Cascade Microtech P800-S - Manual (Page 4)

PN 151-853-A www.cascademicrotech.com Pyramid Probe Card: P800-S Online Cleaning• 4
Online Cleaning Parameters
General Precautions
When using a prober or cleaning station, never clean Pyramid Probe cards by moving the cleaning chuck back-and-forth in
the XY-plane when it is in contact with the probe tips. Instead, clean the probe tips contacting the cleaning substrate using
only a Z-axis motion. Many probers and probe card analyzers default to a scrubbing X-Y motion, which must be disabled.
When stepping Pyramid Probe cards down on a cleaning substrate, do not exceed 250 µm in overtravel. Overtravel
between 35 and 75 µm is optimal for most cleaning applications. Higher overtravel is more likely to generate particles from
the cleaning film.
Step the cleaning chuck at least 2x the tip diameter in the X and Y directions between touchdowns to ensure the probe tips
always contact fresh material and an even distribution of abrasive particles.
Unacceptable Lapping
Films The traditional method used for cleaning cantilever probe cards. Lapping film contains
abrasive particles that have been bonded to the backing film with a relatively hard resin
binder. These films are typically 75-125 µm thick.
The preferred method for cleaning Pyramid Probes with a plastic plunger uses Allied High
Tech Products’ 3 µm Diamond Lapping Film, after removing some of the binder. However,
lapping film should NOT be used with the P800-S type Pyramid Probes, as too much
overtravel (force) is required to make contact with all the probe tips.
Soft-
Backed
Lapping
Films Using soft backed lapping films applies uneven pressure on the probe tips causing uneven
wear, reducing coplanarity, especially at the edges or corners of an array of tips, and
increasing the overtravel requirement over time. In addition, too much overtravel is
required to make contact with all the probe tips. This type of cleaning material should not
be used to clean Pyramid Probes.
Examples of soft-backed lapping films include:
• MIPOX PF3 types, for example, GC6000-PF3 and GC8000-PF3, SI10000-PF3
• 3M Type CL (cushion layer)
• Stacked layers of cleaning films to create the equivalent of a soft-backed lapping film
Other A number of probe cleaning methods common within the industry can cause irreversible
damage to Pyramid Probe cards. These methods must not be used with Pyramid Probe
cards under any circumstances:
• Tungsten Carbide, Silicon Carbide, Alumina or other Ceramic Plates - even if they are
similar to the Allied 3 µm diamond lapping film in grit size, probing on these surfaces will
quickly grind away Pyramid Probe tips.
• Non-qualified chemicals - many chemicals are incompatible with the materials used in
Pyramid Probe cores. Refer to the Cascade Microtech application note, Pyramid Probe
Core Off-line Cleaning With Brush for a list of qualified chemicals.
• Lapping Films with the abrasive contained in ceramic beads - the large ceramic beads
can damage the probe tips. The beads are also brittle and can shatter, causing contami-
nation on the face of the probe. This type of cleaning material should not be used to
clean Pyramid Probes. Examples of lapping films with ceramic beads containing abra-
sive include:
— Allied High Tech Products, Type B lapping films
— 3M Type B lapping films
C AUTION
When cleaning Pyramid Probe cards, never move the cleaning substrate in the XY-plane
when the substrate and the probe tips are in contact.
!
Online Cleaning Instructions