JP2008145105A - Semiconductor testing device, testing system, and manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem wherein a data format used in a semiconductor testing device is not controlled seamlessly with versatile network equipment controlled using an SNMP, even when connected to the same network, because the data format is a peculiar format. <P>SOLUTION: A data of a testing body part is converted into a data of a format along an MIB to be stored in an MIB database, using an MIB conversion part for conducting mutual conversion between the data of the testing body part for testing the quality of a semiconductor and the data of the format along the MIB, the semiconductor testing device is controlled using the SNMP. A semiconductor testing system and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are constituted using the semiconductor testing device. Seamless control is allowed with the other network equipment. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor test apparatus, a semiconductor test system, and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that can perform high-quality management by connecting to a network.

  The semiconductor test apparatus is an apparatus that applies a signal to a semiconductor to be measured, analyzes the output signal of the semiconductor to be measured, and determines whether the semiconductor to be measured is good or bad. Many of the recent semiconductor test apparatuses are configured to be connected to a general-purpose network by IP (Internet Protocol). FIG. 4 shows a configuration diagram of a system in which a semiconductor test apparatus and other network devices are connected to a common network.

  In FIG. 4, a semiconductor test apparatus 10, a network device 11 represented by a router and a gateway, a database 12, a user terminal 13 and a management terminal 14 are connected to a network 15. The semiconductor test apparatus 10 is managed by the user terminal 13, and management such as down management and operation time management of the network device 11 and the database 12 is performed by the management terminal 14.

  Management of network devices such as IP routers is performed by SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) that exchanges data in accordance with MIB (Management Information Base). Software (MIB manager) that performs this management exists from free to quite expensive and is used. The network device 11 and the database 12 are managed by an MIB manager set up in the management terminal 14.

  Since the semiconductor test apparatus 10 is not a general-purpose device, there is no common management method. Communication software dedicated to the semiconductor test apparatus 10 is installed in the user terminal 13. Information and reports are acquired from the semiconductor test apparatus 10 using this communication software, and the semiconductor test apparatus 10 is managed and monitored.

There is also a system in which communication software dedicated to the semiconductor test apparatus 10 is installed in the management terminal 14 so that the management terminal 14 can be used as a user terminal. In this system, the terminal is simply shared, and the semiconductor test apparatus 10 and the network device 11 are managed separately.
JP 2003-067022 A

  However, such a system has the following problems. The semiconductor test apparatus 10 and the network device 11 / database 12 are physically connected to one network, but must be managed separately because of different management methods and communication methods. For this reason, there is a problem that seamless management cannot be performed and management becomes complicated and time-consuming.

  In order to manage and monitor the semiconductor test apparatus 10 and the network equipment 11 managed by SNMP in common, management / monitoring software or report creation software corresponding to the semiconductor test apparatus to be used must be developed. In addition, there is a problem that it costs money for software development and operation of the software.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor test apparatus, a test system, and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that can be managed in common with other network devices by introducing MIB and SNMP into the semiconductor test apparatus.

In order to solve such a problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention,
A test main body that receives a signal from the device under test and determines the quality of the device under test using this signal;
The output of the test main unit is converted into data in a format conforming to MIB (Management Information Base), and the data in the format conforming to the input MIB is converted into data in a format understandable by the test main unit. An MIB converter for outputting to the test body,
An MIB database for storing data converted by the MIB conversion unit into a format conforming to MIB;
An interface unit that is connected to a network, transmits data stored in the MIB database to another device connected to the network using SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), and stores received data in the MIB database When,
Is provided. Seamless management with other network devices.

The invention according to claim 2
Network,
The semiconductor test apparatus according to claim 1 connected to the network;
A management terminal connected to the network and managing the semiconductor test apparatus by SNMP;
Is provided. Seamless management with other devices connected to the same network.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 2,
The management terminal manages the operating time of the semiconductor test apparatus, the state of the apparatus, and displays a trend of test results. Seamless management with other devices connected to the same network.

The invention according to claim 4
A pre-process manufacturing apparatus that is connected to a network and performs a pre-process of semiconductor manufacturing and supports SNMP,
The semiconductor test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor is connected to the network and the semiconductor manufactured in the previous process is carried in,
A semiconductor connected to the network and tested by the semiconductor test apparatus is carried in, and a post-process of this semiconductor is performed, and a post-process manufacturing apparatus corresponding to SNMP,
A management terminal connected to the network and managing the pre-process manufacturing apparatus, the semiconductor test apparatus and the post-process manufacturing apparatus using SNMP;
Is provided. Seamlessly manage all semiconductor manufacturing processes.

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects.
According to the first, second, third, and fourth aspects of the present invention, a signal from a test main body for testing a semiconductor is input to the MIB conversion unit and converted into data in a format conforming to the MIB, and this data is stored in the MIB database. The data stored and received from the network is converted into data that can be interpreted by the test main body and input to the test main body. In addition, a semiconductor test system and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are configured using this semiconductor test apparatus.

  Since the MIB conversion unit mutually converts the data in the test body unit specific format and the data in accordance with the MIB, it can be easily remodeled to a device that can be managed by SNMP without touching the test body unit. There is an effect that can be done.

  Also, by configuring a semiconductor test system using this semiconductor test apparatus, there is an effect that seamless management can be performed with other devices. Therefore, there is an effect that dedicated software for managing the semiconductor test apparatus by SNMP is not necessary, and the operation cost can be reduced.

  Further, the semiconductor pre-process manufacturing apparatus and the post-process manufacturing apparatus are also SNMP-compatible, and by combining this semiconductor test apparatus, the entire process of semiconductor manufacturing can be managed seamlessly.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a semiconductor test apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, an MIB conversion unit for performing mutual conversion between data in a unique format and data in a format according to MIB is provided inside, thereby enabling management by SNMP.

  SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is a protocol for monitoring and controlling devices connected to a network via a TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) network, and is standardized by IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). ing. The device to be controlled has a management information database called MIB, and the management terminal for management manages the device to be managed by performing appropriate settings based on the MIB rules of the device to be managed.

MIB (Management Information Base) is management information to be handled by SNMP.
Data created according to this management information can be transmitted and received using SNMP. There are standard MIBs and extended MIBs. The extended MIB handles fine management information that cannot be covered by the standard MIB, and product vendors can independently extend it in accordance with their products. Each product vendor is assigned a unique ID.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes a semiconductor test apparatus, which includes a test main body unit 21, a MIB conversion unit 22, a MIB database 23, and an interface 24. The interface 24 is connected to the network 15. The network 15 has the same function as the network 15 of FIG.

  The test main body 21 is a part that applies a test signal to a semiconductor to be measured (not shown) and analyzes the output signal of the semiconductor to be measured to determine whether it is good or bad. In addition, the quality may be determined from the power consumption of the semiconductor to be measured. Since the test main body 21 has the same configuration as a known semiconductor test apparatus, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Data output from the test main unit 21 is input to the MIB conversion unit 22, and the data is converted into a format conforming to the MIB and output. The converted data is stored in the MIB database 23. The MIB conversion unit 22 also reads data stored in the MIB database 23, converts the data into a format that can be interpreted by the test main body 21, and outputs the data to the test main body 21.

  That is, the MIB conversion unit 22 performs mutual conversion between data in a unique format that can be interpreted only by the test main body unit 21 and data in a format defined by the MIB. For this reason, all data stored in the MIB database 23 is data in a format along the MIB. In some cases, the data output from the test main unit 21 is already in a format conforming to the MIB. In this case, the test main body unit 21 directly writes data to the MIB database 23 and reads data from the MIB database 23 without going through the MIB conversion unit 22.

  The interface 24 communicates with other devices connected to the same network 15 via the network 15. In other words, when there is a data transmission request from another device, the MIB database 23 is searched to acquire the requested data, and is returned to the transmission request source. When there is data transmission from another device, the data is stored in the MIB database 23.

  In this embodiment, the MIB conversion unit 22 performs mutual conversion between original format data that can be interpreted only by the test main unit 21 and data in a format conforming to the MIB, and the MIB database 23 stores only data in a format conforming to the MIB. I tried to do it. Therefore, the semiconductor test apparatus can be modified to a device that can be managed using SNMP without touching the test main body 21.

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration of an embodiment of a semiconductor test system according to the present invention. The same elements as those in FIG. 1 and FIG. In FIG. 2, a semiconductor test apparatus 20, a network device 11, and a database 12 are connected to a network 15. The semiconductor test apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is used. The semiconductor test apparatus 20, the network device 11, and the database 12 are all managed using SNMP.

  A management terminal 30 is connected to the network 15. Management software called MIB manager is installed in the management terminal 30. This MIB manager obtains information on all SNMP variables of the standard MIB and extended MIB through the SNMP agent installed in the semiconductor test apparatus 20, the network equipment 11, and the database 12 to be managed, and processes the received data. Create a graph, output a report, monitor the managed device, and notify the administrator of the monitoring result using e-mail or the like. The data handled by the management terminal 30 includes the operating time of each device, the state of the semiconductor test device 20 such as the relay count number, and trend data of test results.

  Since this semiconductor test system uses a semiconductor test apparatus that can be managed using SNMP, all devices connected to the network can output management information to the management terminal 30 using SNMP. For example, the management terminal 30 can receive Bin information and Category information of the semiconductor test apparatus 20 using SNMP, process the information into a Wafer Map, and display the processed information. Therefore, the management terminal 30 can seamlessly manage these devices. It should be noted that any device that can use SNMP can be connected to the network 15 for management.

  The MIB manager is preliminarily equipped with functions such as status management of devices to be managed, abnormality notification, and data trend display. Since an existing MIB manager can be used, by making the semiconductor test equipment SNMP-compliant, it is possible to easily and inexpensively monitor the status of the semiconductor test equipment, notify abnormality, and display the trend of test results using these functions. be able to.

  FIG. 3 shows a configuration of an embodiment of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention. The same elements as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. In FIG. 3, the pre-process manufacturing apparatus 40, the semiconductor test apparatus 20, the post-process manufacturing apparatus 50, and the management terminal 60 are connected to the network 15. The pre-process manufacturing apparatus 40 includes a MIB database 41, and the post-process manufacturing apparatus 50 includes a MIB database 51.

  The pre-process manufacturing apparatus 40 performs a pre-process for semiconductor manufacturing. The pre-process of semiconductor manufacturing is to apply a resist on the wafer, form a pattern on the wafer surface, etch this pattern, repeat the steps of oxidation, diffusion, ion implantation, and planarization to repeat the circuit. This is a step of forming an electrode after the formation. Data generated in the previous process is processed into a format along the MIB and stored in the MIB database 41.

  The wafer that has completed the previous process is tested by the semiconductor test apparatus 20 to determine whether it is good or bad. This test data is stored in the MIB database 23.

  The post-process manufacturing apparatus 50 is a manufacturing apparatus that performs a semiconductor post-process, and a wafer tested by the semiconductor test apparatus 20 is carried in. The post-process is a process of cutting the wafer into chips, mounting the chip on a lead frame, wire bonding, processing it into an IC shape through molding, trimming, forming, and performing burn-in, product inspection, and marking. is there. Thereby, the semiconductor is completed. Data generated in the subsequent process is converted into a format conforming to the MIB and stored in the MIB database 51.

  An MIB manager is installed in the management terminal 60. The MIB manager acquires data from the MIB databases 41, 23, and 51, processes and displays this data, transmits it to the manager, and at the same time performs the entire process normally so that the pre-process manufacturing apparatus 40 and the semiconductor test apparatus 20 The post-process manufacturing apparatus 50 is managed. Since the pre-process manufacturing apparatus 40, the semiconductor test apparatus 20, and the post-process manufacturing apparatus 50 can be managed using SNMP, the management terminal 60 can seamlessly manage and monitor these apparatuses.

  Note that the pre-process manufacturing apparatus 40 and the post-process manufacturing apparatus 50 incorporate a MIB conversion unit similar to the MIB conversion unit 22 as in the semiconductor test apparatus 20, and the MIB conversion unit allows mutual exchange of original data and MIB format data. Perform conversion. By doing in this way, it can respond to SNMP, without touching an apparatus main body.

It is a block diagram which shows one Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of this invention. It is a block diagram of a system including a conventional semiconductor test apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Network equipment 12 Database 15 Network 20 Semiconductor test apparatus 21 Test main body part 22 MIB conversion part 23, 41, 51 MIB database 24 Interface 30, 60 Management terminal 40 Pre-process manufacturing apparatus 50 Post-process manufacturing apparatus

Claims (4)

A test main body that receives a signal from the device under test and determines the quality of the device under test using this signal;
The output of the test main unit is converted into data in a format conforming to MIB (Management Information Base), and the data in the format conforming to the input MIB is converted into data in a format understandable by the test main unit. An MIB converter for outputting to the test body,
An MIB database for storing data converted by the MIB conversion unit into a format conforming to MIB;
An interface unit that is connected to a network, transmits data stored in the MIB database to another device connected to the network using SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), and stores received data in the MIB database When,
A semiconductor test apparatus comprising: Network,
The semiconductor test apparatus according to claim 1 connected to the network;
A management terminal connected to the network and managing the semiconductor test apparatus by SNMP;
A semiconductor test system comprising:   3. The semiconductor test system according to claim 2, wherein the management terminal manages the operating time of the semiconductor test apparatus, the state of the apparatus, and displays a trend of the test result. A pre-process manufacturing apparatus that is connected to a network and performs a pre-process of semiconductor manufacturing and supports SNMP,
The semiconductor test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor is connected to the network and the semiconductor manufactured in the previous process is carried in,
A semiconductor connected to the network and tested by the semiconductor test apparatus is carried in, and a post-process of this semiconductor is performed, and a post-process manufacturing apparatus corresponding to SNMP,
A management terminal connected to the network and managing the pre-process manufacturing apparatus, the semiconductor test apparatus and the post-process manufacturing apparatus using SNMP;
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:

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