Electricity: measuring and testing – Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components – Of individual circuit component or element
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-09
2001-07-17
Metjahic, Safet (Department: 2858)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components
Of individual circuit component or element
C324S754090, C324S758010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262586
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a probing method and apparatus utilizing an optimal probing mode in a prober for inspecting to see whether each of chips formed on a semiconductor wafer is good or bad.
In general, in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor product, a large number of chips are formed so as to be arranged in good order on one sheet of semiconductor wafer. All of these chips are not necessarily a non-defective. Therefore, when the process proceeds to the stage near the final stage, before the semiconductor wafer is cut to produce a plurality of chips, the electrical characteristics of each of the chips are measured with the state of the semiconductor wafer held in order to inspect to see whether each of the chips is a non-defective or a defective.
This measurement is carried out generally using a prober. This prober is provided with a probe card having a large number of probes which are made come in contact with the electrode pads which the individual chips on the semiconductor wafer have. A predetermined inspection signal is applied from the probes to the electrode pads of the individual chips in order to measure the electrical characteristics of the individual chips.
As for a measurement mechanism for such a probe card, there is known the mechanism which has only one measuring channel for use in measuring the electrical characteristics of one chip in order to measure the electrical characteristics of each of the chips one by one in turn. On the other hand, as for a measurement mechanism of the probe card, there is also well known an instrumentation mechanism of a multi-type. The instrumentation mechanism of a multi-type includes one set of measuring channels consisting of a plurality of measuring channels each described above, and measures the electrical characteristics of plural chips using the one set of measuring channels.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, the above-mentioned probe card of a multi-type has four measuring channels (CH
1
to CH
4
) for example. Each of the measuring channels is provided with a large number of probes which are made come in contact with the respective electrodes of the associated one chip out of a plurality of chips formed on the semiconductor wafer. Then, the electrical signal of each of the chips, which has been obtained from each of the measuring channels (CH
1
to CH
4
) is outputted to a tester
11
. Each of the testers inspects, on the basis of the signal, to see whether each chip is a non-defective or a defective.
Then, the probe card of a multi-type is moved successively on the semiconductor wafer in such a way that the prior set of chips formed on the semiconductor wafer do not overlap with the posterior set of chips formed thereon. Whenever the probe card of a multi-type is moved, the probing is carried out in the resultant position.
The probe is moved along a tapered face of the semiconductor wafer while being pressed against the tapered face. As a result, there is a problem that the probe is deformed indicated by a solid line.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems associated with the prior art, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an optimal probing mode setting method wherein a probe card is successively moved in a mode in which all the channels of one set of measuring channels are necessarily located in the positions where the respective chips will be measured, whereby any one probe can be prevented from being damaged.
The present invention relates to a method wherein a probe card of a multi-type having a large number of probes and including one set of measuring channels having a plurality of measuring channels each used to obtain the electrical signal of one chip formed on a semiconductor wafer is moved on the semiconductor wafer in order to inspect the electrical characteristics of each of the chips.
Particularly, the present invention is a probing method, utilizing an optimal probing mode, which may provide that the probe card is successively : moved in a mode in which all the channels of the one set of measuring channels are necessarily located in the positions where the respective chips will be measured.
The present invention provides, in the probing method utilizing the optimal probing mode, that with respect to the chip which probes have made come in contact with only once, the chip of interest is inspected by the contact, while with respect to the chip which probes have made come in contact with over plural times, the chip of interest is inspected by one of these plural contacts.
The present invention also provides, in the probing method utilizing the optimal probing mode, that with respect to the chip which probes have made come in contact with only once, the chip of interest is inspected by the contact, while with respect to the chip which probes have made come in contact with over plural times, the chip of interest is inspected by the final one of these plural contacts.
The present invention also provides disclosed in claim
4
may provide, in the probing method utilizing the optimal probing mode, that a plurality of chips formed on the semiconductor wafer are inspected at the same time with a plurality of chips, which are arranged linearly in the direction of 45 degrees, as one set.
The present invention also provides, in the probing method utilizing the optimal probing mode, that with respect to one specific channel out of the one set of measuring channels provided in the probe card, the positions to which it is to be successively moved on the semiconductor wafer are instructed, thereby setting the positions to which the probe card is to be moved in the above-mentioned mode.
Another embodiment of the present relates in general to an apparatus for carrying out the probing method utilizing the optimal probing mode previously disclosed, and more particularly to a probing apparatus including: a probe card of a multi-type having a large number of probes and also including one set of measuring channels having a plurality of measuring channels each used to obtain the electrical signal of one chip formed on a semiconductor wafer; means for instructing the positions to which the probe card is to be successively moved; means for moving successively the probe card on the semiconductor wafer on the basis of the instruction issued from the position instructing means; means for transmitting the information of the position of the chip which is inspected among the chips which has been contacted by the probe card; and a tester for inspecting the chips on the basis of the information which have been transmitted from the transmission means.
One embodiment of the present invention provides that the position instructing means in the probing apparatus is means for instructing the positions to which the probe card is to be successively moved in a mode in which all the channels of the one set of the measuring channels of the probe card are necessarily located in the positions where the respective chips will be measured thereby.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides that the transmission means in the probing apparatus is means for transmitting, with respect to the chip which probes have made come in contact with only once, the information to practice the inspection by the contact and transmitting, with respect to the chip which probes have made come in contact with over plural times, the information to practice the inspection by one of these plural contacts.
Another embodiment of the invention provides that the transmission means in the probing apparatus is means for transmitting, with respect to the chip which probes have made come in contact with only once, the information to practice the inspection by contact and transmitting, with respect to the chip which probes have made come in contact with over plural times, the information to practice the inspection by the final one of these plural contacts.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides that the probe card in the probing appar
Metjahic Safet
Morrison & Foerster
Tang Minh
Tokyo Electron Limited
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