JPH04335162A - Inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contact certainly a probe with a required position to inspect an object by setting up the probe having an outer side probe pin and an inner side probe pin to retract independently upon contacting it with an inspected object. CONSTITUTION:A coaxial probe 20 has an outer side probe pin 21 and an inner side probe pin 22, the pin 21 can slide within the outer sheath 23 of a copper alloy, and the sheath 23 is fixed to the outer circumference part of an insulating support body 25. A conductive spring seat 26 is set up between the inner sheath 24 and the support body 25, a phosphor bronze-made coil spring 27 lies between the sheath 24 and seat 26. The pins 21, 22 respectively contact certainly with a solder bump, and the pins 21, 22 do not contact each other, because they retract independently in a longitudinal direction when they contact the solder bumps by springs 27, 29.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus, and in particular, the present invention relates to an inspection apparatus equipped with a probe suitable for carrying out a wafer test carried out in the manufacture of semiconductors, or a test carried out during or after the manufacture of micro-substrates. Regarding inspection equipment.

0002

[Prior Art] In order to inspect a semiconductor wafer or a micro-substrate for mounting a semiconductor wafer during or after the manufacturing process, a probe is brought into contact with the semiconductor wafer or micro-substrate.
The terminal method is used to measure resistance and check continuity.

[0003] Probes include cantilever-like probes and rod-like probes, and these are described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
-184932.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventional cantilever probes use their elasticity to press a bent probe against a desired location, such as a solder bump, on a semiconductor wafer, etc. As a result, as the distance between the many solder bumps becomes narrower, the probes come into contact with each other, making inspection difficult.

In order to solve this problem, a rod-shaped probe has been proposed, but the rod-shaped probe has a rod-shaped probe facing the solder bump, and the probe is arranged in such a way that the opposing distance between the solder bumps is eliminated. Alternatively, the semiconductor wafer is moved to bring the probe and solder bump into contact. However, because the height of the solder bumps varies depending on processing accuracy, it is extremely difficult to confirm whether the probe is in reliable contact with the solder bumps.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection device that is capable of performing a test by bringing a probe into contact with a desired location of an object to be inspected, even if the object to be inspected is miniaturized.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is characterized in that the probes disposed opposite to the object to be inspected have a coaxial structure and are electrically insulated from each other, and the inner probes are individually sinkable. and having an external probe.

[0008]

[Operation] The inner and outer probes are structured so that they sink individually when they collide with a solder bump, so even if there is a height difference in the solder bump due to processing accuracy, the probe that came into contact first sinks until the other probe makes contact, ensuring that both the inner and outer probes contact the solder bump.

Furthermore, due to their coaxial configuration, both the inner and outer probes simply slide relative to each other in the axial direction due to sinking, and the outer probe serves as a support for the inner member, allowing the probe to be made smaller. It can be made smaller and smaller in diameter, and is fully compatible with higher integration of semiconductors.

[0010] The outer probe does not need to be in contact with the solder bump on the entire circumference; it only needs to be in contact with a part of it, so even if the solder bump is relatively smaller than the probe, both probes can be soldered together. It can be brought into reliable contact with the bump. In addition, since it is only necessary that a part of the outer probe is in contact with the solder bump, the test can be performed in a range with a small relative sliding amount with the inner probe, and a sinking mechanism with a small sinking amount can be used. Therefore, it is possible to realize a probe with a small size and a small diameter, and it is possible to cope with high integration of semiconductors.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The inspection apparatus of the present invention will be explained below based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts of the inspection device of the present invention.
2 is a front view of a coaxial probe block used in the inspection device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of one coaxial probe incorporated in the coaxial probe block shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a situation in which the coaxial block shown in FIG. 3 contacts a solder bump on a semiconductor wafer.

In FIG. 1, an X-Y table 1 is movable within a plane including X and Y directions that intersect at right angles to each other.
A and 1b are combined with a θ table 2 that rotates the sample stage holder 4 in a direction perpendicular to the XY plane, and a Z table 3 that provides vertical movement in the Z direction above the θ table 2.

A sample holder 4 is removably mounted on the Z table 3. The sample holder 4 has a structure in which an object to be inspected 5 is placed.

The object to be inspected 5 is a semiconductor wafer or the like that has completed the process of forming semiconductor integrated circuit elements in, for example, a wafer processing process in a semiconductor manufacturing process, and solder formed on each semiconductor element. It is placed on the sample holder 4 with a plurality of input/output terminals 6 such as bumps facing upward.

A probe block 7 is provided above the sample holder 4 and protrudes downward to face the object to be inspected 5.
is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, this probe block 7 includes a plurality of coaxial probes 2 arranged in a grid pattern.
0, and the lower end portion 20a is positioned by the template 7a.

The coaxial probe 20 is connected to a tester (not shown) that generates, for example, a predetermined test signal, power supply current, etc., and the resistance, etc. of the test object 5 is measured by a four-terminal method.

The probe block is fixed to an upper fixing plate 8. A left camera 9 and a right camera 10 are fixed to the upper fixing plate 8, and the optical axes of each are bent in the vertical direction through a mirror 11 and connected to the input/output terminals of the input/output terminal 6 of the object to be inspected 5 or the input/output terminals of this input/output terminal. The structure is such that the set position can be confirmed by detecting the image of the detection mark that maintains a relative positional relationship with the set position. A lower camera 13 is attached to the lower Z table, and its optical axis is vertically bent by a mirror 14, so that the coaxial probe 20 can be imaged and the installation and fixation status of the coaxial probe 20 can be confirmed.

The coaxial probe 20 has an outer probe pin 21 and an inner probe pin 22, as shown in FIG. The outer probe pin 21 can slide within the copper-based alloy outer sheath 23. The sliding distance or the amount of depression is limited by the engagement of the inner protrusion 23a of the outer sheath 23 with a groove having a width l provided on the outer periphery of the inner sheath 24. Outer sheath 23
is fixed to the outer periphery of the insulating support 25. A conductive spring seat 26 is provided between the inner sheath 24 and the support body 25, and a phosphor bronze coil spring 27 is interposed between the inner sheath 24 and the spring seat 26. An inner terminal member 28 is provided passing through the support body 25. Note that the outer sheath 23 serves as an outer terminal member. A phosphor bronze coil spring 29 is interposed between the terminal member 28 and the inner probe pin 22.

There is a current-carrying path directly from the outer probe pin 21 to the outer sheath 23, and a current-carrying path from the outer probe pin 21 to the outer sheath 23 via the inner sheath 24, spring 27, and spring seat 26. Electricity is supplied between the pin 22 and the inner terminal member 28 via a spring 29. The insulating tubes 30 and 31 are provided to prevent the current-carrying paths of the inner and outer probe pins 21 and 22 from coming into contact with each other.

For ease of understanding, the coaxial probe 20 shown in FIG. 3 is shown enlarged in the horizontal direction rather than in the vertical direction. As an example of actual dimensions, the length from the lower probe tip to the upper inner terminal member tip is approximately 25 mm.
mm, the outer diameter of the lower tip of the outer probe 21 is approximately 0.5
mm, and the outer diameter of the lower tip of the inner probe 22 is approximately 0.
．． It is 15mm.

The reason why the coaxial probe 20 with such a small diameter can be realized is that even if the outer sheath springs 27 and 29 are provided, these members cannot be connected by interposing the insulating cylinders 30 and 31 by a sliding or engaging mechanism. This is due to its compact size.

Both the inner and outer probe pins 21 and 22 are springs 27
, 29, the probes 21, 29 sink individually in the vertical axis direction when they come into contact with the solder bumps, so that each probe reliably contacts the solder bumps and, moreover, both probes 21, 22 do not come into contact with each other.

In this way, the coaxial probe 20 can be made smaller in diameter, and both the inner and outer probes 21 and 22 can be brought into contact with the solder bumps without causing cross-contact, which makes it possible to achieve high semiconductor integration. can be adequately addressed.

FIG. 4 shows a contact situation when the size of the solder bump 6 is smaller than that of the coaxial probe 20.

As mentioned above, the inner and outer probe pins 21 and 22
are sunk individually, and the inner probe pin 22 protrudes by a distance d, and a portion of the outer probe pin 22 is in contact with the solder bump 6. In this way, even if the solder bump 6 becomes smaller, both probe pins 21 and 22 are in reliable contact with the solder bump 6, so that it is possible to test a semiconductor wafer 5 with even higher integration. Note that 5a is a wiring film.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, even if a plurality of coaxial probes 20 are made into blocks and brought into contact with a large number of solder bumps 6 on a semiconductor wafer 5, each coaxial probe 20
Even if there is a slight height difference between the solder bumps, the inner and outer probe pins 21 and 22 of the coaxial probe block 7 reliably contact each solder bump due to their sinking as described above. It is possible to test multiple locations by contacting the

In the above embodiment, the coaxial probe 20 is vertically disposed above the semiconductor wafer 5, but the coaxial probe 20 is not limited to this embodiment. Any arrangement may be used as long as the coaxial probes are relatively driven.

The coaxial probe 20 itself may have any structure as long as the inner and outer probe pins are individually sunk.

[0030]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inspection device that can perform a test by reliably bringing the probe into contact with the desired location of the object to be inspected, even if the object to be inspected is miniaturized. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of essential parts of an embodiment of the inspection apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a coaxial probe block used in the inspection device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a coaxial probe used in the coaxial probe block shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a contact situation between the coaxial block shown in FIG. 3 and a solder bump.

[Explanation of symbols]

5... Semiconductor wafer, 6... Solder bump, 20... Coaxial probe, 21... Outer probe pin, 22... Inner probe pin, 23... Outer sheath (outer terminal member), 27, 29... Spring, 28... Inner terminal member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: In an inspection device that performs a test by bringing a vertically opposed probe into contact with an object to be inspected, the probe comprises an outer probe pin having means for individually sinking when brought into contact with the object to be inspected. An inspection device characterized in that it is a coaxial probe with an inner probe pin.