Contact structure and production method thereof and probe contact assembly using same

• US 6,917,102 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Inventors: Zhou, Yu, Yu, David
• Primary Examiner(s): CLARK, SHEILA V
• Application Number:
  US10/683,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20040124519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 257/698, 257/697, 257/690, 257/700, 439/482, 439/66, 438/125, 324/758
• US Class Current: 257/698
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of measuring instruments , e.g. of probe tips

Abstract

A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets. The contact structure is formed of a contactor carrier and a plurality of contactors attached to a contactor carrier. The contactors are inserted in diagonal through holes on the contactor carrier and attached to the contactor carrier through adhesives. The contactor has a top end having a flat top surface, a straight diagonal beam integral with the top end and configured by an upper beam portion and a lower beam portion, and a lower end at an end of the lower beam portion to contact with a contact target. A length of the upper beam portion and a length of the lower beam portion are about the same. A probe contact assembly using the contact structure is also disclosed which incorporates a flip chip bonding technology to interconnect the components therein.

Claims

1. A contact structure for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:

a plurality of contactors made of conductive material where each of the contactors is comprised of a top end having a flat top surface, a diagonal beam integral with the top end and configured by an upper beam portion and a lower beam portion, and a lower end at an end of the lower beam portion to contact with a contact target; and

a contactor carrier having a plurality of diagonal through holes for mounting the plurality of contactors having an angle identical to that of diagonal through holes in a manner that the upper beam portion of the contactor is secured in the diagonal through hole while the lower beam portion of the contactor is projected from a bottom surface of the contactor carrier;

wherein the top end of each contactor is projected from an upper surface of the contactor carrier; and

wherein a length of the upper beam portion and a length of the lower beam portion are about the same.

2. A contact structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the top end of each contactor is attached to the contactor carrier through an adhesive.

3. A contact structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the diagonal beam of the contactor has an angle of about 45°

relative to a vertical line.

4. A contact structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the contactor is made of conductive material including nickel-cobalt (NiCo) and the contactor carrier is made of ceramic, silicon nitride or sapphire.

5. A contact structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the top end of the contactor has a width larger than that of the through hole of the contactor carrier, thereby contacting the upper surface of the contactor carrier.

6. A contact structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the contactor has the same thickness throughout while the top end of the contactor has a width larger than that of the through hole of the contactor carrier so that the top end contacts with the upper surface of the contactor carrier.

7. A contact structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the top end of the contactor has a thickness larger than that of other portions of the contactor and the through hole of the contactor carrier, thereby contacting the upper surface of the contactor carrier.

8. A method for producing a contact structure, comprising the following steps of:

(a) forming a sacrificial layer on a surface of a substrate;

(b) forming a photoresist layer on the sacrificial layer;

(c) aligning a photo mask over the photoresist layer and exposing the photoresist layer through the photo mask, the photo mask including an image of the contactors;

(d) developing patterns of the image of the contactors on a surface of the photoresist layer;

(e) forming the contactors made of conductive material in the patterns on the photoresist layer by depositing the conductive material, each of the contactors having a top end with a flat top surface, a diagonal beam integral with the top end and configured by an upper beam portion and a lower beam portion, and a lower end at an end of the lower beam portion;

(f) stripping the photoresist layer off;

(g) removing the sacrificial layer from the substrate so that the contactors are separated from the substrate; and

(h) mounting the contactors on a contactor carrier by inserting the contactors in diagonal through holes form on the contactor carrier.

9. A method for producing a contact structure as defined in claim 8, after forming the contactors by depositing the conductive material, the method further comprising a step of placing an adhesive tape on the contactors so that the contactors are attached to the adhesive tape.

10. A method for producing a contact structure as defined in claim 8, said step of mounting the contactors on the contactor carrier includes a step of picking the contactor from the adhesive tape and changing orientation of the contactor and attaching the contactor to the contactor carrier with use of a pick and place mechanism which utilizes a suction force to attract the contactor.

11. A method for producing a contact structure, comprising the following steps of:

(a) forming an conductive substrate made of electric conductive material on a base substrate;

(b) forming a photoresist layer on the conductive substrate;

(c) aligning a photo mask over the photoresist layer and exposing the photoresist layer through the photo mask, the photo mask including an image of the contactors;

(d) developing patterns of the image of the contactors on a surface of the photoresist layer;

(e) forming the contactors made of conductive material in the patterns on the photoresist layer by depositing the conductive material, each of the contactors having a top end with a flat top surface, a diagonal beam integral with the top end and configured by an upper beam portion and a lower beam portion, and a lower end at an end of the lower beam portion;

(f) stripping off the photoresist layer;

(g) peeling the conductive substrate having contactors thereon from the base substrate;

(h) placing an adhesive tape on the contactors on the conductive substrate so that the contactors adhere to the adhesive tape wherein adhesive strength between the contactors and the adhesive tape is larger than that between the contactors and the conductive substrate;

(i) peeling the conductive substrate so that the contactors on the adhesive tape are separated from the conductive substrate; and

(j) mounting the contactors on a contactor carrier by inserting the contactors in diagonal through holes form on the contactor carrier.

12. A probe contact assembly for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:

a contactor carrier mounting a plurality of contactors in a manner that diagonal straight beams of the contactors are inserted in diagonal through holes on the contactor carrier and attached to the contactor carrier by an adhesive;

a probe card for establishing electrical communication between electrodes provided on the probe card and a test semiconductor system through mechanical contact pins; and

a space transformer provided between the contactor carrier and the probe card for changing a pitch of the contactors to a pitch of the probe card;

wherein each of the contactors is comprised of a top end having a flat top surface, a straight diagonal beam integral with the top end and configured by an upper beam portion and a lower beam portion, and a lower end at an end of the lower beam portion to contact with a contact target.

13. A probe contact assembly as defined in claim 12, further comprising a conductive elastomer which is provided between the space transformer and the probe card to establish electrical connection between the space transformer and the probe card.

14. A probe contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the space transformer has solder bumps which are bonded to the top ends of the contactor through a flip chip bonding method, and a space between the space transformer and the contactor carrier is filled with adhesive to connect with one another.

15. A probe contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the space transformer has solder bumps which are bonded to the top ends of the contactor through a flip chip bonding method, and a space between the space transformer and the contactor carrier is filled with an adhesive to connect with one another, and wherein the probe card has solder bumps which are bonded to corresponding electrodes on the space transformer through a flip chip bonding method, and a space between the space transformer and the probe card is filled with an adhesive to connect with one another.

16. A probe contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the diagonal beam of the contactor has an angle of about 45°

relative to a vertical line.

17. A probe contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the contactor is made of conductive material including nickel-cobalt (NiCo) and the contactor carrier is made of ceramic, silicon nitride or sapphire.

18. A probe contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the top end of the contactor has a width larger than that of the through hole of the contactor carrier, thereby contacting the upper surface of the contactor carrier.

19. A probe contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the contactor has the same thickness throughout while the top end of the contactor has a width larger than that of the through hole of the contactor carrier so that the top end contacts with the upper surface of the contactor carrier.

20. A probe contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the top end of the contactor has a thickness larger than that of other portions of the contactor and the through hole of the contactor carrier, thereby contacting the upper surface of the contactor carrier.