JPS63265443A - Probe device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enlarge a measurement speed of a semiconductor wafer, by moving a probe needle while measurement of the semiconductor wafer is stopped and next measuring the semiconductor wafer. CONSTITUTION:A probe card 9, on which a probe needle 8 is mounted, is disposed on an opposite position of a measurement stage 7. This probe card 9 is movable in the X and Y directions relatively to the measurement stage 7. The probe needle 8 of the probe card 9 is disposed on the predetermined opposite position of IC chip siting. A measurement stage 7 is moved upwards to connect the probe needle 8 with each electrode pad which is formed on the IC chip, and a tester 17 is used to measure electrical characteristics of this IC chip. After the measurement of this IC chip is finished, the measurement stage 7 is moved downwards to keep the probe needle in non-contact with the electrode pad and the probe card 9 is moved in order to measure a second IC chip. These operations are repeated to perform the measurement of all IC chips which are formed on the wafer 6.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Purpose of the invention) (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a probe device.

(Prior art) In conventional probe devices, in order to connect the electrodes of the object to be measured and the probe needles attached to the probe card, the probe needles are installed and fixed at a predetermined position, and the object to be measured is placed on the probe card. This was done by moving the mounting table.

Further, a probe device equipped with a driving means for movably supporting a position detection coil and a probe on a wafer is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5
It is well known from the publication No. 8-145143.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the probe device as described above has the following problems.

First, when connecting the electrodes of the object to be measured and the probe needle by moving the mounting table on which the object to be measured is placed, it is necessary to move the mounting table on which the object is placed. The mounting table must be made larger. Increasing the mounting table in this way increases the weight of the mounting table, slows down the speed at which the mounting table can be moved, reduces accuracy due to vibration, and increases manufacturing costs. There was a problem with sticking.

In addition, in the case of a probe device equipped with a driving means for movably supporting a position detection coil and a probe above the sea urchin, a temporary line is provided on the wafer to detect the position of the wafer, and an alternating signal is passed through this line. Positioning on the wafer is performed using electromagnetic induction using the magnetic field generated by this signal and the above-mentioned position detection coil. However, when positioning the probe needle and the electrode of the object to be measured using this method, Since the positioning is complicated, it takes a long time and the measurement speed is reduced.

The present invention has been made to improve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a probe device that can increase the measurement speed of semiconductor wafers and reduce the manufacturing cost of the probe device.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) This invention provides a method for measuring a semiconductor wafer provided with a large number of semiconductor chips by sequentially connecting probe needles to the electrodes of each of the semiconductor chips, while keeping the semiconductor wafer in a stopped state for a measurement period. The present invention provides a probe device characterized in that measurements are made by moving the probe needle.

(Operation and Effect) By measuring the semiconductor wafer by moving the probe needle while it is stopped during the measurement period, it is possible to increase the measurement speed of the semiconductor wafer, and it is also possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the probe device. .

(Embodiment) Next, an embodiment in which the probe device of the present invention is applied to a semiconductor wafer blower will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, this wafer blower (2) has a wafer storage section (2), a transport section (2), and an alignment section (2).

It consists of a measuring section 0. In this wafer storage section■,
A cassette that can accommodate 25 wafers 0 at predetermined intervals is stored. The stored cassette is placed on a cassette mounting table. This cassette mounting table is configured to be movable up and down. After performing preliminary alignment to an accuracy of approximately ±1° using this well, etc. as a reference, the wafer is transferred to the measurement stage (2).

This transferred wafer 0 is accurately aligned.

The transfer of the wafer 0 is carried out in the transfer section (■). During this transfer, it is preferable that the back side of the wafer (to) be vacuum suctioned and transferred in order to prevent the generation of dust. ) is equipped with a pattern recognition mechanism using a COD camera and a recognition mechanism using a laser.

In the setting section (2), a probe card 0 to which a probe needle 0 is attached is installed at a position opposite to the measurement stage (2).

This probe card 0 is movable in the X and Y directions relative to the measurement stage (2). The movement of the probe card 0 is configured as shown in FIG. The support (1o) is connected to a motor (12) via a rotating shaft (11), and rotation of the motor (12) causes the support (lO
) slides on the rotating shaft (11) by screwing. A rotating shaft (13) connected to this support (10) is installed perpendicular to the single rotating shaft (11), and this rotating shaft (13) is connected to a motor (14). As the motor (14) rotates, the support body (15) slides on the rotating shaft (13) due to the screwing action. This support (15) holds a probe card connector (16). One end of the probe card (1) is inserted into the probe card connector (16) and held in place. The fitting part of this probe card ■ is an external connection part.

Circuit wiring is made on the probe card ■ from this connection point to the probe needle ■. Furthermore, the probe is wired (18) from the probe card connector (16) to the tester (17), that is, the probe is connected via the wire (18) from the tester (17), the probe card connector (16), and the circuit wiring of the probe card ■. The wiring up to the needle (C) is electrically conductive.Next, the operation of this wafer prober (2) will be explained.

The wafer 0 is transferred from the wafer storage section (2) to the measurement stage (2) via the alignment section (2) by the transfer section (2).

The transferred wafer is accurately positioned in the alignment section. This positioning means matching the X/Y movement direction of the probe card ■ with the direction of the scribe line formed on the wafer 0. Next, a large number of scribe lines are regularly formed on the positioned wafer ■. The electrical characteristics of the semiconductor (IC chip) are measured.

In this measurement, first, the probe needle of the probe card (2) is set at a position facing a predetermined IC chip.

The setting of this probe needle ■ is the motor (12) and (1
4) is carried out by selectively rotating forward and backward, sliding the supports (10) and (15) on the rotation shafts (11) and (13), and moving the probe card 0. Now move the measurement stage ■ up and move the probe needle (toward).
and the electrode pads formed on the IC chip, and in this connected state, the electrical characteristics of this IC chip are measured by a tester (17). After the measurement of this IC chip is completed, the measurement stage (2) is moved down to bring the probe needle (2) and the electrode pad into a non-contact state, and the probe card (2) is moved for the first measurement of the IC chip. Also, when measuring adjacent IC chips in the X direction, the probe card ■ moves using the rotation axis (11).
The support body (10) is fixed to the motor (14) in this state.
) and rotate the support (15) onto the rotating shaft (13).
This is done by sliding the tip by the width of the chip.

In addition, to move the probe card (2) when measuring an adjacent IC chip in the
0) is executed by sliding the width of the IC chip on the rotating shaft (11). By repeating these operations, all IC chips formed on wafer 0 are measured. After the measurement is completed, the wafer 0 is transferred to the wafer storage section (2) by the transfer section (2).

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, a liquid crystal substrate or a glass substrate may be used instead of a semiconductor wafer as the object to be measured, and a motor may not necessarily be used as the method for moving the probe card. It is not necessary, and the probe card may be moved by air control.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of probe card installation for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram of the wafer prober of FIG. 1. 8... Probe needle 9... Probe card 1
0, 15... Support body 11.13... Rotating shaft 12, 14... Motor

Claims (1)

[Claims] When measuring a semiconductor wafer provided with a large number of semiconductor chips by sequentially connecting probe needles to electrodes of each of the semiconductor chips, the measurement is performed by moving the probe needles while the semiconductor wafer is stopped for a measurement period. Probe equipment.