JP4965101B2 - Method for aligning the probe tip and the electrode of the object to be inspected - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an alignment method for aligning a probe tip and an electrode of an object to be inspected.

  An object to be inspected such as a semiconductor wafer formed with a plurality of integrated circuits is subjected to an energization test to determine whether or not each integrated circuit has a function according to the specifications. This type of energization test is generally performed using a prober (inspection apparatus) that uses a probe card having a plurality of probes individually corresponding to the electrodes of the object to be inspected. Each probe has a tip or needle tip that is pressed against a corresponding electrode.

  In general, a prober is provided with a positioning member such as a positioning pin and a stopper and a positioning mechanism such as a stage for mounting the probe card and the object to be inspected so that their relative positional relationship is within an allowable range. I have.

  On the other hand, in the probe card, the height position of the needle tip from the virtual reference plane (that is, the Z coordinate position) is within the allowable range, and the two-dimensional position of the needle tip (that is, the XY coordinate position) is The position of the needle tip is determined by using a position reference such as a sample of an object to be inspected or a design drawing so that the virtual reference two-dimensional position (that is, the two-dimensional position of the corresponding electrode) is within an allowable range. Adjusted.

  The above-mentioned position reference is based on the substrate surface such as the surface of the inspected object itself mounted on the prober and the virtual surface formed by the plurality of electrodes and the respective electrodes on the substrate surface in the state where the probe card is mounted on the prober. Two-dimensional position.

  From the above, in the state where the probe card and the object to be inspected are attached to the prober, the probe surface such as the surface of the probe card itself or a virtual surface formed by the plurality of needle tips and the substrate surface on the object to be inspected side The probe tips of all the probes can come into contact with the corresponding electrodes.

  However, even with such a prober and probe card, the probe is in a state where the position of the needle tip with respect to the electrode of the object to be inspected arranged in the prober is the same as the position of the needle tip with respect to the position reference at the end of position adjustment. It is difficult to attach the card to the prober.

  For this reason, conventionally, in a state where the probe card is attached to the prober, the probe surface formed by the probe tips of the plurality of probes is often inclined with respect to the substrate surface on the semiconductor wafer side arranged on the prober.

  When the probe card is attached to the prober in such an inclined state, the three-dimensional position (Z position (height position) and XY position (two-dimensional position)) of the needle tip with respect to the electrode of the actual semiconductor wafer disposed on the prober Vary from probe to probe, resulting in a probe whose needle tip does not contact the electrode accurately, and an accurate test is not performed.

  As one of the alignment techniques for solving the above-described problems, after the probe card is attached to the prober, the three-dimensional positions of the needle tips of any four probes with respect to the prober and the 4 of the object to be inspected arranged on the prober There is a technique in which a three-dimensional position of one electrode is determined, and the object to be inspected is displaced with respect to the probe card using the determined three-dimensional position (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3193958

  The above-described prior art obtains a probe surface formed by these four needle tips and a substrate surface formed by these four electrodes, and the object to be inspected and the probe card so that the probe surface and the substrate surface are parallel to each other. Are relatively displaced in a spherical shape using a ball joint, and then the object to be inspected and the probe card are relatively two-dimensionally arranged so that the needle tips of each of the four probes accurately contact the corresponding electrodes. Move to.

  However, in the above-described conventional technology, the information on the needle tip position at the time of adjusting the needle tip position at the time of manufacturing the probe card is not used in the alignment after the probe card is mounted on the prober. The three-dimensional position does not match the position reference when adjusting the needle tip position.

  As a result, in the above-described conventional technique, the probe surface formed by the needle tips of the four probes whose three-dimensional coordinate positions have been obtained does not coincide with the probe surface at the time of adjusting the needle tip position. In addition, even if the probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced so that the probe tip of any probe of such a probe card is in exact contact with the corresponding electrode, the tip of the probe is accurately applied to the corresponding electrode. A probe that does not come into contact with the substrate is generated.

  From the above, in the above prior art, it is necessary to perform alignment work for aligning the three-dimensional position of the needle tip with respect to the electrodes for all probes provided in the probe card, and such alignment work is complicated. become.

  In particular, a probe card having 10,000 or more probes, such as a probe card for testing a large number of integrated circuits formed on one semiconductor wafer in a single step or a plurality of times, can be used as a prober. It takes a lot of time and labor to align the needle tip after mounting.

  An object of the present invention is to facilitate an alignment operation between a probe tip and an electrode of an object to be inspected after being mounted on a prober.

According to the present invention, a method for aligning a probe tip and an electrode of an object to be inspected is a first step that is executed before a probe card having a plurality of probes is placed on a prober. A first step of determining at least three probes of the plurality of probes as reference probes and determining probe information related to the reference probes; and a needle of the reference probe in a state where the probe card is arranged in the prober The probe tip position representing the previous coordinate position, and the coordinates of the electrode corresponding to the reference probe in a state in which a flat test object having a plurality of electrodes individually corresponding to the probe is arranged in the prober A second step of determining at least one of electrode positions representing the position, the probe information, at least one of the needle tip position and the electrode position. Based on the above, the probe card and the object to be inspected disposed on the prober are relatively displaced, and the third step of aligning the tip of the reference probe and the electrode of the object to be inspected look including the door, the reference probe has a condition is satisfied, the same or substantially the same tip height positions that these needle tip is brought into contact with the center or near the respective electrodes corresponding to the reference probe Or satisfying both of these conditions .

  The first step determines the probe information including a needle tip height reference position that represents a height position of the needle tip of the reference probe, and the second step includes a virtual set in the prober. The needle tip position including a needle tip height position that represents a height position of the needle tip from a reference surface is determined, and the third step is configured such that the needle tip height position is the needle tip height reference position. The probe card and the object to be inspected can be relatively displaced so as to be equal.

  The first step determines the probe information including a needle tip two-dimensional reference position that represents a two-dimensional position of the needle tip in a plane orthogonal to the height direction of the needle tip, and the second step includes Determining the needle tip position including a needle tip two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the needle tip within a virtual reference plane set in the prober, and the third step comprises the step of two-dimensional needle tip The probe card and the object to be inspected can be relatively displaced so that the position coincides with the needle tip two-dimensional reference position.

  The first step includes a needle tip height reference position that represents the height position of the needle tip of the reference probe, and a needle that represents the two-dimensional position of the needle tip in a plane perpendicular to the height direction of the needle tip. The probe information including a tip two-dimensional reference position is determined, and the second step includes a needle tip height position that represents a height position of the needle tip from a virtual reference plane set in the prober; The needle tip position including a needle tip two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the needle tip within the reference plane, and the third step is configured such that the needle tip height position is the needle tip height. The probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced so as to be equal to a reference position, and the probe card and the probe card are arranged so that the needle tip two-dimensional position coincides with the needle tip two-dimensional reference position. Including relatively displacing the object to be inspected Kill.

  In the second step, the needle tip position including a needle tip height position indicating a height position of the needle tip from a virtual reference plane set in the prober, and the virtual reference plane The electrode position including the electrode height position representing the electrode height position is determined, and the third step includes a probe surface and a substrate surface based on the needle tip height position and the electrode height position. The probe card and the object to be inspected can be relatively displaced so as to be parallel to each other.

  The second step determines the needle tip position including a needle tip two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the needle tip in a plane orthogonal to the height direction of the needle tip, and Determining the electrode position including a two-dimensional electrode position representing a two-dimensional position of the electrode in a parallel plane, wherein the third step is such that the two-dimensional position of the needle tip coincides with the two-dimensional position of the electrode; , Relatively displacing the probe card and the object to be inspected.

  The second step includes a needle tip height position representing a height position of the needle tip from a virtual reference plane set in the prober, and the plane in a plane perpendicular to the height direction of the needle tip. Determining the needle tip position including a needle tip two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the needle tip, an electrode height position representing a height position of the electrode from the virtual reference plane, and the object to be inspected The electrode position including an electrode two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the electrode in a plane parallel to the first position, and the third step is based on the needle tip height position and the electrode height position. The probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced so that the probe surface and the substrate surface are parallel, and the probe tip two-dimensional position coincides with the electrode two-dimensional position. Relatively displacing the card and the object to be inspected It can be included.

  In the second step, the first imaging device having a function of automatic focusing is moved two-dimensionally in a plane parallel to the object to be inspected, and the needle tip is moved by the first imaging device. And an auxiliary step of imaging the electrode by a second imaging device having a function of performing automatic focusing while moving the object to be inspected two-dimensionally in a plane parallel to the object. At least one of them can be included.

  The alignment method according to the present invention further matches a specific direction of the inspection object in a plane parallel to the inspection object with a specific direction of the prober before executing the second step. Thus, the probe card and the device under test can be displaced relatively to position the device under test with respect to the prober.

The reference probe includes at least three first reference probes and at least three second reference probes, and at least one of the first reference probes is at least one of the second reference probes. It can be the same as one.

Here, the first reference probe satisfies a condition that these needle tips are in contact with the center of the electrode corresponding to the first reference probe or in the vicinity thereof, and the second reference probe is the same. Alternatively, the condition that the needle tip height positions are almost the same is satisfied.

  In the present invention, the same reference probes and their corresponding electrodes before and after the placement of the probe card on the prober are used for obtaining information such as probe information, needle tip position, electrode position, probe surface, and substrate surface. The probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced based on the obtained information. Thereby, based on the information regarding the same reference | standard probe or those electrodes corresponding to them, alignment with the probe tip and the electrode of a to-be-inspected object is performed.

  As a result of the above, according to the present invention, it is only necessary to align the probe tip with respect to the electrode with respect to at least three probes, and the relative relationship between each probe tip of the probe card after being mounted on the prober and the electrode of the object to be inspected. The positional relationship is matched with the relative positional relationship between the probe tip and the electrode before the probe card is mounted on the prober, so that the probe tip of each probe can be positioned within an allowable range with respect to the electrode.

  According to the invention of claim 2, when the needle tip height position is made equal to the needle tip height reference position, it is formed by the needle tip height positions of at least three reference probes of the probe card after being attached to the prober. The virtual plane is adjusted in parallel with the virtual plane formed by the electrodes corresponding to the reference probes.

  Of the above two virtual surfaces, the former is a part of the probe surface and the latter is a part of the substrate surface. Thus, even after the probe is mounted on the prober, even if the probe tip and the electrode have a relative displacement due to the probe surface and the substrate surface not being parallel, such a relative displacement Is fixed.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the two-dimensional positions of the needle tips of at least three reference probes after being mounted on the prober are matched with the two-dimensional positions of the electrodes in a plane parallel to the object to be inspected. As a result, even if the probe tip and the electrode have a relative positional shift due to a two-dimensional positional shift between the probe card and the object to be inspected after being mounted on the prober, Misalignment is corrected.

  According to the invention of claim 4, for the same reason as in the inventions of claims 2 and 3, the probe tip and the electrode are connected to the probe surface and the substrate surface after the probe tip and the electrode are mounted on the prober. Even if there is a relative misalignment due to non-parallel to each other and a relative misalignment due to a two-dimensional misalignment between the probe card and the object to be inspected, Misalignment is also corrected.

  According to the invention of claim 5, the probe surface and the substrate surface are adjusted in parallel. Thus, even after the probe is mounted on the prober, even if the probe tip and the electrode have a relative displacement due to the probe surface and the substrate surface not being parallel, such a relative displacement Is fixed.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the two-dimensional positions of the needle tips of at least three reference probes after being mounted on the prober are corrected to the two-dimensional positions of the electrodes in a plane parallel to the object to be inspected. As a result, even if the probe tip and the electrode have a relative positional shift due to a two-dimensional positional shift between the probe card and the object to be inspected after being mounted on the prober, Misalignment is corrected.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, for the same reason as in the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention, after the needle tip and the electrode are mounted on the prober, the needle tip and the electrode are connected to the probe surface and the substrate surface. Even if there is a relative misalignment due to non-parallel to each other and a relative misalignment due to a two-dimensional misalignment between the probe card and the object to be inspected, Misalignment is also corrected.

  According to the invention of claim 8, the two-dimensional positions can be determined by imaging the needle tips of the reference probes or the electrodes corresponding to them with the first or second imaging device, and automatically The height position of the needle tip or the electrode can be determined from the moving distance of the focal position for focusing.

  According to the ninth aspect of the invention, the pre-alignment of the object to be inspected and the probe card is performed by matching the specific directions of the object to be inspected and the probe card in a plane parallel to the object to be inspected. In this step, the determination of the needle tip position or the electrode position becomes accurate, and the relative displacement between the object to be inspected and the probe card at the time of alignment in the third step is reduced.

According to the invention of claim 10, since the virtual surface formed by such three second reference probes is substantially parallel to the probe surface of the probe card, the needle tip position or electrode in the second step Position determination is accurate.

Further, by performing alignment so that the needle tips of the first reference probes are in contact with the centers of the corresponding electrodes, the probe tips of all the probes are positioned so as to be in contact with the corresponding electrodes.

  [Terminology]

  In the present invention, the substrate surface refers to the surface of the inspection object itself or a virtual surface formed by a plurality of electrodes provided on the inspection object, and the probe surface refers to a wiring substrate or It refers to the surface of the probe substrate or a virtual surface formed by the probe tips of a plurality of probes provided on the probe card.

  Hereinafter, in FIG. 1, the left-right direction is referred to as the X direction or the left-right direction, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is referred to as the front-rear direction or the Y direction, and the up-down direction is referred to as the up-down direction or the Z direction. Depends on the position of the prober.

Therefore, the above direction is determined according to the actual prober so that the X direction and the Y direction are in any one of a horizontal plane, an inclined plane inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, and a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Alternatively, it may be determined to be a combination of these surfaces.
[Examples of prober and test object]

  Referring to FIG. 1, an inspection apparatus, that is, a prober 10 is used for an energization test of a flat object 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the device under test 12 is a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer having a large number of rectangular integrated circuit (IC) chip regions (regions to be inspected) 14 in a matrix, and a plurality of electrodes 16. Are arranged in a row in each IC chip region 14. The electrodes 16 of the IC chip regions 14 adjacent in the vertical direction are aligned in a line.

  Hereinafter, in order to simplify the description and facilitate understanding, the prober 10 will be described for a case where all the IC chip regions 14 of the device under test 12 are tested at the same time at one time. However, the prober 10 may test all the IC chip regions 14 of the device under test 12 in a plurality of times.

  In the following description, each electrode 16 is a pad electrode having a rectangular planar shape. However, each electrode 16 may have other planar shapes such as a circle and an ellipse. Each electrode 16 does not necessarily need to be a pad electrode, and may have another shape such as a hemispherical bump electrode.

  Referring again to FIG. 1, the prober 10 is provided above the inspection stage 22 with an interval above the inspection stage 22, a chuck top 20 that vacuum-sucks the object to be inspected 12, an inspection stage 22 that supports the chuck top 20. Base plate 24, probe card 26 disposed on the base plate 24 so as to face the chuck top 20, card holder 28 detachably attaching the probe card (PC) 26 to the base plate 24, and X on the inspection stage 22. The lower camera 30 is arranged so as to be movable in the direction and the Y direction, and the upper camera 32 is arranged on the base plate 24.

  The chuck top 20 has a suction surface (upper surface in the illustrated example) that horizontally receives the object 12 to be inspected, and has a plurality of suction grooves for releasably adsorbing the object 12 to be released. Have. The suction groove is connected to a vacuum device (not shown).

  Although not shown, the inspection stage 22 is angled around a three-dimensional drive mechanism that three-dimensionally moves the chuck top 20 in the three directions X, Y, and Z, and a θ axis that extends the chuck top 20 in the Z direction. And a θ driving mechanism for rotating the motor. These drive mechanisms are installed in a housing (not shown) of the prober 10.

  The three-dimensional drive mechanism and the θ drive mechanism are supported by the spherical drive mechanism so that one of them supports the other. The chuck top is supported by the other of the three-dimensional drive mechanism and the θ drive mechanism.

  The base plate 24 is a member that is horizontally attached to the upper portion of the housing of the prober 10, but may be a member that forms the upper surface of the housing of the prober 10. The base plate 24 has a circular opening 34 penetrating up and down in the center, and has an upward step portion 36 extending around the opening 34 around the opening 34.

  In the probe card 26, a plurality of probes 38 individually corresponding to the electrodes 16 of the device under test 12 are attached to the lower surface of the probe substrate 40, and the probe substrate 40 is attached to the lower surface of the wiring substrate 42 having a circular planar shape. .

Each probe 38 is electrically connected to a wiring provided on the wiring board 42 via a wiring provided on the probe board 40, and further electrically connected to a tester land provided on the wiring board 42 by this wiring. It is connected. The tester land is electrically connected to a tester (not shown) that delivers an electrical signal to the device under test 12.

  The probe card 26 as described above is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2004-340617 and 2005-203606.

The probes 38 are arranged on the probe substrate 40 so that their needle tips (ie, tips) are in the same arrangement state as the arrangement positions of the corresponding electrodes 16. Therefore, the probe tips of the probes 38 corresponding to the electrodes 16 of the same IC chip region 14 are aligned in a line, and the probe tips of the probes 38 corresponding to the electrodes 16 of the IC chip regions 14 adjacent in the vertical direction are aligned. Are also arranged in a row.

  In the card holder 28, the upper outer peripheral edge extends radially outward and is received by the upper surface of the base plate 24, the intermediate part extends downward from the inner side of the upper outer peripheral edge and is fitted into the opening 34, and the lower inner peripheral edge Has a ring shape so as to extend inward in the radial direction from the intermediate portion and receive the lower surface of the wiring board 42.

  The card holder 28 is attached to the base plate 24 by a plurality of mounting screws and a plurality of positioning pins (none of which are shown) that penetrate the upper outer peripheral edge of the card holder 28 in the thickness direction and are screwed to the base plate 24. Yes. The probe card 26 is received by the lower inner periphery of the card holder 28 and is attached to the card holder 28 by a plurality of screw members and positioning pins (none of which are shown).

  The degree of parallelism of the probe card 26, particularly the probe surface, with respect to a reference surface set in advance in the prober 10 is a plurality of adjustments that are screwed into the screw holes in the upper outer peripheral edge of the card holder 28 and come into contact with the step 36 of the base plate 24. It is adjusted by the screw 43.

  The parallelism can be adjusted by tightening the mounting screw after adjusting the screwing amount of the adjusting screw into the card holder 24 with the mounting screw loosened.

  The lower upper cameras 30 and 32 are video cameras having a function of automatic focusing.

The lower camera 30 is installed upward on the inspection stage 22 so as to image the needle tip of the probe 38, and is moved two-dimensionally in the X direction and the Y direction by the inspection stage 22, and the needle tip of the probe 38 is moved. Image.

  The upper camera 32 is attached to the lower surface of the base plate 24 downward so as to capture an image of the electrode 16 of the inspection object 12 disposed on the inspection stage 22. The upper camera 32 takes an image of the electrode 16 of the inspection object 12 as the chuck top 20 is moved two-dimensionally in the X direction and the Y direction by the inspection stage 22. The upper camera 32 may be attached to the probe card 26 or the card holder 24.

  The moving surface of the lower camera 30 by the inspection stage 22 acts as a virtual first reference surface set in the prober 10 for the needle tip. The virtual (apparent) moving surface of the upper camera 32 as the chuck top 20 is moved by the inspection stage 22 acts as a virtual second reference surface set in the prober 10 for the electrode 16.

The output signal of the lower camera 30 obtains the needle tip height position, which is the height position of the needle tip from the first reference plane, and in the state of being attached to the prober 10 from these several needle height positions. This is used to obtain the probe surface of the probe card 26.

The output signal of the upper camera 32, together determine the height position of the electrode height position of the electrode 16 from the second reference plane, the from some of the electrode height position, in a state of being arranged in the prober 10 It is used to determine the electrode surface of the inspection body 12.

  In the probe card 26, as shown in FIG. 7, the needle tips 38a of the probes 38 come into contact with the set positions 16a of the corresponding electrodes 16, and the needle tips 38a are pressed against the electrodes 16 in this state, and as a result, in the Z direction. A predetermined amount of overdrive OD acts on the probe 38 so that the needle tip 38a slides with respect to the electrode 16 in the X and Y planes by a predetermined amount.

  The setting position 16a is a target position with which the needle tip 38a should come into contact, and is set in consideration of the amount of slip of the needle tip 38a with respect to the electrode 16 when an overdrive is applied to the probe 38.

  However, it is difficult to manufacture the probe card 26 so that each needle tip 38a accurately contacts the set position 16a of the corresponding electrode 16. For this reason, the tolerance | permissible_range 44 is defined about the contact position of each needle tip 38a to the corresponding electrode 16. FIG. Of course, an allowable range is also defined for the amount of overdrive and the amount of slip.

  From the above, the probe card 26 is like a sample of the inspected object 12 so that the probe surface is parallel to the electrode surface and the probe tips 38a of the probes 38 are within the allowable range 44 at the time of manufacture. The needle tip position is adjusted using the position reference 48 (see FIG. 4). FIG. 4 omits many electrodes 16 and many needle tips 38 for easy understanding.

  The probe card 26 with the needle tip position adjusted as described above is attached to the prober 10 and adjusted so that the position of the needle tip 38a with respect to the corresponding electrode 16 is within the allowable range 44 in that state.

  As described above, the probe card 26 is attached to the card holder 28 with a plurality of screw members and alignment pins, and the card holder 28 is attached to the base plate 24 with a plurality of screw members and alignment pins.

  As a result, the probe card 26 has a predetermined direction (for example, the alignment direction of the needle tips 38a) coincides with the direction predetermined for the prober 10, and the two-dimensional position of each needle tip 38a is the prober. The prober 10 is pre-aligned so as to coincide with a two-dimensional position predetermined for 10.

However, even if pre-alignment is performed as described above, the probe surface of the probe card 26 is not necessarily parallel to the electrode surface of the object 12 to be inspected disposed on the prober 10, and each needle tip 38a with respect to the electrode 16 is used . The position of is not necessarily within the allowable range.

  For this reason, the alignment described below is performed.

  [Example of alignment method]

  Next, an example of an alignment method for aligning the probe tip 38a of the probe 38 and the electrode 16 of the device under test 12 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  [Determining probe information]

Before the probe card 26 is attached to the prober 10, especially at the time of manufacture, the three following for determining the reference data (step 100, 101, 102 in FIG. 3) is executed in advance.

  1: The first reference for determining the two-dimensional position of the probe tip of at least three probes positioned at the setting position 16a among the probes 38 whose tip position is adjusted using the position reference 48 as described above. The probes P1, P2, and P3 are selected, and the needle tip two-dimensional positions of the first reference probes P1, P2, and P3 are determined as the needle tip two-dimensional reference positions (step 100 in FIG. 3).

2: The same or other at least three probes having the same height position are selected as the second reference probes P4, P5, and P6 for determining the needle tip height reference position, and the second reference is selected. The needle tip height positions of the probes P4, P5, and P6 are determined as the needle tip height reference position (step 101 in FIG. 3). From these needle tip height reference positions, a virtual surface formed by the needle tips 38a of the second reference probes P4, P5, P6 can be obtained as a reference probe surface.

  3: Thereafter, the needle tip two-dimensional position of the first reference probes P1, P2, P3 is set as the needle tip two-dimensional reference position, and the needle tip height position of the second reference probes P4, P5, P6 is set as the needle tip height. The reference position is stored for each reference probe together with the reference probe number (step 102 in FIG. 3). The needle tip two-dimensional reference position, the needle tip height reference position, and the probe number are used later as probe information.

  The needle tip two-dimensional reference position is determined as the X, Y coordinate position of the needle tip in a virtual XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system preset in the probe card 26. Such a needle tip two-dimensional reference position may be the XY coordinate position of the electrode corresponding to the reference probe P1, P2, P3, or when the XY coordinate position is specified by the probe number, the probe number itself. It may be.

  The needle tip height reference position is determined as a Z coordinate value (for example, a height position from a reference surface such as the surface of the position reference 48) in the three-dimensional coordinate system. The position reference 48 can be a virtual position of the inspection object with respect to the probe card 26 when the inspection object 12 and the probe card 26 are arranged on the prober 10.

  The needle tip two-dimensional reference position and the needle tip height reference position are determined in place of newly determining the needle tip two-dimensional position and the needle tip of each needle tip 38a when adjusting the needle tip position using the position reference 48. The height position may be determined, and the corresponding values at that time may be used as the needle tip two-dimensional reference position and the needle tip height reference position.

  The needle tip two-dimensional reference position and the needle tip height reference position may be stored in a removable memory such as a flexible disk, a magnetic card, a CD, or an IC card, or an IC memory 46 (see FIG. 1) may be stored in the probe card 26. It may be provided and stored in the IC memory 46.

When the probe card 26 is provided with a number of probes 38, during the adjustment of the tip positions, and a plurality of probes that tip 38a is located at the virtual corresponding setting position 16a of the electrode 16 of the position reference 48, the same needles There are often a plurality of probes having a tip height.

  Therefore, the first reference probes P1, P2, and P3 for obtaining the needle tip two-dimensional reference position are set as shown in FIG. And at least three probes that are positioned at a large distance from each other. When such a probe does not exist, it can be set as a probe in which the needle point 38a is close to the virtual set position 16a and is largely spaced from each other.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the second reference probes P4, P5, and P6 for obtaining the needle tip height reference position are the same or substantially the same needle tip height position (for example, the largest or smallest height position). ) And at least three probes spaced apart from each other. When such a probe does not exist, a plurality of probes having the closest needle tip height position and a large distance from each other can be obtained.

  From the above, at least one of the first reference probes P1, P2, P3 may be the same as at least one of the second reference probes P4, P5, P6.

  FIGS. 4 and 5 show the electrodes 16, the probe 38, and the difference in their length dimensions in an enlarged manner to facilitate the process of determining the first and second reference probes P1 to P6. Many of the probes 38 are omitted.

  [Installation of probe card and input of probe information]

  When various types of probe information are determined, the probe card 26 is accurately attached to the prober 10 using positioning pins, stoppers, etc. as described above (step 103 in FIG. 3), and the needle tip stored in step 102 is stored. The two-dimensional reference position and the needle tip height reference position are input to a control device (not shown) of the prober 10 (step 104 in FIG. 3).

  [Home position (coordinate alignment)]

  After the above steps 103 and 104, the object to be inspected with respect to the prober 10 using the scribe line 50 (see FIG. 2) that partitions the adjacent IC chip regions 14 of the object 12 to be inspected and the upper camera 32 that takes an image thereof. 12 origin positions are obtained (that is, coordinate alignment) is performed (step 105 in FIG. 3).

  The origin position determination is a step of matching the XY coordinates of the inspection object 12 with the virtual XY coordinates set in the prober 10 and can be executed as follows. The three-dimensional coordinates of the prober 10 are set by software in a control device (not shown) that controls the prober 10.

First, as shown in FIG. 6 (A), the inspection object 12 is photographed by the upper camera 32 and the chuck top 20 and thus the inspection object 12 are moved two-dimensionally within the XY coordinates of the prober 10 by the inspection stage 22. Then, the output signal of the upper camera 32 at that time is temporarily stored in the control device of the prober 10 as an image signal.

  Next, using the stored image signal, a positional deviation and an angular deviation between the photographed scribe line 50 and the XY coordinates of the prober 10 are obtained by the control device of the prober 10.

Next, the driving device of the inspection stage 22 is controlled by the control device of the prober 10 so as to correct the obtained positional deviation and angular deviation, and the chuck top 20 is two-dimensionally within the XY coordinates of the prober 10 by the inspection stage 22. And is rotated angularly around the θ axis.

  Instead of the above, the positional deviation and the angular deviation may be corrected by changing the coordinates set in the control device of the prober 10 by software.

  By locating the origin, that is, coordinate alignment, the XY coordinates of the inspection object 12 are matched with the XY coordinates of the prober 10.

  [Checking the needle tip height position]

  After the coordinate alignment, the needle tip height positions of the second reference probes P4, P5, and P6 are confirmed using the lower camera 30 (step 106 in FIG. 3). The second reference probes P4, P5 and P6 can be identified from the input probe number.

As shown in FIG. 6B, the height position is confirmed by photographing the probe tip of each probe 38 of the probe card 26 with the lower camera 30, while the probe top 20 and the lower camera 30 are probed by the inspection stage 22. This is performed by two-dimensionally moving within the XY coordinates of 10 and temporarily storing the output signal of the lower camera 30 at that time in the control device of the prober 10.

  The specific value of the needle tip height position can be the focal position of the lower camera 30 when the needle tip 38 a is photographed by the lower camera 30.

  [Parallelity adjustment]

  Next, a virtual surface (probe surface) formed by using the needle tip height positions of the reference probes P4, P5, and P6 and a virtual surface (reference surface) formed by the needle tip height reference position stored earlier. The degree of parallelism with the probe surface is adjusted (step 107 in FIG. 3).

  First, as shown in FIG. 6C, the parallelism adjustment is performed by moving the probe card 26 so that the needle tip height positions of the reference probes P4, P5, and P6 coincide with the corresponding needle tip height reference positions. This is performed by inclining the chuck top 20 and, consequently, the device under test 12. Thereby, the probe surface formed from the needle tip height position and the reference probe surface formed from the needle tip height reference position are made parallel.

The parallelism adjustment as described above is performed by obtaining each of the probe surface and the reference probe surface with the control device of the prober 10 and obtaining the inclination angles of the probe surface and the reference probe surface with the control device of the prober 10 and then obtaining them. The probe card 26 can be tilted so that the tilt angle becomes zero.

  By adjusting the parallelism, the probe surface of the probe card 26 is made parallel to the electrode surface of the device under test 12. This is because the probes 38 having the same or substantially the same needle tip height position are determined as the reference probes P4, P5, and P6.

  The parallelism adjustment can be performed by operating the mounting screw and the adjusting screw 43 described above. For this reason, at least the base plate 24 and the adjusting screw 43 act as an angle adjusting mechanism for adjusting the inclination angle of the probe card 26 with respect to the prober 10.

  However, it is attached to the base plate 24 via an angle adjustment stage that adjusts the inclination angle of the probe card 26 with respect to the prober 10, and the probe card 26 is inclined to drive the angle adjustment stage with an electric motor so that the probe card is attached to the prober 10. The inclination angle of 26 may be adjusted.

  In order to adjust the parallelism, without obtaining the probe surface and the reference probe surface, the probe is simply set so that the needle tip height positions of the reference probes P4, P5, P6 coincide with the corresponding needle tip height reference position. The card 26 may be inclined.

  [Check needle tip 2D position]

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6D, the needle tip two-dimensional positions of the first reference probes P1, P2, P3 are confirmed using the lower camera 30 (step 108 in FIG. 3). The first reference probes P1, P2, P3 can be specified by their probe numbers.

The two-dimensional position of the probe tip is confirmed by imaging the probe tip of each probe 38 of the probe card 26 with the lower camera 30 while the chuck top 20 and the lower camera 30 are two-dimensionally within the XY coordinates of the prober 10 by the inspection stage 22. This is performed by temporarily storing the coordinate position of the lower camera 30 in the control device of the prober 10 when the lower camera 30 captures the needle points of the first reference probes P1, P2, and P3.

  The coordinate position of the lower camera 30 can be obtained, for example, from the coordinate position of the inspection stage 22 when the lower camera 30 images the needle tips of the first reference probes P1, P2, and P3. The confirmation of the needle tip two-dimensional position may be performed in parallel with the needle tip height position confirmation step 106.

  [Adjustment of two-dimensional position]

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6 (E), the chuck top 20 and thus the needle tip two-dimensional reference positions of the stored reference probes P1, P2, and P3 coincide with the needle tip two-dimensional reference position stored earlier. The inspection object 12 is moved two-dimensionally within the XY coordinates with respect to the probe card 26 by the inspection stage 22 (step 108 in FIG. 3).

  By adjusting the two-dimensional position, the needle tips 38a of the reference probes P1, P2, and P3 are positioned at the center of the corresponding electrode 16. As a result, the tips of the other probes 38 are also positioned within an allowable range with respect to the corresponding electrode 16.

  The reason for this is that the needle tips of all the probes 38 are positioned within an allowable range with respect to the corresponding electrode 16 by adjusting the needle tip position, and the set position 16a of the electrode 16 with which the needle tip 38a corresponds. This is because the probes located at the setting position 16a are determined as the reference probes P1, P2, and P3.

  [Modification]

  Instead of adjusting the parallelism between the probe surface and the reference probe surface using the needle tip height position and the needle tip height reference position of the reference probes P4, P5, and P6, the reference probes P4, P5, and P6 are adjusted. You may carry out using a needle tip height position and the height position of the electrode corresponding to these.

  In this case, for example, the height position of the electrode 16 corresponding to the second reference probe is obtained while imaging the electrode 16 with the upper camera 32 as in step 105, and the obtained electrode height position is obtained. For example, a virtual substrate surface formed by the electrode height position and a probe surface formed by the needle tip height position of the second reference probe so that the needle tip height position from What is necessary is just to displace the probe card 26 so that it may become parallel.

  Similarly, instead of performing the adjustment of the two-dimensional position of the needle tip of the first reference probe using the needle tip two-dimensional position and the needle tip two-dimensional reference position of the reference probes P1, P2, P3, the reference probe P1 , P2 and P4, and the two-dimensional positions of the corresponding electrodes.

  In this case, for example, the two-dimensional position of the electrode 16 corresponding to the second reference probe, that is, the two-dimensional position of the electrode 16 is obtained while imaging the electrode 16 by the upper camera 32 as in step 105. The inspected object 12 may be displaced by the inspection stage 22 so that the two-dimensional position of the needle tip of the second reference probe matches the obtained two-dimensional position of the electrode.

Adjustment of the parallelism between the specific probe surface and adjustment and the probe surface and the substrate surface of the parallelism between the substrate surface, such as a known method described in Patent Document 1 or the like, be carried out by other methods Can do.

  In the above embodiment, the adjustment of the parallelism between the probe surface and the substrate surface and the adjustment of the two-dimensional position of the needle tip are performed, but only one of them may be performed.

  Further, in the above embodiment, instead of adjusting the parallelism between the probe surface and the substrate surface by displacing the probe card with respect to the chuck top, as described in Patent Document 1, the chuck top is used as the probe card. The parallelism between the probe surface and the substrate surface may be adjusted by displacing (tilting) the probe surface.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows one Example of the prober for enforcing the alignment method which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows one Example of a to-be-inspected object. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an embodiment of the alignment method according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the electrode of a to-be-inspected object, and the probe tip of a probe in order to demonstrate the principle of adjustment of a two-dimensional position. It is a figure for demonstrating the principle of adjustment of parallelism. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a probe card and a to-be-inspected object in order to demonstrate the alignment method which concerns on FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the coordinate position of the probe with respect to the electrode of to-be-inspected object, Comprising: (A) Top view, (B) is a front view.

10 Prober 12 Inspected object 14 Chip area (Inspected area)
16 electrode 16a electrode center 20 chuck top 22 inspection stage 24 base plate 26 probe card 28 card holder 30, 32 camera 34 opening 36 step portion 38 probe 38a needle tip 40 probe substrate 42 wiring substrate 43 adjustment screw

Claims (10)

A first step that is performed before a probe card having a plurality of probes is placed on a prober, wherein at least three probes of the plurality of probes are determined as reference probes, and probes relating to the reference probes A first step of determining information;
In a state where the probe card is arranged on the prober, a plate-like object to be inspected having a needle tip position indicating a coordinate position of a needle tip of the reference probe and a plurality of electrodes individually corresponding to the probe is provided. A second step of determining at least one of electrode positions representing a coordinate position of an electrode corresponding to the reference probe in a state of being arranged in the prober;
Based on the probe information and at least one of the probe tip position and the electrode position, the probe card and the object to be inspected arranged on the prober are relatively displaced, and the probe tip of the reference probe And a third step of aligning with the electrode of the object to be inspected,
The reference probe satisfies the condition that these needle tips are in contact with the center of the electrode corresponding to the reference probe or the vicinity thereof, and satisfies the condition that the needle tips have the same or substantially the same height position. Alternatively, a method for aligning the probe tip and the electrode of the object to be inspected, which satisfies both of these conditions. The first step determines the probe information including a needle tip height reference position that represents a needle tip height position of the reference probe;
The second step determines the needle tip position including a needle tip height position indicating a height position of the needle tip from a virtual reference plane set in the prober,
The third step includes relatively displacing the probe card and the object to be inspected so that the needle tip height position is equal to the needle tip height reference position. A method for aligning the probe tip of the probe with the electrode of the object to be inspected. The first step determines the probe information including a needle tip two-dimensional reference position representing a two-dimensional position of the needle tip in a plane orthogonal to the height direction of the needle tip,
The second step determines the needle tip position including a needle tip two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the needle tip in a virtual reference plane set in the prober;
The third step includes relatively displacing the probe card and the object to be inspected so that the needle tip two-dimensional position matches the needle tip two-dimensional reference position. A method for aligning the probe tip of the probe with the electrode of the object to be inspected. The first step includes a needle tip height reference position that represents the height position of the needle tip of the reference probe, and a needle that represents the two-dimensional position of the needle tip in a plane perpendicular to the height direction of the needle tip. Determining the probe information including a previous two-dimensional reference position;
The second step represents a needle tip height position representing a height position of the needle tip from a virtual reference plane set in the prober, and a two-dimensional position of the needle tip within the reference plane. Determining the needle tip position including a needle tip two-dimensional position;
In the third step, the probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced so that the needle tip height position is equal to the needle tip height reference position, and the two-dimensional needle tip position The probe tip and the electrode of the object to be inspected according to claim 1, comprising relatively displacing the probe card and the object to be inspected such that the probe card and the object to be inspected coincide with each other. Alignment method. In the second step, the needle tip position including a needle tip height position indicating a height position of the needle tip from a virtual reference plane set in the prober, and the virtual reference plane Determining the electrode position including the electrode height position representing the electrode height position;
In the third step, the probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced so that the probe surface and the substrate surface are parallel based on the needle tip height position and the electrode height position. The method for aligning the probe tip of the probe and the electrode of the object to be inspected according to claim 1. The second step determines the needle tip position including a needle tip two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the needle tip in a plane orthogonal to the height direction of the needle tip, and Determining the electrode position including an electrode two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the electrode in a parallel plane;
2. The third step according to claim 1, wherein the probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced so that the needle tip two-dimensional position matches the electrode two-dimensional position. A method for aligning the probe tip and the electrode of the object to be inspected. The second step includes a needle tip height position representing a height position of the needle tip from a virtual reference plane set in the prober, and the plane in a plane perpendicular to the height direction of the needle tip. Determining the needle tip position including a needle tip two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the needle tip, an electrode height position representing a height position of the electrode from the virtual reference plane, and the object to be inspected The electrode position including an electrode two-dimensional position representing a two-dimensional position of the electrode in a plane parallel to
In the third step, the probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced so that the probe surface and the substrate surface are parallel based on the needle tip height position and the electrode height position. And a probe tip of the probe according to claim 1, wherein the probe card and the object to be inspected are relatively displaced so that the two-dimensional position of the needle tip coincides with the two-dimensional position of the electrode. Alignment method with the electrode of the test object.   In the second step, the first imaging device having a function of automatic focusing is moved two-dimensionally in a plane parallel to the object to be inspected, and the needle tip is moved by the first imaging device. And an auxiliary step of imaging the electrode by a second imaging device having a function of performing automatic focusing while moving the object to be inspected two-dimensionally in a plane parallel to the object. The alignment method of the probe tip of the probe according to claim 1 and the electrode of the object to be inspected, including at least one. Further, before executing the second step, the probe card and the object to be inspected so that a specific direction of the object to be inspected in a plane parallel to the object to be inspected coincides with a specific direction of the prober. The alignment method of the probe tip and the electrode of the object to be inspected according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth step of positioning the object to be inspected relative to the prober by relatively displacing the object to be inspected. The reference probe comprises at least three first reference probes and at least three second reference probes, and at least one of the first reference probes is at least one of the second reference probes. The same,
The first reference probe satisfies the condition that these needle tips are in contact with the center of the electrode corresponding to the first reference probe or the vicinity thereof, and the second reference probe is the same or substantially the same. The method for aligning the probe tip of the probe and the electrode of the object to be inspected according to claim 1, wherein the condition that the probe tip height position is satisfied is satisfied.

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