Support structure of space transformer and electrical connection device

Abstract

To provide a support structure of a space transformer and an electrical connection device which allow easily executing alignment of a probe 11 and a pad 21a of a wafer 21.SOLUTION: Provided is a support structure for supporting a space transformer 2 interposed between a printed circuit board 4 and a probe head 1, which comprises: a guide plate 6 that is provided on the probe head 1 side of the space transformer 2 and supports a lower surface of the space transformer 2; and bolts 7 that fixes the guide plate 6 to the printed circuit board 4. A plurality of projections p that come into point contact with the lower surface of the space transformer 2 are provided on a front surface of the guide plate 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support structure and an electrical connection device for a space transformer. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to measure the electrical characteristics of a test object such as a semiconductor integrated circuit, an electrical connection device having a probe that is brought into contact with the test object is used. The electrical connection device has a configuration in which a probe head that holds the probe is attached to a printed circuit board on which lands that are electrically connected to the probe are arranged.

[0003] The electrical characteristics of the device under test can be measured by contacting each probe held by the probe head with a wafer pad of the device under test. A space transformer is installed between the probe head and the printed circuit board to convert the wiring pitch between each probe and the printed circuit board.

[0004] The space transformer is fixed by a fixing member connected to the printed circuit board, and the probe head is further fixed to the space transformer (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Therefore, the electrical characteristics of the device under test are measured with the printed circuit board, space transformer, and probe head fixed to each other. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2009-521674 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the conventional support structure for the space transformer, the printed circuit board, the probe head, and the space transformer are fixed, so that it is difficult to align the probe and the wafer pad. In particular, when performing measurements using an electrical connection device configured using a space transformer provided by a third party, the alignment becomes even more difficult.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve these conventional problems, and its object is to provide a space transformer support structure and electrical connection device that makes it possible to easily align the probes and wafer pads. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A support structure for a space transformer according to one embodiment of the present invention is a support structure for supporting a space transformer interposed between a printed circuit board and a probe head, and comprises a guide plate provided on the probe head side of the space transformer and supporting a first surface of the space transformer, and a connecting member for fixing the guide plate to the printed circuit board, and a plurality of protrusions are provided on a surface of the guide plate that come into point contact with the first surface of the space transformer.

[0009] An electrical connection device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a printed circuit board, a probe head holding a plurality of probes, each probe having a base end electrically connecting to the printed circuit board and a tip end contacting a device under test, a space transformer interposed between the printed circuit board and the probe head and converting the wiring pitch of each of the probes, a guide plate provided on the probe head side of the space transformer and supporting a first surface of the space transformer, and a connecting member for fixing the guide plate to the printed circuit board, wherein a surface of the guide plate is provided with a plurality of protrusions that make point contact with the first surface of the space transformer. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to easily align the probes with the wafer pads. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an electrical connecting device to which a support structure according to an embodiment is applied. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part "A" shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram that shows a schematic example of a protrusion formed in the shape of a ball bearing. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram that illustrates an example in which the protrusion is formed in a vertically elongated curved shape. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which there are four protrusions. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the bolts connecting the printed circuit board and the guide plate are differential screws. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional ratios of each part are different from the actual ones. In addition, the drawings naturally include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios. The embodiments shown below are examples of devices for embodying the technical ideas of the present invention, and the embodiments of the present invention do not specify the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components as described below.

[0013] [Description of the embodiment] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an electrical connecting device 100 to which a support structure for a space transformer according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part "A" shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of II shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the electrical connecting device 100 includes a probe head 1, a space transformer 2, an interposer 3, a printed circuit board 4, a reinforcing plate 5, and a guide plate 6. In the following description, the reinforcing plate 5 side (upper side in the figure) is referred to as the upper direction, and the opposite side (lower side in the figure) is referred to as the lower direction. Also, the direction of a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction is referred to as the planar direction.

[0015] The probe head 1 holds a plurality of probes 11. The tip of each probe 11 is connected to a respective pad 21a of a wafer 21 to be inspected. That is, by aligning the probe head 1 and the wafer 21 and passing an electrical signal through each probe 11, it is possible to inspect the electrical connection state of the wafer 21 to be inspected. That is, the probe head 1 holds a plurality of probes each having a base end electrically connected to the printed circuit board 4 and a tip end in contact with the inspected object (pad 21a).

[0016] The probe head 1 includes a side surface member 1a, an upper surface member 1b, a lower surface member 1c, and an intermediate member 1d, and has a hollow structure inside the probe head 1. A plurality of through holes through which the probes 11 are inserted are formed in the upper surface member 1b, the lower surface member 1c, and the intermediate member 1d.

[0017] For example, when manufacturing a probe card, the probes 11 are inserted into through holes in the top surface member 1b, the bottom surface member 1c, and the intermediate member 1d, which are aligned in the vertical direction. The top surface member 1b, the bottom surface member 1c, and the intermediate member 1d are then moved relatively to one another in a direction intersecting the vertical direction (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the horizontal direction), thereby holding the multiple probes 11. The tip of each probe 11 is connected to each pad 21a of the wafer 21 to be inspected.

[0018] The space transformer 2 is interposed between the printed circuit board 4 and the probe head 1, and converts the wiring pitch of the base end of each probe 11 held by the probe head 1. The bottom surface of the space transformer 2 is in contact with the base end of the probe 11. The top surface of the space transformer 2 faces the printed circuit board 4, with the interposer 3 sandwiched between them. The interposer 3 is a board for establishing electrical continuity between the top surface and the bottom surface, and as shown in FIG. 2, the wiring 2a arranged in the space transformer 2 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 4 by the contactor 3b. For example, an elastic member such as a pogo pin or conductive rubber can be used as the contactor 3b. Note that the contactor 3b is not limited to an elastic member, and wiring or the like may be used.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, positioning pins 8 are provided between the probe head 1 and the space transformer 2. Specifically, the positioning pins 8 extend in the vertical direction so as to penetrate from the lower surface of the probe head 1 to the upper surface of the space transformer 2. For example, four positioning pins 8 are provided. That is, the positioning pins 8 connect the space transformer 2 and the probe head 1. By providing the positioning pins 8, the probe head 1 and the space transformer 2 can be fixed without misalignment.

[0020] The positioning pin 8 may be provided so as to be located, for example, in a hollow portion 6a (see FIG. 3 described later) of the guide plate 6. Alternatively, a through hole for the positioning pin 8 may be formed in the guide plate 6, and the positioning pin 8 may be provided so as to be located in the through hole.

[0021] 1 and 2, a plurality of lands 3a are provided on the upper surface of the interposer 3, and are electrically connected to terminals exposed on the lower surface of the printed circuit board 4. The terminals connected to the lands 3a are extended through wiring 4a to the upper surface of the reinforcing plate 5. The electrical connection state of the wafer can be inspected by connecting a tester (not shown) to the terminals on the upper surface of the reinforcing plate 5 and outputting an electrical signal from the tester.

[0022] 3, the guide plate 6 is a flat hexagonal plate. A hexagonal hollow portion 6a is formed in the center of the guide plate 6. The hollow portion 6a is formed below the rectangular space transformer 2 at a position overlapping with a region of the space transformer 2 that is connected to the probe 11.

[0023] Protrusions p are formed at three locations around the hollow portion 6a on the surface (upper surface) of the guide plate 6. As shown in Fig. 2, the protrusions p are hemispherical, and the apex of the protrusion p is in contact with the lower surface (first surface) of the space transformer 2. In other words, the space transformer 2 and the guide plate 6 are in point contact with each other via the three protrusions p (multiple protrusions). The guide plate 6 is provided on the probe head side of the space transformer 2, and supports the lower surface (first surface) of the space transformer 2.

[0024] The lower ends of bolts 7 (connecting members) extending in the vertical direction are connected to three points around the periphery of guide plate 6. The upper ends of bolts 7 are fixed to the upper surface of reinforcing plate 5 (see FIG. 1). Thus, guide plate 6 is fixed to reinforcing plate 5, and in turn to printed circuit board 4. Bolts 7 are an example of connecting members that penetrate printed circuit board 4 to connect and fix guide plate 6.

[0025] The protrusions p may be formed in the same number as the bolts 7, and may be provided on the inside of the bolts 7. That is, in FIG. 3, the bolts 7 are arranged so as to be located at the apexes of a triangle, and the protrusions p are arranged so as to be located at the apexes of a triangle smaller than the triangle. In other words, the connecting members are the bolts 7 that penetrate the printed circuit board 4 and connect to the guide plate 6, and are installed on the outer periphery side of the protrusions p. Also, the bolts 7 are provided in the same number as the protrusions p. Note that the number of protrusions p is not limited to the same as the bolts 7.

[0026] Next, the operation and effect of the electrical connecting device 100 according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described. When inspecting the electrical characteristics of the wafer 21 to be inspected, the tips of the probes 11 held by the probe head 1 are connected to the pads 21a formed on the wafer 21.

[0027] As described above, the space transformer 2 and guide plate 6 are in point contact with each other via protrusions p provided at three locations. Therefore, when aligning each probe 11 with each pad 21a, the space transformer 2 can move in a planar direction relative to the guide plate 6 and printed circuit board 4. In addition, because the space transformer 2 and probe head 1 are connected by positioning pins 8, each probe 11 can be positioned with high precision relative to each pad 21a of the wafer 21.

[0028] Furthermore, because the space transformer 2 can move in a planar direction relative to the guide plate 6, there is no need to position the space transformer 2 with high precision when attaching it to the printed circuit board 4. This reduces the labor required by the user. Furthermore, even if the wafer 21 expands due to heat, the space transformer 2 can move in a planar direction to prevent misalignment.

[0029] In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a protrusion p is provided on the inside of each of the bolts 7 installed at three locations. Therefore, by adjusting the expansion and contraction of the bolts 7 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the protrusion p corresponding to each bolt 7 can be moved in the vertical direction, and the space transformer 2 can be supported in a manner suitable to the operator's sense. If the guide plate 6 is positioned obliquely with respect to a planar direction (for example, the horizontal direction), the space transformer 2 is also positioned obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction. As a result, the probe head 1 is also similarly positioned obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction, and the tip of the probe 11 is no longer perpendicular to the horizontal direction. For this reason, it is considered that a problem of poor contact may occur. In this embodiment, the guide plate 6 can be set horizontally by adjusting the bolts 7 in the vertical direction, so that the above problem can be avoided.

[0030] In this embodiment, an example in which the shape of the protrusion p is hemispherical as shown in FIG. 2 has been shown, but for example, a ball-bearing-shaped protrusion p1 as shown in FIG. 4, or a vertically elongated protrusion p2 as shown in FIG. 5 may be used.

[0031] In addition, in the present embodiment, an example in which the protrusions p are provided at three locations as shown in Fig. 3 has been described, but a configuration in which the protrusions p are provided at four locations or more as shown in Fig. 6 may be used. In the present embodiment, an example in which the hexagonal guide plate 6 is used as shown in Fig. 3 has been described, but the shape of the guide plate 6 is not limited to a hexagon and may be, for example, a rectangle.

[0032] [Description of Modifications] 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the bolt 7 shown in the embodiment. The bolt 7A according to the modification has an outer thread 71 and an inner thread 72 that screws into the outer thread 71.

[0033] The thread 71a of the external screw 71 is screwed into a female screw portion 73a formed in a bracket 73 having an inverted L-shaped cross section connected to the guide plate 6. The pitch of the thread 71a is L1. A female screw portion 71b is formed inside the external screw 71. The pitch of the female screw portion 71b is L2 (L2 <L1)とされている。

[0034] A handle 71c is provided at the top of the external screw 71. A user can rotate the external screw 71 by operating the handle 71c.

[0035] The internal screw 72 is fixed to the guide plate 6. The internal screw 72 extends in the up-down direction relative to the guide plate 6. The pitch of the thread 72a of the internal screw 72 is L2. The thread 72a of the internal screw 72 is screwed into a female thread portion 71b formed on the external screw 71. In other words, the bolt 7A is a differential screw that can adjust the distance between the guide plate 6 and the printed circuit board 4. Note that the printed circuit board 4 and the reinforcing plate 5 shown in FIG. 1 are provided between the top of the external screw 71 and the guide plate 6, but are not shown in FIG. 7.

[0036] In the bolt 7A configured as described above, when a user operates the handle 71c to rotate the external thread 71, the external thread 71 rotates once, and moves downward (in the direction of Y1 in the figure) by a pitch L1.

[0037] Furthermore, since the female screw portion 71b formed inside the outer screw 71 rotates relative to the threads 72a of the inner screw 72, the inner screw 72 moves upward (in the direction of Y2 in the figure) by a pitch L2. That is, when the user turns the handle 71c once, the distance between the printed circuit board 4 and the guide plate 6 can be changed (increased or decreased) by a distance (L1-L2). That is, the position of the guide plate 6 in the up-down direction can be finely adjusted.

[0038] In this way, by connecting the printed circuit board 4 and the guide plate 6 using the modified bolt 7A, the vertical position of the guide plate 6 relative to the printed circuit board 4 can be fine-tuned, and the pressure when the protrusion p and the space transformer 2 come into contact can be appropriately adjusted.

[0039] Although the present invention has been described by the above embodiment, the description and drawings forming a part of this invention should not be understood as limiting the present invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Probe head 2 Space Transformer 3 Interposer 4 Printed circuit board 5 Reinforcement plate 6 Guide plate 7 Volts 8 Locating Pin 11 Probe 21 Wafer 21a Pad 71 External thread 72 Internal thread 100 Electrical connection device p protrusion

Claims

1. A support structure for supporting a space transformer interposed between a printed circuit board and a probe head, a guide plate provided on the probe head side of the space transformer and supporting a first surface of the space transformer; a connecting member for fixing the guide plate to the printed circuit board; Equipped with A plurality of protrusions are provided on a surface of the guide plate to come into point contact with the first surface of the space transformer. Space transformer support structure.

2. The space transformer further includes a positioning pin for connecting the space transformer and the probe head. A support structure for a space transformer according to claim 1.

3. The protrusion has a hemispherical tip. A support structure for a space transformer according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The connecting member is a bolt that penetrates the printed circuit board and connects it to the guide plate, and is installed on the outer periphery of the protrusion. A support structure for a space transformer according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The bolts are provided in the same number as the protrusions. A support structure for a space transformer according to claim 4.

6. A printed circuit board; a probe head that holds a plurality of probes each having a base end that is electrically connected to the printed circuit board and a tip end that is in contact with a device under test; a space transformer interposed between the printed circuit board and the probe head for converting the wiring pitch of each of the probes; a guide plate provided on the probe head side of the space transformer and supporting a first surface of the space transformer; a connecting member for fixing the guide plate to the printed circuit board; Equipped with A plurality of protrusions are provided on a surface of the guide plate to come into point contact with the first surface of the space transformer. Electrical connection device.

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