JP2004184248A - Electrode inspection device and electrode inspection method for display - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrode inspection device and an electrode inspection method for display, capable of enhancing the productivity of a substrate since inspection of an electrode pattern formed on a display substrate can be performed in a short period of time without using any probe, and applicable to the electrode pattern even if it is of multi-face fitting. <P>SOLUTION: A substrate 4 for electrode inspection is used having bumps 7 at positions corresponding to electrode end parts of the display substrate and conductive wires reaching peripheral parts of the substrate 4. A tester is actuated with the bumps brought into contact with the electrode end parts of the display substrate to be inspected. This makes it possible to inspect the electrode end parts even if they are positioned in a middle part of the substrate, without causing problems of increase in inspection time due to increase in the number of electrodes and of high speed movement of a probe. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display electrode inspection apparatus and an electrode inspection method capable of simplifying and speeding up inspection of an electrode included in a display substrate in various displays such as a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, and an organic EL display. is there.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In various flat displays such as a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, and an organic EL display, a transparent electrode such as ITO, a metal electrode made of chromium, aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, tantalum, or the like, or an electrode in which these are laminated Is used.
[0003]
As a method of inspecting the electrodes of the flat display as described above, a method of inspecting from the external shape and a method of inspecting by the presence or absence of electrical continuity are used. Since there is a minute defect that cannot be detected, it is not possible to omit a method of inspecting based on the presence or absence of electrical continuity.
[0004]
As a method of detecting a defect of an electrode due to the presence or absence of electrical continuity, a method in which a needle-shaped probe is brought into contact with an electrode end and sequentially moved, and an FPC (Flexible Print Circuit) is brought into contact with the electrode end to give an electric signal. There is a way.
[0005]
When conducting a short-circuit test using a needle-shaped probe, the probe is brought into contact with the end of the electrode, the other probe is brought into contact with the end of the electrode adjacent to the electrode, and the resistance value between the probes is measured. Inspect for short circuit defects. By sequentially moving the probe, inspection of all electrodes is performed. When a disconnection test is performed using a probe, the probe is brought into contact with both ends of the electrode, the resistance between the probes is measured, and the presence or absence of a disconnection is inspected. By sequentially moving the probe, inspection of all electrodes is performed.
[0006]
When an FPC is used, a method is used in which the FPC is brought into contact with an electrode end, and an electric signal is sequentially applied to inspect for the presence / absence and position of a short circuit and disconnection.
[0007]
However, the method using a probe has a problem that as the number of electrodes increases, the time required for inspection increases in proportion to the number of electrodes, and the productivity decreases. In addition, when the electrode pitch is small, it is necessary to move the probe with high accuracy, so that there is a problem that the inspection apparatus becomes expensive. Further, when the cumulative use number of the probe increases, the tip of the probe is deformed, so that accurate contact with the end of the electrode cannot be made.
[0008]
In addition, when using the FPC, connection cannot be made unless the end of the electrode is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the substrate. Therefore, when multiple small substrates are to be formed using one large substrate, the electrode inspection should be performed. Cannot be done.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the present invention, since the inspection of the electrode pattern formed on the display substrate can be performed in a short time without using a probe, the productivity of the substrate can be increased, and even if the electrode pattern is multi-faced, it can be applied. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode inspection device and an electrode inspection method for a display.
[0010]
[Means to solve the problem]
In the present invention, instead of using a probe or FPC, an inspection substrate having bumps at positions corresponding to the ends of the electrodes of the display substrate to be inspected, and wiring provided from the peripheral edge of the substrate to the bumps is provided. Even if the number of electrodes is increased by contacting the display substrate with an electrode inspection tester including an electric signal input unit, an input destination switching unit, and a resistance measurement unit at the periphery of the inspection substrate, There was no problem such as an increase in the inspection time and the high-speed movement of the probe, and the inspection could be performed even if the end of the electrode was arranged at the center of the substrate.
[0011]
The first invention has a bump on a substrate at a position corresponding to an end of each display electrode formed on a display substrate to be inspected, and a gap between the bump and a peripheral portion of the substrate is provided. A substrate for display electrode inspection having wiring to be conducted, an electric signal input unit connected to the display electrode inspection substrate, a switching unit for switching an input destination of an electric signal by the electric signal input unit, and a resistance measurement unit; The present invention relates to an electrode inspection device for a display, comprising:
[0012]
A second invention has a bump on a substrate at a position corresponding to an end of each display electrode formed on a display substrate to be inspected, and a gap between the bump and a peripheral portion of the substrate is provided. A substrate for display electrode inspection having wiring to be conducted, an electric signal input unit connected to the display electrode inspection substrate, a switching unit for switching an input destination of an electric signal by the electric signal input unit, and a resistance measurement unit; The display electrode inspection substrate and the display substrate, the side having the bumps of the display electrode inspection substrate and the side having the display electrodes of the display substrate face each other. After electrically connecting the bumps to the ends of the display electrodes in such a manner, The present invention relates to a method for inspecting an electrode of a display, wherein the input of an electric signal by the electric signal input means and the measurement of the resistance by the resistance measuring means are performed by switching the input destination of the electric signal by the switching means. It is.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a display substrate to be inspected, FIG. 2 shows an example of a display electrode inspection substrate, FIG. 3 shows an example of a bump of the display electrode inspection substrate, and FIG. 4 shows a display electrode inspection apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 5 schematically shows a state in which a display substrate and an electrode inspection substrate are overlapped to perform inspection.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, a display substrate 1 to be inspected in the present invention has an electrode pattern 2 composed of a large number of electrodes arranged on an appropriate substrate, and has an alignment mark 3A near a peripheral portion. is there. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the electrodes are arranged at substantially equal intervals, and each electrode is a main portion 2A that is long in the left-right direction (refers to a portion within a thick line frame. The same applies to 2B to 2D). The other end portion 2C is composed of a drawer portion 2B drawn out of every other main portion 2A in the left and right different directions, and a relatively short portion in the left and right direction connected to the drawer portion 2B and closer to the main portion 2A. It consists of Also, four sets of electrode patterns 2D in one group, which is divided into four equal parts, are arranged vertically and horizontally. One end of each electrode is located inside the display substrate 1 in each group as shown in the figure. are doing.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 2, the display electrode inspection substrate 4 of the present invention has a wiring pattern 5 composed of a large number of wirings 6 arranged on an appropriate substrate that is desirably transparent, and has an alignment near the periphery. It has a mark 3B. The wirings 6 constituting the wiring pattern 5 in the example shown in FIG. 2 are relatively left and right in positions corresponding to substantially both ends of each electrode of the electrode pattern 2 of the display substrate 1 to be inspected shown in FIG. It is composed of a short portion 6A and a relatively long lead portion 6B arranged at substantially equal intervals from one end of the short portion toward the outer peripheral portion of the substrate.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 3 in which a part of the wiring 6 is enlarged, a bump 6 is provided at an end 6A corresponding to both ends of each electrode of the electrode pattern 2 of the display substrate 1 of each wiring 6 of the display electrode inspection substrate 4. (Protruding electrodes) 7. Note that the actual wiring 6 reaches the peripheral portion (the outer peripheral portion or a portion near the peripheral portion) of the display electrode inspection substrate 4 and may include a terminal or the like for connecting to a cable as necessary. In the present invention, the bumps 7 are made to correspond to the positions corresponding to the ends of the electrodes, and the wiring reaching the peripheral portion of the display electrode inspection substrate 4 from the bumps 7 is made conductive. There is no restriction on the formation position of 7 and it is possible to cope with the case where the electrodes of the display substrate to be inspected are arranged near the center of the substrate. Of course, it is possible to respond.
[0017]
The alignment marks 3B of the electrode inspection substrate 4 are provided corresponding to the alignment marks 3A of the display substrate 1 to be inspected. As will be described later, both ends of each electrode of the electrode pattern 2 of the display substrate 1 The purpose is to perform relative positioning between the display substrate 1 and the display electrode inspection substrate 4 so that the bumps 7 of the end portions 6A of the wiring pattern of the display electrode inspection substrate 4 can be reliably contacted. .
[0018]
The substrate of the display electrode inspection substrate 4 in the present invention can be made of a transparent material such as soda lime glass, non-alkali glass, or SiO ₂ , and the thickness thereof is arbitrary, for example, about 1 to 5 mm. It is. An example of a preferred substrate is soda lime glass having a thickness of 5 mm.
[0019]
The wiring 6 of the display electrode inspection substrate 4 can be made of a material such as nickel, chromium, molybdenum, copper, or aluminum, and using these materials, a plating method, a sputtering method, a vapor deposition method, a CVD method, or A predetermined wiring pattern 5 can be formed by, for example, photo-etching a thin film formed on the entire surface of the substrate by ion plating or the like using a photoresist. As an example, a 150-nm-thick nickel layer formed on soda-lime glass having a thickness of 5 mm is etched.
[0020]
The bumps 7 of the display electrode inspection substrate 4 can be made of a metal such as nickel or gold, and can be formed by electrolytic plating or electroless plating of these metals. A bump having a height of about 50 μm is provided on the wiring pattern formed of nickel by electroless nickel plating. The shape of the bump is cylindrical in the illustrated example, but may be any shape as long as electrical conduction can be realized.
[0021]
As described in the description of the related art, the display substrate 1 to be inspected for inspecting the electrodes using the display electrode inspection substrate 4 of the present invention may be any of various flat type displays such as a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, and an organic EL display. It constitutes a display etc., usually, on the same substrate as in the display electrode inspection substrate, a transparent electrode such as ITO, a metal electrode made of chromium, aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, tantalum or the like, or An electrode in which these are laminated is provided. The material of the substrate may include a resin.
[0022]
The electrode inspection of the display electrode substrate 1 can be performed using the display electrode inspection substrate 4 of the present invention as follows. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the electrode inspection apparatus and the electrode inspection method of the present invention. The display substrate 1 to be inspected has the side having the electrode pattern 2 of the display electrode on the lower stage 8 as the upper surface. It is mounted and fixed by appropriate means. The stage 8 is placed on an appropriate base, and is capable of moving in the left-right (x) direction, the front-back (y) direction, and the up-down (z) direction, and rotating around the z-axis (θ). Is preferred. Above the stage 8, a display electrode inspection substrate 4 supported by an appropriate holder is fixed to the base of the electrode inspection apparatus, and above the display electrode inspection substrate 4, alignment is performed. An alignment camera 9 used for performing the operation is arranged.
[0023]
The display electrode inspection substrate 4 has a wiring 6 extending to the peripheral portion thereof, and is connected to a tester by a flexible cable (FPC) 10 via an appropriate connection terminal as necessary. Although the type of the tester is not particularly limited, it has (1) electric signal input means, (2) switching means for switching an electric signal input destination by the electric signal input means, and (3) resistance measuring means. Preferably, furthermore, the resistance value measured each time the input destination is switched is stored, and from the measured resistance value, the presence or absence of a defect such as a short circuit or a disconnection, and the means for specifying and outputting the electrode having the defect are output. More preferably, it is provided with:
[0024]
First, the stage 8 is raised to bring the display electrode inspection substrate 4 and the display substrate 1 close to each other, and then the alignment cameras 9 are used to position the alignment marks 3A and 3B of the substrates 4 and 1 respectively. Is detected, and the stage 8 is rotated left and right (x), back and forth (y), and around the z-axis (θ) so that the alignment marks 3A and 3B overlap with each other by a predetermined amount. Do. After the alignment is completed, the stage 8 is raised, and the bumps 7 of the display electrode inspection substrate 4 are brought into contact with the ends of the respective electrodes of the display electrode substrate 1 to be electrically connected. In this state, each electrode of the display substrate 1 to be inspected can be inspected.
[0025]
A method for inspecting a disconnection or a short circuit of each electrode in the above state will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the electrode pattern 2 of the display substrate 1 to be inspected and the wiring pattern 5 of the display electrode inspection substrate 4 overlap. In FIG. 5, relatively wide lines indicated by hatching, in the figure, mainly horizontal lines are the electrodes D1 to D2n constituting the electrode pattern 2 of the display substrate 1, and the electrodes D1 to D2n are arranged at regular intervals. In the example shown in the figure, the first (D1), third (D3), fifth (D5),..., 2n-1 (D2n-1) odd-numbered electrodes from the top are The second (D2), the fourth (D4), the sixth (D6),..., The 2n-th (D2n) even-numbered electrodes are drawn out to the left side from the top, respectively. Have been.
[0026]
In FIG. 5, a relatively narrow line painted black is a wiring constituting the wiring pattern 5 of the display electrode inspection substrate 4, and is counted from above which is drawn to the left side toward the above. .., An corresponding to the left ends of the even-numbered electrodes D2, D4, D6,..., D2n, and C2, C4 corresponding to the right ends of the even electrodes D2, D4, D6,. , C6,..., C2n, and the left end of each of the odd-numbered electrodes D1, D3, D5,. , C2n-1 corresponding to the first line, and B1, B2, B3,..., Bn corresponding to the right end.
[0027]
Now, for example, when a voltage is applied between B1 and C1 of the wiring pattern 5, the presence or absence of disconnection can be determined from the potential difference between the terminals of B1 and C1, so that the disconnection inspection can be performed. A voltage is sequentially applied between C3, between B3 and C5,..., And between Bn and C2n-1, and a disconnected electrode can be identified from the potential difference between the terminals.
[0028]
Subsequently, for example, the presence or absence of a short circuit between the adjacent electrodes D1 and D2 can be determined from the potential difference between A1 and A2, so that a short circuit can be inspected. Thereafter, between A2 and A3,..., An-1 to An By applying a voltage in order between B1 and B2, between B2 and B3,..., And sequentially between Bn-1 and Bn, a short circuit between the lead wires can be inspected.
[0029]
In the test for disconnection and the test for short-circuit, a voltage is applied by (1) an electric signal input unit of the connected tester, and (2) a terminal to be inspected is selected by a switching unit for switching an input destination. ) It can be performed by measuring with a resistance measuring means.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the display electrode inspection substrate having bumps at positions corresponding to the ends of the electrodes of the display substrate and having wiring extending to the peripheral portion is used, the inspection substrate is provided on the display substrate. By operating the tester including the electric signal input means connected to the test board, the switching means for switching the input destination, and the resistance measuring means, all the electrodes can be inspected in a short time. In the prior art, it takes a long time to move the probe, which eliminates a problem due to the deformation of the probe, and can cope with any position of the display electrode, which is multi-faceted. An electrode inspection device for a display, which can also inspect the attached display substrate, can be provided.
[0031]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, a display electrode inspection substrate having bumps at positions corresponding to the ends of the electrodes of the display substrate and having wirings extending to the peripheral portion, an electric signal input unit, and an input destination are switched. By using a display electrode inspection device including a switching unit and a resistance measurement unit, an inspection substrate is superimposed on a display substrate, an input signal is switched, an electric signal is input, and a resistance measurement is performed. The inspection can be performed in a short time, and therefore, there is no need to perform the inspection by moving the probe as in the prior art, and therefore, it takes a long time to move the probe and has a problem due to the deformation of the probe. And the display electrodes can be handled no matter where they are placed. Inspection of the substrate of the electrode can also provide a display electrode inspection method possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display substrate to be inspected.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display electrode inspection substrate.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of bumps on a display electrode inspection substrate.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an electrode inspection apparatus and an electrode inspection method for a display according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a display substrate and an electrode inspection substrate are overlapped and inspected.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display board 2 Electrode pattern 3 Alignment mark 4 Electrode inspection board 5 Wiring pattern 6 Wiring 7 Bump 8 Stage 9 Alignment camera 10 FPC

Claims (2)

A display having a bump at a position corresponding to an end of each display electrode formed on a display substrate to be inspected on a substrate, and having a wiring for conducting between the bump and a peripheral portion of the substrate. Electrode inspection substrate, an electric signal input unit connected to the display electrode inspection substrate, a switching unit for switching an input destination of an electric signal by the electric signal input unit, and a resistance measurement unit. Display electrode inspection equipment. A display having a bump at a position corresponding to an end of each display electrode formed on a display substrate to be inspected on a substrate, and having a wiring for conducting between the bump and a peripheral portion of the substrate. An electrode inspection substrate, an electrical signal input unit connected to the display electrode inspection substrate, a switching unit for switching an input destination of an electrical signal by the electrical signal input unit, and a resistance measurement unit. Using an apparatus, the display electrode inspection substrate and the display substrate, the display electrode inspection substrate is overlapped so that the side having the bumps of the display electrode inspection substrate and the side of the display substrate having the display electrodes facing each other. After the bumps are electrically connected to the ends of the display electrodes, the electrical signals are input. That by inputting an electric signal to measure the resistance by the resistance measuring means by means, said switching means by said electrical signal electrode inspection method of a display and performs switching the input destination.

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