Pogo pin and probe card, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same

• US 9,651,577 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Joon-Yeon, Joo, Sung-Ho, Kim, Yu-Kyum
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VINH P
• Application Number:
  US14/472,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06722 Spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07371 using an intermediate card or back card with apertures through which the probes pass
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence

Abstract

A pogo pin may include a housing, a resilient connecting member and a switching unit. The housing may be arranged between a printed circuit board (PCB) and a probing head. The resilient connecting member may be arranged in the housing to electrically connect the PCB with the probing head. The switching unit may be provided in the housing to selectively cut off an electrical connection between the PCB and the probing head. Thus, because the PCB may not require additional switching substrates, the PCB may have a small size so that the probe card may also have a small size. A semiconductor device may be manufactured using the probe card.

Claims

1. A probe card comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having a circuit pattern through which a test current passes;

a probing head arranged under the PCB, the probing head including circuitry through which the test current passes;

a plurality of needles provided to the probing head to supply the test current to an object; and

a plurality of pogo pins positioned between the PCB and the probing head, each pogo pin including a housing arranged between the PCB and the probing head, a resilient connecting member arranged in the housing to electrically connect the PCB with the probing head, and a switching unit provided in the housing to selectively cut off an electrical connection between the PCB and the probing head,

wherein the resilient connecting member comprises a first spring electrically connected to the PCB, and a second spring electrically connected to the probing head, and

wherein the switching unit is configured to move any one of the first spring and the second spring to selectively disconnect the first spring from the second spring.

2. The probe card of claim 1, further comprising, for each pogo pin:

a first connecting pin at a first end of the resilient connecting member; and

a second connecting pin at a second, opposite end of the resilient connecting member,

wherein the switching unit electrically disconnects the first connecting pin from the second connecting pin.

3. The probe card of claim 2, wherein:

the switching unit includes an actuator connected to any one of the first spring and the second spring, the actuator configured to move any one of the first spring and the second spring so as to electrically disconnect the first connecting pin from the second connecting pin.

4. A pogo pin connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) and a probing head of a probe card and positioned to pass signals between circuitry of the PCB and circuitry of the probing head, the pogo pin comprising:

a housing arranged between the PCB and the probing head;

at least a first spring arranged to electrically connect and disconnect the PCB and the probing head;

at least a first connecting pin between the first spring and the PCB;

at least a second connecting pin between the first spring and the probing head; and

an actuator and disconnecting member arranged to selectively electrically connect and disconnect one of the first pin and the second pin from the first spring.

5. The pogo pin of claim 4, wherein the disconnecting member includes one of a raising/lowering element to raise and lower the first spring, and an insulating member that electrically disconnects the first pin or second pin from the first spring.

6. A pogo pin comprising:

a housing arranged between a printed circuit board (PCB) and a probing head of a probe card;

a resilient connecting member arranged in the housing to electrically connect the PCB with the probing head; and

a switching unit provided in the housing to selectively cut off an electrical connection between the PCB and the probing head,

wherein the resilient connecting member comprises a first spring electrically connected to the PCB, and a second spring electrically connected to the probing head, and

wherein the switching unit is configured to move any one of the first spring and the second spring to selectively disconnect the first spring from the second spring.

7. The pogo pin of claim 6, wherein the first spring and the second spring comprise a tensile spring.

8. The pogo pin of claim 7, wherein the switching unit comprises:

a switching rod connected to the first spring; and

an actuator configured to move the switching rod to disconnect the first spring from the second spring.

9. The pogo pin of claim 7, wherein the switching unit comprises:

an insulating plate selectively interposed between the first spring and the second spring; and

an actuator configured to selectively move the insulating plate between the first spring and the second spring.

10. The pogo pin of claim 6, wherein the first spring and the second spring comprise a compressive spring.

11. The pogo pin of claim 10, wherein the switching unit comprises:

a switching rod connected to the first spring; and

an actuator configured to move the switching rod to connect the first spring with the second spring.

12. The pogo pin of claim 6, wherein the switching unit comprises:

a switching rod connected to the resilient connecting member; and

an actuator configured to move the switching rod to electrically connect and disconnect at least a portion of the resilient connecting member from the PCB.

13. The pogo pin of claim 6, further comprising:

a first connecting pin arranged between the housing and the PCB to electrically connect the resilient connecting member with the PCB; and

a second connecting pin arranged between the housing and the probing head to electrically connect the resilient connecting member with the probing head.

14. The pogo pin of claim 13, wherein the switching unit comprises:

an insulating plate selectively interposed between the first connecting pin and the PCB; and

an actuator configured to selectively move the insulating plate between the first connecting pin and the PCB.

15. The pogo pin of claim 13, wherein the switching unit comprises:

an insulating plate selectively interposed between the second connecting pin and the probing head; and

an actuator configured to selectively move the insulating plate between the second connecting pin and the probing head.