Measuring and testing – Inspecting
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-21
2004-05-25
Raevis, Robert (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Inspecting
Reexamination Certificate
active
06739208
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-250542, filed Aug. 22, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for delivering a target object to be processed onto a transfer device and to a table mechanism of the target object, particularly, to a delivering method of the target object, which permits smoothly delivering the target object from a table onto a transfer mechanism, and a table mechanism of the target object.
2. Description of the Related Art
The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises various steps starting with the step of forming a film on a target object to be processed, e.g., a semiconductor wafer, and ending in the step of inspecting the semiconductor device produced. In each of these steps, the semiconductor wafer is delivered from the transfer mechanism of the semiconductor wafer onto the table mechanism of the semiconductor wafer. For example, in the inspecting step, a probe apparatus is used for inspecting the electrical characteristics of the IC chip formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
The conventional probe apparatus comprises a transfer mechanism
13
(hereinafter referred to as “pincette”) for transferring a wafer W and a table mechanism
15
(hereinafter referred to as “main chuck”) for receiving the wafer W and disposing thereon the received wafer W, as shown in, for example, FIG.
1
. The pincette
13
is arranged in a loader chamber
11
, and the main chuck
15
is arranged in a prober chamber
12
. A probe card
17
is arranged above the main chuck
15
within the prober chamber
11
. The electrical characteristics of the integrated circuit formed on the wafer W disposed on the main chuck
15
are inspected by using the probe card
17
and a tester connected to the probe card
17
.
As shown in
FIG. 6A
, the main chuck
15
comprises a table
15
D on which the wafer W is disposed and a plurality of lift pins, e.g., three lift pins
20
A-
20
C, vertically moved on the upper surface of the table
15
D. When the wafer W is delivered between the pincette
1
and the table
15
D, the lift pins
20
A-
20
C project upward from the upper surface of the table
15
D so as to receive the wafer W from the pincette
1
transferred from the loader chamber into the prober chamber. When the pincette
1
retreats into the loader chamber, the lift pins
20
A-
20
C also retreat into the table
15
D as shown in
FIG. 5B
so as to allow the wafer W to be disposed on the table
15
D. Under this condition, a predetermined processing (inspection) is applied to the wafer W. After completion of the predetermined processing, the lift pins
20
A-
20
C project upward from the table
15
D so as to move the wafer W upward away from the table
15
D. As shown in
FIG. 6C
, the pincette
1
proceeds onto the table
15
D, and the lift pins
20
A-
20
C retreat into the table
15
D, with the result that the wafer W is delivered onto the pincette
1
. Upon receipt of the wafer W, the pincette
1
transfers the wafer W into the loader chamber.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, the diameter of the wafer W has been markedly increased, and the thickness of the wafer W has been markedly decreased. For example, the diameter of the wafer W has been increased from, for example, 200 mm to 300 mm, and the thickness of the wafer W has been decreased from about 500 &mgr;m to about 150 to 200 &mgr;m. It is possible for the wafer W to be bent as shown in FIG.
6
B.
FIG. 6C
shows the state that the bent wafer W is delivered from the table
15
A onto the pincette
1
. Under this state, the pincette
1
is prevented from passing through the clearance between the periphery of the bent wafer W and the table
15
A, with the result that the pincette
1
is incapable of being moved into the clearance between the wafer W and the table
15
A. It follows that the pincette
1
fails to receive the wafer W, resulting in failure to perform a smooth delivery of the wafer W. The present invention is intended to overcome the above-noted problem.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technology for delivering a bent object to be processed from a table onto a transfer mechanism smoothly and without fail.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a probe apparatus for inspecting the electrical characteristics of the integrated circuit formed on a semiconductor wafer, in which a bent semiconductor wafer can be delivered from a table onto a transfer mechanism smoothly and without fail.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of delivering a target object to be processed onto a transfer mechanism for allowing the transfer mechanism to take the target object from a table, comprising the steps of:
inclining the target object by making one end of the target object disposed on a table and having a predetermined processing applied thereto higher than the other end; and
allowing the transfer mechanism to hold the inclined target object.
In the method of the present invention, it is desirable to allow a part of the target object to rise from the surface of the table so as to provide air between the target object and the table in the step of inclining the target object.
In the method of the present invention, it is desirable for the step of inclining the target object to comprise the sub-steps of:
making one end of the target object higher than the other end so as to allow the target object to have a predetermined inclination; and
moving upward the target object to a predetermined height while maintaining the inclination.
In the method of the present invention, it is desirable for the step of inclining the target object to comprise the sub-steps of:
moving upward the target object to a predetermined height in parallel to the surface of the table; and
making one end of the target object higher than the other end so as to incline the target object.
In the method of the present invention, it is desirable for the target object to be inclined such that the other end of the target object is brought out of contact with the table in the step of inclining the target object.
In the method of the present invention, it is desirable for the target object to be a semiconductor wafer, for the predetermined processing to be an inspection of the electrical characteristics of the integrated circuit formed on the semiconductor wafer, and for the transfer mechanism to be a pincette for transferring the semiconductor wafer.
In the method of the present invention, it is desirable for the step of inclining the target object of the semiconductor wafer to be performed by controlling the height to which each of a plurality of lift pins for supporting the semiconductor wafer, which are arranged in an upper portion of the table, is moved.
In the method of the present invention, it is desirable for the step of inclining the target object to comprise the sub-steps of:
moving upward at least one lift pin at a predetermined speed so as to cause a part of the target object to rise from the surface of the table, thereby introducing air into the clearance between the target object and the table; and
moving upward each of the lift pins at a speed higher than the predetermined speed so as to move upward the target object.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a table mechanism, comprising a table for performing the delivery of the target object to and from a transfer mechanism of the target object, and a plurality of lift pins for causing the target object on the table to rise from the table surface so as to support the target object, wherein at least one lift pin positioned on the side of the transfer mechanism is moved higher than the other lift pins such that the target object is supported by the lift pins in an inclined fashion.
According to a third aspect of the present invention,
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