JP2007157955A - Probe card, and measuring method and inspection apparatus using same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a probe needle and a pad from being damaged by avoiding unnecessary probing to other things than a measurement object chip when performing simultaneous measurement by probe inspection. <P>SOLUTION: A probe card has an independent structure of probe needles 12 of a necessary number as one probe unit 13 to inspect one chip, and includes the probe units 13 corresponding to the number of the simultaneous measurements. The card does not perform unnecessary probing by moving the individual probe unit 13 according to conditions and objects of an inspection in a direction perpendicular to a contact surface thereof with the semiconductor wafer. Consequently, not only the probe needles but also pads of the chip are prevented from being damaged, resulting in permitting only inspection of a measurement object chip to be executed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a probe card used for carrying out simultaneous measurement (hereinafter referred to as the same measurement) in a probe inspection of a semiconductor integrated circuit (hereinafter referred to as LSI: Large Scale Integration), a measurement method using the same, and further This relates to the inspection apparatus.

  A measurement method in the case where the conventional LSI tester is used to perform the same measurement on the LSI device by probe inspection will be described. When inspecting N measurement target LSI devices (hereinafter DUT: Device Under Test) formed on a semiconductor wafer, the probe card used for the inspection has N times the number of probe needles required for 1DUT inspection. Is provided. N probes are simultaneously inspected by simultaneously bringing N probe needles provided on the probe card into contact with pads formed on the chip.

In order to solve the problem of the same measurement described below, a method of exchanging the probe needle as in Patent Document 1 is also known as a method for easily changing the same number of measurements and DUT arrangement.
JP 2003-124270 A

  However, in the conventional measurement method, the probe needle can only be brought into contact with N chips at the same time.

  The first is that the probe needle cannot be brought into contact with only the effective tip with respect to the effective tip region to be inspected. In FIG. 2A, when inspecting the measurement target chip 23 in the effective chip area, all four probe needles in the same probing (1) contact the pad on the measurement target chip. However, in the second probing (2), there is only one chip to be measured, but since the probe card has four probe units, the remaining three probe units (A) contact outside the effective chip area. Resulting in. There is a problem that there is a high possibility of damaging the probe needle due to unnecessary probing because there are chips or wafer edges where pads are not formed outside the effective chip region.

  Second, in order to avoid probing outside the effective chip area, the second probing may be reprobed to the chip (B) probed for the first time as shown in FIG. 2B. However, in this case, there is a problem that the pad on the chip is damaged by probing multiple times.

  Thirdly, even within the effective tip area, it is necessary to avoid inspection of defective tips and probing tips in the previous process. There is a problem that the pad is damaged by probing.

  The fourth problem is that when the same probe card is manufactured, it can be inspected only by the same number. If the inspection program is unstable, the specific terminal cannot be inspected due to a problem with the inspection equipment, or the specific probe needle is damaged, etc. Although it is desired to carry out the inspection by changing the same number as the measurement, etc., even if the inspection is possible, the number of times the needle is applied to one chip will be four times.

  The fifth is that if the contact between the probe needle and the pad is not good, the contact pressure may be changed, but it is possible to change the contact pressure with all the probe units at the same time. There is a problem that the contact pressure cannot be changed.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve various problems including the above, and to damage the probe needle and the pad by avoiding unnecessary probing other than the measurement target chip when performing simultaneous measurement by probe inspection. In addition, a probe card and a measuring method that can perform inspection while changing the same measurement number when a specific probe needle is damaged, etc., and can change the contact pressure with each probe unit are provided. That is.

  In order to solve the above problems, a probe card according to claim 1 of the present invention is a probe capable of performing probe inspection by simultaneously measuring a plurality of LSI devices to be measured formed on a semiconductor wafer. A card having a probe unit having a probe needle to be brought into contact with one LSI device, and simultaneously measuring the probe needle in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface with the semiconductor wafer for each probe unit corresponding to a plurality of LSI devices. It was possible to move.

  The probe card according to claim 2 is a probe card capable of performing a probe inspection by simultaneously measuring a plurality of LSI devices to be measured formed on a semiconductor wafer, and is in contact with one LSI device. A probe unit having probe needles to be measured is provided at the same time, and the individual probe units can be moved in the scanning direction of inspection horizontally with the semiconductor wafer.

  The probe card according to claim 3 is a probe card capable of performing a probe inspection by simultaneously measuring a plurality of LSI devices to be measured formed on a semiconductor wafer, and is in contact with one LSI device. A probe unit having a probe needle to be provided is provided for simultaneous measurement, and each probe unit can be moved in two directions parallel to the semiconductor wafer.

  A measurement method according to claim 4 is a measurement method in which the probe card according to claim 1 is used and a probe needle is brought into contact with a pad on the measurement target chip for inspection, and the number of measurement target chips is the number of simultaneous measurements. When the number is smaller, by moving the probe unit unnecessary for the inspection that does not correspond to the measurement target chip in the direction perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer, the probe needle and the pad do not contact with each other in the probe unit.

  The measurement method according to claim 5 is the measurement method according to claim 4, wherein the number of chips to be measured is smaller than the number of simultaneous measurements due to the influence of the measurement effective range on the semiconductor wafer.

  The measuring method according to claim 6 is the measuring method according to claim 4, wherein the number of chips to be measured is smaller than the number of simultaneous measurements by inspecting specific chips on the semiconductor wafer.

  A measurement method according to claim 7 is a measurement method in which the probe card according to claim 1 is used and a probe needle is brought into contact with a pad on a chip to be measured, and a specific probe unit is formed on a semiconductor wafer. By moving the probe needle in the direction perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface, it is possible to contact the probe needle only with the pad on the chip corresponding to the probe unit other than the specific probe unit, and change the number of simultaneous measurements on the same probe card. did.

  A measurement method according to claim 8 is a measurement method in which the probe card according to claim 1 is used and a probe needle is brought into contact with a pad on a chip to be measured, and a probe unit corresponding to a specific chip is provided. The contact pressure and contact state between the pad and the probe needle can be changed for each chip by moving the semiconductor wafer by a predetermined amount in the direction perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface.

  A measurement method according to claim 9 is a measurement method in which the probe card according to claim 2 is used and a probe needle is brought into contact with a pad on a chip to be measured, and only a specific chip on a semiconductor wafer is inspected. When inspecting, the probe unit unnecessary for inspection that does not correspond to the chip to be measured is moved in the inspection direction horizontally with the semiconductor wafer, so that the pad of the chip not to be measured and the probe needle do not come into contact with each other. It was possible to inspect the measurement target chip adjacent to the chip.

  A measurement method according to claim 10 is a measurement method in which a probe needle is brought into contact with a pad on a chip to be measured using the probe card according to claim 3 and is in a measurement effective range on a semiconductor wafer. When inspecting only the chip to be measured, or when inspecting only a specific chip, by moving the probe unit in a direction parallel to the semiconductor wafer, the arrangement of the probe units is changed according to the position of the chip to be measured. While checking.

  A measurement method according to claim 11 is a measurement method in which the probe card according to claim 3 is used and a probe needle is brought into contact with a pad on a chip to be measured to inspect the probe unit in a direction horizontal to the semiconductor wafer. The probe unit is inspected in a state where the arrangement of the probe unit is changed as well as the measurement target chip according to the purpose of the inspection.

  The inspection apparatus according to claim 12 controls the probe card according to the measurement method according to claim 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.

  According to the probe card of the first aspect of the present invention, a probe unit having a probe needle to be brought into contact with one LSI device is provided at the same time, and a probe needle is provided for each probe unit corresponding to a plurality of LSI devices. Since it is movable in the direction perpendicular to the contact surface with the wafer, unnecessary probing does not occur, and it is possible to carry out only the inspection of the LSI device to be measured without damaging the probe needle and the pad of the LSI device. . For this reason, the problem of damaging the pad and the probe needle can be avoided because all the probe needles of the same measurement, which are problems in the conventional method, can only be brought into contact with the pad at the same time. In addition, since the same number of measurements and DUT alignment can be changed without re-creating the probe card, an effect can be expected in terms of cost.

  Current LSI devices are increasingly miniaturized and highly integrated, and as a result, there are many cases where the number of needles applied to the pad is limited, such as an increase in the number of structures with pads arranged on the elements. To do. Further, along with this, the probe needle is becoming easily damaged, for example, the material of the probe needle becomes soft. From these backgrounds, the effect of the present invention can be expected to be significant in the semiconductor field where miniaturization and higher integration will continue.

  According to the probe card of the second aspect of the present invention, a probe unit having a probe needle to be brought into contact with one LSI device is provided at the same time, and each probe unit is moved horizontally in the inspection scanning direction with respect to the semiconductor wafer. Therefore, it is possible to perform probing using all probe units for LSI devices to be measured that are not adjacent to each other. In addition, the same effects as those of the first aspect can be obtained.

  According to the probe card of the third aspect of the present invention, a probe unit having a probe needle to be brought into contact with one LSI device is provided at the same time, and each probe unit is moved in two directions parallel to the semiconductor wafer. Since it is possible, the arrangement of the LSI devices to be measured and the probe units can be changed around the effective area of the semiconductor wafer. In addition, the same effects as those of the first aspect can be obtained.

  According to the measurement method of claim 4 of the present invention, when the number of chips to be measured is smaller than the number of simultaneous measurements, the probe unit unnecessary for the inspection that does not correspond to the chip to be measured can be connected to the probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer. By moving in the vertical direction, the probe needle and the pad do not contact with each other in the probe unit, so that unnecessary probing does not occur, and the probe of the measurement target chip can be inspected without damaging the probe needle and the pad.

  According to the fifth aspect, since the number of chips to be measured is smaller than the number of simultaneous measurements due to the influence of the measurement effective range on the semiconductor wafer, it is possible to probe only the chips within the effective range around the effective range.

  In claim 6, since the number of chips to be measured is smaller than the number of simultaneous measurements by inspecting a specific chip on a semiconductor wafer, probing is avoided even if the chip is within the effective range. Can do.

  According to the measurement method of the seventh aspect of the present invention, by moving the specific probe unit in the direction perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer, the chip on the chip corresponding to the probe unit other than the specific probe unit. It is possible to change the number of simultaneous measurements on the same probe card by contacting the probe needle only with the pad, so the number of simultaneous measurements can be changed according to the problem of the probe card side, inspection equipment, inspection program, etc. it can.

  According to the measurement method of the present invention, the probe unit corresponding to the specific chip is moved by a predetermined amount in the direction perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer, so that the pad and the probe needle are provided for each chip. Therefore, even when the probe needle and the pad do not come into good contact when probing, the contact pressure between the probe needle and the pad of each probe unit can be changed.

  According to the measurement method of the ninth aspect of the present invention, when inspecting only a specific chip on the semiconductor wafer, the probe unit unnecessary for the inspection not corresponding to the measurement target chip is moved in the inspection direction horizontally with the semiconductor wafer. This makes it possible to inspect the measurement target chip adjacent to the non-measurement chip without touching the pad of the non-measurement chip and the probe needle, so that the non-measurement pad is damaged. Without any problem, it is possible to perform probing by using all probe units on non-adjacent measurement target chips.

  According to the measurement method of the tenth aspect of the present invention, when inspecting only the chip to be measured within the measurement effective range on the semiconductor wafer, or when inspecting only a specific chip, the probe unit is placed horizontally with the semiconductor wafer. Since the inspection is performed while changing the arrangement of the probe units in accordance with the position of the measurement target chip, the probe can be probed by using all the probe units only for the chips within the effective range around the effective range. Further, the arrangement of the measurement target chip and the probe unit can be changed.

  According to the measurement method of the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the probe unit is moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the semiconductor wafer, thereby inspecting the arrangement of the probe unit in accordance with the purpose of the inspection as well as the measurement target chip and the changed state. Therefore, it is possible to change the arrangement of chips to be measured before inspection.

  According to the inspection apparatus of the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the probe card is controlled according to the measurement method of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, or eleventh aspect. And an inspection device such as a tester can be provided.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a probe card according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a probe card 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a probe unit 13 having a probe needle 12 that is brought into contact with one LSI device (DUT) to be measured, and includes a plurality of DUTs. The probe needle 12 can be moved in the direction perpendicular to the contact surface with the semiconductor wafer for each probe unit 13 corresponding to.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 1A, a probe unit 13 is provided in the center of the probe card 11. As shown in FIG. 1 (b), the probe unit 13 is a collection of probe needles 12 that are in contact with pads on the chip at the time of inspection for the number required for 1DUT inspection. In the case of N probe cards for simultaneous measurement, the probe card has a structure including N probe units.

Hereinafter, in order to explain simply, the case where four measurement is implemented using the probe card 11 provided with the four probe units 13 in the scanning direction of a test | inspection is demonstrated. The probe card 11 has a structure in which four probe units 13 are arranged side by side in FIG. 1B and can measure four adjacent chips. Further, the probe card 11 has a structure capable of moving the probe unit 13 in the direction perpendicular to the contact surface with the semiconductor wafer as shown in FIG. By using a probe card having this structure, the inspection is carried out by the measurement methods of Embodiments 2 to 5 described below.
(Embodiment 2)
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the second embodiment, the measurement method using the probe card described in the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In the measurement method of this embodiment, when the number of chips to be measured is smaller than the number of simultaneous measurements, the probe unit unnecessary for the inspection that does not correspond to the chip to be measured is moved in the direction perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer. This prevents the probe needle and the pad from contacting each other in the probe unit.

  In FIG. 2A, 21 represents a semiconductor wafer, and 22 represents a peripheral wafer edge. A chip formed on the semiconductor wafer 21 is provided with an effective area, 23 is a chip in the area, and it is normal that only the chip is a measurement object. In the conventional measurement method using four simultaneous probe cards, it is only possible to simultaneously probe four chips in any case, so the probing area 24 is an area that can be measured with four simultaneous probe cards.

  In the example of the effective area in FIG. 2 (a), when the inspection is started from the left chip in the first row, there is no problem in probing four at the same time as usual in the first probing (1), but the second probing ( In 2), when probing the measurement target chip 23, the three probe needles on the right side (A) contact the probe needle at a position where a chip other than the measurement target chip is not formed or on the wafer edge, thereby damaging the probe needle. End up.

  As another conventional method, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the second probing (2) may be performed only on the chip in the effective area. In this case, the left three (B ) Of the probe needle becomes the second probing with respect to the pad of the measurement target chip, and the pad is damaged.

  In order to solve this problem, in the second embodiment, in the second probing (2) in FIG. 2 (a), the probe card of the first embodiment is normally used for probing outside the effective area. By moving the right three (A) probe units upward in the direction perpendicular to the wafer, the probe needle does not contact the pad in the region (A), and only the leftmost probe needle contacts the measurement target chip 23. Can be inspected. Thereby, since unnecessary probing does not occur, only the inspection of the measurement target chip 23 can be performed without damaging the probe needle and the pad.

In the second embodiment, there is provided a measurement method for probing only the chips in the effective area by moving the probe unit in the direction perpendicular to the wafer around the effective area.
(Embodiment 3)
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the third embodiment, a measurement method using the probe card described in the first embodiment will be described.

  In FIG. 3, the same parts as those of the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. Reference numeral 31 denotes a chip not to be measured. When inspecting a semiconductor wafer, it may be necessary to avoid inspection of defective chips or probing chips 31 in the previous process even if the chips are in an effective area. In this case as well, since all the probe needles can only be probed at the same time with the conventional measurement method, unnecessary probing cannot be avoided and the probe in the region (C) in FIG. There are problems such as damaging the pads.

  In order to solve this problem, in the third embodiment, the probe unit corresponding to the region (C) of the non-measuring chip 31 in FIG. 3 that normally performs probing when the probe card of the first embodiment is used. In the region (C), the probe needle does not contact the pad, and only the probe needle of the other probe unit can contact the measurement target chip to perform the inspection. Thereby, since unnecessary probing does not occur, only the inspection of the measurement target chip can be performed without damaging the probe needle and the pad.

The third embodiment provides a measurement method for probing only the measurement target chip by moving the probe unit corresponding to the non-measurement chip 31 in the direction perpendicular to the wafer.
(Embodiment 4)
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the fourth embodiment, a measurement method using the probe card described in the first embodiment will be described.

  In the measurement method of this embodiment, the specific probe unit 42 is moved in the direction perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer, so that only the pads on the chip corresponding to the probe units 41 other than the specific probe unit 42 are provided. The probe needle 12 is brought into contact, and the simultaneous measurement number can be changed in the same probe card.

  The conventional probe card has a problem that it can be inspected only by the same number of measurements when the probe card is manufactured. If the inspection program is unstable, the specific terminal cannot be inspected due to a problem with the inspection equipment, or the specific probe needle is damaged, etc. Although it is desired to carry out an inspection by changing the same number of measurements as the measurement, etc., even if the inspection is possible, the number of times the needle is applied to one chip will be multiple.

  In order to solve this problem, in the fourth embodiment, it is possible to change the number of simultaneous measurements before the inspection by using the probe card according to the first embodiment. Here, a 2 × 2 four-probe probe card will be described as an example with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4A shows a case in which all the probe units are arranged at the same position in the vertical direction with respect to the wafer, and is a state of four simultaneous measurement (2 × 2) that can be simultaneously probed on four chips. When the upper two probe units 42 are moved in the direction perpendicular to the wafer from this state as shown in FIG. 4B, only the lower two probe units 41 are probed, and the upper two probe units 42 are Not probing. That is, it is a state of two simultaneous measurement (2 × 1). Similarly, the same number can be changed in various ways, such as the two simultaneous measurements (1 × 2) in FIG. 4C and the single measurement in FIG.

In the fourth embodiment, there is provided a measurement method capable of changing the same measurement number and DUT arrangement by moving a specific probe unit in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface with the wafer.
(Embodiment 5)
A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In the fifth embodiment, a measurement method using the probe card described in the first embodiment will be described.

  In the measurement method of this embodiment, the probe unit corresponding to a specific chip is moved by a predetermined amount in a direction perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer, so that the contact pressure and contact state between the pad and the probe needle for each chip. Can be changed.

  In the conventional probe card, all probe needles are in the same position as when the probe card was manufactured, and cannot be changed. Therefore, even if the probe needle and the pad do not contact well when probing actually, the contact pressure of each probe needle cannot be changed even if the contact pressure of all the probe needles can be changed.

  In order to solve this problem, in the fifth embodiment, the probe needle and the pad are moved by moving each probe unit by a minute amount in the direction perpendicular to the contact surface of the wafer using the probe card of the first embodiment. It is possible to change the contact pressure.

The fifth embodiment provides a measurement method capable of changing the contact pressure between the probe needle and the pad of each probe unit by moving the individual probe unit in the direction perpendicular to the wafer contact surface.
(Embodiment 6)
A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a probe card according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the probe card 11 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a probe unit 13 having a probe needle 12 to be brought into contact with one DUT and has a simultaneous measurement number, and individually inspects each probe unit 13 with a semiconductor wafer. It was possible to move in the scanning direction.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), the probe card 13 has a structure with a probe unit 13 at the center, and the probe unit 13 is moved by a probe unit moving rail 51 as shown in FIGS. 5 (b) and 5 (c). It has a structure that can move in the scanning direction of inspection. Each probe unit 13 has as many probe needles 12 as are necessary for performing a 1DUT inspection. In the case of N probe cards for simultaneous measurement, N probe units are provided on the probe card. By using a probe card having this structure, the inspection is performed by the measurement method of the seventh embodiment described below.
(Embodiment 7)
A seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the seventh embodiment, a measurement method using the probe card described in the sixth embodiment will be described.

  In the measurement method of the present embodiment, when only a specific chip on a semiconductor wafer is inspected, a probe unit unnecessary for an inspection that does not correspond to the measurement target chip is moved in the inspection direction horizontally with respect to the semiconductor wafer. The pad of the outer chip and the probe needle are not in contact with each other, and it is possible to inspect the measuring target chip adjacent to the non-measuring chip.

  In the third embodiment, it is possible to probe only the measurement target chip by moving the probe unit corresponding to the non-measurement chip in a direction perpendicular to the wafer. Although there is a probe unit, there is a throughput problem that only three of them are used.

  In order to solve this problem, in the seventh embodiment, when the probe card of the sixth embodiment is used, the four probe units 13 possessed are in a direction parallel to the wafer contact surface (inspection scanning). 4 chips that are not adjacent to each other can be inspected simultaneously. Usually, four probe units 13 arranged side by side as shown in FIG. 5B are moved as shown in FIG. 5C, thereby avoiding the tip 31 in the region (C) as shown in FIG. It is possible to perform inspection by probing four chips 23 that are not adjacent to each other.

In the seventh embodiment, the probe unit corresponding to the chip not to be measured is moved in the inspection scanning direction in the horizontal direction with respect to the wafer, and the probe method can be used for probing by using all the probe units on the measurement target chips that are not adjacent I will provide a.
(Embodiment 8)
An eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a probe card according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

  The probe card according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a probe unit 13 having a probe needle 12 to be in contact with one DUT, and can move each probe unit 13 in two directions parallel to the semiconductor wafer. did.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), the probe card 11 has a structure having a probe unit 13 at the center, and the probe unit 13 is moved by a probe unit moving rail 71 as shown in FIGS. 7 (b) and 7 (c). It has a structure that can move in two directions horizontal to the wafer. Each of the probe units 13 has as many probe needles 12 as are necessary for testing 1 DUT. In the case of N probe cards for simultaneous measurement, N probe units are provided on the probe card. By using a probe card having this structure, the inspection is carried out by the measurement methods of the ninth and tenth embodiments described below.
(Embodiment 9)
A ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the ninth embodiment, a measurement method using the probe card described in the eighth embodiment will be described.

  The measurement method of the present embodiment moves the probe unit 13 in the horizontal direction with respect to the semiconductor wafer when inspecting only the measurement target chip within the measurement effective range on the semiconductor wafer, or when inspecting only a specific chip. Thus, the inspection is performed while changing the arrangement of the probe units 13 in accordance with the position of the chip to be measured.

  In the second embodiment, it is possible to probe only the chip in the effective area by moving the probe unit in the direction perpendicular to the wafer in the vicinity of the effective area. In this case, four probe units are provided. There is a problem in terms of throughput, such as the fact that only three of them are used even though they are owned.

  In order to solve this problem, in the ninth embodiment, when the probe card according to the eighth embodiment is used, four owned probe units can move in two directions parallel to the contact surface of the wafer. It becomes possible to inspect four chips that are not adjacent to each other at the same time. Normally, as shown in FIG. 7B, four probe units 13 are arranged side by side. As shown in FIG. 8, in the first probing (1), four probes are simultaneously probed on the chip in the region 81 as usual. By moving the probe unit 13 as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the probe unit 13 is moved during the second probing (2) as shown in FIG. Inspection can be performed.

In the ninth embodiment, there is provided a measurement method in which probing can be performed using only all the probe units only on chips in the effective area by moving the probe unit in two directions parallel to the wafer around the effective area.
(Embodiment 10)
A tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the tenth embodiment, a measurement method using the probe card described in the eighth embodiment will be described.

  In the measurement method of the present embodiment, the probe unit 13 is moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the semiconductor wafer, thereby inspecting the arrangement of the probe unit 13 in a state in which the arrangement of the probe unit 13 and the measurement target chip are changed according to the purpose of the inspection.

  The conventional probe card has a problem that it can be inspected only in the DUT alignment when the probe card is manufactured.

  In order to solve this problem, in the tenth embodiment, by using the probe card according to the eighth embodiment, the probe units can be moved in two directions parallel to the wafer. Can be changed. If four probe cards are used, the probe unit 13 can be changed in various DUTs as shown in FIGS. 9 (a) to 9 (d). (A) is 4 × 1, (b) is 1 × 4, (c) is 2 × 2, and (d) is a stepped case. The configuration of the probe unit moving rail 71 is the same as that shown in FIG.

The tenth embodiment provides a measurement method that can change the DUT alignment of probe units by moving a specific probe unit in two directions parallel to the wafer.
(Embodiment 11)
An eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In the eleventh embodiment, the probe card according to the first, sixth and eighth embodiments is controlled according to the measurement method according to the second to fifth, seventh, ninth and tenth embodiments. Providing the device.

  By using the probe card, the measuring method and the inspection apparatus according to the present invention, the probe is probed by unnecessary probing while the increase in the number of measurements, the flexibility of the needle material, and the limitation of the number of times of needle contact due to the increase in the inspection process becomes severe. The problem of damaging needles and pads can be solved. Furthermore, it is useful for improving the convenience of inspection and throughput, such as changing the same measurement number and DUT arrangement.

It is a block diagram of the probe card of 1st Embodiment concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the measuring method of 2nd Embodiment concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the measuring method of 3rd Embodiment concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the measuring method of 4th Embodiment concerning this invention. It is a block diagram of the probe card of 6th Embodiment concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the measuring method of 7th Embodiment concerning this invention. It is a block diagram of the probe card of 8th Embodiment concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the measuring method of 9th Embodiment concerning this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the measuring method of 10th Embodiment concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

11 Probe card 12 Probe needle 13 Probe unit (for 1 DUT)
21 Wafer 22 Wafer edge 23 Measurement target chip 24 Probing area (4 × 1)
31 Non-measurement tip 41 Probe unit (with probing)
42 Probe unit (without probing)
51 Probe unit moving rail 61 Probebing area (after change)
71 Probe unit moving rail 81 Probebing area (normal)
82 Probebing area (after change)

Claims (12)

A probe card capable of performing probe inspection by simultaneous measurement of a plurality of LSI devices to be measured formed on a semiconductor wafer,
A probe unit having a probe needle to be brought into contact with one LSI device is provided at the same time, and for each of the probe units corresponding to a plurality of LSI devices, the probe needle is perpendicular to the contact surface with the semiconductor wafer. A probe card characterized by being movable. A probe card capable of performing probe inspection by simultaneous measurement of a plurality of LSI devices to be measured formed on a semiconductor wafer,
A probe comprising a probe unit having a probe needle to be brought into contact with one LSI device and capable of moving each of the probe units horizontally in the inspection scanning direction with respect to the semiconductor wafer. card. A probe card capable of performing probe inspection by simultaneous measurement of a plurality of LSI devices to be measured formed on a semiconductor wafer,
A probe card comprising a plurality of probe units each having a probe needle to be brought into contact with one LSI device and capable of moving each of the probe units in two directions parallel to the semiconductor wafer.   A measurement method in which the probe card according to claim 1 is used to inspect a probe needle in contact with a pad on a measurement target chip, and when the number of measurement target chips is smaller than the simultaneous measurement number, A measuring method, wherein a probe needle and a pad do not contact with each other in the probe unit by moving a probe unit unnecessary for non-corresponding inspection in a direction perpendicular to a probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer.   The measurement method according to claim 4, wherein the number of chips to be measured is smaller than the number of simultaneous measurements due to the influence of the measurement effective range on the semiconductor wafer.   5. The measuring method according to claim 4, wherein the number of chips to be measured is smaller than the number of simultaneous measurements by inspecting specific chips on the semiconductor wafer.   A measuring method for using a probe card according to claim 1 to inspect a probe needle in contact with a pad on a chip to be measured, wherein the specific probe unit is perpendicular to the probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer. The probe needle is brought into contact with only a pad on a chip corresponding to a probe unit other than the specific probe unit by being moved, and the number of simultaneous measurements can be changed in the same probe card. Measuring method.   A probe method according to claim 1, wherein a probe needle is brought into contact with a pad on a measurement target chip for inspection, wherein a probe unit corresponding to a specific chip is connected to a probe needle contact surface of the semiconductor wafer. A measuring method characterized in that the contact pressure and contact state between the pad and the probe needle can be changed for each chip by moving the substrate by a predetermined amount in the vertical direction.   A measurement method using the probe card according to claim 2 and inspecting by contacting a probe needle with a pad on a measurement target chip, and inspecting only a specific chip on a semiconductor wafer, the measurement target chip By moving a probe unit unnecessary for non-corresponding inspection horizontally in the inspection direction with respect to the semiconductor wafer, the pad of the chip not to be measured and the probe needle are not in contact with each other and the measurement object adjacent to the chip to be measured is not contacted. A measuring method characterized by enabling inspection of a chip.   4. A measurement method using the probe card according to claim 3 and inspecting by contacting a probe needle with a pad on a measurement target chip, and inspecting only a measurement target chip within a measurement effective range on a semiconductor wafer. Alternatively, when inspecting only a specific chip, the probe unit is moved in a direction parallel to the semiconductor wafer, thereby inspecting while changing the arrangement of the probe units according to the position of the chip to be measured. Method.   A measurement method for inspecting by using a probe card according to claim 3 and bringing a probe needle into contact with a pad on a chip to be measured, wherein the probe unit is moved in a horizontal direction with respect to a semiconductor wafer. In accordance with the measurement method, the probe unit is inspected in a state in which the arrangement of the probe unit is changed as well as the measurement target chip.   An inspection apparatus for controlling a probe card according to the measurement method according to claim 4, 5, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10, or 11.

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