Modularized probe head

• US 6,946,860 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES (Bermuda) LTD. (Chipmos), Chipmos Technologies Incorporated (Chipmos)
• Original Assignee: ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES (Bermuda) LTD. (Chipmos), Chipmos Technologies Incorporated (Chipmos)
• Inventors: Cheng, Shih-Jye, Liu, An-Hong, Wang, Yeong-Her, Chao, Yeong-Ching, Lee, Yao-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOBERT, RUSSELL MARC
• Application Number:
  US10/680,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20050088190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 324/754, 324/755, 324/757, 324/758, 324/765, 324/158.1, 439/65, 439 67- 72
• US Class Current: 324/756.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2887 involving moving the probe head or the IC under test; docking stations moving single probes G01R1/06705; moving individual probes in multiple probes G01R1/07392

Abstract

A modularized probe head for modularly assembling on a probe card is configured for probing a semiconductor wafer under test. The probe head includes a silicon substrate having an active surface and an opposing back surface. The back surface of the silicon substrate is attached on a holder. The silicon substrate has a plurality of peripheral bond pads and contact pads on its active surface. At least a probing chip is mounted on the active surface of the silicon substrate. The probing chip has probing tips and side electrodes. The side electrodes are connected with the contact pads by means of solder material. The peripheral bonding pads of the silicon substrate are connected with a flexible printed circuit for electrically connecting to a multi-layer printed circuit board of a probe card.

Claims

1. A modularized probe head comprising:

a holder with a bottom surface and a plurality of internal side surfaces surrounding the bottom surface;

a silicon substrate having an active surface and an opposing back surface, wherein the active surface is forming with a plurality of peripheral bonding pads, a plurality of contact pads and connecting circuits, and the silicon substrate is disposed on the bottom surface of the holder;

at least a probing chip mounted on the active surface of the silicon substrate, wherein the probing chip has a plurality of first probing tips and a plurality of side electrodes;

a solder material connecting the side electrodes of the probing chip and the contact pads of the silicon substrate; and

at least a flexible printed circuit having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected with the corresponding bonding pads of the silicon substrate, and the second end is extended through the internal side surfaces of the holder.

2. The modularized probe head according to claim 1, wherein a gap is formed between the internal surfaces of the holder and the silicon substrate.

3. The modularized probe head according to claim 1, further comprising at least a second probing tip formed on the active surface of the silicon substrate.

4. The modularized probe head according to claim 1, further comprising a FPC connector at the second end of the flexible printed circuit.

5. The modularized probe head according to claim 1, further comprising an insulated material for fixing the first end of the flexible printed circuit on the silicon substrate.

6. The modularized probe head according to claim 1, wherein the probing chip has a probing surface, an opposing back surface and a plurality of laterals between the probing surface and the back surface, the first probing tips are formed on the probing surface, the side electrodes are formed on the laterals.

7. The modularized probe head according to claim 6, wherein the side electrodes are exposed on the probing surface and the back surface.