JP2002156404A - Method and apparatus for measuring semiconductor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and an apparatus for measuring semiconductors which can more shorten an inspection time for the whole in a lot or a wafer including a plurality of good semiconductor products (IC chips). SOLUTION: A normal measurement of executing test items according to a normal program is carried out to a predetermined number of semiconductor products (process 1). A pass judgment Pass or a fail judgment Fail is determined (process 2). In the Fail case, the number of fail judgments is counted by a counter and identification numbers of corresponding test items are stored into a register (process 3). After the normal measurement for the predetermined number is finished in a process 4, test items that can be saved are selected from the results of the counter and the register (process 5). Electrical characteristics inspection of semiconductor products which includes a skip test, i.e., skipping test items regarded as not generating the fail judgment for the remaining semiconductor products (as generating a considerably low percentage defective) is carried out according to data obtained in the process 5 (process 6).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor measuring method and a semiconductor measuring apparatus used for testing a semiconductor product in a wafer state or a chip state together with a tester constructed with a test system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electrical characteristic inspection (inspection including various tests and measurements) of a semiconductor product in a wafer state or a bare chip state before an assembling process of LSI manufacturing, a semiconductor measuring device used together with a tester is used. You.

[0003] In the tester main body, a test system related to generation and analysis of signals used for electrical characteristic inspection of a semiconductor product to be measured is constructed. That is, as a test system, the electrical characteristics inspection is performed on the semiconductor product to be measured via the signal transmission system according to the entire program in which the test items related to the electrical characteristics inspection are described.

The signal result from the semiconductor product to be measured is transmitted to the tester main body, and it is determined whether the function is good or not by comparing it with an expected value. Is measured and analyzed. Only the LSI chips selected as non-defective products by such inspection are sent to the assembly process.

[0005]

In an electrical characteristic inspection (inspection including various tests and measurements) of a semiconductor product, each test item related to the electrical characteristic inspection is described as a test system of a tester body. It is executed for all programs. This is always performed for test items for which no defect is determined for all semiconductor products (IC chips) in a lot or wafer. For this reason, even a lot or a wafer having a very high possibility of a non-defective product is generally inspected, and each semiconductor product (IC
Inspection time is the same for chip).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a semiconductor measuring method and a semiconductor measuring method capable of shortening the inspection time of a whole lot or a wafer including a plurality of non-defective semiconductor products (IC chips). It is intended to provide a device.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor measuring method, comprising: an installation area for a semiconductor product; a signal transmission mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal related to an electrical characteristic test on the semiconductor product; A tester body in which a test system related to generation and analysis of signals to be used for the tester is constructed, and each test item related to the electrical characteristic test is described as a test system in the tester body. A test item is selected from the program, and the electrical characteristic test is performed.

According to the semiconductor measuring method of the present invention, a test system capable of selecting a necessary test item from preset test items can be provided. If a very appropriate value can be secured by executing a certain test item, it is possible to make a change such as omitting the execution of a test item that can be regarded as not causing a failure determination.

In a semiconductor measuring method according to a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor product installation area, a signal transmission mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal related to an electrical characteristic test on the semiconductor product, and the electrical characteristic test. A tester body in which a test system related to generation and analysis of signals to be used for the tester is constructed, and each test item related to the electrical characteristic test is described as a test system in the tester body. In the program, a test item is selected for the remaining number of the semiconductor products according to a determination result of the electrical characteristic test on a predetermined number of the semiconductor products, and the electrical characteristic test is performed. I do.

According to the semiconductor measuring method of the present invention, a test system capable of selecting a necessary test item from preset test items can be provided. Of all semiconductor products belonging to a certain lot, within a wafer, etc., if a certain test item is executed for some semiconductor products and a very appropriate value can be secured, a failure judgment is issued for the remaining semiconductor products. It is possible to change the test items that can be regarded as not present, such as omitting the execution.

Further, according to a semiconductor measuring method as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are provided a semiconductor product installation area, a signal transmission mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal relating to an electrical characteristic test on the semiconductor product, A tester main body in which a test system related to generation and analysis of a signal to be used for inspection is constructed, and each test item related to the electrical characteristic test is described as a test system in the tester main body. As a result of the electrical characteristic test on a predetermined number of the semiconductor products among all programs, at least an identification number corresponding to a test item given a failure determination, a test item having a low failure rate based on data of the number of times of failure determination. The electrical characteristic inspection is performed on the remaining number of the semiconductor products except for the above.

According to the semiconductor measuring method of the present invention, a test system capable of selecting a necessary test item from preset test items can be provided. A predetermined number of semiconductor products among all the semiconductor products belonging to a certain lot or wafer are inspected according to the test items. According to the data of the number of failure judgments and the identification number of the test item corresponding to the data, the test items that can be regarded as having no failure judgment (extremely low failure rate) for the remaining semiconductor products can be changed, for example, by omitting the implementation. become.

Further, the semiconductor measuring device according to the present invention is used for an installation area of a semiconductor product, a signal transmission mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal related to an electrical characteristic test on the semiconductor product, and the electrical characteristic test. A semiconductor measurement device including a tester main body in which a test system related to generation and analysis of a signal for analysis is constructed, wherein the tester main body includes at least each test item related to the electrical characteristic test as the test system. Of all the programs described,
As a result of the electrical characteristic test for a predetermined amount of the semiconductor product, a register for storing an identification number corresponding to a test item given a failure determination, and a counter for counting the number of failure determinations, the register and the counter An arithmetic unit is configured such that the electrical characteristic inspection is performed on a predetermined number of the semiconductor products remaining after excluding test items having a low defect rate based on data.

According to the semiconductor device of the present invention, a register and a counter built in the tester body are used. Of all semiconductor products belonging to a certain lot, inside a wafer, etc.,
Inspection is performed on a predetermined number of semiconductor products according to test items. The test item determined to be defective is stored in a register, and the number of failure determinations in the test item is counted by a counter. Based on the number of times of failure determination and the test items, test items that can be regarded as having no failure determination (very low failure rate) for the remaining semiconductor products and test items that must be performed are selected. As a result, the semiconductor device is configured to perform an electrical characteristic test involving a so-called skip test.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a semiconductor measuring method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows an example of an electrical characteristic inspection (inspection including various tests and measurements) of a semiconductor product in a wafer state or a bare chip state, and a semiconductor measuring device used together with a tester is used.

In the tester main body, a test system related to generation and analysis of signals used for inspection of electrical characteristics of a semiconductor product to be measured is constructed. That is, the test system includes all programs in which test items related to the electrical characteristic inspection are described.

In this embodiment, a normal measurement for executing test items in accordance with a normal program is performed on a representative predetermined number of semiconductor products among all the semiconductor products belonging to a certain lot, within a wafer, or the like (Process 1). ).

For each test item in the process 1, one of the excellent judgment Pass / failure judgment Fail is determined (process 2). In the case of failure determination Fail, the number of failure determinations is counted by a counter, and the corresponding test item identification number (category N
o. May be stored in a register (process 3). What is necessary is just to use what is contained in a tester main body for these counters and registers.

Regardless of the pass / fail judgment Pass / Fail judgment, Steps 1 and 2, and in some cases, Step 3 are repeated until the specified number, that is, the predetermined number of semiconductor products that are initially representatively determined, has been measured normally. 4).

In the process 4, when the normal measurement satisfies the specified number, no defect is judged for the remaining semiconductor products from the results of the counter and the register (the defect rate is extremely low).
A test item that can be regarded as (Step 5).

In accordance with the data of the process 5, the electrical characteristics inspection of the semiconductor product accompanied by a so-called skip test is performed in which a test item that can be regarded as having no defect judgment (very low defect rate) is skipped for the remaining semiconductor products. (Process 6).

According to the method of the above embodiment, a test system that can select a required test item from preset test items can be provided. Instead of skipping all test items with a low defect rate, the test items can be selected only from preset test items. That is, when a very appropriate value can be secured by executing a specific test item, it is possible to make a change such as omitting the execution only for a test item that can be regarded as not causing a failure determination.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a semiconductor measuring device to which the above-described semiconductor measuring method is applied. The IC handler 21 includes the following working mechanism. For example, a plurality of IC devices 23 are supplied to the measurement jig 22 from a tray (not shown). Then, for inspection, each IC device 23 is connected to a terminal of a test head 25 connected to the tester 24 main body.
Terminals. After the inspection, the IC devices 23 are classified and stored.

I sent to the terminal of the test head 25
A signal (test signal or test pattern) to the C device 23 is transmitted from the tester main body 24 via the test head 25. The signal result from the IC device 23 is transmitted to the tester main body 24 via the test head 25. The tester body 24 compares the measured IC with the expected value.
Whether the function of the device 23 is good or bad, input / output signals,
Measures and analyzes analog values such as voltage and current of the power supply. Only the IC devices selected as non-defective products by such a test are sent to the assembly process.

In this embodiment, the information from the tester 24 is used, and a predetermined IC device 23 in the lot is executed by the test system having the flow described in FIG.
Of the electrical characteristics of the device. In the tester 24, the storage unit 241 includes the counter and the register shown in the process 3 in FIG. 1, and the arithmetic unit 242 includes the skip test selection process shown in the process 5 in FIG.

According to the configuration of each of the above embodiments, the registers and counters built in the tester main body 24 are used. Inspection is performed on a typical predetermined number of IC devices among all IC devices belonging to a certain lot according to test items. Tester 24 determines test items that have been determined to be defective.
Is stored in a register of the storage unit 241, and the number of failure determinations in the test item is counted by a counter.

Based on the number of times of failure determination and the test items, a test item that can be regarded as having no failure determination for the remaining IC devices (a failure rate is extremely low) and a test item that must be performed are selected. As a result, an electrical characteristic test of a chip product accompanied by a so-called skip test is performed.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a semiconductor measuring apparatus to which the above-described semiconductor measuring method is applied. In the prober 31, a movement control stage 311 on which the semiconductor wafer WF is mounted, a probe card 312, and a circuit substrate 313 for signal relay are provided. Movement control stage 3
Due to the movement control of the wafer WF by the probe 11, the probe card 312 faces the measured LSI chip area of the wafer WF. Thus, the probe card 312 causes a probe (not shown) to contact a predetermined pad on the chip area, input a test signal or a test pattern, and
Obtain the resulting output signal.

The signal (test signal or test pattern) sent to the prober 31 to the LSI chip is transmitted from the tester 33 via the test head 32.
The prober 31 and the test head 32 are connected to an open / close support 34.
, Electrical connection and opening are performed (arrow A). The test head 32 has a needle-like terminal 321, and is brought into contact with a signal transmission terminal (not shown) on the upper part of the prober 31.

The signal result from the LSI chip obtained by the prober 31 is transmitted to the tester main body 33 via the test head 32. The tester main body 33 compares the expected value with the expected value to determine the function of the LSI chip to be measured, and measures and analyzes input / output signals, analog values such as voltage and current of a power supply, and the like. Only LSI chips selected as non-defective products by such a wafer probing test are sent to the assembly process.

In this embodiment, using the information from the tester 33, an electrical characteristic test of a predetermined LSI chip area in the wafer WF is performed by the test system having the flow described in FIG. In the tester 33, the storage unit 331 includes the counter and the register shown in the process 3 of FIG. 1 described above, and the arithmetic unit 332 includes the skip test selection process shown in the process 5 of FIG.

According to the configuration of each of the above embodiments, the registers and counters built in the tester main body 33 are used. Inspection is performed according to test items on a predetermined number of typical LSI chip areas among all the LSI chip areas belonging to a wafer of a certain lot. The test item determined to be defective is stored in a register in the storage unit 331 of the tester 33, and the number of times of failure determination in the test item is counted by a counter.

Based on the number of failure determinations and the test items, a test item that can be regarded as having no failure determination in the remaining LSI chip area (an extremely low failure rate) and a test item that must be performed are selected. . This allows
Inspection of electrical characteristics of a wafer product accompanied by a so-called skip test is performed.

According to the semiconductor measuring method and the semiconductor measuring device in each of the embodiments described above, it is possible to skip the test items and perform the electrical characteristic inspection without rewriting the test program. Since the determination is made based on the actual measurement result, it is possible to cope with the variation due to the lot.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, all the programs in which each test item related to the electrical characteristic test set in the tester main body is described in advance are required from among the test items. A test system capable of selecting various test items is realized. As a result, it is possible to provide a semiconductor measuring method and a semiconductor measuring apparatus capable of shortening the inspection time of the whole lot or wafer including a plurality of good semiconductor products (IC chips).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a semiconductor measurement method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a semiconductor measuring device to which the semiconductor measuring method of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the semiconductor measuring device to which the semiconductor measuring method of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-6 Each processing 21 ... IC handler 22 ... Measurement jig 23 ... IC device 24,33 ... Tester 241 ... Storage unit 242 ... Calculation unit 25,32 ... Test head 31 ... Prober 311 ... Movement control stage 312 ... Probe card 313 ... Circuit base material for signal relay 321 ... Terminal WF ... Wafer

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An installation area for a semiconductor product, a signal transmission mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal related to an electrical characteristic test on the semiconductor product, and a generation and analysis of a signal used for the electrical characteristic test. A tester having a test system constructed therein, wherein a test item is selected from among all programs in which each test item related to the electrical characteristic test is described as a test system in the tester body, A semiconductor measurement method characterized by performing a characteristic test. 2. An installation area for a semiconductor product, a signal transmission mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal related to an electrical characteristic test in the semiconductor product, and a generation and analysis of a signal used for the electrical characteristic test. A tester main body on which a test system is constructed, wherein, as a test system in the tester main body, among all programs in which each test item related to the electrical characteristic inspection is described, A semiconductor measuring method, wherein a test item is selected for the remaining number of the semiconductor products according to the determination result of the electrical characteristic inspection, and the electrical characteristic inspection is performed. 3. An installation area for a semiconductor product, a signal transmission mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal related to an electrical characteristic test in the semiconductor product, and a generation and analysis of a signal used for the electrical characteristic test. A tester main body on which a test system is constructed, wherein, as a test system in the tester main body, among all programs in which each test item related to the electrical characteristic inspection is described, As a result of the electrical characteristic test, at least the identification number corresponding to the test item given the defect determination and the data of the number of times of the defect determination, based on the data of the number of times of the defect determination, the expected number of the electrical products of the semiconductor product to be removed except for the test items having a low defect rate. A semiconductor characteristic measuring method, wherein a semiconductor characteristic inspection is performed. 4. An installation area for a semiconductor product, a signal transmission mechanism for transmitting and receiving a signal related to an electrical characteristic test on the semiconductor product, and a generation and analysis of a signal used for the electrical characteristic test. A semiconductor measuring device comprising a tester main body in which a test system to be constructed is constructed, wherein the tester main body is at least the test system, out of all programs in which each test item related to the electrical characteristic inspection is described. As a result of the electrical characteristic test for a predetermined amount of the semiconductor product, a register for storing an identification number corresponding to a test item given a failure determination, and a counter for counting the number of failure determinations, and data in the register and the counter are included. Based on the above, the electrical characteristics inspection of the expected number of the semiconductor products remaining excluding the test items with a low defect rate is performed. Semiconductor measuring device, characterized in that to constitute a power sale Do calculation unit.