KR100476590B1 - Socket for testing a semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device test socket, wherein the present invention forms a series of insertion grooves in a portion of the pin-plunger, inducing a portion of the elastic spring to be selectively inserted into the pin-plunger, A negatively recessed fixation groove is formed in a portion of the barrel containing the flanger, leading to a significant improvement in the fixing structure of the barrel, thereby minimizing the overall size of the probe-pin. In addition, in the present invention, the probe-pin fixing housing is replaced with a single structure having a thin thickness, thereby inducing an improvement in the assembly of the probe-pin.

According to the implementation of the present invention, the overall size of the probe pin is minimized, whereby the signal characteristics of the test socket can be greatly improved when the inductance and capacitance represented by the probe pin are greatly reduced, and eventually By maximizing the filtering reliability of the semiconductor devices under test, the final shipped semiconductor products can maintain a certain level of quality.

In addition, according to the practice of the present invention, when a series of improved assembly conditions are implemented, semiconductor manufacturers can easily obtain the advantage that the overall semiconductor test process efficiency is improved to a certain level or more.

Description

Socket for testing a semiconductor device

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a semiconductor device test socket, and more particularly to forming a series of insertion grooves in a portion of a pin-plunger so that a portion of the elastic spring can be selectively inserted into the inside of the pin-plunger. In addition, the present invention relates to a semiconductor device test socket capable of minimizing the overall size of the probe-pin and replacing the probe-pin fixing housing with a thin-walled single structure to improve overall assembly of the probe-pin. .

Typically, each of the "semiconductor devices for which the wafer level manufacturing process has been completed" or "each semiconductor device for which the packaging process is completed" is typically subjected to a series of electrical property inspections before being subjected to a series of subsequent processes.

Such a test process supplies a predetermined test voltage, test current, test signal, etc. to each semiconductor product and checks its output state, thereby performing final filtering whether the semiconductor products are manufactured according to a specific standard. As a process for filtering, depending on the accuracy of this test process, the final shipped semiconductor product is greatly affected by the quality thereof.

For this reason, the conventional semiconductor producers are essentially equipped with a semiconductor test facility dedicated to the test process, and through the precise operation of the semiconductor test facility, to improve the quality of the semiconductor product finally shipped.

As shown in FIG. 1, under the semiconductor test facility 100 system according to the related art, the semiconductor device 1 to be tested, for example, a BGA type (BGA type: Ball Grid Array type; hereinafter referred to as “BGA type”). The semiconductor device forms a series of electrical connections with the test board 2 through the test socket 101 to perform a semiconductor test process required by the semiconductor device.

In this case, the test board 2 supplies a series of test voltages, test currents, test signals, etc. to the test target semiconductor device 1 so that the semiconductor device 1 can be accurately filtered according to whether there is a defect. The test socket 101 serves to electrically connect the test sockets 101 in the state interposed between the test target semiconductor device 1 and the test board 2.

Here, as shown in the figure, the test socket 101 is inserted into the upper and lower housings 102 and 103, and the insertion hole 106 of the upper and lower housings 102 and 103, and the probe pin 110 (Probe-) pin) combination.

In this case, the probe-pin 110 is fixed to the barrel-shaped metallic barrel 113 and the barrel 113 so as to be movable, and the terminal 1a and the test board 2 of the semiconductor device 1 are fixed. Upper and lower pin-flangers 111 and 112 electrically contacting the contact pads 2a of the upper and lower contact pins 2a, and elastic bodies physically connecting the upper and lower pin-flanges 111 and 112, for example, elastic springs 114).

At this time, the insertion hole 106 of the upper and lower housings 102 and 103 is composed of a combination of the small-diameter insertion hole 104 and the large-diameter insertion hole 105, thereby forming a bottleneck structure in which the interface becomes sharply narrow. The end of the barrel 113 that accommodates the lower pin-flanges 111 and 112 is guided so that it can be fixed to the bottleneck of the small-diameter insertion hole 104, through which the upper and lower pin-flanges 111 and 112 can be fixed. A base environment is provided which leads to proper exposure to the outside of the upper and lower housings 102 and 103 without being separated from the upper and lower housings 102 and 103.

Under this structure, when the above-described semiconductor device 1 under test is lowered toward the test board 2 by an external force and presses the upper pin-flange 111, the elastic spring 114 is subjected to the test board (by the force). By strongly compressing to 2) side, a series of energization paths connecting the test target semiconductor device 1 and the test board 2 are formed.

In this situation, the test board 2 supplies a series of test voltages, test currents, test signals, and the like to the semiconductor device 1 to be tested, so that the semiconductor device 1 is precisely filtered according to whether there is a defect. To make it possible.

Under such a prior art scheme, an elastic spring 114 for physically connecting them is interposed between the upper and lower pin-flanges 111 and 112, and therefore, unless an additional measure is taken, the upper and lower pins- The flangers 111 and 112 are forced to open at least the length of the elastic spring 114, so that in the aftermath, the barrel 113 accommodating the upper and lower pin-flanges 111 and 112 also has its length. Will be long.

In general, when the distance between the upper and lower pin-flanges 111 and 112 increases, and the length of the barrel 113 becomes long, the overall probe-pin 110 has to increase in size, and eventually, the corresponding probe-pin ( The inductance and capacitance represented by 110 are inevitably large in proportion to this size increase.

In recent years, with the rapid development of semiconductor manufacturing technology, the operating speed of the semiconductor device under test has been gradually increasing. Despite this situation, under the conventional system, the inductance and capacitance exhibited by the probe-pin 110 are exhibited. Due to the increase in size thereof, the size of the test socket 101 cannot exhibit good signal characteristics because the size thereof is inevitably increased. As a result, the conventional test socket 101 is a high-speed test target semiconductor device 1. Cannot be precisely tested, and as a result, the semiconductor device 10 to be tested cannot be reliably filtered.

Of course, if the length of the elastic spring 114 interposed between the upper and lower pin-plungers (111, 112) is reduced, the size of the barrel 113 is also reduced, it may block some of the above problems, but the effective elastic force In consideration of this, there is bound to be a limit in reducing the length of the elastic spring 114.

Recently, in order to solve the aforementioned problem, a new type of test socket 121 as shown in FIG. 2 has been developed and widely used.

At this time, the new type of test socket 121, the upper and lower housings 122 and 123, the barrel 132, the elastic spring 134, the upper and lower housings 122 and 123, similarly to the previous case It is made of a combination of the probe-pin 130 is inserted and fixed to the insertion hole 126 of the, the insertion hole 126 for fixing the probe-pin 130 also, similar to the previous case, a small diameter insertion hole 124 and the large-diameter insertion hole 125.

However, unlike this similarity, in the new type of test socket 121, a portion of the barrel 132 has a similar structure 132a, which replaces any one of the upper and lower pin-flanges, for example, the upper pin-plunger. Is formed. When such a similar structure 132a is formed, the probe-pin 130 only includes the upper pin-plunger or the lower pin-plunger, for example, the lower pin-plunger 131, but at a normal level of semiconductor. Since the device test process can be performed, the effect of shortening its overall size can be easily obtained.

Of course, when the overall size of the probe-pin 130 is shortened, the inductance and capacitance represented by the probe-pin 130 may be reduced by the size reduction width of the probe-pin 130, so that the test socket ( 121 can exhibit such good signal characteristics, and as a result, the semiconductor device 1 to be tested can be tested more precisely than in the previous case.

However, this new type of test socket 121 is basically, similar to the previous case, "a structure that induces the end of the barrel 132 can be fixed to the bottleneck of the small diameter insertion hole 124 fixed" Since the length of the barrel 132 is at least as long as the size corresponding to the length of the large-diameter insertion hole 125 of the upper and lower housings, there is no choice but to exhibit a disadvantage that the length of the similar structure (132a) In spite of the formation of, the limit of inductance and capacitance is reduced.

In recent years, to overcome this limitation, another type of test socket 141 as shown in FIG. 3 has been developed and widely used.

At this time, another type of socket 141, similar to the new type of the previous, the upper and lower housings (142 and 143), the barrel 152, the elastic spring 154, with the upper and lower housings (142 and 143) It is made of a combination of the probe-pin 150 is inserted and fixed to the insertion hole 146 of the), the insertion hole 146 for fixing the probe-pin 150 also, similar to the previous case, small diameter insertion It consists of a combination of the hole 144 and the large-diameter insertion hole 145. Of course, similarly to the previous case, a part of the barrel 152 is formed with a similar structure 152a, which replaces any one of the upper and lower pin-plungers, for example, the upper pin-plunger.

However, unlike this similarity, in the new type of test socket 141, a part of the barrel 152 is provided with a relief projection 152b for guiding the fixing of the probe-pin 150 in relief. When the fixing protrusion 152b is formed, the probe-pin 150 may not be fixed at the bottleneck portion of the small-diameter insertion hole 144 by the intermediate portion of the barrel 152, not at the end of the barrel 152. It is possible to form a structure to guide so that ", it is possible to reduce the length of the large-diameter insertion hole 145 formed in the housing (142,143), it is possible to easily obtain the effect of shortening its overall size .

Of course, when the overall size of the probe-pin 150 is shortened, the inductance and capacitance represented by the probe-pin 150 can be reduced by the size reduction width of the probe-pin 150, so that the test socket ( 141 may exhibit such a good signal characteristic, and as a result, it is possible to test the semiconductor device 1 under test more precisely than in the previous case.

However, although this new type of test socket has the difference of "using the fixed protrusion 152b", basically, the "large diameter insertion hole 145 is used as a moving path, and the fixed protrusion 152b is made into the small diameter. Since the structure to be fixed to the bottleneck of the insertion hole is not avoided, the barrel 152 may have a length that is at least as long as the size corresponding to the length of the large-diameter insertion hole 145 of the housings 142 and 143. Inevitably, despite the formation of the fixing protrusion 152b, there is no limit to reducing the value of the inductance and capacitance represented by the probe-pin 150.

On the other hand, when operating a conventional semiconductor test facility, the existing probe is caused by the "repair of the test board 2, the replacement of the test board 2, the aging of the probe pins 110, 130, 150 itself", and the like. Frequently, the pins need to be replaced with new probe pins.

However, as mentioned above, each type of barrels 113, 132, 152 according to the prior art is in close contact with and inserted into a housing having a predetermined thickness in which the upper and lower structures are integrally coupled, and thus the detachment is very difficult. Under the structure of, it is necessary to remove each probe-pin (110, 130, 150), or to insert a new probe-pin more than necessary inconvenience, after all, under these poor assembly conditions, semiconductor manufacturers, the overall semiconductor test process efficiency It is inevitable that this problem will be greatly reduced.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to form a series of insertion grooves in a portion of the pin-plunger, inducing a portion of the elastic spring to be selectively inserted into the inside of the pin-plunger, and at the same time It is to induce the minimization of the overall size of the probe-pin by forming a recessed groove recessed in a portion, leading to a significant improvement in the barrel fixed structure.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the overall size of the probe-pin, to induce inductance and capacitance reduction that the probe-pin represents, thereby allowing the signal characteristics of the test socket to be significantly improved, thereby reducing the semiconductor device under test Maximize the filtering reliability of these devices, thereby improving the quality of semiconductor devices that are finally shipped.

It is still another object of the present invention to replace the probe-pin fixing housing with a thin-walled single structure, thereby inducing assembly of the probe-pin, thereby improving the overall semiconductor device test process efficiency to a certain level or more. have.

Still other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a plurality of insertion holes are provided, and a thin plate disposed between the test target semiconductor device and the test board is inserted into and fixed to the insertion hole of the thin plate, and the test A semiconductor device test socket comprising a combination of probe-pins electrically connecting a target semiconductor device and a test board to each other is disclosed.

At this time, each of the preceding probe-pins is fitted into the insertion hole of the thin plate, and the barrel-shaped barrel which is in electrical contact with the semiconductor device under test, and the one end of the barrel is fixed to be movable in the barrel. Exposed to the outside of the circuit board, and electrically contacted with the test board, the pin-flange having its own internally recessed insertion groove, disposed inside the barrel, physically connecting the barrel and the pin-flange, and partially It consists of a combination of elastic bodies inserted into the insertion groove of the flanger.

Hereinafter, a semiconductor device test socket according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 4, under the semiconductor test facility 200 system according to the present invention, the semiconductor device 1 to be tested, for example, a BGA type semiconductor device, is connected to a test socket 210 that forms the gist of the present invention. By forming a series of electrical connections with the test board 2, the semiconductor test process required by the test board 2 is performed.

In this case, the test board 2 supplies a series of test voltages, test currents, test signals, etc. to the test target semiconductor device 1 so that the semiconductor device 1 can be accurately filtered according to whether there is a defect. The test socket 210 of the present invention serves to electrically connect them in a state interposed between the test target semiconductor device 1 and the test board 2.

Here, as shown in the figure, the test socket 210 according to the present invention, for example, disposed between the test target semiconductor device 1 and the test board 2 with a plurality of insertion holes 212 Probes that are inserted into and fixed to a thin plate 211 such as a film, a plastic plate, and the insertion hole 212 of the thin plate 211, and electrically connect the test target semiconductor device 1 and the test board 2 to each other. It is made up of a combination of pins 220.

In this case, each of the probe-pins 220 is inserted into and fixed to the insertion hole 212 of the thin plate 211, and the cylinder is in electrical contact with the terminal 1a of the semiconductor device 1 to be tested, for example, a contact ball. In a state in which the barrel 221 and the barrel 221 are fixed to be movable in the barrel 221, one end portion of the barrel 221 is exposed to the outside of the barrel 220 so as to be electrically connected to the contact pad 2a of the test board 2. And a pin-plunger 222 contacted with a barrel and an elastic body 223 disposed in the barrel 221 and physically connecting the barrel 221 and the pin-flange 222, for example, a combination of elastic springs. .

Here, as shown in the figure, under the regime of the present invention, a part of the pin-flange 222 is provided with an insertion groove 222a which is dug into the inside of the pin-flange 222 itself, in this state, the elastic body A portion of 223 is inserted into the insertion groove 222a of the pin-flange 222.

As such, when a part of the elastic body 223 is inserted into the insertion groove 222a of the pin-plunger 222 by the practice of the present invention, the distance between the barrel 221 and the pin-plunger 222 is an elastic body ( 223 is shortened as long as it is inserted into the insertion groove 222a. As a result, the barrel 221 accommodating the pin-plunger 222 can also maintain a minimum size. The length of the 220 is significantly shorter than in the prior art. Of course, even if a part of the elastic body 223 is inserted and fixed in the insertion groove 222a, since the substantial length of the elastic body 223 is not reduced, the effective elastic force of the elastic body 223 is not affected at all.

As mentioned above, the signal characteristic of the test socket 210 is sensitive to the increase in the length of the probe-pin 220.

Under this background, in the conventional case, the upper and lower pin-flanges had to be spaced at least as much as the length of the elastic spring, and in the aftermath, the barrels accommodating the upper and lower pin-plungers were also different. Inevitably, the inductance and capacitance exhibited by the probe-pin were inevitably large in proportion to the increase in size, and as a result, the conventional test socket was not able to precisely test the high-speed test semiconductor device.

However, in the present invention, as mentioned above, the elastic body 223 which physically connects the barrel 221 and the pin-plunger 222 is part of the insertion groove 222a of the pin-flange 222. Because of the formation of the "pin insertion type structure" to be inserted and fixed, under the regime of the present invention, the distance between the barrel 221 and the pin-flange 222 is as short as the elastic body 223 is inserted into the insertion groove 222a. As a result, the barrel 221 containing the pin-flange 222 can also maintain a minimum size, so that the length of the probe-pins 220 can be minimized within a given condition. do.

According to this embodiment of the present invention, when the length of the probe pins 220 is minimized, the inductance and capacitance represented by the probe pins 220 are naturally reduced in proportion to the size reduction, and thus, the semiconductor under test The filtering reliability of the device 1 can be maximized within a given condition.

On the other hand, as shown in the figure, under the framework of the present invention, a part of the barrel 221, for example, the contact surface of the barrel 221 in contact with the terminal 1a of the semiconductor device 1 to be tested, the specific structure of the prior art For example, a contact inclined surface 221a is further formed to improve contact reliability with the semiconductor device 1 under test, while replacing the upper pin-plunger.

When such a contact inclined surface is further formed, even when the probe-pin 220 is provided with a series of pin-flanges 222 only on a part of the barrel 221, for example, the lower side of the barrel 221, You will be able to proceed with the testing process for semiconductor devices at a normal level, which will make it easier to achieve the effect of shortening your overall size.

As such, when the overall size of the probe-pin 220 is shortened by the practice of the present invention, the inductance and capacitance represented by the probe-pin 220 may be reduced by the size reduction width of the probe-pin. As a result, the test socket 210 may exhibit such a good signal characteristic, and as a result, the test target semiconductor device 1 may be more precisely tested.

At this time, as shown in the figure, a portion of the barrel 221 is in a concave engraved state, in close contact with the thin plate 211, the intaglio fixing groove 221b for fixing the probe-pin 220 is further formed. . In this case, the intaglio fixing groove 221b is in contact with the bonding layer of the thin plate 211 when the barrel 221 is mounted in the insertion hole 212 of the thin plate 211, so that the upper and lower surfaces of the thin plate 211. By being in close contact with, the probe-pin 220 plays a role of improving the reliability, and eventually, due to the action of the intaglio fixing groove 221b, even if the probe-pin 220 is impacted from the outside, It is not easily removed from the thin plate 211.

As mentioned above, even in the conventional case, "a technique for forming a similar structure that can replace any one of the upper and lower pin-flanges in a part of the barrel, thereby inducing a size reduction of the prop-pin "Was presented.

However, the conventional test socket basically failed to escape the "structure for fixing the barrel to the bottleneck of the small-diameter insertion hole by using the large-diameter insertion hole of the housing as a moving path". In addition, the size corresponding to the length of the large-diameter insertion hole of the housing was inevitably lengthened. Therefore, semiconductor manufacturers, in spite of the formation of similar structures, have been used to reduce the inductance and capacitance values of the probe-pins. I had to accept some limitations.

However, in the present invention, in consideration of such a problem in advance, as described above, the intaglio fixing groove 221b is further formed in a part of the barrel 221, and through this, the fixing structure of the probe-pin 220 is "barrel. (221) by inducing them to be changed to a "structure fixed to the thin plate 211 by its own action, so that the unnecessary length of the barrel 221 according to the relationship with the barrel 221 and other structures, for example, the housing By blocking the increase in advance and thereby guiding the probe-pin 220 to exhibit the minimum value of inductance and capacitance, it is possible to induce the utilization of the above-described contact slope 221a to be optimized without any obstacles. It becomes possible.

On the other hand, as mentioned in the foregoing, under the system of the present invention, the barrel 221 forms a structure that is fitted and fixed to the insertion hole 212 of the thin plate 211. This can be said to be a very different structure when compared with the conventional system in which the barrel is tightly inserted and inserted into a housing having a predetermined thickness in which the upper and lower structures are integrally coupled.

As described above, when operating a semiconductor test facility, an existing probe pin may be replaced with a new probe pin due to "repair of the test board, replacement of the test board, deterioration of the probe pin itself." Frequent replacements will occur.

In this environment, in the conventional case, since the barrel was intimately inserted and inserted into a housing of a certain thickness in which the upper and lower structures were integrally coupled, the detachment was very difficult. Consequently, under the conventional structure, each probe-pin Removing or inserting new probe-pins was more than necessary, and under these poor assembly conditions, semiconductor manufacturers were forced to suffer from a significant drop in overall semiconductor test process efficiency.

However, in the case of the present invention, as mentioned above, since the barrel 221 forms a structure that is fitted into the fixing hole 212 of the thin plate 211 having a thin thickness, such as a film, a plastic plate, etc., The attachment and detachment becomes very easy, and, consequently, under the structure of the present invention, much effort is not required to replace new probe-pins, and under such improved assembly conditions, the overall semiconductor test process efficiency is constant in the semiconductor manufacturer. Benefits that go beyond the level can be easily obtained.

Under the structure of the present invention, the above-described semiconductor device 1 to be tested is lowered toward the test board 2 by an external force, so that the terminal 1a of the semiconductor device flows into the open hole of the barrel 221, thereby When the elastic body 223 is pressurized, the elastic body 223 is strongly compressed to the test board 2 side by the force, thereby connecting a series of conducting paths connecting the semiconductor device 1 and the test board 2 to be tested. To form. In this energized situation, the test board 2 supplies a series of test voltages, test currents, test signals, etc. to the semiconductor device 1 to be tested, and eventually, the semiconductor device 1 depends on whether there is a defect. This can be filtered precisely.

The present invention can be modified and implemented in various forms according to the circumstances of the producer.

For example, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the insertion groove 222a extends and is formed to the end of the pin-plunger 222, and in this state, a part of the elastic body 223 is formed in the pin-plunger ( The insertion groove 222a of the 222 may be inserted deeper than the previous embodiment. In this case, the spacing between the barrel 221 and the pin-flange 222 becomes shorter than the previous embodiment, and, as a result, the barrel 221 which accommodates the pin-flunger 222 also implements the foregoing. It is possible to maintain a more compact size than the example, and eventually, the length of the probe-pins 220 can be significantly shorter than in the previous embodiment.

As described in detail above, in the present invention, a series of insertion grooves are formed in a part of the pin-plunger, thereby inducing a part of the elastic spring to be selectively inserted into the pin-plunger, and accommodating the pin-plunger. By forming a recessed groove recessed engraved in a portion of the barrel to induce a significant improvement in the structure of the barrel, thereby inducing the minimization of the overall size of the probe-pin. In addition, in the present invention, the probe-pin fixing housing is replaced with a thin-walled single structure, thereby inducing assembly of the probe-pin.

According to the implementation of the present invention, the overall size of the probe pin is minimized, whereby the signal characteristics of the test socket can be greatly improved when the inductance and capacitance represented by the probe pin are greatly reduced, and eventually By maximizing the filtering reliability of the semiconductor devices under test, the final shipped semiconductor products can maintain a certain level of quality.

In addition, according to the practice of the present invention, when a series of improved assembly conditions are implemented, semiconductor manufacturers can easily obtain the advantage that the overall semiconductor test process efficiency is improved to a certain level or more.

The present invention has an overall useful effect in various types of semiconductor test equipment requiring a test socket.

And, in the foregoing, specific embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, but it is obvious that the present invention may be variously modified and implemented by those skilled in the art.

Such modified embodiments should not be understood individually from the technical spirit or point of view of the present invention and such modified embodiments should fall within the scope of the appended claims of the present invention.

1 to 3 conceptually illustrate a semiconductor device test socket according to the prior art;

4 conceptually illustrates a semiconductor device test socket according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is an exemplary diagram conceptually illustrating a semiconductor device test socket according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Claims (3)

A semiconductor device test socket electrically connecting a semiconductor device under test and a test board, A thin plate disposed between the test target semiconductor device and the test board with a plurality of insertion holes; It is inserted into the insertion hole of the thin plate and fixed, and includes probe-pins (Probe-pin) for electrically connecting the test target semiconductor device and the test board, Each probe-pin, A barrel having a center portion inserted into and fixed to the insertion hole of the thin plate so that both ends thereof protrude to the upper and lower surfaces of the thin plate, and the upper end of which is in electrical contact with the semiconductor device under test; A pin-plunger having one end portion exposed to the lower end of the barrel and electrically contacting the test board and having an insertion groove recessed therein, while being fixed to be movable in the barrel; And an elastic body disposed inside the barrel, the elastic body being physically connected to the barrel and the pin-flange and partially inserted into the insertion groove of the pin-flange. The semiconductor device test socket as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of the barrel is engraved in a concave shape, and is further formed with a concave fixing groove which is in close contact with the thin plate to fix the probe pin. The semiconductor device test socket of claim 1, wherein a contact inclined surface of the barrel contacting the semiconductor device under test is further formed to improve contact reliability with the semiconductor device under test.