Test socket

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention discloses a test socket, comprising: a socket body having an elastic insulator; and a spring contact inserted into a hole formed in the socket body, having elasticity in the pressing direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a test socket for testing semiconductor components (ICs), which is used to electrically connect multiple leads disposed on the semiconductor component to the pads of the printed circuit board (PCB), or to electrically connect the IC leads of a central processing unit (CPU) to the PCB inside electronic products such as computers and mobile phones. Prior Technology

[0002] Generally, BGA (ball grid array) or LGA (land grid array) type semiconductor ICs are ultimately inspected using inspection equipment to perform characteristic measurements or defect checks through various electrical tests. At this time, test sockets are used to electrically connect the circuit pattern of the inspection printed circuit board installed in the inspection equipment to the lead balls or pads of the BGA or LGA type semiconductor IC.

[0003] Sufficient pressure must be applied to the contacts used in the test socket to ensure reliable contact with the IC leads (terminals). Therefore, the contacts must have sufficient elastic contact force within an appropriate range, and various types of contacts exist to meet these conditions.

[0004] In addition, multiple spring contacts are installed inside the housing of the test socket according to predetermined rules. Recently, various semiconductor components have been developed, and customer demand for spring contacts of various lengths is constantly increasing; however, traditional pogo pin type spring contacts often cannot meet customer performance requirements.

[0005] For example, if the length of a traditional spring pin contact is made longer according to customer requirements, the length of the contact pin that makes up the spring contact needs to be increased. At the same time, when designing the test socket, the depth of the pin hole into which the spring contact is inserted should also take into account the length of the contact pin and be machined to accommodate the width of the contact pin tip.

[0006] In order to process data quickly and reduce power consumption, spring contacts have become increasingly thinner. Therefore, it is not only difficult to process long pin holes with a diameter suitable for accommodating the width of the pin tip, but also, although it is possible to process long pin holes with a relatively small diameter suitable for accommodating the width of the pin tip, the processing cost is very high and it is difficult to ensure quality.

[0007] In other words, traditional spring contacts are difficult to meet customers' requirements for spring contacts of various lengths.

[0008] In addition, as another known technology, there is a rubber-type socket, which is composed of an insulating body and a conductive silicone part, wherein the insulating body is made of insulating silicone that is cured and has elasticity, and the conductive silicone part corresponds to the terminal of the component and penetrates the insulating body perpendicularly.

[0009] In this type of rubber socket, if a silicone mixture of insulating silicone rubber and conductive powder in a predetermined ratio is placed into a mold, and a strong magnetic field is formed at the location where the conductive silicone part is formed, the conductive powder of the silicone mixture will gather at the location where the magnetic field is formed, and finally the molten silicone rubber mixture will solidify, forming a certain arrangement of conductive silicone parts on the insulating body.

[0010] Compared to spring-loaded contacts, this type of rubber socket has a slower elastic response and loses elasticity during repeated testing, significantly reducing its lifespan. Therefore, its service life is short, requiring frequent replacement and increasing replacement costs. Furthermore, due to the characteristic that elastic durability decreases over time, the elastic repulsion force becomes zero or significantly reduced during prolonged continuous compression testing (more than a week), leading to short circuits. Therefore, it is difficult to conduct long-term testing.

[0011] In addition, the problem with rubber sockets is that their elasticity is greatly affected by temperature, and because they are mixed with insulating silicone or elastomer, the uniformity of resistance may be reduced. Summary of the Invention

[0012] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a test socket that combines the advantages of spring pin type and rubber type to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0013] The problem to be solved

[0014] One of the various objectives of this invention is to provide a test socket suitable for testing semiconductor devices using high-speed signals. Furthermore, another objective is to provide a test socket with improved noise shielding performance between adjacent contacts and improved coaxial alignment performance of the contacts.

[0015] In addition, one of the various objectives of the present invention is to provide a test socket that can minimize the effects of temperature changes (high temperature stability).

[0016] One of the various aspects of this invention is to provide a test socket equipped with various types of contacts according to customer performance requirements.

[0017] Solution to the problem

[0018] To address the challenges of this invention, various embodiments may provide a test socket comprising: a base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; an elastic insulator filled and hardened within the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; and a spring contact inserted into the hole, one end contacting a terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end contacting a pad of the test device and having elasticity in a pressing direction, the spring contact including a shoulder having a width greater than the diameter of the hole, the shoulder contacting the elastic insulator.

[0019] A feature of this invention is that the width of the shoulder forms the maximum width of the spring contact.

[0020] A feature of the present invention may be that the width of the shoulder is greater than the inner diameter of the spring and less than the outer diameter of the spring.

[0021] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameters of the first surface, the second surface, and the holes formed on the elastic insulator are the same.

[0022] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameters of two holes selected from the diameters of the holes formed on the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator are different from each other.

[0023] The invention may include, or may further include, a first member made of an elastic material, which is disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed on the first surface and fixes the end position of the spring contact.

[0024] Various embodiments of the present invention may provide a test socket comprising: a base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; an elastic insulator filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; and a spring contact inserted into the hole, one end contacting a terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end contacting a pad of the test device and having elasticity in a pressing direction, the spring contact including a shoulder having a width longer than the diameter of at least one of the diameters of the holes formed on the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator, the shoulder contacting the elastic insulator.

[0025] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameter of the hole formed on the first surface is larger than the diameter of the hole formed on the second surface and the elastic insulator.

[0026] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameter of the hole formed on the first surface is greater than the width of the shoulder.

[0027] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameter of the hole formed on the second surface and the elastic insulator is smaller than the width of the shoulder.

[0028] The invention may include, and may further include, a first component made of an elastic material, which is disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed on the first surface and fixes the end position of the spring contact.

[0029] A feature of the present invention may be that the elastic insulator is provided between the inner surface of the hole formed on the first surface and the end of the spring contact.

[0030] The invention may include a first component made of an elastic material, which is disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed in the elastic insulator and fixes the end position of the spring contact.

[0031] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a test socket comprising: a base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; an elastic insulator filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; and a spring contact inserted into the hole, one end of which contacts a terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end of which contacts a pad of the test device and has elasticity in a pressing direction, the spring contact comprising a spring having a diameter larger than the diameter of the hole, the spring pressing against the inner surface of the hole formed on the elastic insulator.

[0032] A feature of this invention is that the diameter of the spring forms the maximum diameter of the spring contact.

[0033] A feature of the present invention may be that the spring contact includes a head that contacts the terminals of the semiconductor element and the pads of the test device, the head being formed by winding a plate-like strip.

[0034] A feature of the present invention may be that the maximum diameter of the head is greater than the inner diameter of the spring and smaller than the outer diameter of the spring.

[0035] The invention may include a first component made of an elastic material, which is disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed on the first surface or on the inner surface of a hole formed on the second surface, and fixes the end position of the spring contact.

[0036] The invention may include a first component disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed on the first surface and the inner surface of a hole formed on the second surface, and fixing the end position of the spring contact.

[0037] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a test socket comprising: a base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; an elastic insulator filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; a spring contact inserted into the hole, one end of which contacts a terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end of which contacts a pad of the test device and has elasticity in a pressing direction; and a first member disposed at least at one of the inner surfaces of the hole formed on the first surface or the inner surfaces of the hole formed on the second surface, and fixing the end position of the spring contact, the spring contact comprising a spring having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the hole.

[0038] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a test socket comprising: a base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; an elastic insulator filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; and a spring contact inserted into the hole, one end of which contacts a terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end of which contacts a pad of the test device and has elasticity in a pressing direction, the spring contact including a shoulder having a width greater than the diameter of the hole, the shoulder contacting the base according to the elasticity of the spring contact.

[0039] One feature of this invention is that the terminals of the semiconductor element are pad-type.

[0040] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameter of the hole formed on the first surface is larger than the diameter of the hole formed on the second surface and the elastic insulator.

[0041] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameter of the hole formed on the first surface is greater than the maximum diameter of the spring contact.

[0042] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameter of the hole formed on the second surface and the hole in the elastic insulator is the same.

[0043] A feature of the present invention may be that the diameter of the hole formed on the second surface and the elastic insulator is smaller than the maximum diameter of the spring contact.

[0044] The invention may include a first component disposed on the inner surface of the hole formed on the first surface and on the end side of the spring contact.

[0045] One feature of this invention is that the terminals of the semiconductor element are ball-shaped.

[0046] A feature of the present invention may be that the first component is wound into the hole formed on the first surface and the end of the spring contact and hardened.

[0047] A feature of the present invention may be that the elastic insulator is provided between the inner surface of the hole in the first surface and the end of the spring contact.

[0048] The invention may include a first component disposed on the inner surface of the hole formed in the elastic insulator and on the end side of the spring contact.

[0049] A feature of the present invention may be that the first component is wound into the hole formed in the elastic insulator and the end of the spring contact and is hardened.

[0050] One feature of this invention is that the terminals of the semiconductor device are ball-shaped.

[0051] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a test socket comprising: a base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; an elastic insulator filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; and a spring contact inserted into the hole, one end of which contacts a terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end of which contacts a pad of the test device and has elasticity in a pressing direction, the spring contact including a shoulder having a diameter larger than that of the hole, the spring pressing against the inner surface of the hole in the elastic insulator.

[0052] The invention may include a first component disposed on at least one of the following: the inner surface of the hole formed on the first surface side, one end of the spring contact, the inner surface of the hole formed on the second surface side, and the other end of the spring contact.

[0053] A feature of the present invention may be that the first component is wound into the inner surface of the hole and the end of the spring contact and hardened.

[0054] The features of the above embodiments can be replicated in other embodiments without contradicting or being exclusive to other embodiments.

[0055] Invention Effects

[0056] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the shrinkage of the upper part of the socket body made of an elastic insulator can be easily controlled.

[0057] Furthermore, the use of physical pins (spring contact pins) improves reliability.

[0058] In addition, by making it easy to align the position of the contact pins located inside the socket body, the coaxial alignment of the contact pins can be improved.

[0059] Furthermore, by improving the insulation between fine detail pitches, noise can be reduced when testing high-speed signal semiconductor devices.

[0060] In addition, by pressing and curing the silicone component on the upper part of the socket, the spring contacts inserted into the holes formed in the socket body made of elastic insulator can be prevented from falling off.

[0061] In addition, it can prevent foreign objects from entering the holes in the socket body where the spring contacts are inserted or between the PCB and the pins, which could lead to a decrease in electrical performance.

[0062] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly recognized by those skilled in the art from the following description. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0063] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a test socket for an LGA terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a test socket for BGA terminals according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Figures 3 to 8 show diagrams applied to the spring contacts in Figures 1 and 2.

[0066] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a test socket according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] Figures 10 to 15 show diagrams applied to the spring contacts in Figure 9. Implementation

[0068] Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following detailed description is provided to facilitate a thorough understanding of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein. However, these are merely examples, and the invention is not limited thereto.

[0069] In describing embodiments of the present invention, detailed descriptions of well-known technologies related to the present invention will be omitted if it is determined that such detailed descriptions may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the invention. Furthermore, the terminology described below is defined in consideration of the functionality within the present invention, and may be changed according to the intention or habit of the user or operator. Therefore, definitions should be based on the entire contents of this specification.

[0070] The terminology used in the detailed description is for describing embodiments of the invention only and should not be construed as limiting. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the singular form includes the meaning of the plural form.

[0071] In this specification, expressions such as “comprising” or “possessing” are intended to indicate certain features, figures, steps, operations, elements, parts or combinations thereof, and should not be construed as excluding the presence or possibility of one or more other features, figures, steps, operations, elements or parts or combinations thereof described.

[0072] Furthermore, when describing components of embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are used only to distinguish the component from other components, and the nature, order, or sequence of the components are not limited by these terms.

[0073] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a test socket for an LGA terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] The following description will refer to Figure 1.

[0075] The test socket of this embodiment may include a body and contacts 20. The body may be formed of a material that is elastic by pressing a semiconductor element, and the contacts 20 may be provided with a physically elastic structure (e.g., a spring) or formed of a material with an elastic structure (e.g., silicon powder mixed with conductive particles). The contacts 20 of this embodiment are spring contacts with physical elasticity, hereinafter referred to as spring contacts.

[0076] The body can be formed with holes h1, h2, and h3, which penetrate a first surface 51 facing the terminals of the semiconductor element and a second surface 53 facing the pads of the test device. The diameters of holes h1, h2, and h3 are similar to the diameter of the contact 20, so that the spring contact 20 can be inserted into holes h1, h2, and h3.

[0077] That is, the spring contact 20 is inserted into the holes h1, h2, and h3, with one end contacting the terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end contacting the pad of the test device, thereby providing elasticity in the pressing direction. The detailed construction of the spring contact 30 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 3 to 8.

[0078] Additionally, the body may include: bases 51, 53, and 54 that form the shape of the test socket; and an elastic insulator 52 that is filled inside the bases 51, 53, and 54 and then hardened to form an elastic structure.

[0079] The bases 51, 53, and 54 can be formed by the first surface 51, the second surface 53, and the frame 54. Since the hole penetrates the first surface 51 and the second surface 53, it can also penetrate the elastic insulator 52 filled inside the bases 51, 53, and 54.

[0080] For example, the first surface 51 and the second surface 53 are made of polyimide (Pi) film, and an aging test is performed to check whether the semiconductor IC can work stably for a long time at high temperature, allowing the test socket of this embodiment to work stably in high temperature environment.

[0081] Additionally, by way of example, the frame 54 can be made of stainless steel (SUS) or a composite material (FR4) consisting of epoxy resin and glass fiber with flame-retardant (FR) properties. Therefore, the test socket of this embodiment can function stably even in high-temperature environments, or ensure electrical insulation performance.

[0082] In addition, the spring contact 20 in this embodiment is a structure in which two contact pins 21 and 25 are elastically connected by a spring 23, and each contact pin 21 and 25 may include a shoulder 212 and 252.

[0083] After each shoulder 212, 252 is inserted into the hole, it is locked on the first surface 51 and the second surface 53, thereby preventing the spring contact 30 from disengaging from the holes h1, h2, h3.

[0084] More specifically, by pressing the substrate 15, the LGA terminal 17 contacts the end of the spring contact 20 protruding on the first surface 51, and when the end of the spring contact 20 protruding on the second surface 53 contacts the pad of the test device, the shoulder 252 contacts the second surface 53, thereby elastically compressing the spring contact 20.

[0085] In the above structure, by way of example, the diameters of the holes h1, h2, and h3 formed on the first surface 51, the second surface 53, and the elastic insulator 52 can be the same.

[0086] Furthermore, in the above structure, by way of example, the diameters of two selected holes—the diameter of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51, the diameter of the hole h3 formed on the second surface 53, and the diameter of the hole formed on the elastic insulator 52—may be different from each other.

[0087] That is, in this embodiment, the spring contact 20 can be locked and fixed by the first surface 51 and the second surface 53.

[0088] Generally, the LGA terminal 17 in Figure 1 is configured as a flat pad, so the contact area with the pin in the test socket is larger than that of the BGA terminal 13 in Figure 2.

[0089] To fix the position of the spring contact used for testing LGA terminal 17, as shown in Figure 2, when using silicon-based components, the silicon-based components may stick to LGA terminal 17 or fall off when the test is repeated for a long time, resulting in reduced durability of the test socket.

[0090] Therefore, in this embodiment, the spring contact 20 used for testing the LGA terminal 17 can be fixed by the first surface 51 and the second surface 53.

[0091] Additionally, a step hole (not shown) can be formed on the second surface 53. This step hole can be formed by creating a step in the direction from the second surface 53 to the first surface 51. In this step hole shape, the diameter of the step hole can be larger than the diameters of holes h1, h2, and h3.

[0092] The stepped hole further enhances the durability of the test socket in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention by distributing the load of the test socket, which repeatedly presses between the terminals of the semiconductor element and the pads of the test device.

[0093] In addition, the spring contact 20 in this embodiment may include heads 211 and 251 that are pressed against the terminal. The ends of the heads 211 and 251 protrude a predetermined portion a from the first surface 51 to ensure reliable contact with the terminal.

[0094] More specifically, in the test socket of this embodiment, as described above, the spring contact 20 is fixed to the first surface (film) 51 according to the shape (PAD) of the LGA terminal 17.

[0095] In this structure, to ensure reliable contact with terminal 17, the length of the portion a protruding from the first surface 51 in the heads 211 and 251 can be longer than the longitudinal length of the portion b of the tips 2110 and 2510 embedded in the first surface 51. Preferably, the protruding portion a can protrude more than half of the longitudinal length c of the heads 211 and 251. This longitudinal length can refer to the height of the tips 2110 and 2510 formed along the length direction of the spring contact 20.

[0096] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a test socket for BGA terminals according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] The following description will refer to Figure 2, but will omit the parts that are repeated in Figure 1.

[0098] In this embodiment, a first member 70 may be attached to one end of the spring contact 20. The one end of the spring contact may refer to the contact end of the spring contact 20 located on the first surface 51 side that contacts the terminal of the semiconductor when the spring contact 20 is inserted into the holes h1, h2, h3.

[0099] The first component 70 can be disposed between the inner surface of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 side and around one end of the spring contact 20. The first component 70 is made of a soft material and, while disposed on one end face of the spring contact 20, is compressed, rolled into the space between the space around one end of the spring contact 20 and the hole h1, and hardens, thus allowing it to be disposed between the inner surface of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 side and around one end of the spring contact 20. Therefore, the first component 70 can be made of a silicon-based material whose properties change with heat.

[0100] More specifically, in this embodiment, the diameter of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 can be larger than the diameters of the holes h3 and h2 formed on the second surface 53 and the elastic insulator 52. Furthermore, the diameter h1 of the hole formed on the first surface 51 can be larger than the maximum diameter of the spring contact 20, and the diameters of the holes formed on the second surface 53 and the elastic insulator 52 can be the same. Additionally, the diameters of the holes formed on the second surface 53 and the elastic insulator 52 can be smaller than the maximum diameter of the spring contact.

[0101] As described above, since the maximum diameter of the spring contact 20 can be formed by the width of the shoulders 212 and 252, the maximum diameter length of the spring contact 20 can be equal to the width length of the shoulders 212 and 252.

[0102] In this structure, the first component 70 can be disposed on the inner surface of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 and on the end side of the spring contact 20.

[0103] For example, there may be cases where the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 is filled by the elastic insulator 52 and cases where it is not filled.

[0104] When the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 is not filled by the elastic insulator 52, a step can be formed between the inner surface of the hole h1 on the first surface 51 and the upper end face of the elastic insulator 52. The first member 70 can be squeezed and rolled into the inner surface of the hole h1 on the first surface 51 and hardened, thereby filling the end side of the spring contact 20 and the inner surface of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51.

[0105] In addition, as in this embodiment, when the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 is filled by the elastic insulator 52, the first member 70 is squeezed and rolled into the inner surface of the hole h2 formed in the elastic insulator 52 on the first surface 51 side and cured, thereby filling the end side of the spring contact 20 and the inner surface of the hole h1 on the first surface 51 side of the elastic insulator 52.

[0106] Generally, the BGA terminal 13 is made of a solder ball, which can be pressed deeper into the test socket side when the substrate 11 is pressed.

[0107] Therefore, to ensure stable contact, it is preferable to increase the length of the spring contact (or the length of the contact end). This is because if the length of the spring contact (or the length of the contact end) is not sufficiently ensured, it may contact the upper surface of the housing (e.g., the first surface structure in Figure 1) and may not be pressed sufficiently for accurate testing.

[0108] However, as mentioned above, when the length of the spring contact (or the length of the contact end) increases, the electrical characteristics deteriorate and it may not be suitable for testing semiconductor devices with high-speed signals.

[0109] Therefore, in this embodiment, by providing an elastic insulator 52 made of soft material and a first member 70 or the first member 70 in the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51, the length of the spring contact 20 is minimized while ensuring sufficient compression with the BGA terminal 13. In this way, the upper shrinkage of the socket body including the elastic insulator 52 can be easily controlled.

[0110] Unlike this embodiment, if the socket body is made of a non-elastic material, such as a typical spring-loaded socket, the socket body will not shrink. Therefore, when the first member 70 is provided, it will instead act as a factor that hinders the shrinkage force of the spring contact.

[0111] However, as described above, this embodiment is a test socket that combines the advantages of conventional spring-pin type sockets and silicone rubber type sockets. Therefore, durability can be improved by controlling the upper retraction of the socket body 10 using the first component 70.

[0112] In addition, the coaxial alignment of the contact 20 can be improved by the first member 70 from inside the body 10 including the elastic member, thereby improving the alignment of the contact portion of the contact 20.

[0113] In addition, since the first component 70 is formed of silicon-based material, the insulation between the fine pitches is improved, thereby reducing noise when testing high-speed signal semiconductor devices.

[0114] In addition, the first component 70 can prevent foreign objects from entering between the spring contact 20 and the hole formed on the socket in the semiconductor IC testing environment, which would lead to a decrease in electrical performance.

[0115] The first component 70 can be appropriately selected according to customer needs, and its Shore hardness is between 20A and 80A. When the hardness of the first component 70 deviates from the above range, it may be difficult to achieve the above effect.

[0116] For example, when the hardness of the first component 70 is higher than the aforementioned range, it may become a factor suppressing the elasticity of the contact 20, and a greater load may be required during testing. Furthermore, when the hardness of the first component 70 is lower than the aforementioned range, it may be difficult to achieve the various effects described above. That is, when the hardness of the first component 70 deviates from the aforementioned range, it may not meet the load-related performance conditions required by the customer, or the durability of the test socket may be reduced.

[0117] In addition, in this structure, the spring contact 20 of this embodiment may include heads 211 and 251 that are pressed against the terminal, and the ends of the heads 211 and 251 protrude a predetermined portion a from the first surface 51 to ensure reliable contact with the terminal.

[0118] More specifically, in the test socket of this embodiment, as described above, the spring contact 20 is fixed to the silicon-based first member 70 according to the shape (BALL) of the BGA terminal 13.

[0119] In this structure, since the terminal 13 also presses against the first member 70 when the substrate 11 is pressed, the terminal 13 protrudes slightly more from the first surface than the spring contact in FIG1, which is sufficient to ensure contact reliability.

[0120] That is, in the socket structure for testing BGA terminals as in this embodiment, the length of the protruding portion a is preferably similar to the longitudinal length of the tips 2110 and 2510. This longitudinal length may refer to the height of the tips 2110 and 2510 formed along the length direction of the spring contact 20, and similarity means that errors that may occur during the assembly of the test socket can be taken into account, and ideally the protruding portion a can be the same as the longitudinal length of the tips 2110 and 2510.

[0121] Figures 3 to 8 show diagrams applied to the spring contacts in Figures 1 and 2.

[0122] The following description will refer to Figures 1 to 8.

[0123] According to this embodiment, the spring contact 20 includes a first contact pin 21, a second contact pin 25, and a spring 23. The spring contact 20 can be assembled such that the first contact pin 21 and the second contact pin 25 intersect each other with respect to the spring 23, so that the first contact pin 21 and the second contact pin 25 are elastically supported by the spring 23.

[0124] In this embodiment, the spring 23 has a predetermined thickness based on its outer and inner diameters, and can be a helical compression spring with a predetermined length along the length direction of the spring contact 20. Furthermore, the spring 23 is located between the first contact pin 21 and the second contact pin 25 in the spring contact 20, and can provide a restoring force when the first contact pin 21 and the second contact pin 25 are compressed in the length direction, so that each contact pin 21, 25 returns to its position before compression with respect to the spring 23.

[0125] In this structure, when a semiconductor device (IC) is tested using the test socket of the spring contact 20 of this embodiment, if the head 211 of the first contact pin 21 contacts the circuit pattern of the test printed circuit board installed in the test device, the head 251 of the second contact pin 25 contacts the contact ball or pad of the BGA or LGA type semiconductor IC, thereby electrically connecting the test printed circuit board and the semiconductor IC.

[0126] In this embodiment, the first contact pin 21 and the second contact pin 25 can be configured to have the same size and shape. The two contact pins 21 and 25 are assembled along the length direction to be elastically supported by the spring 23, and the first contact pin 21 and the second contact pin 25 can be distinguished according to their assembly position. Therefore, the following description focuses on the first contact pin 21.

[0127] The first contact pin 21 may be composed of a head 211, a body 213, a leg 215, a locking member 217, and a shoulder 212.

[0128] The head 211 may be composed of a plate-shaped strip, which has the same length on both sides at the upper end of the body portion 213 relative to the center of the body portion 213, and has an upper tip portion 2110 formed along the upper front end. The plate-shaped strip may include a first strip section 211b and a second strip section 211c that are equidistant from the center portion 211a of the plate-shaped strip.

[0129] That is, the head 211 can be configured such that the first strip section 211b and the second strip section 211c are respectively wound into a cylindrical shape with a diameter d1 in a semi-circular arc shape with reference to the center portion 211a. Furthermore, the width of the standard center portion 211a forming each strip winding preferably corresponds to the width of the body portion 213. This is because when the width of the center portion 211a is less than or greater than the width of the body portion 213, the defect rate during stamping may increase.

[0130] Additionally, the head 211 can be formed into a cylindrical crown shape via the tip 2110. In this shape or construction of the head 211, the ball portion of the BGA is stably grounded and presses against the test socket, thereby improving the accuracy of the test and ensuring sufficient contact area with the LGA terminals.

[0131] The body portion 213 may have a predetermined width and thickness, and may include a guide portion 2130 formed along the length direction of the body portion 213, and shoulder portions 212L and 212R protruding along the width direction of the body portion.

[0132] Each shoulder portion 212L, 212R can be formed in a position symmetrical to each other with respect to the main body portion 213. The shoulder portion 212L, which protrudes from one side of the main body portion 213 in a direction perpendicular to the main body portion 213, and the shoulder portion 212R, which protrudes from the other side of the main body portion 213 in a direction perpendicular to the main body portion 213, respectively have the same degree of protrusion, shape, size, thickness, width, etc., and can be formed into a shape symmetrical to the main body portion 213. Therefore, the following description will focus on shoulder portion 212L.

[0133] The shoulder 212L can support the elasticity of the spring 23 in the spring contact 20 of this embodiment.

[0134] More specifically, the spring contact 20 can support the elasticity of the spring 23 by means of the shoulders 212L and 212R of the first contact pin 21 and the shoulders 252L and 252R of the second contact pin 25.

[0135] In the above structure, the distance between the end of the shoulder 212L protruding on one side of the body portion 213 and the end of the shoulder 212R protruding on the other side of the body portion 213 can be defined as the width W1 of the shoulders 212L and 212R. The width W1 of the shoulders is formed to be at least greater than the inner diameter of the spring, so that both ends of the spring 23 can be supported.

[0136] Preferably, the width W1 of the shoulder can form the maximum diameter of the spring contact 20, and the width W1 of the shoulder can be formed to be greater than the diameter of the hole formed in the test socket, thereby preventing the spring contact 20 from falling off the test socket when the test socket is repeatedly used.

[0137] In addition, when manufacturing test sockets, it is advantageous to reduce the pin hole diameter in order to reduce the pitch interval of the spring contacts. Therefore, the width W1 of the shoulder can be formed within a range that is greater than the inner diameter of the spring and less than the outer diameter of the spring.

[0138] The guide portion 2130 can be formed into a groove shape along the length direction of the body portion 213. Therefore, the thickness formed by the guide portion 2130 is less than the thickness of the body portion.

[0139] When the second contact pin 25 is cross-connected with the first contact pin 21, the guide portion 2130 can guide the up and down movement of the second contact pin 25. In this structure, when the spring contact 20 is compressed or assembled, the locking member 257 of the second contact pin 25 can move along the guide portion 2130 of the first contact pin 21 in the length direction of the body portion 213.

[0140] Additionally, an inclined surface 2131 can be formed on the extended portion of a pair of legs 215 of the body portion 213, so that each contact pin 21, 25 can be easily cross-connected.

[0141] The inclined surface 2131 allows the locking member 217, described later, to easily contact the guide portion 2130, and in this structure, when each pin is cross-connected with the spring 23, the respective guide portion 2130 can be easily inserted into the space S1 between each leg.

[0142] Additionally, the legs 215 may be formed extending in the opposite direction to the head 211 along the length of the body 213. The legs 215 may have a pair of 215L and 215R that are symmetrical to each other with respect to the center line of the body 213.

[0143] For example, a pair of legs 215L, 215R may have a predetermined elasticity such that the width W2 of the legs increases when the spring contact 20 is compressed or each contact pin 21, 25 is assembled.

[0144] More specifically, the width W2 between the pair of legs 215L and 215R can be formed to be greater than the thickness of the body portion 213. In this structure, when the spring contact 20 is compressed, the first contact pin 21 and the second contact pin 25 can move relative to each other by a predetermined distance in the direction of compressing the spring 23.

[0145] Additionally, a pair of locking members 217L, 217R may be formed at the ends of a pair of legs 215L, 215R.

[0146] The shortest distance W3 between the locking member 217L formed on one leg 215L and the locking member 217R formed on the other leg 215R is formed to be less than the thickness of the body portion, and preferably the shortest distance W3 between a pair of locking members can be equal to or greater than the thickness of the guide portion.

[0147] This is because the surfaces 2172 and 2572, which form the shortest distance W3 between a pair of locking members in each pin 21 and 25, form the electrical contact surface of each pin 21 and 25 in the spring contact 20. If the shortest distance W3 between a pair of locking members is less than the thickness of the guide portion, each pin 21 and 25 of the spring contact 20 will jam, increasing the likelihood of malfunction.

[0148] Therefore, the shortest distance W3 between a pair of locking members is formed to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the guide portion, such that the spring contact 20 forms four electrical contact surfaces by means of the contact surfaces 2172, 2572 of each contact pin 21, 25, and at least one of the contact surfaces 2172L, 2172R of one contact pin 21 can make electrical contact with the bottom surface of the guide portion 2530 of the other contact pin 25.

[0149] Additionally, the locking member 217 may include: a corner portion 2173; contact surfaces 2172, which are opposite to each other and extend at a predetermined angle from the corner portion 2173; and a curved surface 2171, which forms a step from the contact surface 2172 toward the outside of the space S1.

[0150] In this structure, when each contact pin is assembled, since the contact surface 2172 contacts the inclined surface 2131, a pair of contact pins can be easily assembled. When each contact pin is assembled, the curved surface 2171 is locked at the upper end of the inclined surface 2131, thereby preventing accidental separation of a pair of contact pins after they are connected.

[0151] Additionally, when the spring contact 20 is compressed in the pressing direction, the corner portion 2173 may be located in the spaces S2 and S3 formed by the crown shape of the head 211.

[0152] Figure 9 is a diagram of a test socket according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 10 to 15 are diagrams of the spring contacts of Figure 9.

[0153] The following description will refer to Figures 9 to 15, but content that is repeated above will be omitted.

[0154] The test socket of this embodiment may include a body and contacts 30. The body may form holes that penetrate a first surface 51 opposite to the terminals of the semiconductor element and a second surface 53 opposite to the pads of the test device. The diameters of the holes h1, h2, and h3 are similar to the diameter of the contacts 20, so that the spring contacts 30 can be inserted into the holes h1, h2, and h3.

[0155] Additionally, the body may include: bases 51, 53, and 54 that form the shape of the test socket; and an elastic insulator 52 that is filled inside the bases 51, 53, and 54 and then hardened to form an elastic structure.

[0156] For example, the first surface 51 and the second surface 53 may be made of a polyimide (Pi) film, and the frame 54 may be made of stainless steel (SUS) or a composite material (FR4) consisting of epoxy resin and glass fiber with flame retardant (FR) properties.

[0157] In this embodiment, a first member 70 may be attached to one end of the spring contact 30. This one end of the spring contact may refer to the contact end of the spring contact 30 located on the first surface 51 that contacts the terminal of the semiconductor element when the spring contact 30 is inserted into the holes h1, h2, h3.

[0158] The first component 70 can be disposed between the inner surface of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 side and around one end of the spring contact 30. The first component 70 is made of a soft material and is compressed while disposed on one end face of the spring contact 30, hardening between the area around the end of the spring contact 30 and the hole h1. Therefore, it can be disposed between the inner surface of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 side and around one end of the spring contact 30. Thus, the first component 70 can be made of a silicon-based material whose properties change with heat.

[0159] More specifically, in this embodiment, the diameter of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 can be the same as the diameter of the holes h3 and h2 formed on the second surface 53 and the elastic insulator 52. Furthermore, the diameter of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 can be smaller than the maximum diameter of the spring contact 30. Since the maximum diameter of the spring contact 30 can be formed by the outer diameter of the spring 33, the maximum diameter of the spring contact 30 can be the same as the outer diameter of the spring 33.

[0160] In this structure, the spring contact 30 can be fixed inside the test socket, while the outer diameter of the spring 33 presses against the inner surface of the hole h 2 formed in the elastic insulator 52 made of soft material.

[0161] However, when the friction generated by pressing the inner surface of the hole h 2 formed in the elastic insulator 52 with the outer diameter of the spring 33 fixes the spring contact 30 to the hole formed in the test socket, the possibility of the spring contact 30 separating due to the repeated action of the test socket increases.

[0162] Therefore, in this embodiment, as described above, by providing the first component 70 on the inner surface of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 side and on one end side (head 311 side) of the spring contact 30, the spring contact 30 is prevented from separating due to repeated operation of the test socket, thereby improving test reliability and the durability of the test socket.

[0163] Of course, from the perspective of fixing the spring contact 30, the first component 70 can be disposed on the inner surface of the hole h 3 formed on the second surface 53 side and on the other end side (head 351 side) of the spring contact 30; or the first component 70 can be disposed in the hole h 1 formed on the first surface 51 side and the hole h 3 formed on the second surface 53 side respectively, and when one end and the other end side of the spring contact 30 are completely fixed, the fixing force of the spring contact 30 will be further improved or it may become a factor that hinders the contraction force of the spring contact 30.

[0164] Therefore, in order to effectively control the upper retraction of the socket body, prevent foreign objects from entering the interior of the test socket, and improve coaxial alignment, as described above, the first component 70 is preferably disposed on the inner surface of the hole h 1 formed on the first surface 51 side and on one end side (head 311 side) of the spring contact 30.

[0165] Furthermore, the diameter of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 can be larger than the diameters of the holes h3 and h2 formed on the second surface 53 and the elastic insulator 52, and the diameter of the hole h1 formed on the first surface 51 can be larger than the maximum diameter of the spring contact 30. Additionally, the diameters of the holes h3 and h2 formed on the second surface 53 and the elastic insulator 52 can also be larger than the maximum diameter of the spring contact 30. Since the maximum diameter of the spring contact 30 can be formed by the outer diameter of the spring 33, the maximum diameter of the spring contact 30 can be the same as the outer diameter of the spring 33.

[0166] In this structure, as described above, the spring contact 30 can be fixed to the hole formed in the test socket by the first member 70.

[0167] Furthermore, the heads 311 and 351 of the spring contact 30 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be formed by winding a plate-shaped strip, and in this shape, the maximum diameter d1 of the heads 311 and 351 can be formed to be greater than the inner diameter of the spring 33 and smaller than the outer diameter of the spring.

[0168] The contact 30 in this embodiment may include a spring-loaded contact pin structure. That is, it may include two contact pins 31 and 35, and a spring 33 that provides physical elasticity to the contact 30.

[0169] More specifically, contact 30 may include a pair of pins 31, 35 and a spring 33, with the spring 33 connected between the pair of pins 31, 35 to provide elasticity to contact 30.

[0170] Spring 33 may be a helical compression spring having a predetermined length along the length direction of contact 30, and spring 33 may provide restoring force between the first contact pin 31 and the second contact pin 35 at contact 30, such that when the first contact pin 31 and the second contact pin 35 are compressed in the length direction, each contact pin 31, 35 returns to its position relative to spring 33 before being compressed.

[0171] In this embodiment, the pair of contact pins 31 and 35 have the same shape and can be connected in directions that intersect each other. Alternatively, they can be configured with different shapes and connected by a spring between them.

[0172] Hereinafter, the pair of pins are referred to as the first pin 31 and the second pin 35. In this embodiment, the pair of pins 31 and 35 have the same shape. Therefore, the structure of the pins is described with reference to the first pin 31.

[0173] The pin 31 may include a body 313, a head 311, and a leg 315.

[0174] The body portion 313 has guide portions 3130 of predetermined width and length at the center of each of its two sides. The lower end of the guide portion 3130 may form a stepped locking protrusion (not shown). The upper end of the guide portion 3130 extends to the upper end of the head 311. The locking protrusion (not shown) refers to the structure in which the end of the locking member 357 of the second contact pin 35 is locked when the second contact pin 35 is connected in a direction intersecting with the first contact pin 31.

[0175] The head 311 may be composed of a plate-shaped strip, which has the same length on both sides at the upper end of the body portion 313 relative to the center of the body portion 313, and a tip portion 3110 is formed along the upper front end. The plate-shaped strip may include a first strip section 311b and a second strip section 311c that are equidistant from the center portion 311a of the body portion 313.

[0176] That is, the head 311 can be configured such that the first strip section 311b and the second strip section 311c are respectively wound into a cylindrical shape with a diameter d1 in a semi-circular arc shape with the central part 311a as a reference.

[0177] Additionally, the head 311 can be formed into a cylindrical crown shape via the tip 3110. In this shape and structure of the head 311, the ball portion of the BGA is stably grounded and presses against the test socket, thereby improving the accuracy of the test and ensuring sufficient contact area with the LGA terminals.

[0178] In addition, the legs 315 can be formed by a pair extending symmetrically from the body 313, and a predetermined space S1 is formed between the pair of legs, so that each leg can be guided when the first contact pin 31 and the second contact pin 35 are connected in a mutually intersecting direction.

[0179] In addition, when assembling the contact 30, in order to facilitate the assembly of the second contact 35 in the direction intersecting with the first contact 31, an inclined surface 3131 can be formed on the portion of the pair of legs 315 extending from the body portion 313.

[0180] More specifically, the leg portion 315 may have a locking member 317 formed at its end. The locking member 317 may include: a corner portion 3173, which is located on the same plane as the tip portion 3110 and makes electrical contact with the terminal when the contact 30 is compressed in the pressing direction; a guide surface 3172, which extends in a predetermined oblique direction from the corner portion 3173 and faces each other; and a bend portion 3171, which forms a step from the guide surface 3172 toward the outside of the space S1.

[0181] In this structure, when each contact pin is assembled, the guide surface 3172 contacts and connects with the inclined surface 3131, so a pair of contact pins can be easily assembled, and when each contact pin is assembled, the bent portion 3171 is locked in the locking protrusion (not shown), thereby preventing accidental separation after a pair of contact pins are connected.

[0182] Additionally, when the spring contact 30 is compressed along the pressing direction, the corner portion 3173 can be located in the spaces S2 and S3 formed by the crown shape of the head 311.

[0183] That is, in this structure, when the spring contact 30 is compressed to the maximum, the corner portion 3573 of the second contact pin 35 and the tip portion 3110 of the first contact pin 31 are located on the same plane, which not only improves the electrical contact performance of the test socket, but also improves the contact performance with the terminal.

[0184] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the appended claims but also by their equivalents.

[0185] 11:Substrate 13:BGA terminal 15:Substrate 17:LGA terminal 20: Contacts 21: Trigger 211: Head 211a: Central part 211b: First strip interval 211c: Second band interval 2110: Tip 212: Shoulder 212L: Shoulder area 212R: Shoulder 213: Ontology Department 2130: Guidance Department 2131: Inclined surface 215: Legs 215L: Legs 215R: Legs 217: Locking component 217L: Locking component 2171: Curved surface 2171L: Curved surface 2172: Contact surface 2172L: Contact surface 2173: Corner 2173L: Corner 217R: Locking component 2171R: Curved surface 2172R: Contact surface 2173R: Corner 23: Spring 25: Trigger 251: Head 2510: Tip 252: Shoulder 252L: Shoulder 252R: Shoulder 253: Shoulder 253L: Shoulder 253R: Shoulder 2530: Guidance Department 255: Legs 257: Locking component 257L: Locking component 2571: Curved surface 2571L: Curved surface 2572: Contact Surface 2572L: Contact Surface 257R: Locking component 2571R: Curved surface 2572R: Contact Surface 30: Contacts 31: Trigger 311: Head 311a: Central part 311b: First strip interval 311c: Second band interval 3110: Tip 313: Ontology Department 3130: Guidance Department 3131: Inclined surface 315: Legs 315L: Legs 315R: Legs 317: Locking component 317L: Locking component 3171: Bend 3171L: Bending section 3172: Guiding surface 3172L: Guide surface 3173: Corner 3173L: Corner 317R: Locking component 3171R: Bending section 3172R: Guiding surface 3173R: Corner 33: Spring 35: Trigger 351: Head 353: Shoulder 3530: Guidance Department 355: Legs 357: Locking component 3573: Corner 51: First Surface 52: Elastic Insulator 53: Second Surface 54: Framework 70: First component h1, h2, h3: Holes

Claims

1. A test socket, wherein, include: A base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element, and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; An elastic insulator, filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; a spring contact inserted into the hole, one end contacting a terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end contacting a pad of the test device, and having elasticity in the pressing direction; and a first member made of an elastic material, disposed on the inner surface of the hole formed on the first surface, and fixing the end position of the spring contact, the spring contact including a shoulder having a width greater than the diameter of the hole, the shoulder contacting the elastic insulator.

2. The test socket as described in request item 1, wherein, The width of the shoulder forms the maximum width of the spring contact.

3. The test socket as described in request item 1, wherein, The width of the shoulder is greater than the inner diameter of the spring and less than the outer diameter of the spring.

4. The test socket as described in claim 2, wherein, The diameters of the first surface, the second surface, and the holes formed on the elastic insulator are the same.

5. The test socket as described in claim 2, wherein, The diameters of the holes selected from the diameters of the holes formed on the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator are different from each other.

6. A test socket, wherein, include: A base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element, and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; An elastic insulator, which is filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; A spring contact is inserted into the hole, with one end contacting the terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end contacting the pad of the test device, and having elasticity in the pressing direction. The diameter of the hole formed on the first surface is larger than the diameter of the hole formed on the second surface and the elastic insulator. The spring contact includes a shoulder that has a width longer than the diameter of at least one of the diameters of the holes formed on the first surface, the second surface and the elastic insulator. The shoulder contacts the elastic insulator.

7. The test socket as described in claim 6, wherein, The diameter of the hole formed on the first surface is greater than the width of the shoulder.

8. The test socket as described in claim 7, wherein, The diameter of the hole formed on the second surface and the elastic insulator is smaller than the width of the shoulder.

9. The test socket as described in claim 8, wherein, It further includes: a first member made of an elastic material, the first member being disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed on the first surface, and fixing the end position of the spring contact.

10. The test socket as described in claim 8, wherein, The elastic insulator is provided between the inner surface of the hole formed on the first surface and the end of the spring contact.

11. The test socket as described in claim 10, wherein, It further includes a first member made of an elastic material, which is disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed in the elastic insulator and fixes the end position of the spring contact.

12. A test socket, wherein, include: A base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element, and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; An elastic insulator, which is filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; A spring contact is inserted into the hole, with one end in contact with the terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end in contact with the pad of the test device, and has elasticity in the pressing direction. The spring contact includes a spring with a diameter larger than the diameter of the hole, and the spring presses against the inner surface of the hole formed on the elastic insulator.

13. The test socket as described in claim 12, wherein, The diameter of the spring forms the maximum diameter of the spring contact.

14. The test socket as described in claim 13, wherein, The spring contact includes a head that contacts the terminals of the semiconductor element and the pads of the test device, the head being formed by winding a plate-like strip.

15. The test socket as described in claim 14, wherein, The maximum diameter of the head is greater than the inner diameter of the spring and less than the outer diameter of the spring.

16. The test socket as described in claim 12, wherein, It further includes a first member made of an elastic material, which is disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed on the first surface or on the inner surface of a hole formed on the second surface, and fixes the end position of the spring contact.

17. The test socket as described in claim 12, wherein, It further includes a first component disposed on the inner surface of a hole formed on the first surface and the inner surface of a hole formed on the second surface, and fixing the end position of the spring contact.

18. A test socket, wherein, include: A base having: a first surface facing a terminal of a semiconductor element, and a second surface facing a pad of a test device; An elastic insulator, filled and hardened inside the base to form elasticity; a hole penetrating the first surface, the second surface, and the elastic insulator; a spring contact inserted into the hole, one end contacting a terminal of the semiconductor element and the other end contacting a pad of the test device, and having elasticity in the pressing direction; and a first member disposed at least at one of the inner surfaces of the hole formed on the first surface or the hole formed on the second surface, and fixing the end position of the spring contact, the spring contact comprising a spring with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the hole.

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