Rubber socket apparatus for testing circuits of electronic device

Abstract

Disclosed is a rubber socket apparatus for testing circuits of an electronic device, the apparatus having a shielding layer or a film that can remove signal noise. The rubber socket apparatus for testing circuits of an electronic device, according to one aspect of the present invention, may comprise: a plurality of test pins aligned so that circuits of an electronic device can be tested; a rubber layer in which the plurality of test pins are embedded upright; and a shielding film which is in close contact with either the upper surface or the lower surface of the rubber layer for shielding or signal noise reduction.

Description

Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components

[0001] The present invention relates to a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic devices, and more particularly, to a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic devices having a shielding layer or a film capable of removing signal noise.

[0002] In general, products with formed circuit patterns, such as semiconductor devices and flat panel displays (FPDs), require a process of inspecting the electrical status of the circuit patterns, etc. during the manufacturing process, and the device applied here can be called a socket device for circuit inspection of electronic devices.

[0003] For example, a semiconductor device with an electrical circuit formed on a silicon wafer undergoes an EDS (Electrical Die Sorting) process to inspect its electrical characteristics. An inspection device can perform the EDS process by applying an electrical signal to a chip formed on a silicon wafer, obtaining an electrical signal output from the chip, and determining whether the chip is defective.

[0004] According to the prior art, various types of sockets are applied to semiconductor device test sockets, such as pogo type, rubber type, and injection molding plate type.

[0005] As semiconductor devices evolve toward higher integration, lower power, and higher speeds, test sockets are increasingly required to handle complex challenges. These challenges include the need to support fine pitch, high speed, and high temperature, while also ensuring product lifespans meet customer demands.

[0006] For the pogo pin type, there are physical limitations to its ability to support fine pitch due to its structural nature. Consequently, there was a problem in which the unit price increased rapidly as miniaturization progressed.

[0007] Rubber Type (PCR) has a problem in that its characteristics vary greatly depending on the test temperature, and there was a problem in that poor characteristics and rapid reduction in lifespan occurred during cold testing of fine pitch products.

[0008] The injection molding plate pin type has problems such as ball damage during ball package inspection during the burn-in process.

[0009] Currently, rubber products using metal powder are mainly used in the fine pitch product group of memory semiconductor products, but there is a problem that many problems occur due to rapid reduction in lifespan in high and low temperature tests (Hot / Cold Test) of fine pitch products.

[0010] In addition, according to the prior art, there were problems in which contact was not properly made due to accumulated processing tolerances of structures that perform electrical contact in various ways and members such as pins installed in the structures.

[0011] In addition, according to the prior art, there was a problem that test failure occurred because shielding or signal noise was not removed well in rubber types, etc.

[0012] The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components that can prevent test failures by applying a shielding layer or a film capable of removing signal noise to the upper and lower portions of a rubber-type socket device.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic devices, which has a shielding layer or a film for removing signal noise, which can also serve as a support for holding up a metal pin or MEMS pin from the top or bottom when applying and manufacturing the pin.

[0014] The tasks of the present invention are not limited to the tasks mentioned above, and other tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description below.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, a rubber socket device for testing a circuit of an electronic device is provided, comprising: a plurality of test pins arranged to enable testing a circuit of an electronic device; a rubber layer in which the plurality of test pins are erected and embedded; and a shielding film that is in close contact with one of an upper surface or a lower surface of the rubber layer to shield or reduce signal noise.

[0016] At this time, an upper film and a lower film are respectively adhered to the upper and lower portions of the rubber layer, and either of the upper film and the lower film may be the shielding film.

[0017] At this time, the shielding film may be a copper-plated film or a film with a built-in copper layer.

[0018] At this time, the plurality of test pins may be MEMS pins having an upper body, a lower body, and an elastic connecting portion connecting the upper body and the lower body.

[0019] At this time, the rubber layer through which the plurality of test pins penetrate may be empty and not supplied with rubber material.

[0020] At this time, the rubber layer through which the plurality of test pins penetrate may be filled with a softer rubber material than other parts.

[0021] At this time, the rubber layers on which the lower body and upper body of the MEMS pin are arranged may be filled with different rubber materials, but the rubber material filled in the upper body may be softer than the rubber material filled in the lower body.

[0022] At this time, the elastic connecting part of the above MEMS pin may not be provided with rubber material, so an air layer may be formed.

[0023] At this time, the shielding film may be a copper-plated FR4 laminate film or may include a copper film inside.

[0024] At this time, the rubber layer may be made of silicone rubber.

[0025] At this time, one of the plurality of test films is a ground pin, and the ground pin is electrically connected to the copper plating or copper film of the shielding film to remove signal noise.

[0026] According to the above configuration, a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention can prevent test failures by applying a shielding layer or a film capable of removing signal noise to the upper and lower portions of a rubber-type socket device.

[0027] A rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention can also serve as a support for holding and raising a metal pin or MEMS pin from the top or bottom when applying and manufacturing the pin.

[0028] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the detailed description of the present invention or the composition of the invention described in the claims.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a MEMS pin, which is a component of a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before testing of a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic component according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention. The present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. To clearly explain the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in the drawings, and the same reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the specification.

[0035] The words and terms used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principles by which the inventor can define terms and concepts in order to best explain his or her invention.

[0036] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings correspond to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace the configuration at the time of filing of the present invention.

[0037] In this specification, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to describe the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood not to exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0038] When a component is said to be "in front of," "behind," "above," or "below" another component, this includes not only being placed "in front of," "behind," "above," or "below" the other component in direct contact with it, but also if there is another component intervening therebetween. Furthermore, when a component is said to be "connected" to another component, this includes not only being directly connected to one another, but also being indirectly connected to one another, unless there are special circumstances.

[0039] Hereinafter, a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0040] A rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of test pins, a lower film (120), an upper film (130), and a rubber layer (140), as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0041] The above-mentioned plurality of test pins may be MEMS pins (110). Of course, other various existing metal pins may be applied.

[0042] At this time, a plurality of test pins can be arranged to enable testing of the circuit of the electronic component. The plurality of test pins can be arranged in a parallel manner on the rubber layer (140).

[0043] Referring to FIG. 2, the above MEMS pin (110) may be provided with an upper body (111), a lower body (113), and an elastic connecting portion (112) connecting the upper body (111) and the lower body (113).

[0044] At this time, the MEMS pin (110) can be manufactured by a semiconductor MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) process.

[0045] At this time, the MEMS pin (110) may include an upper body (111), a lower body (113), and an elastic connecting portion (112) connecting the two, and generally, the upper body (111), the lower body (113), and the elastic connecting portion (112) may be formed integrally.

[0046] At this time, the upper body (111) and the lower body (113) may have a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, but are not limited to such a shape. That is, the upper part of the upper body (111) comes into contact with the terminal and may have various shapes such as a straight line, a concave or convex protrusion, or a tooth shape.

[0047] At this time, the upper body (111) and the lower body (113) can be installed and fixed so as to penetrate through the through holes (120a, 130a) formed in the films (120, 130), respectively. In this way, the rubber layer (140) can be formed while the upper body (111) and the lower body (113) are each fixed.

[0048] At this time, the elastic connecting portion (112) is formed in a zigzag shape, but has a smooth curved shape overall. Therefore, when an external force that pulls or compresses is applied between the upper body (111) and the lower body (113), an elastic force can be provided in the opposite direction, and when the external force is removed, the elastic connecting portion (112) can return to its original length state.

[0049] At this time, the upper end of the upper body (111) may be formed so as to protrude from the rubber layer (140) or the upper film (130). Referring to Fig. 2, the upper end of the upper body (111) may be installed so as to protrude from the upper film (130).

[0050] In this way, the upper body (111) can be formed so that it protrudes from the upper film (130) and the lower body (113) is formed so that its end is aligned with the lower film (120a). This can be achieved by the arrangement and shape of the jig when manufacturing the socket, and when the upper and lower bodies (111, 113) are arranged and fixed in this way, an inspection device that supplies current to inspect will be arranged on the lower side, and an electronic component that is a test object will be arranged on the upper side.

[0051] At this time, the upper body (130) of the MEMS pin (110) may be formed in any one of a flat shape selected from an S-shape, a C-shape, a cross-shape, and a gantry shape so as to be able to make contact with the test terminal of the electronic element over a wider range. By being formed in this way, the contactable area can be increased, thereby reducing connection failures.

[0052] The above rubber layer (140) can be built with the above multiple test pins erected.

[0053] At this time, the rubber layer (140) may be made of silicone rubber.

[0054] At this time, the rubber layer (140) through which the plurality of test pins penetrate may be empty and not supplied with rubber material.

[0055] At this time, the rubber layer (140) through which the plurality of test pins penetrate may be filled with a softer rubber material than other parts.

[0056] At this time, the rubber layer (140) in which the lower body (113) and the upper body (111) of the MEMS pin (110) are arranged may be filled with different rubber materials, but the rubber material filled in the upper body (111) may be softer than the rubber material filled in the lower body (113).

[0057] At this time, the elastic connecting portion (112) of the MEMS pin (110) is not provided with a rubber material, so an air layer may be formed.

[0058] In the illustrated embodiment, various shapes can be provided as needed for the contact portion between the rubber layer (140) and the plurality of test pins as described above.

[0059] At this time, an upper film (130) and a lower film (120) are respectively adhered to the upper and lower portions of the rubber layer (140), and either of the upper film (130) and the lower film (120) may be the shielding film.

[0060] That is, the shielding film can be adhered to either the upper or lower surface of the rubber layer (140) to reduce shielding or signal noise.

[0061] At this time, the shielding film may be a copper-plated film or a film with a built-in copper layer.

[0062] At this time, the shielding film may be a copper-plated FR4 laminate film or may include a copper film inside.

[0063] At this time, one of the plurality of test films is a ground pin (110a), and the ground pin (110a) is electrically connected to the copper plating or copper film of the shielding film to remove signal noise.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view of a rubber socket device (100) for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0065] In the illustrated embodiment, an upper film (130) and a lower film (120) are attached to the upper and lower portions of the rubber layer (140), and MEMS pins (110) are installed at regular intervals to penetrate the rubber layer (140), the upper film (130), and the lower film (120).

[0066] In the illustrated embodiment, the rubber layer (140) is made of a flexible material to ensure flexibility, and the MEMS pin (110) can be made flexible by the elastic connecting portion (112). Therefore, the rubber socket device (100) for circuit inspection of electronic components can secure overall flexibility when connected to an inspection object and inspection equipment, thereby improving connection reliability.

[0067] In the illustrated embodiment, a rubber socket device (100) for circuit inspection of electronic components can be manufactured by placing an upper film (130) and a lower film (120) on a jig or the like, and pouring and hardening silicone rubber while placing MEMS pins (110) on the upper film (130) and the lower film (120).

[0068] In the illustrated embodiment, in addition to the manufacturing method described above, a rubber layer (140) may be first manufactured, holes (120a, 130a) may be drilled to insert MEMS pins (110), and then the upper film (130) or the lower film (120) may be attached as a shielding film.

[0069] Accordingly, depending on the manufacturing method, the rubber layer (140) can be divided into several layers as described above and manufactured with different soft or hard properties, and it is also possible to fill the inside of the hole (120a, 130a) into which the MEMS pin (110) is inserted with an air layer or rubber material.

[0070] In the illustrated embodiment, one of the MEMS pins (110) is a ground pin (110a) and is grounded along a ground line.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 2, a perspective view of a MEMS pin, which is a component of a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention, is shown.

[0072] In the illustrated embodiment, the MEMS pin (110) may include an upper body (111), a lower body (113), and an elastic connecting portion (112) that elastically connects the upper body (111) and the lower body (113). Here, the upper body (111), the elastic connecting portion (112), and the lower body (113) may be formed integrally and may be formed in a thin plate shape.

[0073] In the illustrated embodiment, when the MEMS pin (110) receives force from the upper and lower portions, the elastic connecting portion (112) is compressed and then elastically returns to its original position, thereby providing elastic force. In addition, when either body receives force in the left and right direction based on the lower body (120) or the upper body (111), it also easily bends left and right, and then returns to its original position when the external force is removed.

[0074] Accordingly, since the MEMS pin (110) can be flexibly compressed and bent in all three directions when subjected to force, similar to the rubber layer (140), and can then return to its original position, the rubber socket device (100) can respond to inspection with very flexible behavior and posture as a whole. This provides flexibility that can sufficiently respond to manufacturing errors of electronic components and inspection equipment during inspection.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view is shown showing a state before testing of a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] In the illustrated embodiment, an electronic component (300) may be placed and connected on the upper side of the rubber socket device (100), and an inspection device may be placed and connected on the lower side.

[0077] At this time, the electronic components arranged on the upper side, which is the inspection target, may be of different types. For example, the terminal (81) on the left side of the electronic component (300) is of the LGA type, and the terminal (82) on the right side is of the BGA type. Therefore, the types of terminals of the electronic component (300) are multiple, and the heights of the terminals also differ depending on the type. In this state, when the electronic component (300) is connected to the rubber layer (140) and pressed, the rubber socket device (100) is very flexible, so that all terminals (81, 82) and the MEMS pins (110) are smoothly connected.

[0078] That is, referring to FIG. 3, the left part (100a) of the rubber socket device (100) is connected to a low-height terminal (81), and the right part (100b) is connected to a high-height terminal (82), resulting in a height difference. However, the flexibility of the rubber layer (140) and the MEMS pin (110) can overcome this and ensure smooth connection.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 4, a plan view of a rubber socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0080] In the illustrated embodiment, the rubber socket device (100) has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view. The upper film (130) is a shielding film. A plurality of through holes (130a) are formed diagonally in the upper film (130), and the upper body (111) of the MEMS pin (110) protrudes and is exposed through the through holes (130a). Of course, the lower film may be made of a shielding film and have the same structure.

[0081] In the illustrated embodiment, the MEMS pins (110) are arranged in an 8*12 configuration on one rubber layer (140), and electronic components and inspection equipment will be connected to the upper and lower portions of the rubber layer (140), respectively.

[0082] In the illustrated embodiment, one of the upper film (130) and the lower film (120) is made of a shielding film of a copper-plated film or an FR4 film with a copper layer built in, and one of the MEMS pins (110) is a ground pin (110a), so that signal noise can be removed during electronic component inspection, thereby minimizing inspection defects.

[0083] Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 5, a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a socket device for circuit inspection of an electronic component according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0084] In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of MEMS pins (110) are erected and embedded in a rubber layer (140). The MEMS pin (110) is composed of an upper body (111) and a lower body (113), like a typical MEMS pin (110), and includes an elastic connecting portion (112) connecting them. As in the aforementioned embodiment, the MEMS pin (110) can be formed in a thin plate shape.

[0085] At this time, an upper film (111) and a lower film (113) are installed on the upper and lower sides of the rubber layer (140), respectively.

[0086] At this time, since the MEMS pin (110) is embedded through the upper and lower films (111, 113) and the rubber layer (140), a through hole (115) is formed in each.

[0087] At this time, the through hole (115) of the upper film (130) is formed in a tapered shape and is spaced apart from the upper body (111), and a metal powder layer (114) is installed between them to surround the upper body (111).

[0088] Therefore, the inspection current can flow through the upper body (111), the metal powder layer (114), the elastic connecting portion (112), and the lower body (113).

[0089] In Fig. 3, the terminal (82) of the inspection object (300) is a BGA type terminal. In the illustrated embodiment, the terminal (82) is in contact with the upper body (111), so that inspection current can flow.

[0090] At this time, since the upper body (111) is thin, there may be cases where it is out of contact with the terminal (82). In this case, since the terminal (82) is in contact with the metal powder layer (114), the inspection current can eventually flow through the upper body (111), the elastic connecting portion (112), and the lower body (113).

[0091] Here, since the through hole (115) is formed in a tapered shape and the area of ​​the upper part of the metal powder layer (141) is larger than that of the lower part, electrical contact can be made over a wide area, thereby preventing inspection defects due to non-contact through a stable flow of inspection current.

[0092] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented in this specification, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention will be able to easily propose other embodiments by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components within the scope of the same spirit, but this will also be considered to fall within the spirit of the present invention.

[0093] The present invention can be applied to the inspection of microscopic electronic components such as semiconductor devices.

Claims

1. A plurality of test pins arranged to enable testing of the circuit of an electronic component; A rubber layer having a plurality of test pins erected thereon; and A shielding film that is in close contact with either the upper or lower surface of the rubber layer to reduce shielding or signal noise; Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

2. In paragraph 1, An upper film and a lower film are respectively adhered to the upper and lower parts of the rubber layer, and one of the upper film and the lower film is the shielding film. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

3. In paragraph 1, The above shielding film is a copper-plated film or a film with a copper layer built in. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

4. In paragraph 1, The above plurality of test pins are MEMS pins having an upper body, a lower body, and an elastic connecting portion connecting the upper body and the lower body. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

5. In paragraph 1, The rubber layer through which the above plurality of test pins penetrate is empty and not supplied with rubber material. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

6. In paragraph 1, The rubber layer through which the above plurality of test pins penetrate is filled with a softer rubber material than other parts. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

7. In paragraph 4, The rubber layers on which the lower body and upper body of the above MEMS pin are arranged are filled with different rubber materials, but the rubber material filled in the upper body is softer than the rubber material filled in the lower body. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

8. In paragraph 4, The elastic connection part of the above MEMS pin is not provided with rubber material, so an air layer is formed. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

9. In paragraph 1, The above shielding film is made of FR4 laminate film with copper plating or containing a copper film inside. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

10. In paragraph 1, The above rubber layer is made of silicone rubber. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

11. In paragraph 1, Among the plurality of test pins, one of the above is a ground pin, and the ground pin is electrically connected to the copper plating or copper film of the shielding film to remove signal noise. Rubber socket device for circuit inspection of electronic components.

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