Probing method, probe card for performing the method, and probing apparatus including the probe card

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9599663-B2
Application number	US-201314085945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2013
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A probe method, the method comprising:
setting an allowable temperature range, the allowable temperature range ensuring contact between a pad of a circuit substrate and a needle of a probe card, a test temperature of the circuit substrate being in the allowable temperature range;
providing the probe card with a probe temperature within the allowable temperature range, such that the probe card reaches the probe temperature before reaching the test temperature of the circuit substrate;
after the probe card reaches the probe temperature, 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, the circuit substrate being at the test temperature.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein providing the probe card with the allowable temperature range includes:
contacting the needle to a dummy substrate; and
adjusting a temperature of the dummy substrate, such that the temperature of the dummy substrate is transferred to the probe card through the needle only until the probe card reaches the probe temperature.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the test temperature is a first temperature, and the allowable temperature range includes a lowermost temperature lower than the first temperature.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the test temperature is a second temperature, and the allowable temperature range includes an uppermost temperature higher than the second temperature.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein setting the allowable temperature range includes:
setting a first temperature as a first limit of the allowable temperature range, the first temperature being a lowermost temperature or an uppermost temperature at which the needle of the probe card maintains contact with the pad of the circuit substrate; and
setting the test temperature of the circuit substrate as a second limit of the allowable temperature range, the allowable temperature range being defined between the first and second limits.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein:
providing the probe card with the probe temperature includes heating or cooling the probe card only until it reaches the lowermost temperature or the uppermost temperature, respectively.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein setting the first temperature includes setting the first limit as the lowermost temperature, and setting the test temperature includes setting the second limit as a higher temperature than the lowermost temperature.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein providing the probe card with the probe temperature includes heating the probe card only until it reaches the lowermost temperature.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein setting the first temperature includes setting the first limit as the uppermost temperature, and setting the test temperature includes setting the second limit as a lower temperature than the uppermost temperature.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein providing the probe card with the probe temperature includes cooling the probe card only until it reaches the uppermost temperature.

11. A probe card, comprising:
a multi-layered substrate having a test pattern, a test current passing through the test pattern during a test;
a plurality of needles on the multi-layered substrate and electrically connected between the test pattern of the multi-layered substrate and a pad of a circuit substrate, the test current being supplied to the circuit substrate through the needles; and
a temperature-controlling unit on the multi-layered substrate to provide the multi-layered substrate with a probe temperature within an allowable temperature range, the allowable temperature range ensuring contact between the pad of the circuit substrate having a test temperature and the needles, such that the multi-layered substrate reaches the probe temperature before reaching the test temperature.

12. The probe card as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the temperature controlling unit includes:
a sensor attached to the multi-layered substrate to sense temperature of the multi-layered substrate; and
a sensor circuit board on the multi-layered substrate to process temperature data of the multi-layered substrate sensed by the sensor.

13. The probe card as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensing members arranged around a center point of the multi-layered substrate.

14. The probe card as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the sensing members are spaced apart from each other by a uniform interval.

15. The probe card as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the sensing members are attached to an upper surface and a lower surface of the multi-layered substrate.

16. The probe card as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising:
a stiffener to support the multi-layered substrate; and
a printed circuit board (PCB) interposed between the stiffner and the multi-layered substrate.

17. A probing apparatus, comprising:
a probe card, including:
a multi-layered substrate having a test pattern, a test current passing through the test pattern during a test,
a plurality of needles on the multi-layered substrate and electrically connected between the test pattern of the multi-layered substrate and a pad of a circuit substrate, the test current being supplied to the circuit substrate through the needles, and
a temperature-controlling unit on the multi-layered substrate to provide the multi-layered substrate with a probe temperature within an allowable temperature range, the allowable temperature range ensuring contact between the pad of the circuit substrate having a test temperature and the needles, such that the multi-layered substrate reaches the probe temperature before reaching the test temperature;

a tester to generate the test current, the allowable temperature range being set in the tester; and
a test head electrically connected between the tester and the circuit substrate.

18. The probing apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising:
a chuck to support the circuit substrate; and
a temperature-providing member in the chuck to provide the circuit substrate with the test temperature and the multi-layered substrate with the probe temperature.

19. The probing apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising a temperature-providing member to adjust a temperature of the multi-layered substrate only until the multi-layered substrate reaches the probe temperature.

20. The probing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the temperature-controlling unit stops adjusting temperature of the multi-layered substrate as soon as the multi-layered substrate reaches the probe temperature.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Sang-Boo
• Lim Ki-Sub

Classifications

• G01R31/2874 Primary

  related to temperature · CPC title

• G01R31/2889

  Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester (G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence) · CPC title

• H10P74/00

  Testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment of wafers, substrates or devices · CPC title

• G01R1/073 Primary

  Multiple probes · CPC title