KR20090120642A - Manufacturing method of probe needle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method of manufacturing a probe needle is provided to simultaneously plate a conductor first layer and a conductor second layer to remove a need of additional mask and etching processes, thereby simplifying a manufacturing process and reducing a manufacturing time. CONSTITUTION: A method of manufacturing a probe needle comprises the following steps. One surface of a wafer is etched to form a predetermined pattern(S101). A seed layer is formed on one surface of the wafer with a predetermined pattern during a wafer etching process(S102). A predetermined mask pattern is formed on a seed layer by mask pattern materials(S103). A groove of the mask pattern is filled with conductive materials to a conductor(S104).

Description

Manufacturing method of probe needle

The present invention relates to a probe card for inspecting electronic components, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a probe needle used in the manufacture of the probe card.

In general, a semiconductor device is manufactured through a fabrication process of forming a pattern on a wafer and an assembly process of assembling the wafer on which the pattern is formed into respective devices.

After the fabrication process, the semiconductor device undergoes an electrical die sorting (EDS) process that inspects electrical characteristics of each device formed on the wafer prior to the assembly process.

In this case, the EDS process is performed to determine a defective device among the devices formed on the wafer. In the EDS process, an inspection apparatus for applying an electrical signal to a device on a wafer and analyzing the electrical signal from the device to determine whether the device is defective is mainly used.

Probe cards are used to transfer electrical signals between inspection equipment and device pads to determine if a device is defective. The probe card has a substrate for the probe card and one or more needles. The needle is brought into contact with a pad connected to the device on the wafer. The semiconductor device inspection apparatus determines whether a device is defective by exchanging an electrical signal with a pad of the device through a needle of a probe card connected to a substrate of a probe card.

In this probe card, the probe needle is in direct contact with the pad connected to the device, and because it has a large number of contact times, it should be durable and an important part of the probe card that should be able to test many highly integrated devices at once.

Many techniques are known for the production of such probe needles. Among them, Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-0573089 (name of the invention: a probe and its manufacturing method, hereinafter referred to as "advanced technology") discloses a technique for manufacturing a probe needle. In the prior art, a process of forming a seed layer (that is, a seed layer, hereinafter referred to as a seed layer) having a predetermined thickness on a top surface of a silicon wafer, and a desired mask on the seed layer By defining the probe and the probe tip at the same time to provide a probe manufacturing method comprising the step of forming a probe integrally, by the repeated use is almost no change in the elasticity of the probe even after repeated use in a fine pitch to the probe card It is possible to produce probes that can be defined.

However, these prior arts have the following problems.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate at some stage of the manufacturing method according to the prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, a photoresist 1 layer 2 and a conductor 1 layer 6 are disposed on a silicon wafer 1, a seed layer 3 is formed on a photoresist 1 layer 2, and a photoresist 2 layer is formed on the silicon wafer 1. (4) and conductor 2 layer (7). As shown in FIG. 1, the seed layer 3 must be generated to make the width of the conductor 2 layer 7 larger than the width of the conductor 1 layer 6. In FIG. 1, chemicals are used to remove the photoresist 2 layer 4. At this time, the chemical which removes the photoresist 2 layer 4 shakes the seed layer 3 while attacking the photoresist 1 layer 2 existing under the seed layer 3 (see FIG. 1). At this time, the seed layer 3 is shaken to weaken the bond between the conductor 1 layer and the conductor 2 layer, or the conductor 1 layer 6 and the conductor 2 layer 7 This splitting had a problem in that the production yield of the probe needle was lowered.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the problems described above, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a probe manufacturing method capable of suppressing the self-bonding force degradation and splitting of the probe needle.

Method of manufacturing a probe needle according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a wafer etching step of forming a predetermined pattern by etching one surface of the wafer; A seed layer forming step of forming a seed layer on one surface of the wafer on which a predetermined pattern is formed in the wafer etching step; A mask pattern forming step of forming a predetermined mask pattern with a mask pattern material on the seed layer formed in the seed layer forming step; And a conductor forming step of forming a conductor by filling a conductive material in the groove of the mask pattern formed in the mask pattern forming step. Characterized in that it comprises a.

A mask removing step of removing the mask pattern material remaining on the wafer, leaving the conductor and the seed layer formed on the wafer in the conductor forming step; And a seed layer removing step of removing the seed layer from the wafer from which the mask pattern material is removed in the mask removing step. It is characterized by another comprising a further.

Method of manufacturing a probe needle according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a wafer etching step of forming a predetermined pattern by etching one surface of the wafer; A seed layer forming step of forming a seed layer on one surface of the wafer on which a predetermined pattern is formed in the wafer etching step; A first mask pattern forming step of forming a predetermined first mask pattern on the seed layer formed in the seed layer forming step using a mask pattern material; A primary conductor forming step of forming a primary conductor by filling a conductive material in a groove of the first mask pattern formed in the first mask pattern forming step; A second mask pattern forming step of forming a second mask pattern with a mask pattern material on the wafer on which the primary conductor is formed in the first conductor forming step; And a secondary conductor forming step of filling a groove of the second mask pattern formed in the second mask pattern forming step with a conductive material so as to match the primary conductor formed in the primary conductor forming step. Characterized in that it comprises a.

A mask removing step of removing the mask pattern material remaining on the wafer, leaving the conductor and the seed layer formed on the wafer after the secondary conductor forming step; And a seed layer removing step of removing the seed layer from the wafer from which the mask pattern material is removed in the mask removing step. It is characterized by another comprising a further.

According to the present invention, since the plating of the conductor 1 layer and the conductor 2 layer is performed in one step in the manufacture of the probe needle, an additional mask and an etching process are unnecessary, so that the manufacturing process is simplified and the manufacturing time is reduced. have.

In addition, since the plating itself of the conductor 1 layer and the conductor 2 layer is performed at one time, the decrease in the bonding force or the cleavage phenomenon between the conductor 1 layer and the conductor 2 layer is prevented during the manufacturing process. As the bonding force between the layer and the conductor 2 layer is increased, the durability and production yield of the probe needle are improved, and the life span of the probe needle is suppressed.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings to be described in more detail with respect to the present invention will be described with reference to a preferred embodiment.

2A to 2G are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a probe needle manufacturing process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a probe needle manufacturing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In more detail, FIGS. 2A to 2G schematically illustrate cross-sectional views of a wafer on which a pattern having a probe needle shape is formed, and illustrates a pattern of portions of the probe needle and the beam part on which the probe needle is formed.

2A to 2G and 3, the method of manufacturing a probe needle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a wafer etching step, a seed layer forming step, a mask pattern forming step, and a conductor forming step, and further, a mask removing step. And a seed layer removing step.

In the wafer etching step S101, one surface of the wafer W is etched to form a predetermined pattern PT1. Here, the wafer may be a germanium wafer, a silicon wafer or the like. In order to form a predetermined pattern PT1 on one surface of the wafer W by etching, a predetermined mask pattern (not shown) is formed and one surface of the wafer W is etched.

First, a mask pattern (not shown) is formed on a wafer. Next, the wafer W is etched using the mask pattern. Next, the mask pattern is removed. In this way, a predetermined pattern PT1 is formed on one surface of the wafer W by etching.

Since a specific method of forming a mask pattern on the wafer W and etching the wafer W may be performed using a method well known in a semiconductor manufacturing process, detailed description thereof will be omitted. Here, the predetermined mask pattern PT1 refers to a pattern having the shape of the probe needle, and the pattern is formed and etched to have the shape of the probe needle to form a pattern having the shape of the probe needle on one surface of the wafer W. FIG.

Preferably, in the cantilever type probe needle, the shape of the probe needle other than the probe part contacting the terminal of the test object such as an electronic device, that is, the shape of the beam part supporting the probe part and the soldering part supporting the beam part is soldered to the substrate of the probe needle. The pattern PT1 having the etched shape is formed by etching the wafer W. This is schematically shown in Figure 2a.

Next, in the seed layer forming step S102, a seed layer SL is formed on one surface of the wafer W on which the predetermined pattern PT1 is formed in the wafer etching step S101. That is, in the case of the cantilever type probe needle, the seed layer SL is formed on one surface of the wafer W in which the pattern PT1 having the shape of the soldering part and the beam part of the probe needle is formed by etching.

The material of the seed layer SL1 to be formed on one surface of the wafer W may use copper (Cu) or another metal material as a conductive material, and may be formed by, for example, deposition or electroplating.

Subsequently, in the mask pattern forming step S103, the mask pattern PT2 is formed of the mask pattern material PR on the seed layer SL formed in the seed layer forming step S102.

Here, the predetermined mask pattern PT2 to be formed on the seed layer SL refers to a pattern having the shape of the probe needle. For example, in the case of a cantilever type probe needle, a soldering part (not shown) soldered to a substrate, a probe part (not shown) contacting a pad provided on a test object, and the soldering part and the probe part are connected to each other. The mask pattern PT2 is formed in a shape having a shape of a supporting beam part (not shown). At this time, the portions corresponding to the soldering portion and the probe portion are formed by matching the groove portions of the pattern corresponding to the soldering portion and the probe portion formed in the wafer etching step (S101).

The mask pattern material PR of the mask pattern PT2 to be formed on the seed layer SL may be various. Preferably, a dry film resist or a photoresist is used. A photoresist is applied as one of the mask pattern materials PR to one surface of the wafer W on which the seed layer SL is formed, or a dry film resist is formed on one surface of the wafer W on which the seed layer SL is formed. The photoresist applied as the mask pattern material PR is schematically shown in FIG. 2C.

The mask pattern PT2 is formed by removing a part of the mask pattern material PR as schematically shown in FIG. 2D in consideration of the position where the conductor is to be formed. Here, the mask pattern PT2 is formed by matching the groove portion of the pattern corresponding to the soldering portion and the beam portion of the probe needle with the groove portion of the pattern corresponding to the soldering portion and the beam portion formed in the wafer etching step S101. .

Subsequently, in the conductor forming step S104, a conductor PN is formed by filling a groove in the groove of the mask pattern PT2 formed in the mask pattern forming step S103. In more detail, as shown in FIG. 2E, the conductive layer is filled with a groove portion (a portion where the seed layer SL is exposed) formed by the mask pattern PT2. Therefore, the mask pattern PT2 and the seed layer SL serve as a mold for forming a probe needle-shaped conductor with a conductive material.

 In order to form the conductor PN by filling the groove of the mask pattern PT2 with a conductive material, a method such as deposition or electroplating may be used.

On the other hand, preferably, the surface flattening operation may be performed after the conductor forming step (S104). That is, it is desirable to flatten the surface through a well-known chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. The cross section after the polishing operation is schematically shown in FIG. 2E.

In this case, the method may further include a mask removing step S105 and a seed layer removing step S106.

The mask removing step S105 may include the mask pattern material remaining on the wafer W while leaving the conductor PN and the seed layer SL formed on the wafer W in the conductor forming step S106. PR) step. When the mask pattern material PR is a photo registry, the photo registry is stripped. The method of stripping the photoresist is as widely known in the photo process during the semiconductor manufacturing process.

When the mask pattern material PR is removed, the conductor PN and the seed layer SL remain on one surface of the wafer W, as shown in FIG. 2F.

In the seed layer removing step S106, the seed layer SL is removed from the wafer W. By removing the seed layer SL from the wafer W, only the conductor PN, that is, the probe needle, is left as shown in FIG. 2G.

The probe needle manufactured as described above is simpler in manufacturing method than the prior art, and is manufactured because the plating of the first conductive layer 1 (see FIG. 1) and the second conductive layer (see FIG. 1) is performed at once. During the process, a decrease in the bonding force or splitting between the first conductor layer 6 (see FIG. 1) and the second conductor layer 7 (see FIG. 1) is prevented. Compared with the prior art, the bonding strength between the conductor 1 layer (see Fig. 1) and the conductor 2 layer (see Fig. 1) is increased.

Next, a method for manufacturing a probe needle according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

4A to 4J are cross-sectional views schematically illustrating a process of manufacturing a probe needle according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a method of manufacturing a probe needle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In more detail, FIGS. 4A to 4J schematically illustrate cross-sectional views of a wafer on which a pattern having a probe needle shape is formed, and illustrates a pattern of a portion of the probe needle on which a probe part and a beam part are formed.

4A to 4J and 3, the probe needle manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a wafer etching step (S201), seed layer forming step (S202), the first mask pattern forming step (S203), 1 And a second conductor pattern forming step (S204), a second mask pattern forming step (S205), and a second conductor forming step (S206), further comprising a mask removing step (S207) and a seed layer removing step (S208). .

Here, the wafer etching step (S201) to the first conductor forming step (S204) is not significantly different from the above-described embodiment.

In the wafer etching step S201, one surface of the wafer W1 is etched to form a predetermined pattern PT21. The wafer W1 may be a germanium wafer, a silicon wafer, or the like. First, a mask pattern (not shown) is formed on the wafer W1. Next, the wafer W1 is etched using the mask pattern. Next, the mask pattern is removed. In this way, a predetermined pattern PT21 is formed on one surface of the wafer W1 by etching. This is schematically shown in Figure 4a.

Preferably, the cantilever type probe needle is soldered to the shape of the probe needle except for the probe part (not shown) contacting the terminal of the sensing object such as an electronic device, that is, the beam part (not shown) supporting the probe part and the substrate of the probe needle. And a pattern PT21 having a shape of a soldering part (not shown) supporting the beam part is formed by etching the wafer W1.

Next, in the seed layer forming step S202, a seed layer SL is formed on one surface of the wafer W1 on which the predetermined pattern PT21 is formed in the wafer etching step S101. That is, in the case of the cantilever type probe needle, the seed layer SL1 is formed on one surface of the wafer W1 formed by etching the pattern PT21 having the soldering part and the beam part of the probe needle. The seed layer SL1 is formed in FIG. 4B.

The material of the seed layer SL1 to be formed on one surface of the wafer W1 may be copper (Cu) or other metal material as a conductive material, and may be formed by a deposition or electroplating method.

Subsequently, in the first mask pattern forming step S203, the first mask pattern PT22 is formed of the mask pattern material PR1 on the seed layer SL1 formed in the seed layer forming step S202.

The predetermined first mask pattern PT22 to be formed on the seed layer SL1 refers to a pattern having the shape of the probe needle. For example, in the case of a cantilever type probe needle, a soldering part (not shown) soldered to a substrate, a probe part (not shown) contacting a pad provided on a test object, and the soldering part and the probe part are connected to each other. The first mask pattern PT22 is formed to have a shape of a supporting beam part (not shown). In this case, the portions corresponding to the soldering portion and the probe portion are formed by matching the groove portions of the pattern PT21 corresponding to the soldering portion and the probe portion formed in the wafer etching step S101.

The mask pattern material PR1 of the first mask pattern PT22 to be formed on the seed layer SL1 may be various. Preferably, a dry film resist or a photoresist is used. A photoresist is applied as one of the mask pattern materials PR1 to one surface of the wafer W1 on which the seed layer SL1 is formed, or a dry film resist is formed on one surface of the wafer W1 on which the seed layer SL1 is formed. The photoresist applied as the mask pattern material PR1 is schematically shown in FIG. 4C.

The first mask pattern PT22 is formed by removing a part of the mask pattern material PR1 as shown in FIG. 4D in consideration of the position where the conductor is to be formed. Here, the first mask pattern PT22 is formed by matching the groove portions of the pattern corresponding to the soldering portion and the beam portion of the probe needle with the groove portions of the pattern corresponding to the soldering portion and the beam portion formed in the wafer etching step S201. Let it be.

Next, in the primary conductor forming step (S204), forming a primary conductor (PN1) by filling a conductive material in the groove of the first mask pattern (PT22) formed in the first mask pattern forming step (S203). to be. In more detail, as shown in FIG. 4E, the groove portion (the portion where the seed layer SL1 is exposed) formed by the first mask pattern PT22 is filled with the conductive material. Therefore, the first mask pattern PT22 and the seed layer SL1 serve as a mold for forming the probe needle-shaped primary conductor PN1 with a conductive material.

In order to form the primary conductor PN1 by filling the groove of the first mask pattern PT22 with a conductive material, a method such as deposition or electroplating may be used.

On the other hand, preferably, the surface leveling operation may be performed after the primary conductor forming step (S204). That is, it is desirable to flatten the surface through a well-known chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. The cross section after the polishing operation is schematically shown in FIG. 4E.

Next, in the second mask pattern forming step S205, as shown in FIG. 4G, a mask pattern material PR2 is formed on the wafer W1 on which the primary conductor PN1 is formed in the first conductor forming step S204. The second mask pattern PT23 is formed. Here, polishing is preferably performed before forming the second mask pattern PT23 from the photoresist. Next, as shown in FIG. 4F, a photoresist is applied and a second mask pattern PT23 is formed as shown in 4g through an exposure process.

Next, the secondary conductor forming step S206 may be integrated into one body while contacting the primary conductor PN1 so as to conform to the primary conductor PN1 formed in the primary conductor forming step S204. Filling the grooves of the second mask pattern PT23 formed in the second mask pattern forming step S205 with a conductive material. The conductor PN2 may be additionally formed using the electroplating method according to the second mask pattern PT23. This is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4H.

In this case, the method may further include a mask removing step S207 and a seed layer removing step S208.

The mask removing step S207 may include the mask pattern material remaining on the wafer W1, leaving the conductor PN2 and the seed layer SL1 formed on the wafer W1 after the second conductor forming step S206. It is a step of removing (PR1, PR2). When the mask pattern materials PR1 and PR2 are photoresists, the photoresist is stripped. The method of stripping the photoresist is as widely known in the photo process during the semiconductor manufacturing process.

When the mask pattern materials PR1 and PR2 are removed, the conductor PN2 and the seed layer SL1 remain on one surface of the wafer W1 as shown in FIG. 4I.

Next, in the seed layer removing step S208, the seed layer SL1 is removed from the wafer W1 from which the mask pattern materials PR1 and PR2 have been removed in the mask removing step S207. By removing the seed layer SL1 from the wafer W1, only a conductor, that is, a probe needle, is left as shown in FIG. 4J.

As described above, the probe needle according to the embodiments of the present invention is conventionally plated once, unlike forming the conductor 1 layer (see FIG. 1) and the conductor 2 layer (see FIG. 1) separately. Because it is formed by the combination of more than the conventional conductor 1 layer (6, see Fig. 1) and the conductor 2 layer (7, see Fig. 1) is more firmly coupled to improve the durability and shortening the life of the probe needle Will be. In addition, the occurrence of problems such as cleavage that may occur in the manufacturing process is suppressed.

In addition, there is an advantage that the manufacturing process is simplified and the manufacturing time is reduced because no additional mask and etching process is required.

As described above, the detailed description of the present invention has been made by the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, since the above-described embodiments have only been described by way of example, the present invention has been described above. It should not be understood to be limited only to the examples, the scope of the present invention will be understood by the claims and equivalent concepts described below.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of the substrate during the manufacturing process of the probe needle according to the prior art.

2 to 2 are cross-sectional views schematically showing steps of manufacturing a probe needle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a method of manufacturing a probe needle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 to 4 are cross-sectional views schematically showing steps of manufacturing a probe needle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a method of manufacturing a probe needle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

SL: Seed layer W: Wafer

PR: Mask Pattern Material PT2: Mask Pattern

PN: Conductor

Claims (4)

A wafer etching step of etching a surface of the wafer to form a predetermined pattern; A seed layer forming step of forming a seed layer on one surface of the wafer on which a predetermined pattern is formed in the wafer etching step; A mask pattern forming step of forming a predetermined mask pattern with a mask pattern material on the seed layer formed in the seed layer forming step; And A conductor forming step of forming a conductor by filling a conductive material in a groove of the mask pattern formed in the mask pattern forming step; Method of manufacturing a probe needle, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 1, A mask removing step of removing the mask pattern material remaining on the wafer, leaving the conductor and the seed layer formed on the wafer in the conductor forming step; And A seed layer removing step of removing the seed layer from the wafer from which the mask pattern material is removed in the mask removing step; Method of manufacturing a probe needle further comprises. A wafer etching step of etching a surface of the wafer to form a predetermined pattern; A seed layer forming step of forming a seed layer on one surface of the wafer on which a predetermined pattern is formed in the wafer etching step; A first mask pattern forming step of forming a predetermined first mask pattern on the seed layer formed in the seed layer forming step using a mask pattern material; Forming a primary conductor by filling a groove of the first mask pattern formed in the first mask pattern forming step with a conductive material; A second mask pattern forming step of forming a second mask pattern with a mask pattern material on the wafer on which the primary conductor is formed in the first conductor forming step; And A secondary conductor forming step of filling a groove of the second mask pattern formed in the second mask pattern forming step with a conductive material so as to conform to the primary conductor formed in the primary conductor forming step; Method of manufacturing a probe needle, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 3, wherein A mask removing step of removing the mask pattern material remaining on the wafer, leaving the conductor and the seed layer formed on the wafer after the second conductor forming step; And A seed layer removing step of removing the seed layer from the wafer from which the mask pattern material is removed in the mask removing step; Method of manufacturing a probe needle further comprises.

Images