KR102658519B1 - Chip counter apparatus with improved function - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a chip counter device that can improve accuracy by minimizing errors that occur in the process of measuring the number of semiconductor chips coupled to a tape reel, by synchronizing the tube and detector with the tape reel seated horizontally. We provide a chip counter device with improved functionality that can provide a spatial advantage while improving the accuracy of chip counting by transferring and detecting X-ray images.

Description

Chip counter device with improved functions {CHIP COUNTER APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED FUNCTION}

The present invention relates to a semiconductor chip counting device, and more specifically, to a chip counter device that can improve accuracy by minimizing errors occurring in the process of measuring the number of semiconductor chips coupled to a tape reel.

For use in a bonding process, semiconductor chips are generally packaged in tape reels, shipped, used, and stored.

Semiconductor chips are small, so if they are individually inputted into a predetermined assembly process, the work is difficult and they are unsuitable for mass production. Therefore, they are usually supplied attached to a material such as a film before being bonded to a predetermined substrate.

1 is a front view showing a state of use of a conventional semiconductor tape reel.

Recently, for the efficiency of the work process, it is packaged and distributed in the form of a tape reel. Semiconductor chips are arranged in a row on a tape 20, and these tapes 20 are formed into a roughly circular tape reel 10. It is rolled into a shape for storage and use.

As shown in the drawing, the inspection or separation and assembly of the semiconductor chip is completed when the tape 20 is pulled out from the tape reel 10 rotatably disposed on one side, and the tape 20 from which the chip is separated is disposed on the other side. It can be wound on the dummy reel 30.

However, the number of semiconductor chips placed on one tape reel 10 can be easily determined because it goes through a standardization process during the production process. However, if the process is stopped with only a portion separated during the assembly process on a substrate, etc., It is very difficult to determine the number of remaining semiconductor chips.

Recently, the assembly process of semiconductor chips has been automated, so when work is performed again without knowing the number of chips remaining in the tape reel 10, which is removed and stored during use, the exhaustion state of the chips can be checked from the tape reel or other processes are performed. There is an uneconomical effect of unnecessarily increasing the time for interlocking control.

In order to solve this problem, the applicant of the present invention registered and disclosed 'Chip counting method of semiconductor tape reel' under Korean Patent No. 10-1430965.

Looking at this in detail, it is comprised of an X-ray generator, a movable tray for seating a tape reel, and a detector disposed opposite to the X-ray generator. In the process of transferring the tape reel to the X-ray generator, X-rays passing through the chip are detected, and the portion of the image corresponding to each chip is counted to determine the number of semiconductor chips.

This technology has brought innovation to the semiconductor assembly and production process by overcoming the conventional method of visually observing or optically measuring tape reels and enabling rapid counting of chips through X-ray images.

However, because the sizes and shapes of semiconductor chips are diverse, there is a need to apply a counting method optimized for each type of chip. As a solution to this, there are attempts to algorithmically improve the decomposition ability of each chip on an X-ray image by introducing machine learning techniques or increasing the database.

However, fundamentally, the X-ray beam emitted from the tube has a cone beam shape and has a different angle of incidence for each part of the detector. For samples with a relatively large volume, there is no major problem with the above-mentioned imaging method, but when the samples are small in size, such as semiconductor chips, and are arranged adjacent to each other by a tape reel, the tendency for interference on the X-ray image becomes more severe as it goes to the outskirts. This ultimately leads to inaccuracy in chip counting.

In order to solve the above problem, an attempt can be made to reduce the difference in angle by widening the upper and lower spacing between the tube and the detector, but this leads to the uneconomical need to increase the volume of the entire equipment.

The present invention was developed to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a chip counter device with improved functions that can structurally improve the decomposition ability of semiconductor chips while having the advantages of space and equipment.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention includes a tube 100 that irradiates X-rays on a tape reel and is transported along a tube transfer unit 110, receives X-rays from the tube, generates an ), a detector 200 transported along a detector 200, a detection unit 1100 that generates one tape reel image through a combination of images for each sequence from the detector, and a device that counts the number of chips according to judgment conditions set from the tape reel image. A control unit (1000) including a counting unit (1200), a transfer control unit (1300) that controls the transfer of tubes and detectors, and a mode setting unit (1500) that controls the beam area or the area of the sequence image or the width of the sequence image. ) Provides a chip counter device including.

The tube preferably has a beam area 120 in which image overlap between chips placed on the tape reel does not occur when generating a sequence image.

In addition, the control unit includes a detection unit 1100 that collects the image signal from the detector and generates a tape reel image by combining each sequence image, a counting unit 1200 that counts the number of chips based on the tape reel image, and a tube and a transfer control unit 1300 that controls the transfer of the detector.

The transfer control unit may include a transfer unit 1310 that controls the transfer operations of the tube transfer unit and the detector transfer unit, and a synchronization unit 1320 that links the transfer operations of the tube transfer unit and the detector transfer unit for each sequence.

According to one embodiment, the synchronization unit compares the sequence images generated by the detection unit to determine whether they match, corrects the transfer error of the tube or detector, and allows the transfer unit to control the transfer operation of the next sequence.

Additionally, the mode setting unit can control the operation of the tube and detector depending on the chip type.

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According to one embodiment, the transfer control unit may control the transfer width of the tube and detector according to the operation mode set in the mode setting unit.

According to the configuration of the present invention described above, it is possible to reproduce accurate images of individual chips by overcoming image inaccuracy that occurs in the process of detecting various types of tape reels and chips by a single tube and detector, and to improve chip counting accuracy. It has the effect of improving.

In addition, the output of the tube can be reduced compared to the prior art, and the gap between the tube and the detector can be significantly reduced compared to the conventional method, thereby improving spatial advantage and providing an economic effect.

1 is a front view showing a state of use of a conventional semiconductor tape reel.
Figure 2 is a configuration diagram to explain a chip counter device with improved functions of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a plan view of a tape reel placed on a stage.
Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining the beam area in which interference between the beam area and the chip in the tape reel is excluded by the chip counter device with improved functionality of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a block diagram for explaining the control system in the chip counter device with improved functions of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a block diagram to explain an embodiment of the transport control unit that controls the transport of the tube and detector.

Hereinafter, a chip counter device with improved functions according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.

The following embodiments combine the components and features of the present invention in a predetermined form. Each component or feature may be considered optional unless explicitly stated otherwise. Each component or feature may be implemented in a form that is not combined with other components or features. Additionally, some components and/or features may be combined to form an embodiment of the present invention. The order of operations described in embodiments of the present invention may be changed. Some features or features of one embodiment may be included in other embodiments or may be replaced with corresponding features or features of other embodiments.

In the description of the drawings, parts, devices, and/or configurations that may obscure the gist of the present invention are not described, and parts, devices, and/or configurations that can be understood at a level by those skilled in the art are not described. Additionally, parts referred to using the same reference numerals in the drawings refer to the same components or steps in the device configuration or method.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to “comprise or include” a certain element, this means that it may further include other elements rather than excluding other elements, unless specifically stated to the contrary. do. Additionally, terms such as “···unit” or “···unit” used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation. In addition, the terms "a or an", "one", "the", and similar related terms are used in the context of describing the invention (particularly in the context of the claims below) as used herein. It may be used in both singular and plural terms, unless indicated otherwise or clearly contradicted by context.

The present invention is basically a chip counter device with an improved function that can improve the accuracy of chip counting and provide a spatial advantage by detecting X-ray images while synchronizing and transporting the tube and detector while the tape reel is seated horizontally. provides.

The present invention is aimed at a chip counter that counts the position and number of chips through X-ray images detected through a tube and detector, but the type of tube and detector does not limit the concept of the present invention.

In recent years, as the types of semiconductor chips, specifically the shape and thickness, have become more diverse, there is a need to perform optimized operations according to each tape reel. In the present invention, the structure is designed to solve the problem caused by chip image overlap. approached.

In relation to the operation of such chip counting, the contents of the registration notice and known technology by the applicant of the present invention may be applied to parts not described in the present invention.

Figure 2 is a configuration diagram to explain a chip counter device with improved functions of the present invention.

A tape reel is wound in a predetermined casing with a plurality of chips attached to the tape, and has a roughly circular flat shape. This tape reel is placed on the stage in a horizontal state and an X-ray image can be detected.

The stage may have a housing having a structure and material that can shield the inlet and outlet of the tape reel and the outflow of X-rays. Detailed explanations regarding insertion and withdrawal of the tape reel will be omitted.

The tube 100, tape reel 10, and detector 200 may be arranged from the top. However, the arrangement state is not limited to the form shown, and the direction may be set in various ways depending on the installation environment.

The tape reel 10 may be placed on a stage while seated on a predetermined tray. X-rays are irradiated from the upper tube 100 with the tape reel 10 in between, and an X-ray image signal of the tape reel 10 can be generated by the detector 200.

The detector 200 can be applied to a variety of devices as long as it can detect the X-ray beam radiated from the tube 100 and transmitted through the tape reel 10, which is an object. It would be desirable to consist of a narrow line detector, but it is not necessarily limited to this.

The tube 100 irradiates X-rays from the upper side of the tape reel 10, and the Because it is low, it is possible to count the number of chips wound on the tape reel 10 by the difference in gray scale value.

According to the concept of the present invention, the tube 100 can irradiate a beam to a part of the planar area of the tape reel 10, and the detector 200 can radiate a beam to a part of the area of the tape reel 10 by the single shooting. X-ray images can be obtained. At this time, irradiating a beam to a certain area will be considered based on the area detected by the detector, so it does not necessarily mean physically limiting the beam width, such as with a collimator, but can be understood as the effective area of the beam for image acquisition. You can.

Therefore, the tube transfer unit 110 is configured so that the tube 100 can be transferred along a predetermined axis in the tape reel 10, and the detector 200 can be transferred in synchronization with the transfer of the tube 100. A detector transfer unit 210 is configured.

The transfer units may be made of known transfer means such as rails, belts, actuators, gears, robot arms, and links. In addition, in some cases, it may be considered that the tube transport unit 110 and the detector transport unit 210 are formed as one structure.

Referring to the illustration, the beam area 120, which is an effective area formed from the tube 100, is relatively narrow and covers a portion of the tape reel 10. The detector 200 has a position corresponding to its position on the lower side of the tube 100. Approximately in the normal direction (t) of the tape reel 10, the tube 100 and the detector 200 may share a center position or reference position.

Compared to the case of the tube (a) of the prior art, the conventional beam area (α) covers the entire area of the tape reel 10, and the detector 200 may also have a corresponding area or width. . For this purpose, note that the conventional tube (a) is placed at a relatively high position compared to the tube 100 of the present invention.

Looking at the outline of the conventional beam area (α), it can be seen that it forms a larger angle with respect to the normal direction (t) than the beam area 120 of the present invention. Therefore, in the conventional beam area (α), the possibility of interference between chips when generating an X-ray image increases as the outer edge of the tape reel 10 increases.

Therefore, according to the concept of the present invention, the overlapping phenomenon of chips can be reduced or eliminated, and the overall height of the equipment can be reduced, thereby achieving measurement accuracy and economy at the same time.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a tape reel placed on a stage, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining interference between a beam area and a chip in a tape reel.

As described above, the tape reel 10 is arranged horizontally on the tray 300, and the X-rays irradiated from the upper side pass through and are detected by the detector 200, and an It can be.

In this way, the image signal generated by the detector 200 is implemented by the detection unit and a predetermined chip counting operation can be performed. This will be discussed in detail in the description of the control unit.

The tray 300 on which the tape reel 10 is mounted is preferably made of a material that does not affect the X-ray image.

The tape reel 10 has a tape 20 wound around a housing in the shape of a disk or cylinder, and chips 22 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the tape 20. Accordingly, the chips are arranged in a spiral shape as shown.

On the X-ray image, each chip 22 will be displayed in the form of a dot having a predetermined shape.

When an Since the image of the chip 22 is smaller in width and area than the image of the entire tape reel 10, the change in shape will not have a significant effect on the coefficient itself, but in the radial or circumferential direction of the tape reel 10. Since the distance between the plurality of chips 22 disposed is close, the overlap of images due to the inclination in the beam area 120 may affect the counting process.

Accordingly, there is a need to limit the irradiation area or detection area of the X-ray beam.

Referring to FIG. 4, the concept for removing the overlap will be looked at in more detail.

If we consider the point where X-rays are emitted from the tube 100 as the

The arrangement in the drawing shows a side cross-sectional view of the tape reel 10 placed on the tray 300. Based on the state shown in the drawing, the tapes 20 are arranged in the radial direction at predetermined intervals, and A chip 22 coupled to the tape 20 is interposed. They may be arranged at predetermined intervals in the radial direction according to the cut surface, but for convenience, it is assumed that the chips 22 are evenly arranged in a specific cross section.

Here, the chip 22 has a predetermined thickness (d) and height (h), and these values act as variables that affect the irradiation area of the beam 120. Specifically, in the area adjacent to the immediate lower side of the vertical line extending from the X-ray source 101 in the normal direction, the radiated There is a high possibility that the X-rays penetrating the chip 22 will interfere with other chips 22 adjacent to the outer circumference, and eventually an overlapping area o is generated.

Therefore, there is a need to limit the beam area 120, and as a way to control this, limiting the width of the detector 200 or removing the outer area from the generated X-ray image with an algorithm may be considered. .

The angle defining the limit area (m) of the beam 120 can be determined by the height (h) of the chip 22 and the thickness of the tape 20 or the chip 22.

As described above, the beam area 120 can be determined by the shape, thickness, and width of the chip 22 and the thickness of the tape 20, and the tube 100 and detector 200 are configured to be transportable. Therefore, the limitations of the beam area 120 are relatively free.

Figure 5 is a block diagram for explaining the control system of the chip counter device with improved functions of the present invention.

As described above, the tube 100 and the detector 2020 are configured on the stage to generate a predetermined X-ray image for the tape reel 10 and count the number of chips for each reel.

The tube 100 irradiates X-rays while being transported along a set direction of the tape reel 10 with a predetermined beam area 120, and the detector 200 follows the transport of the tube 100 and detects each sequence. Generates star x-ray image signals.

The detection unit 1100 performs the function of generating an X-ray image through a signal from the detector 200. At this time, an image for the entire tape reel 10 can be generated through a combination of images for each sequence. In the present invention, the detector 200 and the tube 100 are connected to each tube transfer unit 110 and the detector transfer unit ( Since a sequence image is created in the process of being transferred through 210), logic for the above combination is required. Embodiments related to this will be described later in the description of the synchronization operation that will be described later.

The counting unit 1200 can count the number of chips according to the judgment conditions set through the tape reel image generated by combining the sequence images, irradiation time according to the type of individual chip or tape reel 100, and the gray level of the image. Conditions for scale adjustment, judgment logic, etc. can be set as operating modes.

The management unit 1400 may control X-ray emission from the tube 100 and signal generation from the detector 200. At this time, the management unit 3300 can transmit the result determined by the counting unit 1200 to the display unit 2100 so that the operator can judge the result in real time.

Therefore, it further includes a mode setting unit 1500, and the mode setting unit 1500 functions at a stage before the stage input of the tape reel 10 to select the operating mode of the counting unit 1200 in advance. Additionally, the functions of the mode setting unit 1500 may be linked in the operation and transportation of the tube 100 and the detector 200.

When the mode setting unit 1500 operates, the type of chip 22 may be determined through unique information on the tape reel 10 collected in advance by a predetermined recognition device. The unique information may be a serial number, bar code, or QR code displayed on the tape reel 10.

The control unit 1000 has a database of unique information about a given tape reel 10 and allows the mode setting unit 1500 to function according to the recognized unique information.

For example, the shape and/or area and/or length and/or width and/or height and/or arrangement interval of the chip 22 are extracted in advance by the mode setting unit 1500 from the database and stored in the management unit 1400. ), when controlling the tube 100 and the detector 200, control can be performed according to the type of chip 22. Accordingly, it will be possible to control the beam area 120 or control the area or width of the sequence image according to the signal extracted from the detector 200.

In addition, the transport of the tube 100 and the detector 200 can be individually controlled through the transport control unit 1300. Through control of the tube transfer unit 110 and the detector transfer unit 210, the detection unit 1100 can function to collect sequence image signals for each sequence.

At this time, it may be considered to control the transfer width for one sequence according to the settings of the mode setting unit 1500.

As described above, the present invention controls each tube transfer unit 110 and the detector transfer unit 210 in conjunction with each other. Let us look at an embodiment for this.

Figure 6 is a block diagram for explaining the function of the transfer control unit in the chip counter device with improved functions of the present invention.

The transfer unit 1310 transmits a control signal to control the transfer of the tube transfer unit 110 and the detector transfer unit 210, allowing the detection unit 1100 to collect sequence images for each sequence.

At this time, the transfer unit 1310 can synchronize the operations of the tube transfer unit 110 and the detector transfer unit 210, and the synchronization operation can be performed according to the operation mode selected in the mode setting unit 1500.

Considering the accuracy of the transfer control of the transfer unit 1310, it is preferable that the tube transfer unit 110 and the detector transfer unit 210 have a linear uniaxial transfer form rather than a complex transfer form.

However, even in the above case, if the tube transfer unit 110 and the detector transfer unit 210 operate independently, problems may occur in the combination of sequence images due to errors or tolerances between transfers. Considering this, the synchronization unit 1320 may function to directly control transfer. For example, the synchronization unit 1320 compares the sequence image generated by the detection unit 1100 to determine whether the image matches at each edge area and corrects the transfer error of the tube 100 or the detector 200. It can perform its function. Accordingly, the correction value of the error occurring during the second transfer operation is reflected in the third transfer operation, so that individual control according to sequential transfer can be performed.

Meanwhile, the synchronization unit 1320 can determine how much of an angle each sequence image forms with respect to a predetermined reference position. The angle value for each sequence image is transmitted to the detection unit 1100 and may function as a correction element for the combination of each sequence image. The angle with respect to the reference position may mean, for example, the degree of eccentricity of the detector 200 with respect to the center normal direction of the tape reel 10 and the tube 100, and the standards for the reference position and angle vary. can be decided.

By the chip counter device with the improved functions of the present invention described above, it is possible to overcome image inaccuracies that occur in the process of detecting various types of tape reels and chips by a single tube and detector and reproduce accurate images of individual chips. This leads to improved chip counting accuracy.

In addition, the output of the tube can be reduced compared to the prior art, and the gap between the tube and the detector can be significantly reduced compared to the conventional method, thereby improving spatial advantage.

In the above, the present invention has been described in detail based on examples and accompanying drawings. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited by the above embodiments and drawings, and the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the content described in the claims described later.

10...tape 20...tape
22...chip 100...tube
110...Tube transfer unit 120...Beam area
200...detector 210...detector transfer unit
300...tray 1000...control unit
1100...Detection unit 1200...Counting unit
1300...Transfer control unit 1310...Transfer unit
1320...synchronization department 1400...management department
1500...Mode setting section

Claims (8)

A tube 100 that is transported along the tube transfer unit 110 while radiating X-rays to the tape reel;
A detector 200 that receives the X-rays from the tube and generates an X-ray image signal, and is transported along the detector transfer unit 210 to generate an
A detection unit 1100 that generates one tape reel image through a combination of images for each sequence from the detector, a counting unit 1200 that counts the number of chips according to judgment conditions set from the tape reel image, and a detection unit 1200 of the tube and detector. A chip counter device including a control unit 1000 including a transfer control unit 1300 that controls transfer, and a mode setting unit 1500 that controls the beam area or the area of the sequence image or the width of the sequence image.
According to paragraph 1,
The tube is,
A chip counter device having a beam area 120 in which image overlap between chips placed on a tape reel does not occur when generating a sequence image.
According to paragraph 2,
The transfer control unit,
A chip counter device that controls the transfer width of the tube and detector for one sequence according to the settings of the mode setting unit.
According to paragraph 1,
The transfer control unit,
A chip counter device comprising a transfer unit 1310 that controls the transfer operations of the tube transfer unit and the detector transfer unit, and a synchronization unit 1320 that links the transfer operations of the tube transfer unit and the detector transfer unit for each sequence.
According to paragraph 4,
The synchronization unit,
A chip counter device that compares the sequence images generated by the detection unit to determine whether or not they match, corrects the transfer error of the tube or detector, and allows the transfer unit to control the transfer operation of the next sequence.
According to paragraph 3,
The mode setting unit is,
Chip counter device that selects sequence images according to chip type.

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