APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TESTING MULTIPLE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICES ON A FILM FRAME HANDLER

• US 20110306166A1
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Blaney, Gerard
• Granted Patent: US 8,497,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/111
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68331 of passive members, e.g. die mounting substrate

Abstract

Film frame assemblies and apparatus for testing and singulating integrated circuit packages, as well as associated methods for forming a film frame assembly, and testing and singulating integrated circuit packages are disclosed. A plurality of leads on a lead frame are cut to form singulated integrated circuit packages. Apparatus and methods are disclosed for mechanically aligning a set of electrical contacts attached to a contactor body with a plurality of leads on a singulated integrated circuit package.

Claims

1. A method for forming a film frame assembly, comprising:

providing a film frame including a plastic film for supporting lead frames during singulation and testing;

mounting a lead frame on the film, the lead frame comprising an array of integrated circuit packages and a frame portion surrounding the array, wherein a plurality of leads connect the adjacent integrated circuit packages in the array to each other; and

cutting through the leads to form a singulated integrated circuit package, wherein cutting comprises leaving at least three sides of the frame portion intact such that the at least three sides of the frame portion extend along at least three sides of the array in an unbroken manner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein cutting comprises leaving the frame portion intact such that the frame portion forms an unbroken perimeter surrounding the array.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein cutting comprising leaving the film intact.

4. A film frame assembly for testing and singulating integrated circuit packages, comprising:

a film frame including a plastic film for supporting lead frames; and

a lead frame mounted on the film, the lead frame comprising;

an array of integrated circuit packages, wherein a plurality of the integrated circuit packages are singulated; and

a frame portion surrounding the array, at least three sides of the frame portion extending unbroken to limit relative movement among the singulated packages.

5. The film frame assembly of claim 4, wherein the frame portion forms a substantially unbroken perimeter around the array.

6. The film frame assembly of claim 4, further comprising an opening extending through the film frame, wherein the film substantially covers the opening.

7. An apparatus for testing a plurality of singulated integrated circuit packages, comprising:

a contactor body configured to be positioned proximate to an array of singulated integrated circuit packages within a lead frame mounted on a film frame assembly;

a first set of electrical contacts attached to the contactor body, the first set comprising a first plurality of electrical contacts configured to be able to contact and test a first plurality of leads on a first integrated circuit package; and

a first guide member positioned on the contactor body, wherein the first guide member is configured to substantially mechanically align the first set of electrical contacts with the first plurality of leads when the contactor body is positioned proximate to the array of integrated circuit packages.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the film frame assembly is configured to support at least one lead frame comprising an array of singulated integrated circuit packages surrounded by a frame member, wherein the singulated integrated circuit packages within the array are separated from each other or are separated from the frame member by a gap, wherein at least a portion of the frame member comprises a structure that surrounds the array in an unbroken manner.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a handler, the handler configured to move the first electrical contact relative to the first lead.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first guide member comprises a protrusion extending from a surface of the contactor body.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first guide member extends less than 1 mm from the surface of the contactor body.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first guide member extends less than 0.5 mm from the surface of the contactor body.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first guide member comprises a chamfered tip to facilitate the substantial mechanical alignment of the first electrical contact with the first lead.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first guide member can comprise a plurality of protrusions extending from a surface of the contactor body, the plurality of protrusions configured to substantially surround a singulated integrated circuit package within the array.

15. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a second set of electrical contacts attached to the contactor body, the second set comprising a second plurality of electrical contacts configured to be able to contact and test a second plurality of leads on a second integrated circuit package; and

a second guide member positioned on the contactor body, wherein the second guide member is configured to substantially mechanically align the second set of electrical contacts with the second plurality of leads when the first set of electrical contacts is aligned with the first plurality of leads.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first guide member and the second guide member are spaced apart from each other sufficiently to allow a third integrated circuit package to be positioned between the first and the second integrated circuit packages.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 such that a third plurality of leads on a third integrated circuit package can be positioned between the first and second plurality of leads.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the contactor body comprises one or more electronic components positioned between the first guide member and the second guide member that electrically isolate the first set of electrical contacts from the second set of electrical contacts.

19. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an optical alignment system configured to substantially align the first set of electrical contacts with the first plurality of leads when the contactor body is positioned proximate to the array of integrated circuit packages.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a control system with software configured to substantially align the first and second sets of electrical contacts with the first and second pluralities of leads, respectively, and substantially align the first and second sets of electrical contacts with a third plurality of leads on a third integrated circuit package and a fourth plurality of leads on a fourth integrated circuit package, respectively, the third and the fourth plurality of leads spaced apart from the first and the second plurality of leads.

21. A method for testing an array of singulated integrated circuit packages within a lead frame mounted on a film frame assembly, comprising:

providing a contactor body;

providing a plurality of sets of electrical contacts attached to the contactor body, each set comprising a plurality of electrical contacts configured to be able to contact and test a plurality of leads on a singulated integrated circuit package within the array;

providing a first guide member on the contactor body; and

moving the contactor body and the array proximate to each other such that the first guide member is positioned between a first singulated integrated circuit package within the array and a second singulated integrated circuit package adjacent to the first singulated integrated circuit package within the array, causing the first guide member to substantially mechanically align a first set of electrical contacts within the plurality of sets of electrical contacts with a first plurality of leads on the first singulated integrated circuit package.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising moving the contactor body and the array relative to each other such that the first set of electrical contacts are in electrical communication with the first plurality of leads.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising simultaneously testing the first and second singulated integrated circuit packages.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a second guide member on the contactor body, wherein moving the contactor body and the array proximate to each other causes the second guide member to substantially mechanically align a second set of electrical contacts within the plurality of sets of electrical contacts with a second plurality of leads on a third singulated integrated circuit package, the second singulated integrated circuit package positioned between the first and the third singulated integrated circuit package.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a second guide member on the contactor body, wherein moving the contactor body and the array proximate to each other causes the second guide member to substantially mechanically align a second set of electrical contacts within the plurality of sets of electrical contacts with as second plurality of leads on a third singulated integrated circuit package, the second singulated integrated circuit package positioned between the first and the third integrated circuit package.