Modeling the bending of probes used in semiconductor industry

An analytical model for the bending of probes used in the semiconductor industry is presented. It is shown that tip sliding distance is twice as large as was previously believed. This difference is shown to be caused by the beam curvature, which increases the angle between the tip and the vertical and pushes the tip forward. The model uses the probe shape and the material elastic properties to estimate the beam curvature. Tip sliding distance, force, and tip angle variance are calculated as functions of beam dimensions and overdrive. The model is in agreement with sliding distance measured by scanning electron microscopy.<
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