JP2006038457A - Film probe manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a film probe manufacturing method suitable for inspecting semiconductors and display devices especially of an fine pitch. <P>SOLUTION: In a layered product, both a supporting substrate in which a supporting substrate plating layer is formed in the surface and an insulating resin layer having an electrically conductive metal layer on one surface are layered in such a way that the supporting substrate plating layer may be on the inside-layer side and that the electrically conductive metal layer may be on the surface-layer side. Electrode bodies are formed by plating in metal layer openings and openings for electrode body formation provided for the electrically conductive metal layer and the insulating resin layer of the layered product. After removing the supporting substrate and then the supporting substrate plating layer from the layered product, the insulating resin layer is half-etched to protrude parts of the electrode bodies to the surface of the insulating resin layer to be contacts in the film probe manufacturing method. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a film probe suitable for use in inspection of a semiconductor having a narrow pitch terminal, a display device or the like.

  As is well known in the art, a needle type probe or an L-shaped pin type probe is used as a means for conducting a semiconductor or the like (inspected object side) and the inspection apparatus side when inspecting a semiconductor or the like. These probes must assemble needles or pins with high accuracy, and require a high degree of skill and a great number of work steps. For this reason, when the terminal pitch of the object to be inspected is a narrow pitch of about 100 μm or less, or when the number of terminals to be inspected is large, such as several hundred or more, it becomes very expensive, and furthermore, several tens of μm. The following narrow pitches have the disadvantage that they are very difficult to manufacture.

  Therefore, instead of them, what is generally called a film probe in which a contact is provided on a flexible insulating resin layer has already been proposed, and an example of a method for manufacturing such a film probe is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. Are listed. In this known manufacturing method, a flexible insulating resin layer having a conductive metal layer laminated on one surface is prepared, and the conductive metal layer is patterned into a wiring circuit and / or a land.

  Next, a protective insulating resin layer is laminated at a necessary portion of the insulating resin layer, the wiring circuit and / or the land, and then an opening is formed in the protective insulating resin layer, and then the wiring circuit is used as a cathode in the opening. Then, the conductive metal is formed by plating, and the conductive metal thus formed reaches one surface of the protective insulating resin layer and isotropically spreads to form a hemispherical contact.

  Instead of providing an opening in the protective insulating layer, an opening can be provided in the insulating resin layer, and a conductive metal can be plated and grown in the opening to form a contact on the surface of the insulating resin layer. However, according to this method, a photolithography technique or a laser processing technique can be used, and even if the contact pitch is as narrow as 100 μm or less, the number of contacts exceeds several hundreds or thousands. Can also be manufactured easily.

  However, the film probe manufactured by this method is not suitable for the insulating resin layer and the protective layer depending on the temperature and the degree of moisture absorption during the process of forming the contactor and the wiring circuit on the insulating resin layer and the protective insulating resin layer by plating and / or etching. Since the insulating resin layer itself repeatedly expands and contracts, there is a drawback that the position of the formed contactor, wiring circuit, etc. is shifted by about ± 0.05% with respect to the glass mask used or that during laser processing.

  In this manufacturing method, since the height of the contact depends on the plating growth speed, it is necessary to control the speed constantly. However, in practice, the plating is caused by uneven current density depending on the location in the plating tank. There is also a disadvantage that unevenness of the contact is likely to occur because unevenness in speed is inevitable.

  As another method of manufacturing a film probe, an insulating resin layer is laminated on a base substrate, an opening is formed in the insulating resin layer, a conductor electrode (contact) is formed in the opening, and the conductor Forming a second insulating resin layer on the electrode and the insulating resin layer; forming a conductive thin film layer on the second insulating resin layer; forming a second opening in a wiring pattern on the conductive thin film layer; A wiring circuit is formed in the second opening, a third insulating resin layer is formed on the wiring circuit and the second insulating resin layer, and then the base substrate, the insulating resin layer, and the conductive thin film layer are not required. There has been proposed a method of obtaining a film probe by removing a portion (see Patent Document 2).

  According to this manufacturing method, it is possible to obtain a film probe having a conductor electrode (contactor) with high positional accuracy and small height unevenness. However, the film probe according to this manufacturing method is configured such that the conductor electrode (contactor) and the wiring circuit are gripped on the surface of the insulating resin layer and the bottom surface and the side surface embedded in the insulating resin layer. Since the gripping area is small and the gripping force is small, the conductor electrode (contactor) and the wiring circuit are connected by the pressing force when the inspection is repeated and the peeling force by wiping for cleaning. There was a drawback that it was easily damaged and lifted.

  In the manufacturing process, when the base substrate and the insulating resin layer are peeled off, it is necessary to peel off the insulating resin layer with a sufficiently small force that hardly causes deformation of the insulating resin layer. It is important to form a layer with a suitable adhesive strength, but in practice it is difficult to control the adhesive strength to a suitable size. If it is too large, the base substrate and the insulating resin layer are peeled off. When the insulating resin layer is deformed, as a result, the position accuracy of the conductor electrode (contactor) is deteriorated, or conversely, if it is too small, the base substrate and the insulating resin layer are peeled off during the manufacturing process. There was a drawback that it might cause.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-240443 (see paragraphs 0034 to 0040) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-98250 (refer to paragraphs 0007 to 0016)

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-described drawbacks, and its object is to provide a method for manufacturing a film probe suitable for use in inspection of a semiconductor or display device having a large number of terminals at a narrow pitch. Is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the film probe manufacturing method of the present invention comprises: a support substrate having a support substrate plating layer formed on a surface; and an insulating resin layer having a conductive metal layer on one surface. In the laminated body laminated on the inner layer side so that the conductive metal layer is on the surface layer side, the metal layer opening provided in the conductive metal layer and the insulating resin layer and the opening for forming the electrode body Then, the support substrate and then the support substrate plating layer are removed from the laminate, and then the insulating resin layer is half-etched to form the electrode on the surface of the insulating resin layer. A feature is that a part of the electrode body protrudes to form a contact.

  Since the film probe obtained by the method of the present invention makes good use of a support substrate that has substantially no dimensional change due to temperature and the degree of moisture absorption, the contact is formed by electrolytic plating or the like. In addition, it is possible to further increase the dimensional accuracy such as the pitch between the contacts, and the height of the contacts is regulated by the thickness of the insulating resin layer, so that the unevenness of the height of the contacts can be reduced. .

  In the production method of the present invention, when removing the support substrate and the support substrate plating layer from the laminate, first, the support substrate and the support substrate plating layer are peeled off, and then the support substrate plating layer is removed by an etching process. For this reason, for example, a stainless steel plate whose surface is mirror-finished by buffing or the like, a stainless steel plate whose surface is chromic acid-treated, or the like is used as a support substrate, or a plating release agent is used, so that excessive force is applied to the insulating resin layer, etc. It can peel between a support substrate and a support substrate plating layer, without applying.

  According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, even with a narrow pitch, the contact pitch accuracy and height accuracy are high, the pressing force by repeating the inspection, the peeling force by blowing for cleaning, etc. This makes it possible to easily manufacture a film probe that is less likely to cause damage or peeling to the contactor, electrode pad, or wiring circuit.

  An example of the manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the support substrate plating layer 31 is the inner layer of the conductive support substrate 11 provided with the support substrate plating layer 31 on the surface of the support substrate 3 and the circuit substrate 12 provided with the conductive metal layer 2 on the surface of the insulating resin layer 1. On the side, the conductive metal layer 2 is laminated so as to be on the outer layer side, and then the electrode forming opening 42 and the metal layer opening 21 that are continuous with each other at predetermined positions of the insulating resin layer 1 and the conductive metal layer 2. Is provided to prepare the laminate 10 (see FIG. 1A).

  As the insulating resin layer 1, a polyimide resin or a liquid crystal polyester resin is preferably used in consideration of electrical, thermal, mechanical characteristics, and the conductive metal layer 2 is preferably copper. Other materials may be used for each.

  As a method of providing the conductive metal layer 2 on the surface of the insulating resin layer 1, a method of casting and molding the insulating resin layer on the conductive metal foil, sputtering treatment, vapor deposition treatment, electroless plating treatment on the surface of the insulating resin layer For example, a method of forming a conductive metal layer after forming a metal seed layer by a method or a method of laminating an insulating resin layer and a conductive metal layer via an adhesive layer can be used.

  The thickness of the insulating resin layer 1 corresponds to the height of the electrode body 41 to be formed later in the electrode body forming aperture 42, and a range of approximately 12 to 150 μm is preferably used. In addition, the conductive metal layer 2 is etched later, and a part thereof becomes the electrode pad lower layer 51 and the wiring circuit lower layer 61, and the thickness is preferably 1 to 10 μm, but each is necessarily limited to this range. Is not to be done.

  On the other hand, a metal plate made of stainless steel, copper, aluminum, iron, or the like is preferably used as the support substrate 3, but a metal thin film is formed on the surface of ceramic, glass or the like by sputtering, vapor deposition, or the like to provide conductivity. It may be. A support substrate plating layer 31 is formed on the surface of the support substrate 3 by nickel plating using a nickel sulfamate bath, copper plating using a copper sulfate plating bath, or the like. The thickness of the support substrate plating layer 31 is approximately 1 μm to 10 μm, but is not necessarily limited to this range.

  As a method of laminating the insulating resin layer 1 in which the conductive metal layer 2 is laminated on one surface on the surface of the support substrate plating layer 31, a thermoplastic resin such as a liquid crystal polyester resin or a thermoplastic polyimide resin is used as the insulating resin layer 1. When using, it can laminate | stack by thermocompression bonding. When a non-thermoplastic resin such as a thermosetting polyimide resin is used as the insulating resin layer 1, the insulating resin layer 1 can be laminated by thermocompression bonding via an adhesive layer 9 such as a polyimide resin system or an epoxy resin system. (See FIG. 5).

  An example of a method of providing the electrode forming opening 42 and the metal layer opening 21 in the insulating resin layer 1 and the conductive metal layer 2 of the laminate 10 will be described with reference to FIG. First, a dry film resist is laminated on the surface of the conductive metal layer 2 of the laminate 10 obtained by the above-described method, exposed through a mask having a predetermined pattern, and developed to have an opening 71 at a predetermined position. A resist film 70 is formed (see FIG. 2A). Subsequently, a metal layer opening 21 is provided in the conductive metal layer 2 by etching the conductive metal layer 2 (see FIG. 2B). As the etching solution, when the conductive metal layer 2 is copper, an aqueous solution of ferric chloride or ammonia can be used. A liquid resist may be used in place of the dry film resist.

  Next, after removing the resist film 70, the blind via hole reaching the surface of the support substrate plating layer 31 by etching the insulating resin layer 1 using the conductive metal layer 2 provided with the metal layer opening 21 as a mask. An electrode-forming opening 42 is formed (see FIG. 2C). As the etching solution, when the insulating resin layer 1 is a polyimide resin or a liquid crystal polyester resin, an aqueous solution containing an alkali metal and an aliphatic amino alcohol derivative such as ethanoldiamine can be suitably used.

  In the case where the adhesive layer 9 is interposed between the support substrate plating layer 31 and the insulating resin layer 1, an opening is provided in the insulating resin layer 1 by the above-described etching process, and further, with respect to the adhesive layer 9. An electrode forming opening 42 reaching the surface of the support substrate plating layer 31 is formed by etching using a second etching solution having etching activity. When the adhesive layer 9 is a polyimide-based adhesive, an aqueous solution containing an aliphatic amino alcohol derivative and ammonium hydroxide can be suitably used as the second etching solution.

  Further, instead of the etching process described above, the conductive metal layer 2 having the metal layer opening 21 is used to irradiate laser light such as excimer laser or UV laser to form electrodes on the insulating resin layer 1 and the adhesive layer 9. An open hole 42 can also be provided. Further, it is also possible to form an opening directly in the conductive metal layer 2 and the insulating resin layer 1 by irradiating laser light.

  In addition, if resin or the like remains on the surface of the support substrate plating layer 31 in the electrode formation opening 42, when forming four electrode bodies in the electrode formation opening 42 later, plating of a cavity or the like is performed. In order to cause formation failure, the electrode forming apertures 42 are provided in the insulating resin layer 1 by etching treatment, and then laser beam is irradiated to remove residues such as residual resin on the surface of the support substrate plating layer 31. Is effective.

  Next, a dry film resist is laminated on the surface of the conductive metal layer 2 of the laminate 10 prepared by the above-described method, exposed through a mask having a predetermined pattern, developed, and opened for electrode formation. 42 and an electrode pad upper layer forming hole 53 continuous with the metal layer hole 21 and a wiring circuit upper layer forming hole 63 continuous therewith are formed (see FIG. 2B).

  Next, electrolytic plating is performed in a plating bath using the conductive support substrate 11 as a cathode. First, an electrode body 41 is formed by plating from the surface of the support substrate plating layer 31 into the electrode body forming opening 42. When the electrode body 41 reaches the conductive metal layer 2, the conductive metal layer 2 is conducted to the cathode, The electrode body 41, the electrode pad upper layer 52, and the wiring circuit upper layer 62 are formed in the metal layer opening 21, the pad upper layer forming hole 53, and the wiring circuit upper layer forming hole 63, respectively (FIG. 1C). reference). As the electrolytic plating method, nickel plating using a nickel sulfamate plating bath, copper plating using a copper sulfate plating bath, or the like is preferably used.

  When the electrode body 41 is plated in the electrode body forming hole 42, when both the support substrate plating layer 31 and the conductive metal layer 2 are used as cathodes and are energized, the electrode body forming hole 42 and the metal layer are formed. Since the opening 21 is plated from both directions of the support substrate plating layer 31 and the conductive metal layer 2, voids are easily formed in the electrode body 41, and an excessively thick electrode is formed on the surface of the conductive metal layer 2. Since the pad upper layer 52 and the wiring circuit upper layer 62 are formed, it is not preferable.

  Next, after removing the resist layer 80 with an alkaline aqueous solution such as an aqueous solution of caustic soda, unnecessary portions of the conductive metal layer 2 are removed by etching using the electrode pad upper layer 52 and the wiring circuit upper layer 62 as a mask. An electrode pad 5 and a wiring circuit 6 are formed on 1 (see FIG. 1D).

  In order to perform such an etching process suitably, it is preferable to select a material different from the material of the conductive metal layer 2 as a plating material for forming the electrode body 41, the electrode pad upper layer 52, and the wiring circuit upper layer 62. When the conductive metal layer 2 is made of copper or a copper alloy and the electrode pad upper layer 52 and the wiring circuit upper layer 62 to be plated are made of nickel or a nickel alloy, an aqueous ammonia solution can be preferably used. When the thickness of the layer 2 is sufficiently smaller than the thicknesses of the electrode pad upper layer 52 and the wiring circuit upper layer 62, an aqueous solution of cupric chloride or ferric chloride can be used. The material of the electrode body 41 and the like is not necessarily limited to one type, and may be formed by stacking two or more types of materials.

  Next, the support substrate 3 is peeled off and removed from the support substrate plating layer 31 (see FIG. 1E), and then the support substrate plating layer 31 is removed by etching (see FIG. 1F). ). As the etching solution, the support substrate plating layer 31 has an etching activity, and the electrode body 41 has a little or no etching activity, and the etching solution can be particularly preferably used. In the case of copper or a copper alloy and the electrode body 41 is made of nickel or a nickel alloy, an aqueous ammonia solution can be suitably used.

  Next, the insulating resin layer 1 is half-etched with an etching solution, and a part of the electrode body 41 protrudes on the surface of the insulating resin layer 1 to form the contact 4 (see FIG. 1G). As the etching solution, when the material of the insulating resin layer 1 is polyimide resin or liquid crystal polyester, an aqueous solution containing the above-described alkali metal and an aliphatic amino alcohol derivative such as ethanoldiamine is preferably used.

  The height of the contact 4 protruding on the surface of the flexible insulating resin layer 1 is the presence or absence of the protective layer around the electrode to be inspected, the thickness of the protective layer if a protective layer is formed, etc. It is preferably used in the range of about 2 μm to 50 μm although it varies depending on the case.

  In the film probe, in order to prevent the contact 4 or the like from being damaged or peeled off due to a pressing force repeatedly applied to establish electrical connection with the electrode to be inspected, dust is generated between the electrode pad 5 and the wiring circuit 6. It is effective to provide a protective insulating layer 8 on the insulating resin layer 1 so as to cover the electrode pads 5 and the wiring circuit 6 (see FIG. 4).

  In such a case, after the step shown in FIG. 1 (d), a step of laminating the insulating protective layer 8 on the insulating resin layer 1, the electrode pad 5 and the wiring circuit 6 is added (see FIG. 3). The film probe can be manufactured by sequentially removing the support substrate 3 and the conductive plating layer 31 in the same manner as described above, and then half-etching the insulating resin layer 1 to form the contact 4. I can do it.

  As the insulating protective layer 8, polyimide resin, liquid crystal polyester resin, fiber reinforced epoxy resin, or the like can be suitably used. When the insulating protective layer 8 is a liquid crystal polyester resin, a thermoplastic polyimide resin, a fiber reinforced epoxy resin, etc., it can be laminated and laminated by thermocompression bonding. In the case of a thermosetting polyimide resin, the insulating protective layer 8 is interposed via an adhesive layer. Can be laminated by thermocompression bonding. The thickness of the protective layer is preferably in the range of 5 μm to 100 μm, but is not necessarily limited to this range.

  Although the wiring probe 6 is provided in the film probe by the manufacturing method described above, the manufacturing method according to the present invention can also manufacture a film probe not provided with such a wiring circuit. That is, the film probe provided with the contact terminal 4 protruding from the surface of the insulating resin layer 1 and the electrode pad 5 for conducting connection with the inspection apparatus can also be manufactured by the above-described manufacturing method.

  In addition, when performing the above-described electrolytic plating or etching, it is possible to prevent plating deposition or etching from being performed on unnecessary portions by appropriately performing a masking process using a masking tape or the like.

  A 0.2 mm-thick stainless steel support substrate whose surface was mirror-buffed was subjected to copper plating in a copper sulfate plating bath to form a support substrate plating layer having a thickness of approximately 5 μm. Next, a polyimide resin adhesive “UPA-8517C” manufactured by Ube Industries, Ltd. is applied to the surface of the support substrate plating layer with a bar coater and dried with hot air to form an adhesive layer having a thickness of about 5 μm. An insulating resin layer in which a copper layer having a thickness of 4 μm is formed on one side of a polyimide film “Kapton” made by Toray DuPont with a thickness of 25 μm by electroplating through a thin metal sputtering layer so that the copper layer becomes the surface. Lamination was performed by thermocompression bonding under conditions of a pressure of 2 MPa and a maximum temperature of 180 ° C. to obtain a laminate.

  A dry film resist “NIT2025” (thickness 25 μm) manufactured by Nichigo-Morton is laminated on the surface of the copper layer of the laminate by thermocompression bonding through a glass mask having a pattern with a pitch of 90 μm and a diameter of φ50 μm. Then, exposure and development were performed to form a resist film having openings with a pitch of 90 μm and a diameter of φ50 μm. Next, etching was performed in a ferric chloride aqueous solution to form copper layer openings having a pitch of 90 μm and a diameter of 50 μm in the copper layer, and the resist film was stripped and removed with an alkaline aqueous solution.

  Next, using the copper layer in which the copper layer opening is formed as a mask, a “Kapton” layer is formed with a polyimide etching solution “TPE-3000” manufactured by Toray Engineering Co., Ltd., and then an adhesive layer is formed with the same “TPE-ER10”. Was etched to form a blind via-hole-shaped opening for electrode body formation having a diameter of about 20 μm that continued to the copper layer opening and reached the surface of the support substrate plating layer.

  Next, the “NIT2025” is thermocompression-bonded on the copper layer in which the copper layer openings are formed, exposed through a glass mask, developed, and a pitch concentric with the copper layer openings is 90 μm. Then, a resist film having electrode pad forming openings having a diameter of 55 μm and a wiring circuit lower layer forming opening having a pitch of 90 μm and a width of 25 μm was formed.

  Next, electrolytic plating is performed in a nickel sulfamate plating bath using the support substrate as a cathode to form electrode bodies in the electrode body formation holes and in the copper layer openings, and subsequently for electrode pad upper layer formation. An electrode pad upper layer and a wiring circuit upper layer having a thickness of about 4 μm were formed on the surface of the copper layer in the opening and in the wiring circuit upper layer forming opening, respectively. Thereafter, the resist film was peeled off with an alkaline aqueous solution. Subsequently, the copper layer having the electrode pad upper layer and the wiring circuit upper layer plated thereon was etched in an aqueous ammonia solution to form the electrode pad and the wiring circuit on the surface of the insulating resin layer.

  Subsequently, a polyimide resin adhesive “UPA-8517C” manufactured by Ube Industries, Ltd. was applied to the surface of the insulating resin layer on which the electrode pads and the wiring circuit were formed, and dried to form an adhesive layer having a thickness of 5 μm. A polyimide resin film “Kapton” made by Toray DuPont with a thickness of 5 μm on which one side of the adhesive layer is formed is laminated with each adhesive layer, and the pressure is 2 MPa and the temperature is 180 ° C. From the insulating resin layer, the adhesive layer, and the protective insulating layer on which the electrode substrate and the wiring circuit are formed on the surface of the supporting substrate, the supporting substrate plating layer, the adhesive layer, and the electrode pad and the wiring circuit on the surface. The resulting laminate was obtained.

  Subsequently, the support substrate was separated from the support substrate plating layer from the laminate, and further, the support substrate plating layer was removed by etching in an aqueous ammonia solution. Subsequently, the adhesive layer is removed by etching with the “TPE-ER10”, and then the insulating resin layer is half-etched by about 12 μm with the “TPE3000” to project the electrode body on the surface of the insulating resin layer. A probe was obtained. In addition, each process of said plating and an etching was performed by performing the masking process by a masking tape as needed.

  After the film probe was aged for 24 hours at a temperature of 20 ° C. and a humidity of 60%, the cumulative pitch between 200 contacts with a pitch of 90 μm was measured. As a result, the cumulative pitch of the glass mask was 17,910 μm. 17913 μm, the difference from the glass mask was + 0.017%, and good results were obtained. In addition, in the case of plating and etching, it masked with the masking tape as needed and processed with respect to the surface which does not perform them.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating the manufacturing method which concerns on this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating an example of the method of preparing the laminated body used in the manufacturing method which concerns on this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating the other embodiment of the manufacturing method which concerns on this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating the film probe obtained by the other embodiment of the manufacturing method which concerns on this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view for demonstrating the other embodiment of the manufacturing method which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insulating resin layer 10 Laminated body 11 Conductive support base material 12 Circuit base material 2 Conductive metal layer 21 Metal layer opening 3 Support substrate 31 Support substrate plating layer 4 Contact 41 Electrode body 42 Opening hole for electrode body formation 5 Electrode Pad 51 Electrode pad lower layer 52 Electrode pad upper layer 53 Electrode pad upper layer forming aperture 6 Wiring circuit 61 Wiring circuit lower layer 62 Wiring circuit upper layer 63 Wiring circuit upper layer forming aperture 8 Protective insulating layer 9 Adhesive layer

Claims (2)

In a method of manufacturing a film probe in which a contact protrudes from the surface of an insulating resin layer, a support substrate having a support plate plating layer formed on the surface and an insulating resin layer having a conductive metal layer on one surface are provided. For the formation of a metal layer opening and an electrode body provided in the conductive metal layer and the insulating resin layer of the laminate laminated such that the plating layer is on the inner layer side and the conductive metal layer is on the surface layer side An electrode body is formed by plating in the opening, and then the support substrate plating layer is removed from the laminate, leaving the support substrate plating layer, and subsequently removing the support substrate plating layer, and then the insulating resin layer A method of manufacturing a film probe, comprising: half-etching a portion of the electrode body to protrude from the surface of the insulating resin layer to form a contact. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein a material of the support plate plating layer is copper or a copper alloy.

Images