JP6912322B2 - Probe and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a probe used for measuring the characteristics of an object to be inspected.

In order to measure the characteristics of an inspected object such as an integrated circuit without separating it from the wafer, a probe that comes into contact with the inspected object is used. The probe has a small-diameter plunger that comes into contact with the object to be inspected and a barrel that is a large-diameter cylindrical portion into which a part of the plunger is inserted, and the inserted portion of the plunger and the barrel are joined. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-89918

The plunger and barrel are joined using spot welding or the like. However, in spot welding, there is a problem that the barrel bulges outward due to pressurization. Therefore, it is necessary to widen the distance between the probes in order to prevent the probes from coming into contact with each other, and there is a problem that narrowing the pitch of the probe arrangement is hindered.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a probe and a method for manufacturing a probe capable of suppressing the barrel from expanding outward when the plunger and the barrel are joined.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a pair of rod-shaped plungers having a tip and an insertion portion and a tube-shaped barrel having an opening end into which the insertion portion is inserted are provided, and the barrels are each connected to the opening end. Defined in the region where at least a pair of joints facing each other through the internal space of the barrel are close to any of the slits, and in a cross section perpendicular to the barrel axis, the entire insert. Is placed inside the slit , the insertion part and the joint part are joined in the space inside the barrel, and a probe is provided in which the barrel is recessed toward the plunger at the joint part.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the insertion portion of a rod-shaped plunger having a tip portion and an insertion portion is inserted from the opening end of a tube-shaped barrel having a pair of slits connected to the opening end. The barrel moves toward the plunger at the joint, pressing at least a pair of opposing joints against the insert through the space inside the barrel, defined in the barrel in the region close to any of the slits. look including the step of bonding the insert portion and the serial junction to be recessed, in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the barrel, a manufacturing method of a probe the whole of the insertion portion is disposed inside the slit provided Will be done.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a probe and a method for manufacturing a probe capable of suppressing the barrel from bulging outward when the plunger and the barrel are joined.

It is a schematic plan view which shows the structure of the probe which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the structure of the probe which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which held the probe which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the probe which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the joined state of the plunger and the barrel of the probe which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic side view which shows the structure of the probe which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic cross-sectional view for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the probe of the comparative example. It is a schematic diagram which shows the shape of the probe of the comparative example. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the probe which concerns on 1st modification of embodiment of this invention. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the XX direction of FIG. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the probe which concerns on 1st modification of the Embodiment of this invention (the 1). It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the probe which concerns on 1st modification of the Embodiment of this invention (the 2). It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the probe which concerns on the 2nd modification of the Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the other structure of the probe which concerns on the 2nd modification of the Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the probe which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating another manufacturing method of the probe which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings below, the same or similar parts are designated by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and the thickness ratio of each part is different from the actual one. In addition, it goes without saying that the drawings include parts having different dimensional relationships and ratios from each other. The embodiments shown below exemplify devices and methods for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the embodiments of the present invention describe the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components as follows. It is not specific to the thing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the probe 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is connected to a rod-shaped plunger 11 having an insertion portion 112 connected to the tip portion 111 and the tip portion 111 adjacent to the open end, respectively. A tube-shaped barrel 12 having a pair of slits 121 formed therein is provided. A joint 201 is defined in the barrel 12 in a region close to the slit 121. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a joint portion 201 is defined in the middle of the pair of slits 121.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of joints 202 formed on the lower surface of the barrel 12 so as to face the joint 201 defined on the upper surface of the barrel 12 shown in FIG. It is defined in the middle of the slit 121 of. Hereinafter, the joints defined in the barrel 12 are collectively referred to as “joints 20”.

As described above, the barrel 12 has a pair of joints with which the joints 20 face each other through a tube-shaped internal space. As shown in FIG. 2, the insertion portion 112 of the plunger 11 inserted inside the barrel 12 and the joint portion 20 defined in the barrel 12 are joined.

The slit 121 has a linear shape extending along the axial direction of the barrel 12. In the barrel 12, the joint portion 20 is defined in a region that is easily deformed when an external force is applied because it is in the middle of the slits 121 formed adjacent to each other. Therefore, if the joint portion 20 is pressed against the insertion portion 112 of the plunger 11 when the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 are joined, the joint portion 20 is easily deformed. Therefore, the barrel 12 has a shape recessed toward the plunger 11 at the joint portion 20.

The width S of the slit 121 and the distance W between the two slits 121 sandwiching the joint portion 20 are appropriately set so that the joint portion 20 is easily deformed by an external force according to the material and outer diameter of the barrel 12. For example, when the diameter D of the probe 1 is 105 μm, the width S of the slit 121 is about 5 μm to 70 μm, and the distance W between the slits 121 is about 5 μm to 90 μm. The maximum value of the width S is determined by the distance W of the slits 121. The above dimensions are not arc dimensions but parallel dimensions. The length L of the slit is about 5 to 700 μm.

When the diameter D of the probe 1 is 95 μm, the width S of the slit 121 is about 5 μm to 65 μm, and the distance W between the slits 121 is about 5 μm to 90 μm. When the diameter of the probe 1 is 70 μm, the width S of the slit 121 is about 5 μm to 45 μm, and the distance W between the slits 121 is about 5 μm to 70 μm. When the diameter of the probe 1 is 60 μm, the width S of the slit 121 is about 5 μm to 40 μm, and the distance W between the slits 121 is about 5 μm to 50 μm. The length L of the slit 121 is about 5 to 700 μm.

As shown in FIG. 1, opening ends are provided at both ends of the barrel 12, one plunger 11 is inserted into one opening end, and another plunger 11 is inserted into the other opening end. .. The probe 1 is used, for example, when determining the electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected. In this case, the tip 111 of one of the plungers 11 comes into contact with the object to be inspected. The tip 111 of the other plunger 11 comes into contact with a terminal such as a wiring board, and is electrically connected to a measuring device such as a tester via the wiring board.

Therefore, a conductive material is used for the plunger 11 and the barrel 12. For example, AgPdCu material or the like is used for the plunger 11, and Ni material or the like is used for the barrel 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, a spiral notch penetrating the side surface of the barrel 12 is formed, and a part of the barrel 12 is spring-shaped. As a result, the barrel 12 can be expanded and contracted in the axial direction. Therefore, the plunger 11 can be brought into contact with the object to be inspected or the wiring board by appropriate pressing. No cut is formed in the region where the plunger 11 is not arranged inside.

The probe 1 is held by the probe head 2 as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The number of probes 1 required for the measurement of the object to be inspected is arranged so as to penetrate the probe head 2. The plunger 11 exposed from one main surface of the probe head 2 comes into contact with the object to be inspected. A plunger 11 exposed from the other main surface of the probe head 2 is electrically connected to the measuring device.

An example of a method for manufacturing the probe 1 for joining the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 by spot welding will be described below.

A plunger 11 and a barrel 12 made of a conductive material are prepared. At least a pair of joints 20 facing each other through the space inside the barrel 12 are defined in the barrel 12 in a region that is easily deformed by an external force because it is sandwiched between the slits 121.

Then, the insertion portion 112 of the plunger 11 is inserted into the barrel 12 from the open end. Next, while pressing the joint portion 201 and the joint portion 202 of the barrel 12 against the insertion portion 112 of the plunger 11, the joint portion 112 and the joint portion are formed so that the barrel 12 has a concave shape toward the plunger 11 at the joint portion 20. 20 are joined.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the barrel 12 and the plunger 11 are pressed (pressed) in the direction of the arrow by the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 arranged along the diameter direction of the barrel 12. A current is passed between them. That is, a current is passed between the joint portion 201 and the joint portion 202 in a state where the joint portion 201 and the joint portion 202 facing each other through the space inside the barrel 12 are pressed against the plunger 11. As a result, resistance heat is generated on the contact surface between the plunger 11 and the barrel 12. Due to this thermal resistance, the metal is melted and solidified inside the plunger 11 and the barrel 12, and the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 are joined. A slit 121 close to the joint 201 and a slit 121 close to the joint 202 are arranged in parallel with the virtual line connecting the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 that come into contact with the joint 20.

By the above spot welding, as shown in FIG. 5, the inner wall surface of the barrel 12 is joined to the surface of the plunger 11 at the joint portion 20. Since the pair of joints 20 are defined on the side surfaces of the barrel 12, when the insertion portion 112 of the plunger 11 is inserted inside the barrel 12, the joint portion 201 and the joint portion 202 are connected via the plunger 11. Opposing.

By joining the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 while pressing the joint portion 20 defined in the region sandwiched between the slits 121 and easily deformed against the insertion portion 112, the barrel 12 is formed at the joint portion 20 as shown in FIG. It becomes a concave shape toward the plunger 11. Note that FIG. 6 is a side view of the probe 1 shown so that the joint portion 20 is located on the upper surface and the lower surface. Since deformation due to pressurization is concentrated on the joint portion 20, barrels other than the joint portion 20 are used. The shape of 12 is maintained in the state before the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 are joined.

On the other hand, FIG. 7 shows a comparative example in which the barrel 12A without the slit 121 and the plunger 11 are spot-welded. In the comparative example, the plunger 11 and the barrel 12A are joined by passing an electric current while pressurizing the plunger 11 and the barrel 12A by the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 in the direction of the arrow. As shown in FIG. 8, the pressurization at this time causes the surface of the barrel 12A to bulge due to the shape change.

When the surface of the probe bulges, it is necessary to increase the distance between the probes in order to prevent the probes from coming into contact with each other. Therefore, the narrowing of the pitch of the probe arrangement is hindered.

On the other hand, in the probe 1 shown in FIG. 1, a joint portion 20 of the barrel 12 is defined in the middle of a pair of slits 121 connected to and adjacent to each other at the open end. In this way, by intentionally forming the joint portion 20 so as to be easily deformed by the external force applied at the time of joining, the side surface of the barrel 12 is recessed at the joint portion 20 as shown in FIG. A probe 1 having a shape is obtained.

As described above, according to the probe 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, since only a predetermined portion of the barrel 12 is deformed so as to be recessed inward, the surface of the barrel 12 other than the joint portion 20 bulges outward. Is suppressed. That is, the outer diameter of the joint portion 20 and the outer diameter of the barrel 12 other than the joint portion 20 do not become larger than before the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 are joined. Therefore, it is possible to narrow the pitch of the arrangement of the probe 1.

<First modification>
In the barrel 12 of the probe 1 according to the first modification shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a pair of joints composed of a pair of joints 20 facing each other through the space inside the barrel 12 are in the axial direction of the barrel 12. Multiple definitions are made along the circumferential direction perpendicular to.

As shown in FIG. 10, the joint portion 201a and the joint portion 202a defined in the barrel 12 form a joint portion pair. Then, the joint portion 201b and the joint portion 202b form a joint portion pair, the joint portion 201c and the joint portion 202c form a joint portion pair, and the joint portion 201d and the joint portion 202d form a joint portion pair. Hereinafter, the joint portion 201a, the joint portion 201b, the joint portion 201c, and the joint portion 201d are collectively referred to as a "first joint portion group". Further, the joint portion 202a, the joint portion 202b, the joint portion 202c and the joint portion 202d are collectively referred to as a "second joint portion group".

An example of joining the barrel 12 of the probe 1 and the plunger 11 according to the first modification by spot welding is shown in FIGS. 11 to 12. First, as shown in FIG. 11, the insertion portion 112 of the plunger 11 is inserted into the inside of the barrel 12 from the open end of the barrel 12 in which a plurality of joint pairs are defined.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, the first electrode 101 composed of a plurality of parts having an arc-shaped contact surface is brought into contact with the first joint group. Similarly, the second electrode 102 composed of a plurality of parts having an arc-shaped contact surface is brought into contact with the second joint group. The protrusions provided on the contact surfaces of the ends of the parts of the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 come into contact with the joint 20. As shown in FIG. 12, the protrusions of the two parts come into contact with each of the joints 20. Then, while pressurizing the barrel 12 by the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 so as to press the first joint group and the second joint group against the plunger 11, a current is applied between the barrel 12 and the plunger 11. Shed. As a result, the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 are joined. After that, the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 are separated from the barrel 12.

According to the above joining method, when joining the plunger 11 and the barrel 12, the joining portions 20 included in the joining portion pair are simultaneously pressed against the insertion portion 112. Therefore, the swelling of the barrel 12 can be suppressed at a plurality of locations at the same time. It is not always necessary to apply an electric current to all the joint pairs to spot weld the plunger 11 and the barrel 12. That is, the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 may be spot-welded by passing an electric current only to a part of a plurality of joint pairs, for example, a pair of joints. A plurality of pairs of joints may be spot welded to the insertion portion 112 at the same time.

Further, according to the configuration of the barrel 12 shown in FIG. 12, when joining the plunger 11 and the barrel 12, the step of aligning the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 with the barrel 12 can be simplified. .. For example, when a set of the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 is used and a pair of joints is used, the barrel 12 is rotated about the axial direction as a rotation axis to rotate the joint 20 and the first. It is necessary to align the electrode 101 and the second electrode 102. However, in the barrel 12 shown in FIG. 12, since it is sufficient that any one of the plurality of joint pairs faces the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102, the step of rotating the barrel 12 can be omitted. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the probe 1 can be shortened.

<Second modification>
In the barrel 12 shown in FIG. 1, the position of the end portion of the defined region of the joint portion 20 sandwiched between the slits 121 and the position of the end portion of the region outside the slit 121 are set at the open end of the barrel 12. It is complete. However, there may be a deviation in the position of the end portion between the defined region of the joint portion 20 and the other region. As a result, the joint portion 20 can be more easily deformed by the external force applied at the time of joining.

For example, in the barrel 12 shown in FIG. 13, the position of the end portion of the region where the joint portion 20 between the pair of slits 121 is defined is more open than the position of the end portion of the region outside the pair of slits 121. It recedes from the end along the axial direction of the barrel 12. Further, in the barrel 12 shown in FIG. 14, the position of the end portion of the outer region of the pair of slits 121 is in the axial direction of the barrel 12 from the opening end rather than the position of the end portion of the region between the pair of slits 121. Retreating along.

By using the barrel 12 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the joint portion 20 can be more easily deformed. Therefore, it is possible to further prevent the joint portion 20 of the barrel 12 from bulging outward.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a pair of joints having a configuration in which the position of the end of the region where the joint 20 is defined is changed along the axial direction of the barrel 12 is shown with reference to FIG. Similar to the first modification described above, a plurality of may be defined along the circumferential direction of the barrel 12. By simultaneously pressing the joint portions 20 included in the joint portion pair against the insertion portion 112, the swelling of the barrel 12 can be suppressed at a plurality of locations at the same time.

At this time, only a pair of joints of the barrel 12 may be pressed against the plunger 11 for spot welding. Alternatively, a plurality of joint pairs may be spot welded to the plunger 11.

(Other embodiments)
Although the present invention has been described by embodiment as described above, the statements and drawings that form part of this disclosure should not be understood to limit the invention. Various alternative embodiments, examples and operational techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

For example, although the case where the cross-sectional shape of the probe 1 is circular is shown above, the cross-sectional shape may be a polygonal shape such as a quadrangle. Further, although the example in which the slit 121 extends perpendicularly to the axial direction of the barrel 12, the extending direction of the slit 121 and the axial direction of the barrel 12 may intersect at a predetermined angle.

Further, even when the plunger 11 and the barrel 12 are joined while being crimped by a joining method other than spot welding, the barrel 12 can be prevented from bulging outward by applying the present invention.

Further, in the production of the probe 1 according to the first modification shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, unlike the electrode divided into a plurality of parts having protrusions as shown in FIG. 12, FIG. 15 shows. The integrated arcuate first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 shown may be used. The joint portion 20 sandwiched between the slits 121 is pressed against the plunger 11 even if the outer periphery of the barrel 12 is pressed by the first electrode 101 and the second electrode 102 shown in FIG. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 16, each of the first joint group and the individual joints 20 included in the second joint group is pressurized by the first electrodes 101a to 101d and the second electrodes 102a to 102d. You may pass an electric current while passing the current.

As described above, it goes without saying that the present invention includes various embodiments not described here. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is defined only by the matters specifying the invention relating to the reasonable claims from the above description.

1 ... Probe 11 ... Plunger 12 ... Barrel 20 ... Joint 111 ... Tip 112 ... Insert 121 ... Slit

Claims (8)

A rod-shaped plunger with a tip and an insertion part,
It comprises a tube-shaped barrel having an open end into which the insertion portion is inserted.
The barrel has a pair of slits each connected to the open end, and is defined in a region where at least a pair of joints facing each other through the space inside the barrel are close to any of the slits.
In a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the barrel, the entire insertion portion is arranged inside the slit.
The insertion portion and the joint portion are joined in the space inside the barrel, and the joint portion is joined.
A probe characterized in that the barrel has a shape recessed toward the plunger at the joint. The probe according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the joints are defined along a circumferential direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the barrel. The position of the end of the region between the pair of slits is recessed from the opening end along the axial direction of the barrel with respect to the position of the end of the region outside the pair of slits. The probe according to claim 1 or 2. The position of the end of the region outside the pair of slits is recessed from the opening end along the axial direction of the barrel with respect to the position of the end of the region between the pair of slits. The probe according to claim 1 or 2. The barrel is provided with the opening ends at both ends, one of the plungers is inserted into one of the opening ends, and the other plunger is inserted into the other opening end. The probe according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A step of inserting the insertion portion of a rod-shaped plunger having a tip portion and an insertion portion from the opening end of a tube-shaped barrel having a pair of slits connected to the opening end, respectively.
While pressing at least a pair of joints facing each other through the space inside the barrel, defined in the barrel in a region close to any of the slits, the barrel is at the joint. look including the step of bonding the insertion portion and the joint portion so as to form recessed toward the plunger, in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the barrel, inside the whole of the insertion portion of the slit A method of manufacturing a probe, characterized in that it is placed in. The probe according to claim 6, wherein the plunger and the barrel are joined by spot welding in which an electric current is passed between the pair of the joints while the pair of the joints are pressed against the plunger. Manufacturing method. The barrel having a plurality of pairs of the joints arranged along the circumferential direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the barrel is prepared.
The method for manufacturing a probe according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the joints included in a plurality of pairs of the joints are pressed against the insertion portion at the same time.

Images