Electrical signal connector

An electrical signal connector comprising:

• a probe having a first contact point on one end, a second contact point on another end and a resiliently deformable part in an intermediate portion of the probe;
• said first and second contact points making electric connection by entering into contact with a pad for electric connection created in a semiconductor chip to be tested and a terminal of a circuit board electrically connected with a tester, respectively;
• and
• a vertically extending plane-shaped resin film for supporting said probe, the resin film having first and second edges spaced in a parallel relation;
• wherein:
• said probe is formed on or connected to a surface of the resin film so that the resiliently deformable part of said probe is positioned between the first and second edges of the resin film and the resiliently deformable part of said probe is in a state resiliently deformable in a first direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the first and second edges of the resin film;
• a plurality of slit-like openings are formed in a portion of the resin film corresponding to the resiliently deformable part of said probe so that at least a portion of the resin film is in a state resiliently deformable in the first direction;
• the first contact point of said probe protrudes from the resin film in a second direction so as to contact with the pad of the semiconductor chip to be tested, the second direction being opposite the first direction and perpendicular to the first and second edges of the resin film;
• the second contact point of said probe is brought into contact in use with the terminal of the circuit board electrically connected with the tester;
• when a force is applied to the first contact point in the first direction,
• the resiliently deformable part of said probe resiliently deforms in the first direction,
• the at least a portion of the resin film resiliently deforms in the first direction,
• the first contact point moves towards the second edge, and
• signals may be transmitted and received between the semiconductor chip to be tested via the first contact point and the tester via the second contact point;
• a probe unit in which a plurality of the resin films and the probes connected thereon are supported in a stacked or parallel arranged manner in a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to a face of the resin film;
• a plurality of support rods support the resin films and the probes in the stacked or parallel arranged manner;
• and
• a grid support is provided which includes a plurality of openings, with each of the probes being separately placed and fixed in each of the openings.