US 6,690,185 B1Granted

Large contactor with multiple, aligned contactor units

AssigneeFormFactor, Inc.

InventorsIgor Y Khandros, David V. Pedersen, Ralph G. Whitten

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method of fabricating a large contactor (62) is provided wherein one or more contactor units (78) are mounted on a support substrate (74) such that contact elements (80) attached to the contactor units are suitably aligned. In this manner, a large area contactor can be prepared using a plurality of smaller contactor units. Preferably the contact elements on the plurality of contactor units are coplanar across the contactor units. This is particularly advantageous for making a large contactor for probing semiconductor devices on a wafer. This also can be useful for making a contactor capable of contacting devices across an entire semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment, the contactor units self-align during reflow of a joining material such as solder balls (134) or other reflowable material interconnecting the contactor units and the support substrate. In alternative embodiments, alignment facilitation devices such as keys (154) and indentations (156) are utilized to assist the alignment of the contactor units.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A segmented contactor comprising:

an interconnect substrate having a plurality of contact areas formed on a surface thereof;
a plurality of contactor units, each comprising a first side and a second side;
a plurality of conductive, elongate connection elements, each having a first end and a second end, each attached at said first end to said first side of one of said plurality of contact units;
a sacrificial substrate;
a plurality of tips formed on said sacrificial substrate;
first joining material disposed between each of said plurality of contactor units and each of said plurality of contact areas, said first joining material having a surface tension while in a liquid state, whereby each of said plurality of contactor units is substantially aligned with a corresponding one of said plurality of contact areas;
and
second joining material disposed between each of said plurality of tips and said second ends of each of said connection elements, said second joining material having a surface tension while in a liquid state, whereby each of said plurality of tips is substantially aligned with said second end of a corresponding one of said plurality of interconnection elements.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/196,924Filed 19 Nov 1998 · continuation in part
Priority: 15 Jan 1997
Granted: 10 Feb 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01R 1/07342
With individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or…:…
G01R 31/2863
External aspects, e.g. related to chambers, contacting devices or handlers: contacting devices, e.g. sockets, burn-in boards or mounting fixtures
G01R 31/2889
Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks: interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester
G01R 1/06716
Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins: elastic

Family

Application08/784,862Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Jan 1997
Application08/789,147Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Jan 1997
Application08/994,799Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Dec 1997
US 5,806,181 AParent of this continuation · filed 15 Sep 1998
Application08/994,799Parent of this continuation
Application08/789,147Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,064,213 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,741,085 B1Related patent
US 6,690,185 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.