JP2940858B2 - IC test equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an IC test apparatus for testing the function of a semiconductor integrated circuit device (hereinafter referred to as an IC). More specifically, the IC is transported, brought into electrical contact with the test section, and the test apparatus is tested. After the test, the IC is unloaded from the test section.
This is an invention in a technical field called a handler that sorts defective products.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A schematic configuration of a conventional IC test apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view. In the figure, reference numeral 100 denotes a chamber section including a test section; 200, an IC storage section for storing ICs to be tested to be tested; IC storage sections for classifying and storing tested ICs; A loader unit 400 is an unloader unit that classifies and extracts tested ICs that have been tested in the chamber unit 100, and a TST is an IC under test loaded in the loader unit 300 and sent to the chamber unit 100. 4 shows a test tray for transporting an IC that tests the IC and transports the tested IC to the unloader unit 400.

The chamber section 100 includes a thermostat 101 for applying a desired high or low temperature stress to the IC under test loaded on the test tray TST.
A test chamber 102 for contacting an IC in a state where heat stress has been applied thereto with a test section, and a test chamber 1
A heat removal tank 103 for removing a given thermal stress from the IC tested in 02. In other words, when a high temperature is applied in the constant temperature bath 101, cooling is performed by blowing air,
The temperature is returned to room temperature and carried out to the unloader section 400. When a low temperature of, for example, about −30 ° C. is applied in the thermostatic bath 101, the air is heated by hot air or a heater to return the temperature to a level that does not cause dew condensation, and is carried out to the unloader unit 400.

A constant temperature bath 101 and a heat removal bath 103 are arranged to protrude above the test chamber 102. As shown in FIG. 5, a substrate 105 is inserted between the constant temperature bath 101 and the heat removal bath 103, and a test tray transport unit 108 is mounted on the substrate 105.
In step 08, the test tray TST is transferred from the heat removal tank 103 to the thermostat 101. Test tray TS
T loads the IC under test in the loader unit 300, and
It is carried to 1. The constant temperature bath 101 is provided with a vertical transfer unit, which supports a plurality of test trays TST and waits until the test chamber 102 becomes empty. During this standby, a high or low temperature stress is applied to the IC under test. A test unit 104 is disposed at the center of the test chamber 102, and the test unit 104
A test tray TST is conveyed onto the test section, and the IC under test is brought into electrical contact with the test section 104 to perform a test. After completing the test, the test tray TST is heat-removed in the heat-removal tank 103,
The temperature of C is returned to room temperature and discharged to the unloader section 400.

[0005] The IC storage section 200 is provided with an IC tester stocker 201 for storing ICs to be tested and a tested IC stocker 202 for storing ICs classified according to the test results. The IC under test 201
Is stored and stored.
The general-purpose tray KST is carried to the loader unit 300, and the general-purpose tray KST carried to the loader unit 300 is transferred from the loader unit 3 to the loader unit 3.
The IC under test is transferred to the test tray TST stopped at 00. General purpose tray KST to test tray TST
As shown in FIG. 5, two rails 301 provided on an upper portion of the substrate 105 are used as IC transport means for transporting the IC to the substrate.
And the test tray TS by these two rails 301
A movable arm 302 capable of reciprocating between the T general-purpose tray KST (this direction is defined as a Y direction), and a movable head 303 supported by the movable arm 302 and capable of moving in the X direction along the movable arm 302. Can be used.
A suction head is attached to the movable head 303 in a downward direction. The suction head moves while sucking air, sucks an IC from the general-purpose tray KST, and transfers the IC to the test tray TS.
Transfer to T. For example, about eight suction heads are mounted on the movable head 303, and convey eight ICs to the test tray TST at a time.

[0006] Between the installation position of the general-purpose tray KST and the test tray TST, there is provided an IC position correcting means 305 (FIGS. 4 and 5) called a precisor. The position correcting means 305 has a relatively deep concave portion, into which the IC sucked by the suction head is dropped. The periphery of the concave portion is surrounded by an inclined surface, and the falling position of the IC is defined by the inclined surface. Therefore, the mutual positions of the eight ICs are defined, and the ICs whose positions are defined are sucked again by the suction head and delivered to the test tray TST. That is, in the general-purpose tray KST, the concave portion for holding the IC is formed relatively larger than the shape of the IC. For this reason, the positions of the ICs stored in the general-purpose tray KST vary greatly. In this state, if it is sucked by the suction head and directly carried to the test tray TST, it cannot be dropped directly into the IC carrier mounted on the test tray TST. For this purpose, a position correcting means 305 is provided.
In step 5, the arrangement accuracy of the IC is matched with the arrangement accuracy of the IC carrier mounted on the test tray TST.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of the test tray TST.
The test tray TST has a plurality of
3 are formed in parallel and at equal intervals, and a plurality of attachment pieces 14 are formed at equal intervals on both sides of these crosses 13 and on sides 12a of the frame 12 facing the crosses 13, respectively.
The carrier accommodating portions 15 are arranged and arranged between the small pieces 13 or between the small pieces 13 and the side 12a and the two mounting pieces 14. One IC carrier 16 is accommodated in each carrier accommodating portion 15, and two mounting pieces 1
4 is attached by a fastener 17 in a floating state. About 16 × 4 IC carriers 16 are mounted on one test tray TST.

The outer shape of the IC carrier 16 has the same shape and the same dimensions, and the IC element is stored in the IC carrier 16. The IC storage section 19 of the IC carrier 16 is determined according to the shape of the IC to be stored. In this example, the IC housing portion 19 is a rectangular recess. At both ends of the IC carrier 16, a hole 21 for attaching to the attaching piece 14 and a hole 22 for inserting a pin for positioning are formed.

The IC carrier 16 is an IC carrier as shown in FIG.
Pin 18 is exposed and held on the lower surface side. Test unit 10
In step 4, the exposed pins 18 of the IC are pressed against the contacts 104A of the IC socket to bring the IC into electrical contact with the test section 104. For this purpose, a pressure contact 20 for holding the IC downward is provided at the upper part of the test section 104, and this pressure contact presses the IC housed in each IC carrier 16 from above and makes the IC come into contact with the test section 104. .

The number of ICs connected to the test section at one time is, for example, 4 ICs arranged in 4 rows and 16 columns as shown in FIG.
The test is carried out once every four rows (shaded area). That is, in the first time, 16 Is arranged in 1, 5, 9, and 13 columns are used.
C is tested, and the second time, the test tray TST is moved by one row to test the ICs arranged in rows 2, 6, 10, and 14 and this is repeated four times to test all the ICs. The test result is stored in an address determined by, for example, an identification number assigned to the test tray TST and an IC number assigned inside the test tray TST.

The unloader section 400 is provided with a horizontal transfer means 404 having the same structure as the horizontal transfer means 304 provided in the loader section 300, and the test tray TST carried out to the unloader section 400 by the horizontal transfer means 404.
The tested IC is transferred to the general-purpose tray KST. In the example shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
Stockers SKT-1, SKT-2, ..., SKT-8
Are provided so that the data can be sorted and stored in a maximum of eight categories according to the test results. In other words, besides the good and defective products, the non-defective products are classified into high-speed, medium-speed, and low-speed products, and defective products requiring retesting.

[0012]

As described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, conventionally, when loading an IC under test from the general-purpose tray KST to the test tray TST, the IC under test is temporarily dropped into the position correcting means 305. Correct the position of the IC to be tested, suck the IC to the suction head again,
I am carrying it to T. For this reason, there is a disadvantage that the transport speed of the IC under test is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide an IC test apparatus capable of improving the speed of transport from a general-purpose tray KST to a test tray TST.

[0014]

According to the present invention, a positioning plate for guiding and dropping an IC to be tested is provided above each IC carrier of a test tray located at a loader portion, and a hole formed in the positioning plate is covered with the positioning plate. By dropping the test IC, the test object I
The position of C is regulated and guided, and the test tray TS
In this configuration, the IC under test is dropped into an IC carrier on T.

[0015]

Therefore, according to the configuration of the present invention, when the IC transport means sucks and picks up the IC under test from the general-purpose tray KST, it can directly transport the IC under test onto the test tray TST. The IC under test carried on the test tray TST is dropped into a hole formed in the positioning plate,
It is loaded on the test tray TST guided by the inclined surface formed in the hole. Therefore, since there is no need to temporarily stop between the general-purpose tray KST and the test tray TST to perform the position correcting operation of the IC under test, there is an advantage that the transport speed of the IC under test can be improved.

[0016]

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the present invention, a positioning plate 311 is provided above the test tray TST stopped at the position of the loader unit 300. The positioning plate 311 is arranged in association with the IC carrier 16 (see FIG. 6) mounted on the test section TST. For this purpose, a frame 312 having the same area and shape of the test tray TST is prepared. Each IC mounted on the test tray TST is
A window 313 is formed facing the carrier 16, and this window 31 is formed.
The positioning plate 311 is attached to each of the three.

As shown in FIG. 2, the positioning plate 311 has a flat plate 311A larger than the shape of the window 313 and a window 31.
3 and a guide portion 311C formed to protrude downward from the edge of the window 311B. As shown in FIG. It is elastically projected and supported.
The frame 312 is pushed upward by the cylinder 315 while the test tray TST moves, and
11C is held above the concave portion of the IC storage portion 19 of the IC carrier 16. The test tray TST is the loader unit 30
When the cylinder 315 moves to the position 0 and stops, the cylinder 315 lowers the frame 312, and the IC mounting the guide portion 311c of the positioning plate 311 on the test tray TST.
It is inserted inside the carrier 16 to approach the state where the head of the IC is reduced.

When the frame 312 is lowered and the positioning plate 311 is close to the IC carrier 16, transfer of the IC under test is started. In other words, general-purpose tray KST
The IC under test taken out of the above is dropped directly into the hole 311B of the positioning plate 311 from the suction head. The dropped IC to be tested is the guide portion 31 of the positioning plate 311.
The position is regulated by the inclined surface of 1C, is defined in an accurate position, and is stored in the IC carrier 16.

For example, eight ICs to be tested are suctioned and conveyed to the suction head at a time, for example, eight ICs at a time. Therefore, test tray TST
, Eight test ICs are carried at a time. When the IC under test is stored in all the IC carriers 16 in the test tray TST, the cylinder 315 raises the frame 312 and the guide portion 311C of the positioning plate 311 is moved to the IC.
Separate from the carrier 16. When the guide portion 311C is separated from the IC carrier 16, the test tray conveying means 1
08 starts moving, and discharges the test tray TST on which the IC under test is mounted from the position of the loader unit 300.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the IC under test is transferred from the general-purpose tray KST to the test tray TST.
Since the positioning plate 311 is arranged at the upper position of the test tray TST when transferring the ICs, the IC under test can be carried directly from the general-purpose tray KST to the test tray TST.

Therefore, the transport time of the IC under test per operation can be reduced to about 1/2 or less of the conventional transport time. Therefore, the IC under test is stored in one test tray TST.
The advantage is that the time for loading is shorter than before.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a configuration of a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining the structure of a positioning plate used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view for explaining a conventional IC test apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the conventional IC test apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a structure of a test tray used in the IC test apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connection state between an IC and a test unit in a test unit used in the IC test apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 8 is a plan view for explaining an IC test order on the test tray shown in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 KST general-purpose tray TST test tray 16 IC carrier 104 test unit 300 loader unit 311 positioning plate 311A flat plate 311B hole 311C guide unit 312 frame 313 window

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G01R 31/26 H01L 21/66

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a loader section, an IC under test mounted on a general-purpose tray is transferred to each IC carrier of a test tray by a horizontal transport means, and the IC under test loaded on the test tray is transferred to a test section via a thermostat. In an IC tester with a structure to be moved and tested in the test section, it is placed in a horizontal position at the test tray stop position of the loader section.
Into a plate with the same shape as the test tray
Thus, a frame formed, a cylinder for raising and lowering this frame, and each of the test trays formed on the plate-shaped frame,
Each of the IC carriers is opposed to each of the IC carriers.
A plurality of windows each having a shape substantially equal to a planar shape and facing the test tray of each of the plurality of windows;
Elastically biased toward the test tray on the surface side
A hole that is supported and has the same shape as the window
Gradually taper toward the IC carrier in the above test tray
Positioning press with a guide having an inclined surface
IC test apparatus characterized by having a structure in which the over preparative, a.