ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING ASSEMBLY OF TEST CONNECTORS

Abstract

An electrically connecting assembly has a probe card and a conductive rubber sheet. The probe card has multiple probes. Each of the probes has a first contact end and an inclined guiding segment inclined to a same direction. The conductive rubber sheet is mounted on the probe card, is located in a side of the probe card having the inclined guiding segment, and has a rubber sheet body and multiple wires distributed in the rubber sheet body. The first contact end of each of the probes is capable of contacting a group of the wires. The inclined guiding segment of each of the probes is capable of guiding a direction for the group of the wires to be squeezed and deformed. The electrically connecting assembly prevents the probes from directly abutting the test object to reduce the replacement frequency.

Claims

1. An electrically connecting assembly comprising: a probe card having an insulation board; multiple probes mounted in the insulation board; each of the probes having a first contact end; a second contact end; an inclined guiding segment formed on the first contact end; the inclined guiding segments of the probes inclined to a same direction; a conductive rubber sheet mounted on the probe card, located in a side of the probe card having the inclined guiding segment, and having a rubber sheet body; multiple wires distributed in the rubber sheet body; the first contact end of each of the probes being capable of contacting a group of the wires; the inclined guiding segment of each of the probes being capable of guiding a direction for the group of the wires to be squeezed and deformed.

2. The electrically connecting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inclined guiding segment has a curved slope surface protruding outward or concave inward, or the inclined guiding segment has an arced surface protruding outward or concave inward.

3. The electrically connecting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inclined guiding segment has an inclined surface protruding outward or concave inward.

4. The electrically connecting assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wires extends from a side of the rubber sheet body to another side of the rubber sheet body; two ends of each of the wires respectively protrude from two side surfaces of the rubber sheet body; and each of the probes is a spring probe or each of the probes has a fixed length.

5. The electrically connecting assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the wires extends from a side of the rubber sheet body to another side of the rubber sheet body; two ends of each of the wires respectively protrude from two side surfaces of the rubber sheet body; and each of the probes is a spring probe or each of the probes has a fixed length.

6. The electrically connecting assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the wires extends from a side of the rubber sheet body to another side of the rubber sheet body; two ends of each of the wires respectively protrude from two side surfaces of the rubber sheet body; and each of the probes is a spring probe or each of the probes has a fixed length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is a side view in cross-section of a first embodiment of an electrically connecting assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 2 is an operational side view in cross-section of the first embodiment of the electrically connecting assembly in FIG. 1, showing the electrically connecting assembly used in a semiconductor component test;

[0020] FIG. 3 is partially enlarged view of FIG. 2;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a side view in cross-section of a second embodiment of an electrically connecting assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0022] FIG. 5 is an operational side view in cross-section of the second embodiment of the electrically connecting assembly in FIG. 4, showing the electrically connecting assembly used in a semiconductor component test;

[0023] FIG. 6 is a side view in cross-section of a third embodiment of an electrically connecting assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 7 is an operational side view in cross-section of the third embodiment of the electrically connecting assembly in FIG. 6, showing the electrically connecting assembly used in a semiconductor component test;

[0025] FIG. 8 is a side view in cross-section of a fourth embodiment of an electrically connecting assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 9 is a side view in cross-section of a fifth embodiment of an electrically connecting assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 10 is an operational side view in cross-section of the fifth embodiment of the electrically connecting assembly in FIG. 9, showing the electrically connecting assembly used in a semiconductor component test;

[0028] FIG. 11 is another operational side view in cross-section of the first embodiment of the electrically connecting assembly in FIG. 1, showing the electrically connecting assembly used in a wafer test; and

[0029] FIG. 12 is another operational side view in cross-section of the fifth embodiment of the electrically connecting assembly in FIG. 9, showing the electrically connecting assembly used in a wafer test.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] With reference to FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9, multiple embodiments are shown in these drawings. An electrically connecting assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a probe card 10 and a conductive rubber sheet 20.

[0031] With reference to FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9, the probe card 10 has an insulation board 11 and multiple probes 12 mounted in the insulation board 11. An amount of the probes 12 matches an amount of contact pads 31 of an IC test load board 30 or matches an amount of contact points 41, 41A of a semiconductor component 40, 40A. The probes 12 correspond in positions to the contact pads 31 of the IC test load board 30 or correspond in positions to the contact points 41, 41A of a semiconductor component 40, 40A. With reference to FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 7, and 8, each of the probes 12 is a spring probe or each of the probes has a fixed length.

[0032] With reference to FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9, each of the probes 12 has a first contact end 121 and a second contact end 122. The first contact end 121 and the second contact end 122 are respectively exposed from two sides of the insulation board 11. An inclined guiding segment 123 is formed on the first contact end 121 of each of the probes 12. The inclined guiding segments 123 of the probes 12 are inclined to a same direction. The second contact end 122 can be a flat surface or a protruding arced surface.

[0033] With reference to FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9, in these preferred embodiments, the inclined guiding segment 123 has a curved or flat sloped surface protruding outward or concave inward, or the inclined guiding segment 123 has an arced surface protruding outward or concave inward (such as a semispherical surface).

[0034] With reference to FIGS. 1, 4, 6, and 8, in these preferred embodiments, the inclined guiding segment 123 can be a recess in a conical shape, in a semispherical shape, with double flat slopes, or with one single flat slope. Alternatively, the inclined guiding segment 123 can be a protrusion in a conical shape, in a semispherical shape, with double flat slopes, or with one single flat slope. With reference to FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9, the conductive rubber sheet 20 is mounted on the probe card 10 and is located in a side of the probe card 10 having the inclined guiding segment 123. The conductive rubber sheet 20 has a rubber sheet body 21 and multiple wires 22. The rubber sheet body 21 is made of elastic materials such as rubber. The wires 22 are distributed in the rubber sheet body 21. Each of the wires 22 extends from a side of the rubber sheet body 21 to another side of the rubber sheet body 21. Two ends of each of the wires 22 respectively protrude from two side surfaces of the rubber sheet body 21. An area of the wires 22 distributed in the rubber sheet body 21 allows each of the probes 12 of the probe card 10 to be electrically connected to a group of the wires 22 corresponding in position (hereinafter referred to as wire group 220). The inclined guiding segment 123 guides a direction for the wire group 220 to be squeezed and deformed, so wires of the wire group 220 are restricted to be squeezed and deformed toward a same direction.

[0035] The way that the wires 22 of the conductive rubber sheet 20 are distributed in the rubber sheet body 21 can be determined according to needs. The wires 22 can be distributed in the rubber sheet body 21 vertically, substantially vertically, or inclinedly. In this preferred embodiment, an angle between the wires 22 and a side surface of the rubber sheet body 21 is 60 degrees to 90 degrees. When the angle between the wires 22 and the side surface of the rubber sheet body 21 is 90 degrees, the wires 22 are distributed in the rubber sheet body 21 vertically. When using a thin conductive rubber sheet 20, the wires 22 are preferably distributed in the rubber sheet body 21 inclinedly, so that the wires 22 and the rubber sheet body 21 are assembled well to prevent separation. Besides, the wire 22 is short so a lateral distance between an upper end and a lower end of the wire 22 is short. On the contrary, when using a thick conductive rubber sheet 20, the wires 22 are preferably distributed in the rubber sheet body 21 vertically or substantially vertically.

[0036] The applicable test object of the electrically connecting assembly tests can be, but is not limited to, a ball-grid-array semiconductor component (BAG), a land-grid-array semiconductor component (LGA), or quad flat no-lead package semiconductor component (QFN). In order to facilitate instruction, the followings are taking testing operations of the electrically connecting assembly applied to BGA and LGA type semiconductor components for example, and the testing operations of other types of semiconductor components are analogous and will not be repeated.

[0037] With reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10, the conductive rubber sheet 20 is mounted on the probe card 10. The electrically connecting assembly is mounted on the IC test load board 30 of the semiconductor component 40, 40A via a base, which is not shown in the drawings and is a well-known component in the test connectors. The probe card 10 is placed on the IC test load board 30. The second contact ends 122 of the probes 12 are electrically connected to the contact pads 31 of the IC test load board 30 corresponding in positions. The conductive rubber sheet 20 mounted on the probe card 10 is used as an electrically connecting medium for the semiconductor component 40, 40A.

[0038] When testing the semiconductor component 40, 40A, the semiconductor component 40, 40A is placed on the conductive rubber sheet 20 and is pressed downward. The contact points 41, 41A of the semiconductor component 40, 40A abut and press the conductive rubber sheet 20. By the flexibility and resilience of the conductive rubber sheet 20, each of the contact points 41, 41A of the semiconductor component 40, 40A is allowed to contact one of the wire groups 220 corresponding in position via the conductive rubber sheet 20, so as to eliminate the height difference between the contact points 41, 41A of the semiconductor component 40, 40A. Each of the wire groups 220 contacts the corresponding inclined guiding segment 123, and the inclined guiding segment 123 guides a direction for the wire group 220 to be squeezed and deformed, so the wire group 220 is restricted to be squeezed and deformed toward a same direction, and thus the contact points 41, 41A of the semiconductor component 40, 40A are electrically connected to the corresponding probes 12 via the wire groups 220 correctly. The probes 12 of the probe card 10 are respectively electrically connected to the contact pads 31 of the IC test load board 30 corresponding in positions, and the inspection system tests the semiconductor components 40, 40A via the IC test load board 30 and the electrically connecting assembly.

[0039] In the abovementioned testing process of the semiconductor components 40, 40A, the electrically connecting assembly in the present invention uses the combination of the probe card 10 and the conductive rubber sheet 20, and uses the flexibility and resilience of the conductive rubber sheet 20 to eliminate the slight height difference between the contact points 41, 41A of the semiconductor component 40, 40A, and therefore each of the contact points 41, 41A of the semiconductor component 40, 40A can be electrically connected to the contact pads 31 of the IC test load board 30 corresponding in positions via the electrically connecting assembly of the present invention.

[0040] On the other hand, the electrically connecting assembly in the present invention uses the inclined guiding segment 123 of the probes 12 to guide the direction for the wire groups 220 to be squeezed and deformed, so the wire groups 220 are restricted to be squeezed and deformed toward a same direction, and thus the surface oxide layer of each of the contact points 41, 41A of the semiconductor component 40, 40A can be penetrated by multiple wires 22 of one of the wire groups 220, and said wires 22 contact the main body of the contact point 41, 41A inside to form an optimal electrical connection. Especially with reference to FIG. 3, since the inclined guiding segment 123 of the probe 12 is a recess, the guiding function of the inclined guiding segment 123 makes the wire group 220 squeezed and deformed to attach to and match a ball-shaped contact point 41. In such case, a contact area between the wire group 220 and the ball-shaped contact point 41 can be expanded, thereby increasing the testing performance of the test to the semiconductor components 40.

[0041] With reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the drawings show preferred embodiments of the electrically connecting assembly of test connectors applied to a wafer testing process, which indicates that the electrically connecting assembly can be applied to both semiconductor components or wafers testing process, and is not limited thereto.

[0042] With reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the electrically connecting assembly of test connectors in the present invention is invertedly installed in a wafer inspection system. The probe card 10 or the conductive rubber sheet 20 is mounted on a bottom surface of the IC test load board 30A. The contact pads 31A of the IC test load board 30A are respectively electrically connected to the probes 12 of the probe card 10 corresponding in positions, or are respectively electrically connected to the wire groups 220 of the conductive rubber sheet 20 corresponding in positions. The probe card 10 under the conductive rubber sheet 20 or the conductive rubber sheet 20 under the probe card 10 is used as an electrically connecting medium during testing. When the wafer 50 is pushed upward, the way of each of the contact points 51 of the wafer 50 electrically connected to the contact points 31A of the IC test load board 30A is identical to the way of the testing to semiconductor components.

[0043] According to the above, the electrically connecting assembly of test connectors of the present invention uses the combination of the probe card 10 and the conductive rubber sheet 20. By the flexibility and resilience of the conductive rubber sheet 20, the slight height difference between the contact points 41, 41A, 51 of the semiconductor components 40, 40A and the wafers 50 can be eliminated, so that the contact points 41, 41A, 51 of the semiconductor components 40, 40A and the wafers 50 can all be electrically connected to the contact pads 31 of the IC test load board 30 correctly. Moreover, the inclined guiding segments 123 of the probes 12 of the probe card 10 are inclined to a same direction, and the conductive rubber sheet 20 is mounted on the side of the probe card 10 having the inclined guiding segments 123, so the wires 22 of the conductive rubber sheet 20 can contact the inclined guiding segments 123 corresponding in positions and can be guided to be squeezed and deformed toward a same direction. Thus, the electrically connecting assembly offers correct and stable connections and signal paths to ensure the correctness of test of the semiconductor components 40, 40A or the wafers 50.

[0044] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.