KR100386680B1 - Probe Card mounted auxiliary plate having a needle fixing means and manufacturing method the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a probe card that is simple and easy to assemble, which is easy to maintain and repair, which can reduce costs and realize excellent conductivity. To this end, the present invention, a printed circuit board for a probe card to which a plurality of probes are connected, an auxiliary substrate having a probe fixing means attached to a lower portion of the probe card and fixed to the probes in a plurality of rows, and the auxiliary substrate A probe support attached to an upper portion and supporting and extending the probes to first and second heights using guide grooves, fastening means for coupling the auxiliary substrate to the printed circuit board for the probe card, and It is fixed to the printed circuit board for the probe card and passes through the probe support on the sub-board to the first and second height, is fixed to the probe fixing means of the sub-board, and is installed diagonally under the sub-board, at least Providing a probe card characterized in that it comprises a probe formed with one or more bends.

Description

Probe card mounted auxiliary plate having a needle fixing means and manufacturing method the same}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inspection device for semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to a probe card used for electrically inspecting a semiconductor chip in a wafer state and a method of manufacturing the same.

In general, a semiconductor chip manufactured in a wafer state is a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an electrical die sorting (EDS) that inspects electrical characteristics before being assembled into a semiconductor package. Inspection).

As a result of the EDS inspection, the semiconductor chips of good products are assembled into a liquid crystal display device (LCD) or a semiconductor package, and the defective semiconductor chips are discarded without being assembled. The EDS test includes a tester in which various measuring devices are built into a computer, and a prober station equipped with a probe card capable of electrically contacting a unit semiconductor chip of a wafer under test. Is performed.

The probe card is used as an intermediate medium for connecting a pad and a tester of the semiconductor chip to inspect the micro pattern of the semiconductor chip on the wafer and the characteristics of the electrode during the manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. Each needle on the probe card is in direct contact with the pad of the semiconductor chip. Therefore, the characteristics of the electrical function of the semiconductor chip are examined in good and defective form. Such probe cards are currently being used for electrical inspection of liquid crystal display devices (LCDs) and plasma display panels (PDPs) as well as semiconductor devices.

1 and 2 are diagrams for explaining a general probe card and its operation principle. FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the probe card, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the probe card in an operating state.

1 and 2, a probe card of a conventional type according to the prior art includes a printed circuit board 16 for a probe card in which contact points that can be connected to a tester are formed in the form of a printed circuited pattern. ), A probe 11 made of tungsten is attached. The probe 11 is completely adhesively fixed to the tungsten probe jig 12 and the tungsten probe supporter 15 and arranged in two rows. Therefore, the contact portion 13 of the two-row tungsten probe is electrically connected to the pad 18 of the semiconductor chip 17 to test the electrical function of the semiconductor chip 17. In the figure, reference numeral 19 denotes a stage on which a wafer installed in the probe equipment is placed.

However, the conventional probe card according to the prior art has the following problems.

First, as the integration of semiconductor chips increases, the spacing between the pads gradually decreases, leading to the appearance of fine pitch pads. In the case of high performance semiconductor chips for microprocessors or ASIC devices, the number of pads is hundreds. The situation is over the dog. In this case, in the case of the probe card according to the prior art, it is very difficult to arrange the probe 11 in the tungsten probe jig 12 and the tungsten probe supporter 15, which makes it difficult to apply to a semiconductor chip having a fine pitch pad. do.

Secondly, in the case of a probe card according to the prior art, the probe 11 is completely fixed to the tungsten probe jig 12 and the tungsten probe supporter 15, so that if one probe fails in the probe card, it is repaired. Not easy to do Therefore, there is a problem that it takes a lot of money to repair and maintain it.

Third, in the case of a probe card applied to a semiconductor chip having a fine pitch pad, assembly of the probe card is not easy. That is, in order to arrange and fix the probe 11 to the tungsten probe jig 12 and the tungsten probe supporter 15 at a fine pitch, a problem must be assembled by a highly skilled technician.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is suitable for the EDS inspection of the semiconductor chip having a fine pitch pad, the maintenance of repair cost is reduced because the individual probes are easy to repair, and the probe fixing means having an easy assembly feature It is to provide a probe card having an auxiliary substrate provided.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a probe card having an auxiliary substrate provided with the probe fixing means.

1 and 2 are a bottom view and a cross-sectional view for explaining the probe card and its operation principle according to the prior art.

3 is a plan view of a probe card according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a sectional view of a probe card according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

5 and 6 are plan views illustrating the probe fixing means of the auxiliary substrate used in the present invention, Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the portion B of FIG.

7 is a perspective view when the probe support is installed on the auxiliary substrate according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating the shape of the probe used in the present invention, and FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of part C of FIG. 8.

10 is a perspective view when the probe support is installed on the auxiliary substrate according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a sectional view of a probe card according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

12 is a plan view of a probe card according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: a printed circuit board for the probe card, 102: an auxiliary substrate,

104: first probe support, 106: second probe support,

108: fastening means, 110: probe,

112: bend of the probe, 114: probe fixing means,

116: guide groove.

In order to achieve the above technical problem, the present invention includes: ① a printed circuit board for a probe card capable of being connected to a tester channel and having a plurality of probes connected thereto; and ② a plurality of rows attached to a lower portion of the printed circuit board for the probe card. An auxiliary substrate having a probe fixing means for fixing the probes to the furnace, and a probe support attached to an upper portion of the auxiliary substrate and supporting and extending the probes to first and second heights using guide grooves; ④ fastening means for fixing the auxiliary substrate to the printed circuit board for the probe card, and ⑤ fixed to the printed circuit board for the probe card to pass the probe support on the auxiliary substrate to the first and second heights, the auxiliary Fixing probes fixed to the probe fixing means of the substrate, installed obliquely under the auxiliary substrate, and formed at least one bent portion It provides a probe card characterized in that.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary substrate is preferably made of a ceramic material, the probe support is one or two, it is suitable that the probes are formed to pass through the two heights.

Preferably, the probe has a diameter of 30 to 100 μm, and preferably has the same diameter at the tip and the middle of the probe, and is preferably made of an alloy of beryllium, copper, and nickel.

In order to achieve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a first step of providing a probe having at least one bent portion formed at an end of a probe, and coupling an auxiliary substrate by using a fastening means to a lower portion of a printed circuit board for a probe card. A second step, and a third step of coupling the probe support to the upper portion of the auxiliary substrate; and fixing the probe to the printed circuit board, and inserting the probe into the guide groove of the probe support, and attaching the probe support to the probe fixing means of the auxiliary substrate. It provides a probe card manufacturing method characterized in that it comprises a fourth step of fixing so that the bent portion is formed in the lower portion of the auxiliary substrate.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in order to increase the elasticity of the probe, it is preferable that the angle of bending to form the bent portion of the probe is smaller than the angle when the coupling is completed.

According to the present invention, a probe card having a simple and easily assembled structure can electrically inspect a semiconductor chip having a fine pitch pad, and can be easily maintained and repaired to reduce the cost of the probe card. By the bent portion formed in the probe and the effect caused by the material and shape of the probe, it is possible to ensure excellent conductivity and to extend the life of the probe.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The auxiliary substrate used in the present specification is used in the widest sense and is not limited only to a specific shape as shown in the drawings.

The invention may be practiced in other ways without departing from its spirit and essential features. For example, in the following preferred embodiment, the auxiliary substrate is square with a square hole in the middle, but may be a circle with a square hole in the middle. In addition, although the auxiliary substrate is one, the probe fixing means is formed on one side, it can be made by transforming into four rectangular forms that can stand the probe support on top. In addition, in the following preferred embodiment, but the bolt and nut as a fastening means for coupling the printed circuit board and the auxiliary substrate for the probe card, which can be replaced by a fastening means of another method. Therefore, the contents described in the following preferred embodiments are exemplary and are not meant to limit the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment 1: When using two probe supports of different heights.

3 is a plan view of a probe card according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the probe card according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a printed circuit board 100 for a probe card, an auxiliary substrate 102 on which the probe fixing means (114 in FIG. 6) is formed, and a guide groove. It consists of the probe supporters 104 and 106 in which 116 of FIG. 6 was formed, the fastening means 108, and the probe 110 in which the bent part 112 of FIG. 4 was formed.

The printed circuit board 100 for the probe card is a substrate having a rectangular hole in the center, and copper conductive patterns are formed at the upper and lower portions thereof, and serves as an intermediate medium for connecting the channels of the probe 110 and the tester to each other. Do this. The auxiliary substrate 102 is made of ceramic and has a square hole in the center, and the probe fixing means (114 in FIG. 6) at the edge where the hole in the center is formed is 114 of the present invention. It is one of the important means of achieving the purpose. The auxiliary substrate 102 is coupled to the bottom of the printed circuit board 100 for the probe card through the fastening means 108 and is fixed thereto.

The probe support consists of first and second probe supports 104 and 106 and will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6. The probe 110 is connected to one of the patterns of the printed circuit board 100 for the probe card by soldering, and is supported and expanded on the probe support 104 or 106 formed on the auxiliary substrate 102, and the auxiliary substrate 102 again. It is fixed to the probe fixing means of and finally connected to each other and the pad of the semiconductor chip under the auxiliary substrate (102).

4 is a sectional view of a probe card according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the auxiliary substrate 102 made of a ceramic material is coupled to each other using the fastening means 108, for example, a bolt and a nut, below the printed circuit board 100 for a probe card. In addition, the first probe support 104 is installed on the auxiliary substrate 102 at a low height, and the second probe support 106 is installed on the auxiliary substrate 102 at a height higher than that of the first probe support 104. At the inner edge of the auxiliary substrate 102, a probe fixing means (see 114 in Fig. 6) is formed to arrange the probe 110 in two rows (Fig. A). Therefore, the probe fixed in two rows is used even when electrically inspecting a semiconductor chip having a fine pitch type pad and a large number of pads, such as a semiconductor chip for a microprocessor or an ASIC semiconductor chip. By arranging the probes three-dimensionally by means (114 in FIG. 6) and probe supports 104 and 106 having two-stage height, a probe card suitable for electrical inspection of a semiconductor chip having a fine pitch can be manufactured. .

In detail, the probe 110A fixed to the probe fixing means located outside the auxiliary substrate 102 is extended after being supported by the first probe support 104 to be connected to and fixed to the printed circuit board 100 for the probe card. The probe 110B fixed to the probe fixing means located inside the auxiliary substrate 102 is extended and supported by the second probe support 106 to be connected to and fixed to the printed circuit board 100 for the probe card. Accordingly, the probe fixing means and the probe support 104 and 106 enable the probe 110 to be arranged using two planes when arranging the probe, thereby providing electrical inspection of a fine pitch semiconductor chip having a high number of pads. It can be effectively applied to.

The probe 110 according to the present invention is assisted by the elasticity of the bent part 112 formed at the end of the probe 110 after being arranged by the probe supports 104 and 106 and the probe fixing means on the auxiliary substrate 102. It is fixed diagonally under the substrate 102. In this case, the bent part 112 has a function of fixing the probe 110 to the auxiliary substrate 102, and the life of the probe is long because the probe 110 has sufficient elasticity and serves to contact the pad of the semiconductor chip. It has a long length, and because it is a structure that can be contacted by pressing the pad of the semiconductor chip with sufficient force, it exhibits excellent conductivity. In addition, although the probe 110 was conventionally fixed by using epoxy or other adhesive means, in the present invention, one end of the probe 110 is soldered, and the other end of the probe is caused by the elasticity of the bent part 112. Since it is fixed to the card, it is easy to repair it when a failure occurs in the individual probe 110. Thus, the cost used for maintaining and operating the probe card can be reduced.

Figure 5 is a plan view for explaining the probe fixing means of the auxiliary substrate used in the present invention, Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the portion B of Figure 5, Figure 7 is a perspective view when the probe support is installed on the auxiliary substrate .

5 to 7, the probe fixing means 114 is formed in a two branched shape has a structure in which the probe 110 can be arranged in two rows (see enlarged view of Figure 6), the probe The branched form of the fixing means 114 is two in this embodiment, but it can be modified to any number of three or several other forms by those of ordinary skill in the art of course. In addition, the probe fixing means 114 forms the probe fixing means 114 in a linear direction as shown in another enlarged view D shown in FIG. By preventing the bent portions 112 of the probes formed from coming into contact with the bent portions 112 in adjacent rows, shorts can be prevented from occurring.

In addition, a guide groove 116 is formed on the first and second probe supports 104 and 106, so that even an unskilled technician can be easily placed by positioning the probe fixed to the probe fixing means 114 here. It is intended to assemble the probe card. The probe support 104 and 106 not only serves to support the three-dimensionally arranged probes, but also simultaneously extends the probes to the probes and connects the probes to the printed circuit board 100 for the probe card.

Thus, by arranging the probes in three dimensions by using the probe supports 104 and 106 and the probe fixing means 114, tens to hundreds of probes can be arranged without shorting each other, and adjacent to each other when performing an EDS test. The effect of noise between probes can be minimized.

In general, in the case of configuring a probe card using an auxiliary substrate, instead of using the probe fixing means 114 as in the present invention, by arranging and fixing a hole in the auxiliary substrate, the process of processing the hole is performed. It is not easy to control the dimensional deviations of the gaps or apertures, and it requires a lot of manufacturing cost because the precise process is performed by laser. However, in the present invention, since one end of the auxiliary substrate 102 is ground and processed, it is easy to manufacture and easy to control the dimensional deviation, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the probe card.

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating the shape of the probe used in the present invention, and FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of part C of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 8, the left side is a form at the time of initial fabrication of the probe 110, and the right side is a shape when installation on the probe card is completed. The probe 110 according to the present invention has a bending angle θ1 of the probe 110 smaller than the angle θ2 of being inserted into the probe card to form the bent portion 112 at the time of initial manufacture. That is, θ2 is installed close to 90 degrees, but when the probe is manufactured, the θ1 is made smaller than 60 degrees so that the probe 110 strongly adheres to the auxiliary substrate 102 by its own elasticity. The tip of the probe 110 is stably in contact with the pad of the semiconductor chip in an oblique direction by using the elasticity of the bent portion 112. However, if necessary, the ends may be bent at 100 degrees or 90 degrees perpendicular to the dotted line in the drawing.

Referring to FIG. 9, the left side of the tip L1 used for a general probe card is thinner than the diameter L2 of the overall probe, and the right side of the tip is not tapered. The intermediate part L2 and the end L1 are probes of the same diameter. In the present invention, the probe is not made of tungsten as in the prior art, but has an aperture of 30 to 100 µm using an alloy of beryllium (Be), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni). Therefore, since the probe is strong, the fatigue characteristics are excellent, and the conductivity and the wear resistance are excellent, even if a thin natural oxide film is formed on the pad surface of the semiconductor chip, it is possible to rub and contact it. The probe used in the present invention is only slightly polished to prevent the occurrence of sharp burrs at the bottom and scratches on the pad surface of the semiconductor chip.

In addition, the conventional probe has a thin tip, and wear occurs at the tip, causing various process problems, such as a problem that the pad of the semiconductor chip is contaminated by the tip of the probe or the tip is larger than the size of the pad. It became. However, the probe shape used in the present invention can solve these problems because the material is not made of tungsten and is made with a uniform aperture of 50-100 μm.

Second embodiment: When using one probe support.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a probe support provided on an auxiliary substrate according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a probe card according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. A plan view of a probe card according to the second embodiment.

10 to 12, in the second embodiment, there are one probe support 205 installed on the auxiliary substrate 202 instead of two. That is, a guide hole 216 having two heights is formed by drilling a central hole in one probe support 205. Since the remaining parts are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, explanation is omitted to avoid duplication. In addition, the reference numerals are also configured to be easy to understand by configuring to correspond to the first embodiment described above.

Next, a method of manufacturing a probe card having an auxiliary substrate provided with a probe fixing means according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 9.

First, a method of manufacturing the probe card shown in the first embodiment will be described. A probe having a bent portion (112 in FIG. 8) and a tapered tip is manufactured using an alloy of beryllium, copper, and nickel. Subsequently, the printed circuit board for the probe card and the auxiliary substrate 100 are coupled with the fastening means 108. Subsequently, after coupling the first probe support 104 having a low height on the auxiliary substrate 102, the probe 110 is connected to the printed circuit board 100 for the probe card by soldering, and then the first probe support ( It is supported by the guide groove 116 of the 104, it is inserted into the probe fixing means 114 of the sub-substrate 102 is fixed after installation. Alternatively, the probe 110 is first inserted into the probe fixing means 114 of the sub-substrate 102, and then again supported by the first probe support 104, and finally the end of the probe is printed circuit board for the probe card ( It can also be soldered to 100).

Then, after coupling the second probe support 106 having a height higher than the first probe support 104 on the auxiliary substrate 102 and connecting the probe 110 with the printed circuit board 100 for the probe card by soldering. It is supported by the guide groove 116 of the second probe support 106, inserted into the probe fixing means 114 of the auxiliary substrate 102, and then installed.

In the case of the probe card of the second embodiment, the first probe described above except for installing one type of probe support (205 in FIG. 10) and installing the probe without installing the first probe support and the second probe support separately. It is the same as the manufacturing method of the Example.

Therefore, according to the present invention described above, the following effects can be obtained.

First, a semiconductor chip having a fine pitch pad can be electrically inspected even with a probe card having a simple and easily assembled structure using a probe support and a probe fixing means.

Second, the simple structure and easily repairable probe card can be implemented, thereby reducing the cost of the probe card.

Third, the bent portion formed in the probe and the material and shape of the probe can make a probe having excellent conductivity, it is possible to extend the life of the probe.

Fourth, it is possible to make stable contact with the pad of the semiconductor chip and the tip of the probe by using the elastic force of the bent portion of the probe.

Claims (8)

A printed circuit board for a probe card capable of being connected to a tester channel and having a plurality of probes connected thereto; An auxiliary substrate attached to a lower portion of the printed circuit board for the probe card, the auxiliary substrate having probe fixing means for fixing the probes in a plurality of rows; A probe support attached to an upper portion of the auxiliary substrate and supporting and extending the probes of the probe fixing means to first and second heights by using guide grooves; Fastening means for fixing the auxiliary substrate to the printed circuit board for the probe card; And It is fixed to the printed circuit board for the probe card and passes through the probe support on the sub-board to the first and second height, is fixed to the probe fixing means of the sub-board, it is installed in an oblique direction under the sub-board, And a probe formed with at least one bent portion. The method of claim 1, The auxiliary substrate is a probe card, characterized in that the ceramic material. The method of claim 1, The probe support is a probe card, characterized in that one structure capable of passing the probes to two heights. The method of claim 1, The probe support is characterized in that the probe card, characterized in that the two different in height. The method of claim 1, The probe has a diameter of 30 ~ 100㎛ probe card, characterized in that the same diameter of the tip and the middle of the probe. The method of claim 1, The probe is a probe card, characterized in that made of an alloy of beryllium, copper and nickel. Providing a probe having at least one bent portion formed at an end of the probe; A second step of coupling the auxiliary substrate to the lower portion of the printed circuit board for the probe card using fastening means; Coupling a probe support to an upper portion of the auxiliary substrate; And A fourth step of fixing the probe to the printed circuit board, inserting the probe into the guide groove of the probe support, and fixing the probe to the probe fixing means of the auxiliary substrate so that the bent portion is formed under the auxiliary substrate. Probe card manufacturing method characterized in that. The method of claim 7, wherein The first step is a method of manufacturing a probe card, characterized in that the bending angle to form the bent portion of the probe is smaller than the angle when the coupling is completed.