Probe Card Cleaning Substrate for Uniform Probe Tip Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device manufacturing, the uneven cutting of probe tips due to varying frictional forces during cleaning leads to inconsistent electrical connections and reduced probe card lifetime, particularly affecting probes at the outer circumference.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor inspection device with a probe card, a first holding portion for the substrate, and a second holding portion for a cleaning substrate, allowing relative movement to uniformly clean probes and maintain consistent tip integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a general cleaning sheet is used to clean the probes, then the cleaning process is simple and cost-effective, but the frictional force varies depending on probe position causing uneven tip cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning sheet is modified to have different local properties: the central region has a first hardness while the outer circumferential region has a second hardness different from the first. This local differentiation compensates for the varying frictional forces experienced by probes at different positions, ensuring uniform tip cutting across all probes.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardness parameter of the cleaning sheet is changed across different regions. By making the outer circumferential region softer (or harder, depending on the specific embodiment) compared to the central region, the frictional force distribution is adjusted to achieve uniform probe tip cutting despite position-dependent variations.
2Reliability
If probes at the outer circumference are pressed harder against the cleaning sheet, then cleaning effectiveness increases for those probes, but tip cutting becomes non-uniform across the probe card
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning sheet incorporates regions with different hardnesses: a central region and an outer circumferential region with different hardness values. This local quality differentiation ensures that probes at different positions experience appropriate frictional forces, maintaining both cleaning effectiveness and tip cutting uniformity simultaneously.
3Productivity
If the probe card contains a large number of probes arranged in a wide area, then inspection coverage increases, but probes at the outer circumference experience excessive friction and tip wear
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning sheet is designed with spatially varying hardness: the central portion has one hardness while the outer circumferential portion has a different hardness. This allows the cleaning process to accommodate probe cards with many probes arranged in a wide area, ensuring that outer probes experience reduced friction compared to what they would experience on a uniform cleaning sheet.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution introduces a dimensional variation in the cleaning sheet's hardness property across its surface area. By transitioning from a uniform hardness to a radially varying hardness distribution, the system addresses the position-dependent friction problem while maintaining the ability to clean large arrays of probes.
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
The solution ensures uniform probe tip cutting, prolongs probe card life, and enhances manufacturing throughput by minimizing foreign matter adherence and inspection faults.
Implementation Method 1
a frictional force caused by friction between the plurality of probes and the cleaning sheet varies depending on a position of each probe in the probe card
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes preparing a semiconductor device and an inspection device. In the preparing, the semiconductor device has a semiconductor element, a plurality of pads electrically connected to the semiconductor element, and a plurality of bumps arranged on each pad. The inspection device includes a probe card having a plurality of probes, a first holding portion detachably holding the semiconductor device, a cleaning substrate cleaning the probes, and a second holding portion detachably holding the cleaning substrate. The first and second holding portions are movable relatively to the probe card.