Electrical connection device

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrical connection device 103 that compensates for the insufficient power supplied to the heater resistor 3 that heats the support substrate 2 of the probe 1, and efficiently supplies power to improve test efficiency. [Solution] The electrical connection device 103 includes a plurality of probes 1, a support substrate 2 that supports the plurality of probes 1, a heater resistor 3 configured to heat the support substrate 2, and a first boost circuit 31 that boosts the first voltage V1 applied to the heater resistor 3.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electrical connection device used for inspecting electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected.

Background Art

[0002] In order to inspect the electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected, such as a semiconductor integrated circuit, in a wafer state, an energization test is generally performed using an electrical connection device generally called a probe card. The electrical connection device is a device that electrically connects between an object to be inspected and a semiconductor test device such as a tester.

[0003] In order to electrically connect between the object to be inspected and the electrical connection device, it is necessary to simultaneously align the positions of the tips of a plurality of probes provided in the electrical connection device with the positions of a plurality of electrode pads of the object to be inspected. However, the positional relationship between the electrode pads and the probe tips varies according to the amount of thermal expansion of the object to be inspected during the test.

[0004] Therefore, among the plurality of substrates provided in the electrical connection device, the ceramic substrate that supports the probes is heated with an electric heater to match the amount of thermal expansion of the support substrate with the amount of thermal expansion of the object to be inspected. Thereby, the positions of the electrode pads and the probe tips can be made to coincide.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, recent advancements in semiconductor integrated circuits have led to higher wafer temperatures during testing. Consequently, the power required for the heater power supply has also increased. As a result, conventional heater power supplies are insufficient, making it difficult to adequately heat the electric heaters and thus difficult to match the thermal expansion of the support substrate to the thermal expansion of the object being tested.

[0007] Furthermore, when testing multiple wafers in multiple sessions, the support substrate is exposed to ambient temperature during wafer changes, causing the ceramic substrate temperature to drop. Therefore, the ceramic substrate must be heated repeatedly each time a wafer is changed. If the heater power supply has insufficient power, the heating time during wafer changes will increase, reducing the test efficiency.

[0008] The present disclosure aims to provide an electrical connection device that can compensate for the insufficient power supplied to the heater resistor that heats the substrate supporting the probe, and efficiently supply power to improve test efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A first aspect of this disclosure is a plurality of probes, a support substrate for supporting the plurality of probes, Embedded inside the support substrate A heater resistor and a first boost circuit section that boosts the first voltage applied to the heater resistor, A temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of a support substrate, a microcontroller that controls the operation of the first boost circuit based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and a wiring board located on the second main surface side of the support substrate facing in the opposite direction to the first main surface that supports the probe. It is an electrical connection device having [a certain characteristic]. The first boost circuit and the microcontroller are supported on a wiring board. A signal indicating the temperature of the support board, measured by a temperature sensor, is input to the microcontroller via the internal wiring of the wiring board. The microcontroller adjusts the voltage output from the first boost circuit so that the temperature of the support board measured by the temperature sensor approaches a preset temperature. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide an electrical connection device that compensates for the insufficient power supplied to the heater resistor that heats the support substrate of the probe, and efficiently supplies power to improve test efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the electrical connection device 101 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2]Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the first boost circuit section 31 of Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the electrical connection device 102 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 4A] Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view showing the transmission of switching noise Nz when the first boost circuit section 31 is mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4. [Figure 4B] Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view showing the transmission of switching noise Nz when the first boost circuit section 31 is mounted on the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the electrical connection device 103 according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Next, electrical connection devices according to several embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the ratios of the thicknesses of each part may differ from those of reality. Furthermore, it goes without saying that there are parts in the drawings where the dimensional relationships and ratios differ from those of other parts. The embodiments shown below are illustrative examples of devices and methods for realizing the technical idea of ​​this disclosure, and the embodiments do not specify the materials, shapes, structures, and arrangements of the components of this disclosure to those described below.

[0013] The electrical connection devices according to multiple embodiments are semiconductor testing devices used in the wafer testing process of semiconductor manufacturing. The wafer testing process is a process of testing the electrical characteristics of an object to be tested, including electronic devices such as integrated circuits (ICs), in the wafer state before it is separated into individual chips. In the wafer testing process, an electrical connection test is performed using semiconductor testing equipment such as a tester. The electrical connection device is a device that electrically connects the object to be tested and the semiconductor testing equipment during the electrical connection test.

[0014] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an electrical connection device 101 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the first boost circuit section 31 in Figure 1. The electrical connection device 101 includes a plurality of probes 1, a support substrate 2 that supports the plurality of probes 1, a heater resistor 3 configured to heat the support substrate 2, and a first boost circuit section 31 that boosts the first voltage V1 applied to the heater resistor 3.

[0015] Although not shown in the diagram, probe 1 has a tip (needle tip) and a body. The tip (needle tip) contacts the electrode pad of the object being examined, and the body elastically deforms. As a result, probe 1 holds the tip that is in contact with the electrode pad in an overdrive state, further pressing it into the electrode pad. This ensures that a stable electrical connection is maintained between the object being examined and probe 1.

[0016] The type, structure, and material of probe 1 are not particularly limited. For example, probes such as L-shaped or cantilever-shaped probes with a cantilever beam structure, straight or vertical probes with a spring structure, and cobra-shaped probes with an S-shaped elastic structure can be used. Probe 1 is made of a highly durable and hard conductive material such as tungsten, ruthenium alloy, or palladium, and its surface may be coated with gold plating or the like to reduce contact resistance and improve wear resistance. Probe 1 can be manufactured using MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technology, but may also be manufactured using other manufacturing methods. Furthermore, the type, structure, and material of multiple probes 1 may be the same or different.

[0017] The support substrate 2 is one of the plurality of substrates included in the electrical connection device 101, and is a substrate that directly or indirectly supports the probes 1, and may generally be referred to as a probe substrate. For example, the support substrate 2 may be a combined substrate in which a flexible multilayer sheet formed of an electrically insulating resin such as polyimide resin is provided on the lower surface of a ceramic substrate. In this case, a plurality of probes 1 are arranged and fixed on the lower surface of the multilayer sheet. The lower surface of the multilayer sheet corresponds to an example of the first main surface 2A of the support substrate 2. Thus, by arranging and fixing the plurality of probes 1 on the first main surface 2A of the support substrate 2, the support substrate 2 supports the plurality of probes 1.

[0018] In the embodiment, a plane parallel to the first main surface 2A of the support substrate 2 is defined as the XY plane, and a direction perpendicular to the XY plane is defined as the Z direction. In FIG. 1, the Y direction is a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper, and the X direction and the Y direction are perpendicular to each other. In the Z direction, the direction in which the support substrate 2 is located as viewed from the probe 1 (the positive direction of the Z axis) is upward, and the direction in which the probe 1 is located as viewed from the support substrate 2 (the negative direction of the Z axis) is downward. The surface facing upward is referred to as the upper surface, and the surface facing downward is referred to as the lower surface. The first main surface 2A of the support substrate 2 is the lower surface of the support substrate 2.

[0019] The multilayer sheet has a known shape and structure having a plurality of internal wirings (not shown) inside and a plurality of probe lands (not shown) electrically connected to the internal wirings on the lower surface, and is integrally formed with the ceramic substrate.

[0020] Each probe 1 is adhered to a probe land by a method such as bonding with a conductive bonding material such as solder or welding with a laser in a state where its tip (needle tip) protrudes downward.

[0021] The ceramic substrate may have a multilayer structure in which a plurality of ceramic layers are laminated. As the materials of the ceramic substrate and the ceramic layers, alumina (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC), etc. can be used.

[0022] The arrangement pitch of the multiple probes 1 on the first main surface 2A is, for example, 50 μm or less.

[0023] The heater resistor 3 may, for example, be embedded inside the support substrate 2. Furthermore, for example, it may be placed inside a ceramic substrate. Specifically, each of the multiple resistive heating layers constituting the heater resistor 3 may be placed between a pair of ceramic layers. When the voltage VH boosted by the first boost circuit 31 is applied to the heater resistor 3, current flows through the heater resistor 3, Joule heat is generated, and the support substrate 2 is heated.

[0024] The planar shape of the heater resistor 3 is not particularly limited; for example, a spiral pattern, a concentric circle pattern, or a zone division pattern divided into multiple independently controllable zones are possible. Materials that can be used for the heater resistor 3 include tungsten (W), platinum (Pt), molybdenum (Mo), nichrome (Ni-Cr alloy), and tantalum (Ta). Manufacturing processes for the heater resistor 3 can include thick-film technology including screen printing and drying / sintering, and thin-film technology including sputtering and photolithography / etching.

[0025] Inside the support substrate 2, there is not only a heating layer that constitutes the heater resistor 3, but also a conductive layer with multiple wires formed therein for electrically connecting the probe 1 and the tester. The heating layer and the conductive layer are electrically insulated from each other by a ceramic layer.

[0026] The first boost circuit section 31 may be a DC-DC converter that converts a low input voltage V1 to a high output voltage VH. The DC-DC converter may also be a switching regulator that performs voltage conversion with high efficiency by switching a switching element (transistor) on / off. The type, operation and control method of the switching regulator, and the types of switching elements, rectifier elements, inductors and capacitors that constitute the switching regulator are not particularly limited. For example, a MOS-type field-effect transistor (MOSFET) can be used as the switching element. For example, PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control can be used as the control method for the switching regulator. By adjusting the switching speed, the output voltage VH can be changed in multiple stages.

[0027] The first boost circuit 31 may be a discrete component in which a switching element, a rectifier element, an inductor, and a capacitor are individually packaged. In this case, the discrete component may be directly mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4, which will be described later. Alternatively, the first boost circuit 31 may be a multi-chip package component in which a plurality of chips, each on which a switching element, a rectifier element, an inductor, and a capacitor are formed, are housed together in one or more chips. In this case, the multi-chip package component may be directly mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4. Thus, in the first embodiment, the first boost circuit 31 is supported by the wiring board 4 by being directly mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4.

[0028] The power input to the first boost circuit 31 is supplied from a first external power supply P1, which is an external power supply not included in the electrical connection device 101. For example, the utility power supply provided by a tester can be used as the first external power supply P1. For example, a first voltage V1 (e.g., 15V) output by the first external power supply P1 is applied as the input voltage to the first boost circuit 31. The first boost circuit 31 can boost the first voltage V1 up to a maximum voltage (e.g., 36V). The boosted output voltage VH is applied to the heater resistor 3. Since the resistance value of the heater resistor 3 is constant, boosting the voltage from 15V to a maximum of 36V increases the maximum power that can be supplied to the heater resistor 3 by more than five times compared to when the voltage is not boosted. Therefore, according to the electrical connection device 101 of the first embodiment, it is possible to compensate for the shortage of power supplied to the heater resistor 3 that heats the support substrate 2, supply power efficiently, and improve the test efficiency.

[0029] Furthermore, the external power supply with a lower voltage (first external power supply P1) can be used as before without modification.

[0030] An electrical connector 5 may be placed on the second main surface 2B of the support substrate 2, which faces in the opposite direction to the first main surface 2A on which multiple probes 1 are arranged and fixed. The electrical connector 5 has multiple known connection pins (not shown), such as pogo pins, that extend vertically through an electrically insulating pin holder, and the conductive layer and heater resistor 3 in the support substrate 2 are electrically connected to the wiring board 4, which will be described later, by the connection pins.

[0031] A wiring board 4 may be placed on the main surface of the electrical connector 5 on the side opposite to the support board 2. The wiring board 4 is located on the second main surface 2B side of the support board 2, facing in the opposite direction to the first main surface 2A that supports the probe 1. The wiring board 4 is made in a disc shape from an electrically insulating resin such as glass-filled epoxy resin, and although not shown in the figure, it has a plurality of internal wirings used for transmitting signals to the probe 1 and a plurality of power supply paths used for supplying heating power to the heater resistor 3.

[0032] The first boost circuit section 31 is located on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4, opposite to the electrical connector 5. In the first embodiment, the wiring board 4 directly supports the first boost circuit section 31 by directly attaching it to its main surface 4A. This simplifies the support structure of the first boost circuit section 31 compared to the second and third embodiments described later.

[0033] The electrical connection device 101 may have a microcontroller 8. The microcontroller 8 controls the operation of the first boost circuit 31. The microcontroller 8 may be supported by the wiring board 4 by being directly mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4. This eliminates the need to provide a separate heater control device outside the electrical connection device 101 to control the operation of the first boost circuit 31.

[0034] The term "microcontroller 8" is used to include not only microcontrollers but also microcomputers and microcontrollers. The microcontroller 8 controls the output voltage of the first boost circuit 31 by controlling the switching operation of the switching regulator provided in the first boost circuit 31. The resistance value of the heater resistor 3 is constant. Therefore, the power supplied to the heater resistor 3 changes according to the value of the output voltage boosted by the first boost circuit 31. By controlling the switching operation, the output voltage of the first boost circuit 31 can be adjusted in multiple stages. This enables more precise temperature control compared to simple on / off control.

[0035] The electrical connection device 101 may have a temperature sensor 7 configured to measure the temperature of the support substrate 2. For example, the temperature sensor 7 may be placed on the second main surface 2B of the support substrate 2. The signal indicating the temperature of the support substrate 2 measured by the temperature sensor 7 is input to the microcontroller 8 via the internal wiring of the electrical connector 5 and the wiring board 4. The microcontroller 8 can control the operation of the first boost circuit 31 based on the temperature of the support substrate 2 measured by the temperature sensor 7. This allows the microcontroller 8 to adjust the voltage value output from the first boost circuit 31 so that the temperature of the support substrate 2 measured by the temperature sensor 7 approaches a preset temperature. This makes it possible to match the amount of thermal expansion of the support substrate 2 to the amount of thermal expansion of the object being inspected.

[0036] If the first boost circuit 31 includes a switching regulator, the microcontroller 8 may control the switching operation of the switching regulator. The output voltage of the first boost circuit 31 can be boosted to a voltage value necessary to heat the support substrate 2 to a preset temperature.

[0037] The electrical connection device 101 may have a reinforcing member 6 positioned on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4. The reinforcing member 6 serves to increase the mechanical rigidity of the electrical connection device 101 and maintain its flatness. The reinforcing member 6 is made of a metal material such as a stainless steel plate. Although not shown in the figures, the planar shape of the reinforcing member 6 may include, for example, an inner annular portion, an outer annular portion, a plurality of connecting portions connecting the two annular portions, a plurality of extensions extending radially outward from the outer annular portion, and a central frame portion integrally continuing inside the inner annular portion. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 6 may have a shape in which the spaces (grooves) between these portions act as open spaces (grooves) in both the vertical and vertical directions.

[0038] In the example shown in Figure 1, the first boost circuit 31 and the microcontroller 8 are positioned outside the wiring board 4 relative to the reinforcing member 6. However, the first boost circuit 31 and the microcontroller 8 may also be positioned in the groove between the outer annular portion and the inner annular portion, or between the inner annular portion and the central frame portion.

[0039] As shown in Figure 2, the first boost circuit section 31 may include a plurality of boost circuits 31-1, 31-2, ..., 31-N connected in parallel with each other. N indicates the number of boost circuits 31-1 to 31-N connected in parallel. Boost circuits 31-1 to 31-N include boost regulators and boost converters. By connecting multiple boost circuits 31-1 to 31-N in parallel, the current flowing through each of the boost circuits 31-1 to 31-N can be distributed, and the total output current of the first boost circuit section 31 can be increased. By increasing the number of boost circuits 31-1 to 31-N, i.e., the number of electronic components, the wiring connecting the boost circuits 31-1 to 31-N can be distributed, improving the flexibility of the wiring.

[0040] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the wiring board 4 directly supported the first boost circuit unit 31 by directly attaching it to its main surface 4A. However, the method of supporting the first boost circuit unit 31 is not limited to this, and the wiring board 4 may also indirectly support the first boost circuit unit 31 through other components. In the second embodiment, as an example, an electrical connection device 102 in which the wiring board 4 supports the first boost circuit unit 31 via a sub-board 9 will be described.

[0041] The electrical connection device 102 further includes a sub-board 9 mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4. The normal to the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9 is parallel to the Y direction, and the normal to the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4 is parallel to the Z direction. Therefore, the normal to the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9 and the normal to the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4 are perpendicular. The angle between the normal to the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9 and the normal to the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4 does not need to be a right angle. The normal to the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9 and the normal to the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4 may intersect at an angle other than a right angle. The first boost circuit unit 31 is mounted on the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9.

[0042] Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view showing the transmission of switching noise Nz when the first boost circuit 31 is mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4. Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view showing the transmission of switching noise Nz when the first boost circuit 31 is mounted on the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4A, when the first boost circuit unit 31 is mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4, much of the switching noise Nz output from the switching elements of the first boost circuit unit 31 propagates in the direction F (normal to the main surface 4A) from the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4 towards the interior of the wiring board 4. Therefore, in order to avoid the influence of switching noise Nz, it may be prohibited to place signal lines that transmit and receive signals between the object under test and the tester in the internal region G of the wiring board 4 that extends downward (in the negative direction of the Z axis) from the region of the main surface 4A where the first boost circuit unit 31 is located.

[0044] In contrast, as shown in Figure 4B, the normal to the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9 and the normal to the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4 intersect. Therefore, when the first boost circuit unit 31 is mounted on the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9, much of the switching noise Nz output from the switching elements of the first boost circuit unit 31 propagates from the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9 in the direction F (positive Y-axis direction) normal to the main surface 9A. As a result, the switching noise Nz is less likely to propagate into the wiring board 4, so signal lines for sending and receiving signals between the object under test and the tester can be placed in the area inside the wiring board 4 that extends downward (negative Z-axis direction) from the first boost circuit unit 31. Therefore, compared to Figure 4A, where the first boost circuit unit 31 is mounted on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4, the degree of freedom for wiring within the wiring board 4 can be improved.

[0045] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the wiring board 4 is a multilayer wiring board in which a surface layer 41 exposed on the main surface 4A and a plurality of signal wiring layers 42 located below it are laminated. The wiring prohibited area G in Figure 4A is formed on the surface layer 41 and the plurality of signal wiring layers 42. In addition, capacitors 11 and inductors 12 etc. that constitute the first boost circuit section 31 may be placed on the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9 in Figure 4B or on the back surface facing the opposite direction. In this case, a switching element is placed on the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9 as the first boost circuit section 31. By attaching various electronic components to the main surface 9A of the sub-board 9, the area on the wiring board 4 in which electronic components can be mounted can be increased. Although not shown, a microcontroller 8 may also be mounted on the sub-board 9.

[0046] The sub-board 9 can be directly attached to the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4 using connecting members 10 such as connectors and pin headers. The mounting position of the sub-board 9 on the main surface 4A of the wiring board 4 may be outside the reinforcing member 6, as shown in Figure 3, or it may be inside the groove of the reinforcing member 6. By using the connecting members 10, if an abnormality occurs in the electronic components on the sub-board 9, the sub-board 9 can be removed, making it possible to easily replace the sub-board 9 as a unit.

[0047] The other configurations, operation, and technical advantages of the electrical connection device 102 are the same as those of the electrical connection device 101, and therefore, a further explanation is omitted.

[0048] (Third embodiment) In the first and second embodiments, there was only one type of external power supply for heater heating, but two or more types of external power supplies may be used as the heater heating power supply. In this case, the electrical connection device can be adapted by increasing the number of boost circuit sections. This further increases the power that can be supplied to the heater resistor 3, thereby further improving the test efficiency.

[0049] In the third embodiment, as an example, as shown in Figure 5, the first boost circuit 31 and the second boost circuit 32 are used to boost the input voltages from the first external power supply P1 and the second external power supply P2, respectively, and supply them to the heater resistor 3.

[0050] The electrical connection device 103 according to the third embodiment further includes a second boost circuit 32 that boosts the second voltage V2 applied to the heater resistor 3, compared to the electrical connection device 102. The second voltage V2 is input to the second boost circuit 32 from a second external power supply P2.

[0051] The values ​​of the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 may be different or the same. If the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 are different, the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 may be boosted to the same output voltage VH by using the first boost circuit 31 and the second boost circuit 32, respectively.

[0052] If the maximum output voltage of the first boost circuit 31 is insufficient to meet the required power requirements, resulting in a power shortage, the power supplied from the second boost circuit 32 can be added, further increasing the power available to the heater resistor 3.

[0053] The specific configuration of the second boost circuit section 32 may be the same as that of the first boost circuit section 31. Similar to the detailed configuration of the first boost circuit section 31 shown in Figure 2, the second boost circuit section 32 may include a plurality of boost circuits connected in parallel with each other.

[0054] As the second external power supply P2, for example, the utility power supply provided by the tester can be used, similar to the first external power supply P1. For example, the second voltage V2 (e.g., 5V) output by the second external power supply P2 is applied as the input voltage to the second boost circuit 32. The second boost circuit 32 can boost the second voltage V2 up to a maximum voltage (e.g., 36V). The boosted output voltage VH is applied to the heater resistor 3. Since the resistance value of the heater resistor 3 is constant, boosting the voltage from 5V to a maximum of 36V increases the maximum power that can be supplied to the heater resistor 3 by more than 50 times compared to not boosting the voltage. Therefore, according to the electrical connection device 103 of the third embodiment, the power shortage supplied to the heater resistor 3 that heats the support substrate 2 can be compensated for, power can be supplied efficiently, and the test efficiency can be improved.

[0055] Furthermore, the external power supply with a lower voltage (second external power supply P2) can continue to be used as before without any modifications.

[0056] The microcontroller 8 controls the operation of the second boost circuit 32 in the same manner as the first boost circuit 31. The microcontroller 8 can adjust the voltage output from the second boost circuit 32 so that the temperature of the support substrate 2 measured by the temperature sensor 7 approaches a preset temperature.

[0057] Similar to the electrical connection device 102 of the second embodiment, the wiring board 4 may support the second boost circuit section 32 via the sub-board 9. This avoids the influence of switching noise Nz output from the switching elements of the second boost circuit section 32 and improves the degree of freedom of wiring within the wiring board 4.

[0058] (Other embodiments) As described above, this disclosure is described by multiple embodiments, but the statements and drawings that constitute part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting this disclosure. Various alternative embodiments, examples and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

[0059] (Possibility of external devices other than the tester) In this embodiment, the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 are shown to be supplied from a semiconductor test apparatus (tester) that uses electrical connection devices 101-103 to inspect the electrical characteristics of the object under test. However, the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 may also be supplied from an external device other than the tester, for example, a device (probe) that aligns the electrical connection devices 101-103 with the object under test. In any case, the external power supply can be boosted to the desired voltage using a boost circuit and applied to the heater resistor 3. This allows existing external power supplies to be used as is, without modification.

[0060] Thus, this disclosure naturally includes various embodiments not described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0061] 1 probe 2. Support substrate 2A 1st main surface 2B 2nd main surface 3 Heater resistance 4 Wiring board 4A Main surface 5. Electrical connectors 6. Reinforcement members 7. Temperature sensor 8 Microcontrollers 9 Sub-board 9A main surface 10 Connecting members 11 Capacitors 12 Inductors 31 First Boost Circuit Section 31-1, 31-2, 31-N Boost Circuits 32 Second Boost Circuit Section 101-103 Electrical connection device G Wiring prohibited area P1 1st external power supply P2 2nd external power supply V1 First Voltage V2 Second voltage VH Output Voltage

Claims

1. Multiple probes, A support substrate for supporting the plurality of probes, A heater resistor embedded inside the support substrate, A first boost circuit section that increases the first voltage applied to the heater resistor, A temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the support substrate, A microcontroller controls the operation of the first boost circuit based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, A wiring board located on the second main surface side of the support substrate, facing in the opposite direction to the first main surface that supports the probe, and It has, The first boost circuit and the microcontroller are supported on the wiring board. The temperature sensor measures the temperature of the support substrate, and the resulting signal is input to the microcontroller via the internal wiring of the wiring board. The microcontroller adjusts the voltage output from the first boost circuit so that the temperature of the support substrate measured by the temperature sensor approaches a preset temperature. Electrical connection device.

2. The system further includes a second boost circuit that increases the second voltage applied to the heater resistor. The second boost circuit section is supported on the wiring board, The electrical connection device according to claim 1.

3. The wiring board further comprises a sub-board mounted on the main surface of the aforementioned wiring board, The normal to the main surface of the sub-sub-board and the normal to the main surface of the wiring board intersect. The first boost circuit is mounted on the main surface of the sub-board. The electrical connection device according to claim 1.

4. The first boost circuit section includes a switching regulator, The microcontroller controls the switching operation of the switching regulator. The electrical connection device according to claim 1.

5. The electrical connection device according to claim 1, wherein the first boost circuit section comprises a plurality of boost circuits connected in parallel to one another.

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