KR20200100987A - Apparatus for inspecting display cells - Google Patents

Abstract

A display cell inspection device is disclosed. The display cell inspection device includes: an inspection chamber for performing an inspection process for display cells formed on a substrate; a substrate stage disposed inside an inspection chamber and supporting the substrate so that the display cells face down; a card stage disposed below the substrate stage and supporting a probe card for inspecting the display cells; a card storage chamber disposed on one side of the inspection chamber, and including a card cassette for receiving the plurality of probe cards in a multilayer form and a door for communicating with the inspection chamber; a card transfer unit for selecting one of the plurality of probe cards through the door and transferring the one probe card onto the card stage; and a plurality of card readers disposed in the card receiving chamber and identifying each of the plurality of probe cards. The present invention prevents a replacement error of the probe card and shortens a time required for replacement of the probe card.

Description

Apparatus for inspecting display cells

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus for inspecting display cells. More specifically, it relates to an apparatus for electrically and optically inspecting display cells formed on a substrate, such as organic light emitting device (OLED) cells.

OLED devices used as flat panel display devices have the advantage of having a wide viewing angle, excellent contrast, and fast response speed, so they are widely used in portable display devices, smart phones, and tablet PCs in recent years. Receiving. In particular, the OLED device has an advantage in that it has superior characteristics such as luminance, driving voltage, and response speed compared to an inorganic light emitting display device, and can be multicolored.

In the manufacturing process of the OLED device, a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) layer is formed on a substrate through various film forming processes and etching processes, and a lower electrode and an organic layer (e.g., a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electronic layer) is formed on the TFT layer. A transport layer) and an organic light-emitting layer composed of an upper electrode may be formed. Subsequently, the OLED device may be completed by sealing the substrate on which the TFT layer and the organic light emitting layer are formed using an encapsulation substrate.

In particular, a plurality of OLED cells may be formed on the substrate, and after the encapsulation process is completed, the OLED device may be completed by individualizing each of the OLED cells through a cutting process.

Meanwhile, after the encapsulation process is completed, an inspection process for OLED cells formed on the substrate may be performed. In the inspection process, a function inspection of a TFT layer, a correction circuit inspection, an image quality inspection, a spectral inspection, an image inspection, and the like may be performed by applying an inspection signal to the OLED cells. However, as described above, when the inspection process is performed after the encapsulation process is completed, the loss due to OLED devices determined as defective products in the inspection process may increase.

In order to solve the above problems, an apparatus for performing an inspection process for the OLED cells before performing the encapsulation process is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1561746. The inspection process for the OLED cells may be performed by contacting the probes of the probe card with the inspection pads of the OLED cells and then applying inspection signals to the OLED cells.

The inspection apparatus includes an inspection chamber in which an inspection process is performed, a substrate stage supporting a substrate such that OLED cells face downward, a card stage supporting a probe card for inspecting the OLED cells, and one side of the inspection chamber. It may include a card storage chamber that is disposed and accommodates a plurality of probe cards, and a card transfer unit that withdraws a probe card selected according to the type of OLED cells to be inspected among the probe cards and transfers it onto the card stage.

The probe cards may be accommodated in the card storage chamber by an operator, and information of the probe cards may be recorded and stored by the operator. When the probe card needs to be replaced, the card transfer unit may replace the probe card based on the stored probe card information. However, if there is an error in the information of the probe cards or the probe card is erroneously withdrawn from the card storage chamber, an error may occur in the inspection process. In addition, since it may take a considerable amount of time to update the information on the probe cards and replace the probe cards again, there is a need for improvement.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1561746 (Registration Date 2015.10.13)

An object of the present invention is to provide a display cell inspection apparatus capable of preventing a replacement error of a probe card and shortening a time required for replacement of the probe card.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a display cell inspection apparatus includes an inspection chamber for performing an inspection process on display cells formed on a substrate, and the display cells disposed inside the inspection chamber so that the display cells face down. A substrate stage supporting a substrate, a card stage disposed below the substrate stage and supporting a probe card for inspecting the display cells, and a card stage disposed at one side of the inspection chamber for accommodating a plurality of probe cards in a multilayer form. A card storage chamber having a door for communication between a card cassette and the test chamber, a card transfer unit for selecting one of the plurality of probe cards and transferring them onto the card stage through the door, and the card It is disposed in the receiving chamber and may include a plurality of card readers for identifying each of the plurality of probe cards.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, an electronic tag may be attached to each of the plurality of probe cards, and the card readers of the card storage chamber are adjacent to the plurality of probe cards accommodated in the card cassette. It can be disposed on the inner side.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the test apparatus may further include a cassette driving unit for moving the card cassette in a vertical direction. In this case, the door is disposed above the card receiving chamber, the card cassette is moved upward through the door by the cassette driving unit, and the card transfer unit is the probe selected from the card cassette moved upward. Cards can be withdrawn.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the inspection apparatus checks information of the probe cards using the card readers, and selects the probe card from among the plurality of probe cards based on the information of the probe cards. And, it may further include a control unit for controlling the operation of the card transfer unit and the cassette driver so that the selected probe card is withdrawn by the card transfer unit.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the card transfer unit includes a holder having hooks for gripping the selected probe card, and a second card reader for re-identifying the selected probe card is mounted on the holder. Can be.

According to the embodiments of the present invention as described above, a plurality of card readers for identifying each of the probe cards may be mounted in a card storage chamber in which a plurality of probe cards are accommodated. Information of the probe cards may be obtained by the card readers, and a probe card suitable for inspection of OLED cells may be selected based on the information of the probe cards. In addition, whether or not the probe card is properly selected can be reconfirmed using a second card reader. Accordingly, problems that may be caused by the selection error of the probe card can be sufficiently solved.

1 is a schematic diagram for explaining OLED cells formed on a substrate.
2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a display cell inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a schematic plan view illustrating the probe card shown in FIG. 2.
4 is a schematic side view for explaining the card transfer unit shown in FIG. 2.
5 is a schematic front view for explaining the card transfer unit shown in FIG. 2.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention does not have to be configured as limited to the embodiments described below, and may be embodied in various other forms. The following examples are provided to sufficiently convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art, rather than provided to enable the present invention to be completely completed.

In the embodiments of the present invention, when one element is described as being disposed on or connected to another element, the element may be directly disposed on or connected to the other element, and other elements are interposed therebetween. It could be. Alternatively, if one element is described as being placed or connected directly on another element, there cannot be another element between them. Terms such as first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various items such as various elements, compositions, regions, layers, and/or parts, but the above items are not limited by these terms. Won't.

The terminology used in the embodiments of the present invention is used only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and is not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, unless otherwise limited, all terms including technical and scientific terms have the same meaning that can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art of the present invention. The terms, such as those defined in conventional dictionaries, will be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the description of the related art and the present invention, and ideally or excessively external intuition unless explicitly limited. It will not be interpreted.

Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to schematic diagrams of ideal embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, changes from the shapes of the diagrams, for example changes in manufacturing methods and/or tolerances, are those that can be sufficiently anticipated. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention are not described as limited to specific shapes of regions described as diagrams, but include variations in shapes, and elements described in the drawings are entirely schematic and their shapes Is not intended to describe the exact shape of the elements, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

1 is a schematic diagram for explaining OLED cells formed on a substrate, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for describing a display cell inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, the display cell inspection apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be used to electrically and optically inspect display cells such as OLED cells 20. Specifically, the inspection device 100 may perform an electrical and optical inspection process for the OLED cells 20 after a plurality of OLED cells 20 are formed on the substrate 10 in the manufacturing process of the OLED device. . In this case, the OLED cells 20 may each have inspection pads 22 for performing the inspection process.

The inspection apparatus 100 includes an inspection chamber 102 that provides a space for performing an electrical and optical inspection process for the OLED cells 20, and is disposed in the inspection chamber 102 and includes the OLED cells 20 A card supporting the substrate stage 110 supporting the substrate 10 so that the) faces downward, and a probe card 120 disposed under the substrate stage 110 and supporting the probe card 120 for inspection of the OLED cells 20 A stage 130 may be included.

Although not shown in detail, the substrate stage 110 may have a lower surface provided with a plurality of vacuum holes (not shown) to adsorb the rear surface of the substrate 10, and the substrate 10 It may be adsorbed on the lower surface of the substrate stage 110 by vacuum pressure. Vacuum holes provided on the lower surface of the substrate stage 110 may be connected to a separate vacuum system (not shown) including a vacuum pump, etc., and the substrate 10 may be connected to the substrate stage 106 by the vacuum pressure. ) Can be stably gripped on the lower surface.

In addition, a stage driver 112 for moving the substrate stage 110 may be disposed in the inspection chamber 102. As an example, the stage driving unit 112 may have an approximately rectangular coordinate robot shape, and the substrate stage 110 may be configured to be movable in horizontal and vertical directions by the stage driving unit 112. That is, the substrate stage 110 may move in a horizontal direction between the loading and unloading areas of the substrate 10 and the inspection area, and also in the horizontal and vertical directions for inspection of the OLED cells 20 in the inspection area. You can move to.

A probe card 120 for inspection of OLED cells 20 formed on the substrate 10 may be disposed under the substrate stage 110. The probe card 120 may include probes 122 (see FIG. 3) for contacting the OLED cells 20, and the substrate stage 110 includes probes of the probe card 120 ( 122) and the OLED cells 20 may be moved in a vertical direction to contact each other.

3 is a schematic plan view illustrating the probe card shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, the probe card 120 may have a plurality of probes 122 configured to contact the inspection pads 22 of OLED cells 20 formed on the substrate 10. At this time, the OLED cells 20 may be arranged to have a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns as shown in FIG. 1, and the probes 122 of the probe card 120 are It may be arranged in a row so as to be in contact with the OLED cells 20 in a row or a row at the same time in a row direction or a column direction.

For example, as shown, the probe card 120 may have a substantially rectangular plate shape, and the probes 122 may be formed on an upper surface of the probe card 120 along one edge of the probe card 120. It can be arranged in a line on one side.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the probe card 120 may be disposed on the card stage 130 disposed below the substrate stage 110. At this time, although not shown, the probe card 120 may be connected to an electrical inspection unit (not shown) for electrical inspection of the OLED cells 20 through the substrate stage 130. In addition, clamp members (not shown) for holding the probe card 120 may be provided on the card stage 130.

A card receiving chamber 140 for accommodating a plurality of probe cards 120 may be provided at one side of the test chamber 102. A card cassette 142 for accommodating the plurality of probe cards 120 in a multilayer form may be provided in the card receiving chamber 140, and the card cassette 142 may be provided by a cassette driving unit 144. It can be moved in a vertical direction. As an example, the cassette driving unit 144 may have a single-axis robot shape including guide rails arranged parallel to each other in a vertical direction, and may be configured using a motor, a ball screw, and a ball nut.

Although not shown in detail, support members (not shown) for supporting the probe cards 120 may be provided on both inner surfaces of the card cassette 142, and in the test chamber 102 A card transfer unit 150 for selecting and drawing out one of the probe cards 120 and receiving the probe cards 120 may be provided.

In addition, an outer door 146 for accommodating the probe cards 120 may be provided at one side of the card receiving chamber 140, and the probe cards 120 may be disposed above the card receiving chamber 140. ) May be provided with an upper door 148 for transferring or replacing one of them to the test chamber 102. The probe cards 120 may be accommodated in the card storage chamber 140 through the outer door 146 by an operator or a mobile robot. While the upper door 148 transfers one of the probe cards 120 to the test chamber 102 or accommodates the probe card 120 from the test chamber 102 in the card receiving chamber 140 Can be opened.

As an example, the upper door 148 may be opened when the card cassette 142 is moved upward, and may be closed after the card cassette 142 is moved downward. That is, after the card cassette 142 is moved upward through the upper door 148, the probe card 120 may be withdrawn or received. Meanwhile, although not shown, a separate door driver (not shown) for opening and closing the upper door 148 may be provided.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view for describing the card transfer unit shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a schematic front view for explaining the card transfer unit shown in FIG. 2.

4 and 5, the card transfer unit 150 may be disposed under the stage driving part 112, and a holder 152 and the holder 152 for holding the probe card 120 It may include a holder vertical driving unit 154 and a holder horizontal driving unit 156 for moving the vertical and horizontal directions. As an example, the holder horizontal driving unit 156 may have a shape of a single axis robot including guide rails extending in parallel, and may be configured using a motor, a ball screw, a ball nut, or the like. The holder vertical drive unit 154 may be configured using a pneumatic cylinder, and may be coupled to the holder horizontal drive unit 156 to move in a horizontal direction.

The holder 152 may be coupled to the holder vertical driving part 154 and may have a substantially plate shape. As an example, hooks 158 for gripping the probe card 120 may be provided under the holder 152, and a hook driving unit 160 for driving the hooks 158 is provided. Can be. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, locking projections 124 corresponding to the hooks 158 may be provided on the probe card 120. However, since the method of holding the probe card 120 can be variously changed, the scope of the present invention will not be limited thereby.

The card transfer unit 150 horizontally and the holder 152 to withdraw the probe card 120 from the card cassette 142 and transfer the withdrawn probe card 120 onto the card stage 130 Can be moved vertically.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the inspection device 100 may perform optical inspection of the OLED cells 20 to which the inspection signal is applied. To this end, the inspection apparatus 100 may further include an optical inspection unit 164 disposed under one side of the probe card 120. As an example, although not shown in detail, the optical inspection unit 164 includes a color camera for measuring the image quality of the OLED cells 20, a spectroscope for measuring color coordinates, and a thin film of the OLED cells 20 A thickness, for example, an ellipsometer for measuring the thickness of the organic light emitting layer, and a vision camera for visual inspection of the OLED cells 20 may be included.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of card readers 170 for identifying the probe cards 120 may be disposed in the card receiving chamber 140. As an example, an electronic tag 126 (refer to FIG. 3) such as an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag may be mounted on each of the probe cards 120, and the electronic tag ( RFID readers 170 for transmitting/receiving signals to/from the 126 may be disposed. In particular, a plurality of card readers 170 are disposed on the inner surface of the card receiving chamber 140 so as to be adjacent to the probe cards 120 accommodated in the card cassette 142 in the card receiving chamber 140. Can be mounted.

In particular, the inspection apparatus 100 checks the information of the probe cards 120 using the card readers 170, and based on the information of the probe cards 120, the probe cards 120 ) To select a probe card 120 suitable for inspection of the OLED cells 20, and to pull out the selected probe card 120 and transfer it onto the card stage 130, the cassette driving unit 144 and the It may include a control unit 104 that controls the operation of the card transfer unit 150. For example, the card cassette 142 is raised so that the probe card 120 selected from among the probe cards 120 reaches a preset card drawing height, and then the selected probe card 120 using the card transfer unit 150 The probe card 120 may be withdrawn from the card cassette 142.

The identification step of the probe cards 120 using the card readers 170 may be performed after the probe cards 120 are accommodated in the card receiving chamber 140 from the outside, and confirmed as above. The information of the probe cards 120 may be stored in the control unit 104. In addition, when the storage position of the probe cards 120 is changed due to the replacement of the probe card, the identification step through the card readers 170 may be re-performed, and the information of the probe cards 120 is then updated. Can be.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inspection device 100 is a second card reader 172 for re-identifying the selected probe card 120 to check whether the selected probe card 120 is correctly selected. It may include. For example, the second card reader 172 may be mounted on the holder 152 of the card transfer unit 150, and after the selected probe card 120 is positioned at the preset card drawing height, the The selected probe card 120 may be re-identified using the second card reader 172.

According to the embodiments of the present invention as described above, a plurality of card readers 170 for identifying each of the probe cards 120 in the card receiving chamber 140 in which the plurality of probe cards 120 are accommodated. ) Can be installed. The information of the probe cards 120 may be obtained by the card readers 170, and based on the information of the probe cards 120, the probe card 120 suitable for inspection of the OLED cells 20 Can be selected. Also, whether or not the probe card 120 is properly selected may be reconfirmed using the second card reader 172. Accordingly, problems that may occur due to a selection error of the probe card 120 may be sufficiently solved.

Although described above with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art can variously modify and change the present invention within the scope not departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention described in the following claims. You will understand that there is.

10: substrate 20: OLED cell
100: test apparatus 102: test chamber
104: control unit 110: substrate stage
112: stage driving unit 120: probe card
122: probe 126: electronic tag
130: card stage 140: card storage chamber
142: card cassette 144: cassette driver
150: card transfer unit 152: holder
170: card reader 172: second card reader

Claims (5)

An inspection chamber for performing an inspection process on display cells formed on the substrate;
A substrate stage disposed inside the inspection chamber and supporting the substrate so that the display cells face down;
A card stage disposed under the substrate stage and supporting a probe card for inspecting the display cells;
A card storage chamber disposed on one side of the test chamber and including a card cassette for receiving a plurality of probe cards in a multilayer form and a door for communicating with the test chamber;
A card transfer unit for selecting one of the plurality of probe cards through the door and transferring them onto the card stage; And
And a plurality of card readers disposed in the card receiving chamber and for identifying each of the plurality of probe cards. The method of claim 1, wherein an electronic tag is attached to each of the plurality of probe cards, and the card readers are disposed on an inner surface of the card receiving chamber to be adjacent to the plurality of probe cards accommodated in the card cassette. Device for inspecting display cells, characterized in that. The method of claim 1, further comprising a cassette driving unit for moving the card cassette in a vertical direction,
The door is disposed above the card receiving chamber, the card cassette is moved upward through the door by the cassette driving unit, and the card transfer unit draws the selected probe card from the card cassette moved upward. Device for inspecting display cells, characterized in that. The method of claim 3, wherein information on the probe cards is checked using the card readers, the probe card is selected from among the plurality of probe cards based on the information on the probe cards, and the selected probe card is the card. And a control unit for controlling the operation of the card transfer unit and the cassette driving unit so as to be withdrawn by the transfer unit. The method of claim 1, wherein the card transfer unit comprises a holder having hooks for gripping the selected probe card,
The apparatus for inspecting display cells, wherein a second card reader for re-identifying the selected probe card is mounted on the holder.

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