JPH05235129A - Inspection method of semiconductor element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inspect a semiconductor wafer in a stable state when the semiconductor wafer is inspected at a high temperature. CONSTITUTION:A heater stage 4 is installed inside an inspection apparatus 1 in which a semiconductor element inside a semiconductor wafer 9 is inspected. Before the semiconductor wafer 9 is moved onto an inspection stage 3, the semiconductor wafer 9 is heated on the heater stage 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for inspecting a semiconductor element in a semiconductor wafer state at high temperature.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional method for inspecting a semiconductor element at a high temperature will be described with reference to FIG. First, a large number of semiconductor wafers 8 placed in the wafer carrier 6 are placed in the inspection device (prober) 5. Next, one of the normal-temperature semiconductor wafers 8 to be inspected is taken out and carried to the inspection stage 7. Only the semiconductor wafer 8 carried onto the inspection stage 7 is heated here for the first time to raise the temperature at the time of inspection.

[0003]

In the conventional semiconductor inspection at high temperature, since heating is performed only on the inspection stage for the time required for alignment, a device to be inspected first in the same semiconductor wafer. And the temperature at the time of inspection is different between the device to be inspected towards the end,
Accurate inspection is not performed because it causes changes in the characteristics of semiconductor devices. Also, if it is attempted to perform sufficient heating only on the inspection stage, it will take time and productivity will be reduced. Further, in order to improve productivity in the future, it may be possible to shorten the alignment time, and in that case, it becomes a problem that the predetermined high temperature cannot be achieved.

[0004]

To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is characterized in that when a semiconductor element formed in a semiconductor wafer is electrically inspected at a high temperature,
A plurality of semiconductor wafers are stored and one wafer is taken out from the wafer carrier set in the inspection device and placed on the heater stage in the inspection device to heat the semiconductor wafer. The temperature of the semiconductor wafer is raised to or near that temperature, and then the semiconductor wafer is placed on an inspection stage in an inspection apparatus, and a heater there is maintained at the predetermined high temperature to perform an electrical inspection of a semiconductor element. On the way.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. A wafer carrier 6 containing a large number of semiconductor wafers 9 is set in an inspection apparatus 1. A single semiconductor wafer 9 is taken out from this, placed on the heater stage 4, heated by the heater there, and preferably raised in advance to a temperature required for inspection. Thereafter, the semiconductor wafer 9 is placed on the inspection stage 3 and the temperature required for the inspection is maintained by using the heater there, and a predetermined inspection is performed.

Since the semiconductor element to be inspected first and the semiconductor element to be inspected last are changed in temperature as much as possible since they are heated even on the inspection stage, stable inspection can be performed. Further, if it is attempted to reduce the temperature change by the conventional method as much as possible, since the heating is performed only on the inspection stage, the processing time becomes long and the productivity is lowered. In addition, the processing time is shortened, which in turn leads to improved productivity. Further, in order to improve productivity, when the alignment time is shortened, the temperature difference between the semiconductor element to be inspected first and the semiconductor element to be inspected toward the end is larger than the current state. It can deal with it sufficiently. Inspection device (tester or prober)
Is a precision machine, and attaching a large heating element to it is problematic in maintaining accuracy. Particularly when a large number of semiconductor wafers are heated together with the wafer carrier, a large amount of heat is released. In this respect, the present invention is characterized in that the heater stage in front of the inspection stage heats only one semiconductor wafer so that excess heat is not generated.

[0007]

As described above, according to the present invention, the semiconductor wafer is heated in advance and the temperature thereof is raised before the inspection, so that the error in the inspection can be reduced. Further, in order to reduce the error at the time of inspection, it took a long time to reach a high temperature when heated only on the inspection stage. However, in the present invention, the temperature is raised before the inspection in advance, so that the time is shortened and eventually the productivity is improved. There is also the effect of leading to improvement.

In order to improve the productivity, it is possible to shorten the Congo alignment time. However, if the alignment time is shortened, the semiconductor element to be inspected first in the semiconductor wafer, which is one side of the current state, and the last to be inspected. Although the temperature difference between the semiconductor element and the semiconductor element is large, the present invention can sufficiently cope with this.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an inspection apparatus used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an inspection device used in a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,5 Inspection device 2,6 Wafer carrier 3,7 Inspection stage 4 Heater stage 8,9 Semiconductor wafer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. When performing an electrical inspection of a semiconductor element formed in a semiconductor wafer at a high temperature, a plurality of semiconductor wafers are stored and one wafer is taken out from a wafer carrier set in an inspection device. The semiconductor wafer is placed on a heater stage in the inspection device to heat the semiconductor wafer, and then the semiconductor wafer is placed on the inspection stage in the inspection device and maintained at the predetermined high temperature by the heater there. A method of inspecting a semiconductor device, characterized by performing an electrical inspection.