JP5185686B2 - Probe and probe manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a probe and a method for manufacturing the probe.

  In a chip-like semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor substrate, an electrical inspection is performed in a state before the semiconductor chip is separated from the semiconductor wafer. In such an electrical inspection, a probe card (probe board) on which a plurality of probes are mounted according to the arrangement of electrode pads is used. Specifically, the probe is brought into contact with an electrode pad provided in the semiconductor device. Then, the semiconductor device is energized through the probe to perform electrical characteristic inspection (probing). With the recent high integration of semiconductor devices, the number of probes formed on the probe card is also increasing. That is, it is necessary to reduce the probe size by reducing the pitch of the test device.

  Such probes include a cantilever type (cantilever type) and a spring pin type. The cantilever type probe extends in the lateral direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the probe 22 is mounted on the wiring board 21 and extends along the main surface of the wiring board 21 of the probe card 20 (Patent Document 1). Then, the probe card 20 is moved in the vertical direction (arrow direction), and the portion protruding in the vertical direction (arrow direction) is brought into contact with the electrode pad 12 of the semiconductor chip 11.

  The cantilever type probe is required to have rigidity, elasticity and the like in addition to conductivity. That is, elasticity for pressing the probe 22 against the electrode pad 12 in the direction of the arrow and rigidity for preventing deformation when pressed are required. Thus, by giving elasticity to the probe 22, it becomes possible to press the probe against the electrode pad by overdrive. By pressing with overdrive, the probe 22 is pushed up in the direction opposite to the arrow and deformed. The contact property with the electrode pad can be improved by the elastic force when the probe is deformed. In addition, rigidity is required so that the probe does not deform when pressed by overdrive. Thereby, durability can be improved and a test | inspection can be performed repeatedly.

  Further, the probe of Patent Document 1 is provided with a protrusion at the tip for scraping off the surface oxide film formed on the electrode pad 12 when the contact portion 31 is brought into contact with the surface of the electrode pad 12. . By doing in this way, the scrub effect which scrapes off an insulating surface oxide film can be acquired, and the contact property with electrode pad 12 can be improved.

  Such a probe 22 is produced using a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technique (Patent Document 2). That is, a probe having a desired shape can be obtained by forming a conductive layer and a sacrificial layer using a photolithography method. Specifically, a conductive layer having a desired pattern shape and a sacrificial layer are stacked, and the sacrificial layer is removed. By doing so, the probe is removed from the sacrificial substrate, and the probe is completed.

JP 2004-150874 A JP 2003-227849 A

  As described above, as the integration of semiconductor devices increases, it is necessary to reduce the size of the probe. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, it is necessary to shorten the frame length, which is the length in the direction parallel to the main surface of the wiring board 21. However, when the frame length is shortened, plastic deformation occurs when pressed by overdrive. That is, when the amount of overdrive is increased, plastic deformation occurs beyond the elastic limit. When plastic deformation occurs, it cannot be used for inspection of the next semiconductor device. Thus, when the probe is downsized, the amount of overdrive is limited. Therefore, the contactability is lowered and the inspection cannot be performed reliably. Or there are concerns about problems such as insufficient durability of the probe.

As described above, the conventional probe has a problem that the performance such as the contact property and the durability is deteriorated as the size is reduced.
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a small, high-performance probe and a method for manufacturing the probe.

  The probe according to the first aspect of the present invention is a probe provided in a probe card for performing an electrical inspection on an object, and a connection portion connected to a wiring board of the probe card; A contact portion that contacts an electrode pad of an object; a beam portion that extends from the connection portion toward the contact portion; and a hinge portion that rotatably supports the beam portion with respect to the connection portion. Is. Thereby, even when pressed against the electrode pad by overdrive, deformation of the probe can be prevented. Therefore, even when the probe is downsized, it can be reliably brought into contact with the electrode pad.

  A probe according to a second aspect of the present invention is the above-described probe, wherein the connection portion includes a support column extending toward the electrode pad side, and the hinge portion is provided on the support column. It is. Thereby, it can be made to contact reliably.

  A probe according to a third aspect of the present invention is the above-described probe, further comprising a spring portion provided between the beam portion and the connection portion and pressing the contact portion against the electrode pad. Is. Thereby, a probe can be reliably made to contact with an electrode pad.

  A probe according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the above probe, wherein the spring portion is formed of a conductive material. Thereby, electroconductivity can be improved.

  A probe manufacturing method according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a probe provided in a probe card for performing an electrical inspection on an object, wherein a first conductive layer is provided on a sacrificial substrate. Forming a shaft portion on the first conductive layer; and forming a lower sacrificial layer that covers the side surface of the shaft portion and extends from the side surface of the shaft portion to the first conductive layer. A step of forming a rotating portion provided to surround the shaft portion on the lower sacrificial layer, a step of forming an upper sacrificial layer on the rotating portion provided around the shaft portion, Forming a second conductive layer covering the shaft portion on the upper sacrificial layer; and a hinge mechanism capable of rotating the rotating portion around the shaft portion by removing the upper sacrificial layer and the lower sacrificial layer Forming the step. Thereby, even when pressed against the electrode pad by overdrive, deformation of the probe can be prevented. Therefore, even when the probe is downsized, it can be reliably brought into contact with the electrode pad.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a small and highly efficient probe and the manufacturing method of a probe can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments to which the present invention can be applied will be described. The following description explains the embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. For clarity of explanation, the following description is omitted and simplified as appropriate. Further, those skilled in the art will be able to easily change, add, and convert each element of the following embodiments within the scope of the present invention. In addition, what attached | subjected the same code | symbol in each figure has shown the same element, and abbreviate | omits description suitably.

  First, the configuration of a probe card using the probe (contactor) according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of a probe card for performing electrical characteristic inspection (probing) on a semiconductor device. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of semiconductor chips 11 are formed on a wafer 10 that is a semiconductor substrate. A large number of semiconductor chips 11 as semiconductor devices are arranged on the wafer 10. An electrode pad 12 for electrical connection is formed on the surface of the semiconductor chip 11. One semiconductor chip 11 is provided with a plurality of electrode pads 12. The electrode pad 12 is exposed. Various signals are input / output to / from a circuit provided in the semiconductor chip 11 via the electrode pads 12.

  The probe card 20 is disposed so as to face the wafer 10. That is, the probe card 20 is arranged in parallel to the wafer 10. The probe card 20 is disposed above the wafer 10. The probe card 20 has a wiring board 21 and a probe 22. A plurality of probes 22 are mounted on the wiring board 21. A plurality of probes 22 are arranged according to the arrangement of the electrode pads 12. Then, each probe 22 contacts the corresponding electrode pad 12. On the wiring board 21, wirings connected to the probes 22 are formed. As a result, the inspection signal from the prober is supplied to the probe 22 via the wiring of the wiring board 21.

  Then, the probe 22 is mounted on the wiring board 21. The probe 22 is fixed to the wiring board 21 by soldering or the like. That is, the bumps of the probe 22 are soldered to the wiring of the wiring board 21. Therefore, the wiring of the wiring board 21 is connected to the electrode pad 12 through the probe 22. Thereby, the input / output of the inspection signal becomes possible. In the following description, a direction parallel to the main surface (lower surface) of the wiring substrate 21 is a horizontal direction, and a vertical direction is a vertical direction.

  When performing inspection (probing), the tip of the probe 22 comes into contact with the electrode pad 12. That is, the probe card 20 having the probe 22 is moved in the arrow direction (vertical direction) in FIG. Then, the probe 22 and the electrode pad 12 approach each other, and the tip of the probe 22 comes into contact with the surface of the electrode pad 12. As a result, the electrode pad 12 is electrically connected to the probe 22. Further, when the probe card 20 is slightly moved in the direction of the arrow, pressing with overdrive becomes possible. Thereby, the contact property with the electrode pad 12 can be improved, and a reliable test | inspection is attained.

  The probe 22 is a cantilever type (cantilever type). Accordingly, the probe 22 extends along the lateral direction (perpendicular to the arrow). That is, the probe 22 is provided along a direction parallel to the wiring board 21 and the main surface. The tip of the probe 22 is pressed against the electrode pad 12 by the elastic force generated when pressed by overdrive. Thereby, it can be made to contact reliably.

  Next, the configuration of the probe 22 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the probe 22. The probe 22 includes a contact part 31, a beam part 32, a hinge part 33, a connection part 34, and a spring part 35. Further, the connecting portion 34 includes a support base 34a, a support 34b, a bump 34c, and a concave groove 34d. In FIG. 2, the upper and lower sides are opposite to those in FIG. 1, the upper side is the electrode pad 12 side, and the lower side is the wiring board 21 side. Therefore, the contact portion 31 is disposed so as to protrude toward the electrode pad 12, and the bump 34 c is disposed on the wiring substrate 21 side. The probe 22 is made of a conductive metal material or the like.

  A contact portion 31 that comes into contact with the electrode pad 12 is provided at the upper end of the probe 22. The contact portion 31 is supported by a beam portion 32 extending in the lateral direction. The beam portion 32 extends in the lateral direction, that is, along the main surface of the wiring board 21. Further, the beam portion 32 is bent in an approximately L shape. That is, when the beam portion 32 extending in the lateral direction is bent, the distal end side of the beam portion 32 extends in the direction of the electrode pad 12. A contact portion 31 is provided at an end portion extending in the direction of the electrode pad 12. That is, the contact portion 31 is provided at the end on the electrode pad 12 side. The contact portion 31 protrudes closer to the electrode pad 12 than the other portions of the probe 22. The tip of the contact part 31 is pointed.

  The beam portion 32 is supported by the connection portion 34. An end portion of the beam portion 32 opposite to the contact portion 31 side is connected to the connection portion 34. That is, the beam portion 32 extends from the connection portion 34 toward the contact portion 31. The connection part 34 is a part connected to the wiring board 21. That is, the connection portion 34 becomes a pedestal portion fixed to the wiring board 21 and supports the beam portion 32 and the like.

  The connecting portion 34 is bent in an L shape and has a support base 34a and a support post 34b. The support base 34a extends in the horizontal direction, and the column 34b extends in the vertical direction. That is, the column 34b extends from one end of the support base 34a in the direction of the electrode pad 12. Further, a bump 34c is provided in the central portion of the support base 34a. The bump 34c is formed of a material different from that of the support base 34a and the support column 34b. The bump 34c is exposed to the wiring board 21 side. The bump 34c is electrically connected to the wiring of the wiring board 21. The bumps 34c may protrude from the support base 34a to the wiring board 21 side.

  The connecting portion 34 is provided with a hinge portion 33 having a hinge mechanism. The hinge portion 33 is disposed on the tip end side of the column 34b. The hinge part 33 has a rotating shaft and supports the beam part 32 rotatably. The beam portion 32 is rotated along the arrow in FIG. Thereby, the angle between the beam part 32 and the support | pillar 34b changes. And the distance between the beam part 32 and the support stand 34a changes. A concave groove 34d that is slightly larger than the thickness of the beam portion 32 is formed at the tip of the column 34b. And the edge part of the beam part 32 is inserted in the ditch | groove 34d. A hinge portion 33 is disposed at the intersection of the connection portion 34 and the beam portion 32. As described above, the beam portion 32 is attached to the connection portion 34 via the hinge portion 33. In addition, the manufacturing method of the hinge part 33 is mentioned later.

  Further, a spring portion 35 is connected to the beam portion 32. The spring portion 35 is formed in an S shape. In the lateral direction, the attachment position of the spring part 35 with respect to the beam part 32 is between the contact part 31 and the column 34b. The spring part 35 is provided between the beam part 32 and the connection part 34. One end of the spring portion 35 is fixed to the support base 34 a and the other end is fixed to the beam portion 32. Here, two S-shaped spring portions 35 are arranged so as to sandwich the beam portion 32. In this way, the contact portion 31 is urged to the electrode pad 12 by providing the spring portion 35 bent in the S-shape. For the spring portion 35, a conductive metal material can be used similarly to the connection portion 34 and the beam portion 32. By using a conductive material for the spring portion 35, the beam portion 32 and the connection portion 34 are electrically connected via the spring portion 35. For this reason, electroconductivity can be improved. In addition, when sufficient electroconductivity is securable, you may form the spring part 35 with an insulating material. For example, a resin material or the like can be used for the spring portion 35.

  When the probe 22 is pressed against the electrode pad 12 by overdrive, the spring portion 35 biases the beam portion 32. Thereby, the contact part 31 is pressed against the electrode pad 12, and contact property can be improved. That is, when the probe 22 is pressed, the beam portion 32 is rotated by the hinge portion 33. In FIG. 2, the beam portion 32 rotates downward with the hinge portion 33 as the rotation center. Thereby, the edge part by the side of the contact part 31 of the beam part 32 approaches the support stand 34a. Then, the spring part 35 contracts and an elastic force is generated. The beam portion 32 is urged upward by the elastic force of the spring portion 35. Therefore, the contact portion 31 is biased in the direction of the electrode pad 12. The contact portion 31 can be reliably brought into contact with the electrode pad 12. Therefore, the contact property can be improved and the inspection can be surely performed. Further, if the spring constant of the spring portion 35 is set to an appropriate value, it is possible to prevent the probe 22 from being plastically deformed. Therefore, durability can be improved and repeated inspections can be performed reliably. Thus, the small and high-performance probe 22 can be provided.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the S-shaped spring portion 35 is provided, but the shape of the spring portion 35 is not limited to the S-shape. For example, a C-shaped spring portion 35 may be provided as shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, one C-shaped spring portion 35 is connected to the surface of the beam portion 32 on the support base 34 a side. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, a Z-shaped spring portion 35 may be provided. In FIG. 4, one Z-shaped spring portion 35 is connected to the beam portion 32. Of course, the shape of the spring portion 35 is not particularly limited, and may be a shape other than those shown in FIGS. Further, the hinge portion 33 may be provided on the spring portion 35. By connecting one end of the spring portion 35 to the connection portion 34 and connecting the other end to the beam portion 32, the spring portion 35 can be reliably brought into contact.

  Next, the structure of the hinge part 33 is demonstrated using FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the probe 22 shown in FIG. FIG. 5A is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the probe 22, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing the configuration of the probe 22. That is, FIG. 5A is a side cross-sectional view of the probe 22 having the C-shaped spring portion 35. FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional configuration so that the configuration of the probe 22 in the thickness direction can be seen. Therefore, in FIG. 5A, the L-shaped bending of the beam portion 32 is omitted. In FIG. 5 (a), as shown in FIG. 5 (b), a portion surrounded by a circle A corresponds to the contact portion 31, a portion surrounded by a circle B corresponds to the hinge portion 33, and C The circled portion corresponds to the connection portion 34, the circled portion D corresponds to the spring portion 35, and the circled portion E corresponds to the bump 34c.

  As shown in part C and part D of FIG. 5A, the spring part 35 and the connection part 34 have a three-layer structure of a lower structure layer 41, an intermediate structure layer 43, and an upper structure layer 45. That is, the intermediate structure layer 43 is formed on the lower structure layer 41. An upper structure layer 45 is formed on the intermediate structure layer 43. The upper surface of the intermediate structure layer 43 is in contact with the lower surface of the upper structure layer 45, and the lower surface is in contact with the upper surface of the lower structure layer 41. The lower structure layer 41, the intermediate structure layer 43, and the upper structure layer 45 are made of, for example, a conductive metal material such as nickel cobalt (NiCo). Therefore, the lower structure layer 41, the intermediate structure layer 43, and the upper structure layer 45 are electrically connected. Further, the bump 34 c is formed, for example, in a plated layer, and has the same thickness as the three-layer structure of the lower structure layer 41, the intermediate structure layer 43, and the upper structure layer 45. Further, the concave groove 34 d of the connection portion 34 is configured by the upper structure layer 45 and the lower structure layer 41 without the intermediate structure layer 43. That is, a concave groove 34 d corresponding to the thickness of the intermediate structure layer 43 is formed.

  As shown in part B of FIG. 5A, the hinge part 33 is formed with a shaft part 42. The shaft portion 42 is disposed between the lower structure layer 41 and the upper structure layer 45. Since the shaft portion 42 serves as the shaft of the hinge mechanism, it is formed in a columnar shape, for example. The upper surface of the shaft portion 42 is fixed to the upper structural layer 45, and the lower surface is fixed to the lower structural layer 41.

  Around the shaft portion 42, a rotating portion 44 to be the beam portion 32 is provided. The rotating part 44 is provided with a through hole for inserting the shaft part 42. The through hole is formed larger than the shaft portion 42. Therefore, the rotating part 44 is provided on the entire side surface of the shaft part 42 so as to surround the shaft part 42.

  A part of the rotating part 44 is inserted into the concave groove 34d. That is, the upper structure layer 45 is disposed on the upper side of the rotating unit 44, and the lower structure layer 41 is disposed on the lower side. In the hinge portion 33, a lower structure layer 41 and an upper structure layer 45 larger than the shaft portion 42 are provided on both upper and lower sides of the shaft portion 42. Therefore, the rotating part 44 does not come off from the shaft part 42. The rotating part 44 is formed thinner than the intermediate structure layer 43. Therefore, a gap is formed above and below the rotating unit 44. That is, the rotating part 44 and the upper structural layer 45 are not fixed, and a gap is formed between them. Further, the rotating portion 44 and the lower structure layer 41 are not fixed, and a gap is formed between them. Therefore, the rotating part 44 rotates around the shaft part 42 as the center of rotation. Thereby, the beam part 32 is rotatably supported by the hinge part 33. The shaft part 42 and the rotating part 44 are made of a conductive material. As the shaft portion 42 and the rotating portion 44, a metal material such as nickel cobalt (NiCo) can be used as in the lower structure layer 41 and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the tip A 47 to be the contact portion 31 is provided in the portion A. The tip chip 47 is made of, for example, palladium cobalt (PdCo). Further, a part of the tip tip 47 is disposed between the rotating portion 44 and the upper structure layer 45. That is, the beam portion 32 is constituted by the rotating portion 44 and the upper structural layer 45 in the outer portion of the hinge portion 33. That is, in the central portion of the beam portion 32, the beam portion 32 is configured by the rotating portion 44, the upper structure layer 45, and a laminated structure. In the beam portion 32, the rotating portion 44 and the upper structural layer 45 are connected. Further, on the distal end side of the beam portion 32, a three-layer structure of a rotating portion 44, a distal tip 47 and an upper structural layer 45 is formed. Therefore, the tip tip 47 is disposed between the rotating portion 44 and the upper structural layer 45. The contact portion 31 is formed of a tip tip 47. That is, the distal end side of the distal tip 47 is formed so as to protrude from the rotating portion 44 and the upper structural layer 45. The protruding portion of the tip 47 is the contact portion 31.

  When pressed by overdrive, the beam portion 32 is rotated by the hinge portion 33. In FIG. 5A, the beam portion 32 rotates with the vertical direction as the direction of the rotation axis. By providing the hinge portion 33 on the beam portion 32, the beam portion 32 is not distorted when bent. Further, since the beam portion 32 is connected to the spring portion 35, it is not necessary to give elasticity. For this reason, the beam part 32 can be shortened and a frame length becomes short. Thereby, size reduction of the probe 22 is realizable. Further, even when the probe 22 is downsized, the probe can be prevented from being deformed by overdrive. Thereby, the amount of overdrive can be increased and the probe 22 can be reliably brought into contact with the electrode pad. Moreover, the probe 22 can be reliably brought into contact with the electrode pad by providing the hinge portion on the support column 34b. Furthermore, since the spring portion 35 that presses the beam portion 32 is provided, the contact portion 31 can be reliably brought into contact with the electrode pad 12. Thereby, contact property can be improved and a reliable test | inspection is attained. Thus, by providing the hinge portion 33, a small and high-performance probe 22 can be realized.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the probe 22 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a process cross-sectional view illustrating the method for manufacturing the probe 22 according to the present embodiment. The pattern in each of the following layers is formed using, for example, MEMS technology. That is, a pattern having a desired shape can be laminated by using photolithography. Specifically, the probe 22 is formed on the substrate by repeatedly performing formation of a conductive layer, resist application, exposure, development, etching, resist removal, and the like. In addition, a method such as plating or sputtering is used for forming the conductive layer. Then, the probe 22 is removed from the sacrificial substrate by removing the sacrificial layer. Moreover, copper, a photoresist, etc. can be used as each sacrificial layer.

  First, a sacrificial substrate 51 made of a Si wafer or the like is prepared. A first sacrificial layer 52 made of copper (Cu) or the like is formed on the entire surface of the sacrificial substrate 51. The first sacrificial layer 52 is polished and planarized. Then, the pattern of the lower structure layer 41 is formed on the first sacrificial layer 52. The lower structure layer 48 that functions as the spring portion 33 is formed of the same material as the lower structure layer 41 or a material having high elasticity. As a result, the configuration shown in FIG. The pattern of the lower structure layer 41 is formed in a portion that becomes the hinge portion 33, the connection portion 34, and the spring portion 35. Thus, the lower structure layer 41 is formed on the sacrificial substrate 51 on which the first sacrificial layer 52 is formed. The lower structure layer 41 is made of a conductive material such as nickel cobalt (NiCo).

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the shaft portion 42 and the second sacrificial layer 53 are formed on the lower structure layer 41. The second sacrificial layer 53 is disposed in a region where the lower structure layer 41 is not formed. Then, the surface is polished and flattened. Thereby, the height of the second sacrificial layer 53 coincides with the lower structure layer 41. That is, the upper surfaces of the second sacrificial layer 53 and the lower structure layer 41 are substantially the same height. Thus, the region where the lower structure layer 41 is not formed is filled with the second sacrificial layer 53. The shaft portion 42 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape so as to be a rotation shaft of the hinge mechanism. The shaft portion 42 is formed in an island shape only in the portion B, that is, the portion that becomes the hinge portion 33. The shaft portion 42 is formed without protruding from the lower structure layer 41. The shaft portion 42 is made of the same metal material as that of the lower structure layer 41 and is in contact with the lower structure layer 41.

  After the shaft portion 42 is formed, a third sacrificial layer 54 is formed as shown in FIG. The third sacrificial layer 54 is formed on the side surface of the cylindrical shaft portion 42. Further, in the portion B, the third sacrificial layer 54 extends from the side surface of the shaft portion 42 to the lower structure layer 41. Further, in the portion A, the third sacrificial layer 54 is formed on the second sacrificial layer 53. That is, the third sacrificial layer 54 extends beyond the lower structure layer 41 and onto the second sacrificial layer 53. The thin film that becomes the third sacrificial layer 54 is formed by sputtering, for example.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6D, the intermediate structure layer 43, the rotating portion 44, and the fourth sacrificial layer 55 are formed. In the D part and the C part, the intermediate structure layer 43 is formed on the lower structure layer 41. The intermediate structure layer 43 is formed of the same metal material as that of the lower structure layer 41 and is in contact with the lower structure layer 41. The rotating part 44 is formed on the third sacrificial layer 54. Further, the rotating portion 44 is formed without protruding from the third sacrificial layer 54. Therefore, the rotating part 44 is disposed on the third sacrificial layer 54 without contacting the lower structure layer 41. The fourth sacrificial layer 55 is disposed in a region where the rotating part 44 or the intermediate structure layer 43 is not formed. Therefore, the fourth sacrificial layer 55 is formed so as to fill the space between the rotating portion 44 and the intermediate structure layer 43. Then, the surface is polished and flattened. As a result, the upper surfaces of the fourth sacrificial layer 55, the intermediate structure layer 43, and the rotating portion 44 have substantially the same height. The third sacrificial layer 54 is thinner than the thickness of the rotating part 44. The rotating portion 44 is thinner than the intermediate structure layer 43 by the thickness of the third sacrificial layer 54.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6E, the tip end 47 is formed. The tip chip 47 is made of, for example, palladium cobalt (PdCo) and is formed by a plating method. In the A part, the tip 47 is formed on the rotating part 44. The tip 47 is formed so as to protrude from the rotating portion 44. That is, the tip tip 47 extends from the rotating part 44 to the fourth sacrificial layer 55.

  After the tip chip 47 is formed, a fifth sacrificial layer 56 is formed as shown in FIG. The fifth sacrificial layer 56 is formed on the rotating part 44 around the hinge part 33. The fifth sacrificial layer 56 is formed so as to cover the rotating part 44 in the B part. Further, the fifth sacrificial layer 56 is formed so as to cover the side surface of the rotating unit 44 at the end of the rotating unit 44 opposite to the tip chip 47. The fifth sacrificial layer 56 on the shaft portion 42 is removed, and the shaft portion 42 is exposed. That is, the pattern of the fifth sacrificial layer 56 is formed so as to have a hole corresponding to the shaft portion 42 in the B portion. The thin film that becomes the fifth sacrificial layer 56 is formed by sputtering, for example.

  After the fifth sacrificial layer 56 is formed, the upper structure layer 45 is formed as shown in FIG. The upper structure layer 45 is formed thicker than the fifth sacrificial layer 56. The upper structural layer 45 is formed in the A part, the B part, the C part, and the D part. The upper structure layer 45 in the portion B is formed without protruding the fifth sacrificial layer 56. That is, the upper structure layer 45 of the portion that becomes the hinge portion 33 is formed so as to be included in the fifth sacrificial layer 56. Since the fifth sacrificial layer 56 exists around the shaft portion 42, the upper structure layer 45 and the rotating portion 44 are not in contact with each other. Therefore, the upper structure layer 45 is in contact with the shaft portion 42 in the portion B. And the upper structure layer 45 is formed so that the axial part 42 may be covered.

The upper structural layer 49 in the portion D functions as a spring portion and is formed of the same material as the upper structural layer 45 or a material having high elasticity. The region corresponding to the intermediate structure layer may be formed of a material having high elasticity as well. Further, the intermediate structure layer in this region can be omitted.
Further, in this step, the upper structure layer 45 that becomes the contact portion 31 and the connection portion 34 is formed. The upper structure layer 45 in part C is formed directly on the intermediate structure layer 43. Accordingly, in the portion C, the probe 22 has a three-layer structure of the lower structure layer 41, the intermediate structure layer 43, and the upper structure layer 45. In the portion D, the probe 22 has a three-layer structure including a lower structure layer 48, an intermediate structure layer 43, and an upper structure layer 49. In addition, the upper structure layer 45 is formed directly on the intermediate structure layer 43 in the vicinity of the center of the beam portion 32. On the distal end side of the beam portion 32, the upper structure layer 45 is formed on the distal tip 47.

  The upper structure layer 45 in the A part is formed separately from the upper structure layer 45 in the B part, the C part, and the D part. That is, the upper structural layer 45 that becomes the beam portion 32 is formed apart from the upper structural layer 45 that becomes the connection portion 34 and the spring portion 35. In other words, the upper structure layer 45 on the rotating portion 44 is separated from the upper structure layer 45 on the intermediate structure layer 43. Therefore, the upper structure layer 45 in the portion B is formed in an island shape so as not to protrude from the fifth sacrificial layer 56. Further, the upper structural layer 45 in the B part covers the shaft part 42. Therefore, the upper structural layer 45 passes through the hole of the fifth sacrificial layer 56 and comes into contact with the shaft portion 42.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6H, bumps 34c are formed in the E portion. The bump 34c is formed by, for example, a plating method. Then, the probe 22 is completed by removing all the sacrificial layers. That is, the first sacrificial layer 52, the second sacrificial layer 53, the third sacrificial layer 54, the fourth sacrificial layer 55, and the fifth sacrificial layer 56 are removed by sacrificial layer etching. Thereby, the probe 22 is removed from the sacrificial substrate 51. That is, the plurality of probes 22 formed on the sacrificial substrate 51 are removed, and the plurality of probes 22 are produced at once. Then, the probe 22 is mounted on the wiring board 21. That is, the bumps 34 c of the probe 22 are soldered to the wiring pattern of the wiring board 21. Thereby, the probe 22 is fixed to the wiring board 21 and the wiring of the wiring board 21 is connected to the probe 22.

  Thus, in the B part, the sacrificial layers are provided above and below the rotating part 44. By providing a sacrificial layer around the shaft portion 42, a gap is formed. Gaps are provided between the rotating portion 44 and the lower structural layer 41 and between the rotating portion 44 and the upper structural layer 45. Accordingly, the rotating portion 44 is supported so as to be rotatable around the shaft portion 42 without being fixed. By the manufacturing process as described above, a gap with respect to the rotating portion 44 of the shaft portion 42, the lower structure layer 41, and the upper structure layer 45 can be secured. Further, by using the MEMS technology, a conductive structure that becomes a large number of probes 22 can be formed on the sacrificial substrate 51. Therefore, the probe can be manufactured with high productivity.

  In the above description, the inspection target is the semiconductor chip 11, but inspection may be performed on other than the semiconductor chip 11. That is, the above-described configuration can be used for a contact that contacts an electrode pad provided on an inspection target. For example, a test can be performed on a liquid crystal display panel using the probe 22 described above.

It is a side view which shows typically the structure of the probe card concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the probe concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of the probe concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of the probe concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of a probe. It is process sectional drawing which shows the manufacturing method of the probe concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional cantilever type | mold probe.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Wafer 11 Semiconductor chip 12 Electrode pad 20 Probe card 21 Wiring board 22 Probe 31 Contact part 32 Beam part 33 Hinge part 34 Connection part 34a Support base 34b Post 34c Bump 34d Groove 35 Spring part 41 Lower structure layer 42 Shaft part 43 Middle Structure layer 44 Rotating part 45 Upper structure layer 47 Tip chip 48 Lower structure layer 49 Upper structure layer 51 Sacrificial substrate 52 First sacrificial layer 53 Second sacrificial layer 54 Third sacrificial layer 55 Fourth sacrificial layer 56 Fifth sacrificial layer

Claims (5)

A probe provided in a probe card for performing an electrical inspection on an object,
A connecting portion connected to the wiring board of the probe card;
A contact portion in contact with the electrode pad of the object;
A beam portion extending from the connection portion toward the contact portion;
A spring part provided between the beam part and the connection part and pressing the contact part against the electrode pad;
A hinge portion that rotatably supports the beam portion with respect to the connection portion,
The probe has a hinge structure in which the hinge portion pivotally supports the beam portion on the connection portion . The connection portion has a support column extending toward the electrode pad side,
The probe according to claim 1, wherein the hinge portion is provided on the support column. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the spring portion is formed of a conductive material. A probe manufacturing method is provided in a probe card for performing an electrical inspection on an object, and has a spring portion that presses a contact portion against an electrode pad of the object ,
Forming a first conductive layer on the sacrificial substrate;
Forming a shaft portion on the first conductive layer;
Forming a lower sacrificial layer covering a side surface of the shaft portion and extending from the side surface of the shaft portion to the first conductive layer;
Forming a rotating part provided to surround the shaft part on the lower sacrificial layer;
Forming an upper sacrificial layer on a rotating part provided around the shaft part;
Forming a second conductive layer covering the shaft portion on the upper sacrificial layer;
Removing the upper sacrificial layer and the lower sacrificial layer, and forming a hinge mechanism in which the rotating part can rotate around the shaft part. The probe manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein the spring portion is formed by the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

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