Method and prober for contacting a contact area with a contact tip

US7057408B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SUSS MicroTec Test Systems GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Stefan Schneidewind · Sankt Goar, DE
• Claus Dietrich · Sacka, DE
• Jorg Kiesewetter · Thiendorf, DE
• Stojan Kanev · Sacka, DE
• Stefan Kreissig · Drebach, DE
• Frank Fehrmann · Hengshan, TW
• Hans-Jurgen Fleischer · Großenhain, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 29, 2004
• Grant date: Jun 6, 2006
• Expiry date: Jun 29, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R31/2886
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of contacting a contact area with the tip of a contact needle (contact tip) in a prober and the arrangement of such a prober, is based on the object of ensuring reliable contacting and direct observation of the establishment of the contact between the contact tip and the contact area when contacting contact pads of small dimensions. The prober substantially includes a base frame with a movement device including a clamping fixture for receiving a semiconductor wafer and also contact needles, which are arranged opposite the free surface of the semiconductor wafer. The contacting of the contact tips initially requires a horizontal positioning of the semiconductor wafer, so that the contact area and the contact tip are one above the other and at a distance from each other, and subsequently moving vertically in the direction of the contact tip, until a contact of the contact tips with the contact area is established. The object is achieved by the vertical movement of the semiconductor wafer until the end position is reached being directly observed in a horizontal direction of observation and, for this purpose, an observation device is arranged in such a way that the observation…