Probe card having on-board multiplex circuitry for expanding tester resources

• US 6,366,112 B1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Akram, Salman, Doherty, C. Patrick, deVarona, Jorge L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamdan, Wasseem H.
• Application Number:
  US09/973,509
• Time in Patent Office: 175 Days
• Field of Search: 324/765, 324/754, 324/755, 324/757, 324/758, 324/158.1
• US Class Current: 324/754.18
• 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 1/07385 using switching of signals between probe tips and test bed, i.e. the standard contact matrix which in its turn connects to the tester
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2831 Testing of materials or semi-finished products, e.g. semiconductor wafers or substrates G01R31/318511 takes precedence; testing during manufacture H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49218 with deforming

Abstract

A probe card for testing semiconductor wafers includes probe card contacts for electrically engaging die contacts on the wafer. The probe card also includes an on board multiplex circuit adapted to fan out and selectively transmit test signals from a tester to the probe card contacts. The multiplex circuit expands tester resources by allowing test signals to be written to multiple dice in parallel. Reading of the dice can be performed in groups up to the limit of the tester resources. In addition to expanding tester resources, the multiplex circuit maintains the individuality of each die, and permits defective dice to be electrically disconnected.

Claims

1. A probe card for testing a semiconductor wafer containing a plurality of dice having a plurality of die contacts comprising:

a substrate comprising a plurality of probe card contacts configured to make temporary electrical connections with the die contacts, the probe card contacts arranged in sets configured to electrically engage selected dice on the wafer;

an interposer on the substrate; and

a multiplex circuit on the interposer in electrical communication with the probe card contacts, the multiplex circuit configured to fan out test signals from a tester, and to control the probe card contacts to selectively transmit the test signals to the die contacts while the sets maintain a uniqueness of each die and disconnect defective dice.

2. The probe card of claim 1 wherein the interposer comprises a semiconductor die containing the multiplex circuit.

3. The probe card of claim 1 wherein the interposer is flip chip mounted or wire bonded to the substrate.

4. A probe card for testing a semiconductor wafer containing a plurality of dice having a plurality of die contacts comprising:

a substrate comprising a plurality of probe card contacts configured to make temporary electrical connections with the die contacts, the probe card contacts arranged in sets configured to electrically engage selected dice on the wafer;

a semiconductor die on the substrate; and

a multiplex circuit on the die in electrical communication with the probe card contacts, the multiplex circuit configured to fan out test signals from a tester, and to control the probe card contacts to selectively transmit the test signals to the die contacts, while the sets maintain a uniqueness of each die and disconnect defective dice.

5. The probe card of claim 4 wherein the die is wire bonded or flip chip mounted to the substrate.

6. The probe card of claim 4 wherein the die is mounted to an interposer attached to the substrate.

7. The probe card of claim 4 wherein the probe card contacts comprise raised members at least partially covered with conductive layers.

8. The probe card of claim 4 wherein the probe card comprises silicon and the probe card contacts comprise etched members having projections configured to penetrate the die contacts.

9. The probe card of claim 4 wherein the probe card contacts comprise microbumps on a polymer film attached to the probe card.

10. The probe card of claim 4 wherein the die contacts comprise bumps, and the probe card contacts comprise indentations configured to retain and electrically engage the bumps.

11. In a test system including a tester configured to generate test signals and having a signal writing capability, a probe card for testing a semiconductor wafer containing a plurality of dice having a plurality of die contacts comprising:

a substrate comprising a plurality of probe card contacts configured to make temporary electrical connections with the die contacts; and

a multiplex circuit on the substrate in electrical communication with the probe card contacts, the multiplex circuit configured to control the test signals to expand the signal writing capability of the tester, and to speed up the testing by multiplexing write test signals from the tester to the die contacts, by reading read test signals from selected groups of dice up to the signal reading capability, and by controlling the probe card contacts to disable defective dice.

12. The probe card of claim 11 wherein the multiplex circuit is contained on a die wire bonded or flip chip mounted to the substrate.

13. The probe card of claim 11 wherein the multiplex circuit is contained on a die mounted to an interposer attached to the substrate.

14. The probe card of claim 11 wherein the multiplex circuit is contained on an interposer attached to the substrate.

15. In a test system for testing a semiconductor wafer containing a plurality of dice having a plurality of die contacts, the system including a tester configured to generate and analyze test signals and having tester resources determined by a signal generating, transmitting and analyzing capability thereof, a probe card for applying the test signals to the dice comprising:

a substrate comprising a plurality of probe card contacts in electrical communication with the tester and configured to make temporary electrical connections with the die contacts;

a semiconductor die on the substrate; and

a multiplex circuit on the die in electrical communication with the probe card contacts, the multiplex circuit configured to control the test signals to speed up the testing, by fanning out the write test signals to multiple dice, and by reading the read test signals in groups up to a limit of the tester resources.

16. The probe card of claim 15 wherein the die is flip chip mounted or wire bonded to the substrate.

17. The probe card of claim 15 wherein the die is mounted to an interposer attached to the substrate.

18. The probe card of claim 15 wherein the multiplex circuit is contained on an interposer attached to the substrate.

19. The probe card of claim 15 wherein the probe card contacts comprise raised members at least partially covered with conductive layers.

20. The probe card of claim 15 wherein the probe card contacts comprise microbumps on a polymer film attached to the probe card.

21. The probe card of claim 15 wherein the die contacts comprise bumps, and the probe card contacts comprise indentations configured to electrically engage the bumps.