JPH06123746A - Probe card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a probe card wherein a plurality of probe needles which are formed easily at a narrow pitch and which can be brought surely into contact with electrodes, are provided. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of probe needles 54 which can be elastically deformed individually by forming cutouts 56 in an elastically deformable card 53 are formed to be flush with each other, and a plurality of contact makers 54A which can be brought into contact with electrodes for a semiconductor element are formed at respective tip parts of the plurality of probe needles 54. Terminals 58 are connected electrically to the plurality of respective contact makers 54A, and the terminals 58 are formed on the elastically deformable card 52 so that they can be connected electrically to a semiconductor-element inspection apparatus. Consequently, when the cutouts 56 are formed in the elastically deformable card 52, the plurality of probe needles 54 which can be elastically deformed individually can be formed in a state that they are positioned accurately to be flush with each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a probe card, and more particularly to a probe card which is attached to a semiconductor element inspection device and inspects the electrical performance of a large number of semiconductor element circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A semiconductor device is manufactured by arranging a plurality of substantially disc-shaped thin plates called wafers, which are vertically and horizontally aligned, to form a large number of identical electric device circuits. Then, in the manufactured wafer, a semiconductor device inspecting device called a wafer prober is used to judge whether each device is good or bad in order to inspect the molding quality of the device circuit before dividing the device into chips. This semiconductor device inspecting apparatus comprises a table and an element judging means, and the table mounts a wafer on which X.
Horizontal movement in the Y direction and vertical movement in the Z direction are performed. The element determination means is arranged above the table and has a probe card. A probe needle is fixed to the probe card, and the probe needle is provided at a position corresponding to each electrode pad of each element and is used as a contact needle. As a result, the element determination means sequentially inspects and determines the circuit of each element via the probe card.

A probe card is generally constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the probe card 10 has the substrate 11, and the probe needle 1 is provided on the substrate 11.
2, 12, ... Are provided. Probe needle 12,
The tip end portions of 12 ... Contact the electrode pads of the chips 18A, 18B of the wafer 16 adsorbed on the table 14, and the electrode characteristics of the elements 18A, 18B are inspected.

Next, the probe needle 12,
The case of attaching 12 ... will be described with reference to FIG. First, the rear end portion 12A of the probe needle 12 is soldered to the substrate 11 on the substrate 11. The center portion 12B of the soldered probe needle 12 is bonded to the block 11A. Next, the tip portion 12C of the probe needle 12 ... Is the electrode pad 13 of each element 18A, 18B ...
The tip portion 12C is ground or finely corrected so as to come into contact with. As a result, the probe needles 12, 1 are attached to the substrate 11.
2 ... is attached.

[0005]

On the other hand, since a complicated electric circuit has been housed in one chip in recent years, the number of electrode pads in one chip is increasing. Therefore, the pitch between the electrode pads becomes narrower and the electrode pads become smaller. In order to inspect the electrode characteristics of the plurality of electrode pads arranged in this way, a large number of probe needles 12, 12 are used.
It is necessary to fix ... with a narrow pitch. However,
The above-mentioned method has a problem that it is difficult to attach a large number of probe needles 12, 12 ... With a narrow pitch.

There is a type of probe card shown in FIG. 6, and this type of probe card 20 is also commonly used. The probe card 20 is a moving body 22.
The probe needles 24, 24 ... Are attached to the lower end of the moving body 22. The moving body 22 is arranged in the opening 24A of the substrate 24 and is placed on the flexible resin film 26. The flexible resin film 26 is attached to the bottom surface of the substrate 24. Further, leaf springs 28, 28 ... Are attached to the surface of the substrate 24, and the leaf springs 28, 28 ... Press the upper end portion of the moving body 22. As a result, the moving body 22 is held in a state of being positioned at the position where the flexible resin film 26 is stretched.

Further, in the case of the probe card 20, a large number of probe needles 24, 24 ... Can be attached at a narrow pitch. However, since the probe needles 24, 24, ... Are integrally attached to the moving body 22, the moving body 22 is inspected when the electrode characteristics of the electrode pad are inspected.
When the needle tilts, the probe needles 24, 2
4 ... Everything tilts. Therefore, in this case, there is a problem that there is the probe needle 24 that does not contact the electrode pad.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to easily attach a large number of probe needles at a narrow pitch, and moreover, it is possible to reliably contact all the probe needles with each electrode pad. An object is to provide a probe card that can be used.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention, in a state of being attached to a semiconductor element inspection apparatus, abuts a probe needle on an electrode of a semiconductor element formed on a wafer to make electrode characteristics. In the probe card for inspecting, elastically deformable card in which a plurality of individually elastically deformable probe needles are formed in a plane and are provided with a tip end portion of each of the plurality of probe needles, A plurality of contacts capable of contacting the electrodes of the semiconductor element, and a plurality of contacts electrically connected to each of the plurality of contacts and formed on the card so as to be electrically connectable to the semiconductor element inspection apparatus. And a terminal.

[0010]

According to the present invention, a plurality of individually elastically deformable probe needles are formed flush with each other by making a cut in an elastically deformable card, and a semiconductor element is provided at each tip of each of the plurality of probe needles. A plurality of contacts capable of contacting the electrodes were provided. In addition, a terminal is electrically connected to each of the plurality of contacts, and the terminal is formed on an elastically deformable card so that it can be electrically connected to the semiconductor element inspection apparatus.

Therefore, it is possible to form a plurality of individually elastically deformable probe needles accurately positioned flush with each other simply by making a cut in the elastically deformable card.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A probe card according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a probe card according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of a main part thereof. The probe card 50 has a disk-shaped card plate 52 made of an elastic material such as synthetic resin or metal, and has a probe needle 54 at the center of the card plate 52.
54 ... are formed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the probe needle 54 is formed by making a notch 56 in the card plate 52 along the outer diameter of the probe needle 54. That is, by making a notch 56 along the outer diameter of the probe needle 54 in the card plate 52, the probe needle 5
4 is separated from the card plate 52. The cut 56 is processed by a mask + etching process or a press. In this case, the base end of the probe needle 54 is connected to the card plate 52. Thereby, the probe needle 54,
54 ... are formed so as to be flush with the card plate 52, and each can have a spring characteristic such that it can be elastically deformed independently.

As described above, the probe needle 54 is formed flush with the card plate 52 only by making the notch 56 in the card plate 52. Therefore, a large number of probe needles 5
Also in the case of forming 4, 54, ..., It is possible to easily form a large number of probe needles 54, 54, ... While accurately positioned at desired positions. Further, a contactor 54A is arranged at the tip of the probe needle 54,
A printed wiring 56B is connected to the contactor 54A. The printed wiring 56B is printed on the probe needle 54 and the card plate 52 and is connected to the terminal 58. The terminals 58, 58 ... Are printed along the peripheral edge of the card plate 52.

The width W of the probe needle 54 is generally set to about 100 μmm, but it is also possible to set it to a dimension other than 100 μmm. The operation of the probe card according to the present invention configured as described above will be described. First, the probe card 50 is attached to the semiconductor element inspection apparatus, and the wafer having a large number of electric element circuits formed on each of the plurality of elements is adsorbed on the adsorption table of the semiconductor element inspection apparatus. Next, the contactors 54A, 54A, ... Are brought into contact with the electrode pads 60 (see FIG. 3) provided on each element of the wafer, and the quality of the electric circuit of each element is inspected and determined.

In this case, the probe needles 54 are formed flush with the card plate 52 only by making the notches 56 in the card plate 52, so that the probe needles 54, 54 ... Are accurately positioned at desired positions. Therefore, the contacts 54A, 54A, ... Are accurately brought into contact with the electrode pads 60 provided on the respective elements of the wafer. Further, in the case of inspecting and judging the quality of the electric circuit of each element, even if an overload acts on the contactors 54A, 54A, ... As shown in FIG. 3, each contactor 54A is elastic. Deform. Furthermore, due to the unevenness of the element surface, some of the contacts 54
Even if A is overloaded, only some of the contacts 54A are elastically deformed. Therefore, the other contacts 54A, 54A ...
Can be kept in contact with the respective electrode pads 60, 60 ... Provided on the element.

[0017]

As described above, according to the probe card of the present invention, a plurality of individually elastically deformable probe needles are formed flush with each other by making cuts in the elastically deformable card. A plurality of contacts capable of contacting the electrodes of the semiconductor element were provided at the respective tips of the probe needles. In addition, a terminal is electrically connected to each of the plurality of contacts, and the terminal is formed on an elastically deformable card so that it can be electrically connected to the semiconductor element inspection apparatus.

Therefore, it is possible to form a plurality of elastically deformable probe needles accurately positioned flush with each other simply by making a cut in the elastically deformable card. Thereby, the plurality of probe needles can be easily formed with a narrow pitch, and the plurality of probe needles can be surely brought into contact with the respective electrodes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a probe card according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of a probe card according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional probe card.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a conventional probe card.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of a conventional probe card.

[Explanation of symbols]

 16 ... Wafer 18A, 18B ... Element 50 ... Probe card 52 ... Card 54 ... Probe needle 54A ... Contact 56 ... Notch 58 ... Terminal

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A probe card in which a probe needle is brought into contact with an electrode of a semiconductor element formed on a wafer to inspect the electrode characteristics in a state where the probe card is attached to a semiconductor element inspection apparatus. An elastically deformable card in which a plurality of possible probe needles are formed flush with each other, and a plurality of contactors provided at respective tip portions of the plurality of probe needles and capable of contacting the electrodes of the semiconductor element, A probe card, comprising: a plurality of terminals that are electrically connected to each of a plurality of contacts and that are formed on the card and that can be electrically connected to the semiconductor device inspection apparatus.