Multiple-chip probe and universal tester contact assemblage

• US 6,970,005 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Arnold, Richard W., Rincon, Reynaldo M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vinh P.
• Application Number:
  US09/915,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 324754-765, 324/158.1, 439480-782, 29592-593, 298/46, 298/54
• US Class Current: 324/756.03
• 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 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence

Abstract

A probe card assemblage for simultaneously testing one or more integrated circuit chips including an interposer having on one surface a plurality of protruding contact elements for electrically contacting one or more chips of a wafer positioned atop a layer of compliant material, and arrayed in a pattern corresponding to a chip pads, a series of conductive vias through the electrically insulating interposer which connect the chip contact elements with an arrangement of leads terminating in a universal arrangement of connectors on the second surface, and a probe card with connectors mating to those on the interposer. The connectors on the interposer is secured are secured to those on the probe card, thereby providing a vertical probe assemblage which makes use of ultrasonic energy to minimize scrub or over travel. The universal probe card is specific to a tester configuration and common to a family of circuits to be tested.

Claims

1. A probe assemblage for providing electrical connection simultaneously between one or more integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer and a circuit test equipment, said assemblage including:

an interposer comprising a dielectric material having two major surfaces,

a plurality of protruding contact elements on one major surface of said interposer, each element corresponding to a test pad on one or more integrated circuits,

a plurality of conductive vias connecting each of said contact elements to a metallized pad on the second surface of said interposer,

a plurality of conductive leads fanning outward from said metallized pads to a standardized array of interposer connectors,

a compliant material underlying said contact elements on the first surface, and/or said interposer connectors on the second surface of the interposer,

a probe card having an array of connectors corresponding to said interposer connector array, and

means for attaching said probe card to said interposer.

2. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said protruding contact elements comprise a noble or oxide limiting metal.

3. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said protruding contact elements are stud bumps.

4. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said contact elements are microwires.

5. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein the interposer has a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 2 to 10 PPM.

6. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said interposer includes one or more buried metal ground planes.

7. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said pads and conductive leads on the interposer comprise a first layer of copper and second layer of a laser ablatable material.

8. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said pads and conductive leads on the interposer are patterned by laser ablation in combination with chemical etching.

9. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein the pattern for the conductive leads and pads is software generated and input to a laser.

10. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said chip contact elements are spaced more closely than the probe card connectors.

11. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said connectors on the the second surface of the interposer mate to an array of connectors on a probe card.

12. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said connectors on the probe card are arrayed in a universal pattern common to multiple circuit devices.

13. An assemblage as in claim 1 wherein said means to attach the interposer to the probe card is a plurality of threaded machine screws.

14. A method of forming an assemblage for simultaneously providing electrical connection between one or more integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer and a circuit tester, including the following steps:

providing an dielectric interposer having thermal expansion characteristics similar to that of silicon, and having a plurality of conductive vias at locations corresponding to the distance between chip contact pads which extending from the first major surface to the second major surface of the interposer,

affixing a layer of highly conductive metal on each major surface,

patterning an array of pads corresponding to chip contact pads on the first surface,

patterning an array of pads at the via egress point on the second surface and an array of conductive leads terminating in a standardized pattern,

bonding a chip contact element to each patterned contact pad on the first surface, and a connector element on the terminal of each lead on the second surface,

providing a compliant material layer underlying the chip contact elements, and/or probe connector on the interposer,

providing a probe card having a mating connector to that on said interposer, and

aligning said connectors, and mechanically attaching.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein said patterns on the interposer surface are generated by using a software and a computer controlled laser.

16. A method as in claim 14 wherein said metal patterns are formed by at least partially by laser ablation.

17. A method as in claim 14 wherein said metal patterns are formed by photolithography and chemical etching.