Inspection apparatus for conductive patterns of a circuit board, and a holder thereof

• US 6,861,863 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OHT (Shanghai), Inc. (V Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: OHT (Shanghai), Inc. (V Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ishioka, Shogo, Fujii, Tatuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarneke, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLINGTON, JERMELE M
• Application Number:
  US09/926,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20020140445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 324754-755, 324/760, 324/763, 324/765, 324/758, 269 53- 54, 438 14- 18
• US Class Current: 324/756.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0433 Sockets for IC's or transistors
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0483 Sockets for un-leaded IC's having matrix type contact fields, e.g. BGA or PGA devices; Sockets for unpackaged, naked chips for IC's with connecting points around the edges only G01R1/0433
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2886 Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4847 the connecting portion on the bonding area of the semiconductor or solid-state body being a wedge bond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements

Abstract

An inspection apparatus is provided capable of adequately positioning an inspection chip to a conductive pattern as an inspection object. For connecting an electrode pad 1b of an inspection chip 1 with a lead 2a of a package 2, bump electrodes 3 and 4 are first provided at the inspection chip and at the package, respectively. Then, an anisotropic conductor 5 is provided to cover between the bump electrodes 3 and 4, and a conductor film 6 is provided on the anisotropic conductor 5 to extend between the bump electrodes 3 and 4. The anisotropic conductor 5 is thermo-compression bonded to provide an electrical connection between the conductor film 6 and the bump electrodes 3 and 4. This structure may provide a desirable surface of the inspection chip 1 having a sufficiently reduced thickness.

Claims

1. An inspection apparatus comprising:

an inspection chip for inspecting a conductive pattern of a circuit board in a non-contact manner;

an insulative package mounting said inspection chip thereon with allowing an inspection surface of said inspection chip to be exposed out of said insulative package;

a chip-side bump electrode provided at each of electrode pads of said inspection chip;

a package-side bump electrode provided at a lead of said package;

an anisotropic conductor disposed to cover at least said chip-side bump electrode and said package-side bump electrode; and

a conductor layer located on said anisotropic conductor and extending at least in the range of said chip-side bump electrode to said package-side bump electrode, wherein said anisotropic conductor is thermo-compression bonded in between said conductor layer and said chip-side bump electrode and in between said conductor layer and said package-side bump electrode, so as to electrically connect said chip-side bump electrode with said package-side bump electrode through said conductor layer.

2. An inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said package includes a recessed portion on the front surface side thereof, wherein said inspection chip is embeddedly mounted in said recessed portion.

3. An inspection apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said package has an end face on the front surface side thereof approximately flush with said inspection surface of said inspection chip.

4. An inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said anisotropic conductor is disposed to extend from said chip-side bump electrode to said package-side bump electrode.

5. An inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said anisotropic conductor is disposed to approximately cover the entire front surface of said inspection chip.

6. An inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conductor layer is composed of a conductor film formed in a planar shape and approximately in parallel with said inspection surface of said inspection chip.

7. An inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, which further includes an insulative film disposed to cover approximately the entire front surface of said inspection chip.

8. An inspection apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said package includes a through hole penetrating from the front surface to the rear surface of said package, and an external electrode provided at said rear surface, wherein said lead is electrically connected to said external electrode through said through hole.

9. An inspection apparatus comprising:

an inspection chip for inspecting a conductive pattern of a circuit board in a non-contact manner;

an insulative package mounting said inspection chip thereon with allowing an inspection surface of said inspection chip to be exposed out of said insulative package;

a chip-side bump electrode provided at each of electrode pads of said inspection chip;

a package-side bump electrode provided at a lead of said package;

an anisotropic conductor disposed to cover at least said chip-side bump electrode and said package-side bump electrode; and

a conductor layer located on said anisotropic conductor and extending at least in the range of said chip-side bump electrode to said package-side bump electrode, wherein said anisotropic conductor is thermo-compression bonded in between said conductor layer and said chip-side bump electrode and in between said conductor layer and said package-side bump electrode, so as to electrically connect said chip-side bump electrode with said package-side bump electrode through said conductor layer, wherein an inspection signal applied to said conductive pattern is detected through a coupling capacitance lying between said inspection chip and said conductive pattern.

10. An inspection apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said inspection chip includes a plurality of sensor elements for detecting said inspection signal, wherein an image data for one pixel is generated base on one of said sensor elements.

11. A holder for holding an inspection apparatus, said holder comprising:

a holding table;

an elastic member provided on the holding table;

a holding member mounted on the holding table; and

a claw provided on the holding member;

wherein the inspection apparatus, having a step down portion at an upper surface of the inspection apparatus, is held on the elastic member, engaging the step down portion with the claw, and wherein the inspection apparatus has an external electrode on the outside surface thereof, thereby inspecting a conducting pattern of a circuit board in the inspection apparatus in a non-contact manner.

12. A holder as defined in claim 11, wherein said claw is adapted to contact a part of said inspection apparatus so as to define said upper limit position.

13. A holder as defined in claim 11, which further includes a probe mounted on said holding table and penetrating said elastic member to contact an electrode provided in said inspection apparatus, said probe being elastically displaceably mounted on said inspection apparatus.

14. A holder for holding an inspection apparatus, said holder comprising:

a holding table;

an elastic member provided on the holding table; and

an engaging member provided on an upper surface of the elastic member

wherein the inspection apparatus, having a step down portion at an upper surface of the inspection apparatus, is held on the elastic member, engaging the step down portion with the engaging member, and wherein the inspection apparatus has an external electrode on the outside surface thereof, thereby inspecting a conducting pattern of a circuit board in the inspection apparatus in a non-contact manner.

15. A holder for an inspection apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said holder is adapted to hold said inspection apparatus with keeping said inspection apparatus in a slanted position, said inspection apparatus including a packaged inspection chip for inspecting a conductive pattern of the circuit board in said non-contact manner.

16. A holder for holding an inspection apparatus, said holder comprising:

a holding table;

an elastic member provided on the holding table;

a probe mounted on the holding table to extend to the upper surface of the elastic member;

a holding member mounted on the holding table; and

a claw provided on the holding member;

wherein the inspection apparatus, having a step down portion at an upper surface of the inspection apparatus, is held on the elastic member, engaging the step down portion with the claw, wherein the inspection apparatus has an external electrode on the outside surface thereof, and wherein the external electrode contacts the probe, thereby inspecting a conducting pattern of a circuit board in the inspection apparatus in a non-contact manner.