Nucent: CPCC-500S & CPCC-500D
Save Money - Don't Replace Probe Cards; Clean and Condition Them
The CPCC-500S and CPCC-500D Probe Card Cleaning & Conditioning tools (PC³) were designed and developed to address the exacting demands of current die, where small probe tip geometries (15 to 25µm) are routinely used at low test voltages.
Probe Card lifetime and device yields are reduced by debris accumulation on the cards probe tips. A large number of factors contribute to the frequency of probe needle tip cleaning and re-conditioning. Cleaning and re-conditioning is of course necessary to insure maximum device yields; to increase probe card life and to reduce overall probe card maintenance costs.
Probe cleanliness is of paramount importance to minimize the burdens of re-test; and so guarantee maximum device yields.
The PC³ 500S and the PC³ 500D were designed to accommodate all probe card configurations. These tools employ non-destructive, non-abrasive cleaning and tip re-conditioning for all probe card configurations.
Probe Tip Cleaning and Re-Conditioning is achieved using an aqueous solution of a mild environmentally safe cleaner - ProbeWash™ (from RD Chemical Company).
When Probe Tips become contaminated as a result of multiple touch-downs; they can easily be cleaned and the Probe Tips re-conditioned to "as new" performance and conductivity levels. With Nucents conditioning and cleaning protocol there is no abrasion of the Probe Tips and so the Probe Tip geometeries are never degraded during the conditioning and cleaning process.
Our conditioning/cleaning protocols convert accumulations of Aluminum or Copper residues (chemically aluminimum or copper oxides) into soluble compounds that readily dissolve in the aqueous ProbeWash solution. This conditioning and cleaning process leaves the Probe ips completely unprotected by any oxide layer, thus they prone to rapid tarnishing.
Tarnishing (re-oxidation) is prevented as ProbeWash contains an organic re-conditioning (anti-tarnish) agent, that protects all Probe surfaces without interfering with conductivity (Cres). Common anti-tarnish agents (e.g.triazoles and imidazoles) are not suitable for this job as they would deposit thick multilayers onto the Probe Tips that would increase contact resistance (Cres).
ProbeWash re-conditioning agents react with the surface metal of the Probes to leave an insoluble mono-molecular coating that reduces the potential of the surface metal to react with atmospheric oxygen. The result is Probe Tips which have all the performance characteristics of brand new Probes.
For more information on ProbeWash Cleaning and Re-Conditioning and its reactions with De-Ox Foam Cleaning Pads used in the PC³ Tools please see Technical Bulletin 5000 Cleaning and Conditioning Chemistry
When used in the PC³ tools, ProbeWash is proven to:
- Increase Probe Needle Life
- Increase Probe Yield
- Remove Oxide and Aluminum
- Reduce Contact Resistance (Cres)