JPH06236909A - Probe device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a probe device being equipped with structure capable of improving the throughput in inspection process, by obviating the time excluding the time required for the preliminary preparation to direct inspection process. CONSTITUTION:A preliminary temperature regulator 16, which regulates the temperature of a probe card, according to the temperature condition of an object to be inspected, is provided in the previous position of the place where it faces the object to be inspected, within a probe card carry path from the stocker accommodating a plurality of probe cards arranged in the positions where they face the objects for inspection placed on a placing part. Besides, in this preliminary temperature regulator 16, the temperature regulation is performed before the probe card is replaced. Accordingly, the time for preheating or precooling, the probe card after replacement can be saved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a probe device, and more particularly, to a structure for setting the state of a probe card to meet the environmental conditions for measurement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, IC chips, LSI chips, etc.
In the process of manufacturing an object to be inspected, an electrical characteristic test is performed even in a wafer state.

Therefore, conventionally, for example, a measuring device having a structure shown in FIG. 6 is known.

That is, this device is equipped with a probe needle 62 whose base is soldered to the wiring pattern of a probe card 60 fixed to the device body side. The tip of the probe needle 62 is extended so that it can swing in the vertical direction in the figure with the base as a fulcrum, and the tip of the probe hangs down toward the electrode pad of each chip of the semiconductor wafer 64. In such an apparatus, when the mounting table 66 is lifted, the semiconductor wafer 64 set on the mounting table 66 abuts on the probe needle 62, and the probe needle 62 is oscillated and displaced by the overdrive of the mounting table 66. When making contact, press contact with the electrode pad. In this way, the electrical characteristics are tested or measured while maintaining a state in which there is no electrical contact failure between the electrode pad of the semiconductor wafer 64 and the probe needle 62.

[0005]

By the way, in the above-mentioned semiconductor wafer characteristic test, it is necessary to carry out the measurement in an environmental atmosphere in accordance with the specifications of the semiconductor wafer whose electrical characteristics are to be measured. The environmental conditions are:
Especially, there is a temperature, and the temperature range is, for example, -30.
(° C) to 130 (° C) are set.

For this reason, conventionally, a chuck having a semiconductor wafer mounted thereon is provided with a temperature control structure for maintaining a test environment temperature of the semiconductor wafer. In such a chuck, the temperature of the semiconductor wafer on the mounting surface is controlled by circulating a heating or cooling medium in the temperature controller so as to match the temperature condition of the semiconductor wafer.

However, such a conventional probe device has the following problems.

That is, when the characteristic test of the semiconductor wafer is performed, the semiconductor wafer is placed on the chuck,
At the same time, the probe needle is brought into contact with the electrode pad to prepare for so-called measurement, and then the temperature condition of the semiconductor wafer is set. Therefore, for example, when the temperature is raised from room temperature, heat on the chuck side is transferred to the probe needle that is in contact with the electrode pad of the semiconductor wafer. Further, the probe card to which the probe needle is fixed also receives the radiant heat from the chuck side. As described above, the probe card and the probe needle whose temperature changes due to heat transfer from the chuck side are consequently thermally deformed, and the positional relationship with the electrode pad on the semiconductor wafer side is disturbed.

Therefore, conventionally, as a method of preventing the occurrence of such a problem, when the probe card is exchanged, for example, when raising the temperature of the probe card, the probe needle is not brought into contact with the electrode pad. In this state, it has been proposed to set a temperature equilibrium state between the chuck side and the probe card and the probe needle by radiant heat from the chuck side, and wait for the thermal deformation of the probe needle to converge.

However, in such a method, depending on the temperature condition, it takes time to adjust the so-called pre-temperature for the probe card and the probe needle, which deteriorates the throughput in the inspection process. Conventionally, the time required for this preliminary temperature control, in other words, the waiting time in the inspection process is 30
Since it is about a minute, the process time in the whole semiconductor wafer manufacturing process also becomes a considerable loss time.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the throughput in the inspection process by eliminating the time other than the time required for the preparation for the direct inspection process in view of the problems in the above-mentioned conventional probe apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a probe device having a structure that enables the above.

[0012]

In order to achieve this object, the invention according to claim 1 is to mount a temperature-adjustable mounting table on which an object to be inspected is mounted and a probe card arranged facing it. A prober section having a section, a stocker section for storing the probe card before mounting, a probe card automatic exchange section for carrying the probe card from the stocker section to the prober section for replacement, and carrying in the prober section. It is characterized in that it is provided with a pre-temperature adjusting unit for adjusting the temperature of the probe card in front.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the probe device according to the first aspect, the pre-temperature adjusting unit is provided at a carry-in position of the probe card at a position where it does not interfere with a discharge path of the probe card to the stocker. It is characterized by being.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the probe apparatus according to the first aspect, the pre-temperature adjusting section is provided in the stocker.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the probe device according to the first aspect, the specification condition of the probe card accommodated in the stocker and waiting is determined, or the probe card waiting is instructed by the operator. It is characterized by including a control unit for setting the temperature condition of.

[0016]

In the present invention, the pre-temperature adjusting section for the probe card before facing the object to be inspected is provided. Therefore, since the temperature of the probe card is adjusted before facing the inspected object, the temperature adjustment when facing the inspected object becomes unnecessary.

Further, according to the present invention, while the object to be inspected is placed on the placing portion and the electrical measurement by the probe card is being performed, the temperature of the probe card on standby is adjusted. . Therefore, since the pre-temperature adjustment is performed within the time required for the inspection process, it is not necessary to newly prepare the time for the pre-temperature adjustment.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a probe device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the probe device 10 includes a prober unit 12, a probe card automatic exchange unit 14, and a pre-temperature adjusting unit 1.
6 and the wafer loader 100.

The prober unit 12 is a portion for conducting a characteristic test of a semiconductor wafer, and is equipped with a head plate 18 which functions as an opening / closing lid on the upper portion thereof. Further, the head plate 18 is provided with an interpreme 22 for holding a card holder 20 in which a probe card used for measuring a semiconductor wafer is set.

The probe card automatic exchange section 14 is provided with a stocker 24 capable of accommodating a plurality of card holders 20 in which replacement probe cards are set and a probe card transporting means 26. The transporting means 26 is constituted by a handler having a frog leg-type telescopic arm 26A of this type, which is well known in a probe apparatus and is capable of raising and lowering and swiveling. It can be moved between the prober unit 12 and the interpreme 22. In addition, the conveying means 26 has a swivel center set on the line connecting the prober unit 12 and the pre-temperature adjusting unit 16, and the telescopic arm 26A is connected to the pre-heating adjusting unit 16.
It is possible to turn to the preheater 16
The probe card can be loaded and unloaded.

On the other hand, below the head plate 18 in the prober section 12, as shown in FIG. 2, a mounting table 30 is arranged which can be raised and lowered with the semiconductor wafer 28 mounted and fixed. The mounting table 30 has a structure in which the temperature can be adjusted by circulating either a heating medium or a cooling medium inside, and heat can be transferred to the semiconductor wafer 28 according to the temperature condition of the mounted semiconductor wafer 28. It is like this.

The pre-temperature adjusting section 16 has a characteristic structure of this embodiment.

That is, in FIG.
A space that does not interfere with the discharge path of the probe card transport path from the stocker 24 to the prober section 12 and is independent of the probe card automatic exchange section 14 is provided. This space corresponds to the carry-in position of the card holder 20 and constitutes a standby portion. Then, as shown in FIG.
Probe needle 34 of the probe card set to
A plurality of temperature control members 36 that can contact the are arranged. In the case of the present embodiment, the plurality of temperature adjusting members 36 are
Each of them has a structure capable of independently heating from room temperature, and a temperature condition, which is one of the measurement conditions of the semiconductor wafer, is set by a command from a control unit 38 described later.

The wafer loader unit 100 is, for example,
It is provided with a pre-alignment stage 140 and a cassette stage 130 capable of moving up and down in which a cassette 120 accommodating a plurality of semiconductor wafers 28 is arranged. Then, the semiconductor wafer 28 from the cassette stage 120
The loading and unloading between the pre-alignment stage 140 and the mounting table 30 using a transport mechanism (not shown) is controlled by the control unit 38 described later.

On the other hand, the control unit 38, as shown in FIG.
For example, it is composed of a ROM 38B that stores a sequence control program for a semiconductor wafer manufacturing process, and a microcomputer 38A that is capable of arithmetic control and that includes a RAM 38C that can register various data. And
The control unit 38 has an ID code reader 40, an operation panel 42, a counter 44 on the input side through the I / O interface 38D, and a mounting table drive unit 46, a handler drive unit 48, a wafer loader drive unit 50, and a temperature controller. The adjustment control unit 52 is connected to each output side.

The ID code reader 40 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
8 or an optical sensor provided corresponding to the housing position of the cassette 120. The ID code reader 40 reads the ID code set for each of the semiconductor wafers 28 carried in the inspection process or for each cassette 120 containing the semiconductor wafers in lot units. The content of the ID code in this case is information for setting the temperature of the probe card according to the temperature condition of the semiconductor wafer, and this information is transmitted via the ID code reader 40 to the control unit 3.
8 is output.

Further, the operation panel 42 has an input section for the operator to arbitrarily change the replacement time in consideration of the yield and the like, apart from the replacement time of the probe card during the sequence control for the semiconductor manufacturing process. The number of times of measurement of a semiconductor wafer by a single probe card is input. Operation panel 42
The yield taken into consideration in Eq. (1) corresponds to the number of measurement times when stable measurement cannot be performed because the measurement conditions change due to impurities such as oxide films adhering to the probe needle when the semiconductor wafer is repeatedly measured under the same conditions. It means that.

Further, the counter 44 is for determining the replacement time of the probe card, and outputs the number of times of measuring the semiconductor wafer by the same probe card. The handler drive unit 48 is for setting the turning position and the elevating position of the telescopic arm 26A. The handler driving unit 48 sets the position of the telescopic arm 26A between the stocker 24 in the probe card automatic exchange unit 14, the interpreme 22 in the prober unit 12 and the pre-temperature adjusting unit 16 according to a command from the control unit 38. It is like this. The mounting table drive unit 46 includes a lifting drive unit for the mounting table 30 and a circulating drive unit for the heating medium, and the mounting table 3 is instructed by the control unit 38.
Drive up and down 0 and set temperature conditions. Further, the wafer loader drive unit 50 includes a drive unit for a semiconductor wafer loading / unloading mechanism, and receives a command from the control unit 38 to place the mounting table 3 thereon.
The semiconductor wafer 28 is loaded / unloaded to / from 0. Further, the temperature adjustment drive unit 52 is for setting the temperature of the temperature adjustment member 36 provided in the pre-temperature adjustment unit 16, and in the case of the present embodiment, since the target is heating, the temperature adjustment drive unit 52 It corresponds to a heater power source when the adjusting member 36 is composed of a ceramic heater.

The control unit 38 performs the following control.

That is, for example, in the sequence control in the semiconductor manufacturing process, when the replacement time of the probe card is set, the temperature of the probe card to be replaced next is set to the semiconductor temperature before the replacement time. Corresponds to wafer measurement conditions. That is, if the measurement time per unit of semiconductor wafer is known in advance, the time required for temperature control can be obtained from the number of measurements.
Therefore, in the control unit 38, the number of times of measurement corresponding to the time required for temperature control (heating) of the probe card to be replaced is stored in advance in the ROM 38B with respect to the number of times of measurement corresponding to the replacement time of the probe card. It is registered. Therefore, if the number of measurements with the same probe is set in advance, the temperature control may be started at the time when the number of measurements reaches the number of measurements obtained by subtracting the number of measurements corresponding to the temperature adjustment time from the number of measurements. Therefore, at the start of temperature adjustment, the card holder 20 is loaded from the stocker 24 toward the pre-temperature adjustment unit 16.

Then, the card holder 20 carried into the pre-temperature adjusting unit 16 is stopped by the control unit 38 when the time when the temperature adjustment is completed is reached, and the temperature adjustment is directed toward the prober unit 12 ( In the heated state, the prober unit 12 is replaced with the card holder 20 that has been used so far.

Even when the operator replaces the probe card separately from the replacement time, it is necessary to control the temperature of the probe card to be replaced in the same manner as the above method. When the number of measurements that can be obtained is reached, the temperature of the card holder 20 is adjusted and replaced.

Further, in addition to the setting of the replacement time during the sequence control in the semiconductor process, the replacement time of the probe card can be determined by reading the ID code of each semiconductor wafer or the cassette containing the semiconductor wafer. The temperature control and replacement of the card holder 20 are performed in the same manner as in the above case. Such temperature adjustment and replacement of the card holder 20 are not limited to the case where the conditions relating to the temperature are the same or different among the measurement conditions of the semiconductor wafer, whereby the probe to be replaced before the replacement time is reached. The temperature control of the card will be completed. Regarding the temperature control described above, for example,
At the time of the first measurement or when changing the temperature on the mounting table 30 side, it is necessary to raise the temperature on the mounting table 30 side. In this case, of course, the mounting table 30
Temperature control is executed for a time corresponding to the side temperature rise time. As a method for setting the temperature adjustment start timing in the control unit 38, the time required to measure all the semiconductor wafers 28 under the same conditions is registered in advance, and the temperature adjustment is performed before this time elapses. You may make it set the time and carry in the probe card to be replaced in the pre-temperature adjusting unit 16.

Next, the operation will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the control unit 38, and the meanings of the symbols used in the figure are as follows.

RPFLG: Flag indicating that the replacement time is set during sequence control in the manufacturing process (1 = set state) OPFLG: Flag indicating that the replacement time from the operation panel 42 is set ( 1 = set state) IDFLG: a flag indicating that a case where an ID code replacement time is required is set (1 = set state) The flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is used, for example, in a sequence control routine used in a semiconductor manufacturing process. It is a set temperature control routine. Then, in this routine, the determination of RPFLG is executed, and when the replacement time in the manufacturing process is not set, OPFL is determined.
If G is determined and this flag is not set, it is determined to be IDFLG. When each of these flags is not set, it is determined to be the initial setting.

This initial setting is intended for the time when the temperature of the mounting table 30 side needs to be raised. In this case,
As shown in FIG. 5, the temperature control of the mounting table 30 and the card holder 20 are carried into the pre-temperature control section 16 via the mounting table driving unit 46 and the wafer loader driving unit 50. The card holder 20 loaded into the temperature adjusting unit 14 from the stocker 24 via the handler driving unit 48 is mounted on the mounting table 30.
The temperature is controlled for a time commensurate with the temperature control time of
After the temperature control time is measured by the timer equipped in the, it is carried out toward the prober unit 12.

On the other hand, when the initial setting is not applied, the above R
When any of PFLG, OPFLG, and IDFLG is set, the number of measurements (a) that can obtain the time required for temperature control is calculated from the number of measurements (N) corresponding to the set probe card replacement time. Number of measurements subtracted (N
-A) is determined. When the number of measurements subtracted is reached, the card holder 20 is moved from the stocker 24 to the pre-temperature adjusting unit 1 via the handler driving unit 48.
Bring to 6. When the card holder 20 is loaded, in the pre-temperature adjusting unit 16, the card holder 2 is transferred via the temperature adjusting drive unit 52.
The heating process of 0 is executed and the temperature control time is measured. Then, when the temperature control time elapses a predetermined time and the number of measurements corresponding to the replacement time of the probe card is reached, the temperature control drive unit 52 is stopped and the prober unit from the pre-temperature control unit 16 via the handler drive unit 48. Card holder 2 towards 12
0 is carried out and replaced. Then, after the flag is reset, the sequence control is started.

According to this embodiment, the probe card to be replaced is preheated before the number of times of measurement corresponding to the replacement time of the probe card is reached, and while the inspection process at the present stage is being executed. The following probe card preheat time can be included.

In the above embodiment, the temperature control member 36 is used.
Describes the case where the preheating of the probe card is targeted, but the present invention is not limited to such an example, and it is also possible to target precooling, for example.
In addition, as the structure of the temperature adjusting member 36, each card holder 20
It is not limited to the structure in which heating is performed by directly contacting the probe needle of, for example, a structure that raises the temperature of the entire atmosphere in the temperature control unit, or both probe cards located between the probe cards by radiant heat. A structure adapted to be heated may be used. Further, in addition to such external temperature control, power can be supplied to the probe card set in the card holder 20 so that the card itself generates heat to heat the probe card. In this case, it is sufficient to dispose the energizing connector in the pre-temperature adjusting unit without purposely providing the temperature adjusting member. In any case, it is sufficient that the temperature can be uniformly raised with respect to the probe card and the probe needle. Further, the pre-temperature adjusting unit 16 is not limited to being provided separately from the prober unit 12, and, for example, the pre-temperature adjusting unit 16 may be arranged in the same housing together with the prober unit 12 and the probe card automatic exchange unit 14, for example, in the temperature adjusting unit. It is also possible to adopt a structure in which the influence of the temperature control of does not spread to other parts. An example of this case is a stocker that stores a plurality of probe cards. In this case, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 for reference, for example, by providing a temperature adjusting member 36A capable of heating both sides, the temperature of the upper and lower two probe cards 20 can be adjusted at the same time. .

[0043]

As described above, in the probe device according to the present invention, the temperature condition of the measurement environment of the object to be inspected is set in the transport path of the probe card from the stocker to the prober section forming the measuring part of the object to be inspected. Equipped with a corresponding pre-temperature control unit. Then, in this pre-temperature adjusting unit, the necessary temperature condition is set before the probe card replacement time is reached. Therefore, since the replaced probe card is set to equilibrium with the temperature of the device under test,
It is possible to restart the measurement immediately after the replacement. In addition, since the time required for the pre-temperature adjustment is performed until the probe card replacement time is reached, there is no need for a waiting time for obtaining a temperature equilibrium state with the object side. This eliminates the need to set a time other than the time actually required in the inspection process, and thus waste of the time required in the inspection process can be eliminated and throughput can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view layout diagram for explaining an overall configuration of a probe device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing a schematic configuration of the probe device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a control unit used in the probe device shown in FIG.

4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control unit shown in FIG.

5 is a flow chart for explaining another operation of the control unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a probe card used in a conventional probe device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 probe device 12 prober unit 14 probe card automatic exchange unit 16 temperature control unit 20 card holder on which probe card is set 24 stocker 30 mounting table 36 temperature control member 38 control unit 40 ID code reader 42 operation panel 50 temperature control drive unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A prober unit having a temperature-controllable mounting table on which an object to be inspected is mounted, a probe card mounting section arranged facing the mounting table, and a stocker section for storing the probe card before mounting. , A probe card automatic exchange unit that conveys and replaces the probe card from the stocker unit to the prober unit, and a pre-temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the probe card before being carried into the prober unit. A probe device characterized by: 2. The probe device according to claim 1, wherein the pre-temperature adjusting unit is provided at a carry-in position of the probe card at a position where it does not interfere with a discharge path of the probe card to the stocker. Probe device. 3. The probe device according to claim 1, wherein the pre-temperature adjusting unit is provided in the stocker. 4. The probe device according to claim 1, wherein the specification condition of the probe card accommodated in the stocker and waiting is determined, or the temperature condition of the probe card waiting is set by a command from an operator. A probe device comprising a control unit.