KR20060040822A - Test socket with probe card - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a test socket having a probe card. The probe card has a fore pin and is in electrical contact with a contact of a Tape Carrier Package (TCP) or Chip On Flexible Printed Circuit (COF) mounted on the test socket for characterization. The probe card has a probe pin for smooth electrical contact. The probe pin has a predetermined elasticity and is in electrical contact with a contact of TCP or COF.

Probe card, test socket

Description

Testing socket of having probe card

1A and 1B are a perspective view and a plan view of a carrier 200 showing a test socket for testing a conventional surface mount semiconductor device.

2 is a perspective view of a test socket of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the test socket of the present invention.

4 is a perspective view showing a test socket mounted with a carrier of the present invention.

5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the contact between the probe pin and the pattern of the TCP or COF of the present invention.

<Description of Major Drawing Codes>

200: carrier 300: upper frame

310: lower frame 312: carrier guide

316: lead pin 318: probe card

320: probe pin 321: conductive pattern

322: fog pin 404: film

404: semiconductor device 406: contact

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a socket for a semiconductor device test, which is a device in which a semiconductor device is inserted and inspected, and more particularly, to a socket for a semiconductor device test for more accurately testing a surface mount semiconductor device.

Typically, test sockets are used to analyze and examine the final characteristics of a semiconductor device. That is, the test socket is an intermediate medium electrically connected to the test apparatus and connected between the test apparatus and the semiconductor device to test the semiconductor device according to a predetermined test program implanted in the test apparatus. Such a test socket is an inspection device which is essential in debugging process which examines the characteristics of the semiconductor device more closely or analyzes the malfunction of the semiconductor device.

Test sockets are also required in the process of performing reliability checks of semiconductor devices. That is, by artificially installing high temperature, low temperature, various physical environment changes, or various chemical environment change processes, the semiconductor device is put in a worse environment than a normal product use environment, and thus, the life of the semiconductor device and the change of the environment are artificially established. The uniformity of the electrical characteristics can be confirmed.

1A is a perspective view illustrating a test socket for testing a conventional surface mount semiconductor device.

Referring to Figure 1a, the test socket according to the prior art is the upper frame 100, lower frame 110, carrier guide 112, fastening ring 114, lead pin 116, metal wiring 118 and And a contact point 120.

The upper frame 100 has a lid 102 and a fastening portion 104. When the semiconductor device is mounted on the contact point 120, the fastening part 104 is coupled to the fastening ring 114 to fix the semiconductor device in the test socket so as not to shake during the test. In addition, the cover 102 protects the semiconductor device from the outside and presses the semiconductor device to a predetermined pressure so that the semiconductor device is electrically connected to the contact point 120.

The lead pin 116 formed through the lower frame 110 allows the test socket to achieve an electrical connection with the outside. The lead pin 116 is connected to the metal wire 118 through the lower frame 110. The metal wire 118 is connected to the contact point 120. The contact point 120 is an electrical contact with a semiconductor device mounted in a tape carrier package (TCP) or a chip on flexible printed circuit (COF). In the case of the TCP or COF type, contacts are formed in predetermined regions of the film through bumps and patterned conductors formed in the semiconductor device. Thus, the contact point 120 of the socket is electrically connected with the contact on the film.

This will be described in detail through a plan view of the carrier 200 shown in FIG. 1B.

Referring to FIG. 1B, the TCP or COF in which the semiconductor device is mounted is mounted on the carrier 200. That is, TCP or COF is disposed between the carrier lid 204 and the support plate 202 through the carrier lid 204 that is detachable up and down, and the guide groove 206 is inserted into the carrier guide 112 of FIG. 1A. Combined to lose. When TCP or COF is mounted on the carrier 200, the contact of the film is exposed to the surface of the support plate 202. When the carrier 200 having exposed contact of the film is inserted into the carrier guide 112, the contact point 120 and the contact of the film are electrically contacted, and the test or debugging is possible.

According to the above-described prior art, there is a problem that the electrical contact is not made completely between the contact point 120 and the contact of the film. That is, the distance between the contacts of the film is determined according to the number of input / output terminals of the semiconductor device. When the distance between the contacts is very narrow and the number of contacts is large, the horizontality of the contact point 120 and the smoothness of the support plate 202 are determined. As a result, some of the contacts of the film may have a problem of not being in complete electrical contact with the contact point 120.

In particular, since the LCD driving device has a plurality of input and output terminals, there is a problem that the same device is tested several times because electrical contact is not made constant every time the test is performed.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a socket for a semiconductor device test to facilitate the electrical contact with the contact on the TCP or COF by using a probe pin capable of elastic movement up and down in the lower frame.

The present invention for achieving the above object, a plurality of lead pins formed through the lower frame; A fog pin electrically connected to the lead pin; A probe pin formed on the lower frame, connected to the fog pin, and electrically connected to a TCP or COF type contact for mounting a semiconductor device; And an upper frame for fixing a TCP or a COF for mounting a semiconductor device in contact with the probe pin and maintaining electrical contact.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

Example

2 is a perspective view showing a test socket according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the test socket includes an upper frame 300, a lower frame 310, a probe card 318 installed on the lower frame 310, and a probe pin installed on the probe card 318. 320, carrier guide 312 and lead pin 316.

The upper frame 300 has a lid 302, a fastening portion 304 and a pusher 306.

When the TCP or COF mounting the semiconductor device is mounted on the probe pin 320, the coupling unit 304 is coupled to the coupling ring 314 to fix the semiconductor device in the test socket so that the semiconductor device does not shake during the test. Perform. The cover portion 302 also protects the semiconductor device from the outside. In addition, when the TCP or COF mounting the semiconductor device is mounted in the test socket, the pusher 306 presses the semiconductor device at a predetermined pressure so that the semiconductor device is electrically connected to the probe pin 320. Preferably, the pusher 306 has a metal material. The pusher 306 having a metal material has a high smoothness and performs a function of pushing the entire surface of the semiconductor device downward with an equal pressure.

In addition, the lead pin 316 formed through the lower frame 310 allows the test socket to achieve an electrical connection with the outside. The lead pin 316 penetrates through the lower frame 310 and is connected to the probe card 318 formed on the lower frame 310.

The probe card 318 has a plurality of probe pins 320 in the surface area. The probe pin preferably has a tungsten or copper material. It is known to those skilled in the art that the probe card 318 and the probe pin 320 are used in an electric die sorting (EDS) process during a semiconductor test process. That is, the probe pin 320 is a device that has a predetermined elasticity and is in contact with the pad of the semiconductor chip before the packaging step to perform a test. In the present invention, such a brob card is applied to a test socket used for inspecting or debugging a characteristic of a semiconductor device in a completed packaging state.

The probe pin 320 is installed to be in electrical contact with a semiconductor device mounted in the form of TCP or COF.

In the case of the TCP or COF type, contacts are formed in predetermined regions of the film through bumps and patterned leads formed in the semiconductor device. Thus, the probe pin 320 of the socket is electrically connected to the contact on the film.

TCP, originally called a "tape carrier method," is one of the wireless bonding methods in the assembly technology of highly integrated semiconductor chips. This is a package which connects a semiconductor chip to a tape film and seals with resin.

In addition, COF is a new type of package recently developed to cope with the LCD driving device according to the light and short size of communication equipment. This is a method of bonding a bumped chip onto a substrate of polyamide.

A predetermined pattern is formed on the TCP or COF in which the semiconductor device is mounted, and a contact for electrical connection with the probe pin 320 is formed. TCP or COF in which the semiconductor device is mounted is mounted on the carrier 200 shown in FIG. 1B. When mounted on the carrier 200, contacts of TCP or COF are exposed on the surface of the support plate 202, and the semiconductor device is fixed by the carrier lid 204. In addition, the carrier guide 312 of FIG. 2 and the guide groove 206 of FIG. 1B are coupled to each other. Preferably the carrier according to the invention has a metal material. The carrier with the metal material maintains high smoothness and allows the pressure delivered from the pusher 306 to be evenly transmitted to the contact of the semiconductor device and TCP or COF. This is to prevent the contact from being incompletely formed by the minute pressure difference.

3 is a cross-sectional view of a test socket according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 3, the upper frame is not shown for easy understanding, and the lower frame 310, the lead pin 316, the probe card 318, the probe pin 320, and the fog pin 322 penetrating the lower frame. ) Is shown.

The probe pin 320 is formed such that its end portion faces obliquely upward and is somewhat higher than the surface of the probe card 318. In addition, the probe pin 320 is connected to the conductive pattern 321 formed under the probe card 318 to be coupled to the probe card 318. Soldering or the like may be used to couple the probe pin 320 to the conductive pattern 321.

The conductive pattern 321 under the prop card 318 is connected to the fog pins 322. The fog pin 322 is also made of a conductive metal, and is provided with a spring to achieve easy electrical connection with the lead pin 316 and even if the lead pin 316 is spaced up and down. In addition, the spring has an elasticity to push the fog pins 322 upward, and facilitates contact with the conductive pattern 321 of the probe card 318.

4 is a perspective view illustrating a test socket in which a carrier is mounted according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a perspective view of the test yaw socket illustrated in FIG. 2, in which a carrier 200 having a fixed TCP or COF is mounted. Therefore, the description of the components shown in FIG. 2 will be omitted, and the carrier 200 will be described on the probe card 318.

Referring to FIG. 4, TCP or COF in which a semiconductor device is mounted is fixed by a carrier. The carrier 200 is disposed on the probe card 318 so that the rear surface of the support plate 202 faces upward. Each guide groove 206 located in the carrier 200 is engaged with the carrier guide 312. The contact of the TCP or COF exposed outside the carrier lid 204 and exposed on the support plate 202 is in contact with the probe pin 320 of the brobe card 318.

5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a contact between a probe pin and a pattern of TCP or COF according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the probe pin 320 is in contact with a contact 406 formed on the film 402. The semiconductor device 404 is mounted on the film 402, and a contact 406 is formed. The TCP or COF is fixed by the support plate and the carrier cover of the carrier. The contacts 406 exposed on the side of the lid are in contact with the probe pin 320.

Since the probe pin 320 is elastic, the probe pin 320 may be easily electrically connected to the contact 406 even if the smoothness between the contacts 406 is not constant.

According to the present invention as described above, having a pusher and a carrier formed of a metal material, and by using a probe card having a probe pin to configure a socket, it can be easily in electrical contact with the package of the TCP or COF type, Poor contact can be prevented.

Although described above with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below I can understand that you can.

Claims (4)

A plurality of lead pins formed through the lower frame; A fog pin electrically connected to the lead pin; A probe pin formed on the lower frame, connected to the fog pin, and electrically connected to a TCP or COF type contact for mounting a semiconductor device; And And an upper frame for fixing a TCP or COF for mounting a semiconductor device in contact with the probe pin and for maintaining electrical contact. The test socket according to claim 1, wherein the test socket further includes a carrier for mounting TCP or COF for mounting a semiconductor device, and preventing separation of the mounted TCP or COF. 3. The test socket of claim 2 wherein the upper frame further comprises a pusher to pressurize the carrier to achieve an electrical connection between the TCP or COF type contact and the probe pin. The test socket of claim 3, wherein the carrier is made of metal, and the pusher is made of metal.

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