JP6700366B2 - Wafer inspection system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wafer inspection device having a plurality of test heads.

  2. Description of the Related Art A prober as a wafer inspection apparatus is used to inspect an electric characteristic of each semiconductor device on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, simply referred to as “wafer”) on which a large number of semiconductor devices are formed. The prober has a probe card facing the wafer, and the probe card has contact probes that are a plurality of columnar contact terminals (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this prober, each contact probe of a probe card sends an inspection signal to a semiconductor device connected to an electrode pad or a solder bump in the semiconductor device, thereby inspecting a conduction state of an electric circuit of the semiconductor device.

  An inspection signal is sent to each contact probe of the probe card from a test head equipped with an inspection circuit main board, but in recent years, in order to improve the inspection efficiency of wafers, a plurality of tests with probe cards attached to each of them have been performed. A wafer inspection apparatus has been developed which includes a head and is capable of inspecting a semiconductor device of a wafer by another test head while the wafer is being transferred to one test head by a transfer stage. In this wafer inspection apparatus, cells for accommodating a plurality of test heads are arranged in multiple stages from the viewpoint of footprint reduction.

  The main board of each test head is a kind of consumable item and therefore needs to be replaced regularly, but in order to replace the main board, the test head needs to be pulled out from the wafer inspection device onto the maintenance cart. .

JP, 2012-063227, A

  However, since the weight of the test head is about 70 kgf and it is supported by the slide rail, it is difficult to move the test head in a direction other than the pull-out direction. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately align the position of the maintenance trolley with the position of the test head, but the maintenance trolley has a lift mechanism, etc., and it is difficult to finely adjust the position due to its large weight. There is a problem that it is difficult to pull out the head.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a wafer inspection device that can easily pull out a test head.

To achieve the above object, a wafer inspection apparatus of the present invention includes at least a plurality of inspection chambers that are vertically stacked, and at least one inspection chamber of the plurality of inspection chambers has a semiconductor inside. A test head to be maintained, which is used when inspecting a wafer on which a device is formed, and an opening formed in a side wall for pulling out the test head to be maintained , and a slide rail arranged in the inspection chamber. , have a, the object maintenance test head through the opening is pulled out, characterized in Rukoto.

  According to the present invention, the maintenance test head can be easily pulled out.

It is a perspective view which shows roughly the structure of the wafer inspection apparatus as a prober which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the component contained in each cell of the cell tower in FIG. 1, FIG. 2(A) is a perspective view of a test head, FIG. 2(B) is a tester head in each cell, and a pogo frame. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the arrangement state of the probe card. It is a figure which shows roughly the structure of the maintenance trolley used for the prober which concerns on this Embodiment, FIG. 3(A) is a side view, FIG. 3(B) is a front view. It is a figure which shows roughly the structure of the lifter and test head case in FIG. 3(A) and FIG. 3(B), FIG. 4(A) is a side view, FIG. 4(B) is a front view. It is a partial enlarged view for explaining loose fitting of a guide part to a guide rail. It is a side view which shows the structure of a trolley|bogie for simple maintenance roughly, FIG.6(A) shows the case where the test head of the cell of the 1st step in a cell tower is serviced, and FIG. 6(B) is the 2nd step of a cell tower. Shows the case of servicing the test head of the cell. FIG. 4 is a process diagram for explaining a method for servicing a wafer inspection device using the maintenance cart of FIG. 3. It is a front view which shows the modification of arrangement|positioning of the maintenance trolley of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, the prober according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a wafer inspection device as a prober according to this embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, a wafer inspection apparatus 10 includes a cell tower 12 in which a plurality of inspection chambers (cells) 11 are arranged in multiple stages, for example, four stages, and a transfer mechanism (not shown) disposed adjacent to the cell tower 12. And a loader 13 which is built in and carries in/out a wafer to/from each cell 11. The cell tower 12 and the loader 13 each have a rectangular parallelepiped shape and have a height of 2.4 m, for example.

  In the wafer inspection apparatus 10, a space on the opposite side of the surface adjacent to the loader 13 in the cell tower 12 (hereinafter, referred to as “outside”) is ensured so that a worker can perform maintenance work on each cell 11, which will be described later. A maintenance cart 27 is installed.

  2A and 2B are views for explaining constituent elements built in each cell of the cell tower in FIG. 1, FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a test head, and FIG. 2B is a tester in each cell. It is a front view showing the arrangement state of the head, the pogo frame, and the probe card.

  In FIG. 2A, the test head 15 has a main body 16 formed of a rectangular parallelepiped casing and a flange 17 protruding laterally from the upper side surface of the main body 16 in the longitudinal direction. It houses a main board (not shown).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, each cell 11 internally holds a test head 15, a probe card 18, and a pogo pin (not shown) that electrically connects the probe card 18 and the main board. And a pogo frame 19. Sealing members 20 and 21 are arranged between the probe card 18 and the pogo frame 19, and between the pogo frame 19 and the test head 15, and the space surrounded by the sealing members 20 and 21 is depressurized, whereby the probe card 18 The pogo frame 19 is attached to the test head 15 by vacuum suction.

  The probe card 18 has a disk-shaped main body 24 and a plurality of contact probes 25 that are a large number of columnar contact terminals arranged so as to project downward from the lower surface of the main body 24 in the drawing. When a wafer (not shown) comes into contact with the probe card 18, each contact probe 25 comes into contact with an electrode pad or a solder bump (not shown) of each semiconductor device formed on the wafer.

  Returning to FIG. 1, a maintenance opening 26 is opened outside each cell 11, and the test head 15 is pulled out through the maintenance opening 26. The worker removes the consumed main board from the pulled-out test head 15 and attaches a new main board.

  By the way, since the weight of the test head 15 is about 70 kgf and it is difficult to handle the test head 15 only by the force of the operator, the test head 15 moves in the longitudinal direction of the test head 15 in the cell 11 (hereinafter, simply “longitudinal direction”). Is supported by a slide rail (not shown) along the flange 17 via a flange 17 and can be pulled out in the longitudinal direction by a plurality of ball pedestals provided on the upper surface of the slide rail.

  In the wafer inspection apparatus 10, a support mechanism for supporting the pulled-out test head 15 is required for an operator to easily replace the main board, and correspondingly, the maintenance described later in the present embodiment. A cart 27 is provided.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a maintenance cart used for the prober according to the present embodiment, FIG. 3(A) is a side view, and FIG. 3(B) is a front view.

  3(A) and 3(B), the maintenance cart 27 is erected from a cart base 29 that is supported by a plurality of rollers 28 (wheels) and is movable, and the cart base 29. It has a lift mechanism 30 and a case-shaped test head case 31 (case) capable of accommodating the test head 15.

  The trolley base 29 is provided with a handle 32, and an operator moves the maintenance trolley 27 by pushing and pulling the handle 32. Since each roller 28 is composed of two wheels and the direction thereof can be freely changed, the degree of freedom regarding the movement of the maintenance cart 27 is improved.

  The lift mechanism 30 includes a support column 33 extending upward from the cart base 29 in the figure, and a lifter attached to the support column 33 and moved in the vertical direction in the figure by moving along the extension direction of the support column 33. 34 and a motor (not shown) for moving the lifter 34.

  Each roller 28 of the carriage base 29 has a brake (not shown), and the brake is released only when the lifter 34 is located at the lowest point in the vertical direction.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configurations of the lifter and the test head case shown in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B). FIG. 4A is a side view and FIG. 4B is a front view. 4(A) and 4(B), the test head 15 is shown by a broken line, and FIG. 4(B) shows a slide rail cover 40, which will be described later, by a chain line. , And the slide rail cover 40 is shown in a transparent state.

  As shown in FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), the test head case 31 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are opened to form openings, so that the test head 15 is pulled out from the cell 11. One of the openings at both ends faces the maintenance opening 26 of the cell 11, and the test head 15 pulled out through the maintenance opening 26 is housed inside. Further, since the upper surface of the test head case 31 is also open, the operator can access the accommodated test head 15 from the upper surface of the test head case 31, and the main board is replaced through the upper surface.

  The test head case 31 is supported by a lifter 34 via a horizontal position adjustment stage 35. The horizontal position adjustment stage 35 includes a base portion 35a and a moving portion 35b which are vertically stacked disc-shaped members, and a large number of ball bearings (not shown) are spread between the base portion 35a and the moving portion 35b. 35b can move horizontally with respect to the base 35a. The base portion 35a is connected to the lifter 34, and the moving portion 35b is connected to the test head case 31. Thereby, the horizontal position adjusting stage 35 can move the test head case 31 horizontally with respect to the lifter 34.

  Further, in the horizontal position adjusting stage 35, the moving portion 35b can be fixed to the base portion 35a by, for example, engaging a part of the base portion 35a and a part of the moving portion 35b by sending air from the outside. .

  Since the movement of the moving portion 35b is realized by a large number of ball bearings, a large force is not required to move the moving portion 35b, and as a result, the test head case 31 can be easily moved horizontally by the operator. When the plate-shaped stopper 36 projects downward from the lower surface of the test head case 31 and the horizontal movement amount of the test head case 31 reaches a predetermined amount, the stopper 36 causes the base portion 35a of the horizontal position adjusting stage 35 to move. When the test head case 31 is brought into contact with the test head case 31, the horizontal movement amount of the test head case 31 is restricted.

  Slide rails 37 formed of a plurality of ball pedestals are arranged on upper portions of both side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the test head case 31. The slide rail 37 supports the flange 17 of the test head 15 housed in the test head case 31, and slides the test head 15 in the longitudinal direction of the test head case 31.

  Further, stopper mechanisms 38 (fixing mechanisms) are arranged at both ends of the upper portions of both side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the test head case 31. The stopper mechanism 38 has a protrusion-shaped contactor 39 that can protrude, and the contactor 39 protrudes to come into contact with the flange 17 of the test head 15, whereby the position of the test head 15 is fixed to the test head case 31. To be done. In the lift mechanism 30, when the test head 15 is housed in the test head case 31, if the contact 39 is not in contact with the flange 17, the lifter 34 cannot move up and down.

  When the test head 15 is slid in the longitudinal direction of the test head case 31, there is a risk that an operator's hand, especially a finger, may be caught between the flange 17 and the slide rail 37. Covered by.

  In the maintenance cart 27, the lift mechanism 30 positions the position of the test head case 31 such that the slide rail 37 of the test head case 31 directly faces the flange 17 of the test head 15 housed in the first-stage cell 11. The height of the slide rail 37 facing the flange 17 of the test head 15 housed in the second-stage cell 11 and the flange 17 of the test head 15 housed in the third-row cell 11 of the same slide rail 37. The height facing each other and the slide rail 37 can be fixed to each height facing the flange 17 of the test head 15 housed in the fourth-stage cell 11.

  Returning to FIG. 1, a guide rail 41 is arranged below the outside of the cell tower 12. The guide rail 41 is a tubular body having a rectangular cross section along the longitudinal direction of the cell tower 12, and a slit 42 is formed in a side wall 41a opposite to the cell tower 12. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3(B), the maintenance cart 27 has a guide section 43 (guide mechanism) arranged on the cart base 29.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the guide portion 43 has a bracket 43a that projects laterally from the trolley base 29, and a roller 43b that is provided at the tip of the bracket 43a and that rotates horizontally. The bracket 43a includes the guide rail 41. The roller 43b is housed inside the guide rail 41 while entering the inside of the guide rail 41 through the slit 42. That is, the guide portion 43 is loosely engaged with the guide rail 41, but at this time, the side wall 41a of the guide rail 41 is interposed between the roller 43b and the carriage base portion 29.

  Although the trolley|bogie 27 for maintenance mentioned above is used when pulling out the whole test head 15, when servicing the test head 15, it may not be necessary to pull out the whole test head 15. In such a case, the wafer inspection apparatus 10 uses not the maintenance carriage 27 but the simple maintenance carriage 44 on which the test head 15 is partially mounted.

  FIG. 6 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the simple maintenance cart, FIG. 6(A) shows a case where the test head of the first-stage cell in the cell tower is to be serviced, and FIG. 6(B) is the cell tower. The case of servicing the test head of the second-stage cell in FIG.

  6(A) and 6(B), the simple maintenance cart 44 includes a main frame 46 having a plurality of rollers 45 arranged at the bottom, and a maintenance table 47 movable up and down with respect to the main frame 46. Have. The maintenance table 47 has a slide rail 48 composed of a plurality of ball pedestals, and the slide rail 48 supports the flange 17 of the test head 15 which is partially pulled out. The maintenance table 47 has a first height at which the slide rail 48 faces the flange 17 of the test head 15 housed in the first-stage cell 11, and a test in which the slide rail 48 is housed in the second-stage cell 11. The head 15 is configured so that it can be fixed to each of the second heights that face the flange 17.

  The simple maintenance trolley 44 is much simpler and lighter than the maintenance trolley 27, and has a plurality of rollers 45 arranged at the bottom of the main frame 46. Position of the test head 15 housed in the first-stage or second-stage cell 11 and the slide rail 48 of the maintenance table 47 can be accurately aligned with each other. You can As a result, the test head 15 can be easily pulled out partially from the cells 11 of the first and second stages.

  FIG. 7 is a process diagram for explaining a method of servicing a wafer inspection apparatus using the maintenance cart of FIG.

  First, at the end of the guide rail 41, the roller 43b of the guide portion 43 is housed inside the guide rail 41, and then the maintenance carriage 27 is tested while the roller 43b is housed inside the guide rail 41. The head 15 is roughly moved to a position where the cell 11 accommodating the head 15 exists. After that, the brake of each roller 28 of the trolley base 29 is operated to fix the position of the maintenance trolley 27 (FIG. 7(A)).

  Next, the lift mechanism 30 raises the test head case 31 to a height at which the slide rail 37 of the test head case 31 directly faces the flange 17 of the test head 15 to be serviced, and then fixes the position of the test head case 31. (FIG. 7(B)).

  Next, the position of the test head case 31 is finely adjusted in the horizontal direction by the horizontal position adjusting stage 35 so that the slide rail 37 is accurately aligned with the flange 17 of the test head 15 to be maintained (FIG. 7C). This maintenance method ends.

  According to the maintenance cart 27 according to the present embodiment, the horizontal position adjustment stage 35 includes the lifter 34 of the lift mechanism 30 that is erected from the movable cart base 29, and the test head case 31 that houses the test head 15. Since the test head case 31 is moved horizontally with respect to the lifter 34, the position of the carriage base 29 is fixed, and the test head case 31 is moved up and down to the position where the test head 15 for maintenance exists. After fixing the position of the test head case 31, the position of the test head case 31 can be finely adjusted in the horizontal direction so that the slide rail 37 can exactly face the flange 17 of the test head 15 for maintenance. As a result, the test head 15 can be easily pulled out toward the test head case 31.

  In the above-described maintenance cart 27, slide rails 37 for sliding the test head 15 in the longitudinal direction of the test head case 31 are arranged at upper portions of both side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the test head case 31, and the slide rail 37 is the test head. Since the stopper mechanism 38 for fixing the position of 15 is provided, the test head 15 accommodated in the test head case 31 can be moved to a desired position in the test head case 31 and then fixed at that position. Thus, the efficiency of the maintenance work of the test head 15 can be improved.

  Further, since the maintenance cart 27 described above further includes the guide portion 43 that is loosely engaged with the guide rail 41 provided in the lower portion of the cell tower 12, the maintenance cart 27 can be accurately moved along the cell tower 12, Therefore, the adjustment time of the position of the maintenance cart 27 can be shortened.

  Further, in the above-described maintenance cart 27, since the side wall 41a of the guide rail 41 is interposed between the roller 43b provided at the tip of the bracket 43a protruding laterally from the cart base 29 and the cart base 29, When the carriage 27 tilts, the roller 43b engages with the side wall 41a of the guide rail 41 to prevent the maintenance carriage 27 from falling.

  Although the present invention has been described above using the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

  For example, the maintenance cart 27 described above is arranged only on the outer side of one cell tower 12, but as shown in FIG. 8, the two cell towers 12 are arranged so that their outer sides face each other. You may arrange|position the maintenance truck 27 so that it may be pinched|interposed into. At this time, the test head case 31 of the maintenance cart 27 has openings at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and each of the openings opposes the maintenance opening 26 in each cell 11 of the wafer inspection apparatus 10, so that either The test head 15 of the wafer inspection apparatus 10 can also be housed in the test head case 31, so that the efficiency of the maintenance work of the test head 15 can be improved.

10 Wafer Inspection Device 15 Test Head 17 Flange 27 Maintenance Cart 29 Cart Base 30 Lift Mechanism 31 Test Head Case 35 Horizontal Position Adjustment Stage 37 Slide Rail 38 Stopper Mechanism 41 Guide Rail 43 Guide Section 43b Roller

Claims (1)

At least a plurality of examination rooms arranged one above the other,
At least one inspection chamber of the plurality of inspection chambers includes a serviced test head used when inspecting a wafer having semiconductor devices formed therein, and a sidewall for pulling out the serviced test head. an opening that is opened in, have a, a slide rail disposed in the test chamber, wafer inspection apparatus according to claim Rukoto drawn is the object servicing test head through the opening.

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