Test socket and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a test socket for electrically connecting an inspection device and an object to be inspected. The test socket comprises: a body formed of an insulating and elastic material; and multiple conductive parts arranged within the body and having both ends exposed at the upper surface and the lower surface of the body, wherein the conductive parts are formed by multiple wire strands gathered together. According to the present invention, an increase in resistance caused by foreign substances, which has been discussed as a drawback of a conventional rubber socket, can be prevented.

Description

Test socket and manufacturing method thereof

[0001] The present invention relates to a test socket and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a test socket used for testing semiconductor devices and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002] The material presented in this section only provides background information for the present invention and does not constitute prior art.

[0003] After semiconductor devices undergo a pass / fail inspection after manufacturing to determine whether their electrical performance is defective. This inspection is performed by placing a test socket, designed to make electrical contact with the terminals of the semiconductor device, between the semiconductor device and the test circuit board. In addition to the final pass / fail inspection of semiconductor devices, the test socket is also used during the burn-in testing process during the semiconductor device manufacturing process.

[0004] Figure 1 is an example of a 3D MEMS socket according to conventional technology.

[0005] Fig. 2 is an example of a spring pin socket according to the prior art.

[0006] Figure 3 is an example of a rubber socket according to conventional technology.

[0007] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, there are depicted various types of test sockets that connect a packaged IC, such as a Ball Grid Array (BGA), Quad Flat Package (QFP), Small Outline Package (SOP), Flip-Chip, or Bumped Wafer, to be inspected, and a main test PCB. One end of the test socket contacts the main test PCB, and the other end can make electrical contact with a package ball of the package IC.

[0008] The 3D MEMS socket depicted in Fig. 1 is a socket manufactured using MEMS. MEMS stands for Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, a technology for implementing ultra-small three-dimensional structures or systems including them. A 3D MEMS socket can be configured to include a 3D MEMS structure that makes contact with the package ball and the main test PCB, a dielectric, and a 3D MEMS GND conductor surrounding the dielectric.

[0009] The advantages of 3D MEMS sockets include the implementation of fine pitches, high position accuracy, high pin counts, and compact sizes. However, 3D MEMS sockets are very expensive to manufacture and have drawbacks in terms of stroke and delivery.

[0010] The spring pin socket depicted in Figure 2 is a socket manufactured in the form of a pogo pin using a spring. Spring pin sockets offer advantages in terms of stroke, force, and height. However, their disadvantages include a complex structure, difficulty in implementing a fine pitch, and high price.

[0011] The rubber socket depicted in Fig. 3 uses metal powder and silicone rubber, and has a simple structure, minimal ball damage, and advantages in terms of delivery and price. On the other hand, the rubber socket has a problem in that the pitch is not precise, and when the test roll is performed more than a certain number of times, the part that comes into contact with the package ball of the package IC is damaged due to the pressure generated when it comes into contact with the package ball, and some of the metal powder comes off and acts as a foreign substance, and the resistance increases due to the metal powder that has become a foreign substance.

[0012] Additionally, the metal powder placed inside the silicone rubber consists of approximately 1,000 to 1,500 metal balls, and the metal powder is aligned by a magnetism of approximately 20,000 to 25,000 Gauss. However, when the test is performed more than approximately 3,000 times, the contact resistance of the metal powder occurs at approximately 50 mΩ. Therefore, a problem occurs in which the flow of the test electrical signal is interrupted.

[0013] Additionally, metal powder is made by plating nickel with gold, but there is a problem in that the cost and time required to manufacture such metal powder are high.

[0014] Figure 4 is an example of a rubber socket containing foreign matter.

[0015] Referring to Fig. 4, it can be seen that the metal powder acts as a foreign substance (20) outside the conduction road (10). The foreign substance (20) can increase the resistance at the point outside the conduction road (10) and cause distortion of the test signal.

[0016] Therefore, although the rubber socket of FIG. 3 is currently widely used due to its advantages in elasticity and price over the 3D MEMS structure socket of FIG. 1 or the spring pin socket of FIG. 2, the industry is demanding the emergence of a test socket with a new structure that can solve the problems of increased contact resistance and metal powder detachment as described above, while also implementing a more precise and narrower pitch than the rubber socket and being easy to produce.

[0017] As a technology related to the present invention, “Rubber socket for semiconductor device testing” disclosed in the Korean Patent Gazette discloses a configuration including a main body, a conductive rod, and a holding unit. However, this related technology utilizes conductive powder, and is different from the configuration of the present invention, which does not utilize conductive powder and can compensate for the disadvantages caused by conductive powder.

[0018] The problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to provide a test socket and a method for manufacturing the same that can compensate for the problems of metal powder detachment and increased contact resistance, which have been cited as shortcomings of existing rubber sockets.

[0019] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a test socket and a manufacturing method thereof that enable precise pitch design corresponding to a test object through a method of simultaneously extruding metal wire and silicon, and that enable manufacturing of various sizes and at high speed through modularization.

[0020] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0021] In order to achieve the above purpose, according to one embodiment of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, a test socket for electrically connecting a test device and a test object is disclosed, which includes a main body formed of an insulating and elastic material and a plurality of conductive parts arranged in the main body and having both ends exposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the main body, wherein the conductive parts are formed by gathering a plurality of wire strands.

[0022] The above-mentioned conductive part includes a first contact surface formed on the upper surface and in contact with the inspection target, and a second contact surface formed on the lower surface and in contact with the inspection device.

[0023] The conductive portion further includes a first terminal coupled on the first contact surface and a second terminal coupled on the second contact surface.

[0024] The above conductive portion is formed of M rows (horizontal arrangement) and N columns (vertical arrangement), and M*N arrays are formed on one main body to form a base block, and a predetermined position between the upper surface and the lower surface of the base block is cut to correspond to the distance between the inspection device and the inspection target, and used as a socket for testing the inspection target, or a plurality of base blocks having the N*N conductive portions can be combined to correspond to the distance between the inspection device and the inspection target, and used as a socket for testing the inspection target.

[0025] The above conductive part is formed in one main body as an array of M (horizontal array)*1, or in one main body as an array of 1*N (vertical array), and when the M (horizontal array)*1 array formed in one main body is called a main body module, N main body modules are joined to form the base block, and when the 1*N (vertical array) array formed in one main body is called a main body module, M main body modules are joined to form the base block, and a predetermined position between the upper surface and the lower surface of the base block is cut to correspond to the distance between the inspection device and the inspection target, and can be used as a socket for testing the inspection target.

[0026] The conductive portion is formed by twisting the plurality of wire strands, and the main body is formed of silicone rubber. The conductive portion further includes a covering that wraps the plurality of wire strands.

[0027] A method for manufacturing a test socket according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises a method for manufacturing a test socket including a main body formed of an insulating and elastic material, and a plurality of conductive portions arranged in the main body and having both ends exposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the main body, wherein the conductive portions form M rows (horizontal arrangement) and N columns (vertical arrangement), and the step of manufacturing a base block in which M*N arrays are formed on one main body, and the step of cutting a predetermined position between the upper and lower surfaces of the base block corresponding to a distance between a predetermined inspection device and a predetermined inspection target, or combining a plurality of base blocks to form a test socket for testing the inspection target.

[0028] The step of manufacturing the above base block includes the step of forming a main body module in which the conductive portion in an M*1 or 1*N array is formed on the main body, and the step of joining N main body modules in an M*1 array in a vertical direction or M main body modules in an 1*N array in a horizontal direction.

[0029] The step of joining the above main body modules is to join the main body modules using a heat-curing adhesive.

[0030] The step of forming the above main body module includes a step of forming a conductive portion by gathering a plurality of wire strands, a step of arranging M*1 or 1*N conductive portions at regular intervals and feeding them into a forming facility, a step of feeding silicone into the forming facility simultaneously with the conductive portions, and a step of extruding the conductive portions and the silicone simultaneously from the forming facility.

[0031] The step of forming the above-mentioned conductive part may further include the step of covering the plurality of wires with a skin.

[0032] The above-mentioned conductive portion can be formed by twisting the plurality of wire strands.

[0033] The above molding equipment includes a first mold frame having holes of a predetermined diameter arranged at regular intervals so that the conductive part can be inserted and passed through, a second mold frame surrounding the first mold frame and into which the silicone is inserted to create the shape of the main body module, and an extrusion equipment that extrudes the conductive part passing through the first mold frame and the silicone passing through the second mold frame.

[0034] The above first mold frame can freely adjust the spacing between the holes corresponding to the spacing between the pads of the test subject.

[0035] The step of manufacturing the above base block includes a step of forming a conductive portion by assembling a plurality of wire strands, a step of arranging M*N conductive portions at regular intervals and introducing them into a molding facility, a step of introducing silicone into the molding facility simultaneously with the conductive portions, and a step of extruding the conductive portions and the silicone simultaneously from the molding facility.

[0036] Specific details of other embodiments are included in the “Specific Details for Carrying Out the Invention” and the attached “Drawings.”

[0037] The advantages and / or features of the present invention and the methods for achieving them will become clear with reference to the various embodiments described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings.

[0038] However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of each embodiment disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and each embodiment disclosed in this specification is provided only to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains of the scope of the present invention, and it should be understood that the present invention is defined only by the scope of each claim of the claims.

[0039] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent an increase in resistance due to detachment of metal powder and an increase in contact resistance of metal powder, which were cited as disadvantages of conventional rubber sockets.

[0040] Additionally, the customer can implement the socket pitch as desired, and narrow pitch and precise pitch implementation are possible.

[0041] In addition, the existing rubber socket buffers the pressure applied to the metal powder when it comes into contact with the contact point of the package IC only by the elasticity of the silicone rubber surrounding the outside of the metal powder, but the present invention has the advantage of doubly buffering the pressure applied to the signal transmission wire when it comes into contact with the contact point of the package IC by using the elasticity of the signal transmission wire.

[0042] The present invention has the advantage of being able to quickly produce test sockets of various sizes by forming a conductive part made of a plurality of wires and a main body surrounding the plurality of conductive parts into a module and joining a plurality of these modules.

[0043] The present invention has the advantage of being able to quickly manufacture test sockets of various sizes by simultaneously extruding a plurality of conductive parts and silicone rubber to create a base block, and then cutting or joining the base block to a required size.

[0044] The effects that can be obtained by the test socket and the method for manufacturing the test socket according to the technical idea of ​​the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0045] Figure 1 is an example of a 3D MEMS socket according to a conventional technology.

[0046] Figure 2 is an example of a spring pin socket according to conventional technology.

[0047] Figure 3 is an example of a rubber socket according to conventional technology.

[0048] Figure 4 is an example of a rubber socket containing foreign matter.

[0049] Figure 5(a) is an exemplary diagram of a test socket according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Fig. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the test socket of Fig. 5(a).

[0051] Figure 6 is a photo of an actual product of a test socket according to the first embodiment.

[0052] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a test socket according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Fig. 8 is an actual photograph of the conductive part in which the first terminal of Fig. 7 is formed.

[0054] Figure 9 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a test socket according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 10 is a flowchart of step S130 of Figure 9.

[0056] Figure 11 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a test socket according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 12 is a flowchart of step S210 of Figure 11.

[0058] Fig. 13 is a drawing explaining a method for manufacturing the test socket of Fig. 9.

[0059] Fig. 14 is a drawing explaining a method for manufacturing the test socket of Fig. 11.

[0060] Figure 15 is a conceptual diagram of a molding facility for manufacturing test sockets.

[0061] Before describing the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the terms or words used in this specification should not be interpreted as being unconditionally limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, and that the inventor of the present invention may appropriately define and use the concepts of various terms in order to explain his or her invention in the best possible manner, and further, that these terms or words should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that are consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0062] That is, it should be noted that the terms used in this specification are only used to describe preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to specifically limit the contents of the present invention, and that these terms are defined in consideration of various possibilities of the present invention.

[0063] Additionally, it should be noted that in this specification, singular expressions may include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning, and similarly, even if expressed in plural, may include a singular meaning.

[0064] Throughout this specification, whenever a component is described as "including" another component, it may mean that the component may further include any other component, rather than excluding any other component, unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0065] Furthermore, when a component is described as being "inside or connected to" another component, it should be understood that the component may be installed in direct connection with or in contact with the other component, may be installed spaced apart from the other component by a certain distance, and if installed spaced apart from the other component by a certain distance, there may be a third component or means for fixing or connecting the component to the other component, and the description of this third component or means may be omitted.

[0066] On the other hand, if a component is described as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that no third component or means exists.

[0067] Likewise, other expressions that describe the relationship between components, such as "between" and "directly between", or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to", should be interpreted as having the same meaning.

[0068] Additionally, it should be noted that the terms “one side,” “the other side,” “one side,” “the other side,” “first,” “second,” etc. in this specification, if used, are used to clearly distinguish one component from another component, and that the meaning of the component is not limited by such terms.

[0069] In addition, terms related to position, such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right,” etc., in this specification, if used, should be understood to indicate relative positions of the corresponding components in the corresponding drawings, and unless absolute positions are specified for these positions, these position-related terms should not be understood to refer to absolute positions.

[0070] In addition, in this specification, when specifying the drawing numbers for each component of each drawing, the same component has the same drawing number even if the component is shown in a different drawing, that is, the same reference number indicates the same component throughout the specification.

[0071] In the drawings attached to this specification, the size, position, connection relationship, etc. of each component constituting the present invention may be described with some exaggeration, reduction, or omission in order to sufficiently clearly convey the idea of ​​the present invention or for convenience of explanation, and therefore the proportions or scales may not be strict.

[0072] In addition, in the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of a configuration that is judged to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, for example, a known technology including a prior art, may be omitted.

[0073] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the relevant drawings.

[0074] Figure 5(a) is an exemplary diagram of a test socket according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Fig. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the test socket of Fig. 5(a). Referring to Figs. 5(a) and (b), a test socket (100) according to a first embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The test socket (100) has a conductive portion (120) in which a plurality of wire strands are gathered, arranged in M ​​(horizontal arrangement) x N (vertical arrangement) arrays and aligned inside a main body (110). The test socket (100) of Fig. 5(a) is an exemplary shape, and a main body (110) in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a length in the X-axis direction, a width in the Y-axis direction, and a height in the Z-axis direction is formed, and the conductive portions (120) are arranged in M ​​arrays in the X-axis direction and N arrays in the Y-axis direction and aligned inside the main body (110). However, the shape of the test socket (100) is not limited to that disclosed in Fig. 5(a).

[0076] The test socket (100) has a function of electrically connecting the contacts of the test device performing the test and the test subject receiving the test.

[0077] The test object may be a variety of semiconductor devices, particularly packaged ICs (integrated circuits), such as ball grid arrays (BGAs), quad flat packages (QFPs), small outline packages (SOPs), flip chips, or bumped wafers. The test device may be a test PCB for testing the packaged ICs.

[0078] The main body (110) has a function of fixing a plurality of conductive parts (120) that electrically connect the inspection device and the inspection target by aligning them in rows and columns, an insulation function, and an elastic function.

[0079] The main body (110) functions as a dielectric that insulates between a plurality of conductive parts (120) as an insulating function. The main body (110) maintains the stability of the contact point when the inspection device and the inspection target come into contact with the test socket (100) through an elastic function, protects the contact point of the inspection device and the inspection target, and can buffer the pressure applied to the upper and lower surfaces of the conductive parts (120).

[0080] The material constituting the main body (110) may be an insulating and elastic material, for example, silicone rubber.

[0081] Referring to Fig. 5(b), a cross-sectional view of a test socket (100) is described along the line AA in Fig. 5(a). The conductive portion (120) is arranged within the main body (110) so that both ends can be exposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the main body. The conductive portion (120) is formed by gathering a plurality of wire strands (123), and since the wire strands (123) transmit a test signal instead of the metal powder of Fig. 3, the resistance during signal transmission can be significantly reduced compared to the metal powder. In addition, the metal powder can be prevented from being destroyed and released to the outside due to long-term use. And since the conductive part (120) uses several very thin wire strands (123) (ultra-fine wires), it can maintain elasticity and protect the contact point between the inspection device and the inspection target, and the contact surface of the conductive part (i.e., the first contact surface (121) and the second contact surface (122)) can also be protected from contact pressure by the elasticity of the wire strands (123).

[0082] The diameter of the conductive portion (120) may be approximately 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, and approximately 5 to 50 wire strands (123) may be included therein. The diameter of the conductive portion (120) and the number of wire strands (123) may be adjusted according to the size of the contact points of the test object and the test device and the customer's needs. In addition, the distance (pitch) between the center of one conductive portion (120) and the center of its neighboring conductive portion (120) may also be adjusted to correspond to the pitch between the contact points of the test object and the test device.

[0083] In addition, although the wire strands (123) are represented as straight lines in FIG. 5(b), the wire strands (123) may be formed by twisting with each other. The height (z-direction length) of the test socket (100) may also be adjusted according to the distance between the test object and the test device.

[0084] Previously, a test socket was introduced that formed a conductive portion by inserting a single metal wire between silicone rubber, but there was a problem that the conductive portion, the metal wire, was easily pulled out of the silicone rubber during actual use. In addition, since the conductive portion was made of a single thick metal wire, there was a problem that the contact point of the test object was scratched when the conductive portion came into contact with it. In order to avoid this problem, a socket was also disclosed that inserts the metal wire diagonally into the silicone rubber to provide elasticity to the conductive portion and prevent scratches on the contact point.

[0085] However, since the conductive part is tilted diagonally, it is difficult to determine which contact point of the test device is connected to the contact point of the test object, and a new problem has arisen in that the positions of the test object and the test device must be adjusted to match the upper and lower contact points of the test socket.

[0086] However, the test socket (100) of Fig. 5 forms a conductive portion (123) by gathering or twisting a plurality of very thin wire strands in a straight line, thereby increasing the elasticity of the conductive portion (120), and the silicone rubber that has seeped between the plurality of wire strands holds the wire strands while also providing additional elasticity, thereby preventing a defect in which the conductive portion falls out of the silicone rubber body and also increasing the elasticity of the conductive portion.

[0087] The material of the wire strand (123) of the conductive member (120) can be selected from metals with excellent electrical conductivity and ductility, such as gold, silver, and copper.

[0088] The conductive part (120) can form M rows (horizontal arrangement) and N columns (vertical arrangement) within the main body (110). Specifically, when the main body (110) having an M*N arrangement is called a base block, the base block can be made by combining main body modules or can be made at once. That is, when the conductive part (120) has an M*1 arrangement or a main body having a 1*N arrangement is called a main body module, the base block can be formed by joining N main body modules having an M*1 arrangement or by joining M main body modules having a 1*N arrangement.

[0089] Additionally, the base block can be directly manufactured with M*N arrays of conductive parts (120). Such a manufacturing method will be described later.

[0090] The conductive portion (120) may further include a covering (124) that wraps a plurality of wire strands (123). The covering (124) is an insulating and elastic material, and may be silicone rubber, which is a material that constitutes the main body (110). When the covering (124) is covered on the wire strands (123), the shape of the wire strands (123) is maintained constant, so that alignment of the conductive portion (120) can be made easier when forming the test socket (100).

[0091] Figure 6 is a photo of an actual product of a test socket according to the first embodiment.

[0092] Referring to Fig. 6, conductive parts (120) are arranged in horizontal and vertical arrangements inside the main body (110). And seven strands of wire constituting the conductive part (120) are visible. The photo of Fig. 6 is a photo enlarged about 60 times to an actual product, and the diameter of the conductive part (120) is about 0.25 mm. As can be seen in the photo of Fig. 6, silicone rubber is inserted between the wire strands. Since the silicone rubber permeated between the plurality of wire strands constituting the conductive part (120) holds the wire strands, the problem of a single wire constituting the conductive part coming off from the main body, as in the conventional product, can be solved. In addition, since the silicone rubber permeated between the wire strands can provide additional elasticity to the conductive part (120), there is an advantage of reducing the contact pressure during testing.

[0093] By forming the conductive part (120) using wire strands that are integrally formed from the top to the bottom of the main body (110), there is also an advantage in that the contact resistance of the conductive part (120) of the present invention is reduced to about 10 mΩ or less when transmitting a test signal, compared to the contact resistance of the metal powder of the rubber socket of the existing Figure 3, which is about 50 mΩ.

[0094] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a test socket according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 7, a test socket (200) according to a second embodiment of the present invention may further include a first terminal (231) coupled on a first contact surface (121) which is an upper surface of a conductive portion (120) and a second terminal (232) coupled on a second contact surface (122) which is a lower surface of the conductive portion (120). The first terminal (231) and the second terminal (232) may be in the shape of microballs so as to make electrical contact with a test object or a test device. The first terminal (231) and the second terminal (232) may be formed on the first contact surface (121) and the second contact surface (122) through soldering or soldering, and serve to make contact with the contact points of the test object and the test device more reliable by compensating for the fact that the flatness of the main body (110) may not be slightly uniform.

[0096] Fig. 8 is an actual photograph of the conductive part in which the first terminal of Fig. 7 is formed. The photograph in Fig. 8 is a photograph taken at approximately 800 times magnification of the actual product.

[0097] Referring to Fig. 8, a first terminal (231) in the shape of a microball formed on the upper side of the first contact surface (121) of the wire strand (123) is disclosed. The plurality of first terminals (231) function as contact points and have the function of adjusting the heights of the contact points to be the same, and also prevent the contact points of the test object and the test device from making incomplete contact with the first contact surface (121) due to the height difference of the surface of the main body (110). In addition, the second terminal (232) coupled with the second contact surface (122) also performs the same function.

[0098] Below, the manufacturing method of the test socket (100) will be described in detail.

[0099] Figure 9 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a test socket according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] Fig. 13 is a drawing explaining a method for manufacturing the test socket of Fig. 9. Fig. 13 discloses a main body module having an array of M*1 conductive parts (120) as an example, but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a main body module having an array of 1*N conductive parts (120) can also be manufactured.

[0101] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 13, a method (S100) for manufacturing a test socket according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a step (S110) of manufacturing a base block, and a step (S150) of forming a test socket by cutting the base block or combining a plurality of base blocks. In addition, after step S150, a step (S160) of forming a first terminal (231) and a second terminal (232) in the form of microballs on the first contact surface (121) and the second contact surface (122), respectively, may be further included.

[0102] The step of manufacturing a base block (S110) includes a step of forming a main body module (S130) in which conductive parts (120) in an M*1 or 1*N array are formed on a main body (110), and a step of joining N main body modules in an M*1 array in a vertical direction or M main body modules in a 1*N array in a horizontal direction (S140). The step of joining main body modules (S140) may be performed by joining the main body modules using a heat-curing adhesive.

[0103] In Fig. 13, a process of forming a test socket (100) by cutting a predetermined position between the upper and lower surfaces of the base block to match the distance between the test object and the test device is disclosed (steps S110 and S150). Here, a first terminal (231) and a second terminal (232) can be formed on the first contact surface (121) and the second contact surface (122) of the conductive portion (120) (S160).

[0104] Figure 10 is a flowchart of S130 of Figure 9.

[0105] Figure 15 is a conceptual diagram of a molding facility for manufacturing test sockets.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 15, the step (S130) of forming a main body module includes a step (S131) ​​of forming a conductive portion (120) by gathering a plurality of wire strands, a step (S132) of arranging M*1 or 1*N conductive portions (120) at regular intervals and feeding them into a forming equipment (300), a step (S133) of feeding silicone rubber into the forming equipment (300) simultaneously with the conductive portion (120), and a step (S134) of extruding the conductive portion and silicone rubber simultaneously within the forming equipment. A step of wrapping the periphery of the plurality of wire strands with a skin (124) may be added in step S131.

[0107] Referring to FIG. 15, the molding equipment (300) may include a first mold (T1) in which holes (H) of a predetermined diameter are arranged at regular intervals so that a conductive part (120) can be inserted and passed through, a second mold (T2) surrounding the first mold (T1) into which silicone is inserted to create a shape of a main body module, and an extrusion equipment that extrudes the conductive part (120) passing through the first mold (T1) and the silicone passing through the second mold (T2).

[0108] As can be seen from the conceptual diagram of the molding equipment of Fig. 15, the pitch of the conductive portion (120) of the test socket (100, 200) can be freely adjusted by adjusting the spacing between the holes (H) of the first mold (T1), and by simultaneously injecting and extruding the silicone and the conductive portion (120), there is an advantage in that the test socket can be manufactured quickly compared to the existing test sockets disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3.

[0109] And the main body module made through the molding equipment (300) is combined into several pieces and then cut into an appropriate size to be used as a test socket.

[0110] In addition, since the step (S160) of forming the first terminal (231) and the second terminal (232) is not an essential step, the first contact surface (121) and the second contact surface (122) of the conductive portion (120) can be directly used as terminals instead of the terminals. The terminal formed in the step S160 can be coupled to the contact surfaces (121, 122) in the form of a convex microball.

[0111] Figure 11 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a test socket according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] Fig. 14 is a drawing explaining a method for manufacturing a test socket of Fig. 11. Referring to Fig. 11 and Fig. 14, a method for manufacturing a test socket (S200) according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes a step (S210) of forming a base block of an M*N array, and a step (S240) of forming a test socket by cutting a base block or combining a plurality of base blocks.

[0113] In addition, after step S240, a step (S250) of forming a first terminal (231) and a second terminal (232) in the shape of microballs on the first contact surface (121) and the second contact surface (122), respectively, may be further included.

[0114] Figure 12 is a flowchart of step S210 of Figure 11.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 12, the step (S210) of forming a base block of an M*N array includes a step (S211) of forming a conductive portion (120) by gathering a plurality of wire strands, a step (S212) of arranging the conductive portions (120) of the M*N array at regular intervals and feeding them into a molding facility, a step (S213) of feeding silicone into the molding facility simultaneously with the conductive portions (120), and a step (S214) of manufacturing a base block by simultaneously molding the conductive portions (120) and silicone.

[0116] Here, the molding equipment is applied by changing the shape of the first mold frame (T1) in the molding equipment (300) disclosed in Fig. 15. That is, the holes (H) of the first mold frame (T1) are changed to a shape having M horizontal arrays and N vertical arrays at regular intervals.

[0117] Then, a conductive portion in an M*N array is inserted into the first mold (T1), and silicone is injected into the second mold (T2), and molding is performed simultaneously. At this time, extrusion molding can be performed, but instead of extrusion molding, the second mold (T2) can be made in the shape of a base block and molded simultaneously with the conductive portion to create a base block.

[0118] Silicone may be used as liquid or solid silicone that can be extruded and molded. In addition, other chemicals that enhance adhesiveness may be added to the silicone to more strongly fix the wire strands of the conductive portion (120), thereby improving the durability of the test socket. When forming the conductive portion (120) in step S211, a skin (114) may be placed around the conductive portion (120). Coating the conductive portion (120) with the skin (124) is similar to the process of manufacturing a wire. However, coating the skin (124) is different from the process of manufacturing a general wire in that the material of the skin is silicone rubber.

[0119] The plurality of wire strands (123) forming the conductive portion (120) may be straightened or twisted. When the wire strands (123) are extruded simultaneously with the silicone in the molding equipment (300), the silicone rubber may permeate between the plurality of wire strands (123). Then, the conductive portion (120) can maintain higher elasticity due to the silicone rubber permeating between the wire strands, and also has the advantage of being strongly fixed so that the wire strands forming the conductive portion (120) are not pulled out (detached) from the main body (110).

[0120] The present invention has an advantage in that it can manufacture test sockets (100, 200) of various specifications using a main body module in which a plurality of conductive parts (120) are arranged in a row. The spacing between the plurality of conductive parts (120) can be adjusted according to the customer's needs, and a plurality of main body modules in which the pitch of the conductive parts (120) is adjusted can be bonded together and then cut into a size as needed to be used as test sockets. By bonding the main body modules in the horizontal and vertical directions, test sockets of various sizes can be formed.

[0121] In addition, the test socket (100, 200) according to the present invention, compared to a rubber socket using conventional metal powder, can precisely adjust the pitch in advance, has no concern about increased resistance due to detachment of the metal powder, has a contact resistance much lower than the contact resistance of the metal powder that interferes with transmitting a test signal, and uses a plurality of wire strands as soft strands so that the elasticity of the conductive part is high when in contact with the test object and the test device, thereby protecting the contact points of the test object and the test device. In addition, it also has the advantage of a fast production speed and a low production cost.

[0122] Above, although some examples have been given and various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, the description of the various embodiments described in the “Specific Details for Carrying Out the Invention” section is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will readily understand that they can carry out various modifications of the present invention or carry out equivalent implementations of the present invention based on the above description.

[0123] In addition, since the present invention can be implemented in various other forms, the present invention is not limited by the above description, and the above description is provided only to make the disclosure of the present invention complete and to fully inform a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs of the scope of the present invention, and it should be understood that the present invention is defined only by each claim of the claims.

[0124] The present invention can be used in the manufacture of test sockets in the semiconductor field.

Claims

1. A test socket that electrically connects the test device and the test subject. A body formed of insulating and elastic material; and It includes a plurality of conductive parts arranged within the main body and having both ends exposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the main body, The above-mentioned conductive part is a test socket formed by gathering a plurality of wire strands.

2. In claim 1, the conductive part, A first contact surface formed on the upper surface and in contact with the test object; and A test socket configured to include a second contact surface formed on the lower surface and in contact with the inspection device.

3. In claim 2, the conductive part, a first terminal coupled on the first contact surface; and It is configured to further include a second terminal coupled on the second contact surface. Test socket.

4. In claim 1, the conductive part, It consists of M rows (horizontal arrangement) and N columns (vertical arrangement). M*N arrays are formed on one of the above bodies to form a base block, A predetermined position between the upper and lower surfaces of the base block is cut to correspond to the distance between the inspection device and the inspection target, and used as a socket for testing the inspection target, or Or, a test socket that can be used as a socket for testing the test subject by combining a plurality of base blocks having the N*N conductive parts corresponding to the distance between the test device and the test subject.

5. In claim 4, the conductive part, M(horizontal array)*1 arrays are formed in one above-mentioned body, or 1*N(vertical array) arrays are formed in one above-mentioned body, When M(horizontal array)*1 arrays are formed in one of the above main bodies, and are called main body modules, N main body modules are joined to form the base block, When 1*N (vertical array) arrays are formed in one of the above main bodies, and this is called a main body module, M main body modules are joined to form the base block, A test socket that can be used as a socket for testing the test subject by cutting a predetermined position between the upper and lower surfaces of the base block corresponding to the distance between the test device and the test subject.

6. In claim 1, the conductive part, A test socket characterized in that the plurality of wire strands are twisted together to form the body and the body is formed of silicone rubber.

7. In claim 1, the conductive part, further comprising a sheath that wraps the plurality of wire strands, Test socket.

8. A method for manufacturing a test socket including a main body formed of an insulating and elastic material, and a plurality of conductive parts arranged within the main body and having both ends exposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the main body, The above-mentioned challenging part comprises a step of manufacturing a base block having M rows (horizontal arrangement) and N columns (vertical arrangement), wherein M*N arrays are formed in one body; and A method for manufacturing a test socket, comprising a step of cutting a predetermined position between the upper and lower surfaces of the base block corresponding to the distance between a predetermined inspection device and a predetermined test subject, or forming a test socket for testing the test subject by combining a plurality of the base blocks.

9. In claim 8, the step of manufacturing the base block comprises the step of forming a main body module in which the conductive portion in an M*1 or 1*N array is formed on the main body; and It is configured to include a step of joining N of the above main body modules in a vertical direction in an M*1 array or M of the above main body modules in a horizontal direction in a 1*N array. Method for manufacturing a test socket.

10. In claim 9, the step of joining the main body module comprises: It is configured to bond between the above main body modules using a heat-curing adhesive, Method for manufacturing a test socket.

11. In claim 9, the step of forming the main body module comprises: A step of forming a conductive part by gathering multiple wire strands; A step of arranging M*1 or 1*N conductive parts at regular intervals and feeding them into a molding facility; A step of introducing silicone into the molding equipment at the same time as the above-mentioned conductive part; and A method for manufacturing a test socket, comprising a step of simultaneously extruding the conductive part and the silicone in the above molding equipment.

12. In claim 11, the step of forming the conductive part comprises: A method for manufacturing a test socket, comprising further comprising a step of covering the plurality of wires with a covering.

13. In claim 11, the conductive part, A method for manufacturing a test socket formed by twisting the above plurality of wire strands.

14. In claim 11, the molding equipment, A first mold frame having holes of a predetermined diameter arranged at regular intervals so that the above-mentioned challenge part can be inserted and passed through; A second mold surrounding the first mold and into which the silicone is injected to create the shape of the main body module; and A method for manufacturing a test socket, comprising: an extrusion device configured to extrude the conductive part passing through the first mold and the silicon passing through the second mold.

15. In claim 14, the first mold frame, A method for manufacturing a test socket, wherein the spacing between the holes can be freely adjusted in response to the spacing between the pads of the test subject.

16. In claim 8, the step of manufacturing the base block comprises: A step of forming a conductive part by gathering multiple wire strands; A step of arranging M*N conductive parts at regular intervals and inserting them into a molding facility; A step of introducing silicone into the molding equipment at the same time as the above-mentioned conductive part; and A method for manufacturing a test socket, comprising a step of simultaneously molding the conductive part and the silicone in the molding equipment.

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