JP2913609B2 - Probing apparatus, probing method and probe card - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[Object of the Invention]

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a probing device ,
The present invention relates to a roving method and a probe card.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a large number of semi-finished semiconductor devices (semiconductor chips) formed on a semiconductor wafer by using a precision photo transfer technique or the like are inspected in a state of the semiconductor wafer. (Inspection of electrical characteristics) is performed.

[0004] For inspection of semiconductor chips in such a semiconductor wafer state, a probe card and a probing device have been conventionally used. The probe card is, for example, on a lower surface of a printed circuit board having a circular opening in the center portion, a probe (for example, a metal needle-shaped body) corresponding to the electrode pad of the semiconductor chip is obliquely downwardly directed from the periphery of the circular opening toward the center portion. The connection terminals provided at the end of the printed circuit board and each probe are electrically connected by a conductor pattern.

[0005] In recent years, semiconductor devices have tended to be large-scale and highly integrated, and the number of electrode pads has increased, and the interval between electrode pads has tended to be reduced. For this reason, in the probe card, it is necessary to arrange a large number of probes at minute intervals. Therefore, for example, a probe card in which a quartz substrate or the like is formed by etching and a conductive layer having a desired pattern is formed on the surface thereof to serve as a probe, and a probe card in which probes are arranged substantially vertically have been developed.

In the probing apparatus, a wafer mounting table for holding a semiconductor wafer by suction using, for example, a vacuum chuck or the like is movably arranged in a XYZ-θ direction by a moving stage. The above-described probe card is fixed at a predetermined position above the wafer mounting table. By driving the wafer mounting table, the probes are sequentially brought into contact with the electrode pads of the semiconductor chips, and these probes are connected. -It is configured to make an electrical measurement by a tester through the probe. Further, an automated probing apparatus includes a wafer loading mechanism for loading and unloading a semiconductor wafer between a wafer cassette containing a semiconductor wafer and a wafer mounting table, and a wafer mounting table mounted by the wafer loading mechanism. A position recognition mechanism for recognizing an accurate position of the upper semiconductor wafer, for example, an image recognition mechanism is provided.

In the above-described probing apparatus, the probe card needs to be replaced in accordance with the type of the semiconductor chip to be inspected. When the probe card is replaced, the position of the probe and the electrode pad are adjusted. Need to do. In such a case, in a conventional probing apparatus, for example, an operator moves a semiconductor wafer (wafer mounting table) so that the probe and the electrode pad are in contact with each other while visually observing a microscope provided above the probe card, and aligns the semiconductor wafer. I do. The moving amount at this time is stored in the probing device, and when inspecting the second and subsequent semiconductor wafers, the driving amount of the wafer mounting table is corrected in accordance with the moving amount.

Further, a probe is brought into contact with a dummy wafer on which a thin film of aluminum or gold or the like is formed on the entire surface to form a needle mark on the dummy wafer. For example, CR
In some cases, the operator moves the dummy wafer (wafer mounting table) so that the needle mark projected on T coincides with the predetermined mark, aligns the dummy wafer, and makes the probing apparatus recognize the amount of movement.

[0009]

As described above, in the conventional probing apparatus and probe card, at least every time the probe card is replaced, the position of the probe and the electrode pad are adjusted by an operator using a dummy wafer or a microscope. However, there is a problem that time and labor are required and inspection efficiency is deteriorated. Also,
In a probing apparatus that performs alignment using a dummy wafer, there is also a problem that when a large number of needle marks are left on the dummy wafer, the dummy wafer must be replaced.

[0010] Further, for example, when a probe card using a quartz substrate is used, there is a problem that positioning of probes and electrode pads cannot be performed using a dummy wafer because needle traces are not formed. When a probe card in which probes are arranged is used, there is a problem that a contact portion between the probe and the electrode pad cannot be observed from above with a microscope or the like, and it is difficult to perform alignment between the probe and the electrode pad. .

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional situation, and can be applied to a probe formed of a quartz substrate or a vertically arranged probe. An object of the present invention is to provide a probing device , a probing method, and a probe card that can quickly and accurately perform alignment with a pad.

[Structure of the Invention]

[0013]

That is, a probing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: card holding means for holding a probe card having probes arranged corresponding to electrodes of a semiconductor chip at a predetermined position; A mounting table configured to hold and move the wafer, a wafer position recognizing means for recognizing a position of the semiconductor wafer held on the mounting table, and the semiconductor by the wafer position recognizing means.
Separately from the wafer position recognition, a card position detecting means for detecting a position of the probe card by detecting an alignment mark formed on the probe card, a position recognition result of the wafer position recognizing means and the card position The mounting table is driven in accordance with the position recognition result of the detecting unit, the electrode of the semiconductor chip formed on the semiconductor wafer held on the mounting table, and the probe card held by the card holding unit And control means for bringing the probe into contact with the probe.

[0014] The probe card of the present invention comprises a substrate and a probe arranged in the base body so as to correspond to the electrodes of the semiconductor chips formed on a semiconductor wafer, 請
2. A probe card mounted on a probing device according to claim 1 , wherein an alignment mark for recognizing a position of the probe card by the probing device is provided on the base. Further, the probing method of the present invention is configured such that a card holding means for holding a probe card in which probes are arranged corresponding to electrodes of a semiconductor chip at a predetermined position, and a semiconductor wafer on an upper surface is movable. a step of mounting a mounting table, for detecting a position of the semiconductor wafer held on the mounting table was pre
A step of detecting a position of an alignment mark formed on the probe card separately from the position detection of the semiconductor wafer, and a step of calculating position information of the detected wafer and position information of the probe card, The mounting table is driven according to the calculation result, and the electrodes of the semiconductor chips formed on the semiconductor wafer held on the mounting table are brought into contact with the probes of the probe card held by the card holding means. And a step.

[0015]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, a positioning mark (for example, a plurality of cross marks provided on the lower surface of the base) provided on the base of the probe card is read by card position detecting means (for example, optical reading) of the probing device. Means) to detect the position of the probe card.

Therefore, positioning of the probe and the electrode pad can be performed quickly and accurately without using a microscope or a dummy wafer. Also,
It is possible to cope with the case where a probe made of a quartz substrate or a probe arranged vertically is used.

[0017]

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the probing device of the present invention, Purobi
An example of a packaging method and a probe card will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the probing device 10
Is provided with a wafer mounting table 12 configured to be capable of holding a semiconductor wafer 11 by suction using, for example, a vacuum chuck. The wafer mounting table 12 is fixed on a moving stage 13, and is moved by the moving stage 13.
It is configured to be movable in the YZ-θ directions. Above the wafer mounting table 12, a card holding mechanism 15 for detachably holding a probe card 14 provided with a large number of probes 14a corresponding to the electrodes of the semiconductor chips formed on the semiconductor wafer 11 is provided. .

If a mechanism for moving the wafer mounting table 12 in the vertical direction (Z direction) by a predetermined distance, for example, about several tens of microns, with a predetermined elastic force, is provided, for example, the probe and the electrode are automatically set at a predetermined pressure. This is effective when, for example, a vertical probe to which a pad is abutted and which is not easily deformed in the vertical direction is used.

Further, the wafer mounting table 12 and the moving stay
A wafer loader 16 and a plurality of, for example, 5
A plurality of (only one is shown in FIG. 2) cassette mounting tables 18 for mounting a wafer cassette 17 configured to be able to store one semiconductor wafer 11 are provided. Then, the semiconductor wafers 11 are loaded one by one from the wafer cassette 17 on the cassette mounting table 18 by the wafer loader 16.
Then, pre-alignment is performed by detecting, for example, the position of the orientation flat of the semiconductor wafer 11, and the semiconductor wafer 11 is mounted on a predetermined position on the wafer mounting table 12. At this time, the positional accuracy by pre-alignment is, for example, about ± 1 mm. Therefore, to be precise, the semiconductor wafer 11 is ± 1 mm from the reference position on the wafer mounting table 12.
It will be placed in the range of about. Further, the wafer loader 16 is configured to store the semiconductor wafer 11 having undergone the electrical characteristic inspection in a predetermined wafer cassette 17 from above the wafer mounting table 12.

Further, for example, the above-described wafer loader 16
Between the camera and the card holding mechanism 15, for example, a television camera 19 is provided as a position recognition mechanism for recognizing an accurate position of the semiconductor wafer 11 on the wafer mounting table 12. The obtained imaging signal is configured to be input to the main control unit 20 including, for example, a microcomputer or the like.

A card position recognizing mechanism 21 is provided at a predetermined portion of the wafer mounting table 12, for example, at a side thereof.
As shown in FIG. 1, the card position recognition mechanism 21 includes a light source such as a semiconductor laser emission mechanism 21a, a half mirror 2
1b, a light receiving sensor 21c and the like. Then, a laser beam 23 is irradiated from a semiconductor laser emitting mechanism 21a through a half mirror 21b onto a positioning mark 22 formed on the lower surface of the probe card 14, and the reflected light is bent by a half mirror 21b at a substantially right angle to receive light. It is configured to detect with the sensor 21c.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the alignment mark 22 is provided on the base of the probe card 14, for example,
A plurality of, for example, two, are provided on the lower surface of the disc-shaped printed circuit board 14b, and are composed of, for example, a circular reflecting surface 22a formed in a mirror shape and a cross mark 22b drawn in the reflecting surface 22a. I have. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the probe card 14 of this embodiment is provided with a data storage mechanism 24 such as a nonvolatile memory on a printed circuit board 14b, for example.
The information indicating the relative positional relationship between the intersection of the cross mark 22b and the probe 14a is stored in the data storage mechanism 2.
4 is stored. Such data is written in the data storage mechanism 24 at the time of manufacturing the probe card. The data in the data storage mechanism 24 is read via electrodes (not shown) formed at the end of the printed circuit board 14b as well as electrodes for electrically connecting each probe 14a to a tester (not shown). It is configured to be able to.

In the probing apparatus 10 of this embodiment having the above-described structure, the position, the number, and the like of the electrode pads are different depending on the type of the semiconductor chip. Manual operation or automatic card exchange mechanism (not shown)
Thus, the probe card 14 is arranged on the card holding mechanism 15. The semiconductor wafer 1 to be inspected
The wafer cassette 17 accommodating 1 is placed on a cassette mounting table 18 by manual operation or an automatic transfer robot or the like.

Then, the probing apparatus 10 first sets the card position recognition mechanism 21 so that the card position recognition mechanism 21 is located below one of the alignment marks 22 of the probe card 14.
The wafer mounting table 12 is moved. Then, while irradiating the laser beam 23 to the alignment mark 22 of the probe card 14 from the semiconductor laser emitting mechanism 21a of the card position recognition mechanism 21, the wafer mounting table 12 is moved in the X and Y directions. The laser beam spot is scanned as indicated by the arrow. The reflected light at this time is detected by the light receiving sensor 21c and analyzed by the main controller 20 to recognize the position of the intersection of the cross mark 22b of the alignment mark 22.

Thereafter, the other alignment mark 2
The wafer mounting table 12 is moved so that the card position recognizing mechanism 21 is located below the position 2, and the position of the intersection of the cross mark 22 b of the alignment mark 22 is similarly recognized.

Then, data indicating the relationship between the position of the intersection of the cross mark 22b and the position of the probe 14a is read from the data storage mechanism 24 of the probe card 14, and the main controller 20 reads the data based on the recognition result and the data. , Probe card 1 held by card holding mechanism 15
The position of the fourth probe 14a is recognized.

Next, the semiconductor wafers 11 are taken out one by one from the wafer cassette 17 by the wafer loader 16 and pre-alignment is executed by, for example, detecting the position of the orientation flat of the semiconductor wafers 11 to carry out pre-alignment. It is mounted on a predetermined position on the wafer mounting table 12. At this time, the wafer mounting table 12
Has previously moved to the wafer transfer position on the wafer loader 16 side, and is waiting here.

Thereafter, the wafer mounting table 12 moves below the television camera 19, and the television camera 19 photographs the semiconductor wafer 11 on the wafer mounting table 12, and obtains an image signal of an enlarged image of the semiconductor wafer 11. The video signal of the enlarged image of the semiconductor wafer 11 is input to the main controller 20. The main control unit 20 analyzes this video signal, and determines the position of the semiconductor wafer 11 on the wafer mounting table 12 (from a predetermined position, for example, based on the position of a scribe line formed between the semiconductor chips on the semiconductor wafer 11). Misalignment).

Thereafter, the main control unit 20 determines the position of the probe 14 a of the probe card 14 obtained as described above and the position of the semiconductor wafer 11 on the wafer mounting table 12 based on the wafer mounting table 12. Is calculated, and the calculation result is sent to the drive control device 25. Drive control device 25
Is based on the calculation result of the main control unit 20.
The driving of the wafer mounting table 12 by the die 13 is controlled, and the electrode pads of the semiconductor chips formed on the semiconductor wafer 11 and the probes 14a of the probe card 14 are brought into accurate contact. Then, an electrical characteristic of each semiconductor chip is inspected by a tester (not shown) through the probe 14a.

When the inspection of the electrical characteristics of all the semiconductor chips formed on, for example, one semiconductor wafer 11 is completed in this way, the wafer mounting table 12 moves to the transfer position, and the wafer loader 16 The semiconductor wafer 11 for which the characteristic inspection has been completed is transferred from the wafer mounting table 12 to a predetermined wafer cassette 17 on the cassette mounting table 18.
Housed in

Then, the wafer loader 16 takes out the next semiconductor wafer 11 from the wafer cassette 17, pre-aligns the semiconductor wafer 11, places it on the wafer mounting table 12, and inspects the semiconductor wafer 11 in the same manner as described above. . However, in this case, since the same probe card 14 is used, the position recognition by the card position recognition mechanism 21 is not performed.

As described above, according to the probing apparatus 10 and the probe card 14 of the present embodiment, the cross mark 22b of the two alignment marks 22 provided on the probe card 14 is used as the card position detecting means of the probing apparatus 10. 21 and the probe card 1
4 is detected. The alignment mark 22 stored in the data storage mechanism 24 and the probe 14a
Information indicating the relative positional relationship with the probe 14
The position of a is recognized, and the electrode pads of the semiconductor chips on the semiconductor wafer 11 are brought into contact with the probes 14a.

Accordingly, the position of the probe 14a and the electrode pad can be automatically and promptly and accurately performed without using a microscope or a dummy wafer. Also, for example, when a probe made of a quartz substrate is used, no trace of a needle is attached, so a dummy wafer cannot be used, and when a probe arranged vertically is used,
Electrode pad and probe 14a from above using a microscope
Although it is not possible to observe the contact position with, this case can be dealt with in the same manner as in the above embodiment. Further, by providing an automatic card exchange mechanism for automatically exchanging the probe card 14, a fully automatic probing process which does not require manual needle adjustment can be realized.

In the above embodiment, the probe card 1
4, an example was described in which a data storage mechanism 24 for storing information indicating the relative positional relationship between the alignment mark 22 and the probe 14a was provided. The data can also be input to the main controller 20 or a tester using a floppy disk or the like. In such a case, the probe card 14 and
In order to collate data stored on a floppy disk or the like, it is necessary to provide, for example, means for specifying the probe card 14, for example, a bar code or the like, on the probe card 14, and to read the data to correspond to the data.

As shown in FIG. 5, for example, when a conventionally used probe card 30 is used, an adapter 32 having a plurality of, for example, two alignment marks 31 is fixed to the probe card 30. The positioning mark 31 of the adapter 32 and the probe 3
If the position relative to 0a is measured in advance and stored in a data storage mechanism (not shown) or a floppy disk or the like, it can be applied in the same manner as in the above embodiment.

[0037]

As described above, according to the probing apparatus , the probing method, and the probe card of the present invention, not only can a probe having a normal shape be used, but also a probe formed of a quartz substrate or a probe arranged vertically. Even when used, the positioning of the probe and the electrode pad can be performed automatically, quickly and accurately.
Also, there is no need to use a dummy wafer or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of a probing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of the probing device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of a probe card according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a position recognition step.

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 probing device 12 wafer mounting table 14 probe card 14a probe 14b printed circuit board 21 card position recognition mechanism 21a semiconductor laser emission mechanism 21b half mirror 21c light receiving sensor 21c 22 alignment mark 23 laser beam 24 data storage mechanism

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A card holding means for holding a probe card in which probes are arranged corresponding to electrodes of a semiconductor chip at a predetermined position, and a mounting table which holds a semiconductor wafer on an upper surface and is movable. A wafer position recognizing means for recognizing a position of the semiconductor wafer held on the mounting table; and a position of the semiconductor wafer by the wafer position recognizing means.
Separately from the recognition, a card position detecting means for detecting an alignment mark formed on the probe card and detecting the position of the probe card; and a position recognition result of the wafer position recognizing means and the card position detecting means. The mounting table is driven according to the position recognition result, the electrodes of the semiconductor chips formed on the semiconductor wafer held on the mounting table, and the probe of the probe card held by the card holding means. And a control means for contacting the probing device with the probing device. 2. A probe card mounted on a probing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a base, and probes arranged on said base corresponding to electrodes of a semiconductor chip formed on a semiconductor wafer. A probe card, wherein a positioning mark for recognizing a position of the probe card by the probing device is provided on the base. 3. A card holding means for holding a probe card in which probes are arranged corresponding to electrodes of a semiconductor chip at a predetermined position, and a mounting table configured to hold and move a semiconductor wafer on an upper surface. A step of detecting the position of the semiconductor wafer held on the mounting table, and a step of detecting the position of an alignment mark formed on the probe card separately from the position detection of the semiconductor wafer , Calculating the position information of the detected wafer and the position information of the probe card; and driving the mounting table according to the calculation result to form the semiconductor wafer held on the mounting table. Contacting an electrode of a semiconductor chip with a probe of a probe card held by the card holding means.