JP2972495B2 - Laser diode element visual inspection device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser diode device appearance inspection apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional laser diode element is inspected for its appearance by manually placing a laser diode element 1 in a transparent tray 13 and placing the tray 13 on a mounting table 12 of a microscope 11. Had been inspected. When looking at the opposite surface of the laser diode element 1, as shown in FIG. 4, the transparent tray 13 was turned upside down and the inspection was performed from outside the tray.

Further, when inspecting both light emitting end faces of the laser diode element 1, as shown in FIG.
The mounting table 12 is an inclined mounting table 14 that can be fixed by being inclined at an arbitrary angle, and the laser diode element storage tray 13 is mounted in this state for inspection.

[0004]

In this conventional method for inspecting the appearance of a laser diode element using a microscope, workability is poor, and an enormous amount of time is required for the inspection.

[0005] In addition, there is a problem that the appearance inspection standard varies depending on the skill level of the operator, and a correct inspection is not performed.

Further, the removal of defective elements by tweezers and the alignment of non-defective elements have been performed, and at that time, it has been a factor of causing poor appearance.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a laser diode element appearance inspection apparatus comprising: a laser diode element;
A camera and monitor television for imaging the surface, the N surface, and both light-emitting end surfaces, a handling arm for handling and supplying and storing laser diode elements one by one, and discarding defective appearance elements, and a control for controlling the handling arm. Unit, an image switching control unit for sequentially switching images on the inspection surface, a non-defective product alignment tray, and a defective disposal tray.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

The laser diode element 1 is mounted on a mounting table 12. The mounting table 12 has a transparent element mounting portion. A handling arm 10 is installed adjacent to the mounting table 12, and a non-defective product sorting tray 9 and a defective product disposal tray 8 are installed near the handling arm 10.
A conventionally used handling arm can be used. In this embodiment, a vacuum suction type having an element suction nozzle at the tip was used.

A CCD camera 3 is further provided around the mounting table. The CCD cameras 3 are held by camera holders 4 so as to project the P surface, the N surface, and the light emitting surface of the laser diode element 1, and a total of four CCD cameras 3 are arranged above, below, and on both sides of the laser diode element 1. Each CCD
The camera 3 is connected to an image switching control unit (commercially available, manufactured by Ryoko Co., Ltd., automatic image switcher, TA-204A) 5 and sequentially displays images on a monitor television 6.

The operator sequentially visually inspects the images from the CCD cameras 3 sequentially projected on the monitor television, and sends a signal to the handler control unit 7 when it is determined that the image is defective. If no defect is found even when the last image of the sequentially displayed images reaches the last image, the element is a non-defective element, and the fact is input to the handler control unit 7.

The handler control unit 7 is constituted by a microcomputer, and outputs a control signal to the handling arm 10 based on a signal input by an operator. FIG. 6 shows the operation of the handler control unit.

The handling arm repeats a series of operations of moving the tip of the arm above the element, adsorbing the element, turning the arm, and releasing the adsorption based on the control signal of the handler control section 7, and the non-defective products are aligned on the non-defective product alignment tray. After the defective product is discharged to the defective product disposal tray, it returns to the initial position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the camera holder 4 is an articulated robot, and one CCD camera 3 automatically switches the P-plane, the N-plane, and both of the light-emitting surfaces sequentially to the observer posture. This attitude control is performed by handler control. In this case, the handler control unit also functions as a video switching control unit and performs the operation shown in FIG.

In the case of the second embodiment, since a plurality of cameras 3 are not required, the video switching control section 5 is not required, and the mechanism is mechanically simple. Further, since the setting angle of the camera 3 can be arbitrarily selected, there is a significance that it is possible to judge a minute flaw or the like in which the appearance of the laser diode element 1 is difficult to find.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the states of the P-plane, the N-plane, and both light-emitting planes of the laser diode element are captured by a camera, and the images are sequentially displayed on a monitor television as images.
By automatically representing them one by one, it has become possible to eliminate troublesome manual work. In addition, it is possible to automatically handle the laser diode elements one by one and to arrange the non-defective products without impairing the appearance by tweezers, and to discard the defective products, which has an effect of improving the processing capacity and the yield. Further, since the image can be displayed on the monitor television, a plurality of workers can grasp the state at the same time, and there is an effect that it is possible to eliminate the variation of the inspection standard between workers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a conventional method for inspecting a P plane and an N plane.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a tray mounting method when inspecting the opposite surface.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional method for inspecting both light emitting end faces.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a handler control unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a handler control unit according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Laser diode element 3 Camera 4 Camera holder 5 Video switching control part 6 Monitor television 7 Handler control part 8 Defective disposal tray 9 Good product alignment tray 10 Handling arm 11 Microscope 12 Mounting table 13 Transparent tray 14 Inclined mounting table

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A camera and a monitor television for displaying images on a P-plane, an N-plane and both light-emitting end faces of a laser diode element;
A handling arm for handling and supplying and storing laser diode elements one by one, and discarding defective appearance elements, a control unit for controlling the handling arm, an image switching control unit for sequentially switching images on the inspection surface, and a non-defective product alignment tray. A laser diode element visual inspection device comprising at least a defective waste tray.