KR101019878B1 - Probe device, probe method and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a probe device for investigating electrical characteristics of an IC chip on a wafer using a probe card, wherein the electrostatic breakdown of the IC chip based on charging of the probe card is prevented, and ionized by the ionizer. Air is supplied to the probe card from above or below. For example, while placing an ionizer outside the test head, a gas supply pipe is drawn out from here to the upper portion of the probe card through an opening in the center of the test head, and a nozzle portion is provided at the tip. Alternatively, a camera for photographing an electrode pad of an IC chip on a wafer is mounted, and a nozzle portion is provided on a moving member that is horizontally moved between the probe card and the wafer mounting table, whereby ionized air is discharged toward the probe card.

Description

Probe device, probe method and storage medium {PROBE DEVICE, PROBE METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM}

The present invention relates to a technique for measuring electrical characteristics of an object by electrically contacting a probe with an electrode pad of the object under test.

After the IC (Integrated Circuit) chip, which is an inspection chip, is formed on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as a wafer), a probe test by a probe device is performed in the state of the wafer to examine the electrical characteristics of the IC chip. In addition, this probe test is performed in order to determine whether the circuit part created up to that time in the middle of the IC chip manufacturing process is appropriate. In this type of probe device, as shown in FIG. 11, the wafer W is mounted on a wafer chuck 101 which is movable in the X, Y, and Z directions and which is rotatable about the Z axis, and the wafer chuck 101. It is configured to control the position of the wafer chuck 101 such that the probe of the probe card 102, for example, the probe needle 103 and the electrode pad of the IC chip of the wafer W contact each other. Then, the test head 105 is positioned above the housing 104 constituting the exterior of the apparatus, and the test head 105 and the probe card 102 are electrically connected via the intermediate ring 106 to perform the test. By carrying out the signal transfer between the head 105 and the wafer W, the electrical characteristics of the circuit on the wafer W are examined.

By the way, the wafer chuck 101 may be charged by friction with air at the time of movement, friction of the driving unit, or the like, and also with respect to the probe card 102, the card body is made of an insulating material, for example, a resin such as glass epoxy. Since it is, it may be charged. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the charge just before the contact (contacting the probe needle 103 with the electrode pad on the wafer W side) when the probe card 102 is charged. When the electrode pad of the circuit on the wafer W and the probe needle 103 are brought into contact with each other in the state where such charging is generated, the circuit, for example, the circuit of the completed IC chip is electrostatically destroyed, and static electricity is disturbed by measurement disturbance. This can cause disturbances in electrical measurements.

From this, grounding of the wafer chuck 101 other than at the time of measurement is examined. In this way, charging of the wafer chuck 101 can be suppressed, and even though the probe card 10 is charged, the charge flows to the ground through the probe needle 103, the wafer W, and the wafer chuck 101. The electrostatic breakdown of the circuit on the wafer W and generation of noise can be suppressed.

However, this method also does not completely eliminate the charge of the probe card 102. As the IC chip becomes thinner, smaller, and the like, the circuit breakdown voltage is reduced, and further, the charging of the component is further required. In recent years, a substrate in which two wafers are opposed to each other via an insulating layer is used. In this substrate, since no charge flows from the front side to the back side of the wafer W, when the probe card 102 is charged, the wafer Even when the chuck 101 is grounded, electric charge flows from the probe card 102 to the IC chip at the time of contact, thereby causing a high level of electrostatic breakdown of the circuit.

In addition, Patent Document 1 describes a method of providing a conductive sheet next to the wafer chuck to ground the conductive sheet, raising the wafer chuck to contact the probe needle with the conductive sheet, but in order to reduce the number of contacts Since the number of needles increases, a large space must be secured beside the wafer chuck. Then, when imaging the wafer surface in order to find the position of the electrode pad on the wafer, the moving radius of the wafer chuck becomes large, which hinders miniaturization. Moreover, there also exists a disadvantage that the conductive sheet must be replaced frequently.

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-100821: Paragraph 0040, 0041

The present invention has been carried out under such circumstances, and its object is to suppress the electrostatic breakdown of the inspection chip (including the circuit diagram of the stage during the manufacture of the integrated circuit intended for the purpose) on the substrate, and also to suppress the adverse effect of the inspection of the electrical characteristics by the static electricity. It is to provide a storage medium in which a probe device, a probe method, and a program that can be suppressed are stored.

The present invention provides a probe device which mounts a substrate on which a plurality of inspection chips are arranged on a movable mounting table, and performs inspection of the inspection chip by bringing the electrode pad of the inspection chip into contact with the probe of the probe card.

An ionizer for ionizing a gas,

And a nozzle portion for supplying the gas ionized in the ionizer to the probe card for static elimination.

The said nozzle part is provided so that the ionized gas may be supplied, for example from the upper side of a probe card. The following structure is mentioned as such a specific example.

The probe card is provided on the ceiling plate of the housing surrounding the mounting table,

Above the ceiling plate, a test head having an opening which penetrates up and down at the same time as the electrical contact with the probe card is provided.

The gas supply pipe for supplying gas to the nozzle portion is configured to be drawn out through the opening. In this case, for example, an ionizer is provided outside of the test head.

 In addition, the probe card is provided on the ceiling plate of the housing surrounding the mounting table,

Above the ceiling plate is provided with a test head in electrical contact with the probe card,

The gas supply pipe which supplies gas to the said nozzle part may be the structure withdrawn to the outside through between the said test head and said ceiling plate. In this case, for example, the ionizer is provided at a position away from the lower region of the test head.

The nozzle portion may be provided to supply an ionized gas from below the probe card. The following structure is mentioned as such a specific example.

In the height position between the probe of the said probe card and the board | substrate on a mounting table, the movable body which is movable in a horizontal direction provided with the imaging means for imaging the electrode pad of the to-be-tested chip of the said board | substrate,

The nozzle portion is provided in the movable body. In this case, the said ionizer is an example provided in the said moving body.

Another invention is a probe method for mounting a substrate on which a plurality of inspection chips are arranged on a movable mounting table and performing inspection by a probe card,

Supplying a gas ionized by an ionizer to the probe card to charge the probe card;

Next, the method includes performing a test of the test chip by contacting the electrode pad of the test chip of the substrate mounted on the mounting table with the probe of the probe card. The present invention also holds for a storage medium storing a program running on a computer for carrying out this probe method.

According to the present invention, since a substrate on which a plurality of inspection chips are arranged is mounted on a mounting table, and the inspection is performed by the probe card, the ionized gas is supplied from the nozzle portion to the probe card by the ionizer. Since the static electricity is charged even when charged, the possibility of electrostatic destruction of the circuit of the test chip on the substrate due to the charging of the probe card is reduced, and the noise caused by the charging is also reduced, so that stable inspection can be performed.

[First embodiment]

The probe apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is provided with the housing | casing 1 which is an exterior body which comprises a probe apparatus main body, as shown to FIG. 1 and FIG. On the base 11 of the bottom of the housing 1, along the guide rail extending in the Y direction (front and back direction of the ground), for example, in the X direction and the Y stage 21 driven in the Y direction by a ball screw or the like. Along the guide rail extending, for example, an X stage 22 driven in the X direction by a ball screw is provided in this order from below. The X stage 22 and the Y stage 21 are each provided with a motor in which an encoder is combined, but are omitted here.

On the X stage 22, a Z moving part 23 driven in a Z direction (up and down direction) is provided by a motor (not shown) combined with an encoder, and the Z moving part 23 is rotatable around the Z axis. A wafer chuck 2 that is a mounting table (movable in the θ direction) is provided. Therefore, the wafer chuck 2 can move in the X, Y, Z and θ directions.

Above the moving area of the wafer chuck 2, the probe card 3 is detachably attached to the head plate 12, which is the ceiling plate of the housing 1. An electrode group is formed on the upper surface side of the probe card 3, and an intermediate ring 41 is interposed in order to allow electrical conduction between the test head 4 disposed above the head plate 12 and the electrode group. It is. The opening part 4a which is an observation hole penetrates up and down in the center part of the test head 4, and this opening part 4a and the opening part 41a of the intermediate ring 41 overlap. The intermediate ring 41 is configured as a pogo pin unit in which a plurality of so-called pogo pins 41b, which are electrode portions, are formed on the lower surface so as to correspond to the arrangement position of the electrode group of the probe card 3, for example, on the test head 4 side. It is fixed. The test head 4 is connected to the horizontal axis of rotation between the horizontal measurement position shown in FIG. 1 and the retracted position with the intermediate ring 41 side up by, for example, a hinge mechanism (not shown) provided next to the housing 1. It is configured to rotate around.

Further, a probe needle 31 called a horizontal needle or the like made of a probe electrically connected to the electrode group on the upper surface side, for example, a metal wire extending obliquely downward with respect to the surface of the wafer W on the lower surface side of the probe card 3. ) Is provided corresponding to the arrangement of the electrode pads of the wafer (W). The probe may be a vertical needle extending perpendicular to the surface of the wafer W, a gold bump electrode formed of a flexible film, or the like.

In addition, the probe device includes a first imaging means for imaging the tip of the needle of the probe needle 31 and an electrode pad on the wafer W to perform the alignment of the wafer W and the probe needle 31. Two imaging means are provided. Since these imaging means are shown in 3rd Embodiment, in this embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted in order to avoid the trouble of drawing, In brief, the 1st imaging means is the Z moving part 23 under the wafer chuck 2 ), And the second imaging means is provided so as to be able to move horizontally between the probe card 3 and the wafer chuck 2.

The probe device is, for example, an ionizer 5, a nozzle portion 61 for blowing gas, e.g., dry air, ionized in the ionizer 5 into the probe card 3, an ionizer 5, and a nozzle. The air supply pipe 62 which is a gas supply pipe which connects the part 61 is provided. In this embodiment, the ionizer 5 is provided at the edge of the upper surface of the housing 1, and the air supply pipe 62 is inserted from above the opening 4a of the test head 4 and formed to protrude downward. It is. 1 and 2, the ionizer 5 is shown at a position away from the housing 1.

As an installation position of the ionizer 5, the upper surface of the test head 4 may be sufficient, for example, or may be in the opening part 4a. The nozzle portion 61 is configured, for example, in the shape of a trumpet so as to be blown onto the top surface of the probe card 3 at the tip end of the air supply pipe 62. The air supply pipe 62 is detachably attached to the upper surface of the test head 4 by, for example, the installation member 62a so that the position of the nozzle portion 61 is set slightly away from the probe card 3.

The mounting structure of the mounting member 62a is fixed to a plate having a size extending through the opening 4a in a state where the air supply pipe 62 is penetrated, and the engaging portions are provided at both ends of the plate, while the opening 4a is provided. It can be set as the structure which provides the engaging part engaged with the said to-be-engaged part in the circumferential part of the said to. In this case, when the test head 4 is rotated to the retracted position, for example, the installation member 62a is separated from the test head 4 so that the air supply pipe 62 and the nozzle portion 61 are pulled out of the opening 4a. do.

The air supply pipe 62 upstream of the ionizer 5 is provided with a valve 63 constituting a part of the air supply control mechanism, and an air cylinder 64 serving as a source of dry air is provided upstream. . The valve 63 is provided, for example, in the housing 1, and the air cylinder 64 is installed, for example, away from the housing 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ionizer 5 is configured by providing an electrode 52 in a main body 51 that forms an electric field formation space, and connecting the electrode 52 to a DC power source 53. . As the shape of the electrode 52, for example, a plurality of rod-shaped electrodes arranged so as to intersect with an air passage so as to be in efficient contact with the air passing through the main body 51 can be used. When a high voltage is applied to this electrode 52, an inequality electric field is formed around the electrode 52, and when dry air is supplied in this state, this dry air is ionized by the electric field and sent to the nozzle part 61. Lose. The ionizer 5 basically generates the same amount of cations and anions, ions having the same polarity as the charged object repel the charged material, while ions having the opposite polarity are attracted to the charged material to charge Is neutralized and static eliminated.

In addition, the probe apparatus is provided with a control unit 10 including a computer, etc., which controls the movement of the wafer chuck 2 by the program in the memory, the imaging operation of the above-mentioned imaging means (not shown), It has a function of outputting control signals for calculation of contact position, operation of ionizer 5 and valve 63, and the like based on the imaging result. The program is stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk, a compact disk, or a magneto-optical disk (M0) and installed in the control unit 10.

Next, the operation of the above-described embodiment will be described. First, the wafer W is mounted on the wafer chuck 2 by a transfer arm (not shown). Next, a contact position is calculated using said 1st imaging means and 2nd imaging means (this point is demonstrated using drawing in 3rd Embodiment). On the other hand, the ionizer 5 and the valve 63 are operated to supply ionized air from the nozzle portion 61 to the probe card 3, for example, for about 20 seconds. 4A is a state where the probe card 3 is charged, and no contacts are executed at this stage. When the ionized air is supplied to the probe card 3 as described above, the charges charged in the probe card 3 are neutralized and discharged as shown in FIG.

Thereafter, the wafer chuck 2 is raised, and the probe needle 31 is sequentially brought into contact with the electrode pad formed on the test chip on the wafer W, the intermediate ring 41 and the probe card from the test head 4. (3) and an electrical signal is supplied to the electrode pad via the probe needle 31 to inspect the electrical characteristics. Then, the probes 31 are sequentially brought into contact with the electrode pads on the wafer W to perform inspection on each chip. The probe needle may be brought into contact with all the electrode pads of each inspection chip of the wafer. In addition, it is preferable to perform static elimination for the wafer chuck 2, for example, by grounding, before performing the contact.

In this way, when the inspection is finished for all the inspection chips on the wafer W, the wafer chuck 2 moves to the initial position, and the wafer W is taken out by the conveyance arm (not shown), and at the same time, the next wafer W Is mounted on the wafer chuck 2.

The static elimination process of the probe card 3 by the ionizer 5 may be performed before each inspection of the wafer W, but for example, one carrier carried in the carrier port adjacent to the housing 1 ( One lot of wafers may be performed before inspection, and after that, inspection of one lot of wafers may be performed without performing the static elimination process.

According to the above-described embodiment, since the gas ionized in the ionizer 5 is supplied from the nozzle portion 61 to the probe card 3, the probe card 3 is charged even if the probe card 3 is charged. The risk of electrostatic destruction of the circuit of the inspection chip of the wafer W due to the charging of the wafer is reduced, and the noise caused by the charging is also reduced, so that stable inspection can be performed.

Second Embodiment

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle part 61 so that ionized air is discharged toward the probe card 3 in the periphery of the opening part of the head plate 12 for attaching the probe card 3 to it. At the same time, withdrawal formation of the air supply pipe 62 from the nozzle portion 61 to the ionizer 5 is performed in the gap between the test head 4 and the head plate 12. In such a configuration, there is the same effect.

[Third Embodiment]

As described above, in the previous embodiment, the so-called imaging means for wafer alignment is not shown. In this embodiment, the imaging means is described together with the overall configuration in FIGS. 6 and 7. As shown in FIG. 7, the micro camera 7 serving as the first imaging means is fixed to the Z moving part 23 under the wafer chuck 2. Moreover, at the height position between the wafer tip of the wafer chuck 2 and the needle tip of the probe needle 31, the laterally elongate cylindrical body 8 which can move horizontally facing the wafer chuck 2 is provided. This movable body 8 is comprised so that horizontal movement can be carried out by the drive mechanism which is not shown, guided by the guide rail 81 attached to the lower surface of the head plate 12, for example.

The movable body 8 is provided with a micro camera 82 which is a second imaging means for imaging the wafer W. The movable body 8 is moved to a predetermined alignment position, and the wafer chuck (from below) is moved. By moving 2), the electrode pad of the test | inspection chip | tip on the wafer W can be imaged with the micro camera 82. FIG. When the optical axes of these micro cameras 7 and 82 are aligned, when the needle tip of the probe needle 31 is picked up by the micro camera 7, the electrode pad on the wafer W side by the micro camera 82 is used. The coordinate position of the wafer chuck 2 at the time of contact can be calculated by obtaining the coordinate position of each wafer chuck 2 at the time of imaging.

Here, in this embodiment, the ionizer 5, the nozzle part 61, and the valve 63 are provided in the said mobile body 8 here. One end of the nozzle portion 61 in the present example is closed, and a plurality of discharge holes 61a are spaced in the longitudinal direction so that air is discharged upward in a pipe of approximately the diameter of the probe card 3. It is open. The air supply pipe 62 on the upstream side of the ionizer 5 is formed in the housing 1 and drawn out to the outside.

In such a configuration, the ionized air is discharged from the nozzle portion 61 as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 6 while moving the movable body 8 to scan the probe card 3 from the lower side of the probe card 3. Discharge toward the probe card 3, and thus, the static elimination of the probe card 3 is performed. This embodiment also has the same effect.

[Confirmation test]

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the potential shown in FIG. 8 is measured when the potential of the wafer chuck 2 is measured when the ionizer 5 is contacted without operating the probe card 3. Could get In FIG. 8, the probe needle imaging is a step of imaging the probe needle 31 by a camera provided in the Z moving part 3 under the wafer chuck 2, and the wafer imaging is performed in the housing 1. It is a step of imaging the electrode pad of the test | inspection chip | tip on the wafer W with a moving camera.

In addition, in the same apparatus, after the contact is performed, the ionizer 5 is operated to measure the potential of the wafer chuck 2 when the static elimination of the probe card 3 is performed. Could get From these results, it is understood that the probe card 3 is charged, and that the amount of charge decreases when static electricity is carried out by the ionizer 5.

In addition, in the same apparatus, the potential of the wafer chuck 2 at the time of carrying out the static elimination of the probe card 3 by operating the ionizer 5 just before performing a contact is measured, and the result shown in FIG. Could get As a result, according to this invention, even if the wafer W approaches the probe card 3, it can be seen that the charging of the wafer W can be suppressed and there is little risk of electrostatic breakdown.

1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the entirety of a probe device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a schematic plan view showing the same apparatus;

3 is a partial side cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the ionizer;

4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a state of charging and discharging of a probe card in the probe device described above;

5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the whole of a probe device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the whole of a probe device according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the entirety of the probe apparatus according to the third embodiment of the above,

8 is a characteristic diagram showing a measurement result of a wafer chuck voltage when no ionizer is used;

9 is a characteristic diagram showing a measurement result of a wafer chuck voltage for confirming the effect of the present invention;

10 is a characteristic diagram showing a measurement result of a wafer chuck voltage for confirming the effect of the present invention;

11 is a schematic side view showing a conventional probe apparatus;

12 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of charging of a probe card and a wafer in a conventional probe apparatus.

[Description of Reference Numerals]

1 housing 12 head plate

2: wafer chuck W: wafer

3: probe card 31: probe needle

4: test head 4a: opening

5 ionizer 61 nozzle part

62: air supply line 7, 82: micro camera

Claims (25)

The board on which the plurality of chips to be tested is arranged is mounted on a mounting table movable in the housing, and the electrode pad of the chip to be inspected is brought into contact with the probe of the probe card provided to close the opening formed in the ceiling plate of the housing. In the probe device for performing the inspection of the chip, A test head provided above the ceiling plate and electrically contacting the probe card; An ionizer for ionizing a gas, It is provided between the test head and the ceiling plate, characterized in that provided with a nozzle unit for supplying the ionized gas from the ionizer to the probe card for static elimination Probe device. delete delete delete delete delete delete A probe device which mounts a substrate on which a plurality of inspection chips are arranged on a movable mounting table, and performs inspection of the inspection chip by contacting an electrode pad of the inspection chip with a probe of a probe card. A movable body which is movable in a horizontal direction at a height position between the probe of the probe card and the substrate on the mounting table, and having imaging means for imaging the electrode pad of the chip under test of the substrate; An ionizer for ionizing a gas, And a nozzle unit provided in the movable body and supplying gas ionized by the ionizer to the probe card for static elimination. Probe device. The method of claim 8, The ionizer is provided in the movable body, characterized in that Probe device. A probe method for mounting a substrate on which a plurality of inspection chips are arranged on a mounting table movable in a housing, and performing inspection by a probe card provided to block an opening formed in a ceiling plate of the housing. Supplying a gas ionized by an ionizer to the probe card to charge the probe card; Next, a step of performing the inspection of the inspection chip by contacting the electrode pad of the inspection chip of the substrate mounted on the mounting table with the probe of the probe card, A test head in electrical contact with the probe card is provided above the ceiling plate. Probe method. delete delete delete delete The method of claim 1, The test head has an opening penetrating up and down at a position facing the probe card. Probe device. The method of claim 15, The ionizer is provided in the opening of the test head or above the test head instead of being provided between the test head and the ceiling plate. Probe device. The method of claim 15, The gas supply pipe for supplying gas to the nozzle portion is drawn to the outside through the opening of the test head Probe device. The method according to claim 1 or 15, The gas supply pipe for supplying gas to the nozzle portion is drawn to the outside through between the test head and the ceiling plate. Probe device. The method of claim 10, The test head has an opening penetrating up and down at a position facing the probe card. Probe method. The method of claim 19, The ionizer is provided in the opening of the test head or above the test head instead of being provided between the test head and the ceiling plate. Probe method. The method of claim 19, The step of removing the probe card is a step of supplying the ionized gas to the probe card from a nozzle portion provided at a tip end of a gas supply pipe drawn in from the outside through an opening of the test head. Probe method. The method of claim 10 or 19, The step of removing the probe card is a step of supplying the ionized gas to the probe card from a nozzle portion provided at a tip end of a gas supply pipe drawn in from outside through the test head and the ceiling plate. Probe method. In the probe method of mounting the board | substrate with which the to-be-tested | inspected chip | tip was arrange | positioned on the movable mounting table, and performing inspection by a probe card, Discharging the probe card by supplying ionized gas to the probe card by an ionizer provided in a movable body that is movable in a horizontal direction at a height position between the probe of the probe card and the substrate on the mounting table; And a step of performing the inspection of the inspection chip by bringing the electrode pad of the inspection chip of the substrate mounted on the mounting table into contact with the probe of the probe card. Probe method. The method of claim 23, The movable body includes imaging means for imaging an electrode pad of an inspection chip of the substrate. Probe method. In a storage medium storing a program running on a computer, which is mounted on a mounting table movable a plurality of inspection chips in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, and used in a probe device for performing inspection by a probe card. , The program is a step group is arranged to implement the probe method according to any one of claims 10 or 19 to 21. Storage media.

Images