pressing member sequentially presses the flexible wiring board partially onto the surface where the contact pads are arranged while moving along the arrangement of the contact pads. Probing method described.