1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to probe assemblies for testing integrated circuit (IC) devices and, more particularly, to a system for cleaning tips of probe pins.
2. Description of Prior Art
During fabrication of IC devices from silicon wafers, a probe device is used to interface the IC devices to a tester. A typical probe device includes a probe card assembly having an array of probe pins that contact bond pads on the IC device during testing. The bond pads on the IC device are made from metallic materials such as tin-lead that can oxidize when exposed to air. Also, organic materials left over from certain fabrication processes can exist on the bond pads. When probe pin tips repeatedly contact bond pads, metal oxides of tin-lead and other bond pad materials can build-up on the probe pin tips. Such build-up interferes with the function of the probe pins during testing operations. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically clean probe pins on a probe card.
Conventional cleaning operations include wiping or spraying probe pins with a chemical solution. Effective chemical solutions often employ ingredients that may be hazardous to human operators and to certain components of the probe device.
Accordingly, there is a need for improving probe pin cleaning systems and methods that are effective and easy to use while being safe to both human operators and components of devices being cleaned.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved probe pin cleaning system and method that removes unwanted build-up from a probe pin tips without exposing a human operator or components of the devices being cleaned to a potentially hazardous cleaning solution or debris from the cleaning operation.
Further, objects of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and the ensuing description.
The above and other objects are achieved by a device for cleaning probe pins of a probe card. The device includes a first holding plate, a second holding plate and a cleaning cartridge. The first holding plate secures a probe head device. The second holding plate secures the cleaning cartridge in proximity to the first holding plate. The cleaning cartridge has a chamber. The chamber houses an absorbent pad and a cleaning solution that saturates the absorbent pad. The saturated absorbent pad prevents leakage of the cleaning solution out of the chamber. During cleaning operations, the first holding plate is positioned about the second holding plate such that the probe pins of a probe head extend into and contact the absorbent pad in the chamber. Once contact is established, the cleaning solution chemically attacks unwanted metal debris and oxides on the probe tips.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood when the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments given below is considered in conjunction with the figures provided, wherein:
In these figures, like structures are assigned like reference numerals, but may not be referenced in the description for all figures.
The probe pin cleaning device 10 includes a top holding plate 20, a bottom holding plate 30 and a cleaning cartridge 40. In one embodiment, the top holding plate 20 includes clamps 22 for securing a probe head assembly, shown generally at 60, such as, for example, probe cards sold under the trademarks COBRA® and VENOM® by Wentworth Laboratories, Inc., of Brookfield, Conn. USA. In one embodiment, the bottom plate 30 includes a key way 50 adapted to receive and retain the cleaning cartridge 40 and holes 23 for receiving clamps 22.
In accordance with the present invention and as illustrated in
In one embodiment, the top holding plate 20 is coupled to the bottom holding plate 30 to permit rotation of the top holding plate 20 from a first, open position (
In accordance with the present invention, the penetration of tips of the probe pins 62 into the absorbent pad 46 is controlled by the design of the cleaning cartridge 40. For example, referring now to
It also should be appreciated that the improved probe pin cleaning device 10 includes three integral parts (e.g., holding plates 20 and 30 and the cleaning cartridge 40) which, when combined, form an easy, reusable, self-aligning, chemically metered method of cleaning tips of probe pin 62 of probe head assemblies 60 without invasion of unwanted chemical or debris into or onto the outer surfaces of the probe head assemblies 60. The inventors have realized that once contact is established between the tips of the probe pins 62 and the absorbent pad 46, the cleaning solution 44 acts upon the tips of the probe pins 62 to remove unwanted debris. It is preferable to maintain contact for about two (2) minutes to remove the unwanted debris.
In one aspect of the present invention, the cleaning cartridge 40 is replaceable after each use or after a predetermined number of uses. In one embodiment, the holding fixtures 20 and 30 and the cleaning cartridge 40 are made of polypropylene, a chemically inert material such as polyvinylchloride, or other suitable material to resist decay from exposure to the cleaning solution 44. It should be appreciated that the cleaning solution is a specific chemical capable of dissolving and holding tin-lead accumulations formed on tips of the probe pins 62 of a probe head assembly 60.
As shown in
Some advantages of the present invention include:
While the inventive probe pin cleaning device 10 has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, many variations and modifications, as will be evident to those skilled in this art, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
For example, while the probe pin cleaning device has been described as a two-piece construct (e.g., the top holding plate 20 and the bottom holding plate 30), the present invention contemplates a one-piece, unitary construction and/or a multi-component assembly. The invention is thus not to be limited to the precise details of methodology or construction set forth above as such variations and modification are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/440,248, entitled “PROBE PIN CLEANING SYSTEM AND METHOD” that was filed on Jan. 14, 2003. The disclosures of this patent document is incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5240339 | DeForest et al. | Aug 1993 | A |
5537706 | Baker | Jul 1996 | A |
5728229 | Despres | Mar 1998 | A |
6056627 | Mizuta | May 2000 | A |
6134736 | Pankow | Oct 2000 | A |
6175983 | Hirose et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6199238 | Huang | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6280298 | Gonzales | Aug 2001 | B1 |
6659847 | Liu et al. | Dec 2003 | B2 |
6840374 | Khandros et al. | Jan 2005 | B2 |
20030217423 | Larsen | Nov 2003 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2002177895 | Jun 2002 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040134516 A1 | Jul 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60440248 | Jan 2003 | US |