JP5056736B2 - Inspection apparatus and inspection method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus for inspecting electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected using a fritting phenomenon, and an inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected using the inspection apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a semiconductor manufacturing process, after a device or the like is manufactured on a semiconductor wafer, a step of inspecting electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected such as a semiconductor wafer state device or a packaged device is performed. When performing the probe, it is necessary to connect a member called a probe to the electrode of the object to be inspected. And an electrical signal is transmitted / received with a device via a probe, and the electrical property of a device is inspected.

  In the inspection stage, an insulating film such as an oxide film is often formed on the electrode of the object to be inspected. Therefore, in the past, a step of bringing a pointed probe and an electrode into contact with a predetermined stylus pressure or scrubbing the electrode to scrape off the insulating film has been performed. There is a problem that conduction between the probe and the electrode is not stable. In recent years, since probe cards having a micro structure are often used, it is difficult to increase the needle pressure.

In consideration of such a point, an invention relating to an apparatus and a method for performing inspection while ensuring electrical continuity using a fritting phenomenon is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1). The fritting phenomenon is a phenomenon in which a current flows and the insulating coating is destroyed when a potential gradient applied to the insulating coating such as an oxide film formed on the surface of the electrode reaches a predetermined level. According to such an apparatus and method, it is possible to extend the life of the probe without damaging the electrodes of the object to be inspected.
JP 2002-139542 A

  However, in the above-described conventional apparatus and method, there is a problem that it is difficult to apply a desired voltage to the probe due to the wiring resistance from the external power source to the probe.

  The present invention is intended to solve such problems, and an inspection apparatus that can easily apply a desired voltage to a probe, and an inspection method that can easily apply a desired voltage to the probe using the same. The main purpose is to provide

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention provides:
An inspection device for inspecting the electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected using the fritting phenomenon,
At least a pair of probes connected to the probe card;
A capacitor,
Switching means capable of switching between the wiring connected to an external power source and the at least one pair of probes;
The capacitor and the switching unit are supported or built in the probe card or a board to which the probe card is attached,
Inspection equipment.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the capacitor and the switching means capable of switching between the capacitor and the wiring connected to the external power source and at least one of the pair of probes support the probe. Since the probe card or the board to which the probe card is attached is supported or built in, the wiring length and wiring resistance between the probe and the power supply source (capacitor) can be reduced. Therefore, it becomes easy to apply a desired voltage to the probe.

The second aspect of the present invention is:
An inspection method for inspecting electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected using the inspection apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention,
A first step of bringing the probe into contact with the electrode of the device under test;
A second step of charging the capacitor in a state where the capacitor is electrically connected to a wiring connected to an external power source;
After the second step, a third step of changing the state of the switching means so as to conduct the capacitor to the at least one pair of probes;
Is an inspection method.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is easy to apply a desired voltage to the probe.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inspection apparatus that can easily apply a desired voltage to a probe, and an inspection method that can easily apply a desired voltage to a probe by using the inspection apparatus.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Hereinafter, an inspection apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention and an inspection method using the same will be described. FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration example of an inspection apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The inspection apparatus 1 is for inspecting electrical characteristics by conducting to a pad (electrode) 45 of a chip 40 that is an object to be inspected, and supplies power from a power source (tester module) 30 via a wiring 35. Receive and operate.

  The inspection apparatus 1 includes at least a pair of probes A and B (represented as a pair in FIG. 1), a capacitor 5, and a relay 7. The relay 7 can be switched to which of the wiring 35 and the probes A and B the capacitor 5 is connected. Note that the relay 7 may be automatically controlled, or may be manually switched on / off.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the hardware configuration of the inspection apparatus 1, the power supply 30, and the chip 40. In FIG. 2, it is expressed as having two pairs of probes A and B and probes C and D. The two pairs of probes A and B and the probes C and D are supported by the microstructure probe card 10 and are electrically connected to a circuit in the probe card 10. In FIG. 2, the wiring resistance of the wiring 35 is illustrated. The current capacity of each probe is, for example, about several hundred [mA].

  The probe card 10 is mechanically attached to the performance board 20. The performance board 20 has a configuration in which a desired circuit is formed on a printed circuit board, for example, and can control the power supply 30 and the like.

  The capacitor 5 and the relay 7 are supported or built in the probe card 10 or the performance board 20. FIG. 3 shows a configuration example when the capacitor 5 and the relay 7 are supported or built in the performance board 20, and examples of the wiring length and wiring resistance from the capacitor 5 to each probe in that case. FIG. 4 shows a configuration example when the capacitor 5 and the relay 7 are supported or built in the probe card 10, and examples of the wiring length and wiring resistance from the capacitor 5 to each probe in that case. is there.

Hereinafter, an inspection method using the inspection apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an inspection method executed by the inspection apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. In this figure, first, a pair of probes A and B are brought into light contact with the pad 45 (S100). At this time, the relay 7 is in a state where the capacitor 5 is connected to the wiring 35.

  Next, for example, in accordance with an instruction from the performance board 20, the power supply 30 is activated, and the capacitor 5 is charged (charged up) (S110). In FIG. 5, the supply voltage when the power supply 30 is activated is represented as + B [V].

  Then, after the time necessary for the capacitor 5 to be sufficiently charged has elapsed, the state of the relay 7 is changed so as to connect the capacitor 5 to the probes A and B (S120).

  As a result, a fritting phenomenon occurs between two points in contact with the probes A and B on the pad 45 and in the vicinity thereof. The fritting phenomenon is a phenomenon in which when the potential gradient applied to an insulating film such as an oxide film formed on the surface of the pad 45 reaches a predetermined level, current flows and the insulating film is destroyed. Such a process does not damage the pads 45 and the like of the chip 40, and the lifetime of the probes A and B can be extended.

  Furthermore, in the inspection apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the capacitor 5 and the relay 7 are supported or built in the probe card 10 or the performance board 20, so that compared to the case where power is directly supplied from the power source 30 to the probe, The wiring length from the power source (capacitor 5) to each probe can be shortened and the wiring resistance can be reduced (see the wiring length and wiring resistance illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5). As a result, control such as fine adjustment of the power supply 30 supply voltage becomes unnecessary, and it is easy to apply a desired voltage to the probe.

  In addition, if the charging time of the capacitor 5 is sufficiently long, it is not necessary to increase the supply current of the power source 30 so much, so that the degree of freedom in device design can be increased.

  When a fritting phenomenon is caused in the pad 45, conduction with the pad 45 is ensured by the probes A and B. Thereafter, the electrical characteristics of the chip 40 can be inspected using the probes A and B as power terminals. The details of the inspection after the occurrence of the fritting phenomenon are not described in detail because they do not form the core of the present invention.

  According to the inspection apparatus 1 of the present embodiment described above and the inspection method of the present embodiment using the same, it is easy to apply a desired voltage to the probe.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a more specific configuration example of the inspection apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment and a state when the inspection is performed. In the figure, the capacitor 5 and the relay 7 are not shown. As shown in the figure, the tester 37 incorporating the power supply 30 and the performance board 20 are connected, for example, via pogo pins. The performance board 20 and the probe card 10 are connected through, for example, pogo pins (in the figure, the probe card 10 is assumed to have one probe card 10). The probes A and B are supported by the probe card 10 and are electrically connected to a circuit in the probe card 10. When the inspection is started, the probes A and B are brought into contact with the pads 45A and 45B of the chip 40. The chip 40 is fixed in advance to a support base 52 that is controlled to move up and down by the chuck 50.

  Further, when the inspection apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has two or more pairs of probes, it is assumed that the capacitor 5 and the relay 7 are wired as follows.

  FIG. 7 is an example of a circuit configuration when the inspection apparatus 1 includes three pairs of probes A to F. In the case of this figure, as shown, the capacitor 5A and the relay 7A, the capacitor 5B and the relay 7B, the capacitor 5C and the relay 7C supply power to the probes A and B, the probes C and D, and the probes E and F, respectively. In this way, the capacity of each capacitor can be reduced.

  FIG. 8 shows another example of the circuit configuration in the case where the inspection apparatus 1 has three pairs of probes A to F. In the case of this figure, as shown, a capacitor 5 and a relay 7 supply power to probes A and B, probes C and D, and probes E and F, respectively. By doing so, it is necessary to increase the capacitance of the capacitor 5 as compared with the example of FIG.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. And substitutions can be added.

  The present invention can be used in the automobile manufacturing industry, the automobile parts manufacturing industry, the semiconductor manufacturing industry, and the like.

It is an example of a circuit structure of the inspection apparatus 1 which concerns on one Example of this invention. 2 is a diagram schematically showing hardware configurations of an inspection apparatus 1, a power supply 30, and a chip 40. FIG. A configuration example when the capacitor 5 and the relay 7 are supported or built in the performance board 20 and an example of the wiring length and wiring resistance from the capacitor 5 to each probe in that case are shown. A configuration example when the capacitor 5 and the relay 7 are supported or built in the probe card 10 and an example of the wiring length and wiring resistance from the capacitor 5 to each probe in that case are shown. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the test | inspection method performed with the test | inspection apparatus 1 of a present Example. It is a figure which shows the more specific structural example of the test | inspection apparatus 1 which concerns on a present Example, and the mode at the time of a test | inspection being performed. It is an example of a circuit structure in case the test | inspection apparatus 1 has three pairs of probes AF. It is another example of a circuit structure in case the test | inspection apparatus 1 has three pairs of probes AF.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inspection apparatus 5 Capacitor 7 Relay 10 Probe card 12 Card reinforcement board 14A, 14B Ceramic guard 20 Performance board 30 Power supply 35 Wiring 37 Tester 40 Chip 45 Pad 50 Chuck 52 Support stand A, B, C, D, E, F Probe

Claims (2)

An inspection device for inspecting the electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected using the fritting phenomenon,
At least a pair of probes connected to the probe card;
A capacitor,
Switching means capable of switching between the wiring connected to an external power source and the at least one pair of probes;
The capacitor and the switching means are supported or built in the probe card or a board to which the probe card is attached,
In the state where the capacitor and the at least one pair of probes are made conductive by the switching means, voltage application to the at least one pair of probes is performed only by the capacitor ,
Inspection device. An inspection method for inspecting electrical characteristics of an object to be inspected using the inspection apparatus according to claim 1,
A first step of bringing the at least one pair of probes into contact with the electrodes of the object to be inspected;
A second step of charging the capacitor in a state where the capacitor is electrically connected to a wiring connected to an external power source;
After the second step, a third step of changing the state of the switching means so as to conduct the capacitor to the at least one pair of probes;
Inspection method having

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