JP3245227B2 - 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 semiconductor wafer, it is divided into individual chips and packaged. Before packaging, a chip test is performed on each chip of the semiconductor wafer by a probe device to eliminate defective chips. A called electrical measurement is made.

In this probe apparatus, as shown in FIG. 4, a wafer holder 11 is mounted on a drive mechanism 1 movable in X, Y, Z, and θ directions. A probe card 13 having probe needles 12 arranged corresponding to an electrode pad arrangement of one IC chip in a semiconductor wafer W is arranged.

A series of processes in probing will be described. First, the wafer holding table 11 is placed at a position closer to the right side in FIG. 1, and the wafer is transferred from the wafer storage section 14 onto the wafer holding table 11 by a transfer means (not shown). Then, the wafer holding table 11 is moved to, for example, the lower side of the probe card 13 so that the probe needles 12 are brought into contact with the surface of the wafer W to leave a needle mark, and then moved to the left end side in FIG. While observing the needle mark on the wafer W with a TV camera or the like, the deviation of the wafer W from the reference position of the wafer W with respect to the reference position in the X, Y, and θ directions is obtained. Move it down.

The wafer holder 11 stops so that the wafer W is set at the reference position on the basis of the deviation of the wafer W from the reference position. After the positioning of the electrode pad of the IC chip and the probe needle 12 is performed in this way, the probe needle 12 and the electrode pad are brought into contact with each other, and the electrode is inserted through the insert ring 16 including the probe needle 12 and the pogo pin 15. The pads are electrically connected to the test head 17, and the quality of the IC chip is determined by performing an electrical measurement using a high frequency. As shown in FIG. 5, a large number of, for example, several hundred
0 are arranged in the X and Y directions.
1 is moved stepwise in the X and Y directions, and the IC chip 1
0 is measured.

[0006]

However, in the above-described apparatus, in order to measure all the IC chips 10 on the wafer W, the driving mechanism (index mechanism) 1 uses the wafer holding table 11 corresponding to the arrangement of the IC chips 10. Are moved in the X and Y directions, and extremely high stop position accuracy is required in each of the X and Y directions.
Were complex and large in structure and expensive.

Further, the wafer holder 11 must be moved stepwise by the number of times corresponding to the number of IC chips. In addition, since the wafer holder 11 is quite heavy, vibration remains when the wafer holder 11 stops, and this vibration stops. The next I until
You have to wait for the measurement of the C chip. Accordingly, when a large number of, for example, hundreds of IC chips are formed in the semiconductor wafer W, the total time required to start measuring the next IC chip after measuring one IC chip is extremely long. Therefore, there is a problem that the time required for electrical measurement of one semiconductor wafer is long and the throughput is low. In particular, when the time required for one IC chip is short, the time required for the step movement has a large effect on the throughput.

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a probe apparatus which can reduce the size of the apparatus and obtain a high throughput.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the contact means arranged on the probe card is brought into contact with the electrode pads of the plurality of chips to be inspected arranged on the inspected object on the inspected object holding table. In a probe device for performing an electrical measurement by a tester, contact means corresponding to the electrode pads of all the chips to be inspected and contacting the electrode pads at once are provided on the probe card, and the probe card The electrode pad of the object to be inspected located below is imaged through the optical path below the probe card, and the contact means is connected to the probe card.
Imaging via the optical path below the probe card
An imaging unit for positioning provided movably below the touching unit ; and an inspection object for adjusting a position of the inspection object with respect to the contact unit in a plane direction with respect to the contact unit based on an imaging result of the imaging unit. A position adjusting mechanism for relatively moving and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the test object holding table relative to the contact means after the alignment is performed are provided. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a contact means arranged on a probe card is brought into contact with electrode pads of a plurality of chips to be inspected arranged in the X and Y directions on the inspected object on the inspected object holding table. In a probe device for performing electrical measurement by a tester, contact points corresponding to the electrode pads of all the chips to be inspected in a row arranged in one of the X and Y directions, respectively, and being collectively contacted with each electrode pad Means are provided on the probe card, an electrode pad of the device under test located below the probe card is imaged through an optical path below the probe card, and the contact means is probed. Image via the optical path below the probe card, and
An imaging means for positioning provided to be able to move back and forth, and a test object holding table for adjusting a relative position of the test object in the planar direction with respect to the contact means based on an imaging result of the imaging means. And a position adjusting mechanism for relatively moving the test object holding table with respect to the contact means in order to sequentially contact the contact means with each row of the chip to be inspected after the position adjustment is performed. And a moving mechanism for moving the test object holding table up and down relatively to the contact means.

[0011]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, after the test object is held on the test object holding table, the positional relationship between the electrode pads of the test object and the contact means is grasped by the imaging means , and these positions are matched. The inspection object holding table is moved in the X, Y, and θ (rotation) directions by the position adjustment mechanism as described above. Next, the test object holding table is raised by the elevating mechanism to bring the electrode pads of the test object into contact with the contact means at a time, and an electrical measurement is performed by a tester. Therefore, it is not necessary to sequentially move the object to be inspected stepwise, thereby improving the throughput.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, X
Since the contact means contacts the inspected portion chips arranged in the direction (Y direction) at once, it is sufficient to move the inspected object stepwise only in the Y direction (X direction). Since the drive mechanism (index mechanism) may be provided, the apparatus configuration is simple and high throughput can be achieved.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side view showing the entire configuration of the embodiment. In this embodiment, a housing 20 serving as an exterior part of the probe device main body is used.
Inside, an inspection object holding table, for example, a wafer holding table 2 is installed. The wafer holding table 2 is supported by a rotation mechanism 3 including a motor (not shown) for rotating around a vertical axis, Below the rotating mechanism 3, there is provided an elevating mechanism 31 having, for example, an elevating shaft and a drive source (not shown) for elevating the elevating mechanism 3 (that is, elevating the wafer holding table 2).

An X-direction fine movement mechanism 41 and a Y-direction fine movement mechanism 42 are provided below the elevating mechanism 31 so as to finely move the wafer holding table 2 in the X and Y directions by several IC chips, respectively. I have. These fine movement mechanisms 41 and 42
For example, a mechanism using a ball screw or a piezo element can be used. In this embodiment, the X-direction fine movement mechanism 4
The 1 and Y direction fine movement mechanism 42 and the rotation mechanism 3 constitute a position adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the wafer W in the planar direction.

A probe card 5 is provided above the wafer holder 2.
Is attached to the housing 20 via an insert ring 51. The probe card 5 includes all the chips to be inspected, for example, ICs arranged on the wafer W to be inspected.
Contact means, such as conductive projections 52, which are arranged corresponding to the electrode pads of the chip and are brought into contact with the electrode pads at a time, are provided. The conductive projections 52 can absorb variations in height. Sheet 53 made of elastic material
Are arranged on the surface.

The back side (upper side) of the probe card 5
Are connected to the signal lines on the test head 54 side, respectively.
A so-called pogo pin 55 constantly biased in the protruding direction is provided, and a switch unit 56 is interposed between the pogo pin 55 and the conductive projection 52. For example, when the signal lines on the test head 54 side are provided in an amount corresponding to one electrode pad of the IC chip, the switch unit 56 divides the group of the signal lines into conductive lines corresponding to the electrode pads of each IC chip. For example, a relay matox circuit is configured to switch and connect to the group of the sex protrusions 51. The signal line on the test head 54 side is, for example, I
It may be provided in an amount corresponding to two or more electrode pads of the C chip, or may be provided in an amount corresponding to the electrode pads of all the IC chips on the wafer. In the latter case, the switch section 56 becomes unnecessary. .

In the gap between the wafer holder 2 and the probe card 5, a cylindrical alignment member having openings 61, 62 at the upper and lower surfaces at the center as shown in FIGS. The holding member 6 is provided to be able to advance and retreat, and the holding member 6 is guided at two ends by two guide rails 21, 21 provided on the inner side of the upper surface of the housing 20, and the lower side of the conductive projection 52. It is configured to be able to move between the housing 20 and a corner of the housing 20 that is outside the elevating area of the wafer holding table 2.

At a side end of the holding member 6, for example, an alignment for switching between low-magnification display and high-magnification display is provided so that an optical axis is formed in the length direction by the holding member 6. A TV camera 63 as an image pickup means is attached, and an image of the conductive protrusion 52 taken in from the opening 61 is reflected at the center of the holding member 6 to reflect the image.
3 is provided with a half mirror M1.

Further, in the holding member 6, a position opposite to the TV camera 63 with respect to the half mirror M1 and
A total reflection mirror M2 is disposed on the optical axis in the V camera 63, and the total reflection mirror M2 is
After the image on the surface of the upper wafer W is reflected by the half mirror M1 through the opening 62 toward the total reflection mirror M2, the image is totally reflected toward the half mirror M1. In this example, an optical system member is configured by the half mirror M1 and the total reflection mirror M2.

The half mirror M1 is arranged so that it can move horizontally within a region corresponding to a region from one end to the other end of each row of IC chips arranged on the wafer W.
One moving means 64 is provided. A transfer unit A (see FIG. 1) having, for example, an arm for transferring the wafer W between the wafer holding table 2 and a wafer carrier (not shown) is provided. Various means such as a belt mechanism can be used as the transfer means A.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. First, a semiconductor wafer W to be inspected is placed on a wafer holding table 2 from a carrier (not shown) by a transport mechanism A via an alignment table (not shown) for aligning an orientation flat (orientation flood). On this wafer W, for example, 8 mm × 12
Hundreds of IC chips, which are chips to be inspected having a diameter of mm, are formed. Next, the holding member 6 for alignment is positioned between the probe card 5 and the wafer W, and the TV camera 6
The X-direction fine movement mechanism 41, the Y-direction fine movement mechanism, and the rotation mechanism 3 observe the conductive protrusions 52 and the image on the surface of the wafer W by using
The C chips are aligned in the X, Y, and θ directions.

Regarding the observation of the image, the conductive projection 5
1 is reflected by the half mirror M1 and the TV camera 6
3 and an image on the surface of the wafer W is taken into the TV camera 63 along the path of the half mirror M1, the total reflection mirror M2, and the half mirror M1. In this case, the half mirror M1 is moved to the mirror moving mechanism 64.
By moving the holding member 6 in the Y-direction and moving the holding member 6 in the Y-direction, it is possible to observe any part of the IC arrangement region of the wafer W.

After the positioning is completed, the alignment holding member 6 is retracted from the position below the probe card 5, and the wafer holding table 2 is then raised by the elevating mechanism 31 to move all the electrode pads on the wafer W. Are collectively brought into contact with the conductive protrusions 52, and thereafter, the electrical measurement is performed by a tester (not shown) while the connection between the conductive protrusions 51 and the signal path on the test head 54 side is switched by, for example, the switch unit 56 as described above. To determine the quality of the IC chip. The wafer W having been inspected in this manner is returned to a carrier (not shown) by the transport mechanism A.

The data obtained by the inspection is stored online or via a floppy disk in the memory of the host computer of the dedicated marking machine, and the inspected wafer W is also stored in the data of the host computer by the dedicated marking machine. Marking is performed.

In the above description, the contact means is not limited to the conductive projection 51, but may be a probe needle. Further, the orientation of the wafer W may be aligned on the wafer holder 2 using the rotation mechanism 3.

In the above-described embodiment, since the contact means is brought into contact with the electrode pads of all the IC chips on the wafer W at once, it is not necessary to move the wafer holder every time the IC chips are measured. As a result, the inspection time required for one wafer W is shortened, so that high throughput can be achieved. In order to move the wafer holder stepwise, a drive mechanism (index mechanism) is required in the X and Y directions by a length corresponding to the size of the wafer W. In the above-described embodiment, the X and Y directions are required. However, since there is only a need for a fine movement mechanism for position adjustment, the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In this embodiment, a chip to be inspected, for example, an IC chip arranged in X and Y directions on a wafer W is provided on a probe card 7. For example, a contact means such as a probe needle 71 is arranged so as to correspond to all the electrode pads of one row of IC chips (hatched portions) arranged in the Y direction among 70, and is brought into contact collectively. Note that one row of IC chips arranged in the Y direction refers to the longest row of each row arranged in the Y direction. The probe card 7 is attached to the housing via an insert ring (not shown in FIG. 3) as in the previous embodiment, and the signal lines on the test head side and the probe needles are connected to each other. Or if the number of signal lines is smaller than the number of probe needles, they are connected via a switch unit.

The rotation mechanism 3, the elevating mechanism 31, and the Y-direction fine movement mechanism 41 are provided below the wafer holding table 2 as in the previous embodiment. Is provided with a moving mechanism 8 including a motor 81 and a ball screw 82 so as to move the wafer holding table 2 in the X direction between the transfer area S1 of the wafer W and the alignment area S2.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the wafer holding table 2 is positioned in the transfer area S1, where the wafer W is mounted on the wafer holding table 2 by a transfer mechanism (not shown). The process is performed while the wafer holding table 2 is positioned in the alignment region S2 and the surface of the wafer W is observed by, for example, a TV camera (not shown).

The electrical measurement is performed such that the probe needles 71 are brought into contact with all the electrode pads of the IC chips 70 in a row in the Y direction on the wafer W at one time.
The wafer holder 2 is step-moved by the moving mechanism 8 to sequentially measure the IC chips 70 in each row.

According to this embodiment, since the probe needles 71 come into contact with one row of IC chips at a time, the wafer holders need to be step-moved only in one direction (for example, the X direction). The time required for moving the wafer holder 2 (the time required for indexing) is shorter than in the case of measuring an IC chip, and the throughput can be improved.

Further, since there is no need for a moving mechanism for moving the wafer holder 2 stepwise in another direction (for example, the Y direction), the apparatus configuration is simple, and when a Y direction moving mechanism is provided, the wafer holder 2 in the X direction can be moved. Y over the entire moving area
While a width corresponding to the length of the moving path in the direction is required, in this embodiment, a moving path for the step movement in the Y direction is not required, so that the apparatus can be downsized.
As the contact means, a conductive protrusion can be used instead of the probe needle 71 as in the above embodiment. Here, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the probe card 7 is similar to the previous embodiment.
The wafer W may be transferred and positioned below the wafer W. In this case, the moving area in the X direction only needs to be the length required for the step movement of the wafer W.

Further, in the present invention, in order to position the wafer W below the probe card, a mechanism such as an alignment holding member 6 that can move back and forth is not necessarily required. Other means can be taken, such as observing the oblique direction.

[0034]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the contact means collectively contact the electrode pads of all the chips to be inspected on the object to be inspected, the object to be inspected does not need to be moved stepwise. Therefore, the time required for inspection is short, high throughput can be obtained, and the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, X
Since the contact means collectively contacts all the electrode pads of the chips to be inspected (corresponding to an IC chip in the embodiment) arranged in a line in the direction (Y direction), the test object holding table is moved in the Y direction (X direction). Direction), the inspection time is short, and high throughput can be obtained.
Further, the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overview of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view showing the entire configuration of the embodiment.

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

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

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an arrangement of IC chips on a semiconductor wafer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Wafer Holder 3 Rotation Mechanism 31 Elevation Mechanism 41 Y-direction Fine Movement Mechanism 42 X-direction Fine Movement Mechanism 5, 7 Probe Card 52 Conductive Protrusion 6 Alignment Holding Member 63 TV Camera 71 Probe Needle

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A probe device for performing an electrical measurement by a tester by bringing a contact means arranged on a probe card into contact with electrode pads of a plurality of chips to be inspected arranged on an inspected object on an inspected object holding table. In the probe card, contact means respectively corresponding to the electrode pads of all the chips to be inspected and contacting the respective electrode pads at a time are provided on the probe card, and the electrode pads of the inspected object located below the probe card are provided. Is imaged through an optical path below the probe card, and the contact means is imaged through an optical path below the probe card , and moves forward and backward below the contact means of the probe card.
And a position adjustment unit for relatively moving the object to be adjusted in order to adjust the position of the object with respect to the contact unit in the planar direction based on the imaging result of the imaging unit. A probe device, comprising: a mechanism; and an elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the object-to-be-inspected holder relative to contact means after the alignment is performed. 2. A method in which a contact means arranged on a probe card is brought into contact with electrode pads of a plurality of chips to be inspected arranged in the X and Y directions on an inspected object on an inspected object holding table, and the tester electrically connects the electrode pads. In the probe device for performing a specific measurement, the probe card includes contact means corresponding to the electrode pads of all the chips to be inspected in a row arranged in one of the X and Y directions, and contacting the electrode pads collectively. An electrode pad of an object to be inspected located below the probe card is imaged through an optical path below the probe card, and the contact means is located below the probe card. An image is taken through the optical path, and the probe moves forward and backward below the contact means of the probe card.
An image pickup unit for positioning provided in the apparatus, and based on an image pickup result of the image pickup unit, in order to adjust a relative position of the test object with respect to the contact unit in the plane direction,
A position adjusting mechanism for relatively moving the test object holding table; and, after the alignment is performed, the test object holding table with respect to the contact means in order to sequentially contact the contact means with each row of the chip under test. A moving mechanism for relatively moving the object-to-be-inspected holding table relative to the contact means. And a probe device.