Probe contact resistance variations during elevated temperature wafer test

Author

Broz, Jerry J. ; Rinco, Reynaldo M.

Author_Institution

Adv. Probing Syst. Inc., Boulder, CO, USA

fYear

1999

fDate

1999

Firstpage

396

Lastpage

405

Abstract

Localized electrical contact phenomena during wafer test can significantly affect contact resistance magnitude and stability of tungsten (W), tungsten-rhenium (WRe), beryllium-copper (BeCu), Pd-alloy (Paliney-7), and metallic-alloy (NewTek-Probe) probes. Typically, increased and unstable contact resistance (C_RES) during aluminum wafer test at 85°C with tungsten (W) and tungsten-rhenium (WRe) probe needles is attributed to adherent oxides from the aluminum bond pads. New experimental data indicates that oxide formation due to localized Joule heating at the probe tip contact “a-Spots” significantly contributes to the C_RES variations. Use of non-oxidizing probe materials could provide low and stable C_RES with reduced cleaning frequency at elevated temperatures. Preliminary production level beta testing on actual devices using NewTek probes demonstrated significant reductions in continuity failures, cleaning frequency, and operator intervention

Keywords

beryllium alloys; contact resistance; copper alloys; electric resistance measurement; integrated circuit testing; palladium alloys; production testing; rhenium alloys; stability; tungsten; tungsten alloys; 30 degC; 85 degC; Al bond pads; BeCu; C_RES variations; NewTek-Probe; Paliney-7; Pd; Pd-alloy; W; WRe; WRe probe; aluminum wafer test; cleaning frequency; contact resistance; contact resistance magnitude; continuity failures; elevated temperature wafer test; localized Joule heating; localized electrical contact; metallic-alloy; non-oxidizing probe materials; operator intervention; oxide formation; probe contact resistance; probe tip contact; production level beta testing; reduced cleaning frequency; stability; Aluminum; Cleaning; Contact resistance; Frequency; Needles; Probes; Stability; Temperature; Testing; Tungsten;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Test Conference, 1999. Proceedings. International

Conference_Location

Atlantic City, NJ

ISSN

1089-3539

Print_ISBN

0-7803-5753-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/TEST.1999.805761

Filename

805761