Ultrafine Contact Probe Manufacturing via Spiral Etching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current contact probes for current inspection jigs, particularly those with electroformed spring structures, face challenges in achieving high accuracy and precision due to their ultrafine and thin nature, which is essential for inspecting miniaturized and advanced electronic devices and substrates.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method involving gold or gold alloy plating, electroforming, and precise etching using a resist layer to form a spiral groove in the Ni electroformed layer, allowing for the removal of the core material while maintaining the plating layer inside, resulting in a contact with a uniform slit width and enhanced elastic properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact is manufactured ultrafine and thin to inspect miniaturized samples, then the elastic property is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming a plating layer on the core material before electroforming the Ni layer. This pre-plating step prepares the surface for subsequent etching processes, ensuring that when the spiral groove is created, the plating layer is already in position to maintain structural integrity during the ultrafine manufacturing process, thus preserving manufacturing precision while achieving the required elastic properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements the nested doll principle by creating a multi-layer structure where the plating layer is nested within the Ni electroformed layer. The core material is removed after electroforming, leaving the plating layer as an inner structure surrounded by the Ni layer. This nested configuration allows the contact to achieve ultrafine dimensions with high elastic property while maintaining manufacturing precision through the protective inner plating layer
2Reliability
If the Ni electroformed pipe is made ultrafine and thin with external diameter 32 μm to 500 μm and internal diameter 30 μm to 450 μm, then the elastic property is improved, but the manufacturing accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the electroforming parameters to achieve the specific dimensional range (external diameter 32-500 μm, internal diameter 30-450 μm). The plating layer thickness and Ni layer thickness are precisely controlled during the electroforming process to ensure manufacturing accuracy is maintained even at these ultrafine dimensions, while the resulting thin-walled structure provides the required elastic property
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining the plating layer (gold or gold alloy) with the Ni electroformed layer. This composite structure allows the contact to achieve ultrafine dimensions with controlled wall thickness to provide elastic property, while the combination of materials maintains manufacturing accuracy through the protective plating layer that prevents deformation during processing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the production of ultrafine, thin contacts with high accuracy and precision, providing excellent conductivity and durability, suitable for repeated contraction motions, and is applicable for current inspection of ultrafine, high-density samples.
Implementation Method 1
forming a gold or gold alloy plating layer on an outer periphery of a core material through plating
Implementation Method 2
forming a Ni electroformed layer on an outer periphery of the formed plating layer through electroforming
Implementation Method 3
exposing the resist layer under laser beams to form a spiral groove in the resist layer
Implementation Method 4
performing etching by using the resist layer as a masking material to remove the Ni electroformed layer of a portion in which the spiral groove is formed in the resist layer
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
Disclosed is a manufacturing method which enables more accurate and precise manufacturing of an ultra-fine, thin contact for current inspection jigs which is provided with a spring structure. After a gold or gold alloy plating layer is formed by plating the outer periphery of a core material, an Ni electroformed layer is formed by electroformation on the outer periphery of the formed plating layer. After a resistant layer is formed on the outer periphery of the Ni electroformed layer, a spiral groove is formed in the resistant layer by laser exposure, and etching is carried out using the resistant layer as a masking material. The Ni electroformed layer is removed from the part of the resistant layer where the spiral groove was formed, and then the resistant layer is removed and the plating layer is removed from the part of the spiral groove section where the Ni electroformed layer was removed. The core material is then removed, leaving the plating layer inside the periphery of the Ni electroformed layer.