Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to assemble electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-01
2001-03-27
Briggs, William (Department: 3722)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to assemble electrical device
C324S754090, C324S758010, C414S737000, C483S019000, C901S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205652
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vacuum coupling system, and more specifically, to a vacuum coupling system for connecting a vacuum coupling to a valve mechanism of an integral structure (hereinafter referred to as “shell”) formed by uniting a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as “wafer”), a contactor, and a wafer holder (hereinafter referred to as “water chuck” by vacuum suction. Further specifically, the invention relates to a vacuum coupling system for connecting a vacuum coupling to a valve mechanism of a shell, which is formed by attracting a wafer and a contactor on a wafer chuck by vacuum suction, in conducting various tests on a semiconductor device (hereinafter referred to as “IC chip”) that is formed on the wafer.
In a conventional reliability test, potential defects in packaged IC chips are detected by applying thermal and electrical stresses to the chips so that defective IC chips can be removed. With the development of smaller-sized, higher-function electrical equipment, IC chips have been miniaturized and enhanced in the degree of integration. Recently, there have been developed various mounting techniques for further miniaturization of semiconductor products. For example, a novel mounting technique has been developed for mounting unpackaged or bare IC chips.
Bare chips to be put on the market should be subjected to a reliability test. Conventional reliability testers have some problems on electrical connections between bare chips and sockets, for example. Besides, handling small bare chips is very troublesome and possibly entails an increase in testing cost.
Reliability testing techniques for testing IC chips on a wafer are proposed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publications Nos. 7-231019, 8-5666, and 8-340030, for example. According to the techniques proposed in the former two publications, wafers and contactors, such as probe sheets, are securely collectively brought into contact with one another to be united without being thermally affected. Each contactor includes a contact terminal that electrically touches predetermined electrodes of a plurality of IC chips on each wafer and an external terminal connected to the contact terminal. The contactor is stuck fast on the wafer so that the contact terminal is in contact with the predetermined electrodes.
In an electrical property test or reliability test for IC chips on a wafer, it is essential to form and maintain the shell in which the contactor, wafer, and wafer holder are securely united together.
Conventionally, various techniques are proposed as methods for collectively bringing wafers and contactors into contact with one another. However, there is no practical apparatus for automatically loading shells into a reliability tester.
The inventor hereof proposed, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. Publication No. 9-318920, a wafer temperature control device and a wafer storage chamber that can maintain a given testing temperature to improve the reliability of a reliability test. However, a technique for automatically loading shells into the wafer storage chamber to automate the reliability test is on its way to development.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been contrived in consideration of these circumstances, and its object is to provide a vacuum coupling system for securely connecting a shell and a vacuum exhaust device in an apparatus for forming shells and an apparatus for automatically loading the shells into various test chambers or treatment chambers.
In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum coupling system, which comprises: a valve mechanism attached to a vacuum suction mechanism of a wafer holder attracting a semiconductor wafer and a contactor by vacuum suction so that the wafer holder, semiconductor wafer, and contactor form an integral structure; a vacuum coupling removably attached to the valve mechanism to connect the vacuum suction mechanism to a vacuum exhaust device; a movement drive mechanism for moving the vacuum coupling relatively to the valve mechanism so that the vacuum coupling is attached to and detached from the valve mechanism; and a vacuum coupling positioning mechanism for allowing the movement drive mechanism to move the vacuum coupling relatively to the valve mechanism. The positioning mechanism includes a guide member attached to the wafer holder, a positioning member attached to the movement drive mechanism and guided by the guide member, and a support mechanism for the movement drive mechanism, designed automatically to regulate the position of the movement drive mechanism in response to the movement of the positioning member guided by the guide member, thereby adjusting the position of the vacuum coupling with the valve mechanism.
In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a vacuum coupling system, which comprises: a valve mechanism attached to a vacuum suction mechanism of a wafer holder attracting a semiconductor wafer and a contactor by vacuum suction so that the wafer holder, semiconductor wafer, and contactor form an integral structure; a vacuum coupling removably attached to the valve mechanism to connect the vacuum suction mechanism to a vacuum exhaust device; a movement drive mechanism for moving the vacuum coupling relatively to the valve mechanism so that the vacuum coupling is attached to or detached from the valve mechanism; and a vacuum coupling positioning mechanism for aligning the vacuum coupling with the valve mechanism on a plane to allow the movement drive mechanism to move the vacuum coupling relatively to the valve mechanism. The positioning mechanism including a guide member attached to the wafer holder, a positioning member attached to the movement drive mechanism and guided by the guide member, and a support mechanism for the movement drive mechanism, designed automatically to regulate the position of the movement drive mechanism in response to the movement of the positioning member guided by the guide member, thereby adjusting the position of the vacuum coupling with the valve mechanism.
Preferably, the guide member of the vacuum coupling system is a structure having a recess in the center thereof and taper surfaces spreading outward from the recess, and the positioning member includes at least one roller capable of rolling along the taper surfaces of the guide member and having a diameter such that the roller can be fitted in the recess.
Preferably, moreover, the support mechanism of the movement drive mechanism of the vacuum coupling system includes a guide mechanism for guiding the movement drive mechanism in movement on the circumference of a circle around the valve mechanism, and a centering mechanism for urging the movement drive mechanism, moving guided by the guide mechanism, to return to a neutral position.
Preferably, moreover, the guide mechanism of the vacuum coupling system includes a guide roller fixed to the movement drive mechanism and a guide rail having a groove allowing the guide roller to move therein.
Preferably, furthermore, the guide member of the vacuum coupling system is a structure having a recess in the center thereof and taper surfaces spreading outward from the recess, and the positioning member includes at least one roller capable of rolling along the taper surfaces of the guide member and having a diameter such that the roller can be fitted in the recess of the guide member.
In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a vacuum coupling system, which comprises: a valve mechanism attached to a vacuum suction mechanism of a wafer holder attracting a semiconductor wafer and a contactor by vacuum suction so that the wafer holder, semiconductor wafer, and contactor form an integral structure; a vacuum coupling removably attached to the valve mechanism to connect the vacuum suction mechanism to a vacuum exhaust device; a movement drive mechanism for moving the vacuum coupling relatively to the valve mechanism so that the vacuum coupling is attached to or detached from the valve mechanism; and a vacuum coupling positioning mechanism
Tsukada Hiroshi
Yonezawa Toshihiro
Briggs William
Morrison & Foerster
Tokyo Electron Limited
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