JPH0943311A - Ic test device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use both of loader and unloader X-Y conveying means both as a loader and an unloader by changing a descent position of an IC suction head to a loader height position and to an unloader height position. SOLUTION: A main body of an air cylinder 504 is connected to a movable rod 506 of a second air cylinder 505, and by controlling this rod 506 into projection and suction states, a descent position of an IC suction head 500 is changed. The descent position of the head 500 can be changed into two positions, so by adopting on the lower side the descent positions of the heads 500 of both of X-Y conveying means provided at a loader part and an unloader part, heads 500 are made to be neared in response to general-purpose trays KST, and suckers 501 can be brought into pressing contact with mounted ICs. Accordingly, either of the loader part and the unloader part can actuate the X-Y conveying means as the loader use.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an IC tester for testing a semiconductor integrated circuit device (hereinafter referred to as IC). More specifically, the IC is transported, brought into electrical contact with the test head, the test apparatus main body is tested, the IC is carried out from the test head after the test, and the good product and the defective product are sorted based on the test result. It is an invention in a technical field called a so-called handler.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A schematic structure of a conventional IC test apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view. In the figure, 100 is a chamber section including a test head, 20
Reference numeral 0 denotes an IC storage unit for storing an IC under test to be tested from now on, and an IC storage unit for classifying and storing tested ICs; 300, a loader unit for sending the IC under test to the chamber unit 100;
0 indicates an IC that has been tested in the chamber 100
Unloader unit that classifies and extracts the TTS, TST is the loader unit 30
0, the IC under test is loaded and sent to the chamber section 100, and the IC is tested in the chamber section 100.
3 shows a test tray for carrying an IC that carries C to the unloader unit 400.

The chamber section 100 includes a thermostat 101 for applying a desired high or low temperature stress to the IC under test loaded on the test tray TST.
And a heat removal tank 103 for removing the applied thermal stress from the IC tested in the test chamber 102. That is, when a high temperature is applied in the constant temperature bath 101, it is cooled by blowing air, returned to room temperature, and carried out to the unloader unit 400. When a low temperature of about −30 ° C., for example, is applied in the constant temperature bath 101, it is heated by hot air or a heater, returned to a temperature at which dew condensation does not occur, and carried out to the unloader unit 400.

The constant temperature bath 101 and the heat removal bath 103 are arranged so as to project above the test chamber 102. As shown in FIG. 4, a substrate 105 is placed between the constant temperature bath 101 and the heat removal bath 103, and a test tray transport means 108 is mounted on the substrate 105.
By 08, the test tray TST is transferred from the heat removal tank 103 side toward the constant temperature tank 101. Test tray TS
T loads the IC under test in the loader unit 300, and
Carried to 1. The constant temperature bath 101 is provided with a vertical transport unit, and the vertical transport unit supports a plurality of test trays TST and waits until the test chamber 102 becomes empty. During this standby, high temperature or low temperature thermal stress is applied to the IC under test. A test head 104 is arranged in the center of the test chamber 102, and a test tray TST is carried on the test head 104 to be tested I
The test is conducted by electrically contacting C with the test head 104. The test tray TST after the test is removed from the heat removal tank 103.
To remove the heat to return the temperature of the IC to room temperature.
Discharge to 0.

[0005] The IC storage unit 200 is provided with an IC tester stocker 201 for storing ICs to be tested and a tested IC stocker 202 for storing ICs classified according to the test results. The IC under test 201
Are stacked and held.
The general-purpose tray KST is carried to the loader unit 300, and the general-purpose tray KST carried to the loader unit 300 is transferred from the loader unit 3 to the loader unit 3.
The IC under test is transferred to the test tray TST stopped at 00. General purpose tray KST to test tray TST
As shown in FIG. 4, as an IC carrying means for carrying the IC into the rail, two rails 301 installed above the substrate 105 are installed.
And the test tray TS by these two rails 301
A movable arm 302 that can reciprocate between the T and the general-purpose tray KST (this direction is the Y direction), and a movable head 303 that is supported by the movable arm 302 and that can move in the X direction along the movable arm 302. It is possible to use the XY transport means 304 constituted by and. A suction head is attached to the movable head 303 downward, and the suction head moves while sucking air, sucks an IC from the general-purpose tray KST, and conveys the IC to the test tray TST. For example, about eight suction heads are mounted on the movable head 303, and convey eight ICs to the test tray TST at a time.

An IC position correcting means 305 (FIGS. 3 and 4) called a presizer is provided between the installation position of the general-purpose tray KST and the test tray TST. The position correcting means 305 has a relatively deep recess, and the IC sucked by the suction head is dropped into this recess. The periphery of the concave portion is surrounded by an inclined surface, and the falling position of the IC is defined by the inclined surface. Therefore, the mutual positions of the eight ICs are defined, and the ICs whose positions are defined are again adsorbed by the adsorption head and delivered to the test tray TST. That is, general-purpose tray K
In ST, the recess that holds the IC is formed to be relatively larger than the shape of the IC. For this reason, the positions of the ICs stored in the general-purpose tray KST have large variations. In this state, if it is sucked by the suction head and directly carried to the test tray TST, it cannot be dropped directly into the IC storage recess formed in the test tray TST. For this purpose, the position correcting means 305 is provided, and the position correcting means 305 matches the arrangement accuracy of the ICs with the arrangement accuracy of the IC storage recesses formed in the test tray TST.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of the test tray TST.
The test tray TST has a plurality of
3 are formed in parallel and at equal intervals, and a plurality of mounting pieces 14 are formed at equal intervals on both sides of the pin 13 and on sides 12a of the frame 12 facing the pin 13, respectively.
The carrier accommodating portion 15 is arranged by the space between the pins 13 or between the pin 13 and the side 12a and the two mounting pieces 14. One IC carrier 16 is stored in each carrier storage portion 15, and two mounting pieces 1 are provided.
It is attached to the No. 4 by a fastener 17 in a floating state. About 16 × 4 IC carriers 16 are attached to one test tray TST.

The IC carrier 16 has the same outer shape and the same size, and the IC element is housed in the IC carrier 16. The IC accommodation portion 19 is determined according to the shape of the IC to be accommodated. The IC housing portion 19 is a rectangular recess in this example. At both ends of the IC carrier 16, a mounting hole 21 for the mounting piece 14 and a positioning pin insertion hole 22 are formed.

A latch 23 is attached to the IC carrier 16 as shown in FIG. Latch 23 is I
The latch 23 is integrally projected upward from the bottom surface of the C housing portion 19, and when the IC element is housed in the IC housing portion 19 by utilizing the elasticity of the resin material forming the IC carrier 16, or I
An IC that adsorbs an IC element when the IC element is taken out from the C accommodation portion 19
After the gap between the two latches 23 is widened by the suction pad 24 and the latch release mechanism 25 that moves as a whole at the same time, the IC
To store or take out. When the latch release mechanism 25 is separated from the latch 23, the elastic force returns to the original state, and the housed IC is held in the latched state.

The IC carrier 16 is an IC as shown in FIG.
Pin 18 is exposed and held on the lower surface side. In the test head 104, the exposed IC pin 18 is pressed against the contact 19 of the IC socket to electrically contact the IC with the test head. For this purpose, a pressure contact 20 for holding the IC downward is provided on the upper part of the test head 104.
This IC is housed in each IC carrier 16
Is pressed from above and brought into contact with the test head 104.

The number of ICs connected to the test head at one time is, for example, ICs arranged in 4 rows and 16 columns as shown in FIG.
The test is performed once every 4 rows (hatched area).
In other words, the first time tests 16 ICs arranged in 1, 5, 9, and 13 rows, and the second time, the test tray TST is moved by one row, and the ICs arranged in 2, 6, 10, and 14 rows are moved. And repeat this four times to test all ICs. The test result is stored in an address determined by, for example, an identification number attached to the test tray TST and an IC number assigned inside the test tray TST.

The unloader section 400 is also provided with a transfer means 404 having the same structure as the XY transfer means 304 provided in the loader section 300, and the test tray TST carried out to the unloader section 400 by the XY transfer means 404.
The tested ICs are transferred to the general-purpose tray KST. In the example shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
Stockers STK-1, STK-2, ..., STK-8
Are provided so that the data can be sorted and stored in a maximum of eight categories according to the test results. That is, in addition to good products and defective products, good products with high operating speed, medium speed, low speed, or defective products requiring retesting are sorted. Even if the maximum number of categories that can be sorted is eight, the unloader unit 400 has four
Only one general-purpose tray can be placed. Therefore, when an IC classified into a category other than the category assigned to the general-purpose tray KST arranged in the unloader unit 400 conventionally occurs, one general-purpose tray KST is loaded from the unloader unit 400 into the IC storage unit 200. Returning to this, instead of this, the general-purpose tray KST in which the newly generated IC of the category should be stored is transferred to the unloader unit 400, and the IC is stored.

IC stocker 201 to be tested and tested IC
As shown in FIG. 9, the stocker 202 includes a frame-shaped tray support frame 203, and an elevator 204 that enters from the lower portion of the tray support frame 203 and can be lifted and lowered toward the upper portion. The tray support frame 203 has a general-purpose tray K
A plurality of STs are stacked and supported, and the stacked general-purpose trays KST are moved up and down by the elevator 204.

IC under test stocker 201 and tested IC
Above the stocker 202, the IC stocker 201 to be tested and the tested IC stocker 202 are provided between the board 105 and the stocker 202.
A tray transfer means 205 is provided which moves over the entire range of the arrangement direction of FIG. The tray transport means 205 is equipped with a gripping tool that grips the general-purpose tray downward. The tray transport means 205 is moved to the upper part of the IC stocker 201 to be tested, and the elevator 204 is driven in this state to raise the stacked general-purpose trays KST. The uppermost tray of the ascending general-purpose tray KST is gripped by the gripping tool. When the general-purpose tray KST storing the IC under test is delivered to the tray transport means 205, the elevator 204 descends and returns to its original position. Along with this, the tray transport means 2
05 moves in the horizontal direction and is carried to the position of the loader unit 300. At this position, the tray transport means 205 removes the general-purpose tray from the gripping tool, and temporarily stores the general-purpose tray KST in a tray receiver (not shown) located slightly below. The tray transport means 205 which has stored the general-purpose tray KST in the tray receiver moves to a position other than the loader unit 300. In this state, from the bottom of the part where the general-purpose tray KST is mounted, the elevator 2
04 rises and is a general-purpose tray K equipped with the IC under test.
The ST is raised and supported so that the general-purpose tray KST faces the window 106 formed in the substrate 105. A gripping means (not particularly shown) for gripping the general-purpose tray KST is provided around the lower surface of the window 106, and the IC under test is attached to this gripping means.
The general-purpose tray KST in which is stored is gripped.

An empty general-purpose tray is held in the window 106 of the unloader unit 400, and the tested ICs are classified and stored in the empty general-purpose tray KST according to the category assigned to each general-purpose tray. When the general-purpose tray held in the window 106 portion becomes full, the general-purpose tray KST is pulled down from the position of the window 106 by the elevator 204 and is stored in the tray storage position of the category assigned to itself by the tray transfer means 205. It Incidentally, reference numeral 206 shown in FIG. 3 denotes an empty trace stocker. This empty trace Tokka 206
An empty tray is placed at the position of each window 106 of the unloader unit 400, and is used for storing the tested IC.

[0016]

In the IC suction head, a rubber suction cup is attached to the tip of the rod, and while sucking air from the center of the suction cup, the rod is extended downward to bring the suction cup into pressure contact with the IC to suck air. The IC is attracted to the rubber suction cup by force. When the IC is sucked by the suction cup, the rod contracts upward to raise the suction cup, the IC is carried to an arbitrary position by the XY transport means 304 and 404, and the suction of air is temporarily stopped at the target position to drop the IC. Let

Therefore, at the position where the IC is sucked, the suction cup is
You have to press it against. On the other hand, at the position where the IC is dropped, it is enough to be above the drop position, and it is not necessary to approach the drop position (with respect to the Z-axis direction) as close as possible.
For this reason, conventionally, the installation position of the general-purpose tray KST in the loader unit 300 in the height direction is set higher than the installation position of the general-purpose tray in the unloader unit 400, and ICs can be adsorbed and conveyed from the general-purpose tray KST. I am trying.

For the above-mentioned reason, the IC cannot be adsorbed and carried out from the general-purpose tray KST arranged in the unloader section 400. That is, the unloader unit 400 cannot be operated as the loader unit 300. Further, in the loader unit 300, the I on the general-purpose tray KST is
Since the suction cup of the suction head comes close to C until it comes into pressure contact, the IC is still in contact with the IC even if the suction of air is temporarily stopped even if the suction of air is temporarily stopped so that the IC is pulled from the suction cup. It cannot be removed.

As a result, the XY transport means 304 and 404 cannot be used for both the loader and the unloader regardless of whether they are for the loader or the unloader. Therefore, even though the unloading X-Y transport means 404 is in a rest state at the start of the test, the loader unit 300 is not supported.
XY transport means 304 is busy, and after all the ICs to be tested are loaded on the test tray TST, the XY transport means 304 for the loader is in an idle state, but is unloaded. The X-Y driving means 404 for use must be busy.

Regardless of whether it is for a loader or an unloader, it is convenient that the XY transport means 304 and 404 can be shared for both the loader and the unloader. An object of the present invention is to provide an IC test apparatus which can be used as both the XY transport means for the loader and the unloader for both the loader and the unloader.

[0021]

In the IC test apparatus proposed in claim 1 of the present invention, means for changing the lowered position of the IC suction head between the height position for the loader and the height position for the unloader is provided. And an IC test device. In the IC test device proposed in claim 2 of the present invention,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an IC test apparatus provided with means for changing the position in the height direction of a carrying head constituting an XY carrying means to a height position for a loader and a height position for an unloader.

IC proposed in claims 1 and 2 of the present invention
According to the test apparatus, the lowered position of the IC suction head can be changed to the height position for the loader and the height position for the unloader. Therefore, both general-purpose trays of the loader section and the unloader section can be installed at the same height position. Even if both general-purpose trays are installed at the same height position, when operating as a loader unit, the IC suction head lowering position is set as the loader height position on the general-purpose tray and mounted on the general-purpose tray. The suction cup of the IC suction head can be pressed against the existing IC, and the IC can be picked up by suction.

When operating as an unloader unit, the lowered position of the IC suction head on the general-purpose tray is controlled to the height position for unloading. As a result, if the IC suction head is lowered to a height position for unloading at a predetermined position of the general-purpose tray and the air suction of the IC suction head is temporarily stopped, the IC is separated from the IC suction head, and the desired position of the general-purpose tray is reached. The IC can be dropped into

[0024]

1 shows an embodiment of an IC test apparatus proposed in claim 1 of the present invention. Reference numeral 500 in the figure denotes an IC suction head. The IC suction head 500 can be configured by a rubber suction cup 501, a suction hose 502 that sucks air through a hole communicating with the suction cup 501, and a movable rod 503 that moves the suction cup 501 up and down. The movable rod 503 is driven up and down by driving means 504 such as an air cylinder.

Here, in the present invention, the air cylinder 50
The main body of No. 4 is connected to the movable rod 506 of the second air cylinder 505, and the movable rod 506 of the second air cylinder 505 is controlled to the projecting state and the suction state, so that the descending position of the IC suction head 500 can be adjusted. The following shows a case where the configuration is such that it can be changed. Therefore, the IC suction head 500
Change the height of the second air cylinder 505
The movable stroke L of the movable rod 506 of FIG. The difference between the lowered position of the IC suction head for the loader and the lowered position of the IC suction head for the unloader is, for example, 10 mm.
If necessary, the second air cylinder 505
The movable stroke may be 10 mm.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the IC test apparatus proposed in claim 2. In this embodiment, the movable heads 303 and 4 are
A case where both 03 are movable up and down by the driving means 507 with respect to the movable arms 302 and 402 is shown. Also in this case, the movable rod 508 of the driving means 507 is
The movable stroke L may be equal to the difference between the lowered position of the IC suction head for the loader and the lowered position of the IC suction head for the unloader. 509 is a movable head 303
And 403 show guides for maintaining the horizontal position.

According to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lowered position of the IC suction head 500 can be changed to two positions. Therefore, the XY provided in the loader unit 300 and the unloader unit 400 shown in FIGS.
IC suction heads 500 for both the transport means 304 and 404
By lowering the descending position of, the general-purpose tray KST
With respect to the IC suction head 500, the suction cup 501 can be pressed against the mounted IC. Therefore, in both the loader unit 300 and the unloader unit 400, X
-Y transport means 304 and 404 can be operated for a loader.

On the other hand, in the example of FIG. 1, the movable rod 506 of the second air cylinder 505 is sucked, and in the example of FIG. 2, the movable rod 508 of the air cylinder 507 is sucked to lower the IC suction head 500. The upper side of the IC suction head 500 on the general-purpose tray KST.
When is lowered, the suction cup 501 stops at a position apart from the IC. Therefore, the IC can be adsorbed on the test tray TST side and dropped to the general-purpose tray KST on the general-purpose tray KST side. Therefore, according to the present invention, as is clear from the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, both the XY transport means 304 provided on the loader section 300 side and the XY transport means 404 provided on the unloader section 400 are provided. It can be used for both the loader section and the unloader section. In the above description, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air cylinders 505 and 507 are used as the means for changing the lowered position of the IC suction head 500. However, these air cylinders 505 and 507 are used instead. It is also possible to configure a means for changing the lowered position of the IC suction head by using the pulse motor and using the pulse motor and the screw feed mechanism. When using the pulse motor and screw feed mechanism in this way, I
The stop position of the C suction head can be set to an arbitrary position. Therefore, in the case of such a configuration, the height position of the general-purpose tray KST does not have to be the same for the loader section and the unloader section.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the unloader unit 4 can be used even in the XY transport device provided in the loader unit 300.
The XY transporting means 404 provided in No. 00 can also be used for the loader and the unloader. Therefore, at the start of the test, the XY transport means 30 provided in the loader unit 300 is provided.
4 and XY transport means 404 provided in the unloader unit 400
Both are operated as loader use, and the test tray TS
IC can be loaded in T.

After the ICs are loaded on the test tray TST, the respective XY transport means 304 and 40 are provided.
4 is operated as an unloader, the tested ICs are classified into three Xs in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
The ICs that have been tested can be sorted by the Y transporting means 304 and 404, and the sorting work can be efficiently performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view showing an enlarged part of an embodiment of an IC carrier device according to claim 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an embodiment of an IC carrier device according to claim 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view for explaining an example of a suitable IC test apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view similar to FIG.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the structure of a test tray used in the IC test device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

6 is an enlarged perspective view for explaining the structure of the IC housing portion shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining an IC contact state of the test head unit illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5.

FIG. 8 is a plan view for explaining a test order of ICs in a test head unit.

9 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the configuration of a general-purpose trace stocker used in the IC test device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 chamber part 101 constant temperature bath 102 test chamber 103 heat removal tank 104 test head 200 IC storage part 300 loader part 400 unloader part 304,404 XY transport means 500 IC adsorption head TST test tray KST general-purpose tray

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An IC is mounted on a test tray which has been fed to a loader section and is in a stopped state by an IC suction head driven by an XY driving means from a general-purpose tray, and the test tray is adjacent to the loader section. The test head is provided in the test chamber by feeding it into a thermostatic chamber provided and applying thermal stress to the IC in the thermostatic chamber at a desired temperature and moving the test tray to a test chamber provided adjacent to the thermostatic chamber. The ICs mounted on the test tray are sequentially brought into electrical contact with each other to test the operation of the ICs, the test results are stored for each IC, and the test trays are placed in a heat removal tank provided adjacent to the test chamber. Move and remove the high temperature or low temperature given in the constant temperature tank in the heat removal tank, and take out the heat-removed test tray to the unloader section. In the unloader unit, the ICs mounted on the test tray are sorted by the IC suction head driven by the XY driving means according to the storage of the test results, sorted into good products and defective products, and transferred to the general-purpose tray. In the IC testing apparatus, means for changing the descending position of the IC suction heads installed in the loader section and the unloader section between the height position for the loader and the height position for the unloader is provided.
Testing equipment. 2. An IC is mounted on a test tray, which has been fed to the loader section and is in a stopped state, from a general-purpose tray by an IC suction head driven by XY driving means, and the test tray is adjacent to the loader section. The test head is provided in the test chamber by feeding it into a thermostatic chamber provided and applying thermal stress to the IC in the thermostatic chamber at a desired temperature and moving the test tray to a test chamber provided adjacent to the thermostatic chamber. The ICs mounted on the test tray are sequentially brought into electrical contact with each other to test the operation of the ICs, the test results are stored for each IC, and the test trays are placed in a heat removal tank provided adjacent to the test chamber. Move and remove the high temperature or low temperature given in the constant temperature tank in the heat removal tank, and take out the heat-removed test tray to the unloader section. According to the storage of the test results in the unloader unit, the ICs mounted on the test tray are classified by the IC suction head driven by the XY drive means, sorted into good products and defective products, and transferred to the general-purpose tray. In the IC test apparatus, the movable head supporting the IC suction head can be set at two positions above and below the movable arm constituting the XY drive means, and is set at the lower position for a loader, An IC test apparatus characterized by being set to an upper position and operated for unloading.