Probe card

Abstract

The present invention provides a probe card that can examine an object with small electrode spacing. A probe supporting plate is provided to a lower face side of a printed wiring board of a probe card. A plurality of probes are supported by the probe supporting plate. The probes comprise an upper contact, a lower contact, and a main body portion. An upper end portion of the upper contact protrudes toward an upper side of the probe supporting plate and contacts a terminal of the printed wiring board. A lower end portion of the lower contact protrudes toward a lower side of the probe supporting plate. On the probe supporting plate, a through-hole and a concave portion are formed to luck the probes, and the probes can be inserted and removed freely against the probe supporting plate from above.

1. A probe card comprising;
 a circuit board structured to transmit an electric signal to a plurality of probes located on a probe supporting plate that is positioned on a lower face side of said circuit board, with each of the plurality of probes positioned in a vertical direction;   where an upper end portion of each of the plurality of probes protrudes upward from the probe supporting plate and contacts said circuit board, and a lower end portion of each of the plurality of probes protrudes downward from the probe supporting plate;   where each of said plurality of probes comprises at least an upper portion, a main body portion and a lower portion, where the main body portion comprises a connecting portion with the upper portion positioned substantially at a middle of the connecting portion, and said upper portion includes an upper end portion structured to contact the circuit board and flex when said upper portion contacts said circuit board;   a groove formed to position said plurality of probes on an upper face side of said probe supporting plate, where a lower portion of each of said plurality of probes is positioned on a bottom face of said groove and is located in a through-hole;   a plurality of concave portions are formed on a side wall upper end portion of said probe supporting plate; and   a locking portion structured to engage and lock to said plurality of concave portions is formed on each of said plurality of probes.   
     
     
       2. The probe card according to  claim 1 , wherein said concave portion comprises a plurality of round holes each having a bottom formed from a upper face side of said probe supporting plate;
 said plurality of round holes are formed in a linear shape and adjacent holes are connected to each other; and   a side face of a round hole closest to said groove among said plurality of round holes is open to a side wall face of said groove.   
     
     
       3. The probe card according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one or more round holes except a round hole closest to said groove are formed deeper than said round hole closest to said groove. 
     
     
       4. The probe card according to  claim 1 , wherein said lower portion of said probe comprises a perpendicular portion including said lower end portion; and
 a beam portion formed in a horizontal direction from a lower portion of said main body portion and said perpendicular portion connected to a top end of said probe.   
     
     
       5. The probe card according to  claim 4 , wherein a lower portion of said probe has two parallel beam portions. 
     
     
       6. The probe card according to  claim 1 , wherein a main body portion of said probe is formed in a plate shape installed in a perpendicular face. 
     
     
       7. A probe card comprising;
 a circuit board structured to transmit an electric signal to a plurality of probes located on a probe supporting plate that is positioned on a lower face side of said circuit board, with each of the plurality of probes positioned in a vertical direction;   where an upper end portion of each of the plurality of probes protrudes upward from the probe supporting plate and contacts said circuit board, and a lower end portion of each of the plurality of probes protrudes downward from the probe supporting plate;   where each of said plurality of probes comprises at least an upper portion, a main body portion and a lower portion, where the main body portion comprises a connecting portion with the upper portion positioned substantially at a middle of the connecting portion, and said main body portion includes an upper end portion structured to contact the circuit board and flex when said upper portion contacts said circuit board;   a groove formed on a lower face side of said probe card to position said plurality of probes, where an upper portion of each of said plurality of probes is inserted in a though-hole, formed on a bottom face of said groove;   a plurality of concave portions are formed along said groove on a lower face adjacent to said groove on said probe supporting plate, wherein each of said plurality of probes includes a locking portion to lock said probe to said probe supporting plate; and   a concave portion is formed on said locking portion of each of said plurality of probes.   
     
     
       8. The probe card according to  claim 7 , wherein the locking portion of each of said plurality of probes is adhered to said concave portion with a resin curable by light or heat. 
     
     
       9. The probe card according to  claim 7 , wherein each of said adjacent concave portions is formed at a different distance from said groove. 
     
     
       10. The probe card according to  claim 7 , wherein a main body portion of each of said plurality of probes includes a shape that is either corrugate or rectangular. 
     
     
       11. The probe card according to  claim 7 , wherein said locking portions of each probe are attached to a joint portion of said main body portion and a lower portion. 
     
     
       12. The probe card according to  claim 11 , wherein said lower portion of said probe comprises a perpendicular portion having said lower end portion; and
 a beam portion formed in horizontal direction from the lower portion of said main body portion and connected to said perpendicular portion at a top end of said probe.   
     
     
       13. A probe card comprising:
 a plurality of probes positioned in a vertical direction and supported by a probe supporting plate, wherein each of the plurality of probes comprises:
 an upper portion including an upper end portion which protrudes upward from the probe supporting plate and extends in the vertical direction, 
 a lower portion including a lower end portion which protrudes downward from the probe supporting plate, 
 a connecting portion having vertical elasticity and connecting the upper portion to the lower portion, wherein a position of the upper end portion and a position of the lower end portion of each of said plurality of probes are staggered as viewed from a top view plane, and 
 a locking portion comprising a convex portion to lock the plurality of probes to the probe supporting plate such that a first spacing between the upper end portions of the plurality of probes can be changed to a second spacing between the lower end portions of said plurality of probes, relative to a plurality of electrodes to be examined; 
   a circuit board positioned on the upper face side of the probe supporting plate and structured to transmit an electric signal to said plurality of probes; and   a groove formed on a lower face side of said probe supporting plate to position said plurality of probes, where the upper portion of each of said plurality of probes is inserted in a through-hole, formed on a bottom face of said groove, wherein a plurality of concave portions are formed along said groove on a lower face of the probe supporting plate.   
     
     
       14. The probe card according to claim 13, wherein the locking portion of each of the plurality of probes is attached to one of the plurality of concave portions with a resin curable by light or heat. 
     
     
       15. The probe card according to claim 13, wherein the locking portion of each of the plurality of probes is mounted on a joint portion of the connecting portion and the lower portion. 
     
     
       16. The probe card according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of concave portions, which are adjacent in one direction, are formed at a different distance from a side wall portion of the groove. 
     
     
       17. The probe card according to claim 13, wherein the connecting portion of each of the plurality of probes is formed in a corrugate or rectangular shape. 
     
     
       18. The probe card according to claim 13, wherein the lower portion of each of the plurality of probes further comprises:
 a beam portion formed in a horizontal direction from a lower part of the connecting portion; and   a perpendicular portion having the lower end portion that extends downwards from a top end of the beam portion.   
     
     
       19. The probe card according to claim 13, wherein the circuit board further comprises a plurality of terminals formed on a lower surface of the circuit board such that the first spacing between the upper end portions of the plurality of probes corresponds to a spacing between said plurality of terminals from the circuit board. 
     
     
       20. The probe card according to claim 13, further comprising a connecting plate between the circuit board and the probe supporting plate to electrically connect the circuit board to the plurality of probes. 
     
     
       21. The probe card according to claim 20, wherein the connecting plate comprises a plurality of through-holes penetrating through the connecting plate in a vertical direction, and a plurality of conductive members, each inserted in one of said plurality of through-holes. 
     
     
       22. The probe card according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of conductive members are longer than the plurality of through-holes and are able to freely move in the vertical direction within the plurality of through-holes so that an upper end portion of said plurality of conductive members connect with the plurality of terminals formed on the lower surface of the circuit board and a lower end portion of said plurality of conductive members connect with the upper end portion of the plurality of probes. 
     
     
       23. The probe card according to claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of probes is configured to be inserted and removed freely against the probe supporting plate. 
     
     
       24. The probe card according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of probes are locked to the probe supporting plate in a plurality of rows such that the upper end portion and the lower end portion of each of the plurality of probes are collinear with the direction substantially perpendicular to the alignment direction of the plurality of probes in each row, as viewed from a top view plane. 
     
     
       25. The probe card according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of probes in each row are grouped into a plurality of groups each having adjacent probes such that the second spacing between the lower end portions of said adjacent probes are smaller than the first spacing between their upper end portions. 
     
     
       26. The probe card according to claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of groups includes a plurality of different type of probes each having a different length from the upper end portion to the lower end portion, as viewed from a top view plane. 
     
     
       27. The probe card according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of different type of probes are arranged adjacent to each other.