High-strength and high-toughness probe and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a high-strength and high-toughness probe and a manufacturing method thereof. The probe material contains components such as chromium, niobium and copper, which can form a strengthening phase and have excellent corrosion resistance. Nitride coating is formed through nitriding treatment, such as chromium nitride, which can form a hard surface and strengthen the wear resistance of the material surface. The surface plating layer can improve the conductivity of the probe. In the process, heat deformation and dynamic recrystallization of the material can be formed through hot rotary rolling process, so as to effectively refine the grain, realize the fine crystallization of the material, effectively reduce the alloy impurities through multiple melting, and improve the purity of the alloy material, so as to effectively enhance the strength and flexibility of the material and prevent the probe tip from breaking. The method has simple equipment, is flexible and reliable, has strong universality, can realize the production of various high-strength and high-toughness probes at low cost, and the material also has excellent corrosion resistance and can be used to manufacture corrosion-resistant high-strength wires.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic detection probe manufacturing technology, and in particular to a high-strength and high-toughness probe and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] Probes are widely used in electronic testing or semiconductor product inspection. For electronic components such as integrated circuits, large-scale integrated circuits, and light-emitting diodes (i.e., electronic components that use semiconductor elements), the electrical characteristics are checked by contacting the electrodes of the semiconductor elements with the probes. The probes used in such inspection devices need to have good properties such as high hardness and high toughness.

[0003] Chinese patent CN201010247383.4 discloses a contact probe having a substrate and a carbon film containing at least one of a metal and its carbides, the carbon film being continuously formed on the surface from the front end to the side end of the contact probe, wherein the metal is one or more selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, niobium, titanium, and chromium. This probe combines conductivity and durability, and can achieve low adhesion to the object being tested (especially its Sn content) and maintain stable electrical contact over a long period.

[0004] Currently, commonly used probes are made of materials such as tungsten steel and carbon steel, which have high strength and the finished product has high strength, but poor toughness and are prone to rust. Their tips can cause brittle chipping and damage the semiconductor products being tested. Some probes are made of precious metal alloys such as platinum and palladium, which are expensive and impose a significant cost burden on users. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a high-strength and high-toughness probe and its manufacturing method. This method involves simple equipment, is flexible and reliable, and has strong versatility. It can achieve the production of various high-strength and high-toughness probes at a low cost. The material also has excellent corrosion resistance properties and can be used to make corrosion-resistant high-strength wires.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention first provides a method for manufacturing a high-strength and high-toughness probe, comprising:

[0007] (A) The matrix material preparation process includes the following steps:

[0008] S1, Alloy material smelting: copper-niobium master alloy, copper-chromium master alloy and other alloy components are smelted in a vacuum electric arc furnace and then electroslag remelted to obtain alloy master material;

[0009] S2, Alloy rod blank casting: The alloy base material obtained in step S1 is vacuum cast to obtain the alloy rod blank;

[0010] S3, hot spinning: After straightening the alloy billet obtained in step S2, it is heated by electromagnetic induction. The heated alloy billet is then continuously hot-spun to obtain a fine-grained billet.

[0011] S4, Surface treatment;

[0012] S5, diameter reduction process: The fine-grained rod blank obtained in step S4 is subjected to multiple diameter reduction drawing to obtain the alloy finished wire, which serves as the base material for the probe.

[0013] Preferably, in step S1, the alloy material comprises the following components by mass percentage:

[0014] Niobium 2%~50%, Chromium 5%~20%, Copper 10%~30%, with the balance being silver, manganese, small amounts of rare earth elements and unavoidable trace impurities, and oxygen content less than 20 PPM.

[0015] Preferably, step S5 further includes the following steps:

[0016] S5-1, rough drawing, the total deformation of rough drawing shall not exceed 45%, the deformation of each drawing pass shall not exceed 7%, and the rough drawing shall be to a diameter of 2~3mm;

[0017] S5-2, Heat treatment: Under inert gas protection, the fine-grained rod blank is placed in a heat treatment furnace for heat treatment, held at the temperature for 4 hours, and then cooled naturally.

[0018] S5-3, Precision drawing: Using wire drawing equipment with cooling lubricant, multiple diameter reduction drawing is performed, and the total deformation rate of each drawing does not exceed 30%, to obtain alloy finished wire with a diameter of 0.3~3mm.

[0019] Preferably, the tensile strength of the alloy finished wire prepared in process (A) is not less than 1500 MPa.

[0020] As a preferred option, it also includes:

[0021] (B) Probe preparation process, which includes the following steps:

[0022] T1, for manufacturing probe alloy wire;

[0023] T2, straightening;

[0024] T3, cut into segments;

[0025] T4 Fine grinding of the tip: The probe wire head obtained by cutting in step T3 is finely ground into a needle tip shape with a tip radius of 0.5~10μm;

[0026] T5 molding;

[0027] T6 nitriding treatment: The material is placed in a nitriding furnace for ammonia gas nitriding, and then kept warm. The thickness of the nitrided layer is ≥0.2μm.

[0028] T7 cleaning;

[0029] T8 gold or nickel plating: The plating thickness is 0.1μm, resulting in a finished probe for semiconductor testing.

[0030] The present invention also provides a high-strength and high-toughness probe, which is a multi-layer composite structure, consisting of a substrate 1, a hardened layer 2, and a conductive layer 3 from the inside out.

[0031] Preferably, the substrate 1 is made of niobium-chromium alloy material, which includes the following components by mass percentage: niobium 2%~50%, chromium 5%~20%, copper 10%~30%, with the balance being silver, manganese, a small amount of rare earth elements and unavoidable trace impurities, and an oxygen content of less than 20 PPM.

[0032] Preferably, the substrate 1 is subjected to nitriding treatment to form the hardened layer 2, and gold or nickel plating is performed on the outside of the hardened layer 2 to form the conductive layer 3.

[0033] Preferably, the substrate 1 is about 2 cm long, its main body is cylindrical with a diameter of 0.3-3 mm, and its head is needle-shaped with a tip radius of 0.5-10 μm; the thickness of the hardened layer 2 is more than 0.2 μm, and the thickness of the conductive layer 3 is about 0.1 μm.

[0034] Preferably, the substrate 1 is a solid columnar structure, the hardening layer 2 is an annular structure covering the outer ring of the substrate 1, and the conductive layer 3 is an annular structure covering the outer ring of the hardening layer 2.

[0035] Preferably, the probe surface hardness reaches HV800 or higher.

[0036] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0037] (1) The components of the probe material in this invention, such as chromium, niobium, and copper, can form a reinforcing phase and have excellent anti-corrosion properties. Nitriding treatment forms a nitride coating. For example, chromium nitride can form a hard surface, which enhances the wear resistance of the material surface. The surface coating can improve the conductivity of the probe. In terms of process, hot rolling process can form hot deformation and dynamic recrystallization of the material, thereby effectively refining the grains, realizing the fine crystallization of the material, and precipitating the reinforcing phase. In addition, multiple melting processes can effectively reduce alloy impurities and improve the purity of the alloy material, thereby effectively enhancing the strength and flexibility of the material and preventing the probe tip from cracking.

[0038] (2) The preparation method of the present invention has simple equipment, convenient mold replacement, flexibility and reliability, strong versatility, and can realize the production of a variety of high-strength and high-toughness probes at a low cost. The prepared matrix material has excellent corrosion resistance properties and can be used to make corrosion-resistant high-strength wires. The prepared probe has the characteristics of high strength, high toughness and corrosion resistance, which can meet the long-term use of electronic material testing and can be placed in corrosive environments such as acids, alkalis and salts for a long time. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of the matrix material preparation in Example 1;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the probe preparation process in Example 1;

[0041] Figure 3 Metallographic microstructure of the probe substrate that was not subjected to the hot spinning treatment in Example 1;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a metallographic microstructure diagram of the probe substrate after hot spinning treatment in Example 1;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the probe structure in Example 3;

[0044] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Sectional view at point AA. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0047] Example 1

[0048] A method for manufacturing a high-strength and high-toughness probe, comprising:

[0049] (A) Matrix material preparation process, such as Figure 1 As shown, the substrate material preparation process includes the following steps:

[0050] S1, Alloy material smelting: Clean the surface of the raw materials, uniformly put in copper-niobium master alloy, copper-chromium master alloy and other alloy components, and smelt the alloy materials in a vacuum electric arc furnace at a melting temperature of 1200℃. Then, remelt according to the standard electroslag remelting process at a remelting temperature of 1200~1300℃ to obtain a pure and uniform alloy base material.

[0051] In step S1, the alloy material comprises the following components by mass percentage:

[0052] Niobium 2%~50%, chromium 5%~20%, copper 10%~30%, with the balance being silver, manganese, trace amounts of rare earth elements, and unavoidable trace impurities; oxygen content is less than 20 PPM. Niobium and chromium enhance the corrosion resistance of the material, while copper and silver improve electrical conductivity. Silver and chromium can also precipitate to further form a reinforcing phase.

[0053] S2, Alloy rod blank casting: Vacuum casting is performed on the alloy base material obtained in step S1 to obtain an alloy rod blank with a diameter of 20mm;

[0054] In step S2, the alloy rod blank is cast using a rod-shaped crucible or by continuous casting.

[0055] S3, Hot spinning treatment: After straightening the alloy rod blank obtained in step S2, it is heated to 500~700℃ by electromagnetic induction, preferably to 600℃. The heated alloy rod blank is then subjected to continuous hot spinning, with a spinning speed of 1~2m / min and a spinning reduction of no more than 0.5mm per pass. Multiple passes are continuously rolled to obtain a fine-grained rod blank with a diameter of 6~8mm.

[0056] It should be noted that the hot spinning process adopts the relevant process in the applicant's invention patent (application number 2023102175546, patent name is a method for manufacturing high content copper-silver alloy micro wires), so it will not be described again.

[0057] like Figure 3 The image shows the metallographic microstructure of the probe substrate without hot rolling treatment, i.e., the unrefined grain morphology, where irregular grains are visible. Figure 4 The image shows the metallographic microstructure of the probe substrate after hot spinning treatment. It can be seen that it exhibits a fine-grained state with very uniform grains.

[0058] S4, Surface treatment;

[0059] In step S4, surface defects and oxides of the fine-grained rod blank are removed by peeling or turning processes;

[0060] S5, diameter reduction process: The fine-grained rod blank obtained in step S4 is subjected to multiple diameter reduction drawing to obtain the alloy finished wire, which serves as the base material for the probe.

[0061] Preferably, step S5 further includes the following steps:

[0062] S5-1, Rough drawing: The total deformation during rough drawing shall not exceed 45%, and the deformation per drawing pass shall not exceed 7%; rough drawing shall be completed to a diameter of 2~3mm;

[0063] S5-2, Heat treatment: Under inert gas protection, the fine-grained rod billet is placed in a heat treatment furnace for heat treatment. The annealing temperature is 400℃~500℃, and after holding at the temperature for 4 hours, it is naturally cooled.

[0064] S5-3, fine drawing: using wire drawing equipment with cooling lubricant to perform multi-stage diameter reduction drawing, with the total deformation rate of each drawing not exceeding 30%, to obtain alloy finished wire with a diameter of 0.3~3mm. It is preferable to draw the fine-grained rod blank to a single wire with a diameter of 0.5mm, at which point its tensile strength is about 1500~1700MPa.

[0065] Preferably, the heat treatment in step S5-2 is performed after each drawing in step S5-3.

[0066] As a preferred option, it also includes:

[0067] (B) Probe preparation process, such as Figure 2 As shown, the probe fabrication process includes the following steps:

[0068] T1, for manufacturing probe alloy wire;

[0069] T2, straightening;

[0070] T3, cut into segments: each segment is 2cm long;

[0071] T4 Fine grinding of the tip: The probe wire head obtained by cutting in step T3 is finely ground into a needle tip shape with a tip radius of 0.5~10μm;

[0072] T5 molding;

[0073] T6 nitriding treatment: The material is placed in a nitriding furnace for ammonia gas nitriding at a temperature of 500℃, with an ammonia decomposition rate of 20~30%, and held at that temperature for 50 hours. The thickness of the nitrided layer is greater than 0.2μm, and the surface hardness of the material after nitriding reaches HV800 or higher. After nitriding treatment, metal nitrides such as chromium nitride can form a hard surface, which enhances the wear resistance of the material surface.

[0074] T7 cleaning;

[0075] T8 gold or nickel plating: Performed according to standard electroplating gold or nickel plating process; the plating thickness is 0.1μm, resulting in a finished probe for semiconductor testing.

[0076] Example 2

[0077] The components in this embodiment that are the same as or corresponding to those in the above embodiments are referred to by the same reference numerals as those in the above embodiments. For the sake of simplicity, only the differences between this embodiment and the above embodiments are described below. The difference between this embodiment and the above embodiments is that:

[0078] Unlike Example 1, in step S5-3, the fine-grained rod blank is drawn into a single wire with a diameter of 0.03~3mm. At this time, its tensile strength is about 1500~1700MPa. The single wire is twisted, braided or mixed with other materials to form a cable or wire mesh resistant to acid, alkali and salt environments.

[0079] Example 3

[0080] This embodiment provides a high-strength, high-toughness probe, prepared using the manufacturing method for the high-strength, high-toughness probe described in Embodiment 1. Figure 5-6 As shown, the probe has a multi-layer composite structure, which consists of a substrate 1, a hardened layer 2, and a conductive layer 3 arranged radially from the inside to the outside.

[0081] Preferably, the substrate 1 is made of niobium-chromium alloy.

[0082] As a preferred embodiment, the matrix 1 material comprises the following components by mass percentage: 2%~50% niobium, 5%~20% chromium, 10%~30% copper, with the balance being silver, manganese, a small amount of rare earth elements and unavoidable trace impurities, and an oxygen content of less than 20 PPM.

[0083] In this embodiment, the chromium, niobium, copper, silver and other components contained in the matrix 1 material can precipitate to form a reinforcing phase, making the matrix material strong and flexible, effectively preventing the probe tip from breaking; the niobium, chromium and other components enhance the corrosion resistance of the material, making the matrix 1 have excellent corrosion resistance; copper and silver can improve conductivity.

[0084] It is worth noting that, such as Figure 4 The image shown is a metallographic microstructure of the substrate 1 material of the probe in this embodiment. It can be seen that the substrate 1 material is in a fine-grained state with uniform grains, which also ensures that the substrate 1 has excellent strength and flexibility.

[0085] Preferably, the substrate 1 is subjected to nitriding treatment to form the hardened layer 2.

[0086] In this embodiment, a nitride coating is formed by nitriding, which enhances the wear resistance of the substrate 1 material surface; in addition, the hardened layer 2 plays a reinforcing role. After nitriding, metal nitrides such as chromium nitride can form a hard surface, and the surface hardness of the probe reaches HV800 or higher after nitriding.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the hardened layer 2 is 0.2 μm or more.

[0088] Preferably, the conductive layer 3 is formed by gold or nickel plating on the outside of the hardened layer 2.

[0089] In this embodiment, the probe has good conductivity and smoothness through surface coating.

[0090] In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the conductive layer 3 is 0.1 μm.

[0091] Preferably, the substrate 1 is a solid columnar structure.

[0092] In a preferred embodiment, the substrate 1 is about 2 cm long, its main body 10 is cylindrical with a diameter of about 0.3 to 3 mm, its head 20 is needle-shaped with a tip radius of 0.5 to 10 μm; its tensile strength is about 1500 to 1700 MPa.

[0093] Preferably, the hardened layer 2 is an annular structure covering the outer ring of the substrate 1.

[0094] Preferably, the conductive layer 3 is an annular structure covering the outer ring of the hardened layer 2.

[0095] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a high-strength, high-toughness probe, characterized in that, include: (A) The matrix material preparation process includes the following steps: S1, Alloy Material Smelting: Copper-niobium master alloy, copper-chromium master alloy, and other alloy components are smelted in a vacuum electric arc furnace. The alloy material includes the following components by mass percentage: Niobium 2%~50%, chromium 5%~20%, copper 10%~30%, balance silver, manganese, a small amount of rare earth elements and unavoidable trace impurities, oxygen content less than 20PPM, and then electroslag remelting to obtain alloy master material. S2, Alloy rod blank casting: The alloy base material obtained in step S1 is vacuum cast to obtain the alloy rod blank; S3, hot spinning: After straightening the alloy billet obtained in step S2, it is heated by electromagnetic induction. The heated alloy billet is then continuously hot-spun to obtain a fine-grained billet. S4, Surface treatment; S5, diameter reduction process: The fine-grained rod blank obtained in step S4 is subjected to multiple diameter reduction drawing to obtain the alloy finished wire, which serves as the base material for the probe.

2. The method for manufacturing a high-strength and high-toughness probe according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S5 further includes the following steps: S5-1, rough drawing, the total deformation of rough drawing shall not exceed 45%, the deformation of each drawing pass shall not exceed 7%, and the rough drawing shall be to a diameter of 2~3mm; S5-2, Heat treatment: Under inert gas protection, the fine-grained rod blank is placed in a heat treatment furnace for heat treatment, held at the temperature for 4 hours, and then cooled naturally. S5-3, Precision drawing: Using wire drawing equipment with cooling lubricant, multiple diameter reduction drawing is performed, and the total deformation rate of each drawing does not exceed 30%, to obtain alloy finished wire with a diameter of 0.3~3mm.

3. A method for manufacturing a high-strength, high-toughness probe according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that, Also includes: (B) Probe preparation process, which includes the following steps: T1, for manufacturing probe alloy wire; T2, straightening; T3, cut into segments; T4 Fine grinding of the tip: The probe wire head obtained by cutting in step T3 is finely ground into a needle tip shape with a tip radius of 0.5~10μm; T5 molding; T6 nitriding treatment: The material is placed in a nitriding furnace for ammonia gas nitriding, and then kept warm. The thickness of the nitrided layer is ≥0.2μm. T7 cleaning; T8 gold or nickel plating: The plating thickness is 0.1μm, resulting in a finished probe for semiconductor testing.

4. The method for manufacturing a high-strength and high-toughness probe according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tensile strength of the alloy finished wire prepared in process (A) is not less than 1500MPa; the surface hardness of the probe prepared in process (B) reaches HV800 or above.

5. A high-strength, high-toughness probe, characterized in that, The high-strength and high-toughness probe is prepared by the manufacturing method of claim 3. The probe has a multi-layer composite structure, which consists of a matrix, a hardened layer and a conductive layer from the inside to the outside.

6. A high-strength, high-toughness probe according to claim 5, characterized in that, The matrix is ​​made of niobium-chromium alloy material, which includes the following components by mass percentage: niobium 2%~50%, chromium 5%~20%, copper 10%~30%, with the balance being silver, manganese, a small amount of rare earth elements and unavoidable trace impurities, and an oxygen content of less than 20 PPM.

7. A high-strength, high-toughness probe according to claim 5, characterized in that, The substrate is subjected to nitriding to form the hardened layer, and gold or nickel plating is performed on the outside of the hardened layer to form the conductive layer.

8. A high-strength, high-toughness probe according to claim 5, characterized in that, The substrate is 2cm in length, cylindrical in shape, with a diameter of 0.3-3mm, and needle-shaped at the tip with a radius of 0.5-10μm; the hardened layer is 0.2μm or thicker, and the conductive layer is 0.1μm thick.

9. A high-strength, high-toughness probe according to claim 5, characterized in that, The substrate is a solid structure, the hardening layer is a structure that covers the outer ring of the substrate, and the conductive layer is a structure that covers the outer ring of the hardening layer.

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