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Probe apparatus

  • US 5,325,052 A
  • Filed: 09/11/1992
  • Issued: 06/28/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A probe apparatus comprising:

  • vertically movable wafer placing means for placing a semiconductor wafer having at least one semiconductor device formed thereon, a large number of electrode pads being formed on an upper surface of said semiconductor device;

    first temperature control means for setting the wafer placed on said wafer placing means at a predetermined temperature;

    a probe card located above said wafer placing means and having an electrical wiring portion, probes, and support means, said probes having vertical portions which are connected to said wiring portion, which extend downward substantially vertically, and which have lower end portions, upper end portions, and intermediate portions located between said lower and upper end portions and capable of buckling, and said support means carrying said electrical wiring portion, supporting said upper end portions of said vertical portions of said probes, and having a space in which said intermediate portions of said vertical portions are located;

    second temperature control means for setting said lower end portions of said vertical portions of said probes at a predetermined temperature;

    a first positioning plate supported by said support means and having a large number of through holes in which said lower end portions of said vertical portions of said probes are movably inserted, wherein said second temperature control means sets portions of said probes at said positioning plate at a predetermined temperature;

    a second positioning plate which is supported by said support means, has a large number of through holes in which said lower end portions of said vertical portions of said probes are movably inserted, and which is positioned above said first positioning plate with a predetermined gap therefrom, said first and second positioning plates and said support means defining a temperature control chamber, wherein said second temperature control means has a heating medium located in said temperature control chamber;

    wherein said heating medium is a fluid heated or cooled to the predetermined temperature; and

    wherein said second temperature control means has means for supplying and discharging said fluid to and from said temperature control chamber.

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