Probe card module and fabrication process
By combining zirconia ceramic sheets and UV adhesive in the probe card module design, the problems of high dielectric loss and short lifespan of existing probe cards in high-frequency testing are solved, achieving low-loss transmission of high-frequency signals and good wear resistance, thus reducing manufacturing costs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511237044.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-01
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-10
- Estimated Expiration
- 2045-09-01
AI Technical Summary
Existing probe cards suffer from problems such as high dielectric loss, difficulty in balancing large deformation capacity and high frequency characteristics in material systems, poor process compatibility, high cost, and short service life in high-frequency testing.
The probe card module design combines zirconia ceramic sheets and UV adhesive. The probe is fixed to the zirconia ceramic sheet by UV adhesive, and with the help of a limiting pivot and micro magnet, the probe can be accurately positioned and bonded with high strength. The UV curing process is used for rapid curing to ensure low loss transmission of high frequency signals.
It increases the lifespan of probe cards to over 5 million cycles, reduces manufacturing costs, improves wear resistance and the reliability of high-frequency signal transmission, and reduces maintenance costs.
Smart Images

Figure CN120741905B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor testing, and in particular to a probe card module and its manufacturing process. Background Technology
[0002] In the field of semiconductor testing, the manufacturing process of probe cards directly affects testing accuracy and efficiency. With the evolution of chip technology, traditional fixed-pitch probe cards face severe challenges: the diverse pitch requirements of advanced packaging, the need for different probe cards for HBM memory and logic chips, and high replacement costs. Chiplet heterogeneous integration requires a single probe card to adapt to mixed pitches. Alignment accuracy is affected by the cumulative error due to mechanical wear of fixed probes. High-frequency testing process limitations, such as the dielectric loss of traditional epoxy resin-bonded probes affecting millimeter-wave signals (e.g., US patent US10804095B2), involve laser-processing deformable microbeams on a multilayer ceramic substrate, fine-tuning the pitch through thermal expansion, and using gold-gold thermoforming bonding to fix the probes. However, this only supports limited pitch adjustment. Existing technologies suffer from material system contradictions: ceramic / silicon-based processes struggle to balance large deformation capabilities with high-frequency characteristics; poor process compatibility: thermoforming / photolithography processes cannot support micro-spring probes with precise UV adhesive positioning; and an imbalance between lifespan and cost: existing adjustable-pitch solutions generally have a lifespan of <500,000 cycles, and the cost per card exceeds $30,000. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a probe card module and manufacturing process that has low manufacturing cost, high stability, good wear resistance, long service life, and can ensure low-loss transmission of high-frequency signals. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a probe card module and manufacturing process, which has low manufacturing cost, high stability, good wear resistance, long service life, and can ensure low loss transmission of high frequency signals.
[0004] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: This invention includes a base plate, the base plate is provided with a first limiting pivot, the first limiting pivot is sleeved with a plurality of prying blocks, the end of the prying block is provided with a ceramic sheet, the ceramic sheet is zirconia ceramic, and the end of the ceramic sheet is bonded to the probe by UV adhesive.
[0005] As can be seen from the above scheme, the use of UV adhesive-zirconia ceramic-metal slider improves performance, extending the displacement range from ±30μm (electromagnetic) to ±100μm, and increasing the spacing density to 0.1mm (compared to only 0.25mm in the electromagnetic scheme). High-frequency testing reduces insertion loss, eliminates EMI interference, and ensures high reliability. The wear resistance of zirconia ceramic extends the lifespan to >5 million cycles (compared to <500,000 cycles for electromagnetic drives). The thermal stability of the non-magnetic steel slider (drift <0.1μm) far exceeds the thermal sensitivity of electromagnetic drives, reducing the manufacturing cost per card and thus minimizing maintenance costs.
[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the base plate is provided with a second limiting pivot distributed in a transverse direction. The second limiting pivot is located below the lever block. The bottom of the lever block is provided with an arc-shaped groove, and the lever block cooperates with the second limiting pivot through the arc-shaped groove.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment, a micro magnet is provided at the bottom of the lever, and the micro magnet is magnetically attracted to the base plate.
[0008] A preferred embodiment is that there are two sets of the first limiting pivot shafts, both sets of the first limiting pivot shafts are distributed laterally, and both sets of the first limiting pivot shafts pass through the middle of the lever block.
[0009] A preferred embodiment is that the plurality of the toggle blocks are equidistantly distributed and symmetrically distributed from left to right, and the ends of the plurality of toggle blocks are arranged side by side in a fan-shaped structure.
[0010] The manufacturing process includes the following steps:
[0011] Step S1: Cleaning; The ceramic sheet is cleaned, and plasma treatment is used to thoroughly clean the ceramic surface and enhance the bonding reliability.
[0012] Step S2: Dispensing; Use UV-curable adhesive for micro-dispensing, precisely apply a small amount of UV adhesive to avoid excess or insufficient adhesive.
[0013] Step S3: Positioning; The probe is precisely positioned using a combination of mechanical fixtures and optical assistance to achieve sub-millimeter-level alignment of the probe;
[0014] Step S4: Curing; UV curing, strength 50mW / cm², high-intensity UV light instantaneous curing, high colloidal strength;
[0015] Step S5: Testing; shear force test to strictly test the bond strength and ensure product durability.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the ceramic sheet is made of zirconia ceramic, with a Cu layer plated on the surface as a signal transmission layer, and high-strength zirconia ceramic is selected as the substrate, with copper precisely plated on the surface to form the signal transmission layer.
[0017] A preferred embodiment is that the probe end is welded with a 0.1 mm diameter copper wire for signal transmission, and the probe end is welded with an ultra-fine copper wire as a signal lead, ensuring a strong connection through a precision welding process. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention;
[0019] Figure 2This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the aforementioned lever. Detailed Implementation
[0020] like Figures 1 to 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the present invention includes a base plate 1, the base plate 1 is provided with a first limiting pivot 2, the first limiting pivot 2 is sleeved with a plurality of pry blocks 3, the end of the pry block 3 is provided with a ceramic sheet 4, the ceramic sheet 4 is zirconia ceramic, and the end of the ceramic sheet 4 is bonded to the probe 5 by UV adhesive.
[0021] The lever 3 serves as a metal slider, and the first limiting pivot 2 guides the movement of the lever 3. The 0.08mm probe 5 is fixed to the 0.1mm zirconia ceramic sheet using UV adhesive, and then the metal slider is bonded as a whole. The dispensing parameters are 5μm adhesive layer thickness (viscosity <200cP, curing strength >15MPa). The timing control method for probe fixture positioning and UV curing is as follows: positioning first, then irradiation, delay <0.1s. UV-curable adhesive is used to bond the probe 5 to the ceramic sheet 4; adhesive is dispensed onto the ceramic sheet using a micro-dispensing machine (accuracy ±0.1μL); the ceramic sheet 4 is positioned by the fixture (position error < ±0.01mm); curing is achieved by 365nm UV irradiation for 5 seconds. The adhesive volume is controlled by a high-precision dispensing device, and the micro-fixture ensures accurate probe positioning; UV curing is completed within seconds. Compared to traditional epoxy resin baking (requiring 120℃ / 1h), UV curing avoids heat deformation; the adhesive layer thickness can be controlled within 5μm, ensuring high-frequency signal transmission and achieving rapid curing; no long heating time is required, resulting in high production efficiency; the adhesive layer and positioning accuracy reach the micron level, making it suitable for high-frequency applications.
[0022] like Figures 1 to 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the base plate 1 is provided with a second limiting pivot 6 distributed in the horizontal direction. The second limiting pivot 6 is located below the toggle block 3. The bottom of the toggle block 3 is provided with an arc-shaped groove 7. The toggle block 3 cooperates with the second limiting pivot 6 through the arc-shaped groove 7.
[0023] like Figures 1 to 2 As shown, in this embodiment, a micro magnet 8 is provided at the bottom of the lever 3, and the micro magnet 8 is magnetically attracted to the base plate 1.
[0024] like Figures 1 to 2 As shown, in this embodiment, there are two sets of the first limiting rotating shaft 2. Both sets of the first limiting rotating shaft 2 are distributed laterally, and both sets of the first limiting rotating shaft 2 pass through the middle of the lever block 3.
[0025] like Figures 1 to 2 As shown, in this embodiment, several of the toggle blocks 3 are equidistantly distributed and symmetrically distributed from left to right, and the ends of the several toggle blocks 3 are arranged side by side in a fan-shaped structure.
[0026] In this embodiment, the manufacturing process includes the following steps:
[0027] Step S1: Cleaning; The ceramic sheet 4 is cleaned by plasma treatment to thoroughly clean the ceramic surface and enhance the bonding reliability.
[0028] Step S2: Dispensing; Use UV-curable adhesive for micro-dispensing, precisely apply a small amount of UV adhesive to avoid excess or insufficient adhesive.
[0029] Step S3: Positioning; The probe 5 is precisely positioned by a combination of mechanical fixtures and optical assistance to achieve sub-millimeter-level alignment of the probe 5;
[0030] Step S4: Curing; UV curing, strength 50mW / cm², high-intensity UV light instantaneous curing, high colloidal strength;
[0031] Step S5: Testing; Shear force test >15MPa is qualified. Strictly test the bonding strength to ensure product durability.
[0032] In this embodiment, the ceramic sheet 4 is made of zirconia ceramic, with a 10μm thick Cu layer plated on its surface as a signal transmission layer. High-strength zirconia ceramic is selected as the substrate, and the surface is precisely plated with copper to form the signal transmission layer. The ceramic has both excellent mechanical strength (impact resistance and wear resistance) and stable dielectric properties. The copper plating layer is smooth and dense, ensuring low-loss transmission of high-frequency signals.
[0033] In this embodiment, a 0.1mm diameter copper wire is welded to the end of the probe 5 for signal transmission, and an ultra-fine copper wire is welded to the end of the probe 5 as a signal lead. A precise welding process ensures a strong connection. The extremely small diameter of the copper wire and the thin insulation layer maintain flexibility while meeting the requirements of high-frequency transmission, making it suitable for wiring in complex spaces.
[0034] Although the embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to actual solutions, they do not constitute a limitation on the meaning of the present invention. Modifications to the embodiments and combinations with other solutions based on this specification will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
Claims
1. A probe card module, comprising a base plate (1), characterized in that, The bottom plate (1) is provided with a first limiting rotating shaft (2), and a number of dial blocks (3) are sleeved on the first limiting rotating shaft (2). A ceramic sheet (4) is arranged at the end of the dial block (3). The ceramic sheet (4) is zirconia ceramic, and the end of the ceramic sheet (4) is bonded to the probe (5) through UV glue; The bottom plate (1) is provided with a second limiting rotating shaft (6) distributed transversely. The second limiting rotating shaft (6) is arranged below the dial block (3). An arc-shaped groove (7) is formed at the bottom of the dial block (3). The dial block (3) is matched with the second limiting rotating shaft (6) through the arc-shaped groove (7); A number of the dial blocks (3) are equidistantly distributed and symmetrically distributed left and right. The ends of a number of the dial blocks (3) are arranged side by side in a fan-shaped structure; A micro magnet (8) is arranged at the bottom of the dial block (3). The micro magnet (8) is magnetically matched with the bottom plate (1); The number of groups of the first limiting rotating shafts (2) is two. The two first limiting rotating shafts (2) are both distributed transversely, and the two first limiting rotating shafts (2) penetrate through the middle of the dial block (3); The dial block (3) is a metal slider. The first limiting rotating shaft (2) plays a guiding role in the movement of the dial block (3). The probe (5) is fixed on the ceramic sheet through UV glue, and then the metal slider is integrally bonded. The dispensing parameter with a glue layer thickness of 5μm is adopted.
2. A manufacturing process for producing the probe card module according to any one of claims 1, characterized in that, The manufacturing process includes the following steps: Step S1: Cleaning; the ceramic sheet (4) is cleaned, and the ceramic surface is thoroughly cleaned by plasma treatment to enhance the bonding reliability; Step S2: Dispensing; ultraviolet curing UV glue is used for micro-dispensing, and a small amount of UV glue is precisely coated to avoid glue overflow or lack of glue; Step S3: Positioning; the probe (5) is accurately positioned, and the mechanical fixture tooling and optical assistance are combined to achieve sub-millimeter alignment of the probe (5); Step S4: Curing; ultraviolet curing, with an intensity of 50mW / cm², and high-intensity ultraviolet light instantaneously cures; Step S5: Testing; the shear force test is greater than 15MPa to be qualified, and the bonding strength is strictly detected to ensure the durability of the product.
3. The manufacturing process according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ceramic sheet (4) adopts zirconia ceramic, and a Cu layer is plated on the surface as a signal transmission layer. High-strength zirconia ceramic is selected as the substrate, and copper is precisely plated on the surface to form a signal transmission layer.
4. The manufacturing process according to claim 3, characterized in that: The end of the probe (5) is welded with a copper wire with a diameter of 0.1mm as a signal transmission, and the end of the probe (5) is welded with an ultra-fine copper wire as a signal lead. Through a precise welding process, the connection is ensured to be firm.
Citation Information
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