Probe card

a technology of probes and electrodes, applied in the field of probes, can solve the problems of inclination of the object to be measured at the time of installation, failure to properly perform the measurement, and minute variations in height between each signal electrode, etc., to achieve a small overall spring coefficient, stably perform the measurement, and more stably held

US20050184745A1Inactive Publication Date: 2005-08-25NIHON DENSHIZAIRYO
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2005-08-25
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a probe card capable of properly performing a measurement. A probe card according to the invention includes: probes 100 shaped to allow vertical elastic deformation; a supporting substrate 200 with the probes provided on the lower surface thereof; a main substrate 300 positioned opposing the upper surface of the supporting substrate 200; an intermediate substrate 400 disposed between the supporting substrate 200 and main substrate 300; a supporting member 500 that is a column-shaped member with one end thereof attached to the center of the supporting substrate 200 and the other end thereof attached to the intermediate substrate 400 and holds the supporting substrate 200 so that the supporting substrate 200 is inclinable; and elastic members for holding the supporting substrate 200 so that the supporting substrate 200 is in a horizontal position relative to the main substrate 300, which are provided between the supporting substrate 200 and main substrate 300.
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Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a probe card used to measure various electrical properties or the like of an object to be measured.

[0003] 2. Background Art

[0004] As this kind of probe card, there has been known a probe card comprising: probes that contact the signal electrodes of an object to be measured; a supporting substrate to which the probes are electrically and mechanically connected; a main substrate positioned opposite the upper surface of the supporting substrate; and a connection mechanism for connecting a wiring pattern of the main substrate to a wiring pattern of the supporting substrate.

[0005] This probe card, which is mounted on a stage of a prober, is adjusted by an adjusting mechanism of the prober so as to be in a horizontal position, and then is used to measure various electrical properties of an object to be measured by operating the prober (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-144892). ...

Examples

embodiment 1

[0033] Firstly a probe card according to a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a probe card according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the probe card which shows the arrangement of a supporting member and elastic members. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of probes used in the probe card. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the probe shown in FIG. 3(a) that is provided with a reinforcing member. FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a part α shown in FIG. 1, which shows the probe card with the probe contacting a signal electrode of an object to be measured. FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of the probe card being in operation.

[0034] A probe card A shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is electrically connected to a measurement apparatus (not shown) for measuring various electrical properties of an object B to be measured (a semiconductor wafer) and is us...

embodiment 2

[0055] A probe card according to a second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of a probe card according to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the probe card which shows the arrangement of a supporting member and elastic members.

[0056] The probe cardA′ shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 has a configuration substantially similar to that of the probe card A. A large difference between the probe cards A and A′ is that a printed circuit board is employed as a main substrate 800 of the probe cardA′. Hereinafter, the difference will be described in detail, and repeated explanation of overlapping parts is omitted here. While reference numeral 800 designates the main substrate, the same reference numerals are applied to the other parts corresponding to Embodiment 1.

[0057] In the main substrate 800, there are provided a plurality of through holes 810 into which connecting pr...