Electrochemical cleaning of test probes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10955439-B2
Application number	US-201916299598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2019
Priority date	Mar 12, 2019
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A method of treating a material on a probe is provided. The method includes the steps of immersing a probe tip into a first fluid, wherein the probe tip includes one or more oxidized metallic fragments on a surface of the probe tip; polarizing the probe tip, through a counter electrode, with a negative current to reduce the one or more oxidized metallic fragments to one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments; removing the probe tip from the first fluid; immersing the probe in a second fluid, wherein the second fluid is a complexer for the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments; and polarizing the probe tip with a positive current, through the counter electrode, wherein the positive current oxidizes the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating a material on a probe, the method comprising:
immersing a probe tip into a first fluid, wherein the probe tip comprises one or more oxidized metallic fragments on a surface of the probe tip;
polarizing the probe tip, through a counter electrode, with a negative current to reduce the one or more oxidized metallic fragments to one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments;
removing the probe tip and the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments on the probe tip from the first fluid;
immersing the probe tip and the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments on the probe tip in a second fluid, wherein the second fluid is a complexer for the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments; and
polarizing the probe tip with a positive current in the range of about 2 mA/cm 2 to about 10 mA/cm 2 , through the counter electrode, wherein the positive current oxidizes the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more metallic fragments comprises tin.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is substantially inert.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid comprises one or more of a 0.001M to 3M sodium sulfate fluid and a 0.001M to 3M sodium citrate fluid.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the removing the probe tip from the first fluid step, the probe tip is rinsed with de-ionized water.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of polarizing the probe tip with a positive current forms an oxidized one or more metallic fragments, which separate from the probe tip.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second fluid comprises one or more of 0.01M to 3M methyl sulfonic acid, 0.01M to 3M sulfuric acid, 0.01M to 3M hydrochloric acid, 0.01M to 3M phosphoric acid and 0.01M to 3M oxalic acid.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the removing the probe tip from the second fluid step, the probe tip is rinsed with de-ionized water.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the after the removing the probe tip from the second fluid step, the probe tip is immersed in a third fluid, the third fluid configured to reduce adhesion between the probe tip and a solder comprising tin.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein after the step of polarizing the probe tip with a positive current, the method comprises the further steps of:
immersing the probe tip in a metal plating fluid;
electrifying the counter electrode to form a negative polarity or a positive polarity; and
plating the probe tip.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein first fluid is a vapor phase of formic acid and nitrogen gas.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of polarizing the probe tip with a positive current forms an oxidized one or more metallic fragments, which separate from the probe tip.

13. A method of treating a material on a probe, the method comprising:
heating a probe tip, wherein the probe tip comprises one more oxidized metallic fragments on a surface of the probe tip, wherein the first fluid comprises formic acid that reduces the one or more oxidized metallic fragments to one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments;
immersing the probe tip into a first fluid;
removing the probe tip and the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments on the probe tip from the first fluid;
immersing the probe tip and the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments on the probe tip in a second fluid, wherein the second fluid is a complexer for the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments; and
polarizing the probe tip with a positive current in the range of about 2 mA/cm 2 to about 10 mA/cm 2 , through a counter electrode, wherein the positive current oxidizes the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more metallic fragments comprises tin.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first fluid is heated to about 120° C. to about 150° C.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein after the removing the probe tip from the first fluid step, the probe tip is rinsed with de-ionized water.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second fluid comprises one or more of 0.01M to 3M methyl sulfonic acid, 0.01M to 3M sulfuric acid, 0.01M to 3M hydrochloric acid, 0.01M to 3M phosphoric acid and 0.011M to 3M oxalic acid.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein after the removing the probe tip from the second fluid step, the probe tip is rinsed with de-ionized water.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the after the removing the probe tip from the second fluid step, the probe tip is immersed in a third fluid, the third fluid configured to reduce adhesion between the probe tip and solders comprising tin.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein after the step of polarizing the probe tip with a positive current, the method comprises the further steps of:
immersing the probe tip in a metal plating fluid;
electrifying the counter electrode to form a negative polarity or a positive polarity; and
plating the probe tip.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Arvin Charles L
• Audette David M
• Wagner Grant

Classifications

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01R1/06738 Primary

  related to tip portion · CPC title

• C25F1/02 Primary

  Pickling; Descaling · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G02B5/128

  transparent spheres being embedded in matrix · CPC title