Probe Card Temperature Control for Contact Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing probing methods for semiconductor substrates face challenges in maintaining accurate contact between needles and pads due to thermal strain differences between the semiconductor substrate and the probe card, requiring additional time to align temperatures for effective testing.
Innovation Solution
A probing method and apparatus that set an allowable temperature range for the probe card, ensuring contact between the needles and pads, by heating or cooling the card only to the lowermost or uppermost temperature within this range, rather than the actual test temperature, using a temperature-controlling unit with sensors and a dummy substrate to expedite the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the probe card is heated or cooled to the actual test temperature (high or low) to match the semiconductor substrate temperature, then accurate contact between needles and pads is ensured, but the preparation time for the probe card becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from requiring exact match (test temperature) to acceptable range (allowable temperature range). By determining that needles maintain contact within a temperature range rather than requiring precise temperature matching, the probe card can be prepared more quickly while still ensuring reliable contact during testing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary determination of the allowable temperature range before actual testing. By pre-establishing the temperature boundaries within which contact is maintained, the system avoids time-consuming temperature adjustments during testing and can quickly prepare the probe card by heating or cooling only to the lowermost or uppermost temperatures of the allowable range
2Reliability
If additional temperature alignment processes are implemented to compensate for thermal strain differences between the probe card and semiconductor substrate, then needle-to-pad contact is maintained, but the testing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the temperature control approach from precise temperature matching to range-based control. By defining an allowable temperature range with lowermost and uppermost boundaries, the system simplifies the temperature control process while maintaining contact reliability, eliminating the need for complex real-time temperature alignment procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the inherent thermal properties of the materials to determine the allowable temperature range. By understanding how the probe card and semiconductor substrate respond to temperature changes, the system establishes self-contained temperature boundaries that ensure contact without requiring external intervention or complex control mechanisms during testing
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 approach significantly reduces the time required to prepare the probe card for testing, ensuring accurate and efficient contact between the needles and pads, thereby shortening the overall testing time.
Implementation Method 1
heating or cooling the card only to the lowermost or uppermost temperature within this range
Implementation Method 2
heating or cooling the card only to the lowermost or uppermost temperature within this range
Data Source
AI summary
A probe method includes setting an allowable temperature range, the allowable temperature range including a test temperature and ensuring contact between a pad of a circuit substrate and a needle of a probe card, providing the probe card with a temperature within the allowable temperature range, contacting the needle of the probe card to the pad of the circuit substrate, and supplying a test current to the pad through the needle to test the circuit substrate.