JP2001349929A - Method and device for detecting tip position of probe needle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make photographable the tip of a probe needle having a tip that could not be conventionally photographed because the surface of the tip is like a mirror surface similarly to a pyramid shaped needle tip, and in its turn to make detectable a position of the tip. SOLUTION: In this detecting method of the tip position of a probe needle, the tip 9 of the probe needle is illuminated by a lighting means 41 and photographed by a photographing means 31, the position of the tip 9 is detected based on an obtained image, the tip 9 has at least one plane part, and the photographing means 31 is arranged in the direction that light from the lighting means 41 regularly reflects on the plane part of the tip 9 and photographs the tip 9. This detecting device of the tip position of the probe needle has the photographing means 31 arranged in the direction that light from the lighting means 41 regularly reflects on the plane part of the tip 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the technical field of a method and an apparatus for detecting the position of a probe tip.
In particular, when testing the performance of semiconductor circuits on a wafer,
The present invention belongs to a technical field related to a method for detecting a position of a probe tip of a probe needle of a probe card used for the performance inspection and an apparatus used for the detection.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits, a large number of integrated circuits are formed on one wafer.
Then, before cutting out this as a chip (chip: integrated circuit) for each integrated circuit, it is usual to perform a circuit performance test, which is an electrical measurement (pass / fail judgment) of the circuit once in a wafer state.

[0003] In the performance test (electrical measurement) of the above-mentioned circuit, thin needles (electrodes) are brought into contact with a large number of electrode pads (pads) formed on each of the integrated circuits to conduct electricity. This thin needle is called a probe needle. A card on which many probe needles are aligned and fixed is called a probe card.

[0004] Usually, the probe needle is made of a hard and electrically conductive material such as tungsten, and the deflection of the probe needle generated when the probe needle is pressed against the electrode pad on the wafer causes a gap between the probe needle and the electrode pad. , A suitable force is applied, and good conduction is obtained.

In the performance test (electrical measurement) of the above circuit,
First, it is important and necessary to accurately contact the probe needle and the electrode pad. In order to bring the two into accurate contact, it is not sufficient to only perform alignment based on the fiducial marks on each of the probe card and the wafer. In addition, the position (coordinates) of the tip of the probe needle must be accurately determined. Need to ask.

As means for determining the position of the tip of the probe needle, there is, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 266979. In this technique, the probe needle is photographed by a camera installed on the same stage as the wafer, and the coordinates of the tip of the probe needle are obtained from the obtained image.

On the other hand, with the recent miniaturization of design rules for semiconductor devices, the number of electrode pads on an integrated circuit has increased and the distance between the electrode pads has been reduced. With the probe needle, it is difficult to make the shape smaller than before and to narrow the pitch between the probe needles (to reduce the pitch of the interval). Therefore, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-283280, the use of a pyramid-shaped fine projection obtained by a semiconductor fine processing process as a probe tip is being studied.

[0008]

However, since the pyramid-shaped projections are usually covered with a flat metal film, their surfaces are mirror-finished. Therefore, when the tip of the probe needle is illuminated, light does not scatter on the tip surface,
Only the specular reflection component is reflected. In other words, even if the tip of the probe is illuminated to detect the position of the tip of the probe and an image is taken with a camera, reflected light from the tip hardly enters the camera with conventional diffused light illumination. It is very difficult to detect the position of the needle point. That is, in the case of the conventional probe needle made of tungsten or the like, since the surface is uneven, the needle tip can be easily photographed with irregular reflection components, but in the case of a pyramid-shaped needle tip, the surface is flat,
There is no diffuse reflection component, and it is not possible to shoot the needle tip.

Conventionally, the electrode pads on the wafer are large,
In addition, since the tip interval (pitch) of the probe needles is wide, it is not necessary to obtain accurate coordinates of the needle tips. However, as in recent years, the electrode pads are small and the pitch is narrow. As a result, when the interval between the tips of the probe needles becomes narrower, it is necessary to obtain the coordinates of the tip more accurately than before.
However, in the case of the conventional probe needle made of tungsten or the like, since the needle tip is large, round, and irregularly reflected, the shot image of the needle tip becomes round and blurred, and accurate needle tip coordinates cannot be obtained. .

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to make it impossible to take a picture conventionally because the surface of the needle tip is mirror-like, such as a pyramid-shaped needle tip. It is intended to provide a method and an apparatus for detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle which can take an image of the probe tip having a certain needle tip and can detect the position of the probe tip. Things.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, a method and an apparatus for detecting a probe tip position according to the present invention are provided. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle, which has the following configuration.

That is, in the method for detecting the position of the probe tip according to the first aspect of the present invention, the probe tip is illuminated by illumination means, photographed by photographing means, and the position of the probe tip is determined from the obtained image. A method of detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle to be detected, wherein the probe tip has at least one flat portion, and the photographing means is arranged in a direction in which light from the illumination means is regularly reflected by the flat portion of the needle tip. And a method for detecting the needle tip position of the probe needle.
invention).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method of detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle, coordinates of a vertex of a triangular figure in the image are obtained, and coordinates of the needle tip are obtained based on the coordinates. (2nd invention).

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for detecting the position of a probe needle tip, comprising: an illuminating means for illuminating the needle tip of the probe needle; and a photographing means for photographing the needle tip. A probe needle, wherein the probe tip has at least one flat portion, and the photographing means is arranged in a direction in which light from the illumination means is specularly reflected by the flat portion of the probe tip. (Third invention).

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is implemented, for example, as follows. Illumination means for illuminating the tip of the probe needle and photographing means for photographing the tip are arranged. At this time, the needle tip has at least one flat part, and the photographing means is arranged in a direction in which light from the illumination means is regularly reflected on the flat part of the needle tip. Then, the detecting device of the probe tip position of the probe needle according to the present invention is obtained.

In the case of using the device for detecting the probe tip position, the probe tip is illuminated by the illuminating means, photographed by the photographing means, and the position of the probe tip is detected from the obtained image. I do. Thus, the method for detecting the probe tip position of the probe needle according to the present invention is performed. The tip having at least one flat portion may be, for example, one having a triangular pyramid, quadrangular pyramid, or pentagonal pyramid.

In such a form, the device for detecting the probe tip position according to the present invention is obtained, and the method for detecting the probe tip position according to the present invention is implemented.

Hereinafter, the function and effect of the present invention will be mainly described.

In the method for detecting the position of the probe tip according to the present invention, as described above, the probe tip of the probe needle is illuminated by the illuminating means, photographed by the photographing means, and the obtained image is taken from the obtained image. A method for detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle for detecting a position, wherein the probe tip has at least one flat portion, and the light from the illuminating means is regularly reflected on the flat portion of the probe tip. A photographing means is arranged to photograph the needle point (first invention). Accordingly, the light applied to the probe tip of the probe needle is specularly reflected without being scattered by the flat portion of the probe tip, and the specularly reflected light enters the photographing means, so that the light is photographed. Therefore, it is possible to take an image of the flat portion of the needle tip,
Consequently, the position of the needle tip can be detected.

That is, in the conventional photographing of the tip of a conventional probe needle made of tungsten or the like, since the diffuse reflection component is photographed, the position of the illumination means and the photographing means is reduced. The relationship was not so strict, it was acceptable to moderately adjust to some extent, on the other hand, if the needle tip has a flat part like a pyramid-shaped needle tip, since only the regular reflection component is reflected from this flat part, The positional relationship between the illumination means and the photographing means is strict, and it is necessary to be able to photograph the regular reflection component, and by doing so, the regular reflection component is photographed for the first time,
An image of the flat part of the needle tip can be taken.

Therefore, the method of detecting the position of the probe tip according to the present invention is such that the photographing means is arranged in a direction in which light from the illuminating means is specularly reflected on the flat portion of the needle tip to photograph the needle tip. ing. That is, the positional relationship between the illuminating means and the photographing means is such that a specular reflection component from the flat part of the needle tip can be photographed, whereby an image of the flat part of the needle tip can be photographed. It is.

Therefore, according to the method for detecting the probe tip position of the probe according to the present invention, an image of the flat portion of the probe tip can be photographed, and the position of the probe tip can be detected. Become. That is, as in the case of a pyramid-shaped needle tip, for a probe needle having a needle tip that could not be imaged conventionally because the needle tip surface is mirror-like, the needle tip can be imaged, and the The position of the stylus can be detected.

Further, the method for detecting the probe tip position according to the present invention has the effect that the probe tip position detection accuracy of the probe needle is good and the probe tip position can be accurately obtained.
That is, in the case of the conventional probe needle made of tungsten or the like, as described above, the needle tip photographed image has a round and blurred shape, and accurate needle tip coordinates cannot be obtained. In the case of the method for detecting the probe tip position of the probe needle, an image of the flat portion of the probe tip can be taken,
Since the outline of the image of the plane portion is relatively clear, the coordinates of the corners, the outline, and the like of the image of the plane portion can be accurately obtained, and thus the accurate coordinates of the needle point can be obtained. .

As described above, the probe needle position detecting device according to the present invention has a lighting means for illuminating the probe tip and a photographing means for photographing the needle. A position detecting device, wherein the needle tip has at least one flat part, and the photographing means is arranged in a direction in which light from the illumination means is specularly reflected on the flat part of the needle tip. (Third invention).

Therefore, according to the probe needle position detecting device of the present invention, the method of detecting the probe needle position according to the present invention as described above can be performed. For this reason, as in the case of a pyramid-shaped needle tip, it is possible to image the needle tip of a probe needle having a needle tip which was conventionally impossible to image because the needle tip surface is mirror-like. The position of the stylus can be detected. Also, there is an effect that the needle tip position can be accurately obtained.

When detecting the position of the tip of the probe needle from the image obtained by the photographing, the coordinates of the vertices of a triangular figure in the image are obtained, and the coordinates of the needle are obtained based on the coordinates. Method can be adopted (second
invention). According to this method, the coordinates of the needle point can be obtained more accurately.

In the present invention, it is necessary to use a probe needle having a tip having at least one flat portion. Examples of the needlepoint having such a flat portion include a needlepoint having a pyramid shape and shapes illustrated in FIGS. 15, 17, and 19. Examples of the pyramid include a triangular pyramid, a quadrangular pyramid, and a pentagonal pyramid.

In the present invention, the tip of the probe needle is
Not only the tip of the probe needle (the earliest point or surface or line) but also the tip (tip area) including the tip of the probe needle, in other words, a so-called pointed portion. The tip of the probe needle tip is the earliest point (or vertex) or surface or line of the probe needle tip. The fact that the tip of the probe needle has at least one flat portion means that at least a part of the surface of the tip of the probe needle is formed flat. In this case, this plane often includes the tip of the tip of the probe needle or its vicinity, but this is not always necessary.

The photographing means is not particularly limited. For example, a CCD camera, a MOS (Metal-Oxid
e-Semiconductor) A camera or the like can be used.

The illuminating means is not particularly limited, and includes, for example, LED light converted into parallel light by a lens, halogen lamp light guided by an optical fiber converted into parallel light by a lens, laser light. Can be used in which the irradiation range is expanded by a beam expander.

Arranging the photographing means in the direction in which the light from the illumination means is regularly reflected at the flat portion at the needle tip means that the light from the illumination means is specularly reflected at the flat portion at the needle tip and travels straight. That is, the photographing means is arranged at a position, that is, the photographing means is arranged at a position where the light that is specularly reflected at the flat portion of the needle point can be photographed. The fact that light is specularly reflected at the needle tip flat portion means that light is reflected at a reflection angle equal to the incident angle of light to the needle tip flat portion, that is, the light incidence angle and the reflection angle are equal. Reflection of light.

[0032]

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This device will be described below mainly with reference to FIG. A wafer W in which a large number of integrated circuits are formed on a wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer) is taken out of a cassette by a transfer robot (not shown) so that the electrode pads are on the front side (upper side). Wafer stage 1 as shown in FIG.
Placed on The wafer stage 1 includes an X stage 11, a Y stage 12, a Z stage 13, and a θ stage 14, and is connected to a stage controller 6. The stage controller 6 is further connected to a control device 7, from which commands for controlling the entire device including stage control and robot control are issued.

The probe card 2 includes a wafer stage 1
Is fixed such that the tip of the probe tip of the probe pin (probe needle) faces downward (toward the wafer W). At this time, the probe card 2 is mounted at a position substantially determined by a mounting jig (not shown). The probe card 2 is electrically connected to a tester head (not shown) placed thereon, and exchanges signals with the tester from the tester head.

An illuminating device 41 for illuminating the probe tips of the probe card 2 from obliquely below is mounted on the side of the probe card 2. The Z stage 13 of the wafer stage 1 has a camera stage 15 that moves in accordance with the wafer W, and a camera 31 is attached to the camera stage 15 so as to face diagonally upward. The tip of the second probe needle is photographed.

The image obtained by the photographing by the camera 31 is taken into the image processing device 8, where the figure at the tip of the probe needle is detected from the image. Then, the control device 7 calculates the coordinates of the probe tip of the probe needle from the output of the image processing device 8 and the coordinates of the wafer stage 1 obtained from the stage controller 6, and based on the calculated coordinates of the probe card 2, The alignment with the wafer W is performed. A camera 5 for photographing a chip (integrated circuit) on the wafer W is mounted above the wafer stage 1, and this camera 5 is connected to an image processing device 8. The position of the chip on the wafer W is obtained from the image obtained by photographing with the camera 5,
This is also used for alignment between the probe card 2 and the wafer W.

FIG. 2 shows the shape of the tip of the probe needle used in the first embodiment of the present invention. This probe needle
A square pyramid tip 9 is formed on a metal wiring by a semiconductor fine processing process. The tip of the needle tip 9 comes into contact with the electrode pad on the wafer W and conducts. The surface of the square pyramid needle tip 9 is smoothly covered with a material (for example, nickel or the like) for ensuring conductivity and strength, and thus has a mirror-like surface. As a result, the scattering component of light on the surface of the needle tip 9 is very small, and
Even if the camera is photographed with a camera or the like, light other than the specularly reflected light cannot be observed.

FIG. 3 shows a view of the probe needle (part) of the probe card 2 as viewed from above the tip of the needle tip 9 of a square pyramid. As shown in FIG. 3, the probe card 2 has a plurality of probe needles facing each other. At the time of measurement, the probe card 2 is attached such that the tip of the needle tip 9 of the regular pyramid faces downward.

The position of the probe tip 9 was detected using the above-described apparatus. The details will be described below.

The wafer stage 1 is driven and the camera 31
Is brought closer to the probe needle of the probe card 2 so that the probe tip 9 is focused and included in the camera field of view.

FIG. 4 shows the state of illumination and photographing of the probe tip 9 of the probe needle. FIG. 4 shows the probe tip 9 at the time of photographing.
The arrangement of the lighting device 41 and the camera 31 with respect to is viewed from the side. The illumination device 41 is a combination of a point light source and a lens, and emits parallel (collimated) light. The parallel light illuminates the tip of the probe needle. Camera 3 for photographing probe tip 9
Reference numeral 1 denotes a direction in which the parallel light is regularly reflected by the flat portion of the needle tip 9. That is, the illuminating device 41 and the camera 31 are set so that the angle (θ1) between the vertical line and the illuminating device 41 with respect to the plane portion of the needle tip 9 and the angle (θ2) between the vertical line and the camera 31 are equal. Be placed.

In this state, the tip 9 of the probe needle was photographed to obtain an image. FIG. 5 shows an example of this image. In this example, five probe needles in one row among a plurality of rows of probe needles are included in the image field of view. Only the light from the surface illuminated by the illumination device 41, that is, the light from one of the four planes (triangles) of the quadrangular pyramid needle tip 9 enters the camera 31 and is photographed. Five brightened images are obtained.

After binarizing the image with an appropriate threshold, the coordinates of the vertices of the triangle are determined. For example, when the image shown in FIG. 5 is binarized, the image becomes as shown in FIG. When the coordinates of the vertices of the triangle are obtained after the binarization, for example, the top coordinates of each triangle in FIG. 6 may be simply obtained, or more precisely, as shown in FIG. A method may be adopted in which a side is approximated by a straight line and the intersection of the side is obtained.
Incidentally, the latter method has an advantage that the coordinates of the vertices of the triangle can be obtained even when the tip of the probe needle is worn due to long-term use.

Based on the coordinates of the vertices of the triangle thus obtained, the coordinates of the tip of the needle point 9 are obtained. This can be determined as follows. That is, the coordinates of the wafer stage 1 when the needle tip 9 is photographed, the coordinates of the camera 31 with respect to the wafer stage 1, and the distance between the wafer stage 1 and the probe card 2 in the height direction can be used for ordinary triangulation. In a way, the coordinates of the tip of the needle point 9 can be obtained based on the coordinates of the vertices of the triangle.

Thereafter, the wafer stage 1 is moved and the camera 31 is moved to sequentially photograph the probe tips 9, and the coordinates of the tips of the probe tips 9 of all the probe needles are calculated in the same manner as described above. Ask. According to the above method,
The position of the tip of the probe needle tip can be determined with high accuracy, and the probe needle tip 9 determined as described above is obtained.
The coordinates of the tip of are extremely small in error and excellent in accuracy.

The position of the probe card 2 and the electrode pads on the wafer W is adjusted by correcting the wafer stage 1 in the XYZ and θ directions based on the coordinates of the tip of the probe tip 9 of the probe needle. This positioning can be easily and accurately performed because the coordinates of the tip of the probe tip 9 of the probe needle are excellent in accuracy.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 8 shows an apparatus for detecting a probe tip position according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This device is for measuring the position of the tip of the probe needle more accurately and precisely. The configuration of the stage and the image processing device is the same as that of the device according to the first embodiment. The probe card 2 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and the shape of the probe tip 9 of the probe needle is the same as that in the first embodiment, and is a regular pyramid.

The above-described apparatus will be described below mainly focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the first lighting device 42 and the first camera 32 are the lighting device 41 and the camera 31 in the device according to the first embodiment.
It is attached to the same position as in the case of. However, the first camera 32 has a higher magnification and a higher spatial resolution than the camera 31 in the apparatus according to the first embodiment.

In addition to the first illumination device 42 and the first camera 32, a second camera 33 and a second illumination device 43
Is provided. The second camera 33 also captures the same probe tip as the first camera 32 at the same magnification as the first camera 32. However, the second camera 33
Captures a plane (triangle) adjacent to the plane (triangle) of the needle point 9 (regular square pyramid) photographed by the first camera 32. The second lighting device 43 emits parallel light similarly to the first lighting device 42, and illuminates the plane portion with the parallel light. The second camera 33 is connected to the second lighting device 43.
The illumination light from the light source is provided at a point where the illumination light is specularly reflected by the plane portion.

Using the above-described apparatus, the tip 9 of the probe needle was photographed in the same manner as in Example 1 to obtain an image. Examples of this image are shown in FIGS. FIG. 9 is an image obtained by shooting with the first camera 32, and FIG. 10 is an image obtained by shooting with the second camera 33.

After obtaining the coordinates of the vertices of a triangle corresponding to the image of the plane part (triangle) of the needle point 9 from the above image in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the two cameras (first
Of the needle tip 9 (apex) by an algorithm of three-dimensional measurement by stereoscopic vision of the camera 32 and the second camera 33).
XYZ coordinates are obtained. According to this method, the probe tip 9 of the probe needle is more accurately and accurately than in the case of the first embodiment.
Can be obtained.

According to the method according to the second embodiment, the coordinates of the tip of the probe tip 9 of the probe needle can be obtained more accurately and more accurately than in the case of the first embodiment. The alignment between the pad and the probe card 2 can be performed more easily and accurately than in the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 11 shows an apparatus for detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In the third embodiment, the same effect as that of the second embodiment is obtained by an imaging optical system different from that of the second embodiment. The configuration of the stage and the image processing device is the same as that of the device according to the first embodiment. The probe card 2 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and the shape of the probe tip 9 of the probe needle is the same as that in the first embodiment, and is a regular pyramid.

The above apparatus will be described below mainly focusing on the differences from the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the first lighting device 44 and the first camera 34
The first lighting device 42 and the first camera 32 in the device according to the second embodiment are mounted at the same positions as those of the first lighting device 42 and the first camera 32. The second camera 35 is installed so as to look up the probe card 2 from directly below the vertical direction. When the surface (a) other than the probe tip 9 of the probe needle shown in FIG. 2 is a scattering surface, the second lighting device 45 illuminates the probe card 2 with scattered light from below. . If this surface (a) is a mirror surface, as shown in FIG.
The second illumination device 45 illuminates the probe card 2 with parallel light from below through the half mirror 10. Hereinafter, a case where the surface (a) other than the probe tip 9 of the probe needle is a scattering surface will be described.

The probe card 2 is illuminated with scattered light from below by the second illuminator 45, the tip 9 of the probe needle is photographed from below by the second camera 35, and the probe is illuminated by the first illuminator 44. The plane portion (triangle) of the needle tip 9 (regular square pyramid) is illuminated with parallel light, and the plane portion (triangle) is photographed by the first camera 34.

FIG. 13 shows an image obtained by photographing with the second camera 35. That is, the surface (a) other than the probe tip 9 of the probe needle is the scattering surface, and the second illumination device 4
5 illuminates the probe card 2 with scattered light from below,
The reflected light from the quadrangular pyramid needle tip 9 does not enter the second camera 35, and therefore, the part of the quadrangular pyramid 9 (quadrangular pyramid) is dark, and conversely, the surface (a) other than the needle tip 9 (quadrangular pyramid) ) Only gives a bright image. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, the needle tip 9 (square pyramid)
When the intersection of the diagonal line of the part is obtained, this intersection is
The XY coordinates of the tip (that is, the vertex) of the (quadrangular pyramid).

On the other hand, an image obtained by photographing with the first camera 34 is an image similar to that of the second embodiment, that is, an image as shown in FIG. From this image, the coordinates of the vertices of the triangle corresponding to the image of the plane portion (triangle) of the needle point 9 are obtained.

The XY coordinates of the tip (ie, the vertex) of the tip 9 (quadrangular pyramid) obtained from the image obtained by the second camera 35 and the coordinates of the vertex of the triangle obtained from the image obtained by the first camera 34 Thus, the Z coordinate of the tip of the remaining needle tip 9 can be obtained. Thus, the Z coordinate of the tip of the needle tip 9 is obtained in this way.

When the surface (a) other than the probe tip 9 of the probe needle is a scattering surface, the XYZ coordinates of the tip (apex) of the probe tip 9 can be accurately calculated in the same manner as in the second embodiment by the method described above. It can be determined well and accurately.

In the first to third embodiments, the coordinates (position) of the tip of the tip of the probe needle are automatically determined by image processing.
I asked. However, this is not necessary, and the operator may look at the captured image displayed on the TV monitor to determine the position of the tip of the needle point.

In the first to third embodiments, the lighting device 41 is used.
Although a device that emits parallel light is used as -44, it is not necessary to be limited to this. That is, the light does not need to be strictly parallel light, and if there is a variation in the inclination of the plane portion of the needle point to be photographed, the illumination light may have an angular spread according to the variation in the angle.

In the first to third embodiments, the probe needle having a square pyramid shape is used as the probe needle. Instead, the probe needle having a needle tip having a shape shown in FIG. 15, FIG. 17 or FIG. 19 is used. When the same needle tip position was detected as in Examples 1 to 3 above, results having the same tendency as those in Examples 1 to 3 were obtained.

Although the tip shown in FIG. 2 (Examples 1 to 3) has a point at the tip of the needle, the tip shown in FIG. 15 has a flat tip, not a point. The one shown in FIG. 17 has a rounded tip and a curved surface. The tip shown in FIG. 19 has a linear shape. This FIG. 15, FIG. 17, FIG.
The photographed images of the needle point shown in FIG. 9 are shown in FIGS.
8, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 16, 18, and 20, in each case, the vertex can be obtained by the same method as in FIG. 7, and the tip of the needle tip can be obtained by the same method as in Examples 1 to 3. The coordinates can be determined.

When the tip of the needle tip is flat as in the case of the needle tip shown in FIG. 15, if the image is taken by the same optical system as in the third embodiment, the image taken by the second camera is shown in FIG. Become like Here, the imaging optical system of FIG. 11 is used when the flat part of the tip of the needle tip is a scattering surface, and the imaging optical system of FIG. 12 is used when the flat part of the tip of the needle tip is mirror-like. In FIG. 21, the bright portion at the center is the flat portion at the tip of the needle tip, and the coordinates of the needle tip can be obtained by obtaining the coordinates of the center of this portion.

[0064]

According to the method for detecting the probe tip position of the probe according to the present invention, the needle cannot be photographed conventionally because the tip surface is mirror-like, such as a pyramid-shaped needle tip. With respect to the probe needle having a tip, the tip of the probe can be photographed, and the position of the tip can be detected. Therefore, even in the case of a probe card having the above-described probe needles, it is possible to easily perform the alignment between the probe card and the electrode pads on the wafer.

Further, there is an effect that the detection accuracy of the probe tip position of the probe needle is good, and the probe tip position can be accurately obtained. As a result, the probe card and the electrode pads on the wafer can be accurately aligned, and the alignment accuracy can be improved, thereby preventing erroneous measurement due to a displacement between the probe card and the electrode pads. become able to.

According to the probe needle position detecting device of the present invention, the method of detecting the probe needle position according to the present invention as described above can be performed. For this reason, as in the case of a pyramid-shaped needle tip, it is possible to image the needle tip of a probe needle having a needle tip which was conventionally impossible to image because the needle tip surface is mirror-like. The position of the stylus can be detected. Also, there is an effect that the needle tip position can be accurately obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an outline of a device for detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a shape of a probe tip of the probe needle according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an arrangement state of probe needles of the probe card according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state of illumination and photographing of a probe tip of the probe needle according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image obtained by photographing the tip of the probe needle according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image obtained by binarizing the image shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of obtaining a vertex of a triangle of an image obtained by photographing a tip of a probe needle.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an outline of a device for detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image obtained by photographing with the first camera according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image obtained by shooting with a second camera according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating an outline of a device for detecting a probe tip position of a probe needle according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how to use the second lighting device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image obtained by shooting with a second camera according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a method for obtaining the position of the tip (vertex) of a needlepoint (quadrangular pyramid) from an image obtained by imaging with a second camera according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of the tip of the probe needle according to the present invention.

16 is a diagram showing an example of an image obtained by photographing the tip of the probe needle shown in FIG.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of the probe tip of the probe needle according to the present invention.

18 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image obtained by photographing the tip of the probe needle illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of the tip of the probe needle according to the present invention.

20 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image obtained by photographing the tip of the probe needle illustrated in FIG. 19;

21 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image captured by the second camera according to the third embodiment with respect to the tip of the probe needle illustrated in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1—Wafer stage, 2—Probe card, 5—Camera, 6—Stage controller, 7—Control device, 8—Image processor, 9—Probe needle tip, 10—Half mirror 11-X stage, 12-Y stage, 13-Z stage, 14-θ stage, 15-camera stage, 31-camera, 32-first camera, 33-second Camera, 34--first camera, 35--second camera, 41--lighting device, 42--first lighting device, 43--second lighting device, 44--first lighting device ,
45--second illuminator, W--wafer, (a) --- surface other than the probe tip.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Koji Yoneda 1-5-5 Takatsukadai, Nishi-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture Inside Kobe Research Institute, Kobe Steel Ltd. (72) Inventor Takayuki Hirano Takatsuka, Nishi-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture Kobe Steel, Ltd.Kobe Research Institute, Kobe Steel, Ltd. Kobe Steel Technical Research Institute, Inc. (72) Inventor Takashi Kinoshita, Kobe, Hyogo Inventor Hirofumi Goto 1-5-5 Takatsukadai, Nishi-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo F-term in Kobe Steel Research Institute, Kobe Research Institute, Ltd. JJ26 LL02 LL04 LL09 PP04 PP05 PP11 PP12 PP13 QQ28 2G011 AA09 AA16 AC06 AC14 AE03 AF06 2G032 AE04 AE11 AF01 AL04 4M106 AA01 BA01 BA14 DD05 DD30

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for detecting the position of a probe tip, wherein the probe tip is illuminated by an illuminating means, photographed by a photographing means, and the position of the probe tip is detected from an obtained image. A probe having a needle tip having at least one flat part, and arranging the photographing means in a direction in which light from the illuminating means is specularly reflected by the flat part of the needle tip to photograph the needle tip. How to detect the needle tip position. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein coordinates of vertices of a triangular figure in the image are obtained, and coordinates of the probe tip are obtained based on the coordinates. 3. An apparatus for detecting the position of a probe needle tip, comprising: illuminating means for illuminating the needle tip of the probe needle; and photographing means for photographing the needle tip, wherein the probe tip has at least one flat portion. Wherein the imaging means is arranged in a direction in which light from the illuminating means is specularly reflected on a flat portion of the needle tip.