JPH0691135B2 - Probe device with automatic probe card exchange function - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a probe device with a probe card automatic exchange function.

(Prior Art) A probe device reduces costs by measuring the electrical characteristics of each IC chip formed in large numbers on an object to be measured, for example, a semiconductor wafer, and excluding chips determined to be defective before the assembly process. It is a device that contributes to the improvement of productivity.

In recent years, due to the high integration of IC chips and the increase in the number of products, the number of small-lot production of many products has increased, and the number of operations by operators has increased greatly. In particular, the probe card needs to be replaced for each type of measurement symmetrical IC chip and each time the arrangement pattern of the electrode pads is different. In such probe card exchanging means, an operator manually loosens a screw or the like on the probe card attaching portion to remove the probe card, and then attaches another probe card.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the probe apparatus as described above, the operator artificially replaces the probe card every time the wafer type is replaced, which is contrary to automation in the semiconductor manufacturing process. Needless to say, it is extremely difficult to improve productivity, yield, quality, etc. As automatic exchange, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 58-196029 and 60-47433
No. 6/15339 has been proposed, but a completely automatic exchange has not been put to practical use. In addition, because the electrode pads of the IC chip are extremely small when installing the probe card, the probe card must be installed and replaced with high precision in order to obtain highly reliable measurement results. Since a lot of time is spent on the replacement and accuracy adjustment, there is a problem that it is an obstacle to shortening the working time.

The present invention has been made to improve the above points,
Provided is a probe device with a probe card automatic exchange function that facilitates probe card attachment / position adjustment because the probe card attachment / position adjustment is performed in advance in the state where the container is stored. It is a thing.

[Structure of Invention]

(Means for Solving Problems) The present invention pre-positions the probe card when automatically replacing the probe card of the probe device that measures by connecting the stylus attached to the probe card to the electrode pad. The present invention provides a probe device with a probe card automatic exchange function, which is stored in a storage container in a state.

(Operation and effect) By storing the probe card in the storage container in a pre-positioned state, the probe card can be easily attached and positioned, and the probe card exchange time can be shortened.

(Embodiment) Next, an embodiment of a probe device with a probe card automatic exchange function of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The configuration of this device is mainly composed of a prober unit (1) and a probe card automatic exchange unit (2). The probe unit (1) is provided with a predetermined interval in the cassette (3) and, for example, 25 measured objects, for example, semiconductor wafers (4) are installed. The cassette (3) accommodating the wafer (4) is loaded into the cassette accommodating portion (5). The wafers (4) are taken out from the storage section (5) one by one, and a preliminary positioning stage (6) is provided.
Transport to. The pre-positioning stage (6) is rotated and pre-positioned to an accuracy of about ± 1 ° with reference to the orientation flat of the wafer (4), and then the wafer (4) is transferred to the measurement stage (7). In order to accurately position the wafer (4) transferred to the measuring stage (7), a pattern recognition mechanism using a CCD camera or a recognition mechanism using a laser is installed. After this positioning, the probe needle (9) of the probe card (8) is soft-touched on the wafer (4) to automatically measure the electrical characteristics of the wafer (4).
When performing the inspection process of the semiconductor wafer (4) by the prober unit (1) having such a continuous automatic measurement function, since the electrode pad pattern is different for each type of the semiconductor wafer (4), the electrode of that type is used. It is necessary to replace the probe card (8) corresponding to the pad. Next, the probe card automatic exchange section (2) will be described. Adjust the position of the probe card (8) in advance and screw the insert ring (10). A stocker (11) capable of accommodating, for example, 6 mechanisms with the insert rings (10) provided at appropriate intervals.
To store. At this time, it is preferable that each probe card (8) be of a different type corresponding to each measurement target type.
The insert rings (10) holding the respective probe cards (8) are accommodated by mounting the mounting portions (12) on the respective side surfaces of the stocker (11) facing each other so as to abut against a part of the insert rings (10). , The two mounting parts (12) facing each other
Place one insert ring (10) in the set. Six sets of such mounting parts (12) are prepared. As shown in FIG. 2, one set of the mounting portions (12) has guide holes (14) corresponding to the guide pins (13) provided in the insert ring (10) on the respective mounting portions (12). It is provided. Each of the guide holes (14) is formed in a taper shape, and a contact type switch such as a micro switch (15) is installed at the bottom position. The switch need not be a contact type switch but may use, for example, a reflection type sensor. That is, even if the respective guide pins (13) of the insert ring (10) are displaced to some extent, the respective guide holes (14) are formed in a tapered shape so that the guide pins (13) can be inserted and the respective guide pins ( The display panel (16) shows whether the micro switch is turned on by inserting 13) and it is placed correctly.
To display. At this time, if the tip of the guide pin (13) of the insert ring (10) is also tapered, the insertion can be performed more smoothly. As described above, the insert ring (10) stored in the stocker (11) is selected and conveyed to the prober unit (1). In this conveyance, the arm (19) is attached to the ball screw (18) horizontally engaged with the motor (17), and the motor (17) is rotated to control the movement of the horizontal arrow (A) by the accumulation action. . To move the vertical arrow (B) of the arm (19), the hole screw (21) vertically engaged with the motor (20) is provided with a support portion (22), and the support portion (22) is used to move the arm in the horizontal direction. The moving mechanism is supported and the motor (20) is rotated to vertically control the moving mechanism together with the horizontal moving mechanism to which the arm (19) is attached by the cumulative action.

Next, the operation of the automatic exchange unit (2) according to a predetermined program will be described.

First, the insert rings (10) having the probe cards (8) attached thereto are loaded into the respective mounting portions (12) of the stocker (11). This loading and loading is performed by inserting the guide pin (13) of the insert ring (10) into the guide hole (14) of the loading portion (12). When this loading and placing is correctly performed, the micro switch (15) of each guide hole (14) is turned on and the display panel (16) interlocked with this switch (15).
The display corresponding to each mounting section of the mounting state confirmation section (23) is lit in, for example, green. The micro switch (15) is
One set consists of two systems facing each other. If the switch (15) is not turned on in any one of the one set, that is, if the guide pin (13) is not inserted into the guide hole (14), the mounting state is confirmed. The display corresponding to each mounting part (12) of the part (23) lights up in red, for example. Here, after confirming the mounting state of each insert ring (10), the probe card (8) corresponding to the measurement target product is transported and installed in the probe unit (1). That is, the arm (19) is moved vertically, the arm (19) is horizontally inserted into the lower surface of the selected insert ring (10), and the arm (19) is vertically lifted again to hold the insert ring (10). After that, insert again horizontally. Next, the arm (19) is vertically lowered to set the insert ring (10) at a predetermined position of the probe unit (1). Display panel (16) showing the transfer status of the insert ring (10) during this transfer
It is displayed in the transport status section (24). As a display method, a color display may be performed for each operation and each display may be color-coded, or a number may be displayed. After the insert ring (10) is installed on the prober unit (1), a predetermined operation of the prober unit (1) is repeated by using the installed probe card (8) to measure the wafer (4). . A guide hole (14) is provided in the placing portion (12) of the stocker (11) as in the above embodiment, and the insert ring (10) is provided.
Since the guide pin (13) is inserted and placed, the positioning of the probe card (8) can be speedily performed without human intervention.

In addition, the display panel (16) is equipped with a placement status confirmation section (23) for the insert ring (10) and a transportation status section (24), so that the storage status and transportation status of the insert ring (10) can be seen at a glance. In addition, it is possible to easily understand the failure state during repair at the time of failure.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and for example, the transport mechanism of the insert ring may be any transport mechanism from the stocker to the installation portion, and for example, a scalar robot may be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a probe device with a probe card automatic exchange function showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of placement of an insert ring of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an automatic exchange of FIG. It is a figure for explaining. 1 …… Prober part 2 …… Probe card automatic exchange part 8 …… Probe card, 10 …… Insert ring 11 …… Stocker, 12 …… Placement part 13 …… Guide pin, 14 …… Guide hole 15 …… Micro Switch, 16 ... Display

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. When automatically replacing a probe card of a probe device for measuring by connecting a stylus attached to a probe card to an electrode pad, the probe card is stored in a storage container in a pre-positioned state. A probe device with an automatic probe card exchange feature. 2. A probe device with an automatic probe card exchange function according to claim 1, wherein a storage state of the probe card is displayed on a display panel.