JP2007067008A - Probing method for semiconductor inspection - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a probing method capable of securing a stable contact between a probe needle and an electrode pad, and of improving stability of inspection. <P>SOLUTION: The probing method is to inspect electric characteristics of a semiconductor chip by making the probe needle contact the electrode pad 1 provided respectively on a single or a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on a semiconductor wafer. In the method, when the electrode pad and the probe needle are made to contact each other plural times, there is changed at least one of a target position 3 where the probe needle is made to contact the electrode pad or of a direction of contact operation of the probe needle to the electrode pad. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a probe method in an electrode pad of a probe for inspecting electrical characteristics of one or more semiconductor chips formed on a semiconductor wafer.

  Some inspections as to whether or not a semiconductor chip operates normally are performed in the following steps. First, probe needles are pressed against electrode pads of a number of semiconductor chips formed in a wafer manufactured in a semiconductor chip manufacturing process. Next, a test signal from a tester connected to the probe needle is applied to the semiconductor chip, and an output signal from the semiconductor chip is detected. Next, devices that do not operate normally are separated as defective products.

  A prober device is used for this inspection. The prober device includes a probe needle for contacting a semiconductor chip formed in the wafer, and the electrical operation of the semiconductor chip in a physical contact operation state (hereinafter referred to as contact operation). The characteristics are inspected (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the prober apparatus. In the prober apparatus, a probe card substrate 101 with a probe needle 102 is arranged. A wafer stage 104 that holds the semiconductor wafer 103 is disposed under the probe card substrate 101.

  The electrical characteristic inspection of the semiconductor chip using the prober apparatus will be described. First, the semiconductor wafer 103 on which semiconductor chips are formed is placed on the wafer stage 104. The wafer stage 104 holds the semiconductor wafer 103 by, for example, vacuum suction. Next, the wafer stage 104 is moved by the driving mechanism in the X, Y direction and the rotation direction θ from the X direction to the Y direction shown in FIG. 7, and the electrode pads of the semiconductor chip and the probe needles 102 are aligned.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the wafer stage 104 is raised in the Z direction, the probe needle 102 is pressed against the electrode pad of the semiconductor chip of the semiconductor wafer 103, and the tester 102 uses the probe needle 102 to electrically Perform an inspection.

  FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the relationship between the electrode pads 106 of the semiconductor chip 105 on the semiconductor wafer 103 and the probe needles 102. In order to inspect the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chip 105, the probe needles 102 are in contact with all or part of the electrode pads 106 of the semiconductor chip 105 to obtain electrical continuity.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of FIG. 9 showing the contact operation of the probe needle 107 to the electrode pad 106. The probe needle 102 is arranged in advance so as to be able to contact the target position 107 of the electrode pad 106, and the probe needle mark 108 generated by the probe needle 102 sliding is a center line 109 (parallel to the longitudinal direction of the electrode pad 106). Formed on top. This is because the chip size has been reduced along with the recent microfabrication, and therefore the electrode pads 106 have also been made narrower and smaller, and basically in the case of electrode pad pitches below 80 μm pitch, This is because the probe needle 102 is arranged along one direction. That is, the method of arranging the probe needles in a radial manner that has been carried out in the past is difficult from the viewpoint of positioning.
JP 2001-230288 A

  However, in the above-described conventional method, when the inspection process is divided into functions (hereinafter referred to as inspection 1 and inspection 2), the probe needles 102 prepared individually have the same position on the electrode pad 106, Since the probe needle trace is designed and manufactured on the center line 109 of the electrode pad 106, the probe needle traces of the inspection 1 and the inspection 2 are overlapped.

  Similarly, in the case of a plurality of inspections including the probe needles 102 for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a plurality of semiconductor chips, the probe needles 102 have a probe needle mark on the center line 109 of the pad width of the electrode pad 106. Designed and manufactured.

  Therefore, in a miniaturized electrode pad, probe needle traces easily overlap with multiple contacts as described above, making it difficult to achieve stable contact.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a probe method capable of ensuring a stable contact between a probe needle and an electrode pad and improving the stability of inspection. .

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the probe method of the present invention, the probe needles are brought into contact with electrode pads respectively provided on one or a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on a semiconductor wafer, so that the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chips are improved. A probe method for inspecting, wherein when the electrode pad and the probe needle are contacted a plurality of times, at least a target position where the probe needle contacts the electrode pad or a contact operation direction of the probe needle with respect to the electrode pad It is characterized by changing one side.

  According to the present invention, the contact operation of each probe needle prepared for each functional inspection is changed by changing at least one of the contact operation direction and the target position, thereby dispersing the stop positions on the electrode pads during the contact operation. It is possible to secure a stable contact property at. Furthermore, by making the contact operation obliquely with respect to the miniaturized pad, it becomes possible to fit even longer probe needle traces in the electrode pad and improve the stability of the inspection. it can.

  In the probe method of the present invention, the contact operation direction may be inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the electrode pad. By this method, stress on the structure of the electrode pad can be dispersed and alleviated, and the stability of the electrical contact can be improved. Further, the probe needle trace can be made slightly longer, and the contact property can be improved even when the pad is made smaller.

  The contact operation direction can be determined by arranging the longitudinal direction of the probe needle in a direction inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the electrode pad.

  Further, the contact operation direction can be changed with respect to the plurality of contact operations.

  Further, depending on whether the inspection of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chip uses a multiple probe method of inspecting adjacent semiconductor chips simultaneously or a single probe method of not inspecting adjacent semiconductor chips simultaneously, the target position Can also be set.

  Hereinafter, the probe method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
The semiconductor chip inspection probe method according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a single probe method in which adjacent semiconductor chips are not inspected at the same time. In addition, since the method of performing the inspection divided into two according to function (inspection 1, inspection 2) is used, the probe needle is brought into contact with the electrode pad twice.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a relationship between the semiconductor chip 7 and the probe needle 2a in the inspection 1 of the probe method according to the present embodiment. The probe needle 2a is in contact with the scribe line 6 in the electrode pad 1, and the probe needle 2a is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the probe needle 2a is inclined from the longitudinal direction of the electrode pad 1. . The direction of the probe needle 2a is the same for the electrode pads 1 on each side.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of FIG. 1 showing the electrode pad 1 and the probe needle 2 a of the semiconductor chip 7. The electrode pad 1 is 60 μm wide and 100 μm long, and is located at a position 30 μm from the end of the scribe line 6 in the electrode pad 1. The probe aiming position 3 (target position) where the probe needle 2 a first contacts the electrode pad 1. ) Is set. The probe needle trace 4-1 is generated when the probe needle 2a contacts the electrode pad 1 and slides.

  The probe needle 2a is in contact with the target position 3 and tilted clockwise from the center line 5 of the electrode pad 1 by an angle θ (−90 ° <θ <90 °, here 30 °) (the direction of the arrow in the figure). ) To the internal circuit side. The angle θ is set in a range where the probe needle trace 4-1 is within the electrode pad 1. That is, the probe needle trace 4-1 is formed over a length of about 35 μm from the target position 3 toward the internal circuit in the direction of the angle 30 ° from the center line 5.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a relationship between the electrode pad 1 and the probe needle 2b in the inspection 2 of the probe method according to the present embodiment. Compared to the inspection 1, the sliding direction of the probe needle 2b is different from the center line 5 in the direction of angle θ = −30 °. In other words, the probe needle trace 4-2 is formed in the direction of the angle θ = −30 ° from the center line 5 from the target position 3 to the internal circuit side (the direction of the arrow in the figure).

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing probe needle traces 4-1 and 4-2 of the electrode pad 1 formed by the inspection 1 and the inspection 2. FIG. The terminal ends (ends opposite to the target position 3) of the probe needle traces 4-1 and 4-2 are different from each other.

  As described above, by setting different contact operation directions for a plurality of contact operations, it is possible to disperse the end positions of the probe needle traces, and to suppress the area that is redundantly scraped by the plurality of contact operations, The stability of the electrical contact operation between the probe needle and the electrode pad can be improved.

(Embodiment 2)
The probe method for semiconductor chip inspection in the second embodiment of the present invention uses a multiple probe method for inspecting adjacent semiconductor chips simultaneously. In addition, since the method of performing the inspection divided into two according to function (inspection 1, inspection 2) is used, the probe needle is brought into contact with the electrode pad twice.

  FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of probe needles in a multiple probe method for measuring two semiconductor chips 7 simultaneously. (A) is a schematic plan view of the semiconductor chip 7 and the probe needle 2c in the inspection 1, and (b) is a schematic plan view of the semiconductor chip 7 and the probe needle 2d in the inspection 2. The probe needles 2c and 2d are contacted at the same target position as in the single probe method except for the side in contact with the adjacent semiconductor chip 7. Further, except for the side in contact with the adjacent semiconductor chip 7, the probe needles 2 c and 2 d of the electrode pad 1 are the same as in the inspection 1 of the single probe method in (a) and the inspection 2 of the single probe method in (b). They are arranged in a direction inclined from the center line by θ (30 ° for inspection 1 and −30 ° for inspection 2).

  In the inspections 1 and 2, the probe needles 2c and 2d arranged on the sides in contact with the adjacent semiconductor chip 7 are the target positions shown in FIG. 6A provided by the internal circuit in the electrode pad 1. Contact 3a. The probe needles 2c and 2d arranged on the side in contact with the adjacent semiconductor chip 7 have the longitudinal direction within the electrode pad 1 at an angle θ from the center line 5 (−30 ° in inspection 1 and 30 ° in inspection 2). It is arranged in the direction.

  In FIG. 5, the probe needles 2c and 2d appear to overlap each other, but are actually separated in the vertical direction, and the probe needles 2c and 2d are not in contact with each other.

  FIG. 6 is a plan view showing probe needle traces of the electrode pad 1 on the side in contact with the adjacent semiconductor chip 7 when the inspection is performed twice using the multiple probe method and the single probe method.

  Here, in the inspection 1, the probe needle mark is attached in the direction of θ (θ> 0 °) clockwise from the center line 5 starting from the target position 3a of the single probe method or the target position 3b of the multiple probe method. The probe needle 2c performs a contact operation. In the inspection 2, the probe needle 2d performs a contact operation so that the probe needle mark is attached clockwise from the center line 5 in the direction of θ (θ <0 °), starting from the target position 3a or 3b.

  Further, the target positions 3a and 3b are set at positions separated by 24 μm. The target position 3a is a target position used in the single probe method, and the target position 3b is a target position used in the multiple probe method.

  FIG. 6A is a plan view showing the probe needle trace 4a-1 generated by the execution of the inspection 1 in the single probe method and the probe needle trace 4b-1 generated by the execution of the inspection 1 in the multiple probe method. The ends of the probe needle traces 4a-1 and 4b-1 in the inspection 1 of the single probe method and the multiple probe method do not match. Although not shown, the end points of the probe needle traces in the single probe method inspection 2 and the multiple probe method inspection 2 do not coincide.

  FIG. 6B is a plan view showing the probe needle trace 4b-1 generated by the execution of the inspection 1 and the probe needle trace 4b-2 generated by the execution of the inspection 2 in the multiple probe method. The terminal ends of the probe needle traces 4b-1 and 4b-2 do not match. Further, FIG. 6C is a plan view showing probe needle traces 4a-2 generated by performing the inspection 2 in the single probe method and probe needle traces 4b-1 generated by performing the inspection 1 in the multiple probe method. Although the probe needle traces 4a-2 and 4b-1 cross the probe needle traces on the way, they are separated by about 36 μm at the end.

  As described above, in the probe method of the present invention, when the probe needle contacts the electrode pad a plurality of times, the target position is set so that the end of the probe needle trace differs for each contact operation. For this reason, the stable contact property of a probe needle and an electrode pad is securable.

  In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the probe needle is set in the contact operation direction with respect to the electrode pad in two directions of 30 ° and −30 ° from the center line. However, the present invention is limited to this. However, three or more contact operation directions can be set as long as the ends of the probe needle traces do not overlap.

  The first and second embodiments are merely examples of the probe method of the present invention, and do not limit numerical values such as the contact operation direction and the probe needle trace length.

  The probe method for semiconductor inspection according to the present invention as described above can improve the stability of the contact between the electrode pad and the probe, and can distribute the stress to the structure under the electrode pad, and can be used in the field of semiconductors. is there.

The top view which shows the relationship between the semiconductor chip and probe needle of Embodiment 1 of this invention The top view which shows the probe needle trace in the test | inspection 1 of the electrode pad of Embodiment 1 of this invention The top view which shows the probe needle trace in the inspection 2 of an electrode pad same as the above The top view which shows the probe needle trace in the inspection 1 and inspection 2 of an electrode pad same as the above The top view which shows the relationship between the semiconductor chip and probe needle of Embodiment 2 of this invention, (a) is the test | inspection 1, (b) is the case where the test | inspection 2 is performed. The top view which shows the relationship between the electrode pad of Embodiment 2 of this invention, and a probe needle trace Sectional view showing the prober device Sectional view showing the prober device A plan view showing a relationship between a semiconductor chip and a probe needle in a conventional probe method Plan view showing probe needle trace of electrode pad in conventional probe method

Explanation of symbols

1 Electrode pad 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d Probe needle 3, 3a, 3b Target position 4-1, 4-2, 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2 Probe needle trace 5 Center line 6 Scribe Line 7 Semiconductor chip

Claims (5)

A probe method for inspecting electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chip by contacting a probe needle to an electrode pad provided on each of the semiconductor chip or semiconductor chips formed on the semiconductor wafer,
When the electrode pad and the probe needle are contacted a plurality of times, at least one of a target position where the probe needle is brought into contact with the electrode pad or a contact operation direction of the probe needle with respect to the electrode pad is changed. Probe method to do.   The probe method according to claim 1, wherein the contact operation direction is a direction inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the electrode pad.   The probe method according to claim 2, wherein the contact operation direction is determined by arranging the longitudinal direction of the probe needle in a direction inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the electrode pad.   The probe method according to claim 2, wherein the contact operation direction is changed with respect to the plurality of contact operations. The target position is set depending on whether the inspection of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor chip uses a multiple probe method that simultaneously inspects adjacent semiconductor chips or a single probe method that does not inspect adjacent semiconductor chips simultaneously The probe method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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