WO2016140505A1

WO2016140505A1 - A test device

Info

Publication number: WO2016140505A1
Application number: PCT/KR2016/002077
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seung Ha Baek
Original assignee: Leeno Industrial Inc.
Priority date: 2015-03-03
Filing date: 2016-03-02
Publication date: 2016-09-09
Also published as: KR101762835B1; TW201632889A; KR20160107035A; TWI605254B

Abstract

Disclosed is a test device for testing electric characteristics of a test object having a test contact point. The test device includes an insert which accommodates the test object; a socket which supports a plurality of probes having one end portion to be in contact with the test contact point of the test object; and a test object tray which is arranged on the socket, seats thereon the test object transferred from the insert during a test, and comprises a probe hole on a bottom thereof corresponding to the test contact point of the test object.

Description

A TEST DEVICE

Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to a test device for testing electric characteristics of a test object such as a semiconductor.

A semiconductor chip, where fine electronic circuits are high-densely integrated, is subject to a test about whether each electronic circuit is normal, during a manufacturing process.

Such a semiconductor chip undergoes the test though a test device that includes a socket supporting a plurality of probes for electric connection between a bump of the semiconductor chip and a pad of a test board for applying a test signal, a socket guide for guiding the socket, and an insert for accommodating the semiconductor chip.

The insert includes a pocket for accommodating the semiconductor chip, and a first alignment hole to be engaged with a first alignment pin of the socket guide.

The socket guide includes the first alignment pin to be engaged with the first alignment hole of the insert, and a second alignment pin to be engaged with a second alignment hole of the socket.

The socket includes a plurality of probes, and the second alignment hole to be engaged with the second alignment pin of the socket guide.

Reliability of a test depends on accuracy of alignment between the contact point to be tested and the probe. However, the alignment between the contact point to be tested and the probe is affected by many factors such as the tolerance of the test object such as the outer size of the test object, the size and position of contact point to be tested; the tolerance of the insert such as a pocket size, the size and position of first alignment hole; the tolerance of the socket guide such as the size and position of first alignment pin, and the size and position of second alignment pin; and the tolerance of the socket such as the size and position of second alignment hole, the size and position of probe.

Accordingly, it is difficult to manufacture a test device since many factors have to be taken into account in order to improve the reliability of the test. Further, it is very difficult to manufacture a test device having satisfactory accuracy even though it is manufactured by considering all the factors.

One or more exemplary embodiments are to minimize factors for misalignment between a contact point to be tested and a probe.

Another exemplary embodiment is to not only improve test reliability of a test device but also reduce manufacturing costs.

According to an aspect of a first exemplary embodiment, there is provided a test device for testing electric characteristics of a test object having a test contact point, the test device comprising: an insert which accommodates the test object; a socket which supports a plurality of probes having one end portion to be in contact with the test contact point of the test object; and a test object tray which is arranged on the socket, seats thereon the test object transferred from the insert during a test, and comprises a probe hole on a bottom thereof corresponding to the test contact point of the test object.

In the test device according to an exemplary embodiment, the test object is transferred to the test object tray while the insert accommodating the test object moves down for the test, and thus alignment between the test contact point and the probe substantially depends on the tolerances of the test object tray and the socket.

The test object tray may float on the socket, thereby protecting the probe from damage at the test.

The insert and the test object tray may include convex and concave portions for alignment therebetween, so that the test object can be accurately transferred from the insert to the tray of the socket guide, thereby reducing the tolerance of the test object tray.

The test object tray may partially accommodate a bottom of the insert and comprise a groove lower than the bottom of the test object tray, thereby effectively avoiding interference when the insert moves down.

The test object tray may comprise an inclined wall portion that is inclined toward an inside thereof, so that the test object from the insert can be accurately seated on the tray of the socket guide.

The socket may comprise a plurality of pins for protecting a probe end portion protruding from a surface facing a test contact point of a test circuit, thereby protecting the probe from damage when the test device is treated.

The probe may comprise a plunger to be in contact with a test contact point of a test circuit, and the plunger may comprise a stepped portion extended in a radial direction, thereby preventing the end portion of the probe from protruding excessively.

The above and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a test device according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an insert in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembly of a socket, a socket guide and a test object tray in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 3; and

FIGs. 5 to 7 are partial cross-section views for explaining operations of the test device according to an exemplary embodiment.

Below, a test device 1 according to exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to FIGs. 1 to 7.

As shown in FIG. 1, the test device 1 includes an insert 100 to accommodate a test object 10 such as a semiconductor chip, a socket 300 supporting a plurality of probes, a socket guide 200 supporting the socket 300, and a test object tray 400 on which the test object 10 received from the insert 100 is seated. At this time, the socket guide 200 and the socket 300 may be formed as a single body.

The test object 10 includes contact points to be tested with respect to electric characteristics, for example, a bump, a lead terminal, a pad, etc.

The insert 100 is moved for the test while accommodating the test object 10, and automatically or manually couples with the socket guide 200. The insert 100 is separated from the socket guide 200 after the test is completed, and then moved.

The insert 100 includes a pocket 110 for accommodating the test object 10, a first alignment hole 112 to be engaged with a first alignment pin 212 of the socket guide 200, a support 115 for preventing the test object 10 accommodated in the pocket 110 from falling, and a second alignment hole 114 to be engaged with a second alignment pin 412 of the test object tray 400.

The insert 100 includes the pocket 110 shaped like a rectangular through hole suitable for accommodating a rectangular test objet 10 such as a semiconductor chip. The pocket 110 is formed with the support 115 protruding horizontally from the bottom of the rectangular through hole as shown in FIG. 4 in order to prevent the accommodated test object 10 from falling. The support 115 is arranged at four corners and respective sides or center portions thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. The length of the support 115 horizontally protruding towards the inside of the pocket 110 has to be shorter than the distance from the outer circumference of the test object to a test contact point 12. The support 115 is not limited to the structure shown in FIG. 2, and may have any alternative structure as long as it can avoid the interference with the test contact point 12 while preventing the test object 10 from falling.

The first alignment hole 112 couples with the first alignment pin 212 of the socket guide 200 so that the test object 10 and the test object tray 400 can be primarily arranged. Then, the second alignment pin 412 of the test object tray 400 couples with the second alignment hole 114 formed on the bottom of the insert 100 so that the test object 10 and the test object tray 400 can be secondarily arranged. The coupling between the second alignment pin 412 and the second alignment hole 114 causes the test object 10 to be accurately put on the test object tray 400.

FIGs. 3 and 4 illustrate an assembly of the socket guide 200, the socket 300 and the test object tray 400.

The socket guide 200 includes a through hole at the center thereof. The socket guide 200 accommodates the socket 300 in the through hole and fastens it with a fastening screw 324. Further, the socket guide 200 includes the first alignment pin 212 for aligning the probes 330 of the supported socket 300 with the test contact points 12 of the test object 10.

The first alignment pin 212 protrudes from not only the top but also the bottom of the socket guide 200 as shown in FIG. 4. The first alignment pin 212 protruding from the bottom is engaged with an alignment hole (not shown) of a test circuit board 500.

The socket 300 supports the plurality of probes 330 as shown in FIG. 5.

The probes 330 includes an upper plunger 332 partially protruding from the top of the socket 300 and contacting a test contact point 12 of the test object 10; a lower plunger 334 partially protruding from the bottom of the socket 300 and contacting a test contact pint 502, e.g. a pad of the test circuit board 500; a barrel 336 partially accommodating the upper and

lower plungers

332 and 334; and a spring (not shown) accommodated in the barrel 336 and elastically supporting at least one of the upper and

lower plungers

332 and 334. Of course, the probe 330 is not limited to the foregoing structure, and may have various structures.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lower plunger 334 includes a stepped end portion of which cross-section is decreased leaving a difference 335. Such a stepped end portion of the lower plunger 334 limits a dimension of protruding from the bottom of the socket 300 and thus prevents an end portion of the probe 330 from damage.

On the bottom of the socket 300, there are four pins 322 higher than the protruding end portions of the probe 330, i.e. the end portions of the lower plunger 334. These pins 322 may serve to protect the protruding end portion of the probe 330 when the socket 300 or the test device 1 is treated.

The test object tray 400 is arranged to float on the socket 300 by an elastic body 420 such as a spring.

The test object tray 400 includes a guide hole 416 which partially accommodates a test contact point 12 of the test object 10 on the bottom thereof, and a probe hole 415 which communicates with the guide hole 416 and in which the upper plunger 332 of the probe 330 is inserted from below.

The test object tray 400 includes a test object seating space 410 in which the test object 10 is put. At this time, the test object seating space 410 is formed to have a shape similar to the test object 10, for example, like a rectangular groove. The test object seating space 410 is formed by a bottom where the guide hole 416 is arranged, and a plurality of wall portions 417 surrounding the bottom. Two wall portions 417 are separately provided protruding from each side of the test object seating space 410, and thus there are eight wall portions 417 in total. The second alignment pins 412 are formed on the tops of four wall portions 417 of the opposite sides. Further, a groove 419 is formed between the protruding wall portions 417 so as to accommodate a lower portion of the insert 100. The groove 419 has to be lower than the bottom of the test object seating space 410 so that the test object 10 accommodated in the insert 100 can be transferred to the test object seating space 410.

Each wall portion 417 has an inclined surface 405 inclined toward the inside of the test object seating space 410. The inclined surface 405 of the wall portion 417 allows the transferred test object 10 to slide and get settled in the test object seating space 410 even though the test object 10 is not accurately put in the test object seating space 410.

Below, a test operation of the test device 1 according to an exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIGs. 5 to 7.

First, the first alignment hole 112 of the insert 100 and the first alignment pin 212 of the socket guide 200 couples with each other. In result, the bottom of the insert 100 moves toward the test object tray 400. FIGs. 5 to 7 do not illustrate the coupled state between the first alignment hole 112 and the first alignment pin 212.

Then, the second alignment pin 412 of the test object tray 400 is inserted into the second alignment hole 114 on the bottom of the insert 100. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom of the insert 100, in particular, the support 115 moves down to the groove 419 lower than the bottom of the test object tray 400 so that the test object 10 can be put on the bottom of the seating space 410 of the test object tray 400.

Next, if the test object 10 is pressed by a pusher (not shown) of a handler, the floating test object tray 400 is pressed as shown in FIG. 7 so that the end portions of the upper plunger 332 of the probe 330 can be in contact with the test contact point 12 of the test object 10, thereby performing the test.

When the test is completed, in reverse order the pusher (not shown) is lifted up and then the insert 100 is lifted up, thereby transferring the test object 10 put on the test object tray 400 again to the insert 100 by the support 115 of the insert 100.

As described above, the test device 10 according to an exemplary embodiment actually performs a test with the test object 10 put on the test object tray 400 and the probe 330 of the socket 300, and thus the reliability of the test depends on the tolerances of only the socket 300, the test object tray 400 and the test object 10. In other words, it is possible to exclude the tolerances of the insert 100 and the socket guide 200.

In the test device according to an exemplary embodiment, the test object is transferred from the insert to the test object tray during the test, and thus substantial factors for accurate alignment between the test contact point and the probe are restricted to the tolerances of only the test object tray and the socket. In result, the tolerance of the alignment between the insert and the socket guide is allowed by a wide margin, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the test device and reducing manufacturing costs thereof.

Further, it is easy to test a test object such as a semiconductor chip having a short distance between a bump and an outer edge.

In addition, the end portion of the probe protruding from the socket is effectively protected when the test device is treated.

Although a few exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing has to be considered as illustrative only. The scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. Accordingly, all suitable modification and equivalents may fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A test device for testing electric characteristics of a test object having a test contact point, the test device comprising:

an insert which accommodates the test object;

a socket which supports a plurality of probes having one end portion to be in contact with the test contact point of the test object; and

a test object tray which is arranged on the socket, seats thereon the test object transferred from the insert during a test, and comprises a probe hole on a bottom thereof corresponding to the test contact point of the test object.

2. The test device according to claim 1, wherein the test object tray floats on the socket.

3. The test device according to claim 1, wherein the insert and the test object tray comprise aligning members for alignment therebetween.

4. The test device according to claim 1, wherein the test object tray partially accommodates a bottom of the insert and comprises a groove lower than the bottom of the test object tray.

5. The test device according to claim 1, wherein the test object tray comprises an inclined wall portion that is inclined toward an inside thereof.

6. The test device according to claim 1, wherein the socket comprises a plurality of pins for protecting a probe end portion protruding from a surface facing a test contact point of a test circuit.

7. The test device according to claim 1, wherein

the probe comprises a plunger to be in contact with a test contact point of a test circuit, and

the plunger comprises a stepped portion extended in a radial direction.