Patent ID: 6840374

Claim:
A probe cleaning apparatus for cleaning the end portion of a probe used for testing a semiconductor wafer, comprising: (i) an abrasive substrate layer comprising a material for loosening debris on the end portion of a probe; and (ii) a tacky gel layer, wherein said tacky gel layer is in contact with a surface of the abrasive substrate layer; said tacky gel layer comprising: (a) a silicone base resin having the Formula I: wherein: R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from: hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, vinyl or C 1-6 acryloxyalkyl, and at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 is a vinyl group; D is a divalent linkage selected from the groups consisting of: —O—, —S—, —(CH 2 ) r CH 2 —, —(CH 2 ) r CH 2 O— and —O(CH 2 ) r CH 2 —, wherein r is an integer from 0-10; n and m are independently integers from 0 to 1000, and the sum of n and m is not less than about 10; and (b) a cross-linking compound selected from: (i′) a compound having the Formula II: wherein, R 1′ , R 2′ , R 3′ , R 4′ , R 5′ , m′ and n′ are independently selected from the groups defining R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , m and n above, with the proviso that vinyl is not present in Formula II and that Formula II has at least two Si—H bonds; or (ii′) a compound having the Formula III: wherein: R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , and R 11 are independently selected from: hydrogen, C 1-20 alkyl, C 1-20 haloalkyl, phenyl or C 1-10 alkylphenyl, with the proviso that Formula III has at least two Si—H bonds; p and q are independently integers from 0 to 800; and T is selected from the group consisting of: a single bond, —(CH 2 ) 1 CH 2 —, —(CH 2 ) t CH 2 O— and wherein: t is an integer from 0-10; R is selected from: C 1-20 alkyl, C 1-20 haloalkyl, phenyl or C 1-10 alkylphenyl; and s is an integer from 0 to 800; and (c) a catalyst; further wherein: the chain length of the silicone base resin as defined by the sum of the values for in and n of Formula I, is always greater than the chain length of the cross-linking compound as defined by the sum of the values form m′ and n′ of Formula II, or the sum the values for p, q and s of Formula III.