초록 ▼

A probe contact system is capable of adjusting distances between tips of the contactors and contact targets with simple and low cost mechanism. The probe contact system includes a contact substrate having a large number of contactors, a probe card for fixedly mounting the contact substrate for estab

A probe contact system is capable of adjusting distances between tips of the contactors and contact targets with simple and low cost mechanism. The probe contact system includes a contact substrate having a large number of contactors, a probe card for fixedly mounting the contact substrate for establishing electrical communication between the contactors and a test system, a stiffener made of rigid material for fixedly mounting and reinforcing the probe card, a probe card ring attached to a frame of the probe contact system for mechanically coupling the probe card to the frame, and a plurality of adjustment members for up/down moving the stiffener relative to the probe card ring at three or more locations so that a gap between the probe card and the probe card ring can be altered.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:a contact substrate having a large number of contactors thereon;a probe card for mounting the contact substrate for establishing electrical communication between the

1. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:a contact substrate having a large number of contactors thereon;a probe card for mounting the contact substrate for establishing electrical communication between the contactors and a test head of a semiconductor test system;means for fixedly mounting the contact substrate on the probe card;a stiffener made of rigid material for fixedly mounting and reinforcing the probe card;a probe card ring attached to a frame of a probe contact system for mechanically coupling the stiffener to the frame; anda plurality of adjustment members for up/down moving the stiffener relative to the probe card ring at three or more locations on the stiffenerwherein each of the adjustment members is housed within a through hole formed on the stiffener. 2. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 1, wherein the stiffener has three or more flanges where the through hole is created for each flange for mounting the adjustment member. 3. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a gap sensor for measuring a gap between the contact substrate and a target substrate at a predetermined location on the contact substrate where the target substrate is a semiconductor wafer to be tested or a reference plate for adjusting the planarity. 4. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 3, wherein the gap sensor determines the gap between the contact substrate and the target substrate by measuring capacitance between the gap sensor and an opposing electrode. 5. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 3, wherein the reference plate is a metal, ceramic or alumina substrate having electrodes at positions opposite to the gap sensor. 6. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a conductive elastomer provided between the contact substrate and the probe card for electrically connecting the contact substrate and the probe card. 7. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 6, further comprising a support frame provided between the contact substrate and the probe card for supporting the contact substrate and the conductive elastomer through a connection member. 8. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 6, wherein the conductive elastomer is comprised of a silicon rubber sheet and metal filaments running in a vertical direction so as to establish communication only in the vertical direction. 9. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 1, wherein the adjustment members for moving the stiffener and probe card are configured by adjustment screws. 10. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 1, wherein the stiffener has three or more flanges where the through hole is created for each flange for mounting the adjustment member, and wherein the adjustment members for moving the probe card and stiffener are configured by adjustment screws, wherein the through hole has inner threads which engage outer threads of the adjustment screw. 11. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the three locations of the adjustment members on the stiffener corresponds to a vertex of a regular triangle. 12. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system for establishing electrical connection with contact targets, comprising:a contact substrate having a large number of contactors mounted thereon;a probe card for mounting the contact substrate for establishing electrical communication between the contactors and a test head of a semiconductor test system;means for fixedly mounting the contact substrate on the probe card;a stiffener made of rigid material for fixedly mounting and reinforcing the probe card;a probe card ring attached to a frame of a probe contact system for mechanically coupling the probe card to the frame; anda plurality of piezoelectric adjustment elements for up/down movements of the stiffener relative to the probe card ring at three or more locations on the stiffener in response to electrical signals provided thereto;wherein each of the piezoelectric adjustment elements is housed within a recess formed on the stiffener. 13. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 12, wherein the stiffener has three or more flanges where the recess is created at the bottom of each flange for mounting the piezoelectric adjustment element. 14. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a gap sensor for measuring a gap between the contact substrate and a target substrate at a predetermined location on the contact substrate where the target substrate is a semiconductor wafer to be tested or a reference plate for adjusting the planarity. 15. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 14, wherein the gap sensor determines the gap between the contact substrate and the target substrate by measuring capacitance between the gap sensor and an opposing electrode. 16. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 14, wherein the reference plate is a metal, ceramic or alumina substrate having electrodes at positions opposite to the gap sensor. 17. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 14, further comprising a controller for generating a control signal based on a detection signal from the gap sensor indicating a size of the gap between the contact substrate and the target substrate, wherein the control signal is sent to the piezoelectric adjustment element, thereby automatically controlling the gap between the contact substrate and the target substrate. 18. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 12, further comprising a conductive elastomer provided between the contact substrate and the probe card for electrically connecting the contact substrate and the probe card. 19. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 18, further comprising a support frame provided between the contact substrate and the probe card for supporting the contact substrate and the conductive elastomer through a connection member. 20. A planarity adjustment mechanism for a probe contact system as defined in claim 12, wherein each of the three locations of the piezoelectric adjustment members at the recess of the stiffener corresponds to a vertex of a regular triangle.