JP2002168804A - Inspecting instrument using x rays - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable automatic transfer and imaging of a specimen within the body of the apparatus (a shielding case). SOLUTION: This apparatus is provided with an X-ray generator, a carry-in side transfer part for moving a tray carrying a camera and the specimen thereon into the body of the apparatus, carry-in and -out side specimen moving mechanisms and a carry-out side transfer part. With the placement thereof on the carry-in transfer part, the tray is transferred into the body and set between the X-ray generator and the camera with the carry-in side specimen moving mechanism to be photographed. After the shooting, the tray is carried outside the body with the carry-out side specimen moving mechanism and the carry-out side transfer part. All operations as mentioned above are performed automatically.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an X-ray inspection apparatus for inspecting an IC chip or the like, and in particular, loads an IC chip to be inspected into an inspection position, sets the IC chip at the inspection position, and unloads after inspection. The present invention relates to an X-ray inspection apparatus having a feature in a mechanism for performing X-ray inspection.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as shown in FIG. 5, an IC chip has a substrate 52 disposed on a base plate 51 and a chip 53 disposed on the substrate 52.
The board 52 and the chip 53 are both soldered and fixed as indicated by reference numerals 54 and 55.

In the solders 54 and 55, voids 56 are generated. If the voids are large, heat transfer is deteriorated, and the IC chip does not operate normally.

For this purpose, it is preferable to obtain the following void ratio and keep the void ratio below a certain value.

[0005] Void ratio (%) = total of void area / chip area In order to determine the void ratio and the like in this IC, measurement and inspection of an IC chip requires inspection using X-rays.

Conventionally, when an object to be inspected is set at a photographing position in an inspection apparatus for inspecting an IC chip or the like by X-rays, it has been performed manually. In other words, after manually setting a base plate on which a number of chips are mounted using a window of the apparatus at a predetermined position, the window is closed and photographing is performed. The work of setting the base plate at the shooting position was repeated.

As described above, since the work is performed manually,
Work such as setting an inspection object takes time, and therefore, has a drawback that it takes time to take an image.

[0008] In some cases, the work of setting an object to be inspected in the X-ray inspection apparatus is performed using a robot. In the work performed by the robot, a base plate is similarly set, removed after inspection, and a new base plate is removed. The operation process of resetting is exactly the same as the manual operation, and therefore requires much time for inspection. This is not desirable particularly when a large number of inspected objects are inspected.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a test object is loaded into a main body provided with an X-ray imaging apparatus, and the loaded test object is moved to an imaging position, and is moved to an unloading position after imaging. An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray inspection apparatus capable of automatically and continuously performing an operation of carrying out.

[0010]

An inspection apparatus according to the present invention comprises an X-ray source and an imaging means arranged on the same axis in an apparatus main body, and an X-ray source and an image pickup means arranged in the apparatus main body and arranged in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. A loading and unloading sample moving mechanism having a fork portion movable in the direction, a loading conveyor for loading the object to be inspected into the main body outside the apparatus main body, and an object to be inspected after the inspection is completed. And a carry-out conveyor for carrying out the carry-in conveyor, and the carry-in conveyor carries the inspected object into the apparatus main body by placing the inspected object on the carry-in conveyor. Vertical and horizontal movements are sequentially performed by the fork section of the loading-side specimen moving mechanism, and the X-ray source and the imaging apparatus are mounted on the axis, and imaging is performed for inspection. Carry Wherein the move on the side conveyor and adapted to discharge to the outside of the apparatus main body at the unloading conveyor.

The apparatus according to the present invention has the above-described configuration. For example, by simply placing a tray on which an IC chip or the like, which is a subject, is placed on a conveyor, the tray is loaded into the main body, and The imaging and inspection are performed during the movement of the tray by the sample moving mechanism.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view, and FIG. 2 is a plan view.

In these figures, 10 is a mechanism main body, 11 is an X-ray generator, 12 is a camera (imaging device), 1
Reference numeral 3 denotes an examination table, reference numeral 20 denotes a carry-in side sample moving mechanism, reference numeral 25 denotes a carry-out side sample moving mechanism, reference numeral 30 denotes a carry-in side transfer unit, and reference numeral 40 denotes a carry-out side transfer unit. Although not shown, each part of the mechanism body 10 is housed in a case for shielding.

The carry-in side transfer section 30 comprises a carry-in side conveyor 31 and a carry-in side belt conveyor 32, and the carry-out side transfer section 40 comprises a carry-out side conveyor 41 and a carry-out side belt conveyor. Of these,
The carry-in conveyor 31 and the carry-out conveyor 41 are arranged outside the mechanism main body 10, and the carry-in belt conveyor 32 and the carry-out belt conveyor 42 are arranged inside the main body 10.

The inspection apparatus according to the present invention comprises a tray loading side conveyor 31 on which an object such as a chip base is placed as described above.
To be sent into the mechanism body 10. The tray on which the subject is placed is raised by the arm section 21 of the loading-side sample moving mechanism 20 and further moved upward in FIG. 2 by the loading-side moving mechanism 20 to the inspection table 13 which is the imaging position, as described in detail later. Install. Here, an image is taken after the X-ray source is moved up and down by the up-down mechanism and the imaging camera is moved up and down by the up-down mechanism to adjust the magnification and the like.

The captured image is subjected to measurement of the above-described void ratio, or other measurement of each object, inspection, and confirmation of a defective portion according to the purpose by observing the image on a monitor or the like.

That is, various measurements, inspections, defects, and the like are performed by calculating the void ratio or analyzing the image by a computer based on the captured data. Based on the result, the quality of the subject is determined and the like. Here, marking may be performed near the subject, for example, by marking a symbol indicating good or bad based on the determination result or marking a symbol indicating a defective portion.

The imaged subject is lifted by the unloading-side sample moving mechanism 25 and is lifted by the unloading-side belt conveyor (FIG. 2).
(Below), is placed on the unloading belt conveyor, and is unloaded out of the mechanism body 10.

As described above, according to the X-ray inspection apparatus of the above-described embodiment, simply by placing the tray on which the subject is placed on the carry-in conveyor 31, the tray is automatically moved into the mechanism main body. Is transferred to the carry-in side belt conveyor 32. Here, the carry-in side guides 33 arranged on both sides of the carry-in side belt conveyor 32 rise, and the tray is lifted from above the carry-in side belt conveyor 32. Here, the loading-side sample moving mechanism 20 moves to the position of the loading-side guide 33 on which the tray is placed, and the arm 21 of the loading-side sample moving mechanism 20 descends, and places the tray on the arm 21 and rises.
The entire loading mechanism moves toward the imaging camera.

When the carry-in side specimen moving mechanism 20 is located between the X-ray source and the camera, that is, when the carry-in side specimen moving mechanism 20 is located on the examination table 13, the carry-in side moving mechanism stops. Thereafter, the arm section 21 of the loading-side specimen moving mechanism 20 moves down, places the tray at the imaging position, and then moves up.

Here, the subject on the tray is sequentially imaged and inspected.

After the test is completed, the unloading sample moving mechanism 25 having the same configuration as the loading sample moving mechanism is moved to the loading sample moving mechanism 20.
The tray on which the inspection has been completed is placed by the operation reverse to that described above, and moves in the direction of the unloading side belt conveyor 42.

Here, the tray after the inspection is transferred to the carry-out side guide 43, the carry-out side belt conveyor 42, and the carry-out side conveyor 41, and is sent out of the main body 10.

As described above, according to the X-ray inspection apparatus of the present invention, all of carry-in, imaging, and carry-out can be automatically performed.

Further, according to the apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, after one tray on which a subject is loaded is carried into the mechanism main body, the next tray on which the subject is placed is placed on the loading side conveyor. Thus, the carrying-in arm in which the first tray is placed at the imaging position can carry out the operation for carrying in the next tray, and the carrying-in, imaging, and carrying-out can be performed sequentially and sequentially.

Therefore, compared with the conventional method in which one subject is carried out and then the next subject is carried in, the amount of examination can be increased and efficient examination can be performed.

Next, a description will be given of a specific configuration of the apparatus of the present invention which enables all the steps to be performed continuously in the X-ray inspection apparatus mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a specific configuration for moving a subject (tray) on the belt conveyor 32 by the loading-side sample moving mechanism 20 in the inspection apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the arm unit 21 of the mechanism 20 that holds a tray.

In this figure, reference numeral 21 denotes an arm of the loading-side specimen moving mechanism 20, and this arm 21 is composed of two arms 22a and 22b extending in parallel to the tray loading direction (loading-side conveyor). The distance d between the two arms is adjusted substantially to the width of the tray. Inside the two arms 22a and 22b (surfaces facing each other), the tray holding plates 23a and 23b can move up and down particularly freely so that they can move freely (moving in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3). To get). Under the lower surfaces of the tray holding plates 23a and 23b, tray receiving arms 24a and 24b are provided so as to be movable in the length direction thereof (movable rightward from the position shown in the arrow B direction). .

Next, the loading-side specimen moving mechanism 2 having the above configuration
The operation for receiving and moving the tray by the 0 arm 21 will be described with reference to FIG.

The tray 50 on which the subject 60 is placed is placed on the carry-in side conveyor 31 as described above, and the mechanism body 10
When the tray 50 moves near the front end of the belt conveyor 32, the movement of the conveyor is stopped. on the other hand,
The loading-side sample moving mechanism 20 is moved to the loading-side belt conveyor 32.
Move up. FIG. 4A shows the state at this time.
It is.

Next, the carry-in side guide 33 rises, that is, rises along the arrow C in FIG.
Lift. The guide 33 can be adjusted in the direction of arrow D, and its interval can be adjusted according to the size of the tray 50. Further, the arm 21 of the loading-side sample moving mechanism 20 is lowered.

The lowering of the arm portion 21 causes the lower portion of FIG.
As described above, the tray holding arms 22a, 22b and the like descend to hold the tray 50. At this time, this tray holding arm 2
Tray holding plate 23 provided on the inner side of 2a, 22b
Although a and 23b are located below the lower surface of the tray holding arm, they can be freely moved (moved up and down), so they are pushed up in contact with the tray and are kept in this state in which their lower surfaces are in contact with the tray.

Here, the lowering of the tray holding arms 22a and 22b of the arm portion 21 is stopped, and the tray receiving arms 24a and 24b are located slightly below the tray holding arms. 4A, the tray receiving arms 24a and 24b move forward to
It is inserted under the tray 50 as shown in FIG.

In this state, the arm 21 of the loading-side specimen moving mechanism 20 is raised, and the tray 50 is raised by the tray receiving arms 24a and 24b. At this time, the tray holding arms 22a and 22b and the tray receiving arm 24
a and 24b are adjusted so as to have a space sufficiently larger than the thickness of the tray as described above.
When the arm 21 is raised, the tray holding arm 22
Although a and 22b are slightly separated from the upper side surface of the tray, the tray holding plates 23a and 23b movably attached to the tray holding arm hold the tray by its own weight.

When the arm 21 is raised in this way, as shown in FIG. 4C, the tray 50 is held by the tray receiving arms 24a and 24b and is held by the tray holding plates 23a and 23b. It is held down by its own weight. Therefore, the tray 50 does not shift while the arm 21 is raised. In this way, the arm 21 stops when it rises by a certain amount.

Next, the loading-side specimen moving mechanism 20 moves upward in FIG. 2, ie, in the direction of the examination table 13, and stops on the examination table 13, with the tray held by the arm section 21. Subsequently, the arm 21 of the loading-side specimen moving mechanism 20 is lowered, and the tray is moved in the opposite direction to the operation of raising the tray from the loading-side belt conveyor described above.
3 only the sample transfer mechanism returns.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the outline of the inspection table 13. As shown in FIG. 5, a portion of the inspection table 13 has an opening formed in a predetermined range above the X-ray generating portion 11a of the X-ray generator 11 so that the tray can be held at a peripheral portion thereof. This is a configuration in which two rails 13a and 13b provided at regular intervals are arranged. Therefore,
When the loading-side specimen moving mechanism 20 is lowered on the examination table 13 and places the tray, the tray is moved on both sides by rails 13.
a and 13b. In the state where the tray is held by the rails 13a and 13b, the subject placed on the tray is located at the opening between the rails 13a and 13b, and the X-ray generator 11 Will be located. Therefore, the object is the X-ray generator 11.
X-ray irradiation and imaging by a camera become possible.

The two rails 13a, 13b
Are configured to be able to move on a horizontal plane (movement in the X-Y direction) by a movement mechanism (not shown) while maintaining a constant positional relationship between them, such as maintaining a mutual interval. Therefore, when imaging the subject, the moving mechanism moves the rails 13a and 13b in the X and Y directions, thereby imaging and examining all subjects on the tray and imaging and examining the entire range of each subject. Done. Further, the interval between the rails 13a and 13b may be made variable so that the interval can be adjusted to the interval according to the size of the tray.

Here, the image is taken by the camera as described above, and then the tray is carried out. The unloading operation of the tray is performed by the unloading side guide 43, the unloading belt conveyor 42, and the unloading conveyor 41 by the unloading side sample moving mechanism 25 and the operation of the unloading side sample moving mechanism 20 is performed in a completely opposite operation. Get out of the.

Of these, when the tray is moved by the loading-side sample moving mechanism 20 and the unloading-side sample moving mechanism 25, as described above, the arm 21 or the tray receiving portion of the arm of the unloading-side sample moving mechanism corresponding thereto. Arms 24a, 24
b or an equivalent tray tray on the carry-out side tray receiving arm.
The tray 3a, 23b or the equivalent tray holding plate on the carry-out side is held between the two by the weight being held down by its own weight.

As described above, the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention
The loading and unloading of the trays are performed by the above-described loading conveyor belt 32, loading guide 33, loading sample moving mechanism 20, loading sample moving mechanism 25, loading guide 43, and loading conveyor belt 42, respectively, as described above. Can be surely realized by adopting the specific configuration and the combination thereof.

[0044]

The inspection apparatus using X-rays according to the present invention is automatically transferred into the main body of the inspection apparatus by simply placing the tray on the carry-in conveyor installed on the inspection apparatus main body (case for shielding). Since the tray is moved to the imaging position by the sample moving mechanism, the image is taken, the image is automatically transferred to the outside of the main body after the imaging, so the manual work only needs to be put on the conveyor on the loading side, and the tray can be moved into the main body of the tray. Immediately after the loading, the next tray is sequentially placed on the loading-side conveyor, so that continuous and efficient imaging and inspection can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a part of the sample moving mechanism of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a tray holding state by a sample moving mechanism and a tray holding state by a belt conveyor in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing an outline of the inspection table in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a void of an IC chip which is an example of an inspection object according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Mechanism main body part 11 X-ray generator 12 Camera 13 Examination table 20 Loading-side sample moving mechanism 25 Loading-side sample moving mechanism 30 Loading-side transfer section 31 Loading-side conveyor 32 Loading-side belt conveyor 33 Loading-side guide 40 Transfer-side transfer section 41 Unloading conveyor 42 Unloading belt conveyor 43 Unloading guide 50 Tray

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An import side having an X-ray source and imaging means arranged on the same axis in an apparatus main body, and a fork arranged in the apparatus main body and movable in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. And a carry-out side sample transfer mechanism, a carry-in side conveyor for carrying the object to be inspected into the main body outside the apparatus main body, and a carry-out side conveyor for carrying out the object to be inspected after the test is completed outside the main body. Then, the loading-side conveyor carries the object to be inspected into the apparatus main body by placing the object to be inspected on the carrying-in side conveyor, and the loaded object to be inspected is moved vertically by the fork portion of the loading-side specimen moving mechanism. After performing horizontal movement sequentially, the X-ray source and the imaging apparatus are set on the axis, imaging for inspection is performed, and after the imaging, the sample is moved onto the output conveyor by the output-side sample moving mechanism, and the output side is moved to the output side. An inspection device using X-rays that is carried out of the device body by conveyor.