Disclosure of Invention
In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a probe cleaning apparatus to solve the problem of poor cleaning effect or low cleaning efficiency of the conventional probe.
To this end, an embodiment of the present invention provides a probe cleaning apparatus, including: needle cleaning table; the needle cleaning pad is arranged on the needle cleaning table and is provided with at least two needle cleaning areas, and different needle cleaning areas are provided with needle cleaning materials with different hardness; the detection device is arranged at the position, which is not provided with the probe cleaning pad, on the probe cleaning table or on a probe card loaded with the probe to be cleaned and is used for detecting an attachment at the tip of the probe to be cleaned; and the control device is used for enabling the probe to be cleaned to execute corresponding needle cleaning action in the selected needle cleaning area according to the detection result of the detection device.
Optionally, the needle cleaning pad comprises a first needle cleaning area and a second needle cleaning area, the first needle cleaning area is formed by a first needle cleaning material, the second needle cleaning area is formed by a second needle cleaning material, and the hardness of the first needle cleaning material is smaller than that of the second needle cleaning material.
Optionally, the needle cleaning pad comprises: a substrate; the first needle cleaning area and the second needle cleaning area are arranged on the substrate.
Optionally, the needle cleaning pad further comprises a third needle cleaning area formed by a third needle cleaning material, and the hardness of the third needle cleaning material is greater than that of the first needle cleaning material and less than that of the second needle cleaning material.
Optionally, the needle cleaning pad comprises: a substrate; the third needle cleaning material layer is arranged on the substrate; the first needle cleaning material layer is arranged on the third needle cleaning material layer to form the first needle cleaning area; the second needle cleaning material layer is arranged on the third needle cleaning material layer to form a second needle cleaning area; and the third needle cleaning area is formed in the area, on the third needle cleaning material layer, where the first needle cleaning material layer and the second needle cleaning material layer are not arranged.
Optionally, the needle cleaning pad comprises: a substrate; the first needle cleaning area and the second needle cleaning area are arranged on the substrate; and the third needle cleaning area is arranged on the substrate and comprises a gasket arranged on the substrate and the third needle cleaning material arranged on the gasket.
Optionally, an adhesive layer is further disposed between the substrate and the needle cleaning region.
Optionally, the first needle cleaning material comprises a high molecular polymer, and the second needle cleaning material comprises polishing sand paper.
Optionally, the high molecular polymer comprises a hydrogel-like polymer and a silica gel; and/or the polishing sandpaper is 4000 to 7000 mesh polishing sandpaper.
Optionally, the third needle cleaning material comprises gold or gold-plated material.
Optionally, the substrate is a silicon wafer or ceramic.
Optionally, the liner is a silicon wafer or ceramic.
Optionally, the control device is configured to determine a selected needle cleaning region according to the detected material of the attachment, and when the attachment is easily cleaned and dirty, align the probe to be cleaned with the needle cleaning region corresponding to the needle cleaning material with the lowest hardness and perform needle insertion; or when the attachment is sticky and dirty, the probe to be cleaned is aligned with the needle cleaning area corresponding to the needle cleaning material with higher hardness and is pricked, and then the probe to be cleaned is aligned with the needle cleaning area corresponding to the needle cleaning material with the lowest hardness and is pricked.
Optionally, the control device is further configured to determine the number of needle insertions according to the detected particle size of the attachment.
Optionally, the control device is further configured to count needle insertion times of each needle clearing area on the needle clearing pad, and send a prompt message to replace the needle clearing pad or the corresponding needle clearing area when the needle insertion times of a certain needle clearing area exceed a predetermined threshold value.
Optionally, the detection device is further configured to detect an attachment on the tip of the probe to be cleaned in real time, and when the attachment is not detected, the control device stops the needle cleaning operation; or the detection device is also used for detecting the attachments on the needle point of the probe to be cleaned after each needle insertion or the needle insertion for a preset number of times, and when the attachments are not detected, the control device stops the needle cleaning action.
In the probe cleaning device provided by the embodiment of the invention, at least two probe cleaning areas are arranged through the probe cleaning pad, different probe cleaning areas are formed by probe cleaning materials with different hardness, the attachment of the probe tip to be cleaned is detected through the detection device, and the corresponding probe cleaning area is selected according to the detection result of the detection device to clean the probe, so that the full-automatic probe cleaning process is realized without human intervention, the probe cleaning efficiency can be improved, and unnecessary probe loss caused by excessive probe cleaning is avoided.
Detailed Description
In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are some, but not all, embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Fig. 2 shows a probe cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, which may include a needle cleaning stage 23, a needle cleaning pad 24, a detection device 25, and a control device (not shown in the drawings), as shown in fig. 2. In an alternative embodiment, the needle cleaning pad 24 is disposed on the needle cleaning table 23, the detecting device 25 is disposed at a position on the needle cleaning table 23 where the needle cleaning pad 24 is not disposed, for example, the detecting device may be disposed at the periphery of the needle cleaning pad 24 or at the outer side of the needle cleaning table 23 to save the detecting time, and is used for detecting the attachments on the needle tips of the probes 24 to be cleaned, and the detecting device 25 may be one, two or more, without any limitation. The detection device 25 may be an additional device, or may be implemented by using an existing microscope (imaging system) on the machine, and the function of the detection device 25 is implemented by modifying the microscope on the machine, so as to reduce the cost of the probe cleaning device. In the example of fig. 2, probes 22 are loaded on probe card 21, and probe card 21 may be loaded with a plurality of probes 22. In another alternative embodiment, the detecting device 25 can be disposed on the probe card 21 carrying the probe 22 to be cleaned, and can also perform the function of detecting the attachments on the tip of the probe 22 to be cleaned.
As an alternative to the embodiment of the present invention, the detecting device 25 may be an infrared sensor, which can detect the material of the attachments on the tip of the probe 24 to be cleaned and the size of the particles. The energy and wavelength of the infrared radiation from the objects made of different materials to the outside are different, so that the infrared sensor can judge the material of the attachment according to the energy and wavelength of the infrared radiation from the attachment at the needle point of the probe 24 to be cleaned to the outside, for example, the attachment can be judged to be sticky dirt such as metal chips or silicon chips, or easily cleaned dirt such as flocks, films or dust. And the infrared sensor can also acquire the particle size of the attachment according to the size of the imaging image of the attachment of the needle point, so that different needle cleaning schemes can be adopted according to the material of the attachment and the particle size subsequently.
The needle cleaning pad 24 comprises at least two needle cleaning areas, and different needle cleaning areas are formed by needle cleaning materials with different hardness. In the example of fig. 3A and 3B, the needle cleaning pad 24 may include 2 needle cleaning regions, namely a first needle cleaning region 31 and a second needle cleaning region 32, the first needle cleaning region 31 being formed of a first needle cleaning material, the second needle cleaning region 32 being formed of a second needle cleaning material, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that many more needle cleaning regions are possible.
The control device (not shown in the figure) is in communication connection with the detection device 25, and the communication connection can be realized in a wired or wireless manner, so that the probe 22 to be cleaned performs a corresponding needle cleaning action on the selected needle cleaning area according to the detection result of the detection device 25. Specifically, the control device changes the relative position between the needle cleaning table 23 and the probe 22 to be cleaned so that the probe 22 to be cleaned is aligned with the selected needle cleaning region. The control device may control the probe card 21 to move toward the probe cleaning stage 23, may control the probe cleaning stage 23 to move toward the probe card 21, or may change the relative position between the probe cleaning stage 23 and the probe 22 to be cleaned by moving both the probe cleaning stage 23 and the probe card 21, for example. After the probe 22 to be cleaned is aligned with the selected needle cleaning area, the control device controls the probe 22 to be cleaned to move towards the selected needle cleaning area, and needles are inserted in the selected needle cleaning area for a plurality of times, so as to achieve the purpose of needle cleaning.
It should be noted that the needle cleaning pad 24 has a certain service life, and after excessive use, the needle cleaning effect thereof will decrease, so that when the number of needle insertions exceeds a predetermined threshold, the needle cleaning effect needs to be timely replaced to ensure the needle cleaning effect. In an optional implementation manner of the embodiment of the present invention, the control device is further configured to count needle inserting times of each needle clearing zone on the needle clearing mat 24, and send a prompt message to replace the needle clearing mat 24 when the needle inserting times of a certain needle clearing zone exceed a predetermined threshold. Of course, for cost reasons, it is also possible to replace only the needle clearing zone with the number of needle insertions exceeding the predetermined threshold value without replacing the entire needle clearing pad.
More specifically, when the detecting device 25 detects that the attachment at the tip of the probe is a lint, a film, or dust, which is easy to clean, the first needle cleaning region 31 may be punctured several times, for example, the needle cleaning is completed 1-3 times according to the particle size of the attachment, so as to avoid unnecessary probe loss caused by excessive needle cleaning on a high-hardness needle cleaning material for a long time. When the detecting device 25 detects that the attachment at the probe tip is sticky dirt such as metal chips or silicon chips, the needle inserting operation may be performed on the second needle cleaning region 32 for several times, and then the needle inserting operation may be performed on the first needle cleaning region 31 for several times to thoroughly clean the fine dirt, and the needle inserting operation may also be performed for 1 to 3 times according to the size of the particles attached to the attachment, so as to improve the needle cleaning efficiency.
In order to reduce the probe loss by reducing the number of needle insertions as much as possible while ensuring the needle cleaning effect, in an optional implementation manner of the embodiment of the present invention, the detecting device 25 is further configured to detect an attachment on the tip of the probe 22 to be cleaned in real time, and when the attachment is not detected, the control device stops the needle cleaning operation.
It should be understood by those skilled in the art that, in order to improve the needle cleaning efficiency, the detecting device 25 may not detect the attachment on the tip of the probe 22 to be cleaned in real time, but detect the attachment on the tip of the probe after each needle insertion or after a predetermined number of needle insertions, and cause the control device to stop the needle cleaning operation when the attachment is not detected. The predetermined number of needle insertions may be set by the user, for example, 2 or 3 times, etc. Of course, the predetermined number of times can also be determined by the control device according to the size of the particles of the currently detected attachments, for example, the particles of the currently detected attachments are larger, the control device performs needle insertion 2 times in the corresponding needle clearing area, the particles are already small, and the control device performs needle insertion 1 time in the corresponding needle clearing area, and thus the needle clearing efficiency is improved as much as possible.
In the probe cleaning device provided by the embodiment of the invention, at least two probe cleaning areas are arranged through the probe cleaning pad, different probe cleaning areas are formed by probe cleaning materials with different hardness, the attachment of the probe tip to be cleaned is detected through the detection device, and the corresponding probe cleaning area is selected according to the detection result of the detection device to clean the probe, so that the full-automatic probe cleaning process is realized without human intervention, the probe cleaning efficiency can be improved, and unnecessary probe loss caused by excessive probe cleaning is avoided.
As an alternative to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 3A and 3B, the needle cleaning pad 24 may include a substrate 33, a first needle cleaning region 31 and a second needle cleaning region 32, wherein the first needle cleaning region 31 and the second needle cleaning region 32 are disposed on the substrate 33. The substrate 33 may be a ceramic substrate or a silicon wafer, for example. In an alternative embodiment, the first needle cleaning area 31 is made of a needle cleaning material with lower hardness, and the second needle cleaning area 32 is made of a needle cleaning material with higher hardness. Specifically, the first needle cleaning region 31 may be formed of a high molecular polymer, such as hydrogel-like or silicone gel, and the second needle cleaning region 32 may be formed of polishing sandpaper, such as 4000-7000 mesh polishing sandpaper, so that different needle cleaning schemes may be adopted according to the detection result of the detection device 25. It should be noted that, the mesh number of the polishing sand paper can be selected by those skilled in the art according to the specific situation. Further, as shown in fig. 3B, an adhesive layer 34 is further disposed between the substrate 33 and the first and second needle cleaning regions 31 and 32.
As another alternative to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 4A and 4B, the needle cleaning pad 24 may further include a first needle cleaning region 41, a second needle cleaning region 42, and a third needle cleaning region 43, the first needle cleaning region 41 is formed of a first needle cleaning material, the second needle cleaning region 42 is formed of a second needle cleaning material, the third needle cleaning region 43 is formed of a third needle cleaning material, and the hardness of the third needle cleaning material is greater than the hardness of the first needle cleaning material and less than the hardness of the second needle cleaning material. Alternatively, the first needle cleaning material may be a high molecular polymer, the second needle cleaning material may be polishing sandpaper, and the third needle cleaning material may be gold or a gold-plated material. As shown in fig. 4B, the needle cleaning pad may include a substrate 44, a third needle cleaning material layer 43, a first needle cleaning material layer 41, and a second needle cleaning material layer 42. Wherein the substrate 44 may be a silicon wafer or a ceramic substrate, the third needle-cleaning material layer 43 may be a gold layer plated on the substrate 44, the first needle-cleaning material layer 41 and the second needle-cleaning material layer 42 are disposed on the third needle-cleaning material layer 43, for example, adhered to the third needle-cleaning material layer 43, the first needle-cleaning material layer 41 forms a first needle-cleaning region, the second needle-cleaning material layer 42 forms a second needle-cleaning region, and a region of the third needle-cleaning material layer 43 where the first needle-cleaning material layer 41 and the second needle-cleaning material layer 42 are not disposed forms a third needle-cleaning region. The hardness of gold is between polishing abrasive paper and high molecular polymer, and when treating that clean probe is dirty not serious, can make the probe prick on third clear needle material layer 43, golden layer promptly, because the hardness of gold is soft a lot than polishing abrasive paper, can be in the better protection probe under the prerequisite of guaranteeing to clear the needle. Since the polishing sandpaper and the high molecular polymer are adhered to the gold layer and are easily removed, the gold layer plated on the substrate 44 is easily recovered when the needle cleaning pad is discarded.
As another alternative to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 5, the needle cleaning pad may include a substrate 55, a first needle cleaning region 51, a second needle cleaning region 52, and a third needle cleaning region. The first needle cleaning region 51, the second needle cleaning region 52 and the third needle cleaning region are disposed on a substrate 55, wherein the third needle cleaning region includes a pad 54 disposed on the substrate 55 and a third needle cleaning material 53 disposed on the pad 54. Further, the first needle cleaning region 51, the second needle cleaning region 52 and the third needle cleaning region are further provided with an adhesive layer 56 with the substrate 55. In this embodiment, the first needle cleaning region 51 may be formed of a high molecular polymer, such as hydrogel-like or silicone gel, the second needle cleaning region 52 may be formed of polishing sandpaper, such as 4000-7000 mesh polishing sandpaper, the third needle cleaning material 53 may be gold or gold-plated material, the substrate 55 may be a ceramic substrate or a silicon wafer, and the pad 54 may also be a ceramic substrate or a silicon wafer.
In the probe cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the control device determines the selected needle cleaning region according to the material of the detected attachment, and when the attachment is easy to clean and dirty, such as lint, film, or dust, the probe to be cleaned is aligned with the needle cleaning region corresponding to the needle cleaning material with the lowest hardness, and needle insertion is performed, for example, the first needle cleaning region formed by a polymer may be selected. When the attachment is sticky dirt such as metal chips or silicon chips, the probe to be cleaned is aligned with the needle cleaning area corresponding to the needle cleaning material with higher hardness and is pricked, for example, a second needle cleaning area formed by polishing sand paper or a third needle cleaning area formed by gold or gold-plated material can be selected according to the strength of the stickiness, and then the needle cleaning area corresponding to the needle cleaning material with the lowest hardness is aligned and is pricked, for example, the first needle cleaning area is formed by high molecular polymer.
Furthermore, the control device is also used for determining the times of pricking according to the size of the particles of the detected attachments, when the particles are detected to be large, the control device can increase the times of pricking, when the particles are detected to be small, the control device can reduce the times of pricking, and generally, the times of pricking can be controlled to be 1-3 times, so that the abrasion of the probe can be reduced on the premise of ensuring the needle cleaning.
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.