Electricity: measuring and testing – Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components – Of individual circuit component or element
Patent
1994-07-18
1996-09-24
Wieder, Kenneth A.
Electricity: measuring and testing
Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components
Of individual circuit component or element
324754, 324758, 29832, G01R 3102
Patent
active
055594468
ABSTRACT:
A probing device for inspecting semiconductor devices such as IC chips includes a mounting section for supporting a silicon substrate wafer (i.e., an object to be inspected), a moving section for moving a probe card in such a way that contacts formed on a surface of the probe card can be pushed against electrode pads formed on the wafer, and a measuring section. The probe card is formed by joining a silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) thin film (whose thermal expansion coefficient is roughly equal to that of the silicon wafer) to a lower surface of a wiring substrate. The wiring substrate is composed of a polyamide thin film (as an insulating layer) and conductive layers (as conductive signal line paths) formed in and on both the surfaces of the polyamide thin film. Further, bumps (contacts) are arranged on the lower surface of the silicon nitride thin film. A plurality of through holes are formed penetrating from the upper surface of the wiring substrate to the lower surface of the silicon nitride film at an area outside the bump arrangement region. These through holes mechanically connect the silicon nitride thin film to the wiring substrate and further electrically connect the bumps to the circumferential portion of the probe card body via the conductive layers. Since the thermal expansion coefficient of the silicon wafer is roughly equal to that of the silicon nitride thin film of the probe card, even when the silicon wafer is heated or cooled for electrical measurements, it is possible to securely keep contact between the contacts (bumps) of the probe card and the electrode pads formed on the IC chips of the wafer without dislocation.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4518914 (1985-05-01), Ohkubo et al.
patent: 4567433 (1986-01-01), Ohkubo et al.
patent: 5103557 (1992-04-01), Leedy
patent: 5177439 (1993-01-01), Liu et al.
patent: 5225037 (1993-07-01), Elder et al.
patent: 5325052 (1994-06-01), Yamashita
Khosravi Kourosh Cyrus
Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha
Tokyo Electron Yamanashi Kabushiki Kaisha
Wieder Kenneth A.
LandOfFree
Probing method and device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Probing method and device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Probing method and device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1931310