TWI410637B - Area array probe card - Google Patents

Abstract

An area array probe card including a circuit board, a testing board and at least a connector is provided. The circuit board includes a first surface, a second surface and a through hole which goes through the first surface and the second surface. The testing board includes a first surface and a second surface. The first and second surfaces of the testing board are connected to each other such that the internal wires of the testing board are connected to those of the circuit board. The second surface of the testing board is connected to a plurality of probe wires. The connector is implemented on the first surface of the circuit board and is connected to the testing board with at least one wire which goes through the through hole.

Description

Array probe card

This case is about an array probe card, especially for array probe cards used in the field of integrated circuit testing.

In testers such as LEDs and semiconductors, the array probe card is generally used to electrically connect to the input and output terminals of the tester. After the probe of the probe card contacts the integrated circuit, the object is tested. The electronic signal is transmitted from the test machine to the integrated circuit to be tested, and the test machine is used for testing purposes.

U.S. Patent No. 5,525,911 proposes an array probe card in which, although a coaxial line is used to electrically connect between the circuit board and the integrated circuit to be tested, not all lines are used. It is necessary to use a high frequency signal, so when the diameter of the coaxial line used is too large, it will be extremely disadvantageous for miniaturization of the pitch of the array probe. In addition, even if a single-core or enameled wire is used in other lines that do not need to use high-frequency signals, in the case of a multi-pin number probe card, the opening size of the printed circuit board is limited, the signal lines are disorderly interleaved. There is even the danger of pulling each other apart, and it also increases the difficulty of processing and the risk of interference with the electrical signal.

Another array probe card is proposed in Japanese Patent No. H10-048298. In this array of probe cards, the number of probe pins in the probe card is complicated or multi-grain due to the integrated circuit to be tested. At the same time, as the test substrate 162 called MLO/MLC (Multi-Layer Organic/Multi-Layer Ceramic) is added, more signal lines must be placed; thus, the MLO/MLC test substrate is bound to expand. Area, at this time, the solder joint on the test substrate 162 and the gasket under the probe card 164 must be electrically connected by reflow, but the expansion of the MLO/MLC test substrate will cause reflow soldering. "Difficulty in the poor temperature uniformity of the large substrate" means that the solder ball that is interposed between the test substrate 162 and the probe card 164 is heated at the reflow. In the process, the solder ball does not easily reach a uniform temperature; in addition, due to the limited structure and technology, the printed circuit board cannot transmit high-frequency signals such as 2 GHz or more.

In June 2001, IBM presented an array probe card in a technical report that splits the line connecting the test substrate to the test machine into two parts: one part goes to the high-speed line and the other part goes inside the printed circuit board. In this array of probe cards, the high speed connectors are placed on the MLO test substrate, both below the printed circuit board. However, when the high-speed connector is placed under the printed circuit board, the high-speed connector of the tester is located above the printed circuit board, which will conflict with the actual probe environment because of the high-speed connection between the high-speed connector of the test machine and the test substrate. The devices are located on both sides of the printed circuit board and cannot be connected to each other; therefore, the architecture proposed by IBM is only for the probe card in the experimental stage, and the problem of mass production testing is not considered.

Please refer to the first figure, which is a side view of a conventional array probe card. In the first figure, the array probe card 1 is mainly composed of a circuit board 10, a test substrate 11, a probe head 12, and a probe wire 13. The test substrate 11 is provided with solder joints 111 and sockets 112. The circuit board 10 is provided with a through hole 103 for receiving the socket 112. By electrically connecting the connector 141 of the tester 14 to the header 112, the test machine 14 can be used for high speed electrical testing.

However, the array probe card 1 of the first figure described above has the following disadvantages:

(1) Since the volume of the joint 141 is large, and the operation space required for the manual connection is not small, the area of the through hole 103 of the circuit board 10 must be greatly increased, which affects the wiring convenience of the signal line inside the circuit board 10. The electrical signal transmission quality, especially when the plurality of terminals 141 are disposed on the test substrate 11, the wiring area of the signal lines inside the circuit board 10 will be seriously occupied by the plurality of through holes 103;

(2) The space of the socket 112 is narrow, and the difficulty of manually connecting it to the joint 114 is increased;

(3) Deliberately increasing the area of the MLO test substrate 11 to facilitate the placement of the socket 112, which will make the reflow technology challenge; and

(4) The high frequency signal trace of the MLO test substrate 11 becomes long, which increases the degree of RC delay.

Therefore, it is necessary to conceive an array type high frequency probe card, which can improve many disadvantages of the above various conventional probe cards.

According to the above concept, an array probe card is provided, comprising: a circuit board having a first surface, a second surface, and a through hole, the through hole penetrating the first surface and the second surface; a test substrate Having a first surface and a second surface, the internal circuit of the test substrate is electrically connected to the internal circuit of the circuit board, and the test substrate is connected to the second surface of the circuit board by the first surface, The second surface of the test substrate is connected to the plurality of probe lines; and at least one socket is disposed on the first surface of the circuit board, and the socket uses at least one transmission line passing through the through hole And coupled to the test substrate.

According to the above concept, another array probe card is provided, comprising: a circuit board having a first surface, a second surface, and a through hole, the through hole penetrating the first surface and the second surface; The substrate has a first surface and a second surface. The test substrate is connected to the second surface of the circuit board by the first surface, so that the internal circuit of the test substrate is electrically connected to the internal circuit of the circuit board. The second surface of the test substrate is connected to the plurality of probe lines; and at least one of the sockets is connected to the test substrate via the through holes. The through hole penetrates through a central region of the circuit board. When the test substrate is connected to the circuit board, the through hole is located above a central region of the test substrate, and the socket is disposed in the through hole.

This case can be further understood by the following diagrams and detailed explanations:

Please refer to the second figure, which is a side view of a first preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention. In the second figure, the array probe card 2 is mainly composed of a circuit board 20, a test substrate 21, a probe head 22, and a probe wire 23, wherein the circuit board 20 has a first surface 201 and a second The test substrate 21 also has a first surface 211 and a second surface 212. Similarly to the conventional technique, the test substrate 21 can be connected to the circuit board 20 via solder joints 213 by reflow soldering.

However, the circuit board 20 has a through hole 203 extending through the first surface 201 and the second surface 202, and the socket 24 is disposed on the first surface 201 of the circuit board 20, and the socket 24 is provided. The test substrate 21 is connected by an impedance matching high frequency transmission line 25. Therefore, by one-to-one coupling of a high-speed connector 261 of the testing machine 26 to the socket 24, the array probe card 2 can be electrically tested.

The advantage of the array probe card of the present invention in the second figure is that the through hole 203 of the circuit board 20 is extremely small and can only pass through the flexible transmission line 25, so the MLO/MLC test substrate 21 can be mounted without having to provide the socket 24. Reduce the area. In addition, since the socket 24 is disposed on the first surface 201 of the circuit board 20 and has a space for identification, it not only has convenient connection, but also reduces the risk of manual interpretation errors and incorrect coupling.

Please refer to the third figure, which is a side view of a second preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention. The difference from the second figure is that the through hole 203 is opened in the central area of the circuit board 20 at the same time, and is also located directly above the central area of the test substrate 21. In addition, the holder 24 can also be provided with more than one.

Therefore, in addition to the advantages of the array probe card of the second figure, the array probe card of the third figure has the additional advantage that the through hole located in the central portion of the circuit board 20 can increase the temperature uniformity during reflow. In addition, since the transmission line 25 is located substantially in the central area of the test substrate 21, the length of the line can be reduced, and the high-frequency RC delay condition can be improved; and in general, the central area of the circuit board 20 is not Since the internal wiring is disposed, the through hole is provided in the central region, and the influence of the through hole on the internal wiring of the circuit board 20 is effectively reduced.

Please refer to the fourth figure, which is a side view of a third preferred embodiment of the array probe card proposed in the present invention. The difference from the second figure is that the socket 24 is disposed in the through hole 203 and coupled to the test substrate 21 at the same time, and the coupling manner is also reflow. Further, the through hole 203 is also opened in the central region of the circuit board 20 while being located directly above the central region of the test substrate 21.

Therefore, the array probe card of the fourth figure also has the advantages of the array probe card of the third figure described above.

Please refer to the fifth figure, which is a side view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention. The variation shown in this figure is that the socket 24 can be composed of a cable, and then Reflow soldering to the test substrate 21 will be placed in comparison with the plurality of sockets 24 disclosed in FIG. 4, and the wire-type socket 24 can effectively increase the quality of the electrical connection and the convenience of fabrication.

Please refer to the sixth figure, which is a side view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention. The variation to be shown in this figure is that on the first side of the test substrate 21, At least one electronic component 27 is disposed in the through hole 203. Further, on the second surface of the test substrate 21, the electronic component 27 may be placed. If necessary, the probe head 22 may be opened 221 to facilitate the electronic component. 27 placement; the type of electronic components 27 depends on actual needs, such as active or passive electronic components.

Please refer to the seventh figure, which is a side view of a sixth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention. The variation to be shown in this figure is that on the first side of the test substrate 21, A colloid 28 is disposed in the through hole 203 at the same time, thereby enhancing the fixing strength between the test substrate 21 and the circuit board 20, and increasing the ability of the test substrate 21 to withstand the force from the probe 23. In addition, the colloid can also flow in. The gap between the test substrate 21, the circuit board 20, and the connection point 213 can increase the adhesion between the test substrate 21 and the circuit board 20.

Referring to FIG. 8, which is a side view of a seventh preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention, the variation to be shown in the figure is that on the first side of the test substrate 21, A support member 28', such as a screw, is fixed in the through hole 203, and the support member 28' is fixed on a reinforcing ring 29 on the first surface of the circuit board 20; the support member 28' and the reinforcing ring 29 can be The ability of the test substrate 21 to withstand the force from the probe 23 is enhanced to prevent the test substrate 21 from being deformed by force.

Please refer to the ninth (a)-(d) diagram, which is a schematic diagram of the circuit used in the array probe card proposed in the present invention. The variation to be shown in this figure is that the test machine 14 is in contact with the test substrate 21. The plurality of transmission lines coupled through the through hole 203 are selected from a coaxial line as shown in the ninth (a), and the twisted pair as shown in the ninth (b) is a ground line and a signal line is twisted together. The effect of electrical impedance matching is achieved, and the purpose of transmitting the high-speed signal is completed. The double-parallel line as shown in the ninth (c) is a ground line parallel to a signal line and maintained at a specific distance to achieve electrical upper impedance matching. The effect is to complete the transmission of the high-speed signal, or the flexible board and the flexible circuit board with the circuit shielding effect as shown in the ninth (d).

Referring to FIG. 10, which is a side view of an eighth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention, the variation to be shown in this figure is that the transmission line 25 passing through the portion of the through hole 203 is The connection point (the 213', 213" in the figure) of the connection point 213 between the test substrate 21 and the circuit board 20 closest to the through hole 203 is pressed. This arrangement has an advantage in that the circuit board 20 is penetrated. Thus, there is sufficient space in the hole 203 to provide more electronic components 27.

Please refer to the eleventh (a) figure, which is a side view of a ninth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention, and the variation to be shown in this figure is that the reinforcing ring 29 except the eighth figure is shown. In addition, the test substrate 21 can be further bonded to the circuit board 20 using a press ring 30; this technique can be used to replace the reflow technique of the previous figures. The eleventh (b) plan is a top view of the press ring of the eleventh (a) figure.

Please refer to the twelfth (a) and twelfth (b) drawings, respectively, showing a side view of a tenth and eleventh preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention, in the twelfth (a) The change to be represented in the figure is that the plurality of transmission lines 25 passing through the through holes 203 are coupled to the second surface 212 of the test substrate 21; further, the variation to be performed in the twelfth (b) diagram is that the test The substrate 21 further has a through hole 214 , and the plurality of transmission lines 25 passing through the through hole 203 are coupled to the second surface 212 of the test substrate 21 via the through holes 214 . Both of these technical changes can effectively reduce the area of the test substrate 21, while minimizing the influence of the through holes 203 on the internal wiring layout of the circuit board 20.

In summary, the array probe card of the present invention can effectively reduce the area of the MLO/MLC test substrate, and use various methods to enhance the fixing strength between the test substrate and the circuit board, thereby reducing the line. The length can also improve the resistance delay of the high frequency line.

This case has been modified by people who are familiar with the art, but it is not intended to be protected by the scope of the patent application.

1, 2. . . Array probe card

10, 20. . . Circuit board

11, 21. . . Test substrate

12, 22. . . Probe head

13,23. . . Probe line

14, 26. . . Test machine

221. . . Opening

25. . . Transmission line

27. . . Electronic component

28. . . colloid

28’. . . supporting item

29. . . Reinforcement

30. . . Pressing ring

111. . . Solder joint

112, 24. . . Seat

141, 261. . . Connector

201. . . First side

202. . . Second side

203. . . Through hole

211. . . First side

212. . . Second side

213, 213', 213"... connection point

214. . . perforation

First: A side view of a conventional array of probe cards.

Second Figure: A side view of a first preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Third: A side view of a second preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Fourth Figure: A side view of a third preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a sixth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a seventh preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Ninth (a) to (d): Schematic diagram of the lines used in the array probe card proposed in the present application.

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of an eighth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Figure 11 (a) is a side view of a ninth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Figure 11 (b): Top view of the press-fit ring of Figure 11 (a).

Twelfth (a): A side view of a tenth preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

Twelfth (b): A side view of an eleventh preferred embodiment of the array probe card of the present invention.

2‧‧‧Array probe card

20‧‧‧ boards

21‧‧‧Test substrate

22‧‧‧Probe head

23‧‧‧Probe line

24‧‧‧ Seating

25‧‧‧ transmission line

26‧‧‧Testing machine

201‧‧‧ first side

202‧‧‧ second side

203‧‧‧through holes

211‧‧‧ first side

212‧‧‧ second side

213‧‧‧ Connection point

261‧‧‧Connector

Claims (20)

An array probe card includes: a circuit board having a first surface, a second surface, and a through hole, the through hole penetrating the first surface and the second surface; and a test substrate having a first And the second surface of the test substrate is connected to the second surface of the circuit board by the first surface, so that the internal circuit of the test substrate is electrically connected to the internal circuit of the circuit board. The two sides are connected to the plurality of probe wires; and the at least one socket is disposed on the first surface of the circuit board, and the socket is connected to the test substrate by using at least one transmission line passing through the through holes Coupled. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the test substrate is selected from a MLO substrate or an MLC substrate. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the test substrate is reflowed to the circuit board. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein at least one electronic component located in the through hole is further disposed on the first surface of the test substrate. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the through hole penetrates a central portion of the circuit board, and the first surface of the test substrate is further filled with a colloid located in the through hole. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the through hole penetrates a central portion of the circuit board, and a support member located in the through hole is further fixed on the first surface of the test substrate To prevent the test substrate from being deformed by force. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the through hole penetrates a central portion of the circuit board, and the test substrate is connected to the circuit board by press-bonding through at least one press-fit ring. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein each of the transmission lines passing through the through hole is one selected from the group consisting of a coaxial line, a twisted pair, a double doubling line, and a flexible board line. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the transmission line passing through the through hole is a connection point closest to the through hole among the connection points between the test substrate and the circuit board The internal wiring of the test substrate is electrically connected. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmission lines passing through the through hole are coupled to the second surface of the test substrate. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the test substrate further has a through hole, and the plurality of transmission lines passing through the through hole are coupled to the second surface of the test substrate via the through hole. The array probe card of claim 1, wherein the socket is further coupled to a connector of a testing machine. An array probe card includes: a circuit board having a first surface, a second surface, and a through hole, the through hole penetrating the first surface and the second surface; and a test substrate having a first And the second surface of the test substrate is connected to the second surface of the circuit board by the first surface, so that the internal circuit of the test substrate is electrically connected to the internal circuit of the circuit board. The two sides are connected to the plurality of probe wires; and at least one of the sockets is connected to the test substrate via the through holes, wherein the through holes penetrate the central region of the circuit board, and the test substrate is connected to the circuit board The through hole is located above the central region of the test substrate, and the socket is disposed in the through hole. The array probe card of claim 13, wherein the first surface of the test substrate is further filled with a colloid located in the through hole. The array probe card of claim 13 , wherein the first surface of the test substrate is further fixed with a support member located in the through hole to prevent deformation of the test substrate. The array probe card of claim 13, wherein the socket is coupled to the test substrate in a reflow manner. The array probe card of claim 13, wherein the test substrate is connected to the circuit board in a reflow manner. The array probe card of claim 13, wherein at least one electronic component located in the through hole is further disposed on the first surface of the test substrate. The array probe card of claim 13, wherein the test substrate is connected to the circuit board by press-bonding through at least one press-fit ring. The array probe card of claim 13 , wherein the socket is further coupled to a connector of a testing machine.