Patent · US Expired

Method for testing and burning-in a semiconductor wafer

US5597737A · kind A · utility

39Cited by
4References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 3, 1995
Grant dateJan 28, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 3, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/2886
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Flip-chip is fast becoming the mounting method of choice in the semiconductor industry for dice having a high number of contacts. Since many applications require known-good-die, these flip-chip semiconductor dice must be tested and burned-in. By testing and burning-in the semiconductor wafers prior to solder bumping, the probe tips (42, 44, 46 & 48) can contact the hard planar surface of the under-bump-metallurgy (40) on each bonding pad (14) for easier and more reliable contact and hence test results. The probe tips can be either of an array (42 & 44) or cantilevered needle (46 & 48) type. Blunt probe tips (42 & 48) are well-suited to making contact on the shoulder of each bonding pad of each semiconductor die, while sharp probe tips (44 & 46) are preferable for contacting the center of each bonding pad. Solder bumping is performed post-testing.

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