PROBE CARD

• US 20100141289A1
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Jong-hoon, Park, Kwang-soo, Lee, Hyun-ae, So, Jin-ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,990,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/756.30
• 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

Abstract

A probe card to connect a semiconductor device to test equipment includes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) in which an electrical wiring pattern is formed, a first connector fixed on an upper surface of the PCB to connect the test equipment to the PCB, probe needles connected to electrode pads of the semiconductor device, and a Flexible PCB (FPCB) to connect the PCB to the probe needles. Accordingly, a signal transmission characteristic can be enhanced, test expenses can be reduced, and ground noise can be reduced.

Claims

1. A probe card to connect a semiconductor device to test equipment, the probe card comprising:

a main plate portion having a PCB including an electrical wiring pattern;

a first connector fixed on an upper surface of the PCB to connect the test equipment to the PCB;

a plurality of probe needles connected to electrode pads of the semiconductor device; and

a sub-plate portion having an FPCB detachably attached to the main plate portion to connect the PCB and the plurality of probe needles.

2. The probe card of claim 1, further comprising:

a second connector to connect the PCB to the FPCB;

a main supporter to be connected to or disconnected from a lower surface of the PCB;

a sub-supporter fixed to a lower surface of the main supporter to support the probe needles;

an epoxy resin formed on a lower surface of the sub-supporter to fix the FPCB and the plurality of probe needles; and

a capacitor attached to the FPCB to prevent coupling generated between a power line and a ground line,

wherein the capacitor is attached to surface of the FPCB.

3. The probe card of claim 2, wherein the capacitor is embedded using the epoxy resin.

4. The probe card of claim 1, further comprising:

a second connector to connect the PCB to the FPCB;

a main supporter to be connected to or disconnected from a lower surface of the PCB;

a sub-supporter fixed to a lower surface of the main supporter to support the probe needles; and

an epoxy resin formed on a lower surface of the sub-supporter to fix the FPCB and the plurality of probe needles;

wherein the PCB includes a hole having a predetermined size in a center portion thereof, and the FPCB is connected to the PCB by passing through the hole.

5. The probe card of claim 1, wherein:

the FPCB is formed with multiple layers;

the plurality of probe needles are arranged in more than two rows; and

the rows may be arranged at a predetermined angle.

6. The probe card of claim 5, wherein each layer of the FPCB contacts a corresponding row of the plurality of probe needles during the soldering process.

7. A probe card to perform electrical characteristic tests on a semiconductor device, the probe card comprising:

a main plate portion having a PCB including electrical wiring;

a sub plate portion having an FPCB detachably connectable to the main plate portion; and

a plurality of probe needles connected at one end to the sub-plate portion and having another end at a semiconductor device to perform the electrical characteristic tests.

8. The probe card of claim 7, wherein the sub plate portion comprises:

a first supporter to support the plurality of probe needles and the FCPB and to connect to the PCB, and

wherein the supporter comprises at least one hole in which the FCPB can be inserted to reduce a length of the FCPB.

9. The probe card of claim 8, wherein the sub plate portion comprises:

a second supporter to house a capacitor and to connect to the FPCB and the plurality of probe needles.

10. The probe card of claim 9, further comprising:

an epoxy resin to mold the capacitor to an inside portion of the second supporter.

11. The probe card of claim 7, wherein:

the plurality of probe needles are arranged in a plurality of rows; and

the FPCB includes a plurality of layers to correspond to the plurality of rows.

12. The probe card of claim 11, wherein the plurality of rows are arranged at a predetermined angle.

13. The probe card of claim 7, wherein:

the main plate portion comprises a hole; and

the plurality of probe needles are connected to the PCB through the hole.

14. The probe card of claim 7, wherein:

the sub plate portion comprises a hole; and

the plurality of probe needles are connected to the PCB through the hole.