Contact structure and production method thereof and probe contact assembly using same

• US 20030027423A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Inventors: Zhou, Yu, Yu, David, Aldaz, Robert Edward, Khoury, Theodore A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,576,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/689
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06711 Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06716 Elastic
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06727 Cantilever beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06733 Geometry aspects G01R1/06727 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06772 High frequency probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07307 with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07314 the body of the probe being perpendicular to test object, e.g. bed of nails or probe with bump contacts on a rigid support on an elastic support, e.g. a film, G01R1/0735
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of measuring instruments , e.g. of probe tips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4885 Wire-like parts or pins wire ball formation B23K20/00; methods related to connecting semiconductor or other solid state bodies H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05568 the whole external layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05573 Single external layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/10 Bump connectors bumps on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers, H01L23/49816; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/13 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 : Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01032 : Germanium [Ge]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01039 : Yttrium [Y]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01045 : Rhodium [Rh]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01046 : Palladium [Pd]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01056 : Barium [Ba]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 : Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15787 : Ceramics, e.g. crystalline carbides, nitrides or oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30105 : Capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/57 : surface mounting terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2407 : characterized by the resilient means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2428 : using meander springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 : for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/20 : by affixing prefabricated conductor pattern H05K1/187, H05K3/046, H05K3/4658, H05K3/4682 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4015 : using auxiliary conductive elements, e.g. pieces of metal foil, metallic spheres

Abstract

A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets. The contact structure is formed of a contact substrate and a plurality of contactors. The contactor has a contact portion which is protruded in a vertical direction to form a contact point, an intermediate portion which is inserted in a through hole provided on the contact substrate, and a base portion having a base end which functions as a contact pad and a spring portion provided between the base end and the intermediate portion for producing a resilient contact force when the contactor is pressed against the contact target.

Claims

1. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:

a contact substrate having through holes running through upper and lower surfaces; and

a plurality of contactors made of conductive material and mounted vertically on a horizontal surface of the contact substrate where each of the contactors has a substantially straight shape and is comprised of a contact portion which is protruded in a vertical direction to form a contact point, an intermediate portion which is inserted in the through hole provided on the contact substrate, and a base portion having a base end which functions as a contact pad and a spring portion provided between the base end and the intermediate portion;

wherein the spring portion has a curved, inclined, meander or zig-zag shape to exert the resilient contact force when the contactor is pressed against the contact target, and an end of the base portion is projected from the surface of the contact substrate and functions as a contact point for electrical connection with an external component, and an end of the contact portion contacts the contact target when the contact structure is pressed against the contact targets.

2. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 1, wherein the contact substrate is formed of a single or a plurality of dielectric substrates bonded to one another and the through holes on the contact substrate are created through an etching process.

3. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the contactors is provided with a flange like shape at the intermediate portion thereof to be fitted in the through holes on the contact substrate.

4. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 1, wherein the contact substrate is formed of first and second semiconductor wafers which are bonded together on which through holes are produced for mounting the contactors therethrough.

5. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 1, wherein the contact substrate is formed of three layers of semiconductor wafers which are bonded together on which through holes are produced for mounting the contactors therethrough.

6. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 1, wherein the contactors are produced on a planar surface of a flat substrate in a horizontal direction and removed from the flat substrate and mounted on the contact substrate in a vertical direction.

7. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 1, wherein the contact substrate has an engagement mechanism at outer edges thereof for connecting other contact substrates at the outer edges to create a contactor assembly of arbitrary size and number of contactors.

8. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 7, wherein the engagement mechanism includes teeth and recesses provided at outer edges of the contact substrate in such a way that the engagement teeth and recesses in one edge fit with the engagement teeth and recesses in an opposite edge of other contact substrate, thereby assembling a plurality of contact substrates to establish the contactor assembly of desired size, shape and number of contactors.

9. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 1, wherein the contact substrate is made of silicon.

10. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 1, wherein the contact substrate is made of dielectric material including polyimide, ceramic or glass.

11. A method for producing a contact structure, comprising the following steps of:

(a) forming a sacrificial layer on a surface of a silicon substrate;

(b) forming a photoresist layer on the sacrificial layer;

(c) aligning a photo mask over the photoresist layer and exposing the photoresist layer with ultraviolet light through the photo mask, the photo mask including an image of the contactors each having a spring portion between a base portion and an intermediate portion;

(d) developing patterns of the image of the contactors on a surface of the photoresist layer;

(e) forming the contactors made of conductive material in the patterns on the photoresist layer by depositing the conductive material;

(f) stripping the photoresist layer off;

(g) removing the sacrificial layer by an etching process so that the contactors are separated from the silicon substrate; and

(h) mounting the contactors on a contact substrate having through holes to receive ends of the contactors therein so that at least one end of each of the contactors functions as a contact pad for electric connection.

12. A method for producing a contact structure, comprising the following steps of:

(a) forming a sacrificial layer on a surface of a substrate;

(b) forming a photoresist layer on the sacrificial layer on the substrate;

(c) aligning a photo mask over the photoresist layer and exposing the photoresist layer with ultraviolet light through the photo mask, the photo mask including an image of the contactors each having a spring portion between a base portion and an intermediate portion;

(d) developing patterns of the image of the contactors on a surface of the photoresist layer;

(e) forming the a first layer of contactors made of electric conductive material in the patterns on the photoresist layer by an electroplating process;

(f) stripping the photoresist layer off;

(g) placing an adhesive tape on the contactors so that upper surfaces of the contactors are attached to the adhesive tape;

(h) removing the sacrificial layer by an etching process so that the contactors on the adhesive tape are separated from the silicon substrate; and

(i) mounting the contactors on a contact substrate having through holes to receive therein ends of the contactors wherein at least one end of each of the contactors function as a pad for electric connection.

13. A method for producing a contact structure, comprising the following steps of:

(a) forming an conductive substrate made of electric conductive material on a dielectric substrate;

(b) forming a photoresist layer on the conductive substrate;

(c) aligning a photo mask over the photoresist layer and exposing the photoresist layer with ultraviolet light through the photo mask, the photo mask including an image of the contactors each having a spring portion between a base portion and an intermediate portion;

(d) developing patterns of the image of the contactors on a surface of the photoresist layer;

(e) forming a first layer of contactors made of electric conductive material in the patterns on the photoresist layer by an electroplating process;

(f) stripping off the photoresist layer;

(g) placing an adhesive tape on the contactors on the conductive substrate so that upper surfaces of the contactors adhere to the adhesive tape wherein adhesive strength between the contactor and the adhesive tape is larger than that between the contactor and the conductive substrate;

(h) peeling the conductive substrate so that the contactors on the adhesive tape are separated from the conductive substrate; and

(i) mounting the contactor on a contact substrate having a through hole in such a way the an end of the contactor is projected from an opposite surface of the contact substrate.

14. A probe contact assembly for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:

a contact substrate having a plurality of contactors mounted on a surface thereof;

a probe card for mounting the contact substrate and establishing electrical communication between the contactors and electrodes provided on the probe card; and

a pin block having a plurality of contact pins to interface between the probe card and a semiconductor test system when the pin block is attached to the probe card;

wherein the contactors are mounted vertically on a horizontal surface of the contact surface where each of the contactors has a substantially straight shape and is comprised of a contact portion which is protruded in a vertical direction to form a contact point, an intermediate portion which is inserted in the through hole provided on the contact substrate, and a base portion having a base end which functions as a contact pad and a spring portion provided between the base end and the intermediate portion; and

wherein the spring portion has a curved, inclined, meander or zig-zag shape to exert the resilient contact force when the contactor is pressed against the contact target, and an end of the base portion is projected from the surface of the contact substrate and functions as a contact point for electrical connection with an external component.

15. A probe contact assembly for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 14, wherein the contact substrate is formed of a single or a plurality of semiconductor wafers bonded to one another and the through holes on the contact substrate are created through an etching process.

16. A probe contact assembly for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 14, wherein each of the contactors is provided with a flange like shape at the intermediate portion thereof to be fitted in the through holes on the contact substrate.

17. A probe contact assembly for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 14, wherein the contact substrate is formed of three layers of semiconductor wafers which are bonded together on which through holes are produced for mounting the contactors therethrough.

18. A probe contact assembly for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 14, wherein the contactors are produced on a planar surface of a flat substrate in a horizontal direction and removed from the flat substrate and mounted on the contact substrate in a vertical direction.

19. A probe contact assembly for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 14, wherein the contact substrate has an engagement mechanism at outer edges thereof for connecting other contact substrates at any desired edges to create a contactor assembly of arbitrary size.

20. A probe contact assembly for establishing electrical connection with contact targets as defined in claim 14, wherein the engagement mechanism includes teeth and recesses provided at outer edges of the contact substrate in such a way that the engagement teeth and recesses in one edge fit with the engagement teeth and recesses in an opposite edge of other contact substrate, thereby assembling a plurality of contact substrates to establish the contactor assembly of desired size, shape and number of contactors.