Probe assembly, probe card including the same, and methods for manufacturing these

A probe assembly comprising:

• an electric insulating first substrate having two surfaces opposed to each other;
• a plurality of probes supported on one surface of the first substrate;
• a plurality of first through holes provided in the first substrate to respectively correspond to the plurality of probes and filled with a conductive material attached to the respective probes;
• a plurality of first conductive membranes formed on the other surface of the first substrate and respectively attached to the conductive material in the plurality of first through holes;
• an electric insulating second substrate which has two surfaces opposed to each other and whose one surface faces the first substrate and is piled on the first substrate;
• a plurality of second through holes provided in the second substrate to respectively correspond to the plurality of first conductive membranes and filled with a conductive material attached to the respective first conductive membranes;
• and
• a plurality of second conductive membranes formed on the other surface of the second substrate and respectively attached to the conductive material in the plurality of second through holes.

A method for manufacturing a probe assembly comprising:

• preparing a jig having a surface and a plurality of recesses opened to the surface;
• respectively arranging a plurality of proves each having a base end portion in the plurality of recesses of the jig so that each probe may extend along each recess and so that a part of the base end portion of each probe may be outside each recess;
• forming on the surface of the jig a covering layer covering the surface and the probes;
• removing a part of the covering layer or a part of the covering layer and parts of the base end portions of the probes for the purpose of forming an exposed surface exposing the base end portions of the probes and parallel to the surface of the jig;
• attaching to the exposed surface one surface of an electric insulating substrate having two surfaces opposed to each other;
• providing the substrate with through holes opposed to the base end portions of the respective probes;
• filling the respective through holes with a conductive material;
• forming on the other surface of the substrate conductive membranes to be attached to the conductive material in the respective through holes;
• removing the covering layer;
• and
• removing the jig.

A method for manufacturing a probe assembly comprising:

• preparing a jig having a surface and a plurality of recesses opened to the surface;
• respectively arranging a plurality of proves each having a base end portion in the plurality of recesses of the jig so that each probe may extend along each recess and so that a part of the base end portion of each probe may be outside each recess;
• forming on the surface of the jig a covering layer covering the surface and the probes;
• removing a part of the covering layer or a part of the covering layer and parts of the base end portions of the probes for the purpose of forming an exposed surface exposing the base end portions of the probes and parallel to the surface of the jig;
• attaching to the exposed surface one surface of an electric insulating first substrate having two surfaces opposed to each other;
• providing the first substrate with first through holes opposed to the base end portions of the respective probes;
• filling the respective first through holes provided in the first substrate with a conductive material;
• forming on the other surface of the first substrate first conductive membranes to be attached to the conductive material in the respective first through holes;
• piling on the first substrate one surface of an electric insulating second substrate having two surfaces opposed to each other toward the other surface of the first substrate;
• providing the second substrate with second through holes opposed to the respective first conductive membranes;
• filling the respective second through holes provided in the second substrate with a conductive material;
• forming on the other surface of the second substrate second conductive membranes to be attached to the conductive material in the respective second through holes;
• removing the covering layer;
• and
• removing the jig.