Resilient contact element and methods of fabrication

1. A resilient contact element for use in a probe card, comprising:

a lithographically formed resilient beam having a first end and an opposing second end;

a tip disposed proximate the first end of the beam and configured to break through an oxide layer of a surface of a device to be tested to establish reliable electrical connection therewith;

a post disposed proximate the second end of the beam, the beam being coupled to the post; and

wherein upper and lower surfaces of the beam, in at least a central portion between the first end and the second end of the beam, have a continuously curved sloped profile defining, in a relaxed state wherein the tip is in contact with the device to be tested, a particle clearance height measured between the beam and a plane representing an upper surface of a the device to be tested that is greater near the second end of the beam than near the first end of the beam and increases continuously from the first end of the beam to the second end of the beam.

2. The resilient contact element of claim 1 , wherein the resilient contact element has a lower scrub ratio for a given particle clearance height of the resilient contact element when contacting a device under test as compared to a similarly sized contact element comprising a horizontal beam.

3. The resilient contact element of claim 1 , wherein the particle clearance height increases non-linearly along a middle portion of the beam in a direction from the first end of the beam to the second end of the beam.

4. The resilient contact element of claim 1 , wherein the particle clearance height proximate the second end of the beam is sufficient to avoid contacting an about 100 μm particle when engaged against a device under test.

5. The resilient contact element of claim 1 , wherein the beam is configured to provide a contact pressure at the tip of less than about 20 grams force.

6. The resilient contact element of claim 1 , wherein the beam has a spring constant of between about 0.5-5 grams force per mil of movement.

7. The resilient contact element of claim 1 , wherein the tip comprises the same materials as the beam.

8. The resilient contact element of claim 1 , wherein the beam has a width that tapers from the second end towards the first end.

9. The resilient contact element of claim 1 , wherein the beam consists essentially of one or more plated layers.

10. A probe card assembly for testing a semiconductor, comprising:

a probe substrate; and

a resilient contact element coupled to the probe substrate, the resilient contact element comprising:

a lithographically formed resilient beam having a first end and an opposing second end; and

a tip disposed proximate the first end of the beam and configured to break through an oxide layer of a surface of a device to be tested to establish reliable electrical connection therewith;

a post disposed proximate the second end of the beam, the post coupling the beam to the probe substrate; and

wherein upper and lower surfaces of the beam between the first end and the second end have a curved sloped profile defining, in a relaxed state wherein the tip is in contact with the device to be tested, a particle clearance height measured between the beam and a plane representing an upper surface of a device to be tested that is greater near the second end of the beam than near the first end of the beam and increases continuously from the first end of the beam to the second end of the beam.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the resilient contact element has a lower scrub ratio for a given particle clearance height of the resilient contact element when contacting a device under test as compared to a similarly sized contact element comprising a horizontal beam.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the particle clearance height increases non-linearly along a middle portion of the beam in a direction from the first end of the beam to the second end of the beam.

13. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the tip comprises the same material as the beam.

14. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the beam has a width that tapers from the second end towards the first end.

15. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the resilient contact element is disposed beneath the probe substrate.

16. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the beam consists essentially of one or more plated layers.