US-20260126483-A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROBING DEVICE-UNDER-TEST

US20260126483A1US 20260126483 A1US20260126483 A1US 20260126483A1US-20260126483-A1

Abstract

An apparatus for probing a DUT includes a fixture disposed over the DUT, a circuitry film attached to the fixture, first probe contacts disposed on a first side of the circuitry film and extending toward the DUT, second probe contacts disposed on a second side of the circuitry film opposite to the first side and extending toward the fixture, and a first integrated device coupled to the second probe contacts and electrically coupled to the first probe contacts through the circuitry film.

Inventors

Chuan-Hsiang Sun
Han-Lun Lee
YUAN-LI LIN
Kai-Yi Tang

Assignees

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241107

Claims (20)

1 . An apparatus for probing a device-under-test (DUT), comprising: a fixture disposed over the DUT; a circuitry film attached to the fixture; first probe contacts disposed on a first side of the circuitry film and extending toward the DUT; second probe contacts disposed on a second side of the circuitry film opposite to the first side and extending toward the fixture; and a first integrated device coupled to the second probe contacts and electrically coupled to the first probe contacts through the circuitry film.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: third probe contacts disposed on the first side of the circuitry film and angularly offset from an extending direction of the first probe contacts; and a second integrated device coupled to the third probe contacts and electrically coupled to the first probe contacts through the circuitry film.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a circuit board electrically coupled to the circuitry film, wherein a base of the fixture is engaged with the circuit board and a protrusion of the fixture connected to the base passes through the circuit board; and fourth probe contacts disposed on the first side of the circuitry film and being in contact with the circuit board, wherein the circuit board is electrically coupled to the first probe contacts through the fourth probe contacts and the circuitry film.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry film comprises: a first portion attached to a base of the fixture; a second portion attached to a protrusion of the fixture connected to the base; and a third portion connected to the first and second portions and extending along a sidewall of the protrusion, the third portion comprising a device-mounting region and excluded regions connected to the device-mounting region and the first and second portions, wherein the circuitry film comprises turning segments in the excluded regions, and the first integrated device is mounted on the device-mounting region.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein: the first integrated device is coupled to the second probe contacts through solder joints, and the first integrated device is within a boundary of the device-mounting region, and one of the solder joints is in the device-mounting region and extends into one of the excluded regions.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first integrated device is coupled to the second probe contacts through solder joints and the solder joints have substantially a same slope in a cross-sectional view.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: a gap is between the circuitry film and a sidewall of the fixture, and a minimum lateral distance of the gap at a boundary of a region on which the first integrated device is disposed is greater than a maximum lateral distance between the second side of the circuitry film and a top surface of the corresponding first integrated device.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first integrated device is coupled to the second probe contacts through solder joints, a plurality of the second probe contacts land on a conductive pad of the circuitry film, and one of the solder joints is coupled to at least one of the plurality of the second probe contacts.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first integrated device is coupled to the second probe contacts through solder joints, a bottom surface of the first integrated device facing the second probe contacts and a sidewall of the first integrated device connected to the bottom surface are covered by the solder joints.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second probe contacts comprises: a first portion connected to a conductive pad of the circuitry film and laterally covered by a dielectric layer of the circuitry film; and a second portion connected to the first portion and protruded from the dielectric layer of the circuitry film, the second portion being covered by a first solder joint coupling the first integrated device to the second probe contacts.
11 . An apparatus for probing a device-under-test (DUT), comprising: a fixture disposed over the DUT; a circuitry film disposed along a contour of the fixture, wherein a gap is between a sidewall of the fixture and the circuitry film; probe contacts disposed on an exterior side of the circuitry film and facing the DUT; first contacts disposed on an interior side of the circuitry film and angularly offset from an extending direction of the probe contacts; and a first integrated device disposed in the gap and coupled to the first contacts through first solder joints, and the first integrated device being electrically coupled to the probe contacts through the circuitry film.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising: second contacts disposed on the exterior side of the circuitry film and angularly offset from the extending direction of the probe contacts; and a second integrated device coupled to the second contacts and electrically coupled to the probe contacts through the circuitry film.
13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first contacts comprises: a conductive body landing on a conductive pad of the circuitry film, the conductive body comprising a lower portion laterally covered by a dielectric layer of the circuitry film and an upper portion protruded from the dielectric layer of the circuitry film; and a conductive coating conformally covering the upper portion of the conductive body.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein: additional dielectric layer overlying the dielectric layer of the circuitry film, and a lower portion of the conductive coating is laterally covered by the additional dielectric layer.
15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first contacts comprises: a conductive body landing on a conductive pad of the circuitry film and disposed in an opening of a dielectric layer of the circuitry film; and a conductive coating overlying the conductive body, wherein a height of the at least one of the first contacts is less than a height of the probe contacts.
16 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein: a first portion of the first contacts lands on a first conductive pad of the circuitry film, and a second portion of the first contacts lands on a second conductive pad of the circuitry film that is laterally spaced apart from the first conductive pad, and a lateral dimension of the first integrated device is less than a total lateral distance of a lateral dimension of the first conductive pad, a lateral dimension of the second conductive pad, and a pitch between the first and second conductive pads.
17 . A method for probing a device-under-test (DUT), comprising: providing a probing apparatus comprising: forming a circuitry film; forming probe contacts on a first side of the circuitry film; forming first contacts on a second side of the circuitry film opposite to the first side; coupling a first integrated device to the first contacts through first solder joints, wherein the first integrated device is electrically coupled to the probe contacts through the circuitry film; attaching the circuitry film to a fixture; and attaching a circuit board to the fixture, wherein a protrusion of the fixture passes through the circuit board, and the circuit board is electrically coupled to the probe contacts through the circuitry film; and probing the DUT by the probe contacts.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the probing apparatus further comprises: forming the circuitry film on a carrier; partially removing the carrier to expose the second side of the circuitry film before forming the first contacts on the interior side of the circuitry film; and attaching the circuitry film to the fixture after coupling the first integrated device to the first contacts, wherein a remaining portion of the carrier is interposed between the protrusion of the fixture and the circuitry film.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the probing apparatus further comprises: forming a sacrificial dielectric layer on the first side of the circuitry film to cover the probe contacts; bonding a temporary carrier to the sacrificial dielectric layer; forming the first contacts on the second side of the circuitry film by using the temporary carrier as a support; and de-bonding the temporary carrier before coupling the first integrated device to the first contacts.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the probing apparatus further comprises: forming second contacts on the first side of the circuitry film when forming the probe contacts on the first side of the circuitry film; coupling a second integrated device to the second contacts through second solder joints before attaching the circuitry film to the fixture, wherein the second integrated device is electrically coupled to the probe contacts through the circuitry film.

Description

BACKGROUND With the evolving of semiconductor technologies, integrated circuit (IC) devices get smaller and the functionalities continue to increase. The testing of the IC devices plays an important role in IC manufacturing to ensure the functionalities of the IC devices. Typically, the prober station is configured to provide the testing signals for a device-under-test (DUT) through a probe card which includes a probe head connected to a printed circuit board (PCB). Although existing methods and apparatus of testing have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is noted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. FIGS. 1A-1H illustrate schematic cross-sectional views of intermediate steps during a process for forming a circuitry film, in accordance with some embodiments. FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate schematic cross-sectional views of variations of the structure in FIG. 1H, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a part of a probing apparatus, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 3B is a schematic view of a circuitry film in a deployment state, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a probing apparatus configured to probe a device-under-test (DUT), in accordance with some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Further, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation (e.g., X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction) depicted in the figures. The apparatus may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly. Semiconductor manufacturing implements probe testing to qualify and/or sort integrated circuit (IC) devices on a wafer. In a probe test, a probing apparatus may be used and configured to couple a tester to a wafer to be tested. The probing apparatus may include a fixture, a circuitry film attached to the fixture, integrated devices (e.g., surface mount devices, integrated passive devices, and/or the like) mounted on the circuitry film, a circuit board attached to the fixture and electrically coupled to the circuitry film, and probe contacts electrically coupled to the circuitry film for testing of one or more devices-under-tests (DUTs). As the number of the DUTs increases, the density of circuits in the circuitry film and/or the number of the integrated devices may also increase. However, a large number of the integrated devices may occupy more routing area in the circuitry film. Thus, there exists a need for improved circuitry film and the integrated devices of a probing apparatus and manufacturing methods thereof. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a probing apparatus including a circuitry film and integrated devices coupled to an interior side of the circuitry film, and a manufacturing method of the circuitry film, where the circuitry film is a part of the apparatus for probing the DUT. For example, the circuitry film is attached to a fixture, and one or more integrated devices may be mounted on an interior side of the circuitry film facing the fixture. None or some of the integrated devices may be mounted on an exterior side of the circuitry film facing the DUT. By doing this, some emb