MANUFACTURING METHOD OF PROBING DEVICE
A manufacturing method of a probing device is provided. The manufacturing method includes following steps. First, a plurality of space transformers is disposed on a reinforcing plate and the space transformer includes a plurality of first pads. Then, the space transformer is fixed on the reinforcing plate. Thereafter, photoresist films having a plurality of openings are formed on the space transformer. The first pads are disposed in the openings. After that, a metal layer is formed and covered on the first pad. Later, the photoresist film is removed and the metal layer planarized to form a second pad. Afterwards, the reinforcing plate is electrically connected with a PCB. Thereafter, a probe head having a plurality of probing area is provided and each probing area is corresponding to one of the space transformer. The probes in the probing area are electrically connected with the internal circuitry of the space transformer.
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of probing device, and more particularly, to a manufacturing method of probing device for semiconductor testing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONProcess of manufacturing semiconductor wafers to produce integrated circuit (IC) chips involves a number of steps, such as lithography, deposition and etching, etc. Due to complexity of the manufacturing process, some IC chips will inevitably possess defects. Therefore, the defective IC chips are tested before wafer dicing is performed to separate above mentioned IC chips from the semiconductor wafers, so as to determine whether the IC chips are defective.
Please refer to
In the current market, the probing device 10 is produced and assembled by dedicated probing device manufacturers. The space transformer 14, however, is usually provided by IC manufacturers or IC design companies, due to cost issue. On the other hand, only one probe head 16 is disposed on the space transformer 14 shown in
Please refer to
Although the multi-DUT probing device 20 can detect multiple number of DUTs at the same time, but due to the probe head 26 comprising a plurality of probing areas 27, the space transformer 24 is not interchangeable with the space transformer 14 of
In Japan Patent Publication No. 2010266300, each space transformer is positioned using a reference base. After each space transformer is positioned the space transformer is then fixed onto a PCB. However, such positioning method is merely preliminary. When reflow soldering is performed later on, position of the space transformer may still be shifted away, thereby causing misalignment between probes of the probing areas and the pads on the space transformer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA purpose of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of probing device. The probing device can utilize the space transformer of a single-DUT probing device, and the cost of the probing device can be thereby lowered.
An embodiment of the present invention discloses a manufacturing method for a probing device. The manufacturing method comprises providing a reinforcing plate; disposing a plurality of space transformers on the reinforcing plate, wherein a surface of the transforming plate comprises a plurality of first pads; fixing the space transformer on the reinforcing plate, for configuring the internal circuitry of the space transformer to be electrically connected to the internal circuitry of the reinforcing plate; forming a photoresist film on the space transformer, wherein the photoresist film comprises a plurality of openings and the first pad is disposed in the opening; forming a metal layer in each of the plurality of openings, wherein the metal layer covers the plurality of first pad for forming a plurality of second pads; removing the photoresist film; providing a printed circuit board (PCB) and electrically connecting the internal circuitry of the reinforcing plate to internal circuitry of the PCB; and providing a probe head, the probe head comprising a plurality of probing areas, each probing area corresponding to one of the plurality of space transformers, each probing area comprising a plurality of probes, wherein the plurality of probes are electrically connected to the internal circuitry of the space transformer via the plurality of second pads.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
Please refer to
Each probing area 36 comprises a plurality of probes 362, and the probe head 35 is fixed by the cage 31. One end of the probe 362 is electrically contacted with the space transformer 34, and the other end of the probe 362 is in contact with a DUT (not illustrated). As shown in
Please refer to
Please refer to
Please refer to
One of the reasons for the above phenomenon is that: after the space transformer 34 is preliminarily positioned on the reinforcing plate 38, reflow process is required for soldering the space transformer 34 onto the reinforcing plate 38. However, the space transformer 34 may shift away during the reflow process. Also, after reflow is performed, the thickness of the solders 341 under the space transformer 34 may change, thereby causing the height of the first pads 342 on different space transformers 34 to be inconsistent.
Subsequently, please refer to
Please refer to 4F. A metal layer 343 is deposited in the opening 391 via electroplating; and the metal layer 343 covers and is contacted with the first pad 342. After the metal layer 343 has completely deposited, a second pad 344 is formed. The first pad 342 is covered by the second pad 344. In the present embodiment, the material of the metal layer 343 is the same as that of the first pad 342, which mainly includes copper. Material of the metal layer 343 is not limited to copper and can be other substances with excellent conductivity.
In
Please refer to
Please refer to
Please refer to
Please compare
On the other hand, as shown in
In the present embodiment, the structure of the space transformer 34 is similar to that of the space transformer 14 shown in
A purpose of the anti-oxidation layer 345 shown in
In the above embodiments, the second pads 344 on different space transformer 34 are aligned. However, the second pads 344 on different space transformer 34 are not required to be aligned precisely, as long as the probes 362 of the probing area 36 can be electrically connected to the internal circuitry of the corresponding space transformer via the second pads 344. In other words, transmittance of test signals is ensured between the probes 362 and the second pads 344.
For the above embodiments, a number of space transformers 34 disposed on the reinforcing plate 38 is four, but is not limited to this. For instance, the number of space transformers 34 being disposed on the reinforcing plate can be adjusted (e.g. two or six, etc.) according to practical needs.
In
In the above embodiments, cavities 384 are disposed on the reinforcing plate 38 and the space transformer 34 is disposed in the cavities 384. However, the reinforcing plate can also be implemented without the cavities, according to practical needs. Please refer to
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the meters and bounds of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A manufacturing method for a probing device comprising:
- providing a reinforcing plate;
- disposing a plurality of space transformers on the reinforcing plate, wherein a plurality of first pads are disposed on a surface of each space transformer;
- fixing the space transformer on the reinforcing plate, for configuring the internal circuitry of the space transformer to be electrically connected to the internal circuitry of the reinforcing plate;
- forming a photoresist film on the space transformer, wherein the photoresist film comprises a plurality of openings and at least a portion of the first pad is disposed in the opening;
- forming a metal layer in each of the plurality of openings, wherein the metal layer is disposed on and is directly contacted with the plurality of first pads for forming a plurality of second pads;
- providing a printed circuit board and electrically connecting the internal circuitry of the reinforcing plate to the internal circuitry of the printed circuit board; and
- providing a probe head, the probe head comprising a plurality of probing areas, each probing area corresponding to one of the plurality of space transformers, each probing area comprising a plurality of probes, wherein the probe is electrically connected to the internal circuitry of the space transformer via the second pad.
2. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is formed in the opening via electroplating.
3. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of positioning points are disposed on the reinforcing plate and the space transformer is positioned on the reinforcing plate by leaning against the positioning point.
4. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, wherein fixing the space transformer on the reinforcing plate comprises:
- providing a cage, wherein the cage comprises a plurality of positioning cavities;
- disposing the space transformer in the positioning cavity; and
- arranging the reinforcing plate to be close to the cage and soldering the space transformer onto the reinforcing plate.
5. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, further comprising forming an anti-oxidation layer on a surface of the second pad.
6. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, further comprising planarizing the second pad.
7. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, further comprising a step of removing the photoresist film after forming the metal layer in each of the plurality of openings.
8. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, wherein the surface on which the first pads are disposed is facing away the reinforcing plate.
9. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, wherein a center line of at least one second pad does not overlap a center line of the first pad being covered below the second pad.
10. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 9, wherein a center of the second pad on each space transforming plate and a center of the second pad of a corresponding position on a neighboring space transforming plate are aligned to one horizontal extension line or one vertical extension line.
11. The manufacturing method for the probing device of claim 1, wherein a reflow process is performed for fixing the space transformer on the reinforcing plate.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 13, 2015
Publication Date: Jul 2, 2015
Inventors: Chien-Chou Wu (Hshinchu Hsiang), Ming-Chi Chen (Hsinchu Hsiang), Chung-Che Li (Hsinchu Hsiang)
Application Number: 14/656,730