Probe arrays and method for making

• US 7,878,385 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microfabrica Incorporated (Technoprobe S.P.A.)
• Original Assignee: Microfabrica Incorporated (Technoprobe S.P.A.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Gang, Kim, Kieun, Bang, Christopher A., Kruglick, Ezekiel J. J., Frodis, Uri, Chen, Richard T., Thompson, Jeffrey A., Kumar, Ananda H., Lembrikov, Pavel B., Cohen, Adam L., Lockard, Michael S., Arat, Vacit
• Primary Examiner(s): STONER, KILEY SHAWN
• Application Number:
  US11/929,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20080093424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 228/180.22
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/0222 for use in soldering, brazing B23K35/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1605 by masking
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1651 Two or more layers only obtained by electroless plating
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/003 3D structures, e.g. superposed patterned layers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 1/12 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06744 Microprobes, i.e. having dimensions as IC details
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07307 with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
• 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 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of measuring instruments , e.g. of probe tips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68313 Auxiliary support including a cavity for storing a finished device, e.g. IC package, or a partly finished device, e.g. die, during manufacturing or mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68354 used to support diced chips prior to mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68363 used in a transfer process involving transfer directly from an origin substrate to a target substrate without use of an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05552 in top view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05568 the whole external layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/10126 Bump collar
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1147 using a lift-off mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/11831 involving a chemical process, e.g. etching the bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1184 involving a mechanical process, e.g. planarising the bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1191 : Forming a passivation layer after forming the bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13017 : being non uniform along the bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13018 : comprising protrusions or indentations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13076 : being mutually engaged together, e.g. through inserts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 : Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/131 : with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1403 : Bump connectors having different sizes, e.g. different diameters, heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29099 : Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81001 : involving a temporary auxiliary member not forming part of the bonding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81054 : Composition of the atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81136 : involving guiding structures, e.g. spacers or supporting members
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8121 : using a reflow oven
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8181 : involving forming an intermetallic compound at the bonding interface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81815 : Reflow soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/11 : Manufacturing methods for bumps on insulating substrates H01L21/4853
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/12 : Structure, shape, material or disposition of the bump connectors prior to the connecting process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 : of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/81 : using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/95 : at chip-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a plurality of singulated devices, i.e. on diced chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00013 : Fully indexed content
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 : Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0102 : Calcium [Ca]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 : Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01045 : Rhodium [Rh]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01049 : Indium [In]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01073 : Tantalum [Ta]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01322 : Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01327 : Intermediate phases, i.e. intermetallics compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 : MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3651 : Formation of intermetallics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3841 : Solder bridging

Abstract

Embodiments of invention are directed to the formation of microprobes (i.e. compliant electrical or electronic contact elements) on a temporary substrate, dicing individual probe arrays, and then transferring the arrays to space transformers or other permanent substrates. Some embodiments of the invention transfer probes to permanent substrates prior to separating the probes from a temporary substrate on which the probes were formed while other embodiments do the opposite. Some embodiments, remove sacrificial material prior to transfer while other embodiments remove sacrificial material after transfer. Some embodiments are directed to the bonding of first and second electric components together using one or more solder bumps with enhanced aspect ratios (i.e. height to width ratios) obtained as a result of surrounding the bumps at least in part with rings of a retention material. The retention material may act be a solder mask material.

Claims

1. A method for bonding a first electric component to a second electric component, comprising:

forming a plurality of solder bumps on the first electric component, wherein the solder bumps are surrounded, at least in part by rings of a retention material;

bringing the solder bumps on the first electric component into contact with bonding locations on the second electric component;

heating the solder bumps to cause melting and then cooling the melted solder to bond the first and second electric components together, wherein the separation between the first and second components is set larger than would have been achieved in similar circumstances in absence of the rings of the retention material,

wherein one of the electric components comprises a plurality of compliant spring probes.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one of the electric components is divided into a plurality of separate compliant spring probes after bonding.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the spring probes, after bonding, have a configuration and spacing appropriate for contacting pads on a semiconductor wafer containing integrated circuit components to be tested.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the retention material comprises a solder mask that resists wetting by melted solder.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the solder mask is comprised of a dielectric material.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the dielectric material comprises a photoresist.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the solder mask comprises a refractory material.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the solder mask comprises a material selected from the group consisting of (1) titanium, (2) a titanium tungsten (TiW) alloy, and (3) silicon dioxide.

2. A method for bonding a first electric component to a second electric component, comprising:

forming a plurality of solder bumps on the first electric component, wherein the solder bumps are surrounded, at least in part by rings of a retention material;

reflowing the solder bumps such that the height of the reflowed solder is greater than it would be in absence of the rings of retention material;

bringing the reflowed solder bumps on the first component into contact with bonding locations on a second electric component; and

heating the reflowed solder bumps to cause melting and then cooling the reflowed solder bump to bond the first and second components together.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein one of the electric components comprises a plurality of compliant spring probes.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the one of the electric components is divided into a plurality of separate compliant spring probes after bonding.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the spring probes, after bonding, have a configuration and spacing appropriate for contacting pads on a semiconductor wafer containing integrated circuit components to be tested.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the retention material comprises a solder mask that resists wetting by melted solder.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the solder mask is comprised of a dielectric material.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the dielectric material comprises a photoresist.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the solder mask comprises a refractory material.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the solder mask comprises a material selected from the group consisting of (1) titanium, (2) a titanium tungsten (TiW) alloy, and (3) silicon dioxide.