KR100782167B1 - Probe card for testing ic - Google Patents

Abstract

A probe card for testing an IC(Integrated Circuit) is provided to enhance the durability of the probe card and the reliability of inspection by disposing vertically a probe pin. A probe card includes a probe pin assembly(100) and a probe socket(200). The probe pin assembly includes a probe pin(110), a pin block(120), and a sub PCB(Printed Circuit Board)(130). The probe pin is contacted to contact points of an IC. The pin block fixes the probe pin. The sub PCB is contacted to the probe pin. The probe socket includes a support ring(210), a support spring(215), a contact spring(220), a spring block(230), and a probe PCB(240). The support ring forms the space to be mounted the probe pin assembly. The support spring mounted at the support ring presses the probe pin assembly. The contact spring is connected to the probe pin assembly. The spring block holds the contact spring. The probe PCB is connected to the contact spring and an inspection apparatus. When the probe pin is contacted with the contact points, the contact points are electrically connected with the inspection apparatus through the probe pin, sub PCB, contact spring, and probe PCB.

Description

Probe card for testing IC

1 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional probe card connection structure,

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the probe pin assembly and the probe socket of the probe card according to the invention separated;

3A and 3B are partially enlarged perspective views of a probe card according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the probe pin assembly of the probe card according to the invention,

5 is a cross-sectional view briefly showing the configuration of a probe pin according to the present invention;

6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a probe socket of a probe card according to the present invention;

Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the assembled state of the probe card according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings

100: probe pin assembly

110: probe pin

120: pin block

130: sub printed circuit board

200: probe socket

210: support ring

215: support spring

220: contact spring

230: Spring Block

240: probe printed circuit board

The present invention relates to an integrated circuit inspection probe card, and more particularly, to an integrated circuit inspection probe card for ensuring durability of a probe card and reliability of inspection.

In general, an electronic device including a plurality of integrated circuits is mounted in an electronic product, and these electronic devices play an important role in determining the performance of the electronic product. Most electronic devices are made of conductors that allow electric current to pass through. However, in recent years, semiconductors having intermediate resistances between conductors and nonconductors have been used.

Integrated circuit chips are embedded in electronic products and play an important role in determining product performance. Therefore, before the chip is mounted on the electronic product and the electronic product is assembled, it is necessary to check whether the produced integrated circuit chip is a good product or a defective product.

A probe card is used to check the performance of an integrated circuit chip before being cut from such a wafer to determine whether it is a good product or a defective product. A probe card includes a probe pin and connects all the probe pins to electrodes of an integrated circuit. It allows you to test.

As integrated circuits are integrated with the development of technology, the size of electrodes to be measured is gradually decreasing. Therefore, the probe pin had a very small size and spacing, and thus had a special shape for connecting to each electrode.

In the related art, as shown in FIG. 1, the probe pins 11 are inclined so as to increase the distance between the electrodes 12 connected to the probe pins 11.

However, in this case, the probe pin may slip on the surface of the electrode of the integrated circuit due to the load generated when the probe pin contacts, and it is difficult to regulate the exact position of the probe pin.

In order to compensate for this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-215163 arranges the probe pin in an inclined manner but includes a separate guide member to prevent deformation of the connected portion, and a shape in which the probe pin itself may have elasticity. However, this method is also difficult to apply when the installation space of the probe pin is narrow and also becomes a problem in its durability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art, and the present invention provides a probe card capable of arranging probe pins with a narrow pitch in order to adapt to high complexity in an integrated circuit to be measured. There is.

In addition, the present invention provides a probe card that can respond to various types of integrated circuit by replacing only the probe pin assembly by consisting of a probe pin assembly that is changed in shape depending on the shape of the integrated circuit and a probe socket to which the probe pin assembly is mounted. There is a technical problem.

In addition, the present invention has a technical problem to provide a probe card that can be connected to the probe pin assembly and the probe socket stably by making the connection between the probe pin assembly and the probe socket by a contact spring.

The present invention for solving the above problems is a probe pin that the lower end is in contact with the contact point of the integrated circuit, a pin block for fixing the position by receiving the probe pin in the vertical direction, and a sub connected to the upper end to the probe pin A probe pin assembly having a printed circuit board, a support ring forming a space for mounting the probe pin assembly, a support spring mounted to the support ring to press the probe pin assembly, and one side to the probe pin assembly And a probe socket having a contact spring to be connected, a spring block for receiving the contact spring, and a probe printed circuit board connected to the other side of the contact spring and connected to an inspection device, wherein the probe pin assembly includes the probe pin. When mounted in a socket, the contact spring is compressed to print the sub printed circuit board and the probe. By connecting the probe board to the contact of the probe pin to the contact of the integrated circuit, the contact of the integrated circuit is sequentially connected to the inspection equipment through the probe pin, the sub-printed circuit board, the contact spring, the probe printed circuit board A probe card is provided.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described a preferred embodiment of according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the probe pin assembly and the probe socket of the probe card according to the invention separated.

As shown, the probe card according to the present invention largely comprises a probe pin assembly 100 and a probe socket 200 to which the probe pin assembly 100 is mounted.

The probe pin assembly 100 is a probe pin 110 is assembled and arranged according to the form of the integrated circuit contact, the pin pin 120 and the probe pin 110 is fixed to the probe pin 110 and the probe And a sub printed circuit board 130 connected to the pin 110.

Probe pin 110 has a configuration that can be stretched and stretched with an elastic force, the specific configuration of the probe pin 110 will be described later. The lower end of the probe pin 110 is connected to the contact point of the integrated circuit as the test object, and the upper end is connected to the bottom contact point of the sub-printed circuit board 130. The sub-printed circuit board 130 is a double-sided printed circuit board having contacts on both sides, and the bottom contact is connected to the probe pin 110 as described above, and the upper contact is connected to the contact spring 220 to be described later. The bottom contact point and the top contact point have a structure in which one top contact point is connected to one bottom contact point in a circuit in a 1: 1 correspondence with each other.

Since the arrangement of the probe pins 110 varies depending on the type of integrated circuit to be inspected, the shape of the pin block 120 and the arrangement of the bottom surface contact points of the sub-printed circuit board 130 vary accordingly. However, since the upper contact of the sub-printed circuit board 130 is connected to the contact spring 220 of the probe socket 200, it is determined according to the shape of the probe socket 200 irrespective of the shape of the integrated circuit as the test object. do. For example, when mounted in the same probe socket 200, the arrangement of the top contact of the sub-printed circuit board 130 should be the same. That is, the arrangement of the bottom contact is changed depending on the type of integrated circuit, and the arrangement of the top contact does not change.

The probe socket 200 receives and is connected to the probe pin assembly 100.

The probe socket 200 includes a support ring 210 forming a space in which the probe pin assembly 100 can be accommodated, and a support spring attached to the support ring 210 to pressurize the probe pin assembly 100. 215, a contact spring 220 connected to the sub-printed circuit board 130 of the probe pin assembly 100, a spring block 230 for receiving the contact spring 220, and the contact spring ( And a probe printed circuit board 240 connected to the test apparatus 220.

3A and 3B are enlarged perspective views illustrating portions A and B of FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3A, a plurality of probe pins 110 protrude from the surface of the pin block 110. The probe pin 110 is elastically stretched and its length is elastic. When the test object is connected to the contact point of the integrated circuit, the length of the probe pin 110 is contracted so that the elastic force acts in the direction of pushing the integrated circuit and thus a stable connection can be made. .

As shown in FIG. 3B, the contact spring 220 protrudes higher than the surface of the spring block 230 in the state of being assembled to the spring block 230. Therefore, when the probe pin assembly 100 is assembled, the contact spring 220 may be pressed, and likewise, stable contact may be made by an elastic force.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the probe pin assembly of the probe card according to the present invention.

As shown, the probe pin 110 is inserted into the pin block 120 and the sub printed circuit board 130 is coupled thereon.

The bottom contact 132 is formed at the bottom of the sub-printed circuit board 130 at each arrangement position of the probe pin 110 so that the top of the probe pin 110 is electrically connected to the bottom contact 132.

Since the contacts of the integrated circuit are formed along the edge of the integrated circuit, the probe pin 110 is inserted into the pin block 120. A hole 125 may be formed in a portion corresponding to the center of the integrated circuit as shown. The through hole 125 serves as a passage for transmitting an optical signal when the integrated circuit to be inspected is an optical element.

In the conventional case, when the probe pin 110 is disposed to be inclined, it is impossible to secure the through hole 125 to the pin block 120.

A through hole 135 is formed in the sub-printed circuit board 130 at the same position as the through hole 125 of the pin block 120, and the through hole is also maintained in the probe socket 200. A separate optical signal generator (not shown) is provided on the upper side of the probe socket 200 to generate an optical signal when the probe pin 110 is connected to the integrated circuit to test the electrical characteristics of the integrated circuit. Functional tests can also be performed at the same time.

5 is a cross-sectional view conceptually showing the configuration of a probe card according to the present invention.

Since all the probe pins 110 are horizontally arranged to be connected to the electrodes of the integrated circuit, accurate inspection can be performed. Therefore, the probe pins 110 may be contacted with a predetermined pressure during contact by providing elasticity to the probe pins 110. It is desirable to be able to. In order to stably connect all the probe pins 110 in a state where a plurality of probe pins 110 are arranged in a narrow space, the probe pins 110 are contracted with a predetermined clearance and are contacted while applying pressure to a contact point. This is because it is preferable. Conventionally, to solve this by giving a change in the shape of the probe pin 110 for this purpose, the present invention provides a structure that the length of the probe pin 110 in the vertical state is provided with an elastic member therein. .

To this end, in the present invention, the probe pin 110 is supported by the body 112 having a hollow therein, an elastic member 114 inserted into the body, and the elastic member 114 as shown. It comprises a connection pin 117 is made. As shown in the figure, it has a structure capable of raising and lowering the inside of the body 112, which is the connecting pin 117, and the left side shows the state in which the connecting pin 117 is completely drawn out, and the right side shows the connecting pin 117 ) Shows the connected state when a predetermined tension is received.

Since the upper end of the body 112 must be blocked to prevent the rear departure of the elastic member 114, as shown in the figure forming a separate stopper 115, or assembling the stopper 115 the body ( It is preferable to form integrally with 112).

Figure 6 shows an exploded perspective view of the probe socket according to the present invention.

As shown, the probe socket 200 according to the present invention is provided with a support spring 215 and a support ring 210 for receiving the probe pin assembly 100 at the bottom, the uppermost connection with the inspection device The probe printed circuit board 240 is provided, and the probe printed circuit board 240 includes a plurality of contacts 245 connected to the contact springs 220, and each contact 245 is contacted. The spring 220 is arranged, and has a spring block 230 for preventing the contact spring 220 from detaching and fixing the position.

In the drawing, only a part of the contact spring 220 is shown for convenience, but in reality, the contact spring 220 corresponding to the number of contact points 245 is provided.

As shown in the drawing, the contact spring 220 has a conical shape, the diameter of which is narrowed downward, and the spring fixing hole 232 of the spring block 230 has a corresponding conical shape. Since the lower part of the figure corresponds to the direction of gravity in the actual assembly, the contact spring 220 and the spring block 230 are assembled by simply inserting the contact spring 220 into the spring fixing hole 232 of the spring block 230. do.

Looking at the assembly sequence, as described above, all the contact springs 220 are arranged on the spring block 230 and attached to the bottom surface of the probe printed circuit board. The support ring 210 is attached to the probe printed circuit board 210, the probe pin assembly 100 is inserted into the support ring 210, and then the support spring 215 is assembled to support the support spring 215. The probe pin assembly 110 is pressed against the probe printed circuit board 240.

The length of the contact spring 220 is formed longer than the thickness of the spring block 230 so that when the probe pin assembly 100 is assembled to the probe socket 200, the contact spring 220 is pressed and the lower side of the contact printed circuit board ( 130 is connected to the probe printed circuit board 240 at an upper side thereof. When the contact spring 220 has a structure to be connected while being compressed, all the contact springs 220 are stable in an environment in which a plurality of contact springs 220 are densely arranged in a narrow space, and printed circuit boards 130 on both sides thereof. , 240) can be connected.

As described above, the through holes 235 and 245 provided in the center of the pin block 230 and the center of the probe printed circuit board 240 serve as a passage for transmitting an optical signal.

Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the assembled state of the probe card according to the present invention.

After mounting the integrated circuit wafer (W) to be inspected by the inspection equipment, the inspection proceeds by lowering the probe card.

Looking at the stacking state of the probe card, the probe pin 110 and the pin block 120 are coupled from the bottom, the sub-printed circuit board 130 is assembled thereon, and the contact spring 220 is accommodated thereon. The spring block 230 is disposed, and the probe printed circuit board 240 connected to the test equipment is disposed thereon.

Looking at the connection state, the probe pin 1110 is connected to the lower end of each electrode of the integrated circuit wafer (W), the bottom contact 132 of the sub-printed circuit board 130 is connected to the upper end of the probe pin 110, The bottom contact 132 is connected to the top contact 137 in a 1: 1 correspondence, the top contact 137 is connected to the bottom of the contact spring 220, the top surface of the contact spring 220 again The structure is connected to the contact 242 of the probe printed circuit board 240.

In this case, the probe pin 110 and the contact spring 220 are contacted while being pressed under a predetermined load, and thus the reliability of the connection is high, and all of them due to elastic deformation of the elastic member have a very long life.

As described above, in the probe card according to the present invention, the probe pin is disposed in the vertical direction, thereby bringing the effect of no slip during contact.

In addition, the probe card according to the present invention brings the effect of improving the stability of the contact by connecting the sub-printed circuit board and the probe printed circuit board by the contact spring.

In addition, the probe card according to the present invention provides a probe card excellent in the assemblability that the assembly is completed by simply forming the contact spring in a conical shape to arrange the contact spring on the spring block.

In addition, the probe card according to the present invention provides a probe card capable of simultaneously performing a functional test as well as an electrical characteristic test of an integrated circuit used as an optical element by forming a hole in the center.

Claims (5)

A probe pin 110 having a lower end contacting a contact point of an integrated circuit, a pin block 120 accommodating the probe pin 110 in a vertical direction and fixing a position thereof, and an upper end portion of the probe pin 110 at an upper end thereof. A probe pin assembly (100) having a sub-printed circuit board (130) connected thereto; A support ring 210 forming a space in which the probe pin assembly 100 is to be mounted, a support spring 215 mounted to the support ring 210 to pressurize the probe pin assembly 100, and the probe A contact spring 220 having one side connected to the pin assembly 100, a spring block 230 for receiving the contact spring 220, and a probe connected to the other side of the contact spring 220 and connected to the inspection equipment. It includes a probe socket 200 having a printed circuit board 240, The probe pin assembly 100 is detachable to the probe socket 200, When the probe pin assembly 100 is mounted on the probe socket 200, the contact spring 220 is compressed to connect the sub printed circuit board 130 and the probe printed circuit board 240, thereby providing the probe pin. When the contact point 110 contacts the integrated circuit contact, the contact point of the integrated circuit passes through the probe pin 110, the sub-printed circuit board 130, the contact spring 220, and the probe printed circuit board 240. Probe card, characterized in that connected to the equipment. delete The method of claim 1, The contact spring has a conical shape that narrows toward the bottom, The spring block in which the contact spring is accommodated is provided with a fixing hole corresponding to the conical shape, the contact spring is fixed to the spring block by gravity simply by inserting the contact spring into the fixing hole. Card. The method of claim 1, The probe pin includes a cylindrical body, an elastic member accommodated in the body, and a contact pin supported by the elastic member, wherein the probe pin is provided with an elastic force when the probe pin is connected to an integrated circuit. Probe card. The method of claim 1, The probe pin assembly includes a probe pin along an edge of an integrated circuit, and a through hole is formed at a position corresponding to the center of the integrated circuit, and the through hole is formed at the same position in the probe socket. Dragon Probe Card.

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