JPS6220695B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for automatically switching a probe card to be brought into electrical contact with a semiconductor element in a prober for testing a semiconductor element.

Conventionally, one probe card is attached to one prober, and the semiconductor element is tested by bringing the probe card into electrical contact with the semiconductor element. A probe card consists of a needle-shaped probe that contacts a semiconductor element, and a substrate that supports the probe and has a pattern on the front and back surfaces for wiring to the probe.The probe card is attached to the bottom of the head plate of the prober and set on the wafer stage. It is installed above and facing the semiconductor element.

Since the number of probe cards attached to one prober is one, for example, each time the type of wafer to be inspected changes, it is necessary to select and replace the probe card that matches the type of wafer. It won't happen. Therefore, when a small number of probers are used to test a wide variety of products in small quantities, the number of probe card replacement operations increases significantly, resulting in a decrease in inspection work efficiency.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and provides a prober for inspecting a semiconductor element in a wafer state by electrically contacting the semiconductor element with the probe card. An adapter and two or more types of probe cards are provided at positions on the same circumference around a rotation axis, and the probe card that has been selectively moved below the adapter is raised by rotation and lifting motion, and the adapter is A probe card switching device comprising: a probe card support electrically connected to the probe card; and a wafer mounting stage installed below the support so as to be movable up and down so as to match the position of the adapter. According to the present invention, automation is possible, and it is possible to automatically select a probe card that meets predetermined conditions from among two or more probe cards, and to test semiconductor devices with the selected probe card. can.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the device of the present invention has a probe card adapter 3 attached to a specific position of a prober head plate 2 supported by a fixing part 1 on the body of the prober, and a rotary probe card adapter 3 inserted through the plate 2. A probe card support 4 supported by a shaft 6 is disposed under the plate 2 so as to be rotatable and movable up and down. 4 types) _of probe cards 5 _{1 , 5 2 .} Another probe card is made to face the adapter 3 from below, and then the support 4 is raised to bring the selected probe card into pressure contact with the adapter 3. The selected probe card and the adapter 3 are electrically connected by contact pins 7, and input/output signals of the probes 8 of each probe card are transmitted by the adapter 3. Further, a wafer stage 10 on which a wafer 9 is placed is installed below the support body 4 so as to be movable up and down in alignment with the position of the adapter 3. Further, a drive control mechanism 11 for rotating and raising/lowering the rotation shaft 6 is interlocked with the rotation shaft 6 of the support body 4, and the drive control mechanism 11 is controlled through a signal line 13 from a prober 12 as shown in FIG. A signal is input. On the other hand, data necessary for selecting a probe card to be selected is inputted to the prober 12 from an input device 14 through a signal line 15.

Next, the operation when selecting a probe card using the apparatus of the present invention will be described.

If there are four types of wafers to be inspected, four types of probe cards 5 ₁ ,
5 ₂ , 5 ₃ , and 5 _o are set at predetermined positions on the support 4 .

When information about the type of wafer to be inspected is input from the input device 14 using the probe card ₅₁ , the information is sent to the drive control mechanism 11 via the signal lines 13, 15 and the prober 12, and the rotation axis 6 is controlled by the information. Probe card 5 to be selected
₁ is located under the probe card adapter 3, the rotation of the support 4 is stopped. Next, the rotating shaft 6 and the support body are raised, and the selected probe card ₅₁ is fixed to the adapter 3 via the contact pins 7. In this state, the wafer 9 of the type to be inspected using the probe card 5 ₁ is placed on the wafer stage 10 and raised to below the probe card 5 ₁ , the probe of the probe card 5 ₁ is brought into contact with the wafer, and the wafer is inspected using the adapter 3 . The semiconductor device 9 is inspected by sending electrical signals for the purpose.

During the above operation, when the inspection of a specific type of wafer 9 by the probe card ₅₁ is completed and the next type of wafer is to be inspected, information about that type is inputted from the input device 14. As a result, the rotating shaft 6 and the support body 4 are once lowered to separate the probe card ₅₁ and the adapter 3, rotated until the next probe card ₅₂ is located under the adapter 3, and then stopped. Then, the rotating shaft 6 and the support body 4 are raised again, and the probe card ₅₂ is fixed to the adapter 3 via the contact pins 7.

Thereafter, by inputting the information of the wafer type from the input device 14 each time the wafer type is changed,
The corresponding probe card will be automatically selected and replaced.

As explained above, according to the present invention, since the probe card can be automatically replaced at the same time as the product type is changed, labor can be saved, and semiconductor devices can be continuously tested simply by making electrical settings. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, inspection of wafers of a large variety of wafers in small quantities was described, but it is also possible to use two or more types of probe cards of the same type and replace the probe cards one after another as the probes of the probe cards deteriorate. Similar effects can be obtained even when applied to large quantities and small quantities of products.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a view seen from below the probe card, FIG. 2 is a sectional view, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the information path. 3...Probe card adapter, 4...Support _{, 51-5o} ...Probe card, 12...Prober.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A prober that inspects a semiconductor device by electrically contacting the semiconductor device in a wafer state with a probe card, comprising: a probe card adapter provided at a specific position of the prober; and a rotating shaft. Two or more types of probe cards are provided at positions on the same circumference as the center, and the probe cards that have been selectively moved below the adapter are raised and electrically connected to the adapter by rotation and lifting movement. A probe card switching device comprising: a probe card support; and a wafer mounting stage installed below the support so as to be movable up and down so as to match the position of the adapter.