The electro-conductive contact pin and vertical probe card having the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a conductive contact needle and a vertical probe card having the same, wherein the conductive contact needle can effectively detect the electrical characteristics of the object being tested without elastically bending or twisting while the body protrudes horizontally by pressure applied to both ends.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a conductive contact needle and a vertical probe card having the same. Prior Technology

[0002] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a probe card (1) according to the prior art, and Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged diagrams of the probe head (4) of Figure 1.

[0003] Generally, the probe card (1) comprises the following: a circuit board (2), a space converter (3) disposed on the lower side of the circuit board (2), and a probe head (4) disposed on the lower side of the space converter (3).

[0004] The probe head (4) includes multiple probe pins (7) and guide plates (5, 6) with guide holes for insertion of the probes (7). The probe head (4) includes an upper guide plate (5) and a lower guide plate (6), which are fixedly mounted by spacers. The probes (7) are elastically deformable between the upper guide plate (5) and the lower guide plate (6), and this type of probe (7) is used to form a vertical probe card (1).

[0005] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the electrical characteristic test of a semiconductor device is performed by bringing a probe card (1) with multiple probes (7) close to a semiconductor wafer (W) and making each probe (7) contact the corresponding electrode pad (WP) on the semiconductor wafer (W). After the probe (7) reaches the position of contact with the electrode pad (WP), an overdrive process is performed to raise the wafer (W) further to the probe card (1) by a specified height. Since the multiple probes (7) have length differences due to manufacturing process errors, the flatness of the guide plates (5, 6) and the space converter (3) has slight differences, and there are also height differences between the electrode pads (WP), an overdrive process is necessary.

[0006] During the overdrive process, the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device are tested by removing the oxide film layer (8) formed on the electrode pad (WP) and electrically connecting the probe (7) to the conductive material layer of the electrode pad (WP).

[0007] To ensure good electrical and mechanical contact for all probes (7), an overdrive with sufficient rise stroke is required. Since sufficient overdrive is required for multiple probes (7), a pressure exceeding a certain level is necessary. During this process, the probes (7) exert excessive pressure on the inner walls of the guide holes in the guide plates (5, 6). This excessive pressure leads to wear on the inner walls of the guide holes, causing foreign matter to fall onto the electrode pads (WP) and making electrical characteristic testing difficult. Furthermore, due to the continuous overdrive process performed with excessive pressure, the probes (7) may experience fatigue failure within a short period.

[0008] On the other hand, the probes (7) previously used in the vertical probe card (1) are inserted into the upper guide plate (5) and the lower guide plate (6) for support by the guide plates (5, 6), and the pressure applied at both ends causes them to bend and deform in one direction. Since semiconductor devices now perform multiple functions and the processing speed is gradually increasing, the number of input and output terminals is inevitably increasing, so there is a trend that the pitch between the electrode pads (WP) of semiconductor devices is gradually decreasing. In order to cope with this narrow pitch trend, the probes (7) should also be arranged with a narrow pitch. However, the problem of short circuits often occurs when the probes (7) arranged with a narrow pitch come into contact with adjacent probes (7) during bending deformation. In addition, in order to arrange the probes (7) with a narrow pitch, the guide holes should also be arranged with a narrow pitch. Therefore, the margin between adjacent guide holes is reduced, which makes it more difficult to process the guide holes and reduces the rigidity of the guide plates (5, 6). In particular, because the probe (7) continuously applies pressure to the guide plate (5, 6) during the bending deformation, the fatigue failure rate of the guide plate (5, 6) will increase.

[0009] To date, the probes (7) used for vertical probe cards (1) have only used the following structures: (i) a pre-deformed structure that is pre-deformed from the time of manufacture (in the industry, this type of probe (7) is called a "cobra"), or (ii) a structure that is straight during manufacture but is deformed by moving the guide plate in the horizontal direction (in the industry, this type of probe (7) is called a "straight pin").

[0010] However, the problems described above arise from using serpentine or flat needles on vertical probe cards (1). In other words, because the multiple probes (7) are structures that allow their bodies to bulge horizontally while elastically bending or turning by applying pressure to both ends, the problems described above arise. [Existing Technical Documents] [Patent Literature]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Patent Registration No. 10-1913355, Patent Publication Summary of the Invention

[0012] [The problem that the invention aims to solve]

[0013] The present invention is proposed to solve the problems of the prior art. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a conductive contact needle and a vertical probe card having the same, wherein the conductive contact needle can effectively detect the electrical characteristics of the object being tested without elastically bending or twisting while the body protrudes in the horizontal direction due to pressure applied to both ends.

[0014] [Methods for solving problems]

[0015] To achieve the objectives of this invention, the conductive contact needle according to the invention comprises: a first plunger located at a first end of the conductive contact needle and having its end as a first contact; a second plunger located at a second end of the conductive contact needle and having its end as a second contact; and an elastic portion having a repeating bending pattern, such that the first plunger and the second plunger are elastically displaced in the length direction of the conductive contact needle, the second plunger comprising a first metal portion and a second metal portion, the second metal portion being connected to the side of the first metal portion.

[0016] In addition, the first metal part is configured by stacking multiple metal layers, while the second metal part is configured by a single metal layer.

[0017] In addition, the first metal part is configured with at least three or more metal layers, and the second metal part is in contact with the first metal part at at least one interface.

[0018] In addition, the first metal part surrounds three sides of the second metal part, and the side of the first metal part that does not surround the second metal part is the second contact point.

[0019] Furthermore, in a cross-section along the width direction of the second plunger, the first metal part, the second metal part, and the first metal part are positioned in that order.

[0020] Furthermore, the second metal part is formed from a single metal layer, and the single metal layer constituting the second metal part is made of a different material from the metal layer constituting the first metal part.

[0021] In addition, the first plunger and the elastic part are configured with the same metal layer as the metal layer constituting the first metal part and multiple metal layers are stacked, and the second metal part is configured with a single metal layer.

[0022] In addition, the conductive contact needle includes a support portion that guides the elastic portion to compress and elongate in the length direction of the conductive contact needle, and is disposed on the outside of the elastic portion along the length direction of the conductive contact needle to prevent the elastic portion from buckling during compression.

[0023] Furthermore, the actual width of the plate constituting the support portion is the same as the actual width of the plate constituting the elastic portion.

[0024] Furthermore, the first plunger, the second plunger, the elastic part, and the support part are connected to each other and configured as a single unit.

[0025] In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the elastic portion in the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin is the same in all thickness sections, and the thickness of the elastic portion is the same overall.

[0026] In addition, the conductive contact pin includes microgrooves disposed on the sides of the first plunger, the second plunger and the elastic portion.

[0027] Additionally, the elastic portion includes: a first elastic portion connected to the first plunger; a second elastic portion connected to the second plunger; and an intermediate fixing portion connected between the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion, and integrally configured with the support portion.

[0028] On the other hand, in order to achieve the purpose of the present invention, the vertical probe card according to the present invention is a vertical probe card used in the semiconductor manufacturing process for inspecting wafers fabricated on wafers and capable of corresponding to micro-fine pitches. The vertical probe card includes: a space converter with a connecting pad; a guide plate disposed below the space converter and spaced apart from the space converter; and a conductive contact pin inserted into a hole in the guide plate. The conductive contact pin includes: a first plunger located at a first end of the conductive contact pin and its end being a first contact point; a second plunger located at a second end of the conductive contact pin and its end being a second contact point; and an elastic portion having a repeating bending pattern, such that the first plunger and the second plunger can elastically displace in the length direction of the conductive contact pin. The second plunger includes a first metal portion and a second metal portion, and the second metal portion is connected to the side of the first metal portion.

[0029] In addition, the vertical probe card includes a support portion and a locking portion. The support portion guides the elastic portion to compress and elongate in the length direction of the conductive contact needle, and is disposed on the outside of the elastic portion along the length direction of the conductive contact needle to prevent the elastic portion from buckling during compression. The locking portion is disposed on the outer wall of the support portion so that the support portion can be locked and fixed to the guide plate.

[0030] [The effects of the invention]

[0031] The present invention provides a conductive contact needle and a vertical probe card having the same. The conductive contact needle can effectively detect the electrical characteristics of the object being tested without elastically bending or twisting while the body protrudes horizontally due to pressure applied to both ends. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a probe card according to the prior art. Figures 2 and 3 are magnified views of the probe head in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the state in which the conductive contact pin is disposed on the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5a is a plan view showing a conductive contact pin according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5b is a perspective view of a conductive contact pin according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6a is a plan view of part A of Figure 5a enlarged. Figure 6b is a magnified three-dimensional view of part A of Figure 5a. Figure 7a is an enlarged plan view of part B of Figure 5a. Figure 7b is a magnified three-dimensional view of part B of Figure 5a. Figure 8a is an enlarged plan view of part C in Figure 5a. Figure 8b is a magnified three-dimensional view of part C in Figure 5a. Figures 9(a) to 9(f) illustrate a method for manufacturing a conductive contact pin according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a photograph of the probe of the vertical probe card according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 is a view showing the side of a conductive contact pin according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figures 12 and 13 are diagrams comparing a vertical probe card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a vertical probe card according to the prior art. Figure 14a is a plan view showing a conductive contact pin according to a preferred second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14b is a perspective view of a conductive contact pin according to a preferred second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15a is an enlarged plan view of part A of Figure 14a. Figure 15b is a magnified perspective view of part A of Figure 14a. Figure 16a is an enlarged plan view of part B of Figure 14a. Figure 16b is a magnified perspective view of part B of Figure 14a. Figure 17a is an enlarged plan view of part C of Figure 14a. Figure 17b is a magnified perspective view of part C in Figure 14a. Implementation

[0033] The following content is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Therefore, even if not explicitly described or illustrated in this specification, those skilled in the art can implement the principles of the invention and invent various devices encompassed within the concept and scope of the invention. Furthermore, all terms and embodiments listed in this specification should be understood in principle as being for the purpose of clearly understanding the concept of the invention only, and are not limited to the embodiments and states specifically listed above.

[0034] The objectives, features, and advantages described herein will become even more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, thus enabling those skilled in the art to readily implement the inventive concept.

[0035] The embodiments described in this specification will be explained with reference to cross-sectional and / or perspective views, which serve as ideal illustrative diagrams of the invention. To effectively illustrate the technical content, the thickness of the films and regions shown in these figures is exaggerated. The shapes of the illustrative diagrams may be varied due to manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention are not limited to the specific shapes shown, but also include variations in shapes generated according to the manufacturing process. Technical terms used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Unless the context clearly specifies otherwise, singular expressions include plural expressions. It should be understood in this specification that terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof described in this specification, without precluding the presence or additional possibilities of one or more other features or numbers, steps, actions, constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0036] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of various embodiments, even if the embodiments differ, for convenience, the constituent elements performing the same function will be given the same names and the same reference numerals. Furthermore, for convenience, structures and operations already described in other embodiments will be omitted.

[0037] The conductive contact pins (100, 200) according to preferred embodiments of the present invention described below are disposed in a detection device and used to make electrical and physical contact with the object being detected to transmit electrical signals. The detection device may be a detection device for semiconductor manufacturing processes, and as an example, it may be a probe card or a test socket. The conductive contact pins may be probes disposed in a probe card to detect semiconductor wafers, or socket pins disposed in a test socket to detect packaged semiconductor packages.

[0038] The conductive contact pins (100, 200) according to preferred embodiments of the present invention can be used in vertical probe cards. Vertical probe cards according to preferred embodiments of the present invention are used in semiconductor manufacturing processes for inspecting wafers fabricated on wafers and can accommodate fine detail pitches.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a vertical probe card includes: a space converter (ST) configured with a connecting pad; guide plates (GP1, GP2) configured below the space converter (ST) and spaced apart from the space converter (ST); and conductive contact pins (100, 200) inserted into holes in the guide plates (GP1, GP2).

[0040] The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] The conductive contact pin described below has its width direction as the ±x direction marked in the figure, its length direction as the ±y direction marked in the figure, and its thickness direction as the ±z direction marked in the figure. The conductive contact pin has an overall length dimension (L) in the length direction (±y direction), an overall thickness dimension (H) in the thickness direction perpendicular to the length direction (±z direction), and an overall width dimension (W) in the width direction perpendicular to the length direction (±x direction).

[0042] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the state in which the conductive contact pin is disposed on the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5a is a plan view showing the conductive contact pin according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5b is a perspective view showing the conductive contact pin according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6a is an enlarged plan view of part A of Figure 5a. Figure 6b is an enlarged perspective view of part A of Figure 5a. Figure 7a is an enlarged plan view of part B of Figure 5a. Figure 7b is an enlarged perspective view of part B of Figure 5a. Figure 8a is an enlarged perspective view of part C of Figure 5a. Figure 8b is an enlarged plan view of part C of Figure 5a. Figures 9(a) to 9(c) illustrate the manufacturing method of the conductive contact pin according to the preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a photograph of the actual probe of the vertical probe card according to the preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 is a view showing the side of the conductive contact pin according to the preferred first embodiment of the present invention. Figures 12 and 13 are comparisons between the vertical probe card according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the vertical probe card according to the prior art.

[0043] The vertical probe card (10) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is used in a semiconductor manufacturing process for inspecting wafers fabricated on a wafer and can accommodate fine detail pitches. The vertical probe card (10) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is particularly useful for inspecting non-memory semiconductor wafers such as microprocessors, microcontrollers, and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). []

[0044] The vertical probe card (10) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes: a space converter (ST) configured with a connecting pad (CP); guide plates (GP1, GP2) configured below the space converter (ST) and spaced apart from the space converter (ST); and conductive contact pins (100) inserted into the holes of the guide plates (GP1, GP2).

[0045] The conductive contact pin (100) includes: a first plunger (110) located at the upper part and connected to the connection pad (CP) of the space converter (ST); a second plunger (120) located at the lower part and connected to the wafer; and an elastic portion (130) for elastically displacing the first plunger (110) and the second plunger (120) in the length direction of the conductive contact pin (100), wherein the cross-sectional shape of the elastic portion (130) in the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin (100) is the same in all thickness cross-sections, and the thickness of the elastic portion (130) is generally the same in the width direction and the length direction of the conductive contact pin (100).

[0046] In addition, the conductive contact needle (100) includes a support portion (140) which guides the elastic portion (130) to compress and elongate in the length direction of the conductive contact needle (100) and is arranged on the outside of the elastic portion (130) along the length direction of the conductive contact needle (100) to prevent the elastic portion (130) from buckling during compression.

[0047] The pitch between the conductive contact pins (100) arranged on the guide plates (GP1, GP2) of the vertical probe card (10) is 50 μm or more and 150 μm or less. The left and right width of the conductive contact pins (100) is 40 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and the thickness of the conductive contact pins (100) is 40 μm or more and 200 μm or less.

[0048] The elastic portion (130) includes: a first elastic portion (131) connected to the first plunger (110); a second elastic portion (135) connected to the second plunger (120); and an intermediate fixing portion (137) connected between the first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135), and integrally configured with the support portion (140). The cross-sectional shape of the elastic portion (130) in the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin (100) is the same in all thickness sections. In addition, the thickness of the elastic portion (130) is generally the same. The first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135) are formed by repeatedly bending a plate having a substantial width (t) in an S-shape, and the substantial width (t) of the plate is generally fixed. The ratio of the substantial width of the plate to the thickness of the plate is in the range of 1:5 or more and 1:30 or less.

[0049] Before the conductive contact needle (100) detects the semiconductor wafer, the first plunger (110) contacts the connecting pad (CP) to compress and deform the first elastic part (130) in the length direction of the conductive contact needle (100), and the second plunger (120) is not in contact with the wafer. During the detection of the wafer by the conductive contact needle (100), the second plunger (120) contacts the wafer and compresses and deforms the second elastic part (135).

[0050] One end of the first plunger (110) is a free end and the other end is connected to the first elastic part (131), so that it can move vertically elastically by contact pressure. One end of the second plunger (120) is a free end and the other end is connected to the second elastic part (135), so that it can move vertically elastically by contact pressure.

[0051] The first plunger (110) includes a first neck (111) and a head (115).

[0052] One end of the first neck (111) is connected to the first elastic part (131), and the other end is connected to the head (115). The first neck (111) is formed with a width smaller than the width of the upper opening formed on the upper part of the support part (140), and is configured to allow vertical passage through the upper opening.

[0053] The actual width (t) of the plate forming the first neck (111) is the same as the actual width (t) of the plate forming the first elastic part (131) and / or support part (140).

[0054] The head (115) is connected to the upper part of the first neck (111) and positioned on the upper side of the support (40). The head (115) has a hollow (117) inside to form a closed structure. The head (115) is formed in the shape of a closed square ring, so that it can make elastic contact when in contact with the connecting pad (CP).

[0055] The actual width (t) of the plate-like plate constituting the head (115) is the same as the actual width (t) of the plate-like plate constituting the first neck (111).

[0056] One end of the first elastic part (131) is connected to the first plunger (110), and the other end is connected to the intermediate fixing part (137). One end of the second elastic part (135) is connected to the second plunger (120), and the other end is connected to the intermediate fixing part (137).

[0057] The support portion (140) includes: a first support portion (141) disposed on the left side of the elastic portion (130); and a second support portion (145) disposed on the right side of the elastic portion (130).

[0058] The actual width (t) of the plate-shaped plate constituting the first elastic part (131) and the second elastic part (135) is the same as the actual width (t) of the plate-shaped plate constituting the first support part (141) and the second support part (145).

[0059] A locking portion (149) is provided on the outer wall of the support portion (140) so that the support portion (140) can be locked and fixed to the lower guide plate (GP2). The locking portion (149) includes an upper locking portion (149a) that locks onto the upper surface of the lower guide plate (GP2) and a lower locking portion (149b) that locks onto the lower surface of the lower guide plate (GP2). Of course, the locking portion (149) can be configured such that the support portion (140) can be locked and fixed to the upper guide plate (GP1).

[0060] The intermediate fixing part (137) extends in the width direction of the conductive contact pin (100) and connects the first support part (141) and the second support part (145).

[0061] The first elastic part (131) is disposed on its upper part with reference to the intermediate fixed part (137), and the second elastic part (135) is disposed on its lower part with reference to the intermediate fixed part (137). The first elastic part (131) and the second elastic part (135) are compressed or stretched with reference to the intermediate fixed part (137). The intermediate fixed part (137) is fixed to the first support part (141) and the second support part (145), thereby performing the function of restricting the positional movement of the first elastic part (131) and the second elastic part (135) when they are compressed and deformed.

[0062] The area where the first elastic part (131) is disposed and the area where the second elastic part (135) is disposed are separated by the intermediate fixing part (137). Therefore, foreign objects flowing into the upper opening (143a) cannot flow into the second elastic part (135), and foreign objects flowing into the lower opening (143b) cannot flow into the first elastic part (131). In this way, by restricting the movement of foreign objects flowing into the inside of the support part (140), the operation of the first elastic part (131) and the second elastic part (135) can be prevented from being hindered by foreign objects.

[0063] The first support portion (141) and the second support portion (145) are formed along the length direction of the conductive contact needle (100), and the first support portion (141) and the second support portion (145) are integrally connected to the intermediate fixing portion (137) formed along the width direction of the conductive contact needle (100). In addition, the first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135) are connected into one body by the intermediate fixing portion (137), and the conductive contact needle (100) is formed into a whole body.

[0064] The first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135) are formed by alternating connections of multiple straight portions (130a) and multiple curved portions (130b). The straight portions (130a) connect to the left and right adjacent curved portions (130b), and the curved portions (130b) connect to the upper and lower adjacent straight portions (130a). The curved portions (130b) are arranged in an arc shape.

[0065] A straight portion (130a) is arranged at the center of the first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135), and a curved portion (130b) is arranged at the outer side of the first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135). The straight portion (130a) is arranged parallel to the width direction, so that the curved portion (130b) can be more easily deformed according to the contact pressure.

[0066] The first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135) connected to the intermediate fixing portion (137) are the curved portions (130b) of the first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135). In this way, the first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135) maintain elasticity relative to the intermediate fixing portion (137).

[0067] For the first elastic portion (131), the compression amount is required to ensure that the first plungers (110) of the plurality of conductive contact pins (100) can stably contact the connection pads (CP) of the space converter (ST), respectively. In contrast, the compression amount is required for the second elastic portion (135) to ensure that the second plungers (120) of the plurality of conductive contact pins (100) can stably contact the wafer, respectively. Therefore, the elastic coefficients of the first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135) are different from each other. For example, the lengths of the first elastic portion (131) and the second elastic portion (135) are configured differently from each other. In addition, the length of the second elastic portion (135) can be formed to be longer than the length of the first elastic portion (131).

[0068] The elastic portion (130) includes a rigid retaining portion (130d). The rigid retaining portion (130d) is formed longitudinally across the center of the elastic portion (130) along the length direction of the conductive contact pin (100). The rigid retaining portion (130d) connects the upper and lower adjacent straight portions (130a) to each other, thereby preventing the elastic portion (130) from being compressed at the position where the rigid retaining portion (130d) is disposed. By disposing the rigid retaining portion (130d) in at least a portion of the elastic portion (130), the elastic portion (130) is prevented from buckling and deforming inside the support portion (140).

[0069] The actual width (t) of the plate forming the rigid retaining part (130d) is the same as the actual width (t) of the plate forming the straight part (130a) and the curved part (130b).

[0070] A rigid retaining portion (130d) may be formed in a relatively longer second elastic portion (135). More specifically, the rigid retaining portion (130d) is disposed on the lower side of the second elastic portion (135) to prevent the lower side of the second elastic portion (135) from buckling, and to allow contact pressure to be transmitted in the axial direction. In this way, the force that compresses and deforms the second elastic portion (135) is transmitted in the axial direction, making it easier to achieve compressive deformation of the second elastic portion (135).

[0071] The second plunger (120) includes a second neck (121) and a protruding tip (125).

[0072] One end of the second neck (121) is connected to the second elastic portion (135), and the other end is connected to the protruding tip (125). The second neck (121) includes a plurality of columns (122) arranged spaced apart from each other. The substantial width (t) of the plate-like plates constituting the columns (122) is the same as the substantial width (t) of the plate-like plates constituting the second elastic portion (135).

[0073] A protruding tip (125) is connected to the lower part of the second neck (121).

[0074] The protruding tip (125) includes a first metal portion (300) and a second metal portion (400). The second metal portion (400) is connected to the side of the first metal portion (300).

[0075] The first plunger (110), the elastic portion (130), the support portion (140), and the first metal portion (300) are configured by depositing multiple metal layers in the thickness direction of the conductive contact needle (100). The multiple metal layers include a first metal layer (160) and a second metal layer (180). The first metal layer (160) is preferably formed of a metal selected from the following metals: rhodium (Rd), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), phosphorus (Ph) or alloys thereof, or palladium-cobalt (PdCo) alloys, palladium-nickel (PdNi) alloys or nickel-phosphorus (NiPh) alloys, nickel-manganese (NiMn), nickel-cobalt (NiCo) or nickel-tungsten (NiW) alloys. The second metal layer (180) is a metal with relatively high electrical conductivity compared to the first metal layer (160), and is preferably formed of a metal selected from copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au) or alloys thereof.

[0076] A first metal layer (160) is disposed on the lower and upper surfaces of the conductive contact pin (100) in the thickness direction, and a second metal layer (180) is disposed between the first metal layers (160). For example, the conductive contact pin (100) is disposed by alternately stacking the first metal layer (160) and the second metal layer (180) in the order of the first metal layer (160), the second metal layer (180), and the number of stacked layers can be three or more.

[0077] Unlike the first plunger (110), elastic part (130), support part (140) and first metal part (300), the second metal part (400) is configured with a single metal layer.

[0078] Since the exposed lower surface of the second metal part (400) is configured as the second contact point, and the exposed lower surface of the second metal part (400) is in continuous contact with the object, high wear resistance is required. In this case, the second metal part (400), as a metal with relatively high wear resistance compared to the metal constituting the first metal layer (160), can be formed from a metal selected from: rhodium (Rd), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), phosphorus (Ph) or alloys thereof, or palladium-cobalt (PdCo) alloys, palladium-nickel (PdNi) alloys or nickel-phosphorus (NiPh) alloys, nickel-manganese (NiMn), nickel-cobalt (NiCo) or nickel-tungsten (NiW) alloys.

[0079] On the other hand, depending on the situation, since the exposed lower surface of the second metal part (400) is configured as the second contact point, and since the exposed lower surface of the second metal part (400) is in contact with the object, it needs to have high conductivity. In this case, the second metal part (400), being a metal with relatively high conductivity compared to the metal constituting the first metal layer (160), can be formed of a metal selected from copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), or alloys thereof.

[0080] The single metal layer constituting the second metal portion (400) can be formed of a material different from the metal layers constituting the first metal portion (300). For example, in the case where the first metal portion (300) is formed by alternating layers of a first metal layer (160) of palladium cobalt (PdCo) and a second metal layer (180) of copper (Cu), the second metal portion (400) can be formed of a single metal of rhodium (Rd). On the other hand, unlike this, the single metal layer constituting the second metal portion (400) can be formed of the same material as any of the metal layers constituting the first metal portion (300). For example, in the case where the first metal portion (300) is formed by alternating layers of a first metal layer (160) of palladium cobalt (PdCo) and a second metal layer (180) of copper (Cu), the second metal portion (400) can be formed of a single metal of palladium cobalt (PdCo) or a single metal of copper (Cu).

[0081] The first plunger (110), the elastic portion (130), the support portion (140), and the first metal portion (300) are formed simultaneously by the same plating process, and the first plunger (110), the elastic portion (130), and the support portion (140) can be configured by stacking multiple metal layers of the same metal layer as the metal layer constituting the first metal portion (300). Accordingly, the first plunger (110), the elastic portion (130), the support portion (140), and the first metal portion (300) are constructed by stacking the same number of metal layers in the same order. By using a single-layer plating process to form the second metal part (400) in a process different from the multi-layer plating process that forms the first plunger (110), elastic part (130), support part (140) and first metal part (300), the metal layer constituting the first plunger (110), elastic part (130), support part (140) and first metal part (300) and the metal layer constituting the second metal part (400) will not be formed from the same layer.

[0082] The second metal part (400) is connected to the first metal part (300) at at least one interface. The interface between the first metal part (300) and the second metal part (400) may be one interface, two interfaces, three interfaces, four interfaces or more interfaces.

[0083] Preferably, as shown in Figures 8a and 8b, the first metal part (300) surrounds three sides of the second metal part (400), and the side of the first metal part (300) that does not surround the second metal part (400) is the second contact point. The first metal part (300) surrounds the second metal part (400) on three sides, thereby increasing the engagement force with the second metal part (400). The cross-section along the width direction of the protruding tip (125) of the second plunger (120) is positioned in the order of the first metal part (300), the second metal part (400), and the first metal part (300). In other words, the second metal part (400) is positioned between the first metal parts (300) in the cross-section along the width direction of the protruding tip (125) of the second plunger (120).

[0084] At the second contact point, both the first metal portion (300) and the second metal portion (400) are exposed. In the width direction of the protruding tip (125), the width of the second metal portion (400) is greater than that of the first metal portion (300) located to its left and greater than that of the first metal portion (300) located to its right. This allows the second metal portion (400), rather than the first metal portion (300), to contact the object.

[0085] The upward stroke of the protruding tip (125) is limited when the protruding tip (125) abuts against the lower end of the support portion (140). The left and right widths of the second neck (121) are smaller than the left and right widths of the lower end of the support portion (140), so that the second neck (121) can enter the interior of the support portion (140). Conversely, the left and right widths of the protruding tip (125) are larger than the left and right widths of the lower end of the support portion (140), so that the protruding tip (125) will not enter the interior of the support portion (140) when it rises.

[0086] The substantial width (t) of the plate-shaped plates constituting the first plunger (110), the elastic part (130), the support part (140), and the first metal part (300) can all be formed with substantially the same width and length. Therefore, in the multilayer plating process for manufacturing the first plunger (110), the elastic part (130), the support part (140), and the first metal part (300), it is easy to form the height of each metal layer to be the same overall height, thereby improving the characteristics of the conductive contact pin (100).

[0087] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conductive contact pin (100) is integrally configured by continuously connecting thin plate-shaped plates. The plate-shaped plates constituting the conductive contact pin (100) have a width. Here, the width refers to the distance between one side of the plate-shaped plate and the other side opposite to the first side. The plate-shaped plate constituting the conductive contact pin (100) has a minimum width and a maximum width. The substantial width (t) of the plate-shaped plate may be the average value of the width based on the entire plate-shaped plate, or the intermediate value of the width based on the entire plate-shaped plate, or the average or intermediate value of the width of the plate-shaped plate based on at least a portion constituting the conductive contact pin (100), or the average or intermediate value based on the plate-shaped plate of at least one of the elastic part (130) and the support part (140), or the value of the width when the width of the plate-shaped plate is continuously 5 μm or more.

[0088] The actual width (t) of the plate is smaller than the overall thickness (H) of the plate, so the thin plate-like plate is a structure that stands upright in the thickness direction.

[0089] The conductive contact needle (100) is configured as a single body and includes: a support portion (140) formed in the shape of a plate extending in the length direction; an intermediate fixing portion (137) disposed inside the support portion (140) and formed in the shape of a plate spanning the support portion (140) and extending in the width direction; a first elastic portion (131) formed in the shape of a bent plate above the intermediate fixing portion (137); a second elastic portion (135) formed in the shape of a bent plate below the intermediate fixing portion (137); a first plunger (110) formed in the shape of a plate at the upper end of the first elastic portion (131); and a second plunger (120) formed in the shape of a plate at the lower end of the second elastic portion (135). Thus, the conductive contact needle (100) is integrally configured as a single body by connecting the plate-shaped plates together.

[0090] The plate-shaped plates constituting the first plunger (110), the second plunger (120), the elastic part (130) and the support part (140) may differ from each other in terms of their substantial width (t), but the thickness of the plate-shaped plates may be the same.

[0091] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conductive contact pin (100) is formed such that the substantial width (t) of the plate-shaped plate is thinner and the overall thickness (H) of the plate-shaped plate is larger. That is, the overall thickness (H) of the plate-shaped plate is larger than the substantial width (t). Preferably, the substantial width (t) of the plate-shaped plate constituting the conductive contact pin (100) is arranged in the range of 5 μm or more and 15 μm or less, the overall thickness (H) is arranged in the range of 40 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and the ratio of the substantial width (t) of the plate-shaped plate to the overall thickness (H) is arranged in the range of 1:5 to 1:30. For example, the substantial width (t) of the plate-shaped plate is substantially formed to be 5 μm, and the overall thickness (H) is formed to be 50 μm, so that the ratio of the substantial width (t) of the plate-shaped plate to the overall thickness (H) can be formed to be 1:10.

[0092] According to the manufacturing method of the conductive contact pin (100) according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substantial width (t) of the plate constituting the elastic part (130) can be set to 10 μm or less, more preferably 5 μm. Since the plate with a substantial width (t) of 5 μm can be formed into a bent shape to form the elastic part (130), the overall width dimension (W) of the conductive contact pin (100) can be reduced. Therefore, a corresponding narrow pitch can be achieved. In addition, since the overall thickness dimension (H) can be formed in the range of 40 μm or more and 200 μm or less, damage to the elastic part (130) can be prevented while the length of the elastic part (130) can be shortened, and even if the length of the elastic part (130) is shortened, the plate structure can still provide appropriate contact pressure. Furthermore, since the overall thickness dimension (H) can be increased compared to the actual width (t) of the plate constituting the elastic part (130), the resistance to the torque acting in the front and rear directions of the elastic part (130) is increased, thus improving the contact stability.

[0093] Since the length of the elastic part (130) can be shortened, the overall thickness dimension (H) and overall length dimension (L) of the conductive contact pin (100) can be configured in the range of 1:3 to 1:9. Preferably, the overall length dimension (L) of the conductive contact pin (100) can be configured in the range of 300 μm or more and 3 mm or less, and more preferably in the range of 450 μm or more and 600 μm or less. In this way, the overall length dimension (L) of the conductive contact pin (100) can be shortened to easily correspond to high frequency characteristics, and as the elastic recovery time of the elastic part (130) is shortened, the test time can also be shortened.

[0094] The overall thickness (H) and overall width (W) of the conductive contact pin (100) are configured in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:5. Preferably, the overall thickness (H) of the conductive contact pin (100) is configured in a range of 40 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and the overall width (W) of the conductive contact pin (100) is configured in a range of 40 μm or more and 200 μm or less. In this way, by shortening the overall width (W) of the conductive contact pin (100), a narrow pitch can be achieved.

[0095] The overall thickness (H) and overall width (W) of the conductive contact pin (100) can be formed to be substantially the same length. Therefore, it is not necessary to join multiple conductive contact pins (100) in the thickness direction to make the overall thickness (H) and overall width (W) substantially the same length. In addition, since the overall thickness (H) and overall width (W) of the conductive contact pin (100) can be formed to be substantially the same length, the resistance to the torque acting in the forward and backward directions of the conductive contact pin (100) is increased, thereby improving contact stability. Furthermore, according to the configuration in which the overall thickness (H) of the conductive contact pin (100) is 70 μm or more and the overall thickness (H) and overall width (W) are arranged in the range of 1:1 to 1:5, the overall durability and deformation stability of the conductive contact pin (100) are improved, and the contact stability with the electrode pad (WP) is also improved. In addition, since the overall thickness dimension (H) of the conductive contact pin (100) is formed to be 70 μm or more, the current carrying capacity can be improved.

[0096] For conductive contact pins (100) fabricated using photoresist molds, the overall thickness dimension (H) must be small compared to the overall width dimension (W). For example, since the overall thickness dimension (H) of the conductive contact pin (100) is less than 40 μm and the ratio of the overall thickness dimension (H) to the overall width dimension (W) is in the range of 1:2 to 1:10, the resistance to the torque that causes the conductive contact pin (100) to deform in the front and rear directions by contact pressure is weak. In order to prevent problems caused by excessive deformation of the elastic part in front of and behind the conductive contact pin (100), it is advisable to consider forming additional shells in front of and behind the conductive contact pin (100), but according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, no additional shells are required.

[0097] Referring to Figures 9(a)-9(f), a method for manufacturing the conductive contact pin (100) of a vertical probe card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0098] Figure 9(a) is a plan view of the mold (M) having an internal space (IH), and Figure 9(b) is a cross-sectional view along line A-A' of Figure 9(a). The mold (M) can be formed from anodized film, photoresist, silicon wafer, or a similar material. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mold (M) can be formed from anodized film material. Therefore, the conductive contact pin (100) according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the advantages of its structure, also has the advantages of being manufactured using a mold (M) made of anodized film material. Hereinafter, the preferred mold (M) will be described based on a mold (M) made of anodized film material.

[0099] Anodized film refers to a film formed by anodizing a metal as a base material. Pores refer to the pores formed during the anodizing process. For example, if the base metal is aluminum (Al) or an aluminum alloy, anodizing the base material will form an aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) anodized film on its surface. However, the base metal is not limited to this and includes Ta, Nb, Ti, Zr, Hf, Zn, W, Sb, or alloys thereof. The anodized film formed as described above can be vertically divided into a barrier layer without internal pores and a porous layer with internal pores. In a base material with both a barrier layer and a porous layer forming an anodized film on its surface, if the base material is removed, only the aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) anodized film remains. Anodized films can be formed by removing the barrier layer formed during anodizing and having pores that are continuous from top to bottom, or by retaining the barrier layer formed during anodizing and sealing one end of the pores at the top or bottom.

[0100] The anodic oxide film has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 2 ppm / ℃ to 3 ppm / ℃. Therefore, when exposed to high-temperature environments, the thermal deformation caused by temperature is small. Thus, even in high-temperature environments, precision conductive contact pins (100) can be manufactured without thermal deformation.

[0101] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conductive contact pin (100) is manufactured using a mold (M) made of anodized film material instead of a photoresist mold, which can achieve a precision and fine shape that was previously limited when using a photoresist mold. Furthermore, while existing photoresist molds can produce conductive contact pins with a thickness of 40 μm, the mold (M) made of anodized film material can produce conductive contact pins (100) with a thickness of 40 μm or more and 200 μm or less.

[0102] A seed layer (SL) is disposed on the lower surface of the mold (M). The seed layer (SL) can be disposed on the lower surface of the mold (M) before the internal space (IH) is formed in the mold (M). On the other hand, a support substrate (not shown) is formed at the lower part of the mold (M), thereby improving the operability of the mold (M). Alternatively, in this case, the seed layer (SL) can also be formed on the upper surface of the support substrate, and the mold (M) with the internal space (IH) formed can be bonded to the support substrate for use. The seed layer (SL) can be formed of copper (Cu) and can be formed using a deposition method.

[0103] The internal space (IH) can be formed by wet etching of a mold (M) made of anodized film material. To do this, photoresist can be disposed on the upper surface of the mold (M) and patterned thereon. Then, the anodized film in the patterned and opened area reacts with the etching solution to form the internal space (IH).

[0104] Next, an electroplating process is performed on the internal space (IH) of the mold (M) to form conductive contact pins (100). The electroplating process is a multi-layer plating process. Figure 9(c) is a plan view showing the electroplating process performed on the internal space (IH), and Figure 9(d) is a cross-sectional view along A-A' of Figure 9(c).

[0105] A first metal portion (300) of a first plunger (110), an elastic portion (130), a support portion (140), and a second plunger (120) is formed by performing a single electroplating process. Multiple metal layers are deposited in the thickness direction through a single electroplating process.

[0106] Since the metal layers are grown and formed in the thickness direction of the mold (M), the shapes in each cross-section of the conductive contact pin (100) in the thickness direction are the same, and multiple metal layers are stacked in the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin (100). The multiple metal layers include a first metal layer (160) and a second metal layer (180). The first metal layer (160) is preferably formed from a metal selected from the following: rhodium (Rd), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), phosphorus (Ph) or alloys thereof, or palladium-cobalt (PdCo) alloys, palladium-nickel (PdNi) alloys or nickel-phosphorus (NiPh) alloys, nickel-manganese (NiMn), nickel-cobalt (NiCo) or nickel-tungsten (NiW) alloys. The second metal layer (180) is a metal with relatively high electrical conductivity compared to the first metal layer (160), and is preferably formed of a metal selected from copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au) or alloys thereof.

[0107] A first metal layer (160) is disposed on the lower and upper surfaces of the conductive contact pin (100) in the thickness direction, and a second metal layer (180) is disposed between the first metal layers (160). For example, the conductive contact pin (100) is disposed by alternately stacking the first metal layer (160) and the second metal layer (180) in the order of the first metal layer (160), the second metal layer (180), and the number of stacked layers can be three or more.

[0108] After the multi-layer plating process is completed, an internal space (IH) for forming the second metal part (400) is formed in the mold (M). The internal space (IH) can be formed by wet etching of the mold (M) with an anodized film material.

[0109] Next, a secondary electroplating process is performed in the internal space (IH) of the mold (M) to form conductive contact pins (100). The secondary electroplating process is a plating process that forms a single layer. Figure 9(e) is a plan view showing the electroplating process performed in the internal space (IH), and Figure 9(f) is a cross-sectional view along line A-A' of Figure 9(e).

[0110] A secondary electroplating process is performed to form a second metal part (400). The second metal part (400) is formed by forming a single metal layer through the secondary electroplating process. Unlike the first plunger (110), elastic part (130), support part (140) and first metal part (300), the second metal part (400) is configured with a single metal layer.

[0111] Since the exposed lower surface of the second metal part (400) is configured as the second contact point, and the exposed lower surface of the second metal part (400) is in continuous contact with the object, high wear resistance is required. In this case, the second metal part (400), as a metal with relatively high wear resistance compared to the metal constituting the first metal layer (160), can be formed from a metal selected from: rhodium (Rd), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), phosphorus (Ph) or alloys thereof, or palladium-cobalt (PdCo) alloys, palladium-nickel (PdNi) alloys or nickel-phosphorus (NiPh) alloys, nickel-manganese (NiMn), nickel-cobalt (NiCo) or nickel-tungsten (NiW) alloys.

[0112] On the other hand, depending on the situation, since the exposed lower surface of the second metal part (400) is configured as the second contact point, and since the exposed lower surface of the second metal part (400) is in contact with the object, it needs to have high conductivity. In this case, the second metal part (400), being a metal with relatively high conductivity compared to the metal constituting the first metal layer (160), can be formed of a metal selected from copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), or alloys thereof.

[0113] The single metal layer constituting the second metal portion (400) can be formed of a material different from the metal layers constituting the first metal portion (300). For example, in the case where the first metal portion (300) is formed by alternating layers of a first metal layer (160) of palladium cobalt (PdCo) and a second metal layer (180) of copper (Cu), the second metal portion (400) can be formed of a single metal of rhodium (Rd). On the other hand, unlike this, the single metal layer constituting the second metal portion (400) can be formed of the same material as any of the metal layers constituting the first metal portion (300). For example, in the case where the first metal portion (300) is formed by alternating layers of a first metal layer (160) of palladium cobalt (PdCo) and a second metal layer (180) of copper (Cu), the second metal portion (400) can be formed of a single metal of palladium cobalt (PdCo) or a single metal of copper (Cu).

[0114] Upon completion of the electroplating process, a process is performed to remove the mold (M) and the seed layer (SL). If the mold (M) is made of anodized film material, it is removed using a solution that selectively reacts with the anodized film material. If the seed layer (SL) is made of copper (Cu), it is removed using a solution that selectively reacts with copper (Cu).

[0115] On the other hand, after the plating process is completed, the metal layer after the plating process is pressed by applying pressure after heating to a high temperature, thereby increasing the density of the first metal part (300) and the second metal part (400). In the case where photoresist is used as the mold, since there is photoresist around the metal layer after the plating process is completed, the process of heating to a high temperature and applying pressure cannot be performed. In contrast, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, since a mold (M) of anodized film material is arranged around the metal layer after the plating process is completed, even if the temperature is raised to a high temperature, the deformation can be minimized due to the low coefficient of thermal expansion of the anodized film, and the density of the first metal layer (160) and the second metal layer (180) can be increased. Therefore, compared with the technology of using photoresist as the mold, a higher density first metal part (300) and second metal part (400) can be obtained.

[0116] Figure 10 is a photograph of the actual conductive contact pin (100) manufactured using the manufacturing method described above. Figure 10 is also a photograph of the mold (M) with the anodic oxide film removed.

[0117] The technique of manufacturing needles by electroplating photoresist using a mold is insufficient to achieve a sufficiently high mold height using only a single layer of photoresist. Consequently, the thickness of the conductive contact needle cannot be made sufficiently thick. Considering conductivity, resilience, and brittle fracture, the conductive contact needle needs to be manufactured to a specified thickness or greater. To increase the thickness of the conductive contact needle, a mold using multi-step photoresist lamination can be used. However, this presents the following problems: slight step differences appear between the photoresist layers, resulting in the conductive contact needle's sides not being formed perpendicularly and retaining slight step regions. Furthermore, with multi-step photoresist lamination, it is difficult to accurately reproduce the shape of conductive contact needles with dimensions ranging from several micrometers to tens of micrometers. In particular, when the photoresist material mold contains photoresist between its internal spaces, the photoresist cannot be formed smoothly when the width of the photoresist placed between the internal spaces is less than 15 μm. Especially when the width is large relative to the height, the photoresist at the corresponding position cannot maintain an upright position smoothly.

[0118] Therefore, when photoresist is used as a mold, it may be difficult to configure the actual width and overall thickness (H) of the plate constituting the conductive contact pin (100) within the range of 1:5 to 1:30.

[0119] However, for the conductive contact pin (100) of the vertical probe card according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is fabricated using a mold (M) made of anodized film material, the following advantages are available: the actual width to overall thickness (H) of the plate constituting the conductive contact pin (100) can be easily configured within a ratio of 1:5 to 1:30. Since the mold (M) made of anodized film material has anodized film disposed between internal spaces (IH), the anodized film can maintain its upright state even if the spacing between internal spaces (IH) is 5 μm or more and 15 μm or less. Thus, if the mold (M) made of anodized film material is used, not only can the overall thickness (H) of the conductive contact pin (100) be configured within a range of 70 μm or more and 200 μm or less, but the width (t) of the plate can also be formed in a small range of 5 μm or more and 15 μm or less. In this way, a conductive contact pin (100) that corresponds to high frequency characteristics can be provided.

[0120] Referring to FIG11, the conductive contact pin (100) of the vertical probe card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes microgrooves (88) disposed on its side. The microgrooves (88) are formed on the side of the conductive contact pin (100), and the microgrooves (88) have a pleated shape with repeated hills and valleys along the side of the conductive contact pin (100) in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin (100). The depth of the microgrooves (88) is more than 20 nm and less than 1 μm.

[0121] Microgrooves (88) are formed on the side of the conductive contact pin (100) extending elongated in the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin (100). In other words, the extension direction of the grooves (88) is the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin (100). Here, the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin (100) refers to the direction in which the metal filler grows during electroplating.

[0122] In the side of the plate constituting the conductive contact needle (100), microgrooves (88) are formed in a folded pattern of repeated hills and valleys in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the plate.

[0123] The depth of the micro-groove (88) is in the range of 20 nm or more and 1 μm or less, and its width is also in the range of 20 nm or more and 1 μm or less. Here, since the micro-groove (88) originates from the pores formed during the fabrication of the anodic oxide film mold, the width and depth of the micro-groove (88) are values ​​within the diameter range of the pores in the anodic oxide film mold (M). On the other hand, during the formation of the internal space (IH) in the anodic oxide film mold (M), a portion of the pores in the anodic oxide film mold (M) can be broken apart by the etching solution, and at least partially formed micro-grooves (88) with a depth greater than the diameter range of the pores formed during anodizing can be formed.

[0124] Since the anodic oxide film mold (M) includes a large number of pores, at least a portion of the anodic oxide film mold (M) is etched to form an internal space (IH), and a metal filler is formed inside the internal space (IH) by electroplating. Therefore, a micro-groove (88) is formed on the side of the conductive contact pin (100) while contacting the pores of the anodic oxide film mold (M).

[0125] Since the microgrooves (88) described above exhibit a folded morphology with a depth of 20 nm or more and less than 1 μm perpendicular to the thickness direction, they have the effect of increasing the surface area of ​​the conductive contact pin (100). By constructing the microgrooves (88) on the side of the conductive contact pin (100), the surface area for current flow through the skin effect is increased, thereby increasing the density of the current flowing along the conductive contact pin (100) and improving the electrical properties of the conductive contact pin (100). Furthermore, the construction of the microgrooves (88) allows for rapid release of heat generated in the conductive contact pin (100), thus suppressing the temperature rise of the conductive contact pin (100).

[0126] Figures 12 and 13 are diagrams comparing a vertical probe card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a vertical probe card according to the prior art. Figure 12 shows the appearance before driving, and Figure 13 shows the appearance after driving.

[0127] The left side of Figures 12 and 13 shows a vertical probe card according to the prior art using a flat or serpentine needle (7), and the right side of Figures 12 and 13 is a diagram showing a vertical probe card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0128] Referring to FIG12, by means of the left and right widths and thicknesses of the conductive contact pins (100) of the vertical probe card according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention having the same left and right widths and thicknesses as the pins or serpentine pins (7) of the vertical probe card according to the prior art, the vertical probe card according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention can realize a vertical probe card that can correspond to narrow pitch.

[0129] Referring to FIG13, the behavioral characteristics of the probe (7) of the prior art vertical probe card differ from those of the conductive contact pin (100) of the vertical probe card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The probe (7) of the prior art vertical probe card is a structure that buffers pressure by causing its body to bulge horizontally and bend or bend elastically when pressure is applied to both ends. In contrast, the conductive contact pin (100) of the vertical probe card according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention remains vertical overall even when pressure is applied to both ends, and buffers pressure by compressing the elastic portion (130) of the conductive contact pin (100) along the length direction of the conductive contact pin (100).

[0130] Thus, due to different behavioral characteristics, for the vertical probe card according to the prior art, shortening the overall length of the probe (7) would generate excessive pressure, resulting in damage to the semiconductor wafer. Therefore, it is difficult to shorten the overall length of the probe (7), and it is not conducive to high-frequency characteristic detection of semiconductor wafers. In contrast, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, even if the overall length of the conductive contact pin (100) is shortened, excessive pressure on the semiconductor wafer can be avoided by adjusting the actual width (t) and thickness of the plate constituting the elastic part (130). Therefore, the vertical probe card according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is advantageous for high-frequency characteristic detection of semiconductor wafers.

[0131] Furthermore, since the probes (7) of the prior art vertical probe card are bent and deformed in the horizontal direction, a short circuit problem may occur when the probes (7) are arranged with a narrower pitch. Therefore, there is a limitation in arranging the probes (7) with a narrower pitch. In contrast, according to the present invention, since the support (140) remains vertical and the elastic portion (130) disposed inside the support (140) is compressed in the longitudinal direction of the conductive contact pins (100), a short circuit problem will not occur even when the conductive contact pins (100) are arranged with a narrower pitch. Therefore, the present invention enables the detection of semiconductor wafers with a narrower pitch compared to the prior art vertical probe card.

[0132] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, the embodiments described below focus on characteristic constituent elements compared to the first embodiment, and descriptions of constituent elements that are the same as or similar to those in the first embodiment are omitted as much as possible.

[0133] Hereinafter, the conductive contact pin (200) according to a preferred second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 14a, 14b to 17a, and 17b.

[0134] Figure 14a is a plan view showing a conductive contact pin according to a preferred second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14b is a perspective view showing a conductive contact pin according to a preferred second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 15a is an enlarged plan view of portion A of Figure 14a; Figure 15b is an enlarged perspective view of portion A of Figure 14a; Figure 16a is an enlarged plan view of portion B of Figure 14a; Figure 16b is an enlarged perspective view of portion B of Figure 14a; Figure 17a is an enlarged plan view of portion C of Figure 14a; and Figure 17b is an enlarged perspective view of portion C of Figure 14a.

[0135] The conductive contact pin (200) according to the preferred second embodiment of the present invention differs from the structure according to the first embodiment in that it limits the upward stroke of the protruding tip (125), but the rest of the configuration is the same.

[0136] The protruding tip (125) of the conductive contact needle (200) includes a guide wall (230) extending in the length direction on its upper surface, and the support portion (140) of the conductive contact needle (200) includes a stop (210) extending in the length direction at its lower end.

[0137] The stop (210) includes a stepped portion (201) on the side of the second neck (121). The left and right width lengths of the stop (210) are smaller than the left and right width lengths of the support portion (140).

[0138] The stop (210) is positioned between the second neck (121) and the guide wall (230). A block portion (211) is formed at the end of the stop (210). The cross-section of the block portion (211) is spherical.

[0139] The length of the stop (210) is longer than the length of the guide wall (230). If the protruding tip (125) rises vertically, the upper surface of the protruding tip (125) abuts against the end of the stop (210). More specifically, the upper surface of the protruding tip (125) between the guide wall (230) and the second neck (121) abuts against the block portion (211) of the stop (210) and is restricted so that the protruding tip (125) cannot rise further. In this way, the possibility of the second elastic portion (135) being excessively compressed and deformed can be prevented in advance.

[0140] Of course, in contrast, the guide wall (230) may be configured to be longer than the stop (210). In this case, the guide wall (230) abuts against the step portion (201), thereby restricting the protruding tip (125) from rising further.

[0141] When the protruding tip (125) is tilted by an eccentric force, the second neck (121) makes surface contact with the stop (210). If the protruding tip (125) is tilted further by an eccentric force, the guide wall (230) and the stop (210) make surface contact with each other. In this way, even if the protruding tip (125) is tilted, an additional current path can be formed to achieve a stable electrical connection.

[0142] The above is an example of a detection device, illustrating a vertical probe card. However, the detection device that can use the conductive contact pins according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and includes any detection device that applies electricity to confirm whether the object being tested is defective.

[0143] Furthermore, the technical features of the preferred embodiments of the present invention described above, while remaining unchanged, can also be applied to socket pins. When the configuration illustrated for a probe is applied to a socket pin, the size and / or the shape of the contacts can be changed to enable the detection of semiconductor packages, or the technical features of the preferred embodiments of the present invention can be applied to a socket pin to achieve the same technical effect.

[0144] As described above, although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications or variations to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

[0145] 1: Vertical probe card / probe card 2: Circuit board 3. ST: Space Converter 4: Probe head 5. GP1: Upper guide plate / guide plate 6. GP2: Lower guide plate / guide plate 7: Probe / Single-line needle / Snake-shaped needle 10: Vertical probe card 88: Micro-grooves 100, 200: Conductive contact pins 110: First plunger 111: First neck 115: Head 117: Hollow 120: Second plunger 121: Second neck 122: column 125: Prominent tip 130: Elastic part 130a: Straight section 130b: Bend 130d: Rigid retaining part 131: First elastic part 135: Second elastic part 137: Intermediate fixing part 140: Support section 141: First Support Section 143a: Upper opening 143b: Lower opening 145: Second Support Section 149: Kahebu 149a: Upper locking part 149b: Lower locking part 160: First metal layer 180: Second metal layer 201: Step Difference Part 210: Stop component 211: Agglomeration Department 230: Guide Wall 300: First Metal Section 400: Second Metal Section A, B, C: Parts CP: Connecting pad H: Overall thickness dimension IH: Interior Space L: Overall length dimension M: Mold / Anodizing film mold SL: Seed layer t: Actual width / width W: Semiconductor wafer / wafer / overall width dimension WP: Electrode pad / pad x, y, z: Direction

Claims

1. A conductive contact needle, comprising: A first plunger is located at the first end of the conductive contact needle, and its end is a first contact point; a second plunger is located at the second end of the conductive contact needle, and its end is a second contact point; and an elastic portion has a repeating bending pattern so that the first plunger and the second plunger can elastically displace in the length direction of the conductive contact needle, the second plunger includes a first metal portion and a second metal portion, and the second metal portion is in contact with the side of the first metal portion, the first metal portion surrounds three side surfaces of the second metal portion, the second metal portion is located between the first metal portions in a cross section along the width direction of the second plunger, the first metal portion is stacked by a plurality of metal layers stacked along the thickness direction of the second plunger, and the second metal portion is stacked by a single metal layer.

2. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the second metal portion is greater than the width of the first metal portion located to the left of the second metal portion and also greater than the width of the first metal portion located to the right of the second metal portion.

3. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first metal portion is configured with at least three or more metal layers, and the second metal portion is in contact with the first metal portion at at least one interface.

4. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first metal portion does not surround the side of the second metal portion as a second contact.

5. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein the single metal layer constituting the second metal portion is made of a different material from the metal layer constituting the first metal portion.

6. The conductive contact needle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first plunger and the resilient portion are formed of the same metal layer as the metal layer constituting the first metal portion and are configured by stacking multiple metal layers.

7. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 1, comprising: The support portion guides the elastic portion to compress and elongate in the length direction of the conductive contact needle, and is arranged on the outside of the elastic portion along the length direction of the conductive contact needle to prevent the elastic portion from buckling during compression.

8. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 7, wherein the substantial width of the plate constituting the support portion is the same as the substantial width of the plate constituting the elastic portion.

9. The conductive contact needle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first plunger, the second plunger, the elastic portion, and the support portion are connected to each other and configured as a single unit.

10. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the elastic portion in the thickness direction of the conductive contact pin is the same in all thickness sections, and the thickness of the elastic portion is the same overall.

11. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 1, comprising: Microgrooves are disposed on the sides of the first plunger, the second plunger, and the elastic portion.

12. The conductive contact pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient portion comprises: A first elastic part is connected to the first plunger; The second elastic part is connected to the second plunger; And an intermediate fixing part, which is connected to the first elastic part and the second elastic part between the first elastic part and the second elastic part, and is configured as an integral part with the support part.

13. A vertical probe card, used in semiconductor manufacturing processes to inspect wafers fabricated on wafers and capable of handling fine detail pitches, comprising: A space converter, equipped with a connecting pad; a guide plate, spaced apart from the space converter at its lower part; The conductive contact pin is inserted into a hole in the guide plate. The conductive contact pin includes: a first plunger located at a first end of the conductive contact pin and its end being a first contact point; a second plunger located at a second end of the conductive contact pin and its end being a second contact point; and an elastic portion having a repeating bending pattern, such that the first plunger and the second plunger can elastically displace in the length direction of the conductive contact pin. The second plunger includes a first metal portion and a second metal portion, and the second metal portion is in contact with the side of the first metal portion. The first metal portion surrounds three side surfaces of the second metal portion. The second metal portion is located between the first metal portions in a cross-section along the width direction of the second plunger. The first metal portion is stacked by multiple metal layers stacked along the thickness direction of the second plunger, and the second metal portion is stacked by a single metal layer.

14. The vertical probe card as described in claim 13, comprising: The support portion guides the elastic portion to compress and elongate in the length direction of the conductive contact pin, and is disposed on the outside of the elastic portion along the length direction of the conductive contact pin to prevent the elastic portion from buckling during compression, and includes an engaging portion disposed on the outer wall of the support portion so that the support portion can be engaged and fixed to the guide plate.

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