Method of shaping lithographically-produced probe elements
View Patent ↗A method is provided for shaping tips of lithographically-produced probe elements configured for use in a probe card to establish electrical communication with a contact of a semiconductor device to be tested. The method includes (a) lithographically producing a plurality of probe elements and (b) using a subtractive process, such as laser ablation or micro-electro-discharge machining, to remove material from each tip of the plurality of probe elements to form each tip into a shape well adapted to penetrate a contaminant oxide layer.
1. A method of processing probe elements configured for use in a probe card, the method comprising the steps of:
lithographically producing a plurality of probe elements, each of the probe elements having a tip portion;
mounting the plurality of probe elemrnts to a support plate; orienting the support plate at a particular angle with respect to a structure used to remove material to form a particular shape to the tip portion of the probe elements that is well adapted to penetrate a contaminant layer of a surface to be probed by the probe elements;
operating the structure in a first pass over the probe elements to form the particular shape to the tip portion of the probe elements;
orienting the support plate and the probe elements for a second pass with respect to the structure in order to form the particular shape to the tip portion of the probe elements; and
operating the structure in a second pass over the probe elements to form the particular shape to the tip portion of the probe elements.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the structure is a laser ablation device.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the structure is a micro-electro-discharge machining device.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising polishing the tip portion of each probe element.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the polishing step includes chemically polishing the tip portion of the probe element.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the paticular shape of the tip portion includes at least one of a trapezoid shape, a parabolic shape, a contoured shape, or a pyramid shape.
7. The method of claim 2 further comprising polishing the tip portion of each probe element.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the polishing step includes chemically polishing the tip portion of the probe element.
9. The method of claim 2 wherein the paticular shape of the tip portion includes at least one of a trapezoid shape, a parabolic shape, a contoured shape, or a pyramid shape.