US 5,225,037 A · Method for fabrication of probe card for testing of semiconductor devices

Abstract

A flexible polyimide film is used to support an array of precisely located contact bumps which are used to probe die on a wafer of semiconductor circuits, or an unmounted integrated circuit die, several integrated circuits, or hybrid devices. By utilizing a standard I/O contact pattern for the flexible film and fabricating the membrane assembly of interconnects on an aluminum substrate, it is possible to produce a more reliable probe card, while reducing the fabrication time and costs for the probe card. The polyimide film must be selected to have a CTE of 3 to 5, which is only about 1/5 to 1/7 as great as the CTE of the aluminum substrate on which the film is formed. This produces a critical degree of compressive stress in the polyimide film, and a resulting "bow" of the film when the central area of the aluminum is etched away.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method for constructing a probe card for interfacing and testing unmounted semiconductor die, comprising the steps of:

forming a flexible insulating film on a first side of a substrate;
depositing a pattern of metal signal leads on the coated side of the substrate;
forming a layer of flexible insulating film over the metal signal leads;
forming connection vias in the insulating film over the metal signal leads;
forming contact pads on and through the vias to make contact pads connected to the signal leads;
and
etching the substrate from a second side to remove a central part of the substrate;
such that the film and signal leads are supported by the remaining periphery of the substrate.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for fabrication of probe card for testing of semiconductor devices

Life of this patent

Method for fabrication of probe card for testing of semiconductor devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10