JPH0566989U - Semiconductor wafer stage for probing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer stage for a probing device, which may damage a wafer fixed to a stage mounting surface by vacuum pressure when the wafer is lifted up to a predetermined position by a pin after the inspection. The purpose is not to. [Structure] A mounting table on which a wafer is mounted, a vacuum suction means (2, 7) for sucking and fixing the wafer on the mounting surface 1, and a tip can be vertically moved within a range including the mounting surface 1. In the semiconductor wafer stage for a probing device, which is provided with the vertical moving pin 3 having a plurality of rods, and the wafer is placed on the mounting surface 1 and removed by moving the vertical moving pin 3, the tip of the vertical moving pin 3 is elastic. A rubber member 8 is provided.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer stage for moving a semiconductor wafer in a probing apparatus for contacting a semiconductor wafer to be inspected with a test stylus when inspecting the semiconductor wafer, and more particularly to a semiconductor wafer stage for fixing the semiconductor wafer by a vacuum force.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Although many chips are made on a semiconductor wafer, the stylus contacts the electrode pads of each chip in the state of the semiconductor wafer after manufacturing, and electric signals are input / output through the stylus to perform electrical Inspect the characteristics and make a pass / fail judgment. The electrode pads of the semiconductor chip are very small, and a precise moving table is required to bring the stylus into contact. An apparatus for bringing a stylus into contact with the semiconductor to be inspected is called a probing apparatus, and FIG. 3 shows an example of a semiconductor wafer transfer path in the probing apparatus. A plurality of semiconductor wafers 15 to be measured are installed in the storage box 12 in a state of being housed in plural. The semiconductor wafers 15 are taken out of the storage box 12 one by one by the transfer mechanism 13 and transferred to a predetermined position.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 10 denotes a semiconductor wafer stage, which supports the semiconductor wafer 15 transferred by the transfer mechanism 13 to a predetermined position by extending the vertical movement pin 3. In this state, the transport mechanism moves to the original position. Then, the semiconductor wafer 15 is mounted on the mounting surface of the semiconductor wafer stage 10 by moving the vertical movement pins 3 downward. Then, the semiconductor wafer 15 is further fixed to the stage 10 by vacuum suction. After that, the stage 10 is moved below the probe socket 14 having a stylus, and the position is accurately adjusted by a microscope or the like, and then the stylus is brought into contact with the electrode pad of each chip to perform measurement.

After the measurement of all the chips in the semiconductor wafer is completed, the stave 10 returns to its original position, and after the vacuum force is released, the vertical movement pin 3 is moved upward again to bring the semiconductor wafer 15 to a predetermined position. return. The transfer mechanism 13 receives the semiconductor wafer 15 and returns it to the storage box 12. This is repeated until the inspection of all the semiconductor wafers in the storage box 12 is completed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing in detail a portion of the semiconductor wafer stage. When the semiconductor wafer 15 is transferred to and from the transfer mechanism, it is difficult to transfer the semiconductor wafer 15 directly onto the mounting surface 1. Therefore, the vertical movement pins 3 are moved up and down to move the semiconductor wafer 15 onto the mounting surface 1. Keep away from Further, if the semiconductor wafer 15 placed on the stage 10 shifts with respect to the stage 10 during the movement, accurate contact with the stylus cannot be made, so the semiconductor wafer 15 needs to be fixed. Therefore, normally, as shown in FIG. 4, the mounting surface 1 is provided with a groove 2, and the air in the groove is discharged by a vacuum pump and fixed at atmospheric pressure (vacuum pressure). To release the fixation, the air pressure in the groove 2 is restored.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 After the semiconductor wafer that has been inspected as described above is released from being fixed by vacuum pressure or the like, the vertical movement pin 3 is moved upward and raised to a predetermined position. At this time, even if the vacuum pressure is released, the semiconductor wafer 15 may not come off easily because it is firmly in contact with the mounting surface 1.

Since the vertical movement pin 3 is made of metal, it is not preferable to make it too thick in relation to the structure of the stage 10 and the transport mechanism. The semiconductor wafer 15 has a thin plate shape, and if it is mounted on the vertical moving pin 3, no problem occurs. However, when the vertical movement pin 3 is moved upward while the semiconductor wafer 15 is firmly in contact with the mounting surface 1 as described above, a force is applied to the contact portion of the semiconductor wafer 15 with the vertical movement pin 3. The semiconductor wafer 15 may be damaged. Such damage causes defects and electrical failures in the cutting process of the semiconductor wafer 15.

In particular, even if the vacuum pressure for fixing the semiconductor wafer 15 is switched to the air pressure in the room, there is a time delay until the air pressure in the groove 2 becomes the same as the air pressure in the room. When is increased, a larger force is applied to the contact part with the pin, and the pin is often damaged. This is an obstacle to speeding up the device. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and realizes a semiconductor wafer stage in which the vertical movement pins do not damage the semiconductor wafer when the semiconductor wafer after the inspection is raised to a predetermined position from the mounting surface. With the goal.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the semiconductor wafer stage of the present invention uses a flexible rubber member at the tip of the vertical movement pin. That is, the present invention is directed to a mounting surface on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted, a vacuum suction means for sucking and fixing the mounted semiconductor wafer on the mounting surface, and a tip in a vertical direction within a range including the mounting surface. In the semi-conductor wafer stage for probing equipment, which is equipped with a vertical moving pin having a plurality of movable rods and is used to set and remove the semiconductor wafer on the mounting surface by moving the vertical moving pin, the tip of the vertical moving pin is It is characterized in that an elastic rubber member is provided.

[0010]

[Action]

 Since the tip of the vertical movement pin that pushes up the semiconductor wafer is an elastic rubber member, no force is applied to the semiconductor wafer instantaneously and locally, so it is not damaged.

[0011]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the semiconductor wafer stage of the present invention is shown in FIG. In the figure, (a) is a top view and (b) is a side cross section taken along the line AA in the top view. The mounting surface 1 is a surface having a highly precise flatness, and is provided with two circular grooves 2. The two grooves 2 are internally connected, and are connected to the vacuum pump 7 by a flexible hose 71. The semiconductor wafer is fixed by lowering the air pressure in the groove 2 by the vacuum pump 7 with the semiconductor wafer mounted on the mounting surface 1. The groove 2 is preferably as thin as possible so that the semiconductor wafer is not distorted, and it is desirable to increase the number of grooves to obtain a predetermined fixing force.

The mounting surface 1 is provided with a hole 4, and the vertically moving pin 3 is accommodated in the hole. The three vertical movement pins are connected at the lower part and can be moved vertically by the air cylinder 5. One upper chamber of the air cylinder 5 is open to the atmosphere, and the lower chamber is connected to the pneumatic pump 6 by a flexible hose 61. The air pressure pump 6 raises the air pressure in the lower chamber of the air cylinder 5 so that the vertically moving pin 3 moves upward, and conversely, the same air pressure as in the chamber causes the vertically moving pin 3 to move downward. When it moves the lowest, the tip of the vertical movement pin 3 moves below the mounting surface.

The semiconductor wafer stage shown in FIG. 1 is attached to an XYZ moving table and can move in parallel in three axial directions. Therefore, it is necessary to supply air pressure from the vacuum pump 7 and the pneumatic pump 6 by using the flexible hoses 71 and 61. Although an air cylinder is used to drive the parallel moving pin 3 in this embodiment, a motor or the like may be used.

FIG. 2 shows the tip of the vertically moving pin 3 in this embodiment. FIG. 2A shows a cross section when the rubber member 8 is integrally molded with the metal pin 9. (B) and (c) are diagrams showing a case where the separately manufactured rubber member 8 is fitted into the tip of the pin 9, and the structure is such that the rubber member 8 does not come off after being fitted. When the rubber member 8 is used, the frictional force with the wafer 15 is also increased, so that the vertical movement of the wafer 15 does not cause displacement, which is also advantageous.

[0015]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the present invention, when the semiconductor wafer mounted on the semiconductor wafer stage is lifted from the stage after the inspection is completed, the wafer is not damaged.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a semiconductor wafer stage of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a rubber member at the tip of a vertically moving pin.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing how a wafer is moved by a probing device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional semiconductor wafer stage.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Mounting surface of semiconductor wafer 2 ... Groove for vacuum pressure 3 ... Vertical movement pin 4 ... Pin hole 5 ... Air cylinder 6 ... Air pressure pump 7 ... Vacuum pump 8 ... Rubber member 10 ... Semiconductor wafer stage 11 ... Probing device 13 ... Transfer Device 15 ... Semiconductor wafer

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A mounting surface on which a semiconductor wafer is mounted, a vacuum suction means for sucking and fixing the mounted semiconductor wafer on the mounting surface, and a vertical direction within a range in which the tip includes the mounting surface. A semiconductor wafer stage for a probing device, comprising: a vertical movement pin having a plurality of movable rods, wherein the semiconductor wafer is placed on and removed from the mounting surface by moving the vertical movement pin. A semiconductor wafer stage for a probing apparatus, characterized in that an elastic rubber member is provided on the semiconductor wafer stage.