JPH0719817B2 - Automatic probe card replacement - Google Patents

Description

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

(Prior Art) A probe device measures the electrical characteristics of each of a large number of chips formed on an object to be measured, for example, a semiconductor wafer, and eliminates chips determined to be defective before the assembly process, thereby reducing costs. It is a device that contributes to the improvement of productivity.

In recent years, the number of small-quantity and multi-product production processes has been increasing due to the high integration and multi-product of chips. Therefore, the number of operations by the operator is greatly increasing. In particular, the probe card needs to be replaced for each type of chip to be measured.
When exchanging the probe card in this way, the operator manually loosens the screw or the like at the attachment portion of the probe card 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 intentionally replaces the probe card every time the wafer type is replaced, which conflicts with automation in the semiconductor manufacturing process. Of course, it is extremely difficult to improve productivity, yield, quality and the like.

Especially when mounting the probe card, the electrode pads of the IC chip are extremely small, so in order to obtain highly reliable measurement results,
The probe card must be installed and replaced with high accuracy, which requires the operator to spend a lot of time for replacement and accuracy adjustment of the probe card, which is a problem that shortens working time.

The present invention has been made to improve the above points,
(EN) An automatic probe card exchange device that facilitates adjustment of probe card attachment accuracy and shortens probe card exchange time by performing probe card precision adjustment before attachment to a probe device.

[Structure of Invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention relates to a probe device for positioning and electrically contacting an electrode pad of a chip formed on a measured object and a stylus mounted on a probe card for measurement. The probe card automatic exchange device comprises first means for positioning the probe card at a predetermined position of the holding mechanism and second means for setting the holding mechanism at a predetermined installation position. The present invention provides an automatic probe card changing device.

Further, according to the present invention, the first means comprises a screw and a nut capable of positioning and fixing the probe card and the holding mechanism, and the second means can install the holding mechanism at the installation position. It is preferably composed of a guide hole and a guide pin.

(Advantageous Effects) According to the present invention, the probe card includes the means for positioning the probe card at the predetermined position of the holding mechanism and the means for setting the holding mechanism at the predetermined installation position. It is easy to adjust the mounting accuracy of the probe card, and it is possible to shorten the probe card replacement time.

(Embodiment) Next, an embodiment will be described in which an automatic probe card exchanging device configured according to the present invention is applied to a semiconductor wafer prober.

As shown in FIG. 2, the wafer prober (1) is configured such that 25 wafers (3) are installed in a wafer cassette (2) at a predetermined interval. The cassette (2) accommodating the wafer (3) is transferred to the cassette accommodating portion (4). The wafers (3) are taken out one by one from the storage section (4) and transferred to the preliminary positioning stage (5). The preliminary stage (5) is rotated to preliminarily position the wafer (3) to an accuracy of ± 1 ° C. or so based on the orientation flat of the wafer (3), and then the wafer (3) is transferred to the measurement stage (6). This measuring stage (6)
A pattern recognition mechanism using a CCD camera and a recognition mechanism using a laser are installed to accurately position the wafer (3) transferred to the wafer. After this positioning, the probe needle (8) of the probe card (7) is soft-touched on the wafer (3) to automatically measure the electrical characteristics of the wafer (3).

When performing the inspection process of the semiconductor wafer by the probe device having such a continuous automatic measurement function, the probe card (7) corresponding to the electrode pad of the type that the electrode pad pattern is different depending on the type of the semiconductor wafer. Need to be replaced. Next, this probe card (7)
The replacement and accuracy adjustment will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the probe card (7) is attached and fixed to a holding mechanism, for example, a probe card holder (9). In this mounting and fixing, the screw holes provided in the probe card (7) and the screw holes provided in the holder (9) are overlapped and fixed with screws and nuts from above and below. At this time, the screw hole of the holder (9) is configured so that the rotation (θ direction) of the probe card (7) can be adjusted. Here, fine adjustment of positioning of the probe needle (8) tip arrangement pattern of the probe card (7) at the time of measuring the wafer (3) is executed.

The outer ring portion (10) of the holder (9) is provided with three guide holes (11) having a diameter of, for example, 2 mm at intervals of 120 °. Further, the ring portion (10) is provided with a radial fixing groove (12) on the lower surface and a radial removing groove (13) on the upper surface.

The holder (9) to which the probe card (7) as described above is mounted and fixed is attached to the insert ring (14). For this attachment, the guide pin (1) of the holder (9) should be attached to the guide pin (15) diameter of the insert ring (14), for example 2 mm.
After inserting and positioning 1), insert ring (14)
It is performed by holding the holder (9) with a holding mechanism installed on the outer periphery of the.

A plurality of, for example, three holding mechanisms are installed, and the holding mechanism is configured by fixing the base (17) engaged with the air cylinder (16) with the screw (18) at a predetermined one place. Positioning pins (19) and removal pins (20) are installed on the base (17). Furthermore, this base (17) is rotated by θ around the screw (18), and the positioning pin (19) and the removal pin (20)
Is configured to be relatively movable.

That is, the holder (9) is held by the air cylinder (1
6) are respectively driven to insert the positioning pin (17) into the fixing groove (12) of the holder (9) and press from the lower surface to hold and fix. At this time, it is desirable that the fixing groove (12) be slightly inclined from the upper end to the lower end from the outer end toward the center.

Holder (9) held and fixed by the holding mechanism as described above
To remove it, drive the air cylinder (16) and remove the positioning pin (19) from the fixing groove (12) of the holder (9), and at the same time remove it into the removing groove (13) of the holder (9). Insert the pin (20) and push down the holder (9) to remove. At this time, it is desirable that the removing groove (13) be slightly inclined from the lower end to the upper end from the outer end toward the center.

As described above, the probe card (7) is accurately positioned in advance and then mounted on the predetermined insert ring (14), so that the probe card can be easily replaced and the operation time can be shortened. In addition, the probe card can be automatically replaced. This automatic exchange method is the third
Description will be made with reference to the drawings.

First, a plurality of probe cards (7) accurately positioned in the holder (9) are loaded in parallel on the storage rack (21) at a predetermined interval. Here, based on the wafer type information preprogrammed in the memory of the prober CPU, the probe card (7) corresponding to this wafer type is selected,
The transfer arm (22) is inserted into the lower surface of the selected probe card (7).

A disc-shaped probe card mounting plate (23) is attached to the tip of the transfer arm (22), and a probe card support pin (24) is provided at the peripheral edge of the transfer arm (22) at an angle of, for example, 120 degrees. Is projected. The probe card (7) is mounted on the mounting table (23) by raising the transfer arm (22). Then, the holder (9) holding the probe card (7) is temporarily placed on the holder (9) alignment mechanism (not shown) to perform the alignment.

After this alignment is completed, the probe card (7) is placed on the holder (9) again, and the transfer arm (22) is rotated to transfer the probe card (7) to the lower surface of the insert ring (14).

Next, the transfer arm (22) is vertically lifted to insert and position the guide pin (15) of the insert ring (14) into the guide hole (11) of the holder (9), and then the probe card (7) is held by the holding mechanism. Is held together with the holder (9).

As the above-mentioned transfer arm, for example, a telescopic arm having a structure in which a large number of rings are connected to each other in an X shape by pivot pins is conceivable. It doesn't matter. Further, by installing such a probe card automatic exchange mechanism in the probe device, complete automation of the probe device can be achieved.

Next, another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The probe card (25) is mounted and fixed to the inverted hat-shaped holder (26), for example. In this mounting and fixing, the screw hole provided in the probe card (25) and the screw hole provided in the holder (26) are overlapped and fixed from above and below with a screw and a nut. At this time, the screw hole of the holder (26) is configured so that the rotation (θ direction) of the probe card (25) can be adjusted. Here, positioning fine adjustment of the tip arrangement of the probe needle (27) of the probe card (25) at the time of wafer measurement is executed.

The holder (26) is made of, for example, bakelite, and two guide holes are provided at predetermined positions on the peripheral portion. For example, a brass bush (28) having an inner diameter of 5 mm is embedded in the guide hole. Such a probe card (2
The holder installation part (29) for installing the holder (26) on which the 5) is positioned and installed, that is, the probe measurement part, has a predetermined position, that is, a position corresponding to each bush (28) of the holder (26), For example, a guide pin (30) having a diameter of 5 mm is provided.

An automatic probe card exchange method corresponding to the above configuration will be described.

First, a plurality of probe cards (25) accurately positioned and attached to the holder (26) are loaded in parallel in a storage rack (not shown) at a predetermined interval. Here, the probe card (25) corresponding to this wafer type is selected based on the wafer type information programmed in advance in the memory mechanism of the prober CPU, and the holder in which this selected probe card (25) is mounted (26) is vertically descended and conveyed to the holder setting section (29) from above by a not-illustrated conveying device. At this time, as shown by the arrow (A), the bush (2
Accurate positioning is possible by fitting 8). At this time, if the tip of the guide pin is formed in a tapered shape, the fitting can be performed more smoothly.

As described above, the bush (28) is embedded in the guide hole provided in the holder (26) when the probe card (25) held in the holder (26) is transferred to the holder setting section (29), that is, the probe measuring section. , By fitting the guide pin (30) provided at the position corresponding to the bush (28), the probe card can be automatically replaced, and the error in the position reproducibility of the probe card with respect to the measurement position can be reduced. It is suppressed to ± 30 μm or less. Position repeatability ± 30
Since it is less than μm, the shape of the pad of the chip that is usually measured is 70 to 100 μm square, so after the probe card is automatically converted, the probe needle of the probe card and the needle of the pad do not need to be aligned. Also, the tip of the probe needle contacts the pad. By image-processing the needle trace at this time, it becomes possible to correct a slight deviation between the probe needle and the pad. That is, complete automation from replacement of the probe card to alignment of the probe needle and the pad is possible.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the probe card is positioned at the predetermined position of the holding mechanism so that the positioning accuracy of the probe card at the measurement position can be determined before the measurement card is attached to the measurement position. Means and
By providing a means for installing the holding mechanism at a predetermined installation position, the effect of facilitating the adjustment of the probe card installation accuracy and shortening the replacement time of the probe card can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the mounting of a probe card for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view of the wafer prober of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a description of automatic replacement of the probe card of FIG. FIG. 4 is a view for explaining another embodiment of FIG. 1. 7 …… Probe card 9 …… Probe card holder 10 …… Ring part 11 …… Guide hole 12 …… Fixing groove 13 …… Removal groove 14 …… Insert ring 15 …… Guide pin

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An automatic probe card exchange device of a probe device for positioning and electrically contacting an electrode pad of a chip formed on an object to be measured and a stylus attached to a probe card, wherein: A probe card automatic system comprising: a first means for positioning the probe card at a predetermined position of the holding mechanism; and a second means for setting the holding mechanism at a predetermined installation position. Exchange device. 2. The first means is a screw and a nut capable of positioning and fixing the probe card and the holding mechanism,
The probe card automatic exchange method according to claim 1, wherein the second means is a guide hole and a guide pin capable of installing the holding mechanism at the installation position.