JP3270421B2 - Single wafer type semiconductor IC wafer direct current temperature 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 energization temperature test apparatus, especially a wafer direct test, which is indispensable for determining the life of an IC such as a high-temperature energization test required for reliability evaluation of a semiconductor IC.
This is a device that is useful for contacts and that can perform inexpensive and error-free testing. The present invention is a semiconductor IC
Insulation temperature test equipment, especially useful for wafer direct, which is indispensable for determining the life of ICs, such as high-temperature energization tests, necessary for characteristic inspection and reliability judgment of small devices such as For example, the test is performed at a low cost without causing a malfunction by making the thickness 100 μm or less.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a high-temperature storage test apparatus for individual components is generally placed in a large-sized constant-temperature chamber with a large number of devices to be tested mounted on a plurality of socket boards and left for a long time. A semiconductor IC wafer direct energization high-temperature storage test apparatus has been developed based on the method. For this reason, in order to increase the diameter of the wafer and to correct for temperature expansion, align the micron unit, etc. under a large temperature change, the equipment becomes complicated and the price is high. There remain many issues to be solved, such as economics. Particularly important probe pin and the probe pin module power-on test, difficult manufacturing operation as the inspection target decreases, and against temperature variations, alignment between the object to be inspected wafer is greatly affected. The probe pin module used in conventional high-temperature high-temperature storage test equipment solves this problem by matching the thermal expansion coefficient of the module body with the thermal expansion coefficient of the inspection target, for example, a silicon wafer. There is a limitation on the selection of the wafer, processing is difficult, and there are problems of self-heating when the wafer is energized, difficulty in controlling the temperature atmosphere, and running costs.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for directly conducting a current-carrying temperature test on a plurality of functional elements without cutting the wafer, in which a large number of prober pins are used. In this way, uniform and reliable pin contact pressure, accurate alignment of wafer prober pins to the wafer, and small probe / pin arrangement per unit area and processing of their lead lines are simple and compact. -It should be able to be implemented at low cost. In particular, if these are to be carried out with a material having a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion, the material will be limited, and in particular, a material suitable for the coefficient of thermal expansion of a silicon wafer will be difficult to process and expensive. Become. The present invention provides a means for freely performing a daily energized high-temperature storage test at a low cost, using an inexpensive and easy-to-process material that is optimally used as a probe pin module regardless of the thermal expansion coefficient of the material. is there.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor IC wafer, comprising: a chamber for receiving a semiconductor IC wafer and a wafer probe pin module which are temporarily fixed after alignment and are not yet cut; Pressing means for pressing the wafer probe pin module in a contact direction, heating / cooling means for heating / cooling the semiconductor IC wafer to a predetermined temperature, and a semiconductor IC wafer and a wafer probe pin module Detecting means for detecting a difference in the amount of thermal expansion in the direction of mutual alignment with the wafer and the wafer so as to eliminate the difference in the amount of thermal expansion based on the output of the detecting means.
This is a single-wafer type semiconductor IC wafer direct current temperature test apparatus including direct heating / cooling control means for heating / cooling control of the prober pin module.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pressing means for pressing the one end of the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module in the mutual alignment direction as a fixed end against the same reference plane, Means for detecting a change in the position of each of the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module at a free end opposite to the fixed end; and a difference for detecting a difference between outputs of the position detection means. Direct heating / cooling control for heating / cooling the wafer prober pin module, comprising:
2. A single-wafer semiconductor IC wafer direct current temperature test apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling control means includes a control loop for performing negative feedback control based on the output of the difference detection means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a position detecting means for detecting a change in the position of each of the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module is provided for each of the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module. Comprising a piston of the same material connected to the free end,
The difference detection means is constituted by a differential transformer having a reference end and a measurement input end, one of the pistons is connected to a reference end of the difference detection means, and the other piston is connected to a measurement input end of the difference detection means. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein
It is a test device of the description .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a displacement amplification mechanism using a lever is interposed between each of the pistons and a reference end and a measurement input end of the difference detecting means.
3. The test apparatus according to item 3 .

[0008]

The wafer to be inspected is set at the inspection temperature, and the temperature is individually controlled so that the thermal expansion of the wafer probe pin module becomes the same as that of the wafer. Eliminates misalignment of probe pins and modules made of different materials from wafers at any set temperature, enables highly efficient and reliable high-temperature energization test at low cost, and operates at low running cost can do. In particular, significant improvements can be expected in reducing the production cost and improving the reliability of the chip size sealed semiconductor IC.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
Inspection wafer 1 having bump or bond pad 1a
And the probe pin module 2 for wafer direct contact mounted with a spring-loaded probe pin 2a for energizing the wafer to be inspected, are aligned using the aligner 17, and are aligned with, for example, an air chuck. It is temporarily held, and after positioning, it is temporarily fixed together with the air chuck by the clamp 4a. A chuck holder 4 having a mechanism capable of positioning and a temporary fixing mechanism is prepared for each type of wafer to be inspected and according to a required processing amount.

As shown in FIG. 4, a heating block 3a for setting a test temperature of an inspection wafer and a heating block 3b for a probe pin module, and a heating block 3b for the probe pin module are separately provided as shown in FIG. Temperature controllers 11a and 11b (heating / cooling means) capable of controlling the temperature, and a press 7 for surely bringing the wafer 1 to be inspected into contact with all the probe pins 2a of the probe pin module 2.
(Pressurizing means). A necessary power supply / signal is supplied from the power supply / signal source 8 to the wafer 1 to be inspected from the outside via the probe pin module 2 so that the test can be performed.

The dimensions of the chuck holder 4 due to the temperature expansion of the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2
A stopper gauge 12 for fixing one of the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 necessary for detecting the amount of positional change is provided, and a detection contact end 13 is provided at the other free end. Make contact with spring. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a detection piston 14 following the detection contact end 13 and a position detector 15 such as an operation transformer for converting a size / position error detection amount by these into an electric quantity.
So that the temperature of the probe pin module heating block 3b can be controlled using the output of the dimensional error detection amplifier circuit 9 for detecting and amplifying the difference between the electrically converted dimensional and positional error detection amounts. . The dimension / position error detection amount enables a test under any temperature environment with higher accuracy using a mechanical amplification mechanism 16 by leverage as required.

Referring to FIG. 1, the gist of the present invention will be described. First, the wafer prober 2 having the probe pins 2a arranged in accordance with the pattern of the bumps or bond pads 1a of the wafer 1 to be inspected is aligned using the aligner 17 as shown in FIG.
1A, the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pins 2a of the wafer prober 2 are brought into contact with each other.
(B) clamp was attached to the chuck holder 4 as of 4
Then, the chuck holder 4 is placed in the burn-in chamber 6 so that a heating / cooling energization leaving test can be performed. Examples of burn-in test equipment using this chuck holder are found in Matsushita Communication Industrial, Tokyo Electron, and the like, and reports can be found in Nikkei Micro Devices, February 1999, etc.

In the chamber 6, the chuck holder 4 is provided.
The wafer to be inspected 1 and the probe pin module 2 which are temporarily fixed are sandwiched between the heating blocks 3a and 3b from above and below, and further pressed from above so that all the probe pins 2a are completely in contact with the wafer to be tested. Press with 7. After all the probe pins 2a have come into contact with the bumps or bond pads 1a of the wafer 1 to be inspected, necessary power and signals are applied from the power / signal source 8 so that a heating / cooling energization test can be performed.

Referring to FIG. 2, an operation procedure according to the present invention will be described. First, the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 are set on the aligner 17, and the prober pins 2a are accurately aligned with the bumps or bond pads 5 of the wafer 1 to be inspected. The inspection wafer 1 and the wafer prober 2 are both temporarily fixed. As is well known as a method of aligning with the aligner, a small hole for alignment provided in the probe pin module is passed, and the target position of the wafer to be inspected below is adjusted with the lens.

Thereafter, the chuck holder 4 in which the wafer 1 and the probe pin module 2 are temporarily fixed by the clamp 4a is taken out from the aligner 17, and the wafer 1 and the probe pin module 2 are removed from the chamber 6 together with the chuck holder 4.
The prober pin 2a is pressed against the wafer 1 by a press 7 provided in the chamber 6 until both the wafer-side heating blocks 3a are at an appropriate pressure, and is heated from above and below by the heating blocks 3a and 3b. The required power and signal are supplied from the power and signal source 8 while maintaining the temperature, and the heating and energizing operation is performed.

In this case, if necessary, the heating block can be supported by a plurality of springs or bowl-shaped rollers to make it even more planar, and the chamber 6 can be closed and an economic test in a nitrogen gas atmosphere can be performed. Become.

When the heating and energization standing test is completed, the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2
The wafer 1 and the probe pin module 2 are removed from the chuck holder 4 together with the chuck holder 4. After the inspection, the wafer is returned to the next step. On the other hand, the probe pin module 2 and the chuck holder 4 are returned to the original state, a new wafer is set, and the next energization test is prepared.

When the above-described heating and energization standing test is performed, the contact between the wafer 1 and the prober pins 2a due to the alignment between the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 at room temperature naturally changes the temperature of the wafer 1 to be inspected. Go with it. In particular, when the temperature expansion coefficient of the wafer 1 to be inspected is different from that of the probe pin module 2, the difference is remarkable. A mechanism for correcting this displacement is provided in the chuck holder 4 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the concept of correcting the above-mentioned shift due to temperature. The two types of substrates or wafers 1 are heated by their own temperature controllers 11a, respectively, and the reference substrate or wafer 1a is first brought to a predetermined target temperature.
Next, the change due to the expansion due to the temperature change is detected by the dimensional position error detector 10, and the difference between the dimensional position change detected in the same manner on the other substrate to be followed or the wafer 1 b is determined. The signal is processed by the error detection amplifier 9,
With the output, the substrate to be followed or the wafer 1b
The substrate or wafer 1b is heated and cooled by the temperature controller 11b by negative feedback control until the substrate to be followed or the dimensional change of the wafer 1b becomes the same as that of 1a. .

FIG. 4 shows the concept of a temperature expansion correction method in which the above idea is applied to the above-described heating and energization test apparatus. The heating block 3a for the wafer to be inspected and the corresponding heating block 3b for the probe pin module are applied from above and below the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 set so as to face the chuck holder 4 vertically. The wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 are directly heated.

When the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 are set so as to face up and down the chuck holder 4, one end of each of them is brought into close contact with a stopper gauge 12 attached to the chuck holder, and the other end after alignment. The dimension difference detection amplifier circuit 9 detects and amplifies those differences at the same time as measuring the dimensions and positions of the ends. Note that the stopper gauge 12 moves the wafer 1 in the displacement measurement direction (X-axis).
And one end of the probe pin module 2 is fixed, but a similar stopper gauge is also provided in the Y-axis direction to fix one end of the wafer 1 and the probe pin module 2 in the Y-axis direction, thereby allowing temperature expansion in the Y-axis direction. By making the amount correction the same as in the X-axis direction, accuracy can be improved.

In this state, first, the wafer heating block 3
When the wafer 1 to be inspected as a reference is heated to a predetermined temperature, for example, 125 ° C., a difference between the thermal expansion and the temperature of the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 occurs.
Differences in dimensions and positions occur. Therefore, the size / position difference output between the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 detected and amplified by the size difference detection / amplification circuit 9 is converted to the size / position
Negative feedback control is performed on the temperature controller 5 of the probe pin module heating block 3b so that the position difference becomes zero.

FIG. 5 shows the chuck holder 4 and the chamber 6.
The following shows specific examples of setting and amplification of the size / position difference detection. When the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 are set so as to face up and down the chuck holder 4, the wafer 1 to be inspected is attached to the stopper gauge (upper) 12a and the stopper gauge (lower) 12b attached to the chuck holder. One end of each probe pin module 2 is brought into close contact with each other, and after being aligned with each other, the provisionally fixed state is set in the chamber 6 and pressed.
After that, the contact detecting end 13 is attached to the other ends of the piston 14 with the spring 14 in the direction of the stopper gauge 12. This 2
The piston 14 pulls out the size / position output of the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 out of the chamber, detects the size / position difference and amplifies the signal in a stable environment, and then outputs the amplified output. The signal is subjected to negative feedback control of the probe pin module heating block 3b with an electric signal obtained by the position signal converter 15 such as a differential transformer, and the dimension / position difference between the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 is reduced to zero. I do. Here, a position signal converter 15 (reference end) using a variable resistor, a differential transformer or the like is directly connected to the main body of the piston 14, and the other piston output is connected to a position input terminal of the differential transformer equal position signal converter 15. How to get the mechanical differential signal attached, one of the piston output fulcrum,
A method of using a mechanical amplifying mechanism 16 having a lever with the other as a power point and converting an amplified difference detection output into an electric signal by a differential transformer equipositional signal converter 15 'is also shown. Either signal can be selected depending on the accuracy. Note that the mechanical amplification mechanism 16 is also provided between the main body (reference end) of the position signal converter 15 ′ and the piston 14 on the wafer 1 side.

FIG. 6 shows a specific example of an electric circuit for detecting the size / position difference and performing negative feedback control. The differential output of the bridge circuit 19 which is driven by the excitation power source 18, one of the initial zero-point correction variable resistor 20 before heating also the other taken out through a differential transformer 15 described above, the respective output Is amplified by the differential amplifier 21 and used for negative feedback control to the probe pin module heating block 3b.

In the above embodiment, when performing a low-temperature test, the heating blocks 3a and 3b may be cooling blocks for cooling the wafer 1 and the probe pin module 2. Further, instead of the heating block 1a for the wafer 1, an atmosphere temperature control system for controlling the temperature of the atmosphere in the chamber can be used. Also in this case, the temperature control of the probe pin module 2 is performed by using a direct overheating / cooling temperature control device such as a heating block 3b independent of the atmosphere temperature control system as in the embodiment, and the probe pin module 2 is controlled separately from the chamber atmosphere. Perform temperature control.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, negative feedback control is performed to the temperature controller 5 of the probe pin module heating block 3b so that the size and position difference due to the temperature change between the wafer 1 to be inspected and the probe pin module 2 becomes zero. The configuration is such that the thermal expansion amount of each of the wafer 1 and the probe pin module 2 is measured in advance in accordance with the temperature, and when the test temperature is set for the wafer, the respective thermal expansion amounts become equal. The control temperature data may be supplied to the heating block 3b of the probe pin module 2, and the heating block 3b may perform the temperature controlled heating targeting the control temperature. In this case, there is no need for a negative feedback control loop that detects a size / position difference due to a temperature change between the wafer 1 and the probe pin module 2 and makes the difference zero.

[0027]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the wafer and the professional
Detects the difference in thermal expansion of
Raise the temperature of the probe pin module so that the difference disappears.
Since it is controlled independently of EHA, the problem of poor contact caused by the alignment between the wafer to be inspected and the probe pin module due to the temperature change, which accompanies the electric heating test, is completely eliminated, and the reliability is extremely high. Conduct wafer temperature test
Can be. In addition , a simple, stable and reliable electric heating test can be performed, and a significant cost reduction can be expected.
In addition, the equipment becomes smaller and simpler, and if multiple probe pin modules and chuck holders are prepared for each type of wafer, high-precision and efficient energization tests can be performed even in small-scale production of many types. The reliability test of the device can be easily performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the difference in the amount of thermal expansion between the wafer and the probe pin module is detected as the positional displacement of each end of the wafer and the probe pin module. Temperature control is performed by negative feedback control independently of the wafer.
Individual temperature control can be performed so that a positional shift between the wafer to be inspected and the probe pin module due to a temperature change does not occur at all.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the differential transformer coupled to the displacement detecting piston is used as the difference detecting means, highly accurate detection and control can be performed with a simple configuration.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the displacement amplifying mechanism using the lever is utilized, it is possible to control the thermal expansion amount detection and the positional deviation cancellation with high accuracy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG.

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a heating and energization test is performed according to the present invention.

FIG.

FIG. 2B is a conceptual perspective view of a heating and energization standing test according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a procedure of a heating and energization standing test according to the present method.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a concept of correcting temperature expansion.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method for correcting a temperature expansion of a wafer to be inspected and a probe pin module.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of size / position detection.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of temperature negative feedback control using a bridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 wafer under test 1a bump or bond pad 2 wafer probe pin module 2a probe pin 3 heating block 3a wafer side heating block 3b probe pin module side heating block 4 chuck holder 4a clamp 5 temperature controller 6 Chamber 7 Press 8 Power supply / signal source 9 Dimension difference detection amplifier circuit 10 Dimension / position error detection 11 Temperature controller 12 Stopper gauge 12a Stopper gauge (upper) 12b Stopper gauge (lower) 13 Detecting contact end 14 Detecting piston 15 Differential transformer Equiposition signal converter 16 Displacement amplification mechanism using lever 17 Aligner 18 Excitation power supply 19 Bridge circuit 20 Variable resistor for zero adjustment 21 Differential amplifier

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A chamber for receiving a pre-cut semiconductor IC wafer and a wafer probe pin module temporarily fixed after mutual alignment, and a contact direction between the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module. Pressure means for pressurizing the semiconductor IC wafer, heating / cooling means for controlling heating / cooling of the semiconductor IC wafer to a predetermined temperature, and a thermal expansion amount in a direction of mutual alignment between the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module. Detecting means for detecting the difference; and direct heating / cooling control means for controlling heating / cooling of the wafer prober pin module based on the output of the detecting means so as to eliminate the difference in the amount of thermal expansion. To
Single wafer type semiconductor IC wafer direct current temperature tester. 2. A pressing means for pressing one end of the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module in the mutual alignment direction as a fixed end against respective reference planes, and wherein the detecting means comprises: Position detecting means for detecting a change in the position of each of the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module at a free end opposite to the fixed end, and difference detecting means for detecting a difference between outputs of the position detecting means. 2. The single-wafer semiconductor according to claim 1 , wherein said direct heating / cooling control means for heating / cooling control of said wafer prober pin module has a control loop for performing negative feedback control based on an output of said difference detecting means. IC wafer direct current temperature tester. 3. A position detecting means for detecting a change in the position of each of the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module is connected to the free end of each of the semiconductor IC wafer and the wafer probe pin module. A differential transformer having a reference end and a measurement input end, one of the pistons being connected to the reference end of the difference detection means, and the other being 3. The test device according to claim 2, wherein a piston is connected to a measurement input terminal of the difference detecting means. 4. The test apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a displacement amplification mechanism using a lever is interposed between each of the pistons and a reference end and a measurement input end of the difference detection means.