Probe Card Manufacturing Method Including Sensing Probe And The Probe Card, Probe Card Inspection System

• US 20080186041A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phicom Corporation
• Original Assignee: Phicom Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Han-Moo
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/762
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06727 Cantilever beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06738 related to tip portion
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07342 the body of the probe being at an angle other than perpendicular to test object, e.g. probe card
• 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: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

There is provided a method of manufacturing a probe card. A first passivation pattern for implementing a tip portion of an electrical inspection probe and a tip portion of a planarity sensing probe on a sacrificial substrate is formed, and an etching process using the first passivation pattern as an etch mask is performed to form a first trench in the sacrificial substrate. The first passivation pattern is removed, and a second passivation pattern having bar-type first openings exposing the first trench is formed. A conductive material is provided in the openings to form beam portions connected respectively to the tip portions of the inspection and sensing probes, thereby forming the inspection probe and the sensing probe. The beam portions of the inspection and sensing probes are bonded to a multi-layer circuit board. The sacrificial substrate is removed to expose the inspection probe and the sensing probe.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a probe card, the method comprising:

forming a first passivation pattern for implementing a tip portion of an electrical inspection probe and a tip portion of a planarity sensing probe on a sacrificial substrate, and performing an etching process using the first passivation pattern as an etch mask to form a first trench in the sacrificial substrate;

removing the first passivation pattern, and forming a second passivation pattern having bar-type first openings exposing the first trench;

providing a conductive material in the first openings to form beam portions connected respectively to the tip portions of the inspection and sensing probes, thereby forming the inspection probe and the sensing probe;

bonding the beam portions of the inspection and sensing probes to a multi-layer circuit board; and

removing the sacrificial substrate to expose the inspection probe and the sensing probe.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first passivation pattern is formed such that a longitudinal edge of the first openings is aligned with one side of the first trench.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, after the forming of the inspection and sensing probes:

forming a third passivation pattern having a second opening exposing the beam portion of the sensing probe formed on the tip portion thereof;

providing a conductive material in the second opening to form a signal projecting portion on the tip portion of the sensing probe; and

removing the third passivation pattern.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, after the forming of the second passivation pattern, etching the sacrificial substrate using the second passivation pattern as an etch mask, thereby forming a second trench.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second passivation pattern is formed such that a longitudinal edge of the first opening is aligned with one side of the first trench in a region where the inspection probe is to be formed and the first trench in a region where the sensing probe is to be formed is disposed at the center portion of the first opening.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, after the forming of the second passivation pattern, etching the sacrificial substrate using the second passivation pattern as an etch mask, thereby forming a second trench.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preparing the multi-layer circuit board;

forming a (1-a)th passivation pattern for implementing a plurality of bumps on the multi-layer circuit board;

depositing a conductive material in the (1-a)th passivation pattern to form the bumps;

sequentially forming one or more (1-b)th passivation patterns for selectively exposing the bumps; and

depositing a conductive material in the (1-b)th passivation pattern to separately adjust the heights of the bumps.

7. The method of clam 1, further comprising:

forming a third passivation pattern having a third opening exposing the beam portion of the sensing probe; and

providing a conductive material in the third opening to form the beam portion of the sensing probe thicker than the bema portion of the inspection probe.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the inspection probe and the sensing probe are bonded to a multi-layer circuit board by bumps formed on the multi-layer circuit board, and the bump corresponding to the inspection probe is formed thicker than the bump corresponding to the sensing probe.

10. A method of manufacturing a probe card, the method comprising:

preparing an inspection probe for electrical inspection and a sensing probe for sensing planarity, each of the inspection and sensing probes having a bar-type beam portion and a tip portion connected to one end of the beam portion; and

bonding the beam portions of the inspection and sensing probes to a multi-layer circuit board,

wherein the inspection probe and the sensing probe are bonded to the multi-layer circuit board by bumps formed on the multi-layer circuit board, and the bump corresponding to the inspection probe is formed thicker than the bump corresponding to the sensing probe.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensing probe is bonded to the multi-layer circuit board using a laser.

12. A method of manufacturing a probe card, the method comprising:

forming an inspection probe for electrical inspection and a sensing probe for sensing planarity on a sacrificial substrate, each of the inspection and sensing probes having a bar-type beam portion and a tip portion attached to the beam portion;

preparing a multi-layer circuit board;

forming a signal projecting portion on the multi-layer circuit board at a position corresponding to the tip portion of the sensing probe;

bonding the beam portions of the inspection and sensing probes through bumps on the multi-layer circuit board, the bump being higher than the signal projecting portion; and

removing the sacrificial substrate to expose the inspection probe and the sensing probe.

13. A probe card comprising:

a multi-layer circuit board having one or more bumps receiving external electrical signals;

a cantilever-type inspection probe having a bar-type beam portion, an upper surface of one end of the bar-type beam portion being bonded to the bump of the multi-layer circuit board, and a tip portion attached to a lower surface of the other end of the beam portion and configured to contact a pad of a semiconductor chip by pressure; and

a sensing unit configured to sense the level of over drive applied to the inspection probe when the inspection probe is brought into contact with the pad of the semiconductor chip.

14. The probe card of claim 13, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a cantilever-type sensing probe having a bar-type beam portion, an upper surface of one end of the bar-type beam portion being bonded to the bump of the multi-layer circuit board, a signal projecting portion being provided on an upper surface of the other end of the bar-type beam portion, and a tip portion attached to a lower surface of the other end of the beam portion and configured to contact the pad of the semiconductor chip by pressure; and

a signal connection terminal disposed on the multi-layer circuit board to contact the signal projecting portion when the over drive exceeds a predetermined level.

15. The probe card of claim 13, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a cantilever-type sensing probe having a bar-type beam portion, an upper surface of one end of the bar-type beam portion being bonded to the bump of the multi-layer circuit board, and a tip portion attached to a lower surface of the center portion of the beam portion and configured to contact the pad of the semi-conductor chip by pressure; and

a signal connection terminal disposed on the multi-layer circuit board to contact the other end of the bar-type beam portion when the over drive exceeds a pre-determined level.

16. The probe card of claim 13, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a cantilever-type sensing probe having a bar-type beam portion, an upper surface of one end of the bar-type beam portion being bonded to the bump of the multi-layer circuit board, and a tip portion attached to a lower surface of the other end of the beam portion and configured to contact the pad of the semiconductor chip by pressure; and

a signal connection terminal disposed on the multi-layer circuit board to contact the other end of the bar-type beam portion when the over drive exceeds a pre-determined level,

wherein the beam portion of the cantilever-type sensing probe is thicker than the beam portion of the inspection probe.

17. The probe card of claim 13, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a cantilever-type sensing probe having a bar-type beam portion, an upper surface of one end of the bar-type beam portion being bonded to the bump of the multi-layer circuit board, and a tip portion attached to a lower surface of the other end of the beam portion and configured to contact the pad of the semiconductor chip by pressure; and

a signal connection terminal disposed on the multi-layer circuit board to contact the other end of the bar-type beam portion when the over drive exceeds a pre-determined level,

wherein the bump bonded to the inspection probe is thicker than the bump bonded to the sensing probe.

18. The probe card of claim 13, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

a cantilever-type sensing probe having a bar-type beam portion, an upper surface of one end of the bar-type beam portion being bonded to the bump of the multi-layer circuit board, and a tip portion attached to a lower surface of the other end of the beam portion and configured to contact the pad of the semiconductor chip by pressure;

a signal projecting portion disposed on the multi-layer circuit board at a position corresponding to the tip portion of the sensing probe; and

a signal connection terminal disposed on the multi-layer circuit board to sense that the other end of the bar-type beam portion is brought into contact with the signal projecting portion when the over drive exceeds a predetermined level, wherein the bump bonded to the sensing probe is thicker than the signal projecting portion.

19. The probe card of claim 13, wherein the sensing unit is installed at a pre-determined portion of the multi-layer circuit board near the inspection probe, the sensing unit comprising a contact sensor, a pressure sensor or an optical sensor brought into contact with a semiconductor test chip when the over drive exceeds a predetermined level.

20. A probe card inspection system comprising:

a probe card including;

a multi-layer circuit board having one or more connection terminals receiving external electrical signals;

bumps disposed on the connection terminals of the multi-layer circuit board;

an cantilever-type inspection probe having a bar-type beam portion, an upper surface of one end of the bar-type beam portion being bonded to the bump of the multi-layer circuit board, and a tip portion attached to a lower surface of the other end of the beam portion and configured to contact a pad of a semiconductor chip by pressure; and

a sensing unit configured to sense the level of an over drive applied to the inspection probe;

a controller receiving an electrical signal corresponding to the level of the over drive sensed by the sensing unit, and comparing the sensed level of the over drive with a predetermined over drive level to control the probe card inspection system;

an inspection device driving unit controlling an operation of an inspection device under the control of the controller; and

a display unit displaying the over drive level according to a control signal of the controller.

21. The probe card inspection system of claim 20, further comprising an alarming unit generating an alarm signal in response to the control signal of the controller.

22. The probe card inspection system of claim 20, wherein the sensing unit comprises a sensing probe separated from the inspection probe.

23. The probe card inspection system of claim 22, wherein the sensing probe contacts a dummy pad of the semiconductor chip.

24. The probe card inspection system of claim 20, wherein the sensing unit comprises a contact sensor, a pressure sensor or an optical sensor.