Patent · US Expired

Probe device

US5550482A · kind A · utility

108Cited by
9References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 14, 1994
Grant dateAug 27, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 14, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R1/06705
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A probe device for testing a wafer divided into IC chips has a vessel that accommodates a wafer mounting stand and a flexible probe card having contactor bumps. The vessel is configured in a separatable manner of a grounded aluminum cover portion to which the probe card is integrally fixed and a base portion fixed to the wafer mounting stand. The interior of the vessel is sealed with the wafer and the probe card facing each other therein. A space above the probe card forms a damper chamber into which a fluid is introduced in such a manner that the pressure thereof presses the bumps on the probe card against the wafer. Bumps in a peripheral edge portion of the probe card are placed into contact with electrodes in a peripheral edge portion of the vessel, and thence to a test head. The above configuration can prevent the effects of external electrical noise and thus enable stable electrical measurements unaffected by changes in ambient temperature. In order to remove the effects of thermal expansion of the probe card and the wafer, graticules are formed in each of X and Y directions around an array of bumps. The coordinate positions of the bumps on the probe card under normal temperat…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.