# US 8,541,889 B2 · Probe card including frame and cover plate for testing a semiconductor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,541,889 B2 - Document ID: US8541889B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/301,222 - Filed: 2011-11-21 - Published: 2012-07-05 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-30 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Yang-Gi Kim - Inventors: Yang-Gi Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541889B2 ## CPC - G01R 1/07307: {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 probe card} - H10W 90/00: Package configurations - G01R 1/0483: {Sockets for unleaded IC's having matrix type contact fields, e.g. BGA or PGA devices; Sockets for unpackaged, naked chips} - H10W 20/20: Interconnections within wafers or substrates, e.g. through-silicon vias [TSV] - H10W 74/15: on active surfaces of flip-chip devices, e.g. underfills - H10W 90/284: {characterised by structural arrangements for measuring or testing} - H10W 90/297: {characterised by the through-semiconductor vias [TSVs] in the stacked chips} - H10W 90/722: {between stacked chips} - H10W 90/724: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL} - H10W 90/734: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A probe card includes a main circuit board electrically connected to a tester in order to test a plurality of unpackaged sets of chips, a frame provided on the main circuit board and including a plurality of sockets for respectively receiving the unpackaged sets of chips, probe blocks respectively provided in the sockets and including a plurality of probes electrically connected to input/output terminals of the unpackaged sets of chips, and a cover plate positioned over the frame and including a plurality of pressure members for pressurizing the unpackaged sets of chips in the sockets. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A probe card, comprising: a main circuit board electrically connected to a tester in order to test at least a first unpackaged set of chips and at least a second unpackaged set of chips; a frame provided on the main circuit board, the frame including at least a first socket configured to receive the first unpackaged set of chips and at least a second socket configured to receive the second unpackaged set of chips; and a cover plate positioned over the frame, the cover plate comprising: a first movable member configured to maintain a position of the first unpackaged set of chips in the first socket during testing of the first unpackaged set of chips; and a second movable member configured to maintain a position of the second unpackaged set of chips in the second socket during testing of the second unpackaged set of chips, wherein the first movable member is configured to move independently of the second movable member, and wherein the first unpackaged set of chips comprises: at least a first chip die including a through-via; and at least a second chip die stacked on the first chip die and electrically connected the first chip die, wherein the first chip and second chip die are not connected to a package substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The probe card of claim 1, wherein the first unpackaged set of chips includes a set of chips cut from one or more wafers and the second unpackaged set of chips includes a set of chips cut from one or more wafers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The probe card of claim 1, wherein the cover plate further comprises: a first elastic member configured to support the first movable member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The probe card of claim 3, wherein the cover plate further comprises: a second elastic member configured to support the second movable member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The probe card of claim 1, wherein the cover plate further comprises: a first adjustment member configured to control a height of the first movable member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The probe card of claim 5, wherein the cover plate further comprises: a second adjustment member configured to control a height of the second movable member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The probe card of claim 1, wherein the first movable member maintains the position of the first unpackaged set of chips during testing of the first unpackaged set of chips in a manner different than second movable member maintains the position of the second unpackaged set of chips during testing of the second unpackaged set of chips. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The probe card of claim 1, wherein the tester is configured to send a first test signal to the first unpackaged set of chips and a second test signal to the second unpackaged set of chips, wherein the first test signal is different from the second test signal. ### Claim 9 A probe card, comprising: a main circuit board electrically connected to a tester in order to test at least a first unpackaged set of chips and at least a second unpackaged set of chips; a frame provided on the main circuit board, the frame including at least a first socket configured to receive the first unpackaged set of chips and at least a second socket configured to receive the second unpackaged set of chips; and a cover plate positioned over the frame, the cover plate comprising: a first pressure member configured to pressurize the first unpackaged set of chips; and a second pressure member configured to pressurize the second unpackaged set of chips, wherein the first pressure member pressurizes the first unpackaged set of chips in a manner different than the second pressure member pressurizes the second unpackaged set of chips, wherein the first unpackaged set of chips comprises: at least a first chip die including a through-via; and at least a second chip die stacked on the first chip die and electrically connected the first chip die, wherein at least the first input/output terminal of the first unpackaged set of chips is exposed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The probe card of claim 9, wherein the first pressure member is configured to move in a vertical direction to correspond to a first height of the first unpackaged set of chips and the second pressure member is configured to move in a vertical direction to correspond to a second height of the second unpackaged set of chips. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The probe card of claim 10, wherein the cover plate further comprises: a first adjustment member configured to control a height of the first pressure member; and a second adjustment member configured to control a height of the second pressure member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The probe card of claim 9, wherein the cover plate further comprises: a first elastic member configured to support the first pressure member; and a second elastic member configured to support the second pressure member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The probe card of claim 9, wherein the tester is configured to provide a first test signal to the first unpackaged set of chips and a second test signal to the second unpackaged set of chips, wherein the first test signal is different from the second test signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device, comprising: a first set of chips tested by the probe card of claim 1; a package substrate stacked with the first set of chips; and a mold formed on the stacked first set of chips and package substrate, wherein the first set of chips, the package substrate, and the mold comprise a package. ### Claim 15 A probe card, comprising: a main circuit board including a plurality of probes, and electrically connected to a tester in order to test at least a first unpackaged set of chips and at least a second unpackaged set of chips; a frame provided on the main circuit board, the frame including at least a first socket configured to receive the first unpackaged set of chips and at least a second socket configured to receive the second unpackaged set of chips; and a cover plate positioned over the frame, the cover plate comprising: a first pressure member configured to pressurize the first unpackaged set of chips such that exposed input/output terminals of the first unpackaged set of chips contact corresponding first probes, wherein the first pressure member is configured to be individually inserted into the first socket to pressurize the first unpackaged set of chips; and a second pressure member configured to pressurize the second unpackaged set of chips such that exposed input/output terminals of the second unpackaged set of chips contact corresponding second probes, wherein the second pressure member is configured to be individually inserted into the second socket to pressurize the second unpackaged set of chips, wherein the first pressure member is configured to move independently of the second pressure member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The probe card of claim 15, wherein the first unpackaged set of chips comprises: a first chip die including a plurality of through-substrate vias and the exposed input/output terminals; and at least a second chip die stacked on the first chip die and electrically connected to the first chip die through the through-substrate vias. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The probe card of claim 15, wherein the first pressure member is configured to move in a vertical direction to correspond to a first height of the first unpackaged set of chips and the second pressure member is configured to move in a vertical direction to correspond to a second height of the second unpackaged set of chips, wherein the first height is different from the second height. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The probe card of claim 15, wherein the cover plate further comprises: a first adjustment member configured to control a height of the first pressure member; and a second adjustment member configured to control a height of the second pressure member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The probe card of claim 15, wherein the cover plate further comprises: a first elastic member configured to support the first pressure member; and a second elastic member configured to support the second pressure member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The probe card of claim 15, wherein the tester is configured to provide a first test signal to the first unpackaged set of chips and a second test signal to the second unpackaged set of chips, wherein the first test signal is different from the second test signal.