A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, MAKING AND TESTING THEREOF

Abstract: A semiconductor device operating in a high frequency range is in structure capable of facilitating a quick high frequency characteristic test in high accuracy. A semiconductor substrate (1) is provided on its major surface with an input electrode pad (2a) and an output electrode pad (2b) to be connected with integrated circuits included in the semiconductor substrate (1) respectively, while grounding electrode pads (2c) are formed on both sides of the input and output electrode pads (2a, 2b) respectively to sandwich the same. The grounding electrode pads (2c) ground the semiconductor substrate (1) in a high frequency characteristic test. The input electrode pad (2a) and the grounding electrode pads (2c) on both sides thereof as well as the output electrode pad (2b) and the grounding electrode pads (2c) on both sides thereof are positioned to be in contact with a probing needle of a well-known high frequency wafer probe.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor device. It also relates to making and/or testing such a device. Illustratively, it relates to a semiconductor device operating in a high frequency range, eg. exceeding several tens MHz. Description of the Prior Art A semiconductor device operating in a high frequency range is divided into a plurality of IC chips from a wafer after manufacturing, to be subjected to a high frequency characteristic test. Description is now made on a conventional method of measuring such high frequency characteristic with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional high frequency IC chip, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2 - 2 in Fig. 1. An input electrode pad 2a and an output electrode pad 2b are formed on an IC chip 1 including circuits of various functions, to be in conduction with the respective circuits. A grounding metal member 4 is formed on the rear surface of the IC chip 1, to be in conduction with the front surface of the IC chip 1 through a viahole 3. As shown in Fig. 2, the input electrode pad 2a and output electrode pad 2b (not shown) are formed by microstriplines. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a state of measuring the high frequency characteristic of the IC chip 1 thus formed. In general, a plurality of such IC chips 1 are independently received in a chip carrier 6 to be in conduction with the exterior through a jig 5, which is adapted to measure the high frequency characteristic of the IC chips 1. Several hours are required to prepare for such measurement since the plurality of IC chips 1 are respectively obtained from the wafer and the chip carrier 6 is prepared in response to the chip size for receiving the IC chips 1, to be set in the measuring jig 5. Further, accuracy in measurement is reduced through parasitic capacitance of the jig 5 itself and resonance by the jig 5. On the other hand, there has been developed a high frequency wafer probe, which can measure the high frequency characteristic through contact with a single surface of the measured object. Such a probe is disclosed in "Precise MMIC Parameters Yielded by 18∼GHz Wafer Probe" by K. R. Greason et al., Microwave System News issued on May 1983, with reference to a basic method of microwave on-wafer probing. Such a probe is also disclosed in "Microwave Wafer Probing Achieves On-Wafer Measurements Through 18 GHz" by D. E. Carlton et al., Microwave System News issued on May, 1985, with reference to a calibration method in microwave on-wafer probing (particularly loss correction, crosstalk correction etc. in a two-port device). However, it is difficult to achieve on-wafer measurement of a semiconductor device through such a probe. Since the surface of an IC chip provided with input cod output electrode pads is entirely covered by a nitride film except for the parts of the input and output electrode pads, grounding lines must he extracted from a grounding metal member provided on the rear surface of the IC chip. However, measurement through the probe is performed by placing the IC chip on a stage, and hence it is difficult to bring the needle of the probe into contact with the rear surface of the IC chip. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory & Techniques Vol MTT-29 (1981) June, No. 6, pages 513 to 534 discloses a microwave waveguide in which grounding may be performed by chemically milling a via hole and providing metallization in the hole to connect a ground plane and a topside pad. EP-A-0128986 discloses a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing it according to the preambles of claims 1 and 5. It shows a monolithic microwave circuit having topside bonding pads, and further, measurement pads for allowing direct current characteristics of the circuit to be measured. A topside bonding pad for a ground connection to the circuit is shown, but no grounding means is shown on the second major surface of the substrate. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a semiconductor device operating in a high frequency range comprising: an integrated circuit chip serving as a semiconductor substrate and having integrated circuits, the semiconductor substrate having first and second major surfaces; an input electrode pad formed on the first major surface of said semiconductor substrate and connected with said integrated circuits; an output electrode pad formed on said first major surface of said semiconductor substrate and connected with said integrated circuits; and grounding electrode pad means formed on said first major surface of said semiconductor substrate characterised in that said grounding electrode pad means comprises grounding electrode pads provided on both sides of said input electrode pad and said output electrode pad respectively, and a grounding means is formed on the second major surface of said semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the grounding electrode pads through openings passing through the semiconductor substrate, said input and grounding electrode pads having a positional relationship which conforms to the positional relationship between respective electrode lines on a bottom surface of a high frequency wafer probing needle, and said output and grounding electrode pads having a positional relationship which conforms to the positional relationship between respective electrode lines on a bottom surface of a high frequency wafer probing needle. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device operating in a high frequency range, in which: an integrated circuit chip serving as a semiconductor substrate and having integrated circuits is prepared, said semiconductor substrate having first and second major surfaces; an input electrode pad is formed on the first major surface of said semiconductor substrate to be connected with said integrated circuits; an output electrode pad is formed on said first major surface of said semiconductor substrate to be connected with said integrated circuits; and a grounding electrode pad means is formed on said first major surface of said semiconductor substrate characterised in that said grounding electrode pad means are formed as grounding electode pads provided on both sides of said input electrode pad and said output electrode pad respectively; a grounding means is formed on the second major surface of the semiconductor substrate and is electrically connected to the grounding electrode pads through openings passing through the semiconductor substrate, said input and grounding electrode pads being formed in a positional relationship which conforms to the positional relationship between respective electrode lines on a bottom surface of a high frequency wafer probing needle, and said output and grounding electrode pads being formed in a positional relationship which conforms to the positional relationship between respective electrode lines on a bottom surface of a high frequency wafer probing needle. Preferred and optional features of the present invention are set out in claims 2 to 4 and 6 to 10. An embodiment of the present invention may provide a semiconductor device whose high frequency characteristic can be measured in a short time with high accuracy. Where constant and equal spaces are provided between the pads, the same probe can be employed for various types of IC chips regardless of difference in size. An embodiment of the present invention, given by way of non-limiting example, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional high frequency IC chip, which is provided with an input electrode pad and an output electrode pad on its surface; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2 - 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a state of measuring the high frequency characteristic of a conventional IC chip, which is received in a chip carrier to he set in a measuring jig; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a high frequency IC chip according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is formed on its surface with grounding pads for sandwiching input and output electrode pads respectively; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5 - 5 in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a partially fragmented perspective view showing a high frequency wafer probe employed in the embodiment of the present invention, which probe is in coplanar line structure provided with grounding lines and a signal line on its lower surface; Fig. 7 is a partially fragmented perspective view showing a state of measuring the high frequency characteristic of the IC chip according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the grounding lines and the signal line of the probe are in contact with the grounding electrode pads and the input electrode pad of the IC chip; and Fig. 8 is a plan view showing a state of cutting unnecessary parts of the IC chip according to the present embodiment after measurement of the high frequency characteristic, in which the input and output electrode pads are partially cut with the grounding electrode pads to be separated from the IC chip. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5 - 5 in Fig. 4. With reference to Figs. 4 and 5, description is now made on the structure of the semiconductor device embodying the present invention. An IC chip 1 serving as a semiconductor substrate assembled with circuits having various functions is provided thereon with an input electrode pad 2a and an output electrode pad 2b, which are in conduction with the respective circuits. Pairs of grounding electrode pads 2c are formed on both sides of the input electrode pad 2a and output electrode pad 2b respectively, to be connected with a grounding metal member 4 provided on the rear surface of the IC chip 1 through an opening passing through the IC chip 1, i.e., a viahole 3. Thus, the IC chip 1 of the present embodiment is implemented by a conventional IC chip, which has grounding electrode pads provided on both sides of input and output electrode pads respectively to sandwich the same. Fig. 6 is a partially fragmented perspective view showing the forward end portion of a probing needle of a well-known high frequency wafer probe, and Fig. 7 is a partially fragmented perspective view showing a state of measuring the high frequency characteristic of the IC chip according to the present embodiment by the probe. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the forward end portion of the probing needle of the probe is in coplanar line structure, which is formed by a ceramic body 7 provided on its bottom surface with grounding lines 8a and 8c and a signal line 8b. In general, the distance between the grounding line 8a and the signal line 8b is constant and equal to that between the grounding line 8c and the signal line 8b. Therefore, even if IC chips 1 are varied in size, measurement of the high frequency characteristic can he easily achieved by conforming positional relation between the input electrode pad 2a and output electrode cad 2b and the grounding electrode pads 2c on each IC chip 1 to positional relation between the respective lines on the probe to he employed. It may he obvious for those skilled in the art to form the respective pads on prescribed positions of the IC chip 1. Thus, high frequency wafer probing can be extremely quickly performed by simply bringing the forward end portion of the probing needle into close contact with input and output parts of the IC chip 1 as shown in Fig. 7. Since the grounding electrode pads 2c are provided on the surface of the IC chip 1, the probe can he effected on a single surface of the IC chip 1, which is not yet divided but remained in a wafer state placed on a stage. As the result, the time required for measuring the high frequency characteristic of the semiconductor device according to the present embodiment will be reduced to about 1/100 as compared with the conventional case. Further, accuracy in measurement of the high frequency characteristic of the semiconductor device according to the present embodiment will be improved by about 10 times as compared with the conventional case. The semiconductor device according to the present embodiment requires no measuring jig 5 as employed in the conventional case, whereby no influence by parasitic capacitance of such a jig or resonance by such a jig is exerted on measurement. Fig. 8 shows a state of cutting the pad parts employed in measurement of the high frequency characteristic to leave only a required part of the IC chip 1 separated from the wafer after the measurement. As a matter of course, it is also possible to use the IC chip 1 in the state as shown in Fig. 4 without separating the pad parts employed for the measurement. Although the grounding electrode pads 2c are adapted to sandwich the input electrode pad 2a and output electrode pad 2b in the aforementioned embodiment, such grounding electrode pads may he provided in a different manner so far as positional relation of the same can conform to that of the respective lines on the forward end portion of the probing needle in the probe employed for measurement of the high frequency characteristic. Although the present embodiment has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation.

Claims: A semiconductor device operating in a high frequency range comprising: an integrated circuit chip (1) serving as a semiconductor substrate and having integrated circuits, the semiconductor substrate having first and second major surfaces; an input electrode pad (2a) formed on the first major surface of said semiconductor substrate and connected with said integrated circuits; an output electrode pad (2b) formed on said first major surface of said semiconductor substrate and connected with said integrated circuits; and grounding electrode pad means formed on said first major surface of said semiconductor substrate characterised in that said grounding electrode pad means comprises grounding electrode pads (2c) provided on both sides of said input electrode pad (2a) and said output electrode pad (2b) respectively, and a grounding means (4) is formed on the second major surface of said semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the grounding electrode pads (2c) through openings (3) passing through the semiconductor substrate, said input and grounding electrode pads (2a, 2c) having a positional relationship which conforms to the positional relationship between respective electrode lines (8a, 8b, 8c) on a bottom surface of a high frequency wafer probing needle, and said output and grounding electrode pads (2b, 2c) having a positional relationship which conforms to the positional relationship between respective electrode lines (8a, 8b, 8c) on a bottom surface of a high frequency wafer probing needle. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a distance between said grounding electrode pads (2c) and said input electrode pad (2a) is constant for various sizes of integrated circuit chips (1). A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a distance between said grounding electrode pads (2c) and said output electrode pad (2b) is constant for various sizes of integrated circuit chips (1). A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 3 as dependent on claim 2, wherein said distance between said grounding electrode pads (2c) and said input electrode pad (2a) is equal to said distance between said grounding electrode pads (2c) and said output electrode pad (2b). A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device operating in a high frequency range, in which: an integrated circuit chip (1) serving as a semiconductor substrate and having integrated circuits is prepared, said semiconductor substrate having first and second major surfaces; an input electrode pad (2a) is formed on the first major surface of said semiconductor substrate to be connected with said integrated circuits; an output electrode pad (2b) is formed on said first major surface of said semiconductor substrate to be connected with said integrated circuits; and a grounding electrode pad means is formed on said first major surface of said semiconductor substrate characterised in that said grounding electrode pad means are formed as grounding electrode pads (2c) provided on both sides of said input electrode pad (2a) and said output electrode pad (2b) respectively; a grounding means (4) is formed on the second major surface of the semiconductor substrate and is electrically connected to the grounding electrode pads (2c) through openings (3) passing through the semiconductor substrate, said input and grounding electrode pads (2a, 2c) being formed in a positional relationship between respective electrode lines (8a, 8b, 8c) on a bottom surface of a high frequency wafer probing needle, and said output and grounding electrode pads (2b, 2c) being formed in a positional relationship which conforms to the positional relationship between respective electrode lines (8a, 8b, 8c) on a bottom surface of a high frequency wafer probing needle. A method according to claim 5 in which a high frequency characteristic test is performed by placing the electrode lines (8a, 8b, 8c) on the bottom surfaces of respective said probing needles in contact with the input and grounding electrode pads (2a, 2c) and the output and grounding electrode pads (2b, 2c) respectively. A method according to claim 6, in which parts of said semiconductor substrate, including parts of said input electrode pad (2a) and said output electrode pad (2b) which have been contacted by said probing needles in said high frequency test , and said grounding electrode pads (2c) are removed following said high frequency characteristic test. A method in accordance with any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein a distance between said grounding electrode pads (2c) and said input electrode pad (2a) is made constant for various sizes of integrated circuit chips (1). A method in accordance with any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein a distance between said grounding electrode pads (2c) and said output electrode pad (2b) is made constant for various sizes of integrated circuit chips (1). A method in accordance with claim 9 as dependent on claim 8, wherein said distance between said grounding electrode pads (2c) and said input electrode pad (2a) is made equal to said distance between said grounding electrode pads (2c) and said output electrode pad (2b).

Inventors: KATOH, TAKAYUKI
Applicants: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1987
Main classification: H01L21
IPC codes: H01L23, H01L21, G01R31