Probe card with fine pitch adjusting function

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a probe card with a fine pitch adjusting function, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor testing, the probe card comprises an upper guide plate, a first lower guide plate and a plurality of probe units, the upper guide plate is provided with a plurality of groups of No.1 jacks; the first lower guide plate is provided with second insertion holes corresponding to the first insertion holes, the upper portions of the multiple needle units are inserted into the first insertion holes correspondingly and supported on one side of the inner surface of the upper guide plate, and the lower portions of the multiple needle units are inserted into the second insertion holes correspondingly and supported on one side of the inner surface of the upper guide plate. A guide module used for adjusting the distance between the lower ends of the adjacent needle units is arranged below the first lower guide plate. According to the invention, the micro-spacing between the needle units can be realized, and the micro-spacing between the needle units can be formed to be finer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor testing technology, and in particular to a probe card with micro-pitch adjustment function. Background Technology

[0002] As semiconductor process nodes move to 3 nanometers and below, the spacing between chip electrodes (pads) on wafers is becoming increasingly smaller, placing extremely high demands on probe cards used for testing.

[0003] Patent publication number KR1020230167863A discloses a needle unit for an electrical characteristic inspection device. It comprises a main body with a polygonal cross-section, manufactured using MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) technology, and a tip extending downwards from the lower end of the main body, having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the main body. This design is easy to manufacture and allows for a shorter overall length. Furthermore, it enables the formation of narrow needle spacing, allowing multiple needles to contact a single contact terminal, thereby significantly improving inspection reliability.

[0004] Micro-pitch is achieved by bending the probe within a fixed guide groove.

[0005] However, this method has the following limitations:

[0006] Inflexible adjustment: Spacing adjustment relies on replacing guide plates or shims of different sizes, which is a passive adjustment and cannot be quickly and continuously fine-tuned during testing or assembly.

[0007] Precision limitations: It relies on machining tolerances, and the bending deformation of the needle is difficult to control precisely, resulting in poor consistency of spacing between different needle positions.

[0008] Stress concentration: When the probe is forced to bend at a fixed point, stress concentration can easily occur, affecting the fatigue life and contact stability of the probe.

[0009] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a micro-pitch solution that is highly accurate, flexibly adjustable, and more probe-friendly. Summary of the Invention

[0010] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention not only enables the use of existing needle units but also allows for finer spacing between them. This application proposes a probe card with micro-spacing adjustment functionality.

[0011] The probe card with micro-pitch adjustment function provided in this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0012] A probe card with micro-pitch adjustment function includes an upper guide plate, a first lower guide plate, and multiple needle units. The upper guide plate is provided with multiple sets of No. 1 insertion holes. The first lower guide plate is provided with No. 2 insertion holes corresponding to the No. 1 insertion holes. The upper parts of the multiple needle units are respectively inserted into the corresponding No. 1 insertion holes, and the lower parts are respectively inserted into the corresponding No. 2 insertion holes. A guide module for adjusting the distance between the lower ends of adjacent needle units is provided below the first lower guide plate.

[0013] Furthermore, the guide module includes a second lower guide plate disposed below the first lower guide plate. The second lower guide plate has a third socket corresponding to and communicating with the second socket. The needle unit is inserted into the corresponding third socket to adjust the distance between the lower ends of two adjacent needle units.

[0014] Furthermore, at least one of the No. 3 sockets is located between the two No. 2 sockets in the same group to ensure that pressure can be applied to the lower end of at least one of the plurality of pin units toward the center of the No. 3 socket.

[0015] Furthermore, the inner wall of the No. 3 socket has a smooth inclined surface from top to bottom towards the central axis, so that the needle unit shifts towards the center of the No. 3 socket during insertion.

[0016] Furthermore, the second lower guide plate is provided with a module body for adjusting the size and position of the No. 3 socket. The module body includes an adjustment plate connected to the second lower guide plate and corresponding to the No. 3 socket, and a drive assembly for driving the adjustment plate to move and for extruding the needle unit.

[0017] Furthermore, the adjusting plate is slidably connected to the second lower guide plate, and the driving assembly includes a driving screw threadedly connected to the second lower guide plate. The driving screw has a guide cone surface on its side wall. When the driving screw is rotated, the guide cone surface pushes the adjusting plate to move in the direction of the extrusion needle unit.

[0018] Furthermore, the adjusting plate is rotatably connected to the second lower guide plate, and the adjusting plate is provided with a sliding groove. The driving assembly includes an adjusting screw that passes through the sliding groove and is threaded to the second lower guide plate. The adjusting screw drives the adjusting plate to rotate, thereby pushing the needle unit to deflect toward the center position close to the No. 3 socket.

[0019] Furthermore, the side wall of the adjusting plate is provided with an abutment groove, and an elastic element is installed in the abutment groove and abuts against the needle unit.

[0020] Furthermore, a clamping plate is provided between the upper guide plate and the first lower guide plate to connect the upper guide plate and the first lower guide plate.

[0021] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0022] This invention achieves high-precision, flexibly adjustable micro-pitch: Compared to the passive adjustment methods in existing technologies that rely on replacing guide plates or gaskets, this invention, by setting an independent guide module at the end of the pin unit, enables active, continuous, and precise micron-level adjustment of the pitch at the lower end of the pin unit. This adjustment can be completed during assembly and also has the potential for dynamic adjustment during testing, greatly improving the flexibility and precision of pitch control, and better adapting to the testing requirements of 3nm and below processes for ultra-high-density pads.

[0023] Effective probe protection, improved lifespan and contact reliability: The guide module (such as the inclined ramp on the second lower guide plate or the adjustment plate with elastic elements) causes the probe unit to deflect through smooth guidance or elastic pressure, avoiding the stress concentration problem caused by the forced bending of the probe at the fixed point in the prior art. This gentle deformation method significantly reduces fatigue damage to the probe material, thereby extending the lifespan of the probe card and ensuring the stability and consistency of the contact between the probe tip and the chip pad during testing.

[0024] Ingenious structure and strong compatibility: This invention requires no modification to existing high-performance needle units (such as needle units manufactured using MEMS technology) and can be directly integrated and used. By adding a guiding module below the upper guide plate and the first lower guide plate, complex functions are achieved with a relatively simple mechanical structure. This not only reduces implementation costs but also improves the compatibility of the solution with existing probe card technologies and components, facilitating promotion and application.

[0025] Excellent consistency in adjustment, improving test quality: Through precise mechanical design (such as the conical surface of the drive screw and the rotation of the adjustment plate), uniform and controllable adjustment force can be applied to multiple pin units, thereby ensuring the consistency of all pin tip spacing adjustments. This effectively overcomes the problem of poor spacing consistency caused by the difficulty in precisely controlling deformation in traditional bending methods, providing a guarantee for high-precision and high-reliability wafer testing. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a simplified schematic diagram of a probe card based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is for magnification Figure 1 A magnified structural diagram of region A in the middle.

[0028] Figures 3a to 3c This is a schematic diagram of various configuration structures of the No. 1 and No. 2 lower guide plates based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figures 4a to 4cThis is a schematic diagram illustrating the adjustment of micro-pitch by adjusting the protruding length of the lower end of the needle unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the No. 3 socket structure in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the driving component in Embodiment 3 of this application.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the driving component in Embodiment 4 of this application.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Probe card; 10. Upper guide plate; 11. No. 1 socket; 20. First lower guide plate; 21. No. 2 socket; 30. Second lower guide plate; 31. No. 3 socket; 40. Needle unit; 41. No. 1 needle unit; 42. No. 2 needle unit; J. Fixture plate; T. Contact point; 5. Drive screw; 6. Guide cone surface; 7. Adjusting plate; 8. Sliding groove; 9. Adjusting screw; 300. Inclined slope. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The terminology used in the following embodiments is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” “the,” and “this” are intended to also include expressions such as “one or more,” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that in the following embodiments of this application, “at least one” and “one or more” refer to one, two, or more than two. The term “and / or” is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, A and / or B can indicate: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character “ / ” generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an “or” relationship.

[0035] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0036] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-7 This application will be described in further detail.

[0037] Example 1:

[0038] This application discloses a probe card with micro-pitch adjustment function, as shown in the embodiments below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The probe card 1 includes an upper guide plate 10, a first lower guide plate 20, a clamping plate J, and multiple needle units 40. The upper guide plate 10 and the first lower guide plate 20 are parallel to each other. The clamping plate J is located between the upper guide plate 10 and the first lower guide plate 20 and is fixedly connected to the upper guide plate 10 and the first lower guide plate 20 to ensure the relative positional relationship between the upper guide plate 10 and the first lower guide plate 20. The upper guide plate 10 is provided with multiple sets of No. 1 insertion holes 11; the first lower guide plate 20 is provided with No. 2 insertion holes 21 corresponding to the No. 1 insertion holes 11. The upper parts of the multiple needle units 40 are respectively inserted into the corresponding No. 1 insertion holes 11, and the lower parts are respectively inserted into the corresponding No. 2 insertion holes 21. A guide module for adjusting the distance between the lower ends of adjacent needle units 40 is provided below the first lower guide plate 20.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The guide module includes a second lower guide plate 30 disposed below the first lower guide plate 20. The second lower guide plate 30 is parallel to the first lower guide plate 20 and abuts against the lower surface of the first lower guide plate 20. The second lower guide plate 30 has a third socket 31 that corresponds to and communicates with the second socket 21. The needle unit 40 is inserted into the corresponding third socket 31 to adjust the distance between the lower ends of two adjacent needle units 40. At least one of the third sockets 31 is located between the two second sockets 21 in the same group to ensure that pressure is formed on the lower end of at least one of the needle units 40 in the direction of the center of the third socket 31, thereby adjusting the needle spacing between two adjacent needle units 40. When the contact point T is small, it ensures that the two needle units 40 can abut against the corresponding contact point to prevent the needle unit 40 from being unable to release the contact point T and thus preventing measurement from being impossible.

[0040] Reference Figure 3a The needle unit 40 includes a needle unit 1 41 and a needle unit 2 42. The distance between the outer inner wall of the 2nd socket 21 corresponding to the needle unit 1 41 and the inner wall of the 3rd socket 31 is L1. The distance between the outer inner wall of the 2nd socket 21 corresponding to the needle unit 2 42 and the inner wall of the 3rd socket 31 is L2. When the 3rd socket 31 is located between two adjacent 2nd sockets 21, L1>0 and L2>0. At this time, the needle unit 1 41 and the needle unit 2 42 are inserted into the same 3rd socket 31. The two needle units 40 move towards the center position of the 3rd socket 31 at the same time, and the distance between the two needle units 40 becomes smaller.

[0041] Reference Figure 3bWhen L1>0 and L2=0, that is, the inner wall of the outer side of socket 31 and the inner wall of socket 21 are collinear, the pin unit 42 is inserted into the corresponding socket 21 and then enters the socket 31. The shape of the pin unit 42 remains unchanged. After the pin unit 41 is inserted into the socket 31, it tilts towards the center of the socket 31.

[0042] Reference Figure 3c When L1=0 and L2>0, that is, the inner wall of the outer side of socket 31 is collinear with the inner wall of socket 11. At this time, after the needle unit 41 is inserted into the corresponding socket 21, it enters the socket 31. The shape of the needle unit 41 remains unchanged. After the needle unit 42 is inserted into the socket 31, it tilts towards the center of the socket 31.

[0043] This application can form two distances, L1 and L2, of different lengths by changing the diameter of the No. 3 socket 31 on the No. 2 second lower guide plate 30 or changing the setting position of the No. 3 socket 31. By adjusting the lengths of these two distances, the micro-pitch between the No. 1 pin unit 41 and the No. 2 pin unit 42 can be adjusted.

[0044] In the foregoing embodiment, only the structure of the pin unit 40, in which two No. 2 sockets 21 are connected to one No. 3 socket 31, is used for illustration. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the following structure can also be formed as needed: three or more No. 2 sockets 21 connected to one No. 3 socket 31 to adjust and install three or more pin units 40.

[0045] Figures 4a to 4c This is a schematic diagram illustrating the adjustment of micro-pitch by adjusting the protruding length of the lower end of the needle unit 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] The present invention is as follows Figures 4a to 4c As shown, the lower ends of needle unit 41 and needle unit 42 protrude from the second lower guide plate 30 by a length of D, causing needle unit 41 and needle unit 42 to bend toward each other. The lower ends of the deformed pair of needle units 40 (i.e., needle unit 41 and needle unit 42) are spaced apart by a distance of length M.

[0047] By adjusting the length of D, such that D=D1, D=D2, and D=D3, which correspond to the micro-pitches M1, M2, and M3 between a pair of needle units 40 respectively, the micro-pitches between a set of needle units 40 can be adjusted.

[0048] Example 2:

[0049] Reference Figure 5The difference from Embodiment 1 is that the inner wall of the No. 3 socket 31 has a smooth inclined surface 300 from top to bottom towards the central axis, so that the needle unit 40 is offset towards the center of the No. 3 socket 31 during insertion.

[0050] It achieves a "self-guided, progressive" elastic deflection, thereby actively and precisely reducing the distance between the lower ends (i.e., probe tips) of adjacent needle units 40.

[0051] Insertion and contact: When the pin unit 40 is inserted into the No. 3 socket 31 from above, it will first contact the wider part of the upper port diameter of the No. 3 socket 31.

[0052] Inclined guide: As the needle unit 40 continues to be inserted downwards, it will inevitably come into contact with the inclined surface 300 of the inner wall. This inclined surface 300 acts as a physical guide track, applying a lateral force to the needle unit 40.

[0053] Elastic bending: Under the action of lateral force, the needle unit 40 reduces the possibility of fracture caused by brittle deformation or stress concentration at the hard bending point. With its own elasticity, it undergoes a smooth and continuous elastic bending in the insertion depth direction.

[0054] Final offset: When the needle unit 40 is fully inserted and reaches its working position, its lower end has been "pushed" inward by a small distance by the inclined ramp 300. This offset (i.e., the amount of pitch reduction) is determined by the angle of the inclined ramp 300 and the insertion depth of the needle unit 40.

[0055] It achieves a "self-guided, progressive" elastic deflection, thereby actively and precisely reducing the distance between the lower ends (i.e., probe tips) of adjacent needle units 40.

[0056] Reference Figure 6 The second lower guide plate 30 is provided with a module body for adjusting the size and position of the No. 3 socket 31. The module body includes an adjustment plate 7 connected to the second lower guide plate 30 and corresponding to the No. 3 socket 31, and a drive assembly for driving the adjustment plate 7 to move and for extruding the needle unit 40.

[0057] Example 3:

[0058] Reference Figure 6 The difference from Embodiment 1 is that the adjusting plate 7 is slidably connected to the second lower guide plate 30, and the driving assembly includes a driving screw 5 threadedly connected to the second lower guide plate 30. The driving screw 5 has a guide cone surface 6 on its side wall. When the driving screw 5 is rotated, the guide cone surface 6 pushes the adjusting plate 7 to move towards the extrusion needle unit 40. The adjusting plate 7 has an abutment groove on its side wall, and an elastic element is installed in the abutment groove and abuts against the needle unit 40. The elastic element can be selected as elastic rubber.

[0059] The rotational motion of the drive screw 5 is converted into the linear translation of the adjusting plate 7 via the guide cone surface 6 on its side wall. This transmission method of the guide cone surface 6 has the effect of reducing speed and increasing distance, allowing the operator to achieve micron-level advance of the adjusting plate 7 by a tiny screw rotation angle, thereby achieving extremely precise control over the deflection of the needle unit 40. Once adjusted to the correct position, the inherent self-locking characteristic between the drive screw 5 and the threaded hole effectively locks the position of the adjusting plate 7, preventing it from retracting due to the reaction force of the needle unit 40, thus ensuring the long-term stability and high rigidity of the adjustment distance.

[0060] The adjusting plate 7 indirectly contacts the needle unit 40 through an elastic element. When the adjusting plate 7 advances and presses against the needle unit 40, the elastic element undergoes compression deformation. This process is equivalent to a "soft contact," which greatly buffers the direct mechanical impact force and avoids scratches or indentations on the surface of the needle unit 40 that may be caused by hard contact. The elastic element can also absorb and homogenize stress, ensuring that the force applied to the needle unit 40 is more uniform and gentle, further avoiding stress concentration, which is crucial for protecting the needle unit 40 and extending its fatigue life.

[0061] Example 4:

[0062] Reference Figure 7 The difference from Embodiment 3 is that the adjusting plate 7 is rotatably connected to the second lower guide plate 30. The adjusting plate 7 has a sliding groove 8, and the driving assembly includes an adjusting screw 9 that passes through the sliding groove 8 and is threaded onto the second lower guide plate 30. The adjusting screw 9 drives the adjusting plate 7 to rotate, thereby pushing the needle unit 40 towards the center position closer to the insertion hole 31. The adjusting plate 7 acts as a rotating lever, with its fulcrum being the rotation connection point, the force point being the sliding groove 8 where the adjusting screw 9 is located, and the resistance point being the part in contact with the needle unit 40. The small linear displacement of the adjusting screw 9 within the sliding groove 8 can be amplified by the lever into a relatively large arc-shaped displacement at the end of the adjusting plate 7 (where it contacts the needle unit 40). This makes adjustment very effortless and efficient, achieving a significant deflection effect on the needle unit 40 with a small screw feed. Due to the different lever arm lengths, the needle unit 40 farther from the rotation fulcrum experiences a greater displacement. If a group of needle units 40 requires a smaller spacing between certain needles, non-uniform, customized spacing adjustment can be achieved by designing the position of the adjusting screw 9 and the shape of the adjusting plate 7, providing greater design flexibility.

[0063] Within a certain angular range, the linear feed of adjusting screw 9 and the displacement applied to needle unit 40 by the end of adjusting plate 7 can be approximately linearly related. This makes the adjustment process highly controllable and predictable. The operator can roughly estimate the deflection of needle unit 40 based on the screw pitch and the number of feed turns, simplifying the adjustment process.

[0064] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Any equivalent modifications or variations made by those skilled in the art based on the content disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A probe card having a micro-pitch adjustment function, characterized by: The utility model provides a needle unit guiding device, which comprises an upper guide plate (10), a first lower guide plate (20) and a plurality of needle units (40), the upper guide plate (10) is provided with a plurality of groups of No.

2. The probe card of claim 1, wherein: The guiding module comprises a second lower guide plate (30) arranged below the first lower guide plate (20), the second lower guide plate (30) is provided with No.

3. The probe card of claim 2, wherein: The No.

4. The probe card of claim 3, wherein: The inner wall of the No.

5. The probe card of claim 2, wherein: The second lower guide plate (30) is provided with a module body for adjusting the size and position of the No.

6. The probe card of claim 5, wherein: The adjusting plate (7) is slidably connected to the second lower guide plate (30), and the driving assembly comprises a driving screw (5) threadedly connected to the second lower guide plate (30).

7. The probe card of claim 5, wherein: The adjusting plate (7) is rotatably connected to the second lower guide plate (30), and the adjusting plate (7) is provided with a sliding groove (8).

8. The probe card of claim 5, wherein: The adjusting plate (7) is provided with an abutting groove on the side wall, and an elastic member is installed in the abutting groove and abuts against the needle unit (40).

9. The probe card of claim 1, wherein: The upper guide plate (10) and the first lower guide plate (20) are connected by a clamp plate (J).

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