Connecting assemblies and inspection devices
The connection assembly with an intermediate connection member and laminated substrates addresses the issue of discarded electronic components by facilitating stable and cost-effective probe card replacement, reducing the need for new components and maintaining electrical connections.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TOKYO ELECTRON LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-12-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing inspection apparatuses discard usable electronic components when replacing probe cards, leading to increased test costs due to the need for new components.
A connection assembly with an intermediate connection member and laminated connection substrates that allow for easy and accurate mounting of electronic components, enabling stable replacement and reuse of probe cards, reducing the need for new components.
Enables stable and cost-effective replacement of probe cards by allowing electronic components to be easily reused, minimizing the number of components needed and maintaining reliable electrical connections.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connection assembly and an inspection apparatus.
Background Art
[0002] An inspection apparatus contacts a plurality of probes of a probe card connected to a tester with a plurality of devices to be inspected on a substrate, and performs an electrical inspection of each device to be inspected. This type of inspection apparatus exchanges the probe card according to, for example, the consumption of the probes.
[0003] When electronic components such as capacitors are mounted on the probe card, even electronic components that can still be used are discarded along with the replacement of the probe card. In order to reduce the test cost associated with the disposal of electronic components, for example, the inspection apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which an intermediate connection member is interposed between the tester and the probe card, and electronic components are mounted on this intermediate connection member.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0004]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique that can apply easily and accurately mounted electronic components, thereby enabling stable replacement and use of the probe card.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a connection assembly is provided for electrically connecting a plurality of tester-side terminals of a tester and a plurality of probe card-side terminals of a probe card, wherein the connection assembly comprises an intermediate connection member and a connection substrate laminated on the intermediate connection member, the intermediate connection member includes a plurality of connection pins that electrically connect the plurality of tester-side terminals and the plurality of probe card-side terminals, respectively, a first frame portion that holds one end of the plurality of connection pins, a second frame portion that holds the other end of the plurality of connection pins, and a housing space provided in at least one of the first frame portion and the second frame portion, and the connection substrate includes conductive portions that are laminated on the first frame portion and / or the second frame portion having the housing space and are electrically connected to the plurality of connection pins, and electronic components that are electrically connected to the conductive portions and arranged in the housing space. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] According to one embodiment, electronic components that are easily and accurately mounted can be applied, thereby enabling stable replacement and use of probe cards. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an inspection system equipped with multiple inspection devices according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the inspection device. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the interface provided between the tester and the probe card. [Figure 4] Figure 4(A) is a disassembled side cross-sectional view of the connecting assembly according to the first configuration example. Figure 4(B) is a side cross-sectional view showing the installed state of the connecting assembly according to the first configuration example. [Figure 5] Figure 5(A) shows the top surface of the connecting board according to the first configuration example. Figure 5(B) shows the bottom surface of the connecting board. [Figure 6] This is a side cross-sectional view showing a connecting assembly according to the second configuration example. [Figure 7] This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing a portion of the connecting assembly according to the third configuration example. [Figure 8] This figure shows the upper surface of the connecting board according to the third configuration example. [Figure 9] Figure 9(A) is a disassembled side cross-sectional view of the connecting assembly according to the fourth configuration example. Figure 9(B) is a side cross-sectional view showing the installed state of the connecting assembly according to the fourth configuration example. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the assembly of the connecting board and the main upper frame according to the fourth configuration example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] The following describes embodiments for implementing this disclosure with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are used for identical components, and redundant explanations may be omitted.
[0010] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example configuration of an inspection system 10 equipped with multiple inspection devices of one embodiment. The inspection system 10 is a system for inspecting the electrical characteristics of multiple devices under test (DUTs) formed on a wafer, which is an example of a substrate. Note that the substrate is not limited to a wafer, but may also be a carrier on which the devices under test are placed, a glass substrate, a single chip, an electronic circuit board, etc. Examples of devices under test include semiconductor devices and other electronic devices.
[0011] The inspection system 10 comprises an inspection unit 12 formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped and having a plurality of inspection chambers 11, a loader unit 13 for holding a plurality of wafers W before inspection or a plurality of inspected wafers W, and a transport unit 14 provided between the inspection unit 12 and the loader unit 13. The inspection unit 12, for example, has four inspection chambers 11 arranged in the Y-axis direction, and these rows are arranged in three stages in the Z-axis direction. Each inspection chamber 11 is provided with an inspection device 20 (see Figure 2), which will be described later.
[0012] Inside the transfer unit 14, a transfer robot (not shown) capable of transferring the wafer W is provided. The transfer robot receives the wafer W before inspection from the loader unit 13 and transfers it into the target inspection chamber 11 among the inspection chambers 11, and also receives the inspected wafer W from the inspection chamber 11 where the inspection has ended and transfers it into the loader unit 13.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the inspection apparatus 20 provided in each inspection chamber 11 of the inspection system 10. The inspection apparatus 20 includes a tester 30, an interface 40, and a probe card 50. The inspection apparatus 20 performs an electrical inspection of each DUT of the wafer W by the tester 30 via the probe card 50.
[0014] The tester 30 includes a tester mother board 31 provided horizontally, a plurality of inspection circuit boards 32 mounted upright in the slots of the tester mother board 31, and a housing 33 that houses the inspection circuit boards 32. A plurality of terminals (not shown) are provided at the bottom of the tester mother board 31.
[0015] The probe card 50 includes a plate-shaped base 51 having a plurality of terminals on its upper surface, and a plurality of probes 52 provided on the lower surface of the base 51. The plurality of probes 52 contact each DUT of the wafer W. The wafer W is positioned by an aligner (not shown) while being adsorbed on the stage 60. Each probe 52 contacts each DUT of the wafer W in the positioned state.
[0016] The interface 40 is a member for electrically connecting the tester 30 and the probe card 50, and includes a pogo frame 41 and a connection assembly 42 having a function as a pogo block.
[0017] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the interface 40 provided between the tester 30 and the probe card 50. The pogo frame 41 is formed of a material having high strength, high rigidity, and a small coefficient of thermal expansion, such as a NiFe alloy. The pogo frame 41 has a plurality of holes 43 penetrating in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction). The connection assembly 42 is inserted into each of the holes 43.
[0018] The connection assembly 42 is positioned on the pogo frame 41 in a state of being inserted into each hole portion 43, and connects the terminals of the tester mother board 31 in the tester 30 and the terminals of the base portion 51 in the probe card 50. Details of this connection assembly 42 will be described later.
[0019] Returning to FIG. 2, the inspection device 20 includes a seal member 45 between the tester mother board 31 and the pogo frame 41, and a seal member 46 between the pogo frame 41 and the probe card 50. The inspection device 20 evacuates the space between the tester mother board 31 surrounded by the seal member 45 and the interface 40, thereby adsorbing the interface 40 to the tester mother board 31. Further, the inspection device 20 evacuates the space between the interface 40 surrounded by the seal member 46 and the probe card 50, thereby adsorbing the probe card 50 to the interface 40.
[0020] Furthermore, the inspection device 20 has a seal member 61 surrounding the wafer W on the upper surface of the stage 60. The inspection system 10 raises the stage 60 by an aligner (not shown) to bring each probe 52 of the probe card 50 into contact with the electrodes of each DUT of the wafer W. At this time, the inspection device 20 brings the seal member 61 of the stage 60 into contact with the pogo frame 41, and evacuates the space surrounded by the seal member 61, thereby adsorbing the stage 60 to the interface 40.
[0021] 〔First Configuration Example〕 Next, the connection assembly 42 according to the first configuration example will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 4(A) is a side cross-sectional view showing the connection assembly 42 according to the first configuration example disassembled. FIG. 4(B) is a side cross-sectional view showing the installed state of the connection assembly 42 according to the first configuration example. FIG. 5(A) is a diagram showing the upper surface of the connection substrate 80 according to the first configuration example. FIG. 5(B) is a diagram showing the lower surface of the connection substrate 80.
[0022] The connecting assembly 42 comprises an intermediate connecting member 70 and two (a pair of) connecting substrates 80 stacked on the upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate connecting member 70. The number of connecting substrates 80 can be set appropriately according to the circuit required for inspecting the wafer W, and can be one or more. For example, the connecting assembly 42 may be configured with one connecting substrate 80 stacked only on the upper surface (one side) of the intermediate connecting member 70, or conversely, with one connecting substrate 80 stacked only on the lower surface (the other side) of the intermediate connecting member 70.
[0023] The intermediate connecting member 70 is a member that is inserted into the hole 43 of the pogo frame 41 and fixed to the pogo frame 41. The intermediate connecting member 70 includes an upper frame portion 71 (first frame portion), a lower frame portion 72 (second frame portion), and a group of connecting pins 73 provided across the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72. The group of connecting pins 73 consists of a number of connecting pins 731 corresponding to each tester-side terminal 311 of the tester motherboard 31 (see Figure 4(B)) and each probe card-side terminal 511 of the probe card 50. In addition to the multiple connecting pins 731, the intermediate connecting member 70 also includes a number of support pins 74 that support the space between the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72.
[0024] The upper frame portion 71 is made of an insulating resin material. The upper frame portion 71 is formed in a roughly square shape when viewed from above (viewed from top to bottom) and is formed in a block shape with an appropriate thickness along the vertical direction.
[0025] The lower frame portion 72 is also made of an insulating resin material and is formed in a shape symmetrical to the upper frame portion 71, with the connecting pin group 73 in between. That is, the lower frame portion 72 is also formed in a roughly square shape when viewed from above (viewed from below), and is formed in a block shape with an appropriate thickness along the vertical direction.
[0026] Each connection pin 731 of the connection pin group 73 extends linearly and parallel to each other along the vertical direction. In a plan view, the connection pin group 73 has multiple connection pins 731 arranged in a predetermined order. In the example in Figure 3, the connection pin group 73 has a connection pin row 731L in which multiple connection pins 731 are arranged linearly and at equal intervals in a first direction parallel to predetermined sides of the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72. Furthermore, the connection pin group 73 has a small pin group 731G in which two rows of connection pin rows 731L are arranged adjacent to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and multiple (three in Figure 3) of these small pin groups 731G are arranged at intervals along the second direction. Note that the arrangement of each connection pin 731 in the connection pin group 73 can be appropriately formed according to the tester-side terminal 311 of the tester 30 and the probe card-side terminal 511 of the probe card 50.
[0027] Multiple support pins 74 are provided near the outer periphery of the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72, and / or near the center of the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72. Each support pin 74 is formed to be thicker than the connecting pin 731 and is made of a material that has greater rigidity (higher modulus of elasticity) than the connecting pin 731. As a result, each support pin 74 can maintain a constant distance between the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72.
[0028] More specifically, the upper frame portion 71 of the intermediate connecting member 70 includes a plurality of connecting pin holes 711 for accommodating a plurality of connecting pins 731, a plurality of support pin holes 712 for accommodating a plurality of support pins 74, and a plurality of accommodating spaces 713 recessed downward from the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71. The upper end (one end) of each connecting pin 731 is held against the inner circumferential surface of the upper frame portion 71 surrounding the connecting pin holes 711 by appropriate fixing means. Examples of fixing means include fitting, bonding, welding, etc. Similarly, the upper end (one end) of each support pin 74 is held against the inner circumferential surface of the upper frame portion 71 surrounding the support pin holes 712 by appropriate fixing means.
[0029] Multiple connection pin holes 711 are formed at positions corresponding to the arrangement of the connection pin group 73. The uppermost end of each connection pin 731 fixed to each connection pin hole 711 is exposed on the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71. The uppermost end of each connection pin 731 may be flush with the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71, or it may protrude slightly from the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71. Multiple support pin holes 712 are appropriately arranged in the gaps of the connection pin group 73 (for example, on the outer circumference of the upper frame portion 71 and between the small pin groups 731G).
[0030] Furthermore, multiple storage spaces 713 are provided between two adjacent sub-pin groups 731G in the connecting pin group 73. In the example shown in Figure 3, the upper frame portion 71 has two rectangular storage spaces 713 in plan view. The long side of each storage space 713 extends along the first direction. In addition, in the example shown in Figure 3, each storage space 713 is formed in a concave shape surrounded by the side and bottom surfaces of the upper frame portion 71. The number of storage spaces 713 is not particularly limited and may be one or three or more. The planar shape of the storage space 713 is also not particularly limited and can take any shape such as a square or a circle. The storage space 713 may also be a hole that penetrates the upper frame portion 71.
[0031] Furthermore, in the examples shown in Figures 3, 4(A), and 4(B), the upper frame portion 71 is structured to be divisible into two parts in the vertical direction. For example, the upper frame portion 71 includes a main upper frame 75 (first part) that holds a group of connecting pins 73 (multiple connecting pins 731) and multiple support pins 74, and a sub-upper frame 76 (second part) that is mounted on the upper surface of the main upper frame 75. The main upper frame 75 and the sub-upper frame 76 have an engagement mechanism (not shown) that allows them to be attached to and detached from each other, and together they form an integrated upper frame portion 71 in the engaged state. As an example of the engagement mechanism, an engagement claw portion provided on one of the main upper frame 75 and the sub-upper frame 76 and an engagement hole portion provided on the other that the engagement claw portion can catch on can be applied. Of course, the upper frame portion 71 may also be composed of a single, indivisible part.
[0032] The main upper frame 75 has holes 711 for each connection pin and holes 712 for each support pin of the upper frame portion 71 described above, as well as recesses 75c that constitute each housing space 713. The sub-upper frame 76 has first elongated holes 76h1 at positions opposite to the connection pin holes 711 of the main upper frame 75 which are arranged in a first direction, and second elongated holes 76h2 at positions opposite to the recesses 75c. The multiple second elongated holes 76h2 of the sub-upper frame 76 communicate with each recess 75c of the sub-upper frame 76, thereby forming each housing space 713 of the upper frame portion 71.
[0033] As shown in Figure 4(A), multiple first elongated holes 76h1 of the sub-upper frame 76 house elastic contact members 77 that are insulating and elastically deformable. In plan view, the elastic contact members 77 have a length that matches the length of the first elongated holes 76h1. The elastic contact members 77 have an elastic body made of elastomer (synthetic rubber, natural rubber, etc.) formed in a semicircular shape in cross-section, and multiple conductive film wires extending along the outer arc portion of this elastic body (neither shown). Each conductive film wire is provided at equal intervals along the longitudinal direction (first direction) of the elastic body so as to face each connection pin 731 of the main upper frame 75.
[0034] The elastic contact member 77 is held in the sub-upper frame 76 with a portion of the elastic body protruding from the upper and lower surfaces of the sub-upper frame 76. The conductive film wires at the lower part of the elastic body protruding from the lower surface of the sub-upper frame 76 become contacts that electrically connect to the connection pins 731 of the main upper frame 75 when the main upper frame 75 and the sub-upper frame 76 are engaged. The conductive film wires at the upper part of the elastic body protruding from the upper surface of the sub-upper frame 76 become contacts that electrically connect to the vias 821 of the connection substrate 80, which will be described later.
[0035] In this way, the upper frame portion 71, by applying the elastic contact member 77 to the sub-upper frame 76, can conduct electricity between each tester-side terminal 311 of the tester 30 and each connection pin 731 while the elastic contact member 77 is elastically deformed as the interface 40 is attracted. Therefore, the intermediate connection member 70 can stably connect all the tester-side terminals 311 and all the connection pins 731 to each other. Note that the intermediate connection member 70 is not limited to this configuration of the sub-upper frame 76; for example, spring pins that can elastically expand and contract in the vertical direction may be used for each support pin 74 to ensure flexibility, or elastic pogo pins may be applied to each connection pin 731 itself.
[0036] On the other hand, the connecting substrate 80 laminated on the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71 is flexible and is formed to be sufficiently thinner than the upper frame portion 71. This connecting substrate 80 includes a sheet body 81, a group of vias 82 having a plurality of vias 821 that penetrate through the sheet body 81 in the thickness direction, a conductive pattern 83 that is electrically connected to each via 821, and a plurality of electronic components 84 that are electrically connected to the conductive pattern 83. In other words, the vias 821 and the conductive pattern 83 constitute the conductive portion of the connecting substrate 80 that is electrically connected to the plurality of electronic components 84.
[0037] The sheet body 81 can be made of an insulating flexible substrate (such as a polyimide film or polyester film) and can be flat. As shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B), the sheet body 81 is formed in a rectangular shape that substantially coincides with the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71 in a plan view. The shape of the sheet body 81 is not particularly limited as long as it is provided with vias 821 at positions corresponding to each connection pin 731 of the upper frame portion 71, and may be formed larger than the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71 or smaller than the upper surface of the upper frame portion 71. Alternatively, the sheet body 81 may be a rigid substrate that maintains its flatness without flexibility, such as a glass epoxy substrate or a ceramic substrate.
[0038] Each via 821 constituting the via group 82 is formed of a conductive metallic material and extends for a short distance along the thickness direction of the sheet body 81. For example, the thickness of each via 821 is shorter than the diameter of each via 821. Each via 821 may be provided protruding from the upper and / or lower surface of the sheet body 81, or it may be provided flush with the upper and / or lower surface of the sheet body 81.
[0039] Each via 821 is positioned opposite each connection pin 731. In other words, the via group 82 has a via row 821L in which multiple vias 821 are arranged linearly and at equal intervals along the first direction. Furthermore, the via group 82 has a small via group 821G in which two rows of via row 821L are arranged adjacent to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and multiple (three in Figure 3) of these small via groups 821G are arranged at intervals along the second direction. With the upper frame portion 71 and the connection substrate 80 positioned, the via group 82 configured in this way ensures that each connection pin 731 faces each via 821. Therefore, the connection assembly 42 can make good contact and conduction between the connection pin group 73 and each tester-side terminal 311 of the tester 30 via the via group 82.
[0040] The conductive pattern 83 is provided on the surface (top or bottom) or inside the sheet body 81. The conductive pattern 83 exhibits an appropriate circuit shape that electrically connects each via 821, electronic components 84, etc., according to the inspection content of the wafer W by the tester 30.
[0041] The electronic component 84 is mounted to conduct electricity to the conductive pattern 83 and plays a predetermined role in the inspection of the wafer W. In one embodiment, the electronic component 84 can be fitted with a bypass capacitor 841 for removing high-frequency noise. The bypass capacitor 841 is, for example, a capacitor having a capacitance of 1 μF to 4.7 μF. By mounting the bypass capacitor 841 in this way, the bypass capacitor that was conventionally mounted on the probe card becomes unnecessary.
[0042] Alternatively, electronic component 84 can be a termination resistor 842 for impedance matching of the probe 52. In this case, the termination resistor 842 may be connected to GND via an appropriate path. Furthermore, electronic component 84 is not limited to the bypass capacitor 841 or termination resistor 842 described above, but may also be a coil, transistor, diode, relay, etc., or a circuit board or integrated circuit (IC).
[0043] In this embodiment, the connecting substrate 80 has a plurality of electronic components 84 mounted on the lower surface (back surface: one of the front surfaces) of the sheet body 81, and at a position facing each of the housing spaces 713 of the upper frame portion 71. Each electronic component 84 is arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction (first direction) between each small via group 821G. Each electronic component 84 protruding from the lower surface of the sheet body 81 is placed (housed) in each housing space 713 when the connecting substrate 80 is positioned and stacked with respect to the upper frame portion 71.
[0044] Therefore, as shown in Figure 4(B), even when the connecting substrate 80 having the electronic components 84 is laminated on the intermediate connecting member 70, the connecting assembly 42 (connecting substrate 80) can prevent the upper surface of the connecting assembly 42 (connecting substrate 80) from partially bulging and causing each via 821 to be misaligned. As a result, the connecting assembly 42 can connect each tester-side terminal 311 of the tester 30 and each connecting pin 731 via the connecting substrate 80 without significantly increasing the overall thickness of the connecting assembly 42.
[0045] Furthermore, the connection assembly 42 can have the same configuration as the upper frame 71 and the connection board 80 laminated on the upper frame 71, with respect to the lower frame portion 72 and the connection board 80 laminated on the lower frame portion 72. That is, the lower frame portion 72, like the upper frame portion 71, includes a plurality of connection pin holes 721, a plurality of support pin holes 722 for accommodating a plurality of support pins 74, and a plurality of accommodating spaces 723 recessed upward from the lower surface of the lower frame portion 72. The lower frame portion 72 may also be configured to be divisible into two parts in the vertical direction (main lower frame 78, sub-lower frame 79). Furthermore, the connection board 80 laminated on the lower surface of the lower frame portion 72 is composed of a sheet body 81, a via group 82 having a plurality of vias 821, a conductive pattern 83 that is conductive to each via 821, and a plurality of electronic components 84 that are conductive to the conductive pattern 83. Each via 821 of the connection board 80, which is stacked on the lower surface of the lower frame portion 72, is electrically connected to each probe card-side terminal 511 of the probe card 50 (base portion 51) and each connection pin 731.
[0046] As described above, the connection assembly 42 according to the first embodiment includes an intermediate connection member 70 and a connection substrate 80 laminated on the upper and / or lower surfaces of the intermediate connection member 70. This allows the connection assembly 42 to easily mount electronic components 84 on the flat (two-dimensional) connection substrate 80, improving manufacturing efficiency, mounting accuracy, etc., compared to mounting electronic components 84 on the three-dimensional intermediate connection member 70. Furthermore, by mounting the electronic components 84 on the connection substrate 80, the electronic components that were conventionally mounted on the probe card become unnecessary. As a result, the probe card 50 has fewer components to mount, and the probes 52 can be arranged at a high density. In addition, since the connection substrate 80 can be easily reused, the cost associated with replacing the probe card 50 when the probes 52 are worn out is significantly reduced.
[0047] Furthermore, since the connecting assembly 42 places the electronic components 84 in the respective housing spaces 713 and 723 of the intermediate connecting member 70, the connecting board 80 can be kept flat. As a result, the connecting assembly 42 can ensure good conductivity between the tester-side terminals 311 of the tester 30 and the probe card-side terminals 511 of the probe card 50 through the connection pins 731 of the intermediate connecting member 70 and the vias 821 of the connecting board 80.
[0048] It should be noted that the inspection device 20 and connecting assembly 42 according to this disclosure are not limited to the above embodiments, and can take various configurations and modifications. For example, the shape of the intermediate connecting member 70 and the connecting substrate 80 is not limited to being formed in a substantially square shape in plan view, but may be rectangular, circular, or the like.
[0049] [Example of configuration 2] Next, the connecting assembly 42A according to the second configuration example will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a side cross-sectional view showing the connecting assembly 42A of the second configuration example.
[0050] The connecting assembly 42A according to the second configuration example differs from the connecting assembly 42 according to the first configuration example in that a single connecting substrate 80A covers a plurality of intermediate connecting members 70 arranged horizontally. The other components of the connecting assembly 42A are basically the same as those of the connecting assembly 42 according to the first configuration example, so a detailed explanation will be omitted. In Figure 6, the connecting assembly 42A is shown in which the connecting substrate 80A is laminated on the upper frame portion 71, while the connecting substrate 80A is not laminated on the lower frame portion 72. The connecting assembly 42A is not limited to this, and the connecting assembly 42A may be placed only on the lower frame portion 72, or it may be placed on both the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72.
[0051] The connecting substrate 80A extends in the planar direction (horizontal direction) of the upper surface of the pogo frame 41 and is stacked on the upper surfaces of adjacent intermediate connecting members 70. The connecting substrate 80A has a plurality of vias 821 (via groups 82) facing each of the connecting pins 731 of each intermediate connecting member 70, and a plurality of electronic components 84 facing each of the housing spaces 713. The connecting substrate 80A may also have a rigid (non-flexible) nature that does not elastically deform when the intermediate connecting members 70 are stacked.
[0052] As described above, the connection assembly 42A, with each intermediate connection member 70 and the connection board 80A stacked, can stably conduct electricity to each tester-side terminal 311 of the tester 30 through the connection board 80A, while allowing each electronic component 84 of the connection board 80A to function. In particular, stacking the connection board 80A on multiple intermediate connection members 70 can reduce the number of parts in the connection assembly 42A, thereby reducing costs. Although Figure 6 shows a configuration in which one connection board 80A is applied to two intermediate connection members 70, the number of intermediate connection members 70 on which one connection board 80A is stacked is not particularly limited. For example, the connection assembly 42A may employ one connection board 80A that covers the entire upper or lower surface of the pogo frame 41 and can be stacked on all intermediate connection members 70 within the pogo frame 41. Furthermore, it is preferable that the pogo frame 41 and the connecting substrate 80A are equipped with a fixing mechanism (not shown) that allows them to be positioned relative to each other, thereby suppressing misalignment of the connecting substrate 80A with respect to each intermediate connecting member 70.
[0053] [Example 3] Next, the connecting assembly 42B according to the third configuration example will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing a part of the connecting assembly according to the third configuration example. Figure 8 is a view showing the top surface of the connecting substrate 80B according to the third configuration example.
[0054] The connecting assembly 42B according to the third configuration example differs from the connecting assemblies 42 and 42A described above in that it houses the connecting board 80B itself in each of the housing spaces 713 of the intermediate connecting member 70. The other components of the connecting assembly 42B are basically the same as those of the connecting assembly 42 according to the first configuration example, so a detailed explanation will be omitted. Figure 7 shows an example in which the connecting board 80B is applied to the upper frame portion 71, but of course the connecting assembly 42B is not limited to this. For example, the connecting assembly 42B may have the connecting board 80B applied only to the lower frame portion 72, or it may have the connecting board 80B applied to both the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72.
[0055] Each connecting substrate 80B includes a flexible sheet body 85, a conductive pattern 83 formed on the upper surface of the sheet body 85, and electronic components 84 (bypass capacitor 841, termination resistor 842). The sheet body 85 has a width greater than the width of the bottom surface of each housing space 713 (recess 75c of the main upper frame 75) formed in the upper frame portion 71. The longitudinal dimension of the sheet body 85 may be the same as the longitudinal dimension of each housing space 713. When the sheet body 85 is housed on the bottom surface of the recess 75c, the portion of the sheet body 85 that is wider than each electronic component 84 is elastically deformed into a curved shape by the side surface of the recess 75c.
[0056] The conductive pattern 83 extends from each electronic component 84 in the short direction of the sheet body 85, electrically conducting between the electronic component 84 and the contacts on the side edges of the sheet body 85. The contacts on the side edges of the conductive pattern 83 are electrically connected to a plurality of wirings 714 formed on the upper frame portion 71 via joints 86. Solder can be applied to the joints 86, for example. Each wiring 714 on the upper frame portion 71 is electrically connected to each connecting pin 731 via an elastic contact member 77.
[0057] Each electronic component 84 of the connecting board 80B is provided on the upper surface of the sheet body 85 and is housed integrally with the sheet body 85 in each housing space 713. This allows the connecting assembly 42B to install the connecting board 80B without each electronic component 84 protruding from each housing space 713. Therefore, the connecting assembly 42B can directly connect each tester-side terminal 311 of the tester 30 to each connecting pin 731 (including the elastic contact member 77) of the intermediate connecting member 70 without going through the connecting board 80B, making it possible to establish a stable connection state.
[0058] [Example of configuration 4] Next, the connecting assembly 42C according to the fourth configuration example will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9(A) is a disassembled side cross-sectional view of the connecting assembly 42C according to the fourth configuration example. Figure 9(B) is a side cross-sectional view showing the installed state of the connecting assembly 42C according to the fourth configuration example. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the assembly of the connecting substrate 80C and the main upper frame 75 according to the fourth configuration example.
[0059] The connecting assembly 42C according to the fourth configuration example differs from the connecting assemblies 42, 42A, and 42B described above in that it sandwiches a connecting board 80C between the main upper frame 75 and the sub upper frame 76. The other components of the connecting assembly 42C are basically the same as those of the connecting assembly 42 according to the first configuration example, so a detailed explanation will be omitted. Figures 9(A) to 10 illustrate an example in which the connecting board 80C is applied to the upper frame portion 71, but it is of course not limited to this. For example, the connecting assembly 42C may have the connecting board 80C applied only to the lower frame portion 72, or it may have the connecting board 80C applied to both the upper frame portion 71 and the lower frame portion 72.
[0060] The connecting substrate 80C, like the connecting substrate 80 in the first configuration example, has a sheet body 81, a via group 82 (multiple vias 821), a conductive pattern 83, and multiple electronic components 84. The lower end of each via 821 contacts the upper end of each connecting pin 731 exposed on the upper surface of the main upper frame 75. On the other hand, the upper end of each via 821 contacts the lower end (contact) of the conductive film wire of the elastic contact member 77 exposed on the lower surface of the sub upper frame 76.
[0061] Each electronic component 84 is mounted on the lower surface side of the sheet body 81 facing the recess 75c of the main upper frame 75. Therefore, with the connecting substrate 80C stacked on the upper frame portion 71, each electronic component 84 can be placed in the housing space 713, and the sheet body 81 can be kept flat. If the protruding height of the electronic component 84 is less than the thickness of the sub-upper frame 76, the electronic component 84 may be provided on the upper surface of the sheet body 81. This allows the connecting assembly 42C to accommodate the electronic component 84 in the second elongated hole 76h2.
[0062] The sheet body 81 is formed to be substantially the same shape as the upper frame portion 71 and is flexible. The sheet body 81 deforms appropriately according to the shape of the upper surface of the main upper frame 75 and the shape of the lower surface of the sub upper frame 76, and is sandwiched between these frames without any gaps. As shown in Figure 10, a plurality of positioning pieces 88 are continuously formed at appropriate positions on the outer edge of the sheet body 81. Each positioning piece 88 has a positioning hole 88h that penetrates in the thickness direction. In contrast, the main upper frame 75 has a plurality of protrusions 715 that project horizontally outward from the side edge. A positioning projection 715a smaller than the positioning hole 88h protrudes from the upper surface of each protrusion 715.
[0063] Furthermore, positioning mechanisms such as the positioning hole 88h and positioning projection 715a are not applicable only to the fourth configuration example, but can also be applied to the first to third configuration examples. Of course, the positioning mechanism is not limited to holes or projections; various configurations may be applied.
[0064] In the assembly method for assembling the above-described connecting assembly 42C, the first step is to place the connecting board 80C on the upper surface of the main upper frame 75, and the second step is to engage the main upper frame 75 on which the connecting board 80C is placed with the sub-upper frame 76, in this order.
[0065] In the first step, the horizontal orientation of the connecting substrate 80C relative to the upper surface of the main upper frame 75 is adjusted so that each positioning projection 715a of the main upper frame 75 is inserted into each positioning hole 88h of the connecting substrate 80C. As a result, each via 821 of the connecting substrate 80C faces each connection pin 731 of the main upper frame 75, and each electronic component 84 faces each housing space 713. In this state, when the connecting substrate 80C is placed on the upper surface of the main upper frame 75, each via 821 contacts each connection pin 731, and the electronic component 84 is housed in the recess 75c.
[0066] In the second step, the orientation of the sub-upper frame 76 is adjusted above the main upper frame 75 on which the connecting substrate 80C is mounted, and the sub-upper frame 76 is attached so that it covers the connecting substrate 80C. As a result, the connecting substrate 80C is sandwiched between the main upper frame 75 and the sub-upper frame 76, and they are fixed together by the engagement mechanism of the main upper frame 75 and the sub-upper frame 76. In other words, the connecting assembly 42C becomes a state in which the intermediate connecting member 70 and the connecting substrate 80C are integrated into one unit.
[0067] When the frame is integrated, the connecting board 80C does not shift position relative to the upper frame portion 71. Therefore, the connecting assembly 42C can be easily attached to the pogo frame 41 while maintaining stable electrical connections between each connecting pin 731, each via 821, and each conductive film wire of the elastic contact member 77.
[0068] The technical concept and effects of this disclosure, as described in the embodiments above, are described below.
[0069] A first aspect of the present disclosure is a connection assembly 42, 42A to 42C for electrically connecting a plurality of tester-side terminals 311 of a tester 30 and a plurality of probe card-side terminals 511 of a probe card 50, wherein the connection assembly 42, 42A to 42C comprises an intermediate connection member 70 and connection boards 80, 80A to 80C laminated on the intermediate connection member 70, the intermediate connection member 70 comprising a plurality of connection pins 731 that electrically connect the plurality of tester-side terminals 311 and the plurality of probe card-side terminals 511 respectively, and one end of the plurality of connection pins 731 The connecting substrate 80 includes a first frame portion (upper frame portion 71) that holds the other ends of a plurality of connection pins 731, a second frame portion (lower frame portion 72) that holds the other ends of a plurality of connection pins 731, and a housing space 713 provided in at least one of the first frame portion and the second frame portion, and includes conductive portions (vias 821, conductive patterns 83) that are laminated on the first frame portion and / or the second frame portion having the housing space 713 and are electrically connected to the plurality of connection pins 731, and electronic components 84 that are electrically connected to the conductive portions and are arranged in the housing space 713.
[0070] As described above, the connection assemblies 42, 42A-42C allow for easy and precise mounting of electronic components 84 onto the flat connection boards 80, 80A-80C, thereby enabling stable replacement and use of the probe card 50. Furthermore, since the electronic components 84 on the connection boards 80, 80A-80C can be easily reused when replacing the probe card 50, the cost of using the tester 30 is reduced. In particular, since the electronic components 84 are arranged in the housing space 713 of the connection assemblies 42, 42A-42C, the connection boards 80, 80A-80C can be easily stacked on the intermediate connection member 70, enabling the construction of a good electrical connection with the tester 30 and probe card 50.
[0071] Furthermore, the connecting board 80 is placed on the surface of the first frame portion (upper frame portion 71) and sandwiched between the first frame portion and the tester 30, and / or placed on the surface of the second frame portion (lower frame portion 72) and sandwiched between the second frame portion and the probe card 50. This allows the connecting assembly 42 to easily stack the connecting board 80 on the intermediate connecting member 70.
[0072] Furthermore, the connecting board 80A extends across multiple intermediate connecting members 70, and electronic components 84 are placed in each of the housing spaces 713 of the multiple intermediate connecting members 70. As a result, the connecting assembly 42A can reduce the number of connecting boards 80A while still being able to place electronic components 84 in multiple intermediate connecting members 70.
[0073] Furthermore, the housing space 713 is composed of recesses 75c provided in the first frame section (upper frame section 71) and / or the second frame section (lower frame section 72), and the connecting substrate 80 is housed in the recesses 75c. As a result, the connecting assembly 42B can be further miniaturized by housing the entire connecting substrate 80B having the electronic components 84 in the recesses 75c.
[0074] Furthermore, the conductive portion (conductive pattern 83) of the connecting board 80B is electrically connected to the wiring 714 provided in the recess 75c via a conductive joint portion 86. This makes it possible for the connecting board 80B to stably connect the conductive pattern 83 and the electronic component 84 to multiple connection pins 731.
[0075] Furthermore, the first frame section (upper frame section 71) and / or the second frame section (lower frame section 72) can be divided into a first part (main upper frame 75) and a second part (sub upper frame 76), and the connecting board 80C is sandwiched between the first part and the second part. This prevents the connecting assembly 42C from misaligning the connecting board 80C relative to the first frame section and / or the second frame section.
[0076] Furthermore, the first part (main upper frame 75) holds a plurality of connection pins 731, and the second part (sub upper frame 76) has contacts (contacts of elastic contact members 77) that are electrically connected to the plurality of connection pins 731 via conductive portions (vias 821) of the connecting board 80C. As a result, the connecting assembly 42C can properly connect the first part, the connecting board 80C, and the second part.
[0077] Furthermore, the electronic component 84 is provided on one side of the connecting substrate 80C and is housed in the housing space 713 (recess 75c) of the first part (main upper frame 75). This allows the connecting assembly 42C to make the second part as thin as possible, further promoting overall miniaturization.
[0078] Furthermore, the connecting substrates 80, 80A-80C are formed in a flexible sheet shape. As a result, the connecting assemblies 42, 42A-42C can easily place the electronic components 84 on the intermediate connecting members 70 as the connecting substrates 80, 80A-80C deform.
[0079] Furthermore, the connecting substrates 80, 80A to 80C have a plurality of positioning holes 88h, and the first frame section (upper frame section 71) and / or the second frame section (lower frame section 72) on which the connecting substrates 80, 80A to 80C are stacked have a plurality of positioning protrusions 715a that are inserted into each of the plurality of positioning holes 88h. As a result, the connecting assemblies 42, 42A to 42C can easily position the connecting substrates 80, 80A to 80C relative to the intermediate connecting member 70, thereby stabilizing the electrical connection.
[0080] Furthermore, the first frame section (upper frame section 71) and / or the second frame section (lower frame section 72) can be divided into multiple parts, and among the multiple parts, the parts adjacent to the multiple tester-side terminals 311 and / or the multiple probe card-side terminals 511 (sub-upper frame 76, sub-lower frame 79) are provided with elastic contact members 77 that have contacts that electrically connect to the multiple connection pins 731 and are elastically deformable. As a result, the entirety of each connection pin 731, each tester-side terminal 311, and each probe card-side terminal 511 can be flexibly brought into contact as the elastic deformation of the elastic contact member 77 occurs.
[0081] Furthermore, the conductive portion has multiple vias 821 that penetrate the thickness direction of the connection substrates 80, 80A to 80C and contact each of the multiple connection pins 731, and a conductive pattern 83 that electrically connects the vias 821 to the electronic component 84. As a result, the connection assemblies 42, 42A, and 42C can smoothly make electrical connections with the electronic component 84 via the vias 821 and conductive pattern 83 of the connection substrates 80, 80A, and 80C.
[0082] Furthermore, the electronic component 84 includes a bypass capacitor 841. This allows the connection assemblies 42, 42A to 42C to effectively reuse the bypass capacitor 841 even when the probe card 50 is replaced.
[0083] Furthermore, a second aspect of the present disclosure is an inspection apparatus 20 having a tester 30 having a plurality of tester-side terminals 311, a probe card 50 having a plurality of probes 52 that contact a substrate (wafer W) and a plurality of probe card-side terminals 511 electrically connected to the plurality of probes 52, and connection assemblies 42, 42A to 42C that electrically connect the plurality of tester-side terminals 311 and the plurality of probe card-side terminals 511, wherein the connection assemblies 42, 42A to 42C include an intermediate connection member 70 and connection substrates 80, 80A to 80C laminated on the intermediate connection member 70, and the intermediate connection member 70 connects the plurality of tester-side terminals 311 and the plurality of probe card-side terminals 511 The connection boards 80, 80A to 80C include a plurality of connection pins 731 that electrically connect each other, a first frame portion (upper frame portion 71) that holds one end of the plurality of connection pins 731, a second frame portion (lower frame portion 72) that holds the other end of the plurality of connection pins 731, and housing spaces 713, 723 provided in at least one of the first frame portion and the second frame portion. The connection boards 80, 80A to 80C are stacked on the first frame portion and / or the second frame portion having the housing spaces 713, 723 and include conductive portions (vias 821, conductive patterns 83) that are electrically connected to the plurality of connection pins 731, and electronic components 84 that are electrically connected to the conductive portions and arranged in the housing space 713. Even in this case, the inspection device 20 can apply electronic components 84 that are easily and accurately mounted, thereby enabling stable replacement and use of the probe card 50.
[0084] The connecting assemblies 42, 42A-42C and the inspection device 20 according to the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any way that is not inconsistent with other configurations. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0085] 20 Inspection equipment 30 Tester 311 Tester side terminal 42, 42A~42C Connecting Assembly 50 probe cards 511 Probe card side terminal 70 Intermediate connecting member 71 Upper frame section 713 Containment Space 72 Lower frame section 731 connection pins 80 Connection board 821 Beer 83 Conductive Patterns 84 Electronic Components
Claims
1. A connecting assembly that electrically connects multiple tester-side terminals of a tester to multiple probe card-side terminals of a probe card, The connecting assembly comprises an intermediate connecting member and a connecting substrate laminated on the intermediate connecting member. The aforementioned intermediate connecting member is Multiple connection pins that electrically connect the multiple tester-side terminals and the multiple probe card-side terminals, A first frame portion that holds one end of the plurality of connection pins, A second frame portion that holds the other end of the plurality of connection pins, A housing space provided in at least one of the first frame portion and the second frame portion, The connecting substrate is laminated on the first frame portion and / or the second frame portion having the housing space, Furthermore, a conductive portion electrically connected to the plurality of connection pins, Includes an electronic component that is electrically connected to the conductive portion and arranged in the housing space, Connecting assembly.
2. The connecting board is placed on the surface of the first frame portion and sandwiched between the first frame portion and the tester, and / or placed on the surface of the second frame portion and sandwiched between the second frame portion and the probe card. The connecting assembly according to claim 1.
3. The connecting substrate extends across a plurality of intermediate connecting members, and the electronic components are arranged in each of the housing spaces of the plurality of intermediate connecting members. The connecting assembly according to claim 2.
4. The aforementioned storage space is formed by recesses provided in the first frame portion and / or the second frame portion. The connecting board is housed in the recess. The connecting assembly according to claim 1.
5. The conductive portion of the connecting substrate is electrically connected to the wiring provided in the recess via a conductive joint. The connecting assembly according to claim 4.
6. The first frame portion and / or the second frame portion are divisible into a first part and a second part. The connecting board is sandwiched between the first part and the second part. The connecting assembly according to claim 1.
7. The first part holds the plurality of connection pins, The second part has contacts that are electrically connected to the plurality of connection pins via the conductive portion of the connecting board. The connecting assembly according to claim 6.
8. The electronic component is provided on one side of the connecting substrate and is housed in the housing space of the first part. The connecting assembly according to claim 7.
9. The aforementioned connecting substrate is formed in the shape of a flexible sheet. The connecting assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
10. The connecting substrate has a plurality of positioning holes, The first frame portion and / or the second frame portion on which the connecting substrate is stacked has a plurality of positioning protrusions that are inserted into each of the plurality of positioning holes. The connecting assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
11. The first frame section and / or the second frame section can be divided into multiple parts. Among the plurality of parts, the part adjacent to the plurality of tester-side terminals and / or the plurality of probe card-side terminals is provided with an elastic contact member that has contacts that electrically connect to the plurality of connection pins and is elastically deformable. The connecting assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
12. The conductive portion is, Multiple vias that penetrate the thickness direction of the connecting substrate and contact each of the multiple connecting pins, A conductive pattern having electrically connecting the via and the electronic component, A connecting assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or 6 to 8.
13. The aforementioned electronic component includes a bypass capacitor. The connecting assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
14. A tester having multiple tester-side terminals, A probe card having multiple probes that contact a substrate, and multiple probe card-side terminals electrically connected to the multiple probes, An inspection device having a plurality of tester-side terminals and a connecting assembly that electrically connects the plurality of probe card-side terminals, The connecting assembly comprises an intermediate connecting member and a connecting substrate laminated on the intermediate connecting member. The aforementioned intermediate connecting member is Multiple connection pins that electrically connect the multiple tester-side terminals and the multiple probe card-side terminals, A first frame portion that holds one end of the plurality of connection pins, A second frame portion that holds the other end of the plurality of connection pins, A housing space provided in at least one of the first frame portion and the second frame portion, The connecting substrate is laminated on the first frame portion and / or the second frame portion having the housing space, Furthermore, a conductive portion electrically connected to the plurality of connection pins, Includes an electronic component that is electrically connected to the conductive portion and arranged in the housing space, Inspection device.