JP2000150600A - Environmental testing device for electronic parts - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the constitution of an environmental testing device for electronic parts so as to remarkably reduce the cost and size of the device, and to make the device compact even when an automatic entrance opening/ closing mechanism section is additionally provided in a limited space. SOLUTION: An environmental testing device is provided with a cassette supporting section 5 which supports a cassette 2; a moving mechanism section 7 which selectively moves the section 5 to an upper entrance position Pi at which the cassette 2 is brought in and out or a lower connecting position Pc at which one-side connectors 3,... of the cassette 2 are connected to the other- side connectors 6,... of the main body 4 of the testing device; and an entrance opening/closing mechanism section 10 which opens an entrance 9 by displacing an entrance cover 8 to its opened position Po when the cassette supporting section 5 moves to the entrance position Pi and closes the entrance 9 by displacing the cover 8 to its closed position Ps, when the section 5 moves to the connecting position Pc in an interlocking way with the movement of the section 5 in the main body 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an environmental test apparatus for electronic components suitable for use in performing an environmental test of electronic components such as semiconductor wafers held in a cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, there is known an environmental test apparatus for an electronic component which performs a durability test and a pass / fail judgment test by applying a temperature load to an electronic component held in a cassette. This type of environmental test apparatus usually performs tests on a plurality of cassettes at the same time, so that the inside of a test tank is configured so that cassettes can be set in multiple stages.

Conventionally, an environmental test apparatus for an electronic component having such a configuration is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-159723. This environmental test apparatus is provided with plug-in type connectors arranged at predetermined intervals in a test tank in multiple stages, and a horizontally inserted cassette (electronic parts such as a printed circuit board) is inserted into each connector, so that the vertical direction is achieved. Are set in multi-stage shelves.

[0004]

When a high-precision environmental test is performed for each electronic component, an environmental test apparatus of this type is provided with a plurality of independent test devices each of which individually accommodates each electronic component inside the test apparatus main body. It is necessary to provide a test tank, and an entrance for taking in and out a cassette for each test tank and an entrance opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the entrance.

However, when such a configuration is adopted,
Since an entrance / exit mechanism for opening / closing each entrance / exit must be provided for each entrance / exit, a plurality of entrance / exit opening / closing mechanisms corresponding to the number of entrances and exits are required, so that an automatic opening / closing type (electric opening / closing type) is configured. In such a case, there is a problem to be solved in that the cost and size of the entire apparatus are significantly increased.

The present invention has been made to solve the problem existing in the prior art, and can simplify the structure even when an automatic opening / closing mechanism is provided in a limited space. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic component environmental test apparatus capable of realizing a significant cost reduction and downsizing of the entire apparatus.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electronic component environmental test apparatus 1 for performing an environmental test of an electronic component such as a semiconductor wafer W held in a cassette 2 when the electronic test apparatus is constructed. 4, a cassette supporting portion 5 for supporting the cassette 2 inserted from the outside, and the cassette supporting portion 5 is provided at an insertion / removal position Pi located above or below the cassette 2 or a one-side connector 3 provided at the cassette 2. A moving mechanism section 7 for selectively moving the cassette supporting section 5 to a lower connecting position Pc connected to the other connector 6 provided on the test apparatus main body 4.
When the cassette supporter 5 moves to the access position Pi, the entrance cover 8 is displaced to the open position Po to open the entrance 9 for inserting and removing the cassette 2, and when the cassette supporter 5 moves to the connection position Pc, the entrance Move the cover 8 to the closed position Ps
An opening / closing mechanism 10 for closing the doorway 9 by displacing the doorway 9 is provided.

In this case, according to a preferred embodiment, the door opening / closing mechanism 10 has a pair of left and right brackets 11 whose positions are fixed and a rear end rotatably supported by the brackets 11. A pair of left and right arm portions 12 having front end portions respectively connected to left and right end portions of the entrance cover 8.
And the arm portion 1 displaced integrally with the cassette support portion 5 and
2 and a pair of left and right engaging pins 13 which can be engaged with the arm portions 12.

Thus, if the cassette support 5 is moved to the entry / exit position Pi located above, the cassette support 5 is moved.
Engagement pins 13 displaced integrally with the arm portions 12 are locked to the arm portions 12 to raise the arm portions 12. As a result,
Since the entrance / exit cover 8 is displaced to the open position Po to open the entrance / exit 9 for taking in / out the cassette 2, the insertion / removal of the cassette 2 into / from the cassette supporting portion 5 can be performed through the entrance / exit 9. On the other hand, if the cassette support 5 is moved to the connection position Pc located below,
... also descends. As a result, the arms 12 are lowered by their own weight, and the door cover 8 is displaced to the closed position Ps to close the door 9. At this time, the one-side connector 3 provided on the cassette 2 is connected to the other-side connector 6 provided on the test apparatus main body 4.
Connected to ... Therefore, the entrance 9 is the cassette support 5
It opens and closes automatically in conjunction with the movement of the.

[0010]

Next, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of an electronic component environmental test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of the test apparatus main body 4 in the environmental test apparatus 1. The test apparatus main body 4 is a front panel 2
It has seven steps of entrances and exits 9 formed at zero. Each entrance 9 ...
Inside are provided seven test tanks 23 divided by horizontal partition plates 22 arranged in a shelf shape in correspondence with the respective entrances 9. The test tank 2 is located on the right side of the test apparatus main body 4.
Are provided with a display box and an operation panel 27 on a front panel 25 of the equipment box 24, and a storage unit 28 such as a computer is provided at a lower portion thereof. In addition, 29 ... each entrance 9
Each of the test tanks 23 arranged next to... Is a unit setting display section.

FIG. 3 shows a cassette 2 for holding one semiconductor wafer (electronic component) W. This cassette 2 is housed in a test apparatus main body 4 and a target environmental test is performed.
The cassette 2 has a quadrangular cassette base 71 at the lowermost portion, and reinforcing frames 72 are fixed to the peripheral edge of the lower surface of the cassette base 71. In this case, particularly, reinforcing frames 72, 72 provided on the left and right of the cassette base 71, respectively.
Is formed in an L-shaped cross section, thereby providing left and right side edges 2p and 2q to be inserted into slits 5ps and 5qs provided in the cassette support 5 described later. Further, at a predetermined position on the lower surface of the cassette base 71 which is the rear surface 2r of the cassette 2,
A plurality of one-side connectors (for example, inlets) 3 are provided. Although the embodiment shows only two connectors, usually, ten to twenty connectors with sixty terminals are arranged. Further, a disc-shaped contactor 73 containing a sub-heater is mounted on the upper surface of the cassette base 71, and the semiconductor wafer W is held between the contactor 73 and the disc-shaped wafer tray 74. In this case, the contactor 73 is a glass substrate having a number of contacts that come into contact with the circuit of the semiconductor wafer W, and each contact is connected to the one-side connector 3.

FIG. 4 to FIG. 8 show the internal structure of the test apparatus main body 4. First, a connection portion 30 is provided on the upper surface of each partition plate 22. The connecting portion 30 includes a circuit board portion 31 provided via support legs 31s and a connector board portion 3 provided on the circuit board portion 31 via a reinforcing frame 32s.
2 is provided. The connector substrate portion 32 faces the back surface 2r of the cassette 2 supported by the cassette support portion 5, and has a plurality of other connectors (for example, outlets) 6 connected to the one connector 3 at a predetermined position on the upper surface. Arrange. Further, a drive circuit 33 for supplying a test signal to the semiconductor wafer W is provided in the circuit board section 31.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a total of eight guide rods 35a..., 40a. Arrange. Four guide rods 35 located outside
Linear bearings 36a, 36b, 36c, and 36d are slidably mounted on a, 35b, 35c, and 35d, respectively, and the linear bearings 36a are arranged in the vicinity of the four corners of the cassette support section 5 disposed above the connector board section 32. Fix each. The cassette support 5 is provided with the left frame 5
p, right frame 5q, left frame 5p and right frame 5q
Frame 5f and left frame 5 connecting the front ends of
rear frame 5 connecting p and the rear ends of the right frame 5q
A frame is formed in a square shape by r. And, on the inner surfaces of the left frame 5p and the right frame 5q, there are provided slit portions 5ps and 5qs into which the left end portion 2p and the right end portion 2q of the cassette 2 are inserted, respectively. As shown in FIG. 7, the slits 5ps and 5qs are formed so that the front end is formed to be widened outward so that the cassette 2 can be easily inserted, and the rear end is provided halfway to the rear of each frame 5p and 5q. The positioning portions 5pe and 5qe regulate the position of the cassette 2 thus set. A detection switch 37 for detecting the insertion of the cassette 2 is provided on the upper surface of the rear frame 5r.
Is arranged.

Further, a cassette elevating cylinder 38p is disposed on the partition plate 22 located at the center between the front guide rod 35a and the rear guide rod 35b arranged on the left side, and a driving rod for the cassette elevating cylinder 38p is provided. Is connected to the upper surface of the left frame 5p via the link portion 39p, and is also provided on the right side of the front guide rod 35.
A cassette elevating cylinder 38q is arranged on the partition plate 22 located at the center between d and the rear guide rod 35c, and a driving rod of the cassette elevating cylinder 38q is
It is coupled to the upper surface of the right frame 5q via the link 39q. In this case, the cassette lifting cylinders 38p, 38q,
The guide rods 35a, the linear bearings 36a,
The moving mechanism 7 is constituted, and the cassette elevating cylinder 38p,
By driving 38q, the cassette support 5 is moved from the entrance 9 to the entrance / exit position Pi or the one-side connector 3 located above which allows the cassette 2 to be inserted into and taken out of the cassette support 5 to the other-side connector 6. It can be selectively moved to a connection position Pc located below the connection.

On the other hand, a heating section is provided above the cassette support section 5. Four guide rods 40a located inside,
Linear bearings 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d are slidably mounted on 40b, 40c, 40d, respectively. Linear bearings 41a,... Are provided near four corners of heater support plate 42 arranged above cassette support portion 5. To each mounting hole. The heater support plate 42 is formed in a rectangular shape, and a heater portion 43 is mounted at the center. The heater unit 43 includes an upper temperature control plate 43p and a lower adapter 43.
a. The adapter 43a is formed in a disk shape and is attached to the lower surface of the temperature control plate 43p so that the heating surface matches the heat receiving surface of the contactor 73 described above.

Further, a heater lifting cylinder 45p is disposed on the partition plate 22 adjacent to the rear guide rod 40b disposed on the left side.
Of the heater support plate 42 can be brought into contact with the lower surface of the heater support plate 42, and the heater lifting cylinder 4 is disposed on the partition plate 22 adjacent to the front guide rod 40d disposed on the right side.
5q is provided, and the drive rod of the heater raising / lowering cylinder 45q can be brought into contact with the lower surface of the heater support plate 42. Thus, by driving the heater lifting cylinders 45p and 45q, the heater unit 43 can be raised.

Reference numeral 10 denotes an entrance opening / closing mechanism constituting a main part of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows only the configuration on the right side of the entrance opening / closing mechanism section 10 and omits the configuration on the left side. However, the left side has the same configuration except that it is symmetric with respect to the right side. First, the door opening / closing mechanism 10 includes a partition plate 22.
It has a pair of bracket parts 11 standing upright on the left and right. Each bracket 11 is a linear bearing 36d
(36a), the rear ends of the arms 12 are rotatably supported by the brackets 11. As shown in FIG. 8, each of the arms 12 has a front portion bent inward, and the left and right ends of the entrance cover 8 are joined to the ends. The entrance / exit cover 8 has a shape slightly larger than the entrance / exit 9, and a sealing member 14 formed of a flexible material such as rubber is fixed to the periphery of the front surface. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 15 denotes a triangular reinforcing plate. On the other hand, the right frame 5q (the left frame 5
p) includes engagement pins 13 protruding outward in the left-right direction.
Are fixed, and each engaging pin 13 is connected to the corresponding arm 12
... located below.

As a result, when the cassette supporting portion 5 is raised to the access position Pi, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 8 is displaced to the upper open position Po to open the entrance 9. On the other hand, when the cassette supporting portion 5 is lowered to the connection position Pc, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. The cover 8 is displaced to the lower closed position Ps to close the entrance 9.

Next, a method of using the environmental test apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment and the operation of each unit will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described according to the flowchart of FIG.

When the test apparatus main body 4 is not in use, the cassette supporting portions 5 are lowered and all the entrances 9 are closed by the entrance covers 8. The heater support plates 42 are stopped at the raised position.

On the other hand, in use, the start switch of the operation panel 27 is turned on (step S1) to drive the cassette elevating cylinders 38p and 38q, and the cassette support 5 is raised to the entrance position Pi and stopped (step S1). S2). This state is shown in FIG. At the same time, the engagement pins 13 also rise integrally with the cassette support portion 5, so that
As shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, the arms 12 are pushed up, and the door cover 8 is displaced to the upper open position Po to open the door 9 (step S3). Then, the cassette 2 shown in FIG. 3 prepared in advance is put into the test tank 23 through the entrance 9 and the left and right side edges 2p and 2q of the cassette 2 are inserted into the slits 5ps and 5qs of the cassette support 5 (step S).
4). In FIG. 4, a virtual line indicates the cassette 2 inserted into the cassette support 5.

When the cassette 2 is completely inserted into the cassette supporting portion 5, the cassette 2 is positioned by being locked by the positioning portions 5pe and 5qe, and the detection switch 37 is turned on (step S5). As a result, after a predetermined interval time has elapsed, the cassette lifting cylinders 38p, 3p
8q is driven, and the cassette support 5 descends to the connection position Pc and stops (steps S6 and S7). At this time, the one-side connectors 3 of the cassette supporting part 5 are connected to the other-side connectors 6 of the connecting part 30 (step S8). At the same time, the lowering of the engagement pins 13 causes the arm portions 12 and the entrance / exit cover 8 to descend to the closed position Ps by their own weight, and the entrance / exit 9 is closed by the entrance / exit cover 8 (step S).
9). Next, the heater raising / lowering cylinders 45p and 45q are driven, and the drive rods of the cylinders 45p and 45q are lowered. As a result, the heater support plate 42 is lowered by its own weight, and the adapter 43a of the heater unit 43 is placed on the wafer tray 74 of the cassette 2 and makes contact therewith (see FIG. 5).

As described above, the cassette 2 is connected to the test apparatus main body 4.
Is set, and a target environmental test is executed (step S10). Specifically, the semiconductor wafer W is heated to 125 ° C. by the heater section 43 serving as a main heater and a sub-heater built in the contactor 73, and the inside of the test tank 23 is cooled by a ventilation fan and a ventilation duct (not shown).
Maintained at 5 ° C. In addition, a test signal is applied from the drive circuit 33 to the semiconductor wafer W via the one-side connector 6 and the other-side connector 3, and an environmental test is performed for a preset test time.

On the other hand, upon completion of the environmental test, the heater raising / lowering cylinders 45p, 45q are driven, and the drive rods of the heater raising / lowering cylinders 45p, 45q are raised. Thus, the heater support plate 42 is pushed up to the raised position shown in FIG. 4 and stopped. Also, the cassette elevating cylinder 38
p, 38q are driven, and the cassette supporting portion 5
It rises to i and stops (step S11). On this occasion,
The one-side connector 3 is separated from the other-side connector 6, and the entrance cover 8 is displaced to the upper open position Po to open the entrance 9 (steps S12, S13). Then, the cassette 2 is pulled out of the cassette support portion 5 and taken out of the test apparatus main body 4 through the entrance 9 (step S1).
4). As a result, the detection switch 37 is turned off, and after a predetermined interval time has elapsed, the cassette lifting cylinders 38p and 38q are driven, and the cassette support 5 descends to the connection position Pc and stops (steps S15 and S1).
6, S17). The entrance cover 8 is lowered by its own weight, and the entrance 9 is closed (Step S18).

As described above, according to the environmental test apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the one-side connectors 3 are provided in the surface of the back surface 2r of the cassette 2 and the connection portion 30 facing the back surface 2r is provided. Since the other connectors 6 are provided, the space in which the connectors 3 and 6 are provided is greatly increased as compared with the case where the connectors 3 and 6 are provided at the end sides of the cassette 2. On the other hand, since only the cassette 2 is locally heated, the drive circuit 33 for supplying a test signal to the semiconductor wafer W is disposed inside the test tank where the temperature does not become high, particularly, at the connection portion 30 facing the cassette 2. Thus, the wiring connecting the cassette 2 and the drive circuit 33 can be significantly reduced, and the variation in the wiring length between the individual semiconductor chip portions in the semiconductor wafer W and the drive circuit 33 can be significantly reduced.

Since the entrance 9 is automatically opened and closed in conjunction with the movement of the cassette supporting portion 5, an automatic opening and closing opening / closing mechanism is provided in a test tank 23 having a limited space for accommodating the individual cassettes 2. Even when 10 is attached, simplification of the configuration can be realized, and significant cost reduction and downsizing of the entire apparatus can be achieved.

The embodiment has been described in detail above.
The present invention is not limited to such an embodiment,
The configuration, shape, material, quantity, numerical value, and the like of the details can be arbitrarily changed, added, or deleted without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, the electronic component is exemplified by the semiconductor wafer W, but may be any circuit element such as a commercialized semiconductor chip, circuit board, or capacitor. Further, the heater section 43 may be not only in contact with the cassette 2 but also in the case of approaching. Further, the driver circuit 33 is connected to the connector board 3 without providing the circuit board 31.
2 may be arranged on the lower surface.

[0031]

As described above, in the electronic component environmental test apparatus according to the present invention, a cassette support section for supporting a cassette inserted from the outside and a cassette inserted and removed from the cassette support section inside the test apparatus main body. A moving mechanism portion for selectively moving an upper / lower position located on the upper side or a lower connecting position for connecting one side connector provided on the cassette to the other side connector provided on the test apparatus main body; In conjunction with this, when the cassette support moves to the access position, the entrance cover is displaced to the open position to open the entrance for loading and unloading the cassette, and when the cassette support moves to the connection position, the entrance cover is displaced to the closed position. In order to provide an entrance opening / closing mechanism that closes the entrance and exit, even if an automatic opening / closing type entrance opening / closing mechanism is installed in a limited space, Realized squid, a marked effect of being able to achieve a significant cost reduction and downsizing of the entire apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a right side view of a door opening / closing mechanism of an environmental test apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an external front view of a test apparatus main body in the environmental test apparatus,

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional front view of a cassette in the environmental test apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the inside of the test apparatus main body before a cassette of the environmental test apparatus is inserted,

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the inside of the test apparatus main body in a state where a cassette of the environmental test apparatus is inserted;

FIG. 6 is a right side sectional view of a part of the inside of the test apparatus main body,

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of the inside of the test apparatus main body,

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway front configuration view of an entrance / exit opening / closing mechanism of the environmental test apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart sequentially showing a method of using the environmental test apparatus and the operation of each unit;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Environmental test apparatus for electronic components 2 Cassette 3 ... One side connector 4 Test apparatus main body 5 Cassette support part 6 ... Other connector 7 Moving mechanism part 8 Door cover 9 Door opening 10 Door opening and closing mechanism part 11 ... Bracket part 12 ... Arm part 13 … Engagement pin W semiconductor wafer (electronic component) Pi entry / exit position Pc connection position Po open position Ps closed position

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yumio Nakamura 246 Kodaka, Oaza, Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture Inside Orion Machinery Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaaki Ishizaka 4-3-1 Tsunashima Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 2G003 AA10 AC03 AD02 AH00 4M106 AA01 CA59 DG02 DG03 DG28 DH02 DH44

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic component environmental test apparatus for performing an environmental test of an electronic component held in a cassette, wherein a cassette support portion for supporting the cassette inserted from the outside inside a test device main body, and the cassette support portion Moving mechanism for selectively moving the cassette to an upper / lower position where the cassette is inserted / removed, or a lower connection position where one side connector provided on the cassette is connected to another side connector provided on the test apparatus main body. Unit, interlocking with the movement of the cassette support unit, when the cassette support unit moves to the access position, displaces the entrance cover to the open position to open the entrance for inserting and removing the cassette, and the cassette support unit An entrance opening / closing mechanism that closes the entrance by displacing the entrance cover to a closed position when moved to the connection position. Environmental test equipment for electronic components. 2. The doorway opening / closing mechanism section includes a pair of left and right bracket portions whose positions are fixed, a rear end portion rotatably supported by the bracket portions, and a front end portion having left and right ends of the doorway cover. A pair of left and right arms respectively coupled to the cassette, and a pair of left and right engagement pins that are displaced integrally with the cassette support, and are located below the arm and engageable with the arm. The environmental test apparatus for electronic components according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The electronic component environmental test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic component is a semiconductor wafer.