Method of manufacturing needle for probe card using fine processing technology, needle manufactured by the method and probe card comprising the needle

Abstract

Disclosed are probe card needles manufactured using microfabrication technology, a method for manufacturing the probe card needles, and a probe card having the probe card needles. The probe needles are manufactured by forming, on a ceramic board, probe needle bases made of conductive metal, and a polymeric elastomer layer, by using photolithography and a photoresist, and continuously depositing conductive metal layers on the probe needle bases in such a manner as to be supported by the polymeric elastomer layer. The probe card comprises: a printed circuit board (PCB) which is connected to a test head for transmitting an electrical signal from a tester; a ceramic board located below the PCB and electrically connected to the PCB by a plurality of interface pins; a jig for mechanically holding the interface pins and the multilayer ceramic board to the PCB; and a plurality of probe needles attached to the lower surface of the multilayer ceramic board and making contact with electrical/electronic devices.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . Probe card needles manufactured using microfabrication technology by a manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
 forming, on a ceramic board, probe needle bases made of conductive metal, and a polymeric elastomer layer, through photolithography using a photoresist;   depositing a conductive metal layer on the probe needle bases in such a manner as to be supported by the polymeric elastomer layer; and   forming probe tips on the end of the conductive metal layer.   
     
     
         23 . Probe card needles as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the manufacturing method further comprises the steps of:
 a step of depositing a seed layer on the probe needle bases and the polymeric elastomer layer and baking a photoresist on the surface of the seed layer;   a first plating step of patterning the photoresist through exposure and development with a mask pattern to expose the desired portions of the seed layer and plating a conductive metal layer on the exposed portions;   a second plating step of applying and baking a photoresist on the metal layer formed in the first plating step, developing the photoresist through exposure to expose the desired portions of the metal layer, and plating a conductive metal layer on the exposed portions;   a third plating step of applying and baking a photoresist on the metal layer formed in the second plating step, developing the photoresist through exposure to expose the desired portions of the metal layer, and plating a conductive metal layer on the exposed portions;   a step of applying and baking a photoresist on the metal layer formed in the third plating step, developing the photoresist through exposure to expose the desired portions of the metal layer,   and plating a conductive metal layer on the exposed portions, thus forming probe tips for the probe needles; and   a step of removing the seed layer and photoresist formed on the polymeric elastomer layer so as to leave only the conductive metal layers serving as the probe needles.   
     
     
         24 . Probe card needles as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein a process for forming the probe needle bases and the polymeric elastomer layer comprises:
 a first step of depositing a seed layer on the multilayer ceramic board and applying and baking a photoresist on the surface of the seed layer;   a second step of developing the photoresist through exposure with a mask pattern to form island probe needle bases;   a third step of etching portions of the seed layer exposed through the removal of the photoresist in the second step;   a fourth step of charging polymer elastomer in the exposed portions;   a fifth step of removing the photoresist from the probe needle bases; and   a sixth step of plating a conductive metal layer on the seed layer from which the photoresist has been removed.   
     
     
         25 . A probe card comprising:
 a printed circuit board which is connected to a test head generating an electrical signal;   a ceramic board located below the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the printed circuit board by a plurality of interface pins;   a jig for holding the ceramic board to the printed circuit board; and   a plurality of probe needles which are formed on the lower surface of the ceramic board, the probe needles having probe tips with a regular or rectangular shape with cut corners,   wherein the plurality of probe needles are manufactured through a method comprising:
 forming, on the ceramic board, probe needle bases made of conductive metal, and a polymeric elastomer layer, through photolithography using a photoresist; 
 depositing a conductive metal layer on the probe needle bases in such a manner as to be supported by the polymeric elastomer layer; and 
 forming the probe tips on the end of the conductive metal layer. 
   
     
     
         26 . A probe card comprising:
 a printed circuit board which is connected to a test head for transmitting an electrical signal from a tester;   a ceramic board located below the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the printed circuit board by a plurality of interface pins;   a jig for holding the ceramic board to the printed circuit board; and   a plurality of probe card needles as claimed in.  claim 23 , which are formed on the lower surface of the ceramic board.