Interlocking Contact Probe Body and Tip for Shear Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact probes for testing heads face challenges with high-hardness conductive materials being brittle and prone to breaking under shear forces, particularly due to increased probe packing density in modern on-wafer integration technologies, which affects the reliability of mechanical and electrical contact with semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
A contact probe design featuring a rod-like body made of a first conductive material with a high-hardness contact tip made of a different conductive material, such as rhodium, palladium, or iridium, where the contact surfaces are shaped to be complementary and interlocking, providing enhanced mechanical holding and resistance to breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-hardness conductive materials are used for the contact tip, then electrical contact reliability is improved, but the material becomes brittle and prone to breaking under shear forces
Solution Approach 1:
The contact probe combines a body made of a first conductive material with a contact tip made of a second conductive material having higher hardness. This composite structure allows the tip to provide reliable electrical contact while the body provides mechanical strength and flexibility to resist breaking under shear forces.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the contact probe are made from different materials with different properties. The contact tip uses high-hardness material for electrical contact reliability, while the body uses a material optimized for mechanical flexibility and strength, creating local optimization of properties throughout the component.
2Productivity
If probe packing density is increased for modern on-wafer integration, then testing capacity is improved, but the risk of tip breakage increases due to higher mechanical stress
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of body and tip allows the probe to withstand the mechanical stresses induced by high probe packing density. The body material provides flexibility to accommodate packing constraints while the tip material ensures reliable electrical contact despite the reduced spacing between probes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters of the contact probe, specifically using different conductive materials with different mechanical and electrical properties for the body and tip. This parameter change enables the probe to operate reliably in high-density configurations where mechanical stress is increased.
3Ease of manufacture
If the contact tip is made entirely of one conductive material, then manufacturing is simplified, but mechanical holding strength and resistance to breakage are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The contact probe uses a composite structure where the body and tip are made of different conductive materials. This allows optimization of each part for its specific function: the body for mechanical strength and flexibility, and the tip for electrical contact quality, resulting in enhanced overall performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different materials are applied to different parts of the contact probe based on local functional requirements. The tip receives the material optimized for electrical contact, while the body receives the material optimized for mechanical properties, creating local quality optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A contact probe for a testing head for testing electronic devices includes a rod-like body made of a first conductive material and extending along a longitudinal axis, and a contact tip supported by the body at an end portion thereof. The contact tip is made of a second conductive material that is different from the first conductive material. The contact tip includes a contact zone configured to perform mechanical and electrical contact with contact pads of a device under test. The body and the contact tip include respective contact surfaces in contact with each other. The contact surfaces are complementary to each other and include respective connection elements engaging each other. The connection elements include a protruding element projecting from the contact surface of one among the body and the contact tip, and a recess made in the other among the body and the contact tip.