IP Library Granted Patent US 9,759,762
Granted Patent B2
US 9,759,762 · App. 14/781,021 · Granted Sep 12, 2017

Probe device

Inventors: Eiichi Shinohara (Yamanashi, JP); Munetoshi Nagasaka (Yamanashi, JP); Ken Taoka (Yamanashi, JP); Yoshiyasu Kato (Yamanashi, JP)
Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
G01R31/26G01R1/07314G01R31/2887G01R1/07342G01R1/07378G01R3/00G01R31/2886
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,759,762
App. No.
14/781,021
Granted
Sep 12, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A probe device includes an electrode plate arranged above a mounting table for mounting thereon a semiconductor wafer and electrically connected to a tester, a contact probe arranged at a side of the mounting table and electrically connected to a mounting table electrode of the mounting table. The contact probe includes a contact portion, having a top surface formed uneven, to be in contact with the electrode plate, and a cable connection portion formed as one unit with the contact portion. The contact portion and the cable connection portion are vertically movable by a biasing member provided below the cable connection portion. When the probes are made contact with electrodes of a semiconductor device of the semiconductor wafer by moving up the mounting table, the contact portion and the electrode plate are made contact with each other and the backside electrode and the tester are electrically connected to each other.

Claims (31)

1. A probe device electrically coupled to a semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor wafer and configured to perform an electrical test of the semiconductor device by a tester, the probe device comprising:

a mounting table configured to mount the semiconductor wafer thereon;

a mounting table electrode formed on a mounting surface of the mounting table, wherein the semiconductor wafer is mounted on the mounting table, wherein the mounting table electrode contacts a backside electrode formed on a backside of the semiconductor device;

a probe card arranged above the mounting table, wherein the probe card comprises a plurality of probes electrically coupled with the tester;

a driving mechanism configured to drive the mounting table to cause the probes to contact with electrodes of the semiconductor device of the semiconductor wafer mounted on the mounting table;

an electrode plate arranged above the mounting table and electrically coupled with the tester;

a contact probe arranged at a side of the mounting table;

a stopper and guide block coupled to the side of the mounting table; and

a base block protruding from a lower portion of the mounting table,

wherein the contact probe includes: a contact portion configured to contact with the electrode plate, wherein the contact portion has a top surface formed uneven; and a cable connection portion formed as one unit with the contact portion and disposed below the contact portion; and a cable electrically coupled to the mounting table electrode being connected to the cable connection portion,

wherein the contact probe is locked to the base block through a probe guide block and a probe presser,

wherein the contact probe is integrally formed from one metal material,

wherein a gold-plated layer and an intermediate plated layer are formed on a surface of the contact probe, the intermediate plated layer being formed under the gold-plated layer,

wherein the contact portion and the cable connection portion are configured to be vertically movable by a biasing member that is disposed below the cable connection portion, and

wherein, when the probes are made contact with the electrodes of the semiconductor device by moving up the mounting table, the contact portion and the electrode plate are brought into contact with each other and the backside electrode and the tester are electrically connected to each other.

2. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the contact probe is arranged in plural number at an interval along a circumferential direction of the mounting table.

3. The probe device of claim 1 , further comprising an elevation unit configured to move the contact probe up and down.

4. The probe device of claim 3 , wherein the elevation unit is configured to control a height of the contact probe at multiple stages.

5. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the contact portion has a disk shape,

wherein the cable connection portion has a rectangular parallelepiped shape,

wherein the cable connection portion is disposed immediately below the contact portion, and

wherein a screw part for connecting the cable is disposed at a side surface of the cable connection portion.

6. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein a gold-plated layer is formed on a surface of the contact portion and a surface of the cable connection portion.

7. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein a resistivity between a side surface of the contact portion and a side surface of the cable connection portion is smaller than or equal to 0.1 mΩ.

8. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the stopper and guide block is made of aluminum.

9. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the base block is made of stainless steel.

10. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the probe guide block is made of resin.

11. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the probe presser is made of aluminum.

12. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate plated layer is made of electroless nickel plating.

13. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the gold-plated layer has a thickness of 0.3 μm to 0.5 μm.

14. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate plated layer has a thickness of 3 μm.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2015
From: SHINOHARA, EIICHI; NAGASAKA, MUNETOSHI; TAOKA, KEN; KATO, YOSHIYASU
To: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036674/0077 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-067811 · Mar 28, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160061882A1 · Mar 3, 2016