JP3215475B2 - Probe 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 probe device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a semiconductor device manufacturing process,
After an IC chip is completed in a wafer, it is divided into individual chips and packaged. Before packaging, a chip test is performed on each chip in the wafer by a probe device to eliminate defective chips. An electrical measurement is made.

A conventional probe device includes a wafer holder 11 movable in X, Y, Z, and θ directions in a housing 10 forming an exterior of the probe device main body 1 as shown in FIG.
And, on the upper side of the wafer holding table 11,
A probe card 2 having a probe needle 21 is provided, the probe card 2 is mounted on the housing 10 via an insert ring 22, and the test head 3 connected to a tester (not shown) is attached to the upper surface of the insert ring 22. It is configured to be rotatable with respect to the housing 10 via the main shaft 12 so as to come and go.

In such an apparatus, the wafer holding table 11 is raised to bring the probe needles 21 into contact with the electrode pads of the IC chips in the wafer W in a state of being aligned, and the test head 3 is moved in a solid line in FIG. As shown in the figure, the insert ring 22 is electrically contacted via the pogo pin 13 and an electrical measurement is performed by a tester (not shown) to determine the quality of the IC chip.

Here, the test head 3 incorporates a large number of electronic components such as a driver sensor board, and the number of input / output pins is increased with the complexity of semiconductor devices. Some are 100 kg.

[0006]

In the above-described apparatus, wafers are measured one by one, and the time required for measurement per wafer may exceed one hour.
In many cases, a large number of probers, for example, 100 or more are installed in order to improve the throughput. On the other hand, in the conventional probe device, the wafer holding table 11 is set to X, Y, Z, θ.
A mechanism for moving the wafer in the direction, a mechanism for transferring the wafer between the wafer cassette and the wafer holding table 11, and a detachable mechanism for easily operating the heavy test head 3 as described above are built in. In addition, since the size of wafers tends to increase in the future, there is a problem that the size of the wafers becomes larger and more, so that a large space is required in order to inspect IC chips on a large number of wafers at the same time. .

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a probe device capable of saving space when inspecting an object to be inspected such as a semiconductor wafer. Is to do.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a probe card having a probe contact on one surface side is mounted on a probe device main body, and the probe contact is brought into contact with an electrode pad of a device under test. In a probe device for electrically measuring a device under test by electrically contacting a test head with the other surface of the probe card, the probe device body
On the bottom side so that it can move along the floor independently
A column with casters and a vertically movable
Elevating member, and a test
Hold the head and remove it from the probe
And an arm for

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a probe contact is made on one side.
Probe card with probe
Contact the probe contact with the electrode pad of the device under test.
The test head on the other side of the probe card.
Probe for making electrical measurement of the device under test by pneumatic contact
In the apparatus, the test head is held while holding the probe.
Test head holding means for attaching and detaching to and from the mounting body
Is independent of the probe device body and the test head.
And a probe card attaching / detaching mechanism for detaching the probe card from the probe device main body or mounting the probe card in the probe device main body while the test head is mounted on the probe device main body. According to a third aspect of the present invention, the test head holding means includes a pair of arms for holding both side surfaces of the test head, and these arms are rotated by a ball screw having oppositely formed screws formed at both ends. It is configured to be opened and closed. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a projection and a recess are formed at positions corresponding to the inner surface of the arm and the side surface of the test head, and the test head is held by engaging the projection and the recess. It is characterized by.

[0010]

When measuring the test object, the test head is placed on the upper surface of the probe device, for example, facing the test object. However, debugging of the probe device, replacement of the test head, or maintenance of the test head is performed. When performing the test, the test head holding means is moved to the vicinity of the corresponding probe device main body, and the test head is held by the holding means, detached from the probe device main body and raised. After a predetermined operation such as maintenance is completed, the test head is placed at the original position. In the case where the probe needle is worn, for example, if the probe head is configured as in the second aspect of the present invention, the probe card is taken out to the outside without being detached from the test head and replaced with another probe card without being detached from the apparatus main body. can do.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are a sectional view and an overall perspective view of a main part of the embodiment of the present invention, respectively. The code is attached. In this embodiment, a test head 3 connected to a tester (not shown) via a cable is detachably mounted on the upper surface of a housing 10 forming an exterior part of the probe device main body 1. And housing 1 as shown in FIG.
Through a circular hole 23 formed at 0, for example, a pogo pin 13 provided on the test head 3 side electrically contacts a later-described insert ring 22.

A projection 15 and a recess 31 are formed on the upper surface side of the housing 10 and the lower surface side of the test head 3, respectively. The test head 3 is positioned with respect to 10. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 32 denotes a probe contact, for example , a CRT used for alignment between a probe needle and an electrode pad on the wafer W, and reference numeral 33 denotes a viewing window formed in the test head 3.

On the other hand, separately from the probe device main body 1,
Test head holding means 4 for holding the test head 3 and attaching and detaching it to and from the apparatus main body 1 is movably provided on the floor surface. The test head holding means 4 includes a pair of arms 41 and 42 for holding both side surfaces of the test head 3.
The arms 41 and 42 are provided so as to be screwed into ball screws 43 having threaded portions formed in opposite directions at both ends, and are configured to be opened and closed by rotation of the ball screws 43. I have.

On the inner surfaces of the arms 41 and 42 and on the side surface of the test head 3, projections 4 are provided at corresponding positions.
4 and a concave portion 34 are formed.
The test head 3 is securely held by the engagement of the concave portion 34. On the outer sides of the arms 41 and 42, there are provided support pieces 45 and 46 for supporting the ball screws 43, respectively. These support pieces 45 and 46 are both ends of the U-shaped fixing plate 5 extending along the ball screws 43. Screw 5
1 and is rotated around the X axis (the direction in which the ball screw 43 extends) by adjusting the screw 51.

The fixed plate 5 includes a rotating member 5 having a T-shaped cross section.
2 is fixed to a vertical end face by a screw 53, and by rotating the screw 53, the screw is rotated around a Y axis (an axis extending horizontally perpendicular to the X axis). The rotating member 52
Is mounted so as to be rotatable around the Z-axis (vertical axis) by adjusting a screw 61 in a concave portion of the elevating member 6. The wire 6 extends in the Z-axis direction and is screwed to the ball screw 63 driven by the motor M.
4 hung. The wire 64 hangs on the back side of the column 62 via a pulley (not shown) at the upper end of the column 62, and a weight (not shown) is attached to the tip (lower end) thereof. The load applied to the ball screw 63 through the member 62 is reduced by the weight. At the lower end of the support column 62, for example, four legs 65 extending radially in the lateral direction and provided with casters 65a are attached so that the test head holding means 4 can move on the floor surface. I have.

A wafer holder 11 movable in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions by a driving mechanism (not shown) is installed in the housing 1, and above the wafer holder 11, A probe card 2 having a probe needle 21 is disposed so as to face the wafer holding table 11. The probe card 2 is fixed to the lower surface of the insert ring 22, and the insert ring 22 is fitted and held in a mounting ring 71.

The periphery of the hole 23 is formed on the head plate 10a, which forms the upper surface of the housing 10, so that the insert ring 22 is moved up and down by a stroke sufficient to move the insert ring 22 into and away from the pogo pin 13 on the test head 3 side. Up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown) at the section (moves in the Z direction)
A Z plate 72 is provided. Further, the Z plate 72 is used to perform fine positioning of the probe needles 21 and the electrode pads on the wafer W in the θ direction (rotation direction about the vertical axis). θ plate 73 that can rotate in the θ direction
Is attached. On the lower surface of the θ plate 73, a pair of L-shaped guide rails 74 and 75
The insert ring 22 is installed so as to extend horizontally outward through a drawer window 76 formed on the front surface, and the insert ring 22 is guided while being held by the guide rails 74 and 75. The position of the probe card 2 with respect to the probing center can be set by, for example, standardizing the outer diameter of the mounting ring 74 and providing stoppers (not shown) on the guide rails 74 and 75. In this embodiment, the mounting ring 71, the Z plate 72, the θ plate 73, and the guide rail 74 constitute a guide rail attaching / detaching mechanism 70.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.
Assuming that the probe card 2 is now set at a position (probing center) below the hole 23 of the head plate 10a as shown in FIG. While approaching the needle 21 and observing through the window 33 of the test head 3 with a microscope or the CRT 32 shown in FIG.
The positioning of the probe needle 21 with respect to the electrode pads in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions is performed by a drive mechanism (not shown) of the wafer holding table 11 and the θ plate 73. Then probe needle 2
1 and the electrode pads are brought into contact with each other, and a tester (not shown) connected to the test head 3 measures IC chips on the wafer W.

For example, when the probe needle 21 is worn and the probe card 2 is replaced, the Z-plate 72 is mounted while the test head 3 is mounted on the head plate 10a.
And insert ring 22 into test head 3
Side pogo pin 13, and then slide the mounting ring 71 along the guide rails 74 and 75 by the operator and pull it out through the window 76 of the housing 10.
The probe card 2 is removed from the mounting ring 71, and another probe card 2 is newly attached to the mounting ring 71.
And the probe card is mounted at a predetermined position (probing center) by the reverse operation. In this case, the operation of pulling out the probe card 2 from the probing center to the outside of the housing 10 and mounting the probe card 2 on the probing center,
A separate operation mechanism may be provided for automation, or the attachment and detachment of the probe card 2 to and from the attachment ring 71 may be performed using a robot arm.

When replacing the performance board of the test head 3, maintenance of the test head 3, etc., the test head holding means 4 is used.
The test head 3 is held and separated from the probe device main body 1 as follows. First, for example, a ball screw 63 is rotated by a motor M to lower the arms 41 and 42 to a position opposed to both side surfaces of the test head 3, and the main body of the holding means 4 is moved by a caster 64 to move the X and Y of the arms 41 and 42. In addition to adjusting the position in the direction, the position in the Z direction is adjusted by the ball screw 63, and the screws 51, 53 and the rotating member 52 are further adjusted to adjust the arm 41, the arm 41 with respect to the test head 3 around the X, Y, and Z axes. 42 is performed.

The arms 41 and 42 are closed by driving the ball screw 43 manually or by a motor (not shown), and the projections 44 on the arms 41 and 42 and the test head 3 are closed.
The test head 3 is held by the arms 41 and 42 by the engagement with the concave portion 34 on the side and only by this engagement or in a state where both side surfaces of the test head 3 are further narrowed, and the test head 3 is separated from the apparatus main body 1 and raised. . Thereafter, the holding means 4 is moved to, for example, another place to perform maintenance of the test head 3 or replacement of the performance board. Test head 3
For returning the test head 3 by the above reverse of the operation after the predetermined work is finished to the original position of the probe apparatus main body 1, but the lower surface side of the upper surface of the projecting portion 14 and the test head 3 in this case the housing 10 The test head 3 is automatically positioned with respect to the housing 10 by engaging with the recess 31.

Although only one probe device main body 1 is shown in FIG. 1 in practice, in a semiconductor memory manufacturing line, for example, one hundred or more probe devices are arranged, while the holding means 4 is, for example, the device main body. One unit is prepared for every ten and several units. Therefore, in such an embodiment, it is possible to significantly save space as compared with a case where a test head attaching / detaching mechanism is provided for each apparatus main body.

In the above, the probe card 2 is
When the probe card 2 is pulled out from the inside, it may be pulled out from, for example, the rear side of the apparatus main body 10. Since the probe card 2 is frequently replaced due to the wear of the probe needle 21, the test card can be tested by using the above-described embodiment. The probe card 2 with the head 3 attached to the probe device body 10
It is convenient because it can be replaced.

The present invention is limited to the above embodiment.
However, various changes are possible within a range of design items.

The object to be inspected is not limited to a semiconductor wafer but may be an LCD substrate or the like.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a test head is provided.
Since the test head holding means for attaching and detaching the probe head to and from the probe device main body is provided, a test head attaching / detaching mechanism for each probe device main body becomes unnecessary, and the test head holding means can be attached to a plurality of probe devices by one. Since it is only necessary to provide the number of the probe units, it is possible to save space. When a large number of probe devices, for example, 100, are installed, it is very effective in terms of space saving.

In this case, the probe card can be exchanged while the test head is mounted on the main body of the probe device, so that the workability can be improved in that different test objects can be handled. good. Further, according to claim 3
Rotation of ball screw with reverse screw formed as shown
The arm is opened and closed by the
By holding both sides of the test head, the structure of the test head holding means
It's easy. Then, as in the fourth aspect of the invention, the arm
When holding the strike head, the projections and
If this is done, the holding will be assured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view showing a main part of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view showing a conventional probe device.

[Description of Signs] 1 Probe device main body 2 Probe card 21 Probe needle 22 Mounting ring 3 Test head 4 Holding means 41, 42 Arm 70 Probe card attaching / detaching mechanism 74 Guide rail

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-85374 (JP, A) JP-A-5-13535 (JP, A) JP-A-2-205335 (JP, A) JP-A 63-85374 93021 (JP, A) JP-A-3-87040 (JP, A) JP-A-5-126902 (JP, A) JP-A-5-15431 (JP, U) JP-A-62-252931 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/66 G01R 31/26

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A probe card having a probe contact on one surface side is mounted on a probe device main body, the probe contact is brought into contact with an electrode pad of a device under test, and a test head is electrically connected to the other surface side of the probe card. A probe device for electrically measuring an object to be inspected by bringing the probe device into electrical contact and moving along the floor surface independently of the probe device body.
A column with casters on the lower end so that it can move,
An elevating member provided on the column so as to be movable up and down;
A probe device provided on a member for holding a test head.
An arm for attaching to and detaching from the main body . 2. A probe card having a probe contact on one surface side is attached to a probe device main body, and the probe contact is brought into contact with an electrode pad of a device under test, and a test head is electrically connected to the other surface of the probe card. A probe head for holding the test head and attaching and detaching the test head to and from the probe device main body, the probe device main body and the test device. A probe card attaching / detaching mechanism for detachably mounting the probe card from the probe device main body or mounting the probe card in the probe device main body while the test head is mounted on the probe device main body while being provided independently and freely movable with respect to the head. Probe device. 3. A probe card having a probe contact on one surface side is mounted on a probe device main body, and the probe contact is brought into contact with an electrode pad of a device under test, and a test head is electrically connected to the other side of the probe card. A probe head for holding the test head and attaching and detaching the test head to and from the probe device main body, the probe device main body and the test device. The test head holding means includes a pair of arms for holding both side surfaces of the test head, and these arms are formed with oppositely oriented screws at both ends. A probe device configured to open and close by rotating a ball screw. 4. A probe card having a probe contact on one surface side is mounted on a probe device main body, and the probe contact is brought into contact with an electrode pad of a device under test, and a test head is electrically connected to the other surface of the probe card. A probe head for holding the test head and attaching and detaching the test head to and from the probe device main body, the probe device main body and the test device. The test head holding means includes a pair of arms for holding both side surfaces of the test head, and a protrusion is provided at a corresponding position between an inner surface of the arm and a side surface of the test head. And a recess, and the projection and the recess are engaged with each other to hold the test head.