TW201346267A - Probe apparatus and parallelism adjustment mechanism of a probe card - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a probe apparatus and a parallelism adjustment mechanism of a probe card capable of inhibiting rigidity reduction of the driving mechanism part for adjusting the parallelism of the probe card, and precisely maintaining the parallelism of the probe card and semiconductor wafer. SOLUTION: A probe apparatus for allowing a plurality of probes configured on the probe card to contact with the substrate to be examined for performing an electrical examination. The probe apparatus comprises: a carrying platform for carrying the substrate to be examined; a top plate for holding the probe card above the carrying platform; four supporting posts disposed at four corners for supporting the top plate; a lifting mechanisms configured on at least three of the aforementioned supporting posts for moving up/down the top plate, thereby adjusting the parallelism of the probe card and the substrate to be inspected on the carrying platform; and a releasable braking mechanism configured on at least one of the configured part of the lifting mechanism for braking the lifting movement of the top plate.

Description

Probe device and probe card parallel adjustment mechanism

The present invention relates to a parallel adjustment mechanism for a probe device and a probe card.

Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a probe device is used which performs electrical property inspection by bringing a plurality of probes disposed on a probe card into contact with a semiconductor device formed by a semiconductor wafer. . Further, in such a probe device, all of the semiconductor devices formed by simultaneously contacting a plurality of probes on a semiconductor wafer are inspected.

The probe device is a semiconductor device in which a plurality of probes are required to contact a semiconductor wafer with a uniform pin pressure. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately maintain the parallelism between the probe card and the semiconductor wafer, and the top plate to which the probe card is fixed is lifted and lowered by a driving mechanism disposed at a plurality of places, and the probe card and the semiconductor wafer are adjusted. The parallel adjustment mechanism of the parallelism is known (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

[Advanced technical literature]

[Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2006-317302

In the probe device, when the semiconductor wafer placed on the mounting table is raised to contact the probe of the probe card, for example, a contact load of 100 kgf or more is applied from the lower side to the upper side to contact the semiconductor wafer. The condition of the needle. On the other hand, as described above, when the top plate is lifted and lowered by the drive mechanism, the rigidity of the portion where the drive mechanism is present is lowered as compared with the case where the top plate is directly mechanically fixed without the drive mechanism. Therefore, when the mounting table is raised and the contact load is applied from the lower side to the upper side, the amount of displacement increases, and the amount of displacement is uneven, so that the parallelism between the probe card and the semiconductor wafer is lowered.

The present invention is directed to the above-described conventional circumstances, and is capable of providing a reduction in rigidity of a portion of a drive mechanism for suppressing the parallelism of a probe card, and maintaining the probe card in parallel with the semiconductor wafer with high precision. The purpose of the probe device and the parallel adjustment mechanism of the probe card.

In one aspect of the probe device of the present invention, a probe device that is in contact with a plurality of probes disposed on a probe card and inspects the substrate to be inspected for electrical inspection is characterized in that the mounting device includes a mounting table on which the aforementioned a substrate to be inspected; a top plate that holds the probe card above the mounting table; 4 support columns, which support the top plate at four corners; and a lifting mechanism disposed at at least three of the support columns to raise and lower the top plate, and adjust the probe card and the aforementioned one on the mounting table The parallelism of the substrate is checked; and the detachable brake mechanism is disposed at least at one of the arrangement positions of the lift mechanism, and brakes the lift of the top plate.

One aspect of the parallel adjustment mechanism of the probe card of the present invention has a lifting mechanism between at least three of the four support columns supporting the top plate of the probe card at four corners and the top plate. a parallel adjustment mechanism for adjusting a probe card having a parallelism between the probe card and a substrate to be inspected on a mounting table disposed thereon, wherein the method includes: disposing at least one of the arrangement positions of the elevating mechanism; A brake mechanism capable of releasing the brake is applied to the lifting of the top plate.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a probe device capable of suppressing a decrease in rigidity of a portion of a drive mechanism for adjusting a parallelism of a probe card, and maintaining the parallelism between the probe card and the semiconductor wafer with high precision Parallel adjustment mechanism of the probe card.

10‧‧‧ probe device

11‧‧‧ wafer suction cup (mounting table)

12‧‧‧ Probe Card

12A‧‧‧Probe

14‧‧‧Card clamping mechanism

15‧‧‧ top board

16‧‧‧Support column

17‧‧‧ Lifting mechanism

17B‧‧‧ substrate

17C‧‧‧Mobile

17D‧‧‧Locking members

17E‧‧‧ Lifting body

17F‧‧‧ drive mechanism

17G‧‧·ball screw

17H‧‧‧Motor

17I‧‧‧1st mobile guiding mechanism

17J‧‧‧2nd mobile guiding mechanism

17K‧‧‧ Lifting guide mechanism

17L‧‧‧linear slide

17M‧‧‧卡合体

17N‧‧‧Hat

20‧‧‧ brake mechanism

21‧‧‧Fixed Fixtures

22‧‧‧Axis

23‧‧‧Control organization

24‧‧‧Base

25‧‧‧ solenoid valve

30‧‧‧ frame

31‧‧‧ brake metal

31A‧‧‧Circular void

31B‧‧ Open Department

32‧‧‧Piston

33‧‧‧Insert Department

34‧‧‧Brake open埠

W‧‧‧Semiconductor Wafer

Fig. 1 is a view showing the configuration of a main part of a probe device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the probe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the configuration of a lifting mechanism of the probe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an arrangement portion of a brake mechanism of the probe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a configuration diagram showing an arrangement portion of a brake mechanism of the probe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a brake mechanism of the probe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a brake mechanism of the probe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing the operation of the probe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a view for explaining measurement points of a distance.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the probe device 10 of the present embodiment includes a movable mounting table (wafer chuck) 11 on which a semiconductor wafer W as a substrate to be inspected is placed, and A probe card 12 is disposed above the wafer chuck 11, and the probe card 12 is provided with a plurality of probes 12A. The probe card 12 is fixed via the card holder 13 by a card clamping mechanism 14 fixed to the lower surface of the top plate 15. The top plate 15 is integrally formed in a plate shape and has high rigidity.

The top plate 15 is supported at its four corners by a support column 16, and at least three of the connection portions of the support columns 16 and the top plate 15 are provided with a lifting mechanism 17. In the present embodiment, the elevating mechanism 17 is disposed in the four corners of the top plate 15, and the front two places (left in FIG. 2) The side (the side) and the rear one (the upper side of the right side in Fig. 2) have a total of three places. At the remaining rear side 1, the top plate 15 is supported obliquely by the support column 16 at a certain height. Further, the elevating mechanism 17 may be disposed at a joint portion of all the support columns 16 with the top plate 15, that is, four places.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and the like, at least one of the portions where the three elevating mechanisms 17 are disposed is provided with a brake for releasing the brake for lifting and lowering the top plate 15. Agency 20. In the present embodiment, the brake mechanism 20 is disposed at a portion of the elevating mechanism 17 disposed on the rear side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the probe card 12 is connected to a test head of a tester (not shown) via a connection ring R, and the test signal is supplied from the tester to the semiconductor wafer W via the probe card 12. The formed semiconductor device is configured to measure an output signal from the semiconductor device by a tester, and constitutes an inspection capable of performing electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device.

In the present embodiment, the parallel adjustment mechanism is constituted by three elevating mechanisms 17 and one brake mechanism 20 which are respectively present between the three support columns 16 among the four corners of the top plate 15, and the lift is used. The mechanism 17 and the brake mechanism 20 adjust the parallelism of the probe card 12 and the wafer W on the wafer chuck 11. At this time, the parallelism between the probe card 12 and the wafer W is measured by a measuring device such as a capacitive sensor or a laser length measuring device.

As shown in FIG. 3, the elevating mechanism 17 is formed in a substantially rectangular block shape as a whole, and each of the elevating mechanisms 17 is fixed to the upper surface of the support column 16 on each of the lower surfaces, and is connected to the top plate 15 on each of the upper surfaces.

As shown in Fig. 3(a), the elevating mechanism 17 has a base body 17B that is fixed to the upper side of the support column 16 (refer to Fig. 1), and a moving body 17C that is disposed to be along the base body 17B. An inclined surface that moves upward; an elevating body 17E that is coupled to the top plate 15 by a locking member 17D (refer to FIG. 2) and has an inclined surface that is configured to be movable up and down along the inclined surface of the moving body 17C; and a driving mechanism 17F, which moves the moving body 17C along the upper surface of the support column 16.

Then, the drive mechanism 17F is driven under the control of the control device, and the moving body 17C is moved by only a predetermined size in the front-rear direction (the horizontal direction in FIG. 3(a)), whereby the elevating body 17E is configured to pass through the moving body 17C. Incline the surface to lift only the specified size. The control device controls the drive mechanism 17F based on the measurement result of the measuring device.

Each of the movable body 17C and the elevating body 17E has a substantially trapezoidal shape in a side surface shape, and is configured as a rectangular block in which the inclined surfaces are engaged with each other and housed on the support post 16. Further, the front, rear, left, and right parallel faces that face each other substantially coincide with the side faces of the support post 16, and the upper and lower faces are fixed to the upper surface of the support post 16 and the lower surface of the top plate 15. The elevating body 17E located at the rear of the inspection device 10 (on the right side in FIG. 1) has a brim-like portion 17N having an upper end portion extending toward the front side (the left side in FIG. 1) of the inspection device 10 to have a hat-like shape.

As shown in Fig. 3 (a), the drive for moving the moving body 17C The mechanism 17F has a ball screw 17G that is screwed with a female screw formed in the front-rear direction of the movable body 17C, and a motor 17H that drives the ball screw 17G, and moves the movable body 17C in the front-rear direction along the upper surface of the base 17B. A first movement guide mechanism 17I is provided between the base body 17B and the movable body 17C, and the movable body 17C can smoothly move in the front-rear direction on the base body 17B via the first movement guide mechanism 17I.

Further, a second movement guide mechanism 17J is provided between the inclined surface of the moving body 17C and the inclined surface of the elevating body 17E, and the elevating body 17E can be moved forward and backward along the inclined surface of the moving body 17C via the second movement guiding mechanism 17J. Move and move smoothly. As shown in Fig. 3(b), the first and second movement guiding mechanisms 17I and 17J each have at least two rows of crossed roller bearings, and are movable along the respective linear slide rails. Thereby, the load resistance is good, and even under a high load, the guide can be smoothly moved.

In the base body 17B, the elevation guide mechanism 17K of the elevation guide lifter 17E is disposed between the motor 17H and the lifter 17E. The lift guide mechanism 17K has a linear slide rail 17L that is erected on the base body 17B, and a cross slide roller bearing (see FIG. 3(b)) that is engaged with the linear slide rail 17L via at least two rows, and is linearly slid The rail 17L lifts and lowers the engaging body 17M of the guide lifter 17E. Therefore, the elevating body 17E moves the moving body 17C forward and backward via the drive mechanism 17F, whereby the elevating body 17E can be moved up and down via the elevating guide mechanism 17K having at least two rows of crossed roller bearings.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the brake mechanism 20 includes a shaft 22 that is vertically fixed to the fixture 21 for fixing. a lifting body 17E; a holding mechanism 23 for holding the shaft 22; a base 24 for fixing the holding mechanism 23 to the support column 16; and a solenoid valve 25 for controlling the compressed air to the holding mechanism 23. Supply.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the grip mechanism 23 includes a housing 30 in which the brake metal 31 and the piston 32 are housed.

When viewed from above, the brake metal 31 has a circular recess 31A at the center portion, and has a substantially U-shaped shape in which one open portion 31B is formed, and the shaft 22 is accommodated in the circular recess 31A formed at the center portion and held. Composition. Further, the piston 32 is a V-shaped insertion portion 33, and the insertion portion 33 is inserted into the open portion 31B of the brake metal 31 to hold and open the shaft 22 of the brake metal 31.

In a state where the shaft 22 is gripped by the brake metal 31, a state in which the lift of the top plate 15 is braked is formed. On the other hand, the state in which the grip of the shaft 22 of the brake metal 31 is opened is a state in which the brake is released. The piston 32 is introduced from the brake opening 34 provided on the back side (upper side in FIGS. 6 and 7) of the piston 32 of the casing 30 to introduce compressed air or the like, thereby forming a direction as indicated by an arrow in FIG. The composition of the lower drive in Fig. 6.

In addition, FIG. 6 shows a state in which compressed air or the like is introduced from the brake opening port 34, and the insertion portion 33 of the piston 32 is inserted into the opening portion 31B of the brake metal 31 to open the shaft 22. Further, Fig. 7 shows that the compressed air is discharged, and the insertion portion 33 of the piston 32 is removed from the brake metal 31. The open portion 31B is extracted and the state of the shaft 22 is gripped by the brake metal 31.

Second, explain the relevant actions. First, in order to inspect the wafer W, the probe card 12 is attached to the card clamping mechanism 14. When the probe card 12 is mounted in this manner, the probe card 12 and the wafer W on the wafer chuck 11 are not necessarily formed in parallel. Thus, the alignment of the probe card 12 is performed.

As shown in the flowchart of Fig. 8, the alignment of the probe card 12 is performed by measuring the parallelism of the probe card (P.C.) 12 and the wafer W by a measuring device (step 701). That is, the inclination of the probe card 12 with respect to the wafer W on the wafer chuck 11 is measured by measuring the distance between the probe card 12 and the wafer W at a plurality of points by the measuring device. The measurement result of the measuring machine is transmitted to the control device.

The control device determines whether or not the difference in the distance measured at the plurality of points is within a predetermined value based on the measurement result (step 702).

Then, when the difference in distance is not within the predetermined value, the compressed air is turned on, the compressed air is introduced from the brake opening 埠 34 of the brake mechanism 20, and the insertion portion 33 of the piston 32 is inserted into the open portion 31B of the brake metal 31 to be released. Braking of the brake mechanism 20 (step 703).

Next, the control signal is transmitted to the drive mechanism 17F of any of the lift mechanisms 17, and the drive mechanism 17F is individually controlled (step 704). Thereby, each drive mechanism 17F is driven, and each moving body 17C moves only a predetermined size via the 1st movement guidance mechanism 17I. Accordingly, each of the elevating bodies 17E is lifted and lowered by a predetermined size via the second movement guide mechanism 17J, and the elevating body 17E raises and lowers the top plate 15 only by a predetermined size, and adjusts the inclination of the top plate 15. In this case, the probe card 12 is formed in parallel with the wafer W on the wafer chuck 11.

Then, the compressed air is shut off, the compressed air is discharged from the brake mechanism 20, and the insertion portion 33 of the piston 32 is withdrawn from the open portion 31B of the brake metal 31, and the brake mechanism 20 is actuated to form a brake (step 705). .

Next, returning to step 701, the parallelism of the probe card (P.C.) 12 and the wafer W is again measured by the measuring device.

The above steps are repeated until the difference between the distances measured at the plurality of points is within a predetermined value to form a predetermined parallelism. Then, when the difference in the distance after the measurement at the plurality of points is within the predetermined value, the processing is terminated (step 706).

In the above-described project, the measurement of the distance between the probe card 12 for inspecting the parallelism and the wafer W is performed, for example, at three points of measurement points 1, 2, and 3 shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, the lower side is the front side of the display probe device 10, the upper side is the rear side of the display probe device 10, and the brake mechanism 20 is disposed in the vicinity of the measurement point 1 on the rear side.

At the measurement points 1, 2, and 3 described above, the displacement amount of the top plate 15 of each of the points 1, 2, and 3 when the load of 160 kgf as the contact load is applied from the lower side to the upper side by the wafer chuck 11 is measured. As a result, the probe device 10 of the present embodiment having the brake mechanism 20 in the vicinity of the measurement point 1 is: measuring point 1:13 μm

Measuring point 2: 9μm

Measuring point 3: 14μm

In the comparative example, the same measurement was carried out by a probe device having no brake mechanism 20. The result is: measurement point 1: 17 μm

Measuring point 2: 9μm

Measuring point 3: 14μm

As is apparent from the above results, by the action of the brake mechanism 20, the amount of displacement of the top plate 15 when the contact loads are applied can be suppressed to uniformize the amount of displacement, and the probe card can be accurately parallelized with the semiconductor wafer. degree. Further, by providing the brake mechanism 20, the rigidity of the portion can be increased by 20 to 30%.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can of course be implemented.

10‧‧‧ probe device

11‧‧‧ wafer suction cup (mounting table)

12‧‧‧ Probe Card

12A‧‧‧Probe

13‧‧‧Card fixture

14‧‧‧Card clamping mechanism

15‧‧‧ top board

16‧‧‧Support column

17‧‧‧ Lifting mechanism

17B‧‧‧ substrate

17C‧‧‧Mobile

17E‧‧‧ Lifting body

17F‧‧‧ drive mechanism

17N‧‧‧Hat

17K‧‧‧ Lifting guide mechanism

20‧‧‧ brake mechanism

W‧‧‧Semiconductor Wafer

R‧‧‧ connection ring

Claims (8)

A probe device is a probe device in which a plurality of probes disposed on a probe card are in contact with an inspected substrate for electrical inspection, and is characterized in that: a mounting device is provided with a mounting table on which the substrate to be inspected is placed; a top plate that holds the probe card above the mounting table; four support columns that support the top plate at four corners; and a lifting mechanism that is disposed at least three of the support columns, Lifting the top plate to adjust the parallelism between the probe card and the substrate to be inspected on the mounting table; and releasing the brake mechanism at least one of the arrangement positions of the lifting mechanism to the top plate Lifting and applying brakes. The probe device according to claim 1, wherein the brake mechanism includes a shaft that is vertically fixed to the elevating mechanism, and a gripping mechanism that is fixed to the support post and holds the shaft. The probe device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lifting mechanism is disposed at a total of three places on the front side 2 and the rear side 1 of the four corners of the top plate, and the brake mechanism is disposed at The arrangement portion of the elevator disposed at the rear side. The probe device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the lifting mechanism has a moving body configured to be movable upwardly along the support column a moving inclined surface; the lifting body coupled to the top plate and configured to be movable up and down along the inclined surface of the moving body; and a driving mechanism for moving the moving body along the upper surface of the supporting column. The parallel adjustment mechanism of the probe card has a lifting mechanism between at least three support columns and four of the four support columns supporting the top plate of the probe card at four corners, and the probe is adjusted A parallel adjustment mechanism for a probe card having a parallelism between a card and a substrate to be inspected on a mounting table disposed thereon is characterized in that: at least one of the arrangement portions of the elevating mechanism is disposed on the top plate The brake mechanism that lifts the brake can be lifted. The parallel adjustment mechanism of the probe card of claim 5, wherein the brake mechanism includes: a shaft that is vertically fixed to the lifting mechanism; and a gripping mechanism that is fixed to the support column and holds The aforementioned shaft. The parallel adjustment mechanism of the probe card of the fifth or sixth aspect of the invention, wherein the lifting mechanism is disposed at a total of three places on the front side 2 and the rear side 1 among the four corners of the top plate, the brake mechanism The arrangement portion of the elevator disposed at the rear side 1 is disposed. The parallel adjustment mechanism of the probe card of claim 5 or 6, wherein the lifting mechanism has a moving body configured to be movable along the support column a moving inclined surface; the lifting body coupled to the top plate and configured to be movable up and down along the inclined surface of the moving body; and a driving mechanism for moving the moving body along the upper surface of the supporting column.