Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Hsu Ming Cheng

Yung-Liang Kuo

Clinton Chao

Wen-Liang Luo

Frank Hwang

Hua-Shu Ivan Wu

Ann Luh

Fa-Yuan Chang

Pi-Huang Lee

Wen-Hung Wu

A universal system for testing different semiconductor devices provides a probe head with a probe pattern that may be used to test different test patterns formed on different semiconductor devices. Each of a plurality of bumps or pads of the test pattern contacts a corresponding probe of the probe head to enable the semiconductor device to be tested. The universal probe head may additionally or alternatively include a substrate design on the probe head that provides a pattern on the substrate of the probe head that may be used in conjunction with different patterns formed on a plurality of different printed circuit boards for testing different semiconductor devices.

Universal array type probe card design for semiconductor device testing

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes providing a stack structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The stack structure includes a bottom wafer comprising a substrate; a plurality of through-silicon vias in the substrate; and a plurality of under bump metallurgies (UBMs) connected to the plurality of through-silicon vias, wherein the UBMs are on the first side of the stack structure. The method further includes attaching a handling wafer on the second side of the stack structure; performing a chip probing process; and removing the handling wafer from the stack structure.

Chip-probing and bumping solutions for stacked dies having through-silicon vias

Pad structures and methods for forming such pad structures are provided. For the pad structure, the first conductive material layer has a first hardness over about 200 kg/mm. The second conductive material layer is over the first conductive material layer and has a second hardness over about 80 kg/mm. For the method of forming the pad structure, a plurality of first conductive material layers is formed within each of a plurality of openings of a substrate. The substrate has a plurality of openings therein. The first conductive material layers are formed within each of the openings of the substrate. The first conductive material layers substantially have a round top surface. The second conductive material layers are formed and substantially conformal over the first conductive material layers. The second conductive material layers cover a major portion of the round top surface of the first conductive material layers.

Space transformer having multi-layer pad structures

A system and a method of testing a semiconductor die is provided. An embodiment includes a printed circuit board connected to a space transformation layer, which is connected to a substrate. The substrate uses through silicon vias and a redistribution layer to reduce the pitch of the connections beyond the historical limitations. A probe head using Cobra-style probe pins is connected to the redistribution layer through C4 bumps.

Ultra-fine area array pitch probe card

A system and a method of testing a semiconductor die is provided. An embodiment comprises a plurality of tips that each comprise a substrate with a conductive via, a first dielectric layer with vias connected to the conductive via, a second dielectric layer with vias over the first dielectric layer, and a metal layer over the second dielectric layer. Additional dielectric layers with vias may be used. This tip is electrically connected to a redistribution line that routes signals between the tip to electrical connections on a space transformation layer. The space transformation layer is electrically connected to a printed circuit board using, for example, a spring loaded connection such as a pogo pin. The space transformation layer is aligned onto the printed circuit board by a series of guidance mechanisms such as guide pins or smooth fixtures, and the planarity of the tips is adjusted by adjusting the screws.

Ultra-fine pitch probe card structure

A system and a method of testing a semiconductor die is provided. An embodiment comprises a plurality of metal tips that are connected to a redistribution layer that fans out the pitch from the tips to metal plugs located in the substrate. The metal tips could be formed using semiconductor processes and either adding smaller layers of metal to larger layers of metal or else removing portions of one piece of metal to form the tips. The metal plugs are connected to a space transformation layer. The space transformation layer is electrically connected to a printed circuit board using, for example, a spring loaded connection such as a pogo pin. The space transformation layer is aligned onto the printed circuit board by a series of guidance mechanisms such as smooth fixtures, and the planarity of the tips is adjusted by adjusting a series of screws.

A semiconductor die including a test structure is provided. The semiconductor die includes a loop-back formed on a surface of the semiconductor die. The loop-back structure includes a first bonding pad on a first surface; and a second bonding pad on the first surface, wherein the first and the second bonding pads are electrically disconnected from integrated circuit devices in the semiconductor die. A conductive feature electrically shorts the first and the second bonding pads. An additional die including an interconnect structure is bonded onto the semiconductor die. The interconnect structure includes a third and a fourth bonding pad bonded to the first and the second bonding pads, respectively. Through-wafer vias in the additional die are further connected to the third and fourth bonding pads.

Test structures for stacking dies having through-silicon vias

An effective and easy to fabricate method to test multiple integrated circuit device designs using a single, probe card design is provided. A universal, probe card design is disclosed herein to test a plurality of integrated circuit devices at the wafer level. Integrated circuit probe pads and probe card probe I/O pins are designed in grid-like pattern on a region of the substrate. Ground terminal encircles the region of the I/O pins and power terminals are provided on the substrate. The I/O terminals can have a constant pitch array or a varying pitch array. The probe card can be used for a family of integrated circuit devices. A method to test flip chip, integrated circuits using a universal probe card has also been disclosed to reduce probe card proliferation and fabrication cost.

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Hsin-Chu, Taiwan

Hsu Ming Cheng