Apparatus and method for limiting over travel in a probe card assembly
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatuses for testing semiconductor devices are disclosed. Over travel stops limit over travel of a device to be tested with respect to probes of a probe card assembly. Feedback control techniques are employed to control relative movement of the device and the probe card assembly. A probe card assembly includes flexible base for absorbing excessive over travel of the device to be tested with respect to the probe card assembly.
1. A method of making a probe card assembly, said method comprising:
forming a plurality of probes on a surface of a substrate; and
forming a stop structure on said surface of said substrate, wherein said forming a plurality of probes and said forming a stop structure comprise:
lithographically forming a plurality of tip structures and a stop plate on a sacrificial substrate; and
transferring said tip structures to a plurality of probe bodies attached to said surface of said substrate; and
transferring said stop plate to a stop support attached to said surface of said substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
said transferring said tip structures to a plurality of probe bodies attached to said surface of said substrate, and said transferring said stop plate to a stop support attached to said surface of said substrate comprise:
attaching said tip structures to said probe bodies;
attaching said stop plate to said stop support; and
releasing said tip structures and said stop plate from said sacrificial substrate.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said lithographically forming a plurality of tip structures and a stop plate on a sacrificial substrate comprises:
patterning a plurality of masking layers; and
depositing material within said patterned masking layers to form said tip structures and said stop plate.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said patterned masking layers define shapes of said tip structures and said stop plate.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said patterned masking layers define relative locations of said tip structures and said stop plate.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein contact portions of said tip structures are located in a first plane and a contact portion of said stop plate is located in a second plane, and said first plane is a predetermined distance from said second plane.