High density interconnect system having rapid fabrication cycle
First Claim
1. A probe card interface assembly for establishing connections to one or more bonding pads on at least one integrated circuit device located on a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- a motherboard having an upper surface, a lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface and parallel to the semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of electrical connections extending between the lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface;
a reference plane defined by at least three points located between the lower planar mounting surface of the motherboard and the semiconductor wafer;
a probe chip assembly mounting system comprising at least one component having an upper mounting surface and a probe chip assembly mounting surface opposite the upper mounting surface;
a mechanism for adjusting the planarity of the reference plane with respect to the semiconductor wafer; and
at least one probe chip comprising a probe chip substrate having a probing surface and a mounting surface opposite the probing surface, the mounting surface attached to the probe chip assembly mounting surface of the probe chip assembly mounting system, a plurality of spring probes on the probing surface extending from the probing surface to define a plurality of probe tips arranged to correspond to the bonding pads, a corresponding second plurality of electrical contacts located on the mounting surface, and electrical connections extending from each of the spring probes to each of the corresponding second plurality of electrical contacts;
wherein planarity of any of the probing surface and the mounting surface of the probe chip is adjustable through the planarity mechanism.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved interconnection system and method is described, such as for connectors, socket assemblies and/or probe card systems. An exemplary system comprises a probe card interface assembly (PCIA) for establishing electrical connections to a semiconductor wafer mounted in a prober. The PCIA comprises a motherboard parallel to the semiconductor wafer having an upper surface and an opposing lower planar mounting surface, a reference plane defined by a least three points located between the lower surface of the motherboard and the wafer, at least one component located below the motherboard mounting surface, and a mechanism for adjusting the planarity of the reference plane with respect to the wafer. A probe chip having a plurality of spring probes extending there from is mountable and demountable from the PCIA, without the need for further planarity adjustment. The interconnection structures and methods preferably provide improved fabrication cycles.
336 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A probe card interface assembly for establishing connections to one or more bonding pads on at least one integrated circuit device located on a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a motherboard having an upper surface, a lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface and parallel to the semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of electrical connections extending between the lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface; a reference plane defined by at least three points located between the lower planar mounting surface of the motherboard and the semiconductor wafer; a probe chip assembly mounting system comprising at least one component having an upper mounting surface and a probe chip assembly mounting surface opposite the upper mounting surface; a mechanism for adjusting the planarity of the reference plane with respect to the semiconductor wafer; and at least one probe chip comprising a probe chip substrate having a probing surface and a mounting surface opposite the probing surface, the mounting surface attached to the probe chip assembly mounting surface of the probe chip assembly mounting system, a plurality of spring probes on the probing surface extending from the probing surface to define a plurality of probe tips arranged to correspond to the bonding pads, a corresponding second plurality of electrical contacts located on the mounting surface, and electrical connections extending from each of the spring probes to each of the corresponding second plurality of electrical contacts; wherein planarity of any of the probing surface and the mounting surface of the probe chip is adjustable through the planarity mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 20)
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7. A probe card interface assembly for establishing connections to one or more bonding pads on at least one integrated circuit device located on a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a motherboard having an upper surface, a lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface and parallel to the semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of electrical connections extending between the lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface; a reference plane defined by at least three points located between the lower planar mounting surface of the motherboard and the semiconductor wafer; a probe chip assembly mounting system comprising at least one component having an upper mounting surface and a probe chip assembly mounting surface opposite the upper mounting surface; and a mechanism for adjusting the planarity of the reference plane with respect to the semiconductor wafer; and an alternate probe chip comprising a probe chip substrate having a probing surface and a mounting surface opposite the probing surface, a plurality of spring probes on the probing surface extending from the probing surface to define a plurality of probe tips arranged to correspond to the bonding pads, a corresponding second plurality of electrical contacts located on the mounting surface, and electrical connections extending from each, of the spring probes to each of the corresponding second plurality of electrical contacts; wherein the mounting surface of the alternate probe chip assembly is mountable to the lower planar surface of the probe card interface assembly. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A probe card interface assembly for establishing connections to one or more bonding pads on at least one integrated circuit device located on a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a motherboard having an upper surface, a lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface and parallel to the semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of electrical connections extending between the lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface; a reference plane defined by at least three points located between the lower planar mounting surface of the motherboard and the semiconductor wafer; a probe chip assembly mounting system comprising at least one component having an upper mounting surface and a probe chip assembly mounting surface opposite the upper mounting surface; a mechanism for adjusting the planarity of the reference plane with respect to the semiconductor wafer; and a lower Z-block comprising a substrate having an interposer contacting surface and a probe chip mounting surface opposite the interposer contacting surface, a first plurality of electrical contact pads arranged on the interposer contacting surface, a corresponding second plurality of bonding pads on the probe chip mounting surface, and electrical connections extending from each of the contact pads in the first plurality of bonding pads to each of the corresponding bonding pads in the second plurality of bonding pads; and an upper interface located between the lower Z-block and the motherboard, comprising a plurality of electrical contacts; wherein the lower Z-block is attached to the motherboard with the interposer contacting surface oriented to be parallel with the wafer prober mounting surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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21. A process for establishing connections to bonding pads on at least one integrated circuit device located on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:
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providing a motherboard comprising a substrate having an upper surface, a lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface and parallel to the semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of electrical connections extending between the lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface; defining a reference plane by at least three points located between the lower surface of the motherboard and the semiconductor wafer; providing a probe chip assembly mounting system comprising at least one component having an upper mounting surface and a probe assembly mounting surface opposite the upper mounting surface; and adjusting the planarity of the reference plane with respect to the semiconductor wafer; and providing a probe chip comprising a probe chip substrate having a probing surface and a mounting surface opposite the probing surface, the mounting surface attached to the probe chip assembly mounting surface of the probe chip assembly mounting system, a plurality of spring probes on the probing surface extending from the probing surface to define a plurality of probe tips arranged to correspond to the bonding pads, a corresponding second plurality of electrical contacts located on the mounting surface, and electrical connections extending from each of the spring probes to each of the corresponding second plurality of electrical contacts; and adjusting the reference plane to affect planarity between any of the probing surface, the mounting surface, and the probe tips of the probe chip and the semiconductor wafer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A process for establishing connections to bonding pads on at least one integrated circuit device located on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:
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providing a motherboard comprising a substrate having an upper surface, a lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface and parallel to the semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of electrical connections extending between the lower planar mounting surface opposite the upper surface; defining a reference plane by at least three points located between the lower surface of the motherboard and the semiconductor wafer; providing a probe chip assembly mounting system comprising at least one component having an upper mounting surface and a probe assembly mounting surface opposite the upper mounting surface; and adusting the planarity of the reference plane with respect to the semiconductor wafer; and providing a lower Z-block comprising a substrate having an interposer contacting surface and a probe chip mounting surface opposite the interposer contacting surface, a first plurality of electrical contact pads arranged on the interposer contacting surface, a corresponding second plurality of bonding pads on the probe chip mounting surface, and electrical connections extending from each of the contact pads in the first plurality of bonding pads to each of the corresponding bonding pads in the second plurality of bonding pads; providing an upper interface located between the lower Z-block and the mother board, comprising a plurality of electrical contacts; and attaching the lower Z-block to the mother board with the interposer contacting surface oriented to be parallel with the lower planar mounting surface. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification