Patent ID: 12243703

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. According to the embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure.

Reference is now made toFIG.1toFIG.2, in whichFIG.1is a schematic view of a probe card device10according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.2is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the circuit protection assembly200ofFIG.1. As shown inFIG.1toFIG.2, the probe card device10includes a wiring board100, a circuit protection assembly200and a probe head300. The wiring board100includes a substrate110and a plurality of first contacts120spaced disposed on one surface of the substrate110, and arranged on the substrate110in an array form. The probe head300includes a probe holder310and a plurality of first conductive probes400. The probe holder310is disposed on one side of the wiring board100. The first conductive probes400are spaced disposed on the probe holder310, and arranged on the probe holder310in the aforementioned array form. The first conductive probes400are used to contact conductive pillars of a device under test (DUT). The circuit protection assembly200is disposed between the wiring board100and the probe head300, and the circuit protection assembly200includes an insulation plate210, a plurality of first through holes220and a plurality of self-resetting fusing elements240. The insulation plate210is sandwiched between the substrate110and the probe holder310. The first through holes220are respectively formed on the insulation plate210, and arranged on the insulation plate210in an array form. The self-resetting fusing elements240are buried within the first through holes220, respectively, in other words, the self-resetting fusing elements240collectively form a pattern array on the insulation plate210. Each of the self-resetting fusing elements240is in a power-on state at ambient temperature, so that electric currents are allowed to be transmitted from the wiring board100to the probe head300through the corresponding self-resetting fusing element240. Each of the self-resetting fusing elements240is electrically connected to one of the first contacts120of the wiring board100and one of the first conductive probes400of the probe head300. Thus, inspection electric currents from one of the first contacts120of the wiring board100can be transmitted to one of the first conductive probes400through the corresponding self-resetting fusing elements240so as to perform the electrical inspection on the DUT.

In this way, when the fault currents transmitted from the wiring board100to one of the self-resetting fusing elements240of the circuit protection assembly200, the corresponding self-resetting fusing element240instantly cuts off the fault currents from the wiring board100to the circuit protection assembly200for protecting the first conductive probes400from being needle burned or needle melted so as to reduce the possibilities of specific probe failure and improve the continuous electrical inspection.

In the embodiment, the probe card device10further includes a connected board (e.g., space transforming layer)800. The connected board800is fixedly connected to one side of the probe head300, and located between the circuit protection assembly200and the probe head300. The connected board800includes a plurality of first conductive pads810, a plurality of second conductive pads820and a plurality of first conductive routes830. The first conductive pads810are respectively arranged on one surface of the connected board800facing away from the probe head300, and each of the first conductive pads810is connected to one of the self-resetting fusing elements240. The second conductive pads820are opposite to the first conductive pads810, and are arranged on the other surface of the connected board800facing towards the probe head300, and each of the second conductive pads820is connected to one of the first conductive probes400. The first conductive routes830are separably arranged in the connected board800. Each of the first conductive routes830is electrically connected to one of the first conductive pads810and one of the second conductive pads820. A gap G1between any two neighboring ones of the first conductive pads810is greater than a gap G2between any two neighboring ones of the second conductive pads820. For example, the probe card device10is a vertical probe card, the insulation plate210is a ceramic substrate with strong mechanical properties and low warpage, and these first conductive probes400respectively are cobra probe.

Thus, when the fault currents heat one of the self-resetting fusing elements240to rise the temperature thereof to a critical value, the corresponding self-resetting fusing element240is switched from the power-on state into a power-off state, so as to instantly cut off the electric currents transmitted from the wiring board100to the circuit protection assembly200. More specifically, in this embodiment, the critical value is between 150° C. and 200° C.

More specifically, as shown inFIG.2, the insulation plate210is provided with a first surface211and a second surface212which are opposite to each other. The first surface211of the insulation plate210is faced towards the wiring board100, and the second surface212of the insulation plate210is faced towards the probe head300. Each of the first through holes220penetrates through the insulation plate210to collectively connect the first surface211and the second surface212. Each of the self-resetting fusing elements240includes a resettable fuse portion241, a first solder pad242and a second solder pad243. The resettable fuse portion241is buried within one of the first through holes220. One part of the first solder pad242is disposed in the corresponding first through hole220, and another part of the first solder pad242is disposed on the first surface211of the insulation plate210. The first solder pad242is electrically connected to the corresponding first contact120, and one end of the corresponding resettable fuse portion241. The first solder pad242is soldered to the corresponding first contact120through a solder ball B1, for example. One part of the second solder pad243is disposed in the corresponding first through hole220, and another part of the second solder pad243is disposed on the second surface212of the insulation plate210. The second solder pad243is electrically connected to one of the first conductive probes400and the other end of the corresponding resettable fuse portion241. The second solder pad243is electrically connected to one of the second conductive pad820of the connected board800via the corresponding first conductive pad810and the corresponding first conductive routes830, so as to electrically connect to the corresponding first conductive probe400. More specifically, the second solder pad243is soldered to the corresponding first conductive pads810through a solder ball B2, for example. The resettable fuse portion241is only located in the corresponding one of the first through holes220, and is directly and tightly sandwiched between the corresponding first solder pad242and the corresponding second solder pad243. In other words, the first solder pad242, the resettable fuse portion241and the second solder pad243of each of the self-resetting fusing elements240are fully filled within the corresponding one of first through holes220.

Specifically, each of the resettable fuse portions241is polymeric positive temperature coefficient (PPTC) body. PPTC body is made of a mixture of semi-crystalline polymers and conductive particles to maintain low resistance at ambient temperatures. In this way, when the peak current exceeds the critical value, the internal crystal melts and gets structurally changed, causing the resistance to rise to million ohms suddenly, thereby breaking down the conduction path of the resettable fuse portion. On the contrary, when the PPTC body is cooled and the temperature of the PPTC body returns to the ambient temperature, the PPTC body is recrystallized again, thereby allowing the conductive particles to open the conductive path again.

It is noted, compared with disposable fuse consumable material, the resettable fuse portions241of this embodiment can be reused for a long time, and the normal working resistance of the resettable fuse portions241can be either as low as 10 milliohms, and either reach mega-Ohms when it withstands peak current to avoid probe damage. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the resettable fuse portions241may also be ceramics positive temperature coefficient (CPTC) body, respectively.

Reference is now made toFIG.3toFIG.5, in whichFIG.3is a schematic view of a probe card device11according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.4is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the circuit protection assembly201ofFIG.3, andFIG.5is a top view of the circuit protection assembly201ofFIG.3. As shown inFIG.3toFIG.5, the probe card device11of the embodiment is substantially the same as the aforementioned probe card device10, except that the wiring board101is further provided with a plurality of second contacts130. The second contacts130are spaced formed on the surface of the substrate110, and separably surround the first contacts120. The first contacts120are used to transmit power or ground signals, and the second contacts130are used to transmit information signals. The probe head301further includes a plurality of second conductive probes500arranged on the probe holder310, respectively, and the second conductive probes500surround the first conductive probes400.

The first conductive probes400are used to contact with the power or ground leads of the DUT (not shown), and the second conductive probes500are used to contact with the signal leads of the DUT (not shown). The circuit protection assembly201further includes a plurality of second through holes230and a plurality of conductive metal elements250. The second through holes230are respectively formed on the insulation plate210, and surround the first through holes220. The conductive metal elements250are respectively buried within the second through holes230. Each of the conductive metal elements250is electrically connected to one of the second contacts130and one of the second conductive probes500. For example, one end of each of the conductive metal elements250is soldered to one of the second contacts130through a solder ball B3, and the other end thereof is soldered to one of the second conductive probes500through a solder ball B4. More specifically, the corresponding conductive metal element250is connected to the second conductive probes500through the corresponding solder ball B4and the connected board800.

Furthermore, the connected board800further includes a plurality of third conductive pads840, a plurality of fourth conductive pads850and a plurality of second conductive routes860. The third conductive pads840are arranged on the surface of the connected board800facing away from the probe head300, and collectively surround the first conductive pads810. Each of the third conductive pads840is connected to one of the conductive metal elements250through a solder ball B4. The fourth conductive pads850are oppositely disposed on the third conductive pads840, arranged on the other surface of the connected board800facing towards the probe head300, and surround the third conductive pads840. Each of the fourth conductive pads850is connected to one of the second conductive probes500. The second conductive routes860are separably arranged in the connected board800. Each of the second conductive routes860is electrically connected to one of the third conductive pads840and one of the fourth conductive pads850. The gap G3between any two neighboring ones of the third conductive pads840is greater than the gap G4between any two neighboring ones of the fourth conductive pads850.

The insulation plate210of the circuit protection assembly201is divided into a central area C and a surrounding area S surrounding the central area C. The above-mentioned first through holes220and the self-resetting fusing elements240are completely located in the central area C, and these self-resetting fusing elements240are respectively a power channel or a ground channel for transmitting the above-mentioned power or ground signals. The above-mentioned second through holes230and the conductive metal element250are completely located in the surrounding area S, and these conductive metal elements250are respectively signal channels for transmitting the above-mentioned information signals.

Also, the probe holder310includes an upper guide plate311, a lower guide plate312, a base body313, a plurality of first position openings314and a plurality of second position openings315. The upper guide plate311is connected to the circuit protection assembly201. The lower guide plate312is opposite to the upper guide plate311. The base body313is sandwiched between the upper guide plate311and the lower guide plate312. The first position openings314are respectively arranged on the base body313in the aforementioned array for fixedly holding the first conductive probes400, respectively. The second position openings315are respectively arranged on the base body313and surround the first position openings314for fixedly holding the second conductive probes500, respectively.

It should be understood that the number of the self-resetting fusing elements240in each figure is only demonstration. For example, the number of the self-resetting fusing elements240can also be as much as thousands, or even tens of thousands. However, the disclosure is not limited to thereto.

Thus, through the construction of the embodiments above, the present disclosure is able to avoid the needle burning or needle melting phenomenon so as to reduce the possibilities of specific probe failure and improve the continuous electrical inspection.

Although the present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.