Test socket for enhancing integrated circuit testing

Abstract

The utility model discloses a test socket for enhancing integrated circuit test, which comprises an insulating support structure with a plurality of first through holes and a plurality of elastic conductive columns, and second through holes penetrating through the elastic conductive columns are arranged among the elastic conductive columns so as to improve compressibility and heat dissipation performance. The insulating support structure may include soft and hard support layers. The test socket is suitable for the electrical test of a high-power IC, and has good thermal management and mechanical elastic properties.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of semiconductor testing equipment, and more particularly to a test socket for electrical testing of integrated circuits. Background Art

[0002] Test sockets are a crucial component of semiconductor manufacturing, providing the necessary electrical connection between the device under test (DUT) and the test equipment. Traditional test sockets often include a set of conductive pins or spring probes that contact corresponding pads on the DUT, thus forming an electrical path for the signal during testing.

[0003] One of the design challenges of test sockets is the mechanical stress and potential damage caused by repeated insertion and removal of the device under test, as well as the precise alignment required between the test socket and the device under test. Furthermore, the increasing power and heat generated by integrated circuits pose significant challenges to test socket design. Effective thermal management must also be considered to prevent overheating and ensure reliable test results.

[0004] Traditional test sockets typically integrate the support structure around the flexible conductive posts. However, this design causes the posts to expand laterally when pressed downward. This resistance to lateral expansion is limited by the support structure, limiting the posts' compressibility. Furthermore, this test socket structure hinders heat dissipation. This limitation is particularly pronounced when testing high-power devices under test, as the inability to effectively manage heat can lead to inaccurate test results or damage the device or the test socket itself.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the market for an improved test socket designed to provide enhanced mechanical resilience and excellent thermal management capabilities to accommodate the stringent requirements of modern integrated circuit testing. Utility Model Content

[0006] The present invention aims to address the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a test socket having enhanced mechanical resilience and excellent thermal management capabilities, which is useful for integrated circuits (ICs) that generate significant heat during testing operations.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned and other objectives, in one aspect, the present invention provides a test socket for IC testing. The test socket includes an insulating support structure having a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of elastic conductive posts. The elastic conductive posts are embedded in the insulating support structure and extend through the through-holes. Each elastic conductive post includes a first portion located below the insulating support structure and a second portion located above the insulating support structure. Importantly, the insulating support structure includes at least one second through-hole between the elastic conductive posts. The second through-hole penetrates the insulating support structure, provides deformation space around the elastic conductive posts when compressed, and provides a heat dissipation channel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the second through hole in the test socket can be circular, square, or any other irregular shape, depending on specific testing requirements. Furthermore, the test socket may include a combination of a rigid support structure and a flexible support structure. The rigid support structure can be composed of materials such as polyimide, PC board, ceramic, or a combination thereof, while the flexible support structure can be made of silicone to provide elasticity and compressibility.

[0009] In one embodiment, the present invention encompasses a method for manufacturing a test socket. The method involves forming a layered structure comprising at least one insulating support layer, creating a plurality of first through-holes in the layered structure, filling the first through-holes with an elastic conductive adhesive, and then forming at least one second through-hole in the insulating support layer between the first through-holes, extending through the insulating support layer. The total cross-sectional area of ​​the second through-holes can be at least 20% of the total cross-sectional area of ​​the test socket, ensuring proper thermal management during testing.

[0010] The method may further include including at least one sacrificial layer in the layered structure and then removing the sacrificial layer during the manufacturing process, which may facilitate forming the second via or other structural features of the test socket.

[0011] Due to the aforementioned structure and manufacturing method, the test socket of the present invention provides improved durability, better thermal management, and enhanced electrical performance, which are crucial for testing today's high-performance ICs. To further enhance the understanding of the aforementioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, the following detailed description will be provided using examples and accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the components in the accompanying drawings are schematic only and are not drawn to scale. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 Illustrated is a top view of one embodiment of the test socket of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2 Shown is Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of a test socket;

[0014] Figure 3 Another embodiment of the test socket of the present invention is shown;

[0015] Figure 4 Shown is Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of a test socket;

[0016] Figure 5 Shown is Figure 3 A flow chart of the manufacturing method of the test socket;

[0017] Figure 6 The diagram corresponds to Figure 5 Schematic diagram of step S110;

[0018] Figure 7 The diagram corresponds to Figure 5 Schematic diagram of step S120;

[0019] Figure 8 The diagram corresponds to Figure 5 Schematic diagram of step S130;

[0020] Figure 9 The diagram corresponds to Figure 5 Schematic diagram of step S140;

[0021] Figure 10 Shown is Figure 1 A flow chart of the manufacturing method of the test socket;

[0022] Figure 11 The diagram corresponds to Figure 10 Schematic diagram of step S210;

[0023] Figure 12 The diagram corresponds to Figure 10 Schematic diagram of step S220;

[0024] Figure 13 The diagram corresponds to Figure 10 Schematic diagram of step S230;

[0025] Figure 14 The diagram corresponds to Figure 10 Schematic diagram of step S240;

[0026] Figure 15 The diagram corresponds to Figure 10 Schematic diagram of step S250;

[0027] Figure 16 The diagram shows a test socket in one configuration of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 17Illustrated is another configuration of the test socket of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 18 The diagram shows a test socket in a stacked configuration according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 19 Shown is another stacked configuration of test sockets according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 The figure shows a top view of one embodiment of the test socket of the present invention. Figure 2 Shown is Figure 1 Partial cross-sectional view of a test socket. In this embodiment, the test socket 100 includes an insulating support structure 110 and an elastic conductive post 120 embedded in the insulating support structure 110 and designed to extend through a plurality of first through holes 112. The insulating support structure 110 serves as the foundation of the test socket 100, ensuring that the elastic conductive post 120 is correctly positioned in the desired position and that the plurality of elastic conductive posts 120 are electrically insulated from each other. The lower end point 122 of the elastic conductive post 120 contacts the device under test (i.e., IC), while the upper end point 124 of the elastic conductive post 120 is responsible for contacting the printed circuit board used for testing. The elastic conductive post can be compressed to accommodate changes in the height or warpage of the IC package without affecting the connection with the test circuit board, ensuring that the pressure applied to the IC during testing maintains the integrity of the electrical contact.

[0032] In this embodiment, the insulating support structure 110 is mainly composed of an electrically insulating polymer, such as polyimide, which has high heat resistance and mechanical stability. In other embodiments, the insulating support structure 110 can also use other materials, such as thermosetting plastics, liquid crystal polymers, or ceramics.

[0033] Furthermore, the test socket 100 includes second through-holes 114 extending through the thickness of the insulating support structure 110 and positioned between the elastic conductive posts 120. These holes serve multiple functions. These second through-holes 114 provide a buffer for the laterally expanding elastic conductive posts 120 when compressed. Importantly, these through-holes 114 also serve as heat dissipation channels. Specifically, these through-holes 114 facilitate airflow and heat dissipation, which are crucial when testing ICs that generate significant amounts of heat. Furthermore, to enhance cooling efficiency and account for material expansion and compression during testing, the size, shape, and arrangement of the second through-holes 114 can be varied. The shapes of the second through-holes 114 can be square, circular, or irregular. Furthermore, the positions of the second through-holes 114 are determined through careful computational simulation and / or experimental analysis to optimize the heat dissipation path, allowing hot air to escape and cool air to circulate around the IC and the elastic conductive posts 120.

[0034] The test socket 100 of this embodiment is particularly suitable for testing high-power ICs. High-power ICs are becoming increasingly common in today's technology field and require better heat dissipation capabilities to maintain functionality and reliability during testing.

[0035] In summary, the test socket 100 of this embodiment offers several significant advantages over the prior art. First, the inclusion of second through-holes 114 between the elastic conductive posts 120 significantly improves the heat dissipation capabilities of the test socket 100. This feature effectively dissipates heat generated by high-power integrated circuits, thereby reducing the risk of overheating and potential test inaccuracies. Second, the enhanced compressibility of the elastic conductive posts 120 ensures that the test socket 100 is suitable for testing integrated circuits with solder balls of varying heights and tolerances, providing a reliable testing solution.

[0036] In addition, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 The figure shows a top view of another embodiment of the test socket of the present invention. Figure 4 Shown is Figure 3A partial cross-sectional view of a test socket. The insulating support structure 210 of the test socket 200 includes a rigid support structure 211 and a soft support structure 213. This combination provides a balance of strength and flexibility for the test socket 200. The rigid support structure 211 is primarily composed of a rigid material, such as polyimide, PC board, or ceramic, to provide the necessary structural integrity, while the soft support structure 213 is primarily composed of a flexible material, such as silicone, to provide the elasticity to absorb mechanical stress. This combination of rigid and flexible materials ensures that the test socket 200 has a long service life and reliability, even after repeated use. In this embodiment, the rigid support structure 211 is located at the periphery of the test equipment, as this area typically requires high structural integrity. Conversely, the soft support structure 213, composed of silicone or other elastomer, is integrated into the area where the elastic conductive column 120 protrudes from the rigid support structure 211 to provide a cushioning effect.

[0037] Next, a method for manufacturing the test socket 200 will be described. Figure 5 and Figures 6 to 9 , Figure 5 Shown is Figure 3 A flow chart of the manufacturing method of the test socket, Figures 6 to 9 The diagram corresponds to Figure 5 Schematic diagram of each step. First, please refer to step S110 and Figure 6 , forming a layered structure 210'. This layered structure 210' is the basis of the insulating support structure 210 of the test socket 200. This layered structure 210' may include a hard support layer 211' and a soft support layer 213'. In another embodiment, the layered structure 210' may also include a sacrificial layer (not in FIG. Figures 6 to 9 Draw in, but can refer to Figures 11 to 15 The layered structure 210′ ​​may be formed by lamination, molding, or additive manufacturing techniques to combine materials such as polyimide, silicone, and ceramic into a cohesive layered structure 210′. This method of forming the layered structure 210′ ​​allows for the integration of different materials within the same support structure to optimize the electrical isolation and thermal management capabilities of the test socket 200.

[0038] Next, please refer to steps S120 and Figure 7 Once the layered structure 210' is formed, the next step is to form the first through holes 212. These first through holes 212 are designed to accommodate the elastic conductive pillars 120. The first through holes 212 can be formed by precision machining or laser cutting. Figure 8After the first through hole 212 is formed, an elastic conductive adhesive 120′ is filled therein to form an elastic conductive column 120. This elastic conductive adhesive 120′ is generally a composite material in which conductive particles 121 are suspended in an elastomer matrix 122, and has both electrical conductivity and mechanical elasticity. In this step, the filling process must be carefully controlled to ensure that the elastic conductive adhesive 120′ completely fills the first through hole 212 so that the elastic conductive column 120 forms a uniform and consistent shape, thereby reducing the formation of bubbles or voids that may affect performance. In addition, after the elastic conductive adhesive 120′ is cured to form the elastic conductive column 120, the hard support layer 211′ and the soft support layer 213′ can be partially etched or the sacrificial layer can be removed to expose part of the volume of the elastic conductive column 120.

[0039] Next, please refer to steps S140 and Figure 9 After the elastic conductive pillars 120 are fabricated, the manufacturing process continues by forming the second through-holes 214. These second through-holes 214 are designed for thermal management, allowing for effective airflow and heat dissipation during IC testing. In this embodiment, the second through-holes 214 are fabricated using techniques similar to those used to fabricate the first through-holes 212. After completing step S140, the test socket 200 is essentially complete.

[0040] Next, a method for manufacturing the test socket 100 will be described. Figure 10 and Figures 11 to 14 , Figure 10 Shown is Figure 1 A flow chart of the manufacturing method of the test socket, Figures 11 to 14 The diagram corresponds to Figure 10 Schematic diagram of each step. First, please refer to step S210 and Figure 11 , forming a layered structure 110 ′. The hard support layer 111 ′ of the layered structure 110 ′ serves as the foundation of the insulating support structure 110 of the test socket 100 . In addition, the layered structure 110 ′ further includes a sacrificial layer 140 .

[0041] Next, please refer to steps S220 and Figure 12 Once the layered structure 110' is formed, the next step is to form the first through holes 112'. These first through holes 112' are designed to accommodate the elastic conductive pillars 120. The first through holes 112' can be formed by precision machining or laser cutting. Figure 13 After the first through hole 112 ′ is formed, the elastic conductive adhesive 120 ′ is filled into the through hole to form the elastic conductive column 120 .

[0042] Next, please refer to steps S240 and Figure 14After the elastic conductive column 120 is formed, the sacrificial layer 140 is removed. The removal process of the sacrificial layer 140 may involve chemical dissolution, laser ablation or mechanical methods (e.g., peeling). Figure 15 The manufacturing process then forms the second through hole 114. After completing step S250, the test socket 100 is essentially complete. In another embodiment, the order of steps S240 and S250 can be reversed. That is, after forming the elastic conductive pillar in step S230, step S250 can be performed to form the second through hole 114, and then step S240 can be performed to remove the sacrificial layer. The resulting structure is the same.

[0043] In the above embodiment, the second through holes 114, 214 are circular in shape, but other shapes may also be used, such as elliptical, hexagonal, or other customized shapes. As long as the second through holes 114, 214 penetrate the supporting layer, the purpose of increasing the compressibility of the elastic conductive column and improving the heat dissipation performance of the present invention can be achieved.

[0044] In addition, other types of test sockets can be manufactured through a manufacturing method similar to the above. Figure 16 and Figure 17 , and two different test socket configurations are described, namely test socket 300 and test socket 400. The main difference between test socket 300 and test socket 200 is that soft support structure 313 is located below hard support structure 311, while test socket 400 is characterized by soft support structure 413 being located above and below hard support structure 411.

[0045] In addition, the above types of test sockets can be combined to form a stacked configuration that meets various test requirements. For example, please refer to Figure 18 , which integrates the features of test socket 300, test socket 400, and test socket 200 in a vertical sequence. Alternatively, please refer to Figure 19 , integrating the features of test socket 300 and test socket 200 in a vertical sequence.

[0046] These test sockets and their combinations provide a versatile platform for developing test sockets that adapt to a wide range of electronic devices and ensure that insulation and contact requirements are precisely met.

[0047] The test socket structure described in this article provides the following two advantages over traditional test solutions:

[0048] Enhanced thermal management: Through innovative design, including an additional second through-hole, and material selection, the test socket effectively dissipates the heat generated during testing, reducing the risk of overheating and ensuring more accurate test results.

[0049] Improved mechanical flexibility and durability: The use of a second through-hole and a soft support structure provides the test socket with the flexibility to accommodate integrated circuits of various sizes and tolerances, as well as the durability to withstand repeated use.

[0050] The above embodiments are merely examples for the convenience of explanation. Although any modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, they will not deviate from the scope of protection as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A test socket for enhancing integrated circuit testing, characterized in that: include: an insulating support structure comprising a plurality of first through holes; as well as A plurality of elastic conductive pillars are placed in and fill the first through hole; Among them, there is at least one second through hole between the elastic conductive pillars and passes through the insulating support structure.

2. The test socket for enhancing integrated circuit testing according to claim 1, wherein: The cross-sectional shape of the second through hole can be circular, square or other irregular shapes.

3. The test socket for enhancing integrated circuit testing according to claim 1, wherein: The insulating support structure includes a hard support structure and a soft support structure.

4. The test socket for enhancing integrated circuit testing according to claim 1, wherein: The total cross-sectional area of ​​the second through holes is not less than 20% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the test socket.

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