Mounting table, inspection device, and inspection method

Abstract

The present invention provides a loading platform, an inspection device, and an inspection method. The loading platform of the present invention has a device to be processed placed on its upper surface, and includes: a top plate having a loading surface for the device; a heating unit for heating the top plate; a plurality of temperature sensors for acquiring the temperature of the top plate at a desired measurement position when viewed from above; and a positioning unit electrically connected to the temperature sensors for positioning the temperature sensors at the measurement position when viewed from above, the positioning unit being composed of a flexible printed circuit board having flexibility. According to the present invention, the difference between the actual temperature of the device to be inspected and the measured temperature of the device measured by the temperature sensor can be reduced without reducing the structural strength of the loading platform in the inspection device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mounting platform, an inspection device and an inspection method. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a temperature sensor that measures the processing temperature of a wafer held on a wafer chuck by inserting a temperature measuring body into an insertion hole formed in the side surface of the wafer chuck. The temperature sensor described in Patent Document 1 is attached to the side surface of the wafer chuck by attaching a fixing assembly having a through-hole corresponding to the insertion hole of the wafer chuck to the fixing assembly. The temperature sensor is then attached to the fixing assembly via a mounting member provided on the base of the temperature measuring body, which is inserted through the through-hole into the insertion hole.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-002390. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0007] An object of the present invention is to reduce the difference between the actual temperature of a device under inspection and the measured temperature of the device measured by a temperature sensor without reducing the structural strength (endurance) of a mounting table in an inspection apparatus.

[0008] Technical means to solve the problem

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention provides a loading platform having a device to be processed placed on its upper surface, comprising: a top plate having a loading surface for the device; a heating unit for heating the top plate; a plurality of temperature sensors for acquiring the temperature of the top plate at a desired measurement position when viewed from above; and a positioning unit electrically connected to the temperature sensors for positioning the temperature sensors at the measurement position when viewed from above, the positioning unit being composed of a flexible printed circuit board having flexibility.

[0010] Effects of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, the difference between the actual temperature of a device to be inspected and the measured temperature of the device measured by a temperature sensor can be reduced without reducing the structural strength of a mounting table in an inspection apparatus. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a probe device as the inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2It is a front view showing a schematic structure of a probe device as the inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 It is a plan view schematically showing the structure of a wafer.

[0015] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of a table serving as a mounting table according to this embodiment.

[0016] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the structure of a recessed portion formed in the top plate.

[0017] Figure 6 It is a plan view showing an example of arrangement of temperature sensors.

[0018] Figure 7 It is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of the positioning unit.

[0019] Figure 8 It is a plan view schematically showing the fixing structure of the temperature sensor.

[0020] Figure 9 It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing another arrangement example of the positioning unit.

[0021] Description of Reference Numerals

[0022] 10 Workbench

[0023] 100 Top Plate

[0024] 100a Loading surface

[0025] 110 Temperature Sensor

[0026] 111 Second temperature sensor

[0027] 120 positioning unit

[0028] 121 Sensor connection parts

[0029] 150 Heating Unit

[0030] D Semiconductor devices DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] During the semiconductor device manufacturing process, multiple semiconductor devices are simultaneously formed on a substrate such as a wafer. The resulting semiconductor devices need to be inspected for electrical characteristics and other factors to determine whether they are acceptable or defective. This inspection is performed using an inspection device, for example, on the substrate before it is separated into individual semiconductor devices.

[0032] Inspection equipment, such as a prober, is equipped with a stage for placing a substrate with semiconductor devices formed thereon, and a probe card with multiple probes. During inspection, the inspection equipment places the semiconductor device in contact with the probes, and an electrical signal is supplied to the semiconductor device from a tester via the probes. The tester then determines whether the semiconductor device is defective based on the electrical signal received from the semiconductor device via the probes.

[0033] In this inspection device, when inspecting the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, in order to simulate the installation environment of the semiconductor device, the temperature of the mounting table is adjusted by a heating mechanism and / or cooling mechanism provided in the mounting table, thereby adjusting the temperature of the semiconductor device formed on the substrate.

[0034] Furthermore, in order to properly inspect the electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices in inspection equipment, it is necessary to accurately monitor the temperature of each semiconductor device formed on a substrate. Therefore, in existing inspection equipment, the mounting table used to mount the substrate is designed using a highly thermally conductive material (e.g., Cu, Al, etc.) to improve surface heat conduction and thus enhance thermal uniformity.

[0035] However, due to the increased heat generation associated with the increasing integration of semiconductor devices, the difference in thermal resistance caused by the distance in the plane between the semiconductor device under inspection and the temperature sensor installed on the mounting table cannot be ignored. In other words, due to the increased heat generation of the semiconductor device, even a small difference in thermal resistance caused by the separation between the semiconductor device and the temperature sensor can result in a significant temperature difference, potentially causing a discrepancy between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

[0036] Furthermore, the influence caused by the difference in distance from the temperature sensor becomes particularly large in the structure of the mounting table (wafer chuck) disclosed in Patent Document 1, specifically in the structure of the mounting table in which only one temperature sensor is provided within the surface.

[0037] One method for reducing the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is to install multiple temperature sensors within the surface of the mounting table. By installing multiple temperature sensors within the surface of the mounting table and selecting the temperature sensor closest to the semiconductor device under inspection for inspection, the distance between the semiconductor device and the temperature sensor in the plane direction can be reduced, thereby reducing the difference between the actual temperature and the measured temperature.

[0038] However, when multiple temperature sensors are installed within the mounting platform as described above, it is difficult to use sheathed temperature sensors, such as RTD sensors (e.g., platinum resistance sensors) that have been used in inspection equipment. Specifically, when installing temperature sensors within the mounting platform, insertion holes must be formed in the mounting platform for the temperature sensors to pass through. In this case, when using conventional sheathed temperature sensors, the mounting platform must have insertion holes equal to the number of installed temperature sensors. This reduces the structural strength of the mounting platform, which can cause bending.

[0039] Therefore, the technology disclosed herein can reduce the difference between the actual temperature of a device to be inspected and the measured temperature of the device measured by a temperature sensor without reducing the structural strength of the mounting table of the inspection apparatus.

[0040] Hereinafter, a loading platform, an inspection device having the loading platform, and an inspection method using the inspection device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in this specification and the accompanying drawings, elements having substantially the same functional configuration are described with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0041] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The three-dimensional diagram and the front view respectively show the schematic structure of the inspection device, namely the probe 1, which has a mounting table, namely a workbench, according to the present embodiment. Figure 2 In order to express Figure 1 Components built into a storage chamber and a loader of the probe device 1, which will be described later, are partially shown in cross section.

[0042] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The prober 1 inspects the electrical characteristics of the wafer W as a substrate, specifically, the plurality of semiconductor devices (described later) formed on the wafer W. Figure 3 The prober 1 includes a storage chamber 2 for storing wafers W during inspection, a loader 3 disposed adjacent to the storage chamber 2, and a tester 4 disposed above the storage chamber 2.

[0043] The storage chamber 2 is a shell with a hollow interior, and has a loading table, namely a workbench 10, on which a chip W can be loaded. The workbench 10 adsorbs and holds the chip W so that the position of the chip W relative to the workbench 10 does not shift. The detailed structure of the workbench 10 will be described later. In addition, a moving mechanism 11 is provided on the workbench 10. The moving mechanism 11 moves the probe 12a of the probe card 12 described later and the workbench 10 relative to each other, and in this example, moves the workbench 10 relative to the probe 12a. More specifically, the moving mechanism 11 moves the workbench 10 in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The moving mechanism 11 has a base 11a made of metal such as stainless steel, on which the workbench 10 is arranged, and although not shown in the figure, it also has, for example, a guide rail, a ball screw, a motor, etc. for moving the base 11a. The moving mechanism 11 can adjust the position of the stage 10 relative to probes 12 a of a probe card 12 described later, so that electrodes on the surface of the wafer W placed on the stage 10 can come into contact with the probes 12 a .

[0044] A probe card 12 having a plurality of probes 12a serving as contact terminals is positioned above the workbench 10 in the storage chamber 2 and faces the workbench 10. The probe card 12 is connected to the tester 4 via an interface 13. During electrical property testing, each probe 12a contacts an electrode of a semiconductor device on the wafer W, supplies power from the tester 4 to the semiconductor device via the interface 13, and transmits signals from the semiconductor device to the tester 4 via the interface 13.

[0045] The loader 3 takes out wafers W stored in a FOUP (not shown) serving as a transport container and transports them to the workbench 10 in the storage chamber 2. The loader 3 also takes out wafers W whose electrical characteristics have been inspected from the workbench 10 and stores them in the FOUP.

[0046] In addition, the loader 3 has a control unit 14 that controls the actions of each part in the storage chamber 2. The control unit 14 is also called a base unit, and is composed of, for example, a computer having a CPU, a memory, etc., and has a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores programs for controlling various processes in the probe 1. In addition, the above-mentioned program can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium and installed from the storage medium to the control unit 14. Part or all of the program can also be implemented by dedicated hardware (circuit board).

[0047] Tester 4 has a tester port (not shown) that can reproduce a portion of the circuit configuration of a motherboard on which a semiconductor device is mounted. The tester port is connected to a tester computer 18 (not shown) that determines the pass / fail status of the semiconductor device based on signals from the semiconductor device. By replacing the test board, tester 4 can reproduce the circuit configurations of various motherboards.

[0048] Furthermore, the probe 1 includes a user interface 19 for displaying information for the user or for user input instructions. The user interface 19 includes, for example, an input unit such as a touch panel or a keyboard, and a display such as a liquid crystal display.

[0049] In the prober 1 having the aforementioned components, when inspecting the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device, the tester computer 18 transmits data to a test board connected to the semiconductor device via the probes 12a. The tester computer 18 then determines, based on the electrical signals from the test board, whether the transmitted data has been correctly processed by the test board.

[0050] Next, use Figure 3 A wafer W on which semiconductor devices are formed, which are to be inspected by the above-described prober 1, will be described. Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the structure of a wafer W. FIG.

[0051] For example, on a wafer W, etching and wiring are performed on a substantially disk-shaped silicon substrate, thereby Figure 3 Multiple semiconductor devices D are formed on the surface of the wafer W at predetermined intervals. Electrodes E are formed on the surface of the semiconductor devices D, i.e., the surface of the wafer W. Electrodes E are electrically connected to the circuit elements within the semiconductor devices D. Applying a voltage to the electrodes E allows current to flow through the circuit elements within each semiconductor device D. The size of the semiconductor devices D is, for example, 10 to 30 mm square when viewed from above.

[0052] Next, use Figure 4 The structure of the above-mentioned workbench 10 will be described in detail. Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the table 10 .

[0053] The workbench 10 as a mounting table is as follows Figure 4 As shown in FIG, the workbench 10 is formed by stacking a plurality of functional parts including a top plate 100. The workbench 10 is placed on a moving mechanism 11 (see FIG. 1 ) that moves the workbench 10 in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction via a heat insulating member 130. Figure 2 )superior.

[0054] The workbench 10 includes, in order from the top, a top plate 100, a cooling unit 140, and a heating unit 150. The workbench 10 is supported on the moving mechanism 11 from below the heating unit 150, in other words, from the back side of the heating unit 150, via a thermal insulation member 130. Furthermore, the workbench 10 includes a plurality of temperature sensors 110 and a positioning unit 120, as described below.

[0055] The top plate 100 is a component for placing the semiconductor device D (specifically, the wafer W on which the semiconductor device D is formed). In other words, the top plate 100 is a component whose surface (upper surface) serves as a placement surface for placing the semiconductor device (specifically, the wafer W on which the semiconductor device D is formed). In the following, the surface of the top plate 100 that is the upper surface of the workbench 10 is referred to as the placement surface 100a. The placement surface 100a of the top plate 100 has adsorption holes H1 (see FIG. 1 ) for adsorbing the wafer W. Figure 6 ).

[0056] The top plate 100 is formed, for example, in a disk shape. Furthermore, the top plate 100 is formed from a material with high thermal conductivity, such as Cu, Al, SiC, AlN, or carbon fiber. By forming the top plate 100 from such a material, the top plate 100 can be efficiently heated and cooled, and the wafer W placed on the top plate 100 can be efficiently heated or cooled.

[0057] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a recess 101 for arranging a temperature sensor 110 and a positioning unit 120 described later is formed on the back surface 100b of the top plate 100. The recess 101 is formed, for example, with an insertion hole H2 (see FIG. 1 ) through which a lift pin (not shown) for holding the wafer W on the mounting surface 100a is inserted. Figure 6 ) is formed into a roughly circular shape at a position radially outside the insertion hole H2 in a non-interference manner.

[0058] In addition, if Figure 4 As shown, the recess 101 is formed to be opposite to the hole portions 140 a , 150 b , and 130 a formed in the cooling unit 140 , the heating unit 150 , and the heat insulating member 130 .

[0059] The holes 140a and 150b are formed to penetrate the cooling unit 140 and the heating unit 150 in the thickness direction, respectively. The hole 130a is formed so that one end thereof faces the outside of the stage 10 (heat insulating member 130).

[0060] Furthermore, in the workbench 10 of this embodiment, a positioning unit 120 described later is disposed inside the recess 101 and the holes 140 a , 150 a , and 130 a , and a temperature sensor 110 described later is disposed inside the recess 101 .

[0061] Furthermore, in order to measure the temperature of the entire surface of the top plate 100 when viewed from above, in other words, to arrange a plurality of temperature sensors 110 dispersedly over the entire surface of the top plate 100 when viewed from above, the recess 101 is preferably formed over the entire surface of the back surface 100b.

[0062] In addition, the recess 101 is formed from the viewpoint of heat transfer and uniformity of the surface of the top plate 100 in terms of structural strength (hereinafter referred to as "strength"). Figure 5 As shown, it is preferable to form it uniformly (for example, symmetrically about the central axis or line-symmetrically) in the surface of the back surface 100b.

[0063] Furthermore, the depth d1 of the recess 101 relative to the top plate 100 (see Figure 4 ), in order to suppress the reduction in strength of the top plate 100, it is desirable that the thickness d2 (see FIG) be smaller than at least the thickness of the portion where the recess 101 is not formed.

[0064] Here, when the formation depth d1 is small, the temperature responsiveness when measuring the temperature of the wafer W deteriorates, and therefore, each is set to a value that is well balanced between the temperature responsiveness and the strength of the top plate 100 .

[0065] As described above, temperature sensor 110 is disposed, for example, within recess 101 to obtain the temperature of top plate 100 during inspection of the electrical characteristics of semiconductor device D. A sensor component, such as a transistor, that can be placed in a narrow location such as recess 101 can be used as temperature sensor 110. The transistor serving as temperature sensor 110 utilizes the fact that the voltage value measured when current is supplied from a power supply (not shown) varies depending on the temperature of top plate 100, and thereby obtains the temperature of top plate 100 based on the measured voltage value.

[0066] The size of the transistor serving as the temperature sensor 110 is, for example, 3 mm square in plan view and approximately 1 mm thick.

[0067] In addition, the temperature sensor 110 is as follows Figure 6 In the following description, the temperature sensor 110 is arranged as described above when the top plate 100 is viewed from above, and the position where the temperature is measured is sometimes referred to as the "temperature measurement position."

[0068] In this embodiment, the temperature measurement position of the temperature sensor 110 is configured as follows: Figure 6 The figure is determined along the circumference of the top plate 100 .

[0069] The number and arrangement of temperature measurement locations can be arbitrarily determined, but it is preferred that the temperature sensors 110 be arranged so that the temperature of the entire surface of the top plate 100 can be measured, and that the areas covered by each temperature sensor 110 for temperature measurement are the same. In other words, the plurality of temperature sensors 110 are preferably evenly distributed within the surface of the top plate 100 when viewed from above.

[0070] In addition, in the center of the top plate 100 when viewed from above, Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, a second temperature sensor 111 is also provided. As the second temperature sensor 111, for example, a platinum resistance sensor that has been used in the workbench 10 of the prober 1 can be used. In this case, the platinum resistance sensor serving as the second temperature sensor 111 is not arranged inside the recess 101, but is arranged so as to be inserted into the insertion hole H3 formed from the side to the center of the top plate 100. In other words, the technology of the present invention can be applied to the existing workbench 10 (top plate 100) by forming the recess 101 to configure the temperature sensor 110 and can be implemented.

[0071] Furthermore, as will be described later, the measurement results of one temperature sensor corresponding to the semiconductor device D to be inspected, among the plurality of temperature sensors 110 or the second temperature sensor 111 provided on the stage 10, can be used in inspecting the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device D. For example, the temperature sensor closest to the center of gravity of the semiconductor device D to be inspected in the planar direction is selected as the temperature sensor corresponding to the semiconductor device D to be inspected.

[0072] The positioning unit 120 is a component electrically connected to the plurality of temperature sensors 110 and positions the plurality of temperature sensors 110 at the aforementioned temperature measurement positions. Figure 7 As shown, the positioning unit 120 includes a sensor connecting component 121 , an adapter component 122 and a connecting component 123 .

[0073] The sensor connection member 121 is electrically connected to at least one temperature sensor 110 and functions as a wiring circuit board that connects the temperature sensor 110 to a power source (not shown) via an adapter member 122 and a connection member 123 described later.

[0074] When connected to the temperature sensor 110 as described above, the sensor connecting member 121 is inserted through the holes 140a and 150a within the recess 101 formed in the top plate 100, thereby positioning the temperature sensor 110 at the temperature measurement position of the top plate 100. In other words, the sensor connecting member 121 is formed as a protrusion of the positioning unit 120 in the present invention, protruding upward (toward the placement surface 100a of the top plate 100) from the adapter member 122 (described later) at the temperature measurement position.

[0075] In addition, the sensor connecting component 121 is formed of a flexible material that can electrically insulate it from the wall surface of the recess 101 (top plate 100), and in this embodiment, it is formed of, for example, an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits). The FPC is, for example, a flexible circuit board having an insulating base and a conductive metal portion formed on the insulating base. By forming the sensor connecting component 121 from an FPC in this way, the sensor connecting component 121 can be easily molded along the shape of the recess 101 and can function appropriately as a wiring circuit board. In addition, since the FPC can be formed to be smaller in thickness as described above, the width of the recess 101 formed in the top plate 100 can be reduced.

[0076] The material forming the sensor connecting member 121 is not limited to the present embodiment, and a rigid substrate may be used as long as it can be molded along the shape of the recess 101 and can function as a wiring circuit board.

[0077] In addition, as in this embodiment, the sensor connecting member 121 may be formed of a material that can electrically insulate it from the wall surface of the recess 101 (top plate 100 ). For example, the wall surface of the recess 101 may be coated with an insulating material.

[0078] like Figure 7 As shown, the adapter member 122 is an annular member formed along the shape of the recess 101 (more specifically, the hole 103 a ), and functions as a wiring board that electrically connects the sensor connecting member 121 to a connecting member 123 described later.

[0079] Furthermore, the adapter component 122 is formed from a flexible material that provides electrical insulation from the top plate 100. In this embodiment, it is formed from, for example, an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). Forming the adapter component 122 from FPC allows it to be easily molded to conform to the shape of the recess 101 and function appropriately as a wiring circuit board.

[0080] The material forming the adapter member 122 is not limited to that of the present embodiment, and a rigid substrate may be used as long as it can be molded along the shape of the recess 101 and can function as a wiring circuit board.

[0081] In addition, as in this embodiment, the adapter member 122 can be formed of a material that can electrically insulate it from the top plate 100. For example, an insulating material can be used to form a coating inside the hole 130a that the adapter member 122 may contact.

[0082] The connection member 123 is a member for electrically connecting the temperature sensor 110 to the outside of the workbench 10 via the sensor connection member 121 and the adapter member 122 .

[0083] In addition, in order to properly measure the temperature of the top plate 100, the temperature sensor 110 is Figure 8 As shown, the temperature measurement position is fixed to the wall surface of the recess 101 by the fixing member 124. Specifically, as Figure 8 As shown, the temperature sensor 110 connected to the sensor connecting member 121 is arranged so as to fit within a groove 125a formed on one side of the pressing member 125, and the sensor connecting member 121 is brought into contact with the wall surface of the recessed portion 101. Furthermore, in this state, an elastic member 126 (e.g., a spring) is arranged within a groove 125b formed on the other side of the pressing member 125. As a result, the pressing member 125 is pressed against the wall surface of the recessed portion 101 by the force of the elastic member 126, thereby securing the temperature sensor 110 fitted within the groove 125a.

[0084] Furthermore, during inspection of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device D, the temperature of the top plate 100 and the semiconductor device D on the placement surface 100a is adjusted using the cooling unit 140 and / or heating unit 150 (described later). In this case, the top plate 100 and the sensor connecting member 121 have different coefficients of thermal expansion, resulting in a difference in the amount of thermal deformation during temperature adjustment of the top plate 100. To prevent damage to the sensor connecting member 121 caused by this difference in thermal deformation, the sensor connecting member 121 is preferably secured in a manner that absorbs this thermal deformation.

[0085] return Figure 4 Description.

[0086] The cooling unit 140 is a component for cooling the top plate 100 and the wafer W placed on the top plate 100 (more specifically, the semiconductor device D formed on the wafer W).

[0087] The cooling unit 140 is provided closer to the placement surface 100a than the heating unit 150, and is specifically joined to the back surface of the top plate 100 so as to be interposed between the top plate 100 and the heating unit 150. The cooling unit 140 is formed in a disk shape having substantially the same diameter as the top plate 100, for example.

[0088] The structure of the cooling unit 140 is not particularly limited, and any structure may be employed as long as it can cool the top plate 100 and the semiconductor device D. As an example, the cooling unit 140 may have a refrigerant flow path (not shown) formed therein for allowing the refrigerant to flow.

[0089] The heating unit 150 is a component for heating the top plate 100 and the wafer W placed on the top plate 100 (more specifically, the semiconductor device D formed on the wafer W).

[0090] The heating unit 150 is disposed so as to face the wafer W placed on the placement surface 100a of the top plate 100 across the cooling unit 140. The heating unit 150 is formed in a disk shape having substantially the same diameter as that of the top plate 100, for example.

[0091] Alternatively, the top plate 100 may be divided into a plurality of heating regions (not shown) in a plan view, and the heating unit 150 may be configured to heat the top plate 100 and the semiconductor device D independently for each of the heating regions.

[0092] The structure of the heating unit 150 is not particularly limited, and any structure can be employed as long as it can heat the top plate 100 and the semiconductor device D. As an example, the heating unit 150 may include an LED unit (not shown) that heats the placement surface 100a by irradiating light. Alternatively, the heating unit 150 may include a heater (not shown) as a heating element.

[0093] When an LED unit that irradiates light onto the placement surface 100a is used as the heating unit 150, a light-transmitting material is preferably used as the cooling unit 140 disposed between the heating unit 150 and the placement surface 100a and as the refrigerant flowing inside the cooling unit 140.

[0094] The workbench 10 of this embodiment is configured as described above.

[0095] According to the workbench 10 of this embodiment, a plurality of temperature sensors are provided inside the top plate 100 . In the illustrated example, a plurality of temperature sensors 110 are provided along the circumference of the top plate 100 , and a second temperature sensor 111 is provided at the center of the top plate 100 .

[0096] Thus, during the inspection of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device D, by selecting the temperature sensor closest to the center of gravity of the semiconductor device D to be inspected, the distance between the semiconductor device D to be inspected and the corresponding temperature sensor 110 can be reduced. As a result, during the inspection of the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device D, a temperature drop caused by the separation between the semiconductor device D and the temperature sensor 110 can be suppressed. In other words, the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor can be appropriately reduced.

[0097] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, by using a transistor and an FPC as the temperature sensor 110 and the sensor connecting member 121 , respectively, the sizes of the temperature sensor 110 and the sensor connecting member 121 can be reduced.

[0098] Furthermore, the width and depth of the recess 101 formed in the top plate 100 can be reduced, and thus a reduction in the strength (resistance) of the top plate 100 (table 10 ) due to the formation of the recess 101 can be suppressed.

[0099] According to this embodiment, the top plate 100 has the recess 101 for arranging the temperature sensor 110 therein. However, the recess 101 is formed so that its depth d1 is smaller than the thickness d2 of the portion where the recess 101 is not formed.

[0100] Thus, the volume of the recess 101 , that is, the cutting volume of the top plate 100 , can be reduced compared to the structural volume of the top plate 100 , thereby suppressing a decrease in strength of the top plate 100 and deformation during inspection.

[0101] Furthermore, as described above, recess 101 is formed on rear surface 100b, the surface opposite to placement surface 100a, which is pressed by probe 12a during electrical characteristic testing of semiconductor device D. Specifically, probe 12a presses placement surface 100a, the surface opposite to the side surface where recess 101 is formed, which could potentially reduce strength. Therefore, the pressing force is absorbed by the portion where recess 101 is not formed, further effectively suppressing deformation during testing.

[0102] According to the present embodiment, a transistor is used as the temperature sensor 110 , and the transistor is disposed inside the recess 101 in a state of being connected to the sensor connection member 121 formed of, for example, an FPC.

[0103] As described above, the transistors arranged in the recess 101 are very small, for example, 3 mm square in plan view, and thus the number of temperature measurement locations in plan view can be easily increased. In other words, the temperature of the top plate 100 can be appropriately measured in the plane.

[0104] Furthermore, since the transistor and FPC disposed within the recess 101 are each relatively thin, the width of the recess 101 can be reduced. In other words, the volume of the recess 101 (the volume of the top plate 100 removed) can be reduced, thereby further appropriately suppressing a decrease in the strength of the top plate 100 and deformation during electrical property inspection of the semiconductor device D.

[0105] Here, as described above, when a conventional sheathed temperature sensor is used as the temperature sensor 110 , it is necessary to form insertion holes in the top plate 100 for the number of temperature sensors 110 to be installed, which leads to a problem of reduced strength of the top plate 100 .

[0106] To address this problem, in this embodiment, as described above, transistors are used as temperature sensors 110, thereby enabling multiple temperature sensors 110 to be mounted on a single sensor connection member 121. This reduces the number of recesses 101 (corresponding to insertion holes) formed in the top plate 100, thereby suppressing a decrease in the strength of the top plate 100 and further suppressing deformation during electrical characteristic testing of the semiconductor device D.

[0107] Furthermore, the workbench 10 of this embodiment forms a recess 101 in the top plate of an existing mounting table, such as that shown in Patent Document 1, and disposes a temperature sensor 110 therein, thereby enabling the technology of the present invention to be applied to such an existing mounting table. Therefore, by utilizing the existing workbench 10 in this manner, the cost and time required to install the workbench 10 can be significantly reduced compared to a case where a new workbench 10 is manufactured and installed within the prober 1.

[0108] In this case, the platinum resistance sensor used in the existing workbench 10 and the insertion hole through which the platinum resistance sensor is inserted can be used as is.

[0109] In addition, in the above embodiment (refer to Figure 4 ), holes 140a and 150a are formed to penetrate the cooling unit 140 and the heating unit 150, respectively, and the positioning unit 120 (sensor connecting member 121) is arranged to be inserted through the holes 140a and 150a. However, as Figure 9 As shown, a recess 101 may be formed on the back side of the top plate 100 along the shape of the adapter component 122 , and a positioning unit 120 including a sensor connection component 121 and an adapter component 122 may be disposed inside the recess 101 .

[0110] like Figure 4 and Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, by placing the temperature sensor 110 on a sensor connection member 121 extending in the vertical direction, the temperature sensor 110 can be positioned on the mounting surface 100a side, thereby reducing the distance from the semiconductor device D to be inspected. Furthermore, the responsiveness of the temperature sensor 110 in measuring the temperature during electrical characteristic inspection of the semiconductor device D can be improved. Furthermore, the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 110 can be further appropriately reduced.

[0111] Furthermore, in this case, the depth of the recess 101 is formed deeper only at the position corresponding to the temperature measurement position where the temperature sensor 110 is arranged. This eliminates the need to significantly increase the volume of the recess 101 (the volume of the top plate 100 cut), thereby preventing a significant decrease in the strength of the top plate 100.

[0112] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a case where a total of nine temperature sensors are provided within the surface of the top plate 100 is described as an example. However, if the number of temperature sensors provided (the number of temperature measurement locations) increases, and if the recesses 101 are formed deeper at all the temperature measurement locations as described above, there is a possibility that the strength of the top plate 100 will be reduced.

[0113] Therefore, based on the strength of the top plate 100 and the responsiveness of the temperature measurement of the temperature sensor 110 , the temperature sensor 110 may be installed on the adapter member 122 instead of the sensor connecting member 121 at multiple temperature measurement positions.

[0114] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the example in which the recess 101 is formed on the back surface 100b of the top plate 100 and the temperature sensor 110 and the sensor connecting member 121 are disposed within the recess 101 is described. However, the method of disposing the temperature sensor 110 on the top plate 100 is not limited to this.

[0115] Specifically, for example, the recess 101 may not be formed in the top plate 100 , but the temperature sensor 110 and the sensor connection member 121 may be directly connected to the back surface 100 b .

[0116] In this case, it is not necessary to provide the recess 101 in the top plate 100, so there is no reduction in the strength of the top plate 100 due to the formation of the recess 101. In addition, since it is not necessary to form the recess 101, the thickness of the top plate 100 can be reduced.

[0117] However, when the temperature sensor 110 is placed on the back surface 100b as described above, the distance between the temperature sensor 110 and the cooling unit 140 and the heating unit 150 becomes closer. In other words, when inspecting the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device D, there is a possibility that the device may be affected by the cooling unit 140 and the heating unit 150, which may prevent proper inspection. Based on this point of view, the temperature sensor 110 and the sensor connecting member 121 are preferably placed inside the recess 101.

[0118] In addition, in the above embodiment, a transistor is used as an example to explain the temperature sensor 110. However, the type of temperature sensor 110 is not limited to this. For example, as long as it can be arranged inside the recess 101 and can be electrically connected via the sensor connecting member 121, a diode can also be used as the temperature sensor 110. In addition, for example, an RTD chip (including a platinum resistor) can also be used as a temperature sensor.

[0119] In the above embodiment, a platinum resistance sensor is used as the second temperature sensor 111. However, the type of the second temperature sensor 111 is not limited thereto. For example, a transistor or a diode may be used as the second temperature sensor 111 by extending or newly providing the sensor connecting member 121.

[0120] Although various exemplary embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, and various additions, omissions, substitutions, and changes may be made. Furthermore, elements of different exemplary embodiments may be combined to form other exemplary embodiments.

[0121] Next, an example of a method for inspecting the semiconductor device D performed by the prober 1 having the stage 10 configured as described above will be described.

[0122] (A1. Wafer loading)

[0123] First, the wafer W is taken out of the FOUP of the loader 3, transported to the stage 10, and placed on the placement surface 100a of the top plate 100. Then, the stage 10 moves to a predetermined position.

[0124] (A2. Temperature adjustment of the mounting surface)

[0125] Then, the control unit 14 controls the semiconductor device D to be inspected on the placement surface 100a of the top plate 100 so that the temperature is set to a desired set point. Specifically, the placement surface 100a is cooled and heated by the cooling unit 140 and the heating unit 150 to adjust the placement surface 100a to the desired temperature. At this time, the temperature of the placement surface 100a is preferably controlled independently for each of the plurality of heating regions described above.

[0126] Furthermore, the temperature of the mounting surface 100a may be uniformly adjusted across the entire mounting surface 100a, or may be adjusted to different temperatures for each heating region according to processing conditions. Alternatively, for example, the temperature may be adjusted only locally within the heating region where the semiconductor device D to be inspected belongs.

[0127] In addition, this step A2. may also be started before the above-mentioned step A1. is completed.

[0128] (A3. Contact)

[0129] After the mounting surface 100a is adjusted to the desired temperature, the moving mechanism 11 is driven under the control of the control unit 14, causing the stage 10 to move relative to the probe 12a. This aligns the probe 12a with the semiconductor device D to be inspected, bringing the two into contact. Specifically, the probe 12a is aligned with the electrode E of the semiconductor device D to be inspected, bringing the two into contact.

[0130] (A4. Electrical characteristics inspection)

[0131] Thereafter, electrical characteristics inspection is performed on the semiconductor device D to be inspected. Specifically, an inspection signal is input to the semiconductor device D via the probe 12 a , and a signal from the semiconductor device D is output to the tester 4 via the probe 12 a .

[0132] During the electrical characteristics inspection, the mounting surface 100 a is cooled by the cooling unit 140 and heated by the heating unit 150 , thereby performing temperature control so that the mounting surface 100 a and the semiconductor device D to be inspected are maintained at a desired target temperature.

[0133] During this electrical characteristics test, a signal for testing the semiconductor device D is input via the probe 12a, causing the semiconductor device D to generate heat. As described above, the amount of heat generated by the semiconductor device D has increased with the increasing integration of current semiconductor devices. Therefore, even if the temperature of the mounting surface 100a is uniformly controlled using the cooling unit 140 and the heating unit 150, the heat generated by each semiconductor device D may prevent the temperature of the semiconductor device D from being uniformly controlled.

[0134] Furthermore, in this state, if only one temperature sensor is installed inside top plate 100, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, it may be impossible to properly obtain the temperature of each semiconductor device D. Specifically, because the temperature of the semiconductor device D under inspection rises as the heat generated by the semiconductor device increases, a large temperature difference may occur even if top plate 100, on which the semiconductor device D is mounted, has a high thermal conductivity (low thermal resistance). In other words, the distance in the plane direction between the semiconductor device D under inspection and temperature sensor 110 may cause a difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature measured by temperature sensor 110.

[0135] To address this issue, the workbench 10 of this embodiment includes multiple temperature sensors 110 (transistors) and a second temperature sensor 111 (platinum resistance sensor) disposed within the top plate 100. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the temperature sensor closest to the center of gravity of the semiconductor device D to be inspected is selected, and the temperature of the semiconductor device D is acquired using this selected temperature sensor. This allows the distance between the semiconductor device D to be inspected and the temperature sensor to be at least as small as compared to conventional techniques. This reduces the effect of thermal conductivity from the top plate 100 and minimizes the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

[0136] The temperature used as the temperature of the semiconductor device D in the electrical characteristics test may be the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor closest to the center of gravity of the semiconductor device D to be tested as described above, but the obtained temperature may be corrected.

[0137] Specifically, the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor can be corrected based on the separation distance between the temperature sensor and the semiconductor device D to be inspected, for example, using a heat conduction equation. By correcting the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor in this manner and calculating a predicted value for the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D to be inspected, the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor (the calculated corrected temperature) can be further appropriately reduced.

[0138] Furthermore, the temperature used as the temperature of the semiconductor device D in the electrical characteristics test may be compensated (supplemented) by the temperature obtained by one temperature sensor selected as described above using the temperatures obtained by other temperature sensors arranged around the temperature sensor.

[0139] Specifically, as described above, in the workbench 10 of this embodiment, a plurality of temperature sensors are evenly distributed within the surface of the top plate 100. That is, at least one other temperature sensor is evenly distributed around the selected temperature sensor (see FIG. Figure 6 ).

[0140] Therefore, by comparing the temperature acquired by a single temperature sensor with the temperatures acquired by other temperature sensors disposed nearby, for example, by obtaining their average or median value, the temperature acquired by the single temperature sensor is compensated, thereby improving the reliability of the temperature acquired by the single temperature sensor. In other words, the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor (the calculated compensated temperature) can be further appropriately reduced.

[0141] Furthermore, while the above description uses the example of compensating the temperature acquired by a single temperature sensor using the temperatures acquired by other temperature sensors disposed around the single temperature sensor, the same applies to the case where there are multiple temperature sensors located closest to the center of gravity of the semiconductor device D to be inspected. Specifically, by compensating the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor based on multiple temperatures acquired by the multiple temperature sensors located closest to the center of gravity of the semiconductor device D to be inspected, such as by obtaining an average or median value of the multiple temperatures acquired, the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature acquired by the temperature sensor can be reduced.

[0142] When the electrical characteristics inspection of the wafer W fed into the prober 1 is completed, the contact between the probes 12 a and the semiconductor devices D to be inspected is released.

[0143] Next, the above steps A2 to A4 are sequentially performed on the next semiconductor device D to be inspected. Thereafter, the above steps A2 to A4 are repeated for all semiconductor devices D until completion.

[0144] After the electrical characteristic inspection of all semiconductor devices D is completed, the wafer W is removed from the stage 10 and transported to the FOUP of the loader 3. Thus, a series of inspection processes are completed.

[0145] Furthermore, instead of inspecting all of the semiconductor devices D formed on the wafer W, only a portion of the semiconductor devices D may be inspected.

[0146] As described above, according to the semiconductor device D inspection method of this embodiment, the temperature sensor 110 closest to the center of gravity of the semiconductor device D to be inspected, among the multiple temperature sensors provided on the top plate 100, is selected to obtain the temperature of the semiconductor device D. As a result, compared to the conventional technology, the distance between the semiconductor device D to be inspected and the temperature sensor can be reduced, thereby further appropriately reducing the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor.

[0147] Furthermore, at this time, the temperature obtained by the selected temperature sensor is corrected based on the separation distance of the semiconductor device D to be inspected, thereby further appropriately reducing the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor (the calculated corrected temperature).

[0148] In addition, at this time, the temperature obtained by the selected temperature sensor is compensated using the temperatures obtained by other temperature sensors arranged around the temperature sensor, so that the difference between the actual temperature of the semiconductor device D and the temperature obtained by the temperature sensor (the calculated compensation temperature) can be further appropriately reduced.

[0149] The embodiments disclosed in the specification are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered restrictive. The above embodiments may be omitted, replaced, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A mounting table, on the upper surface of which a device to be processed is mounted, the mounting table comprising: a top plate having a placement surface for the device; a heating unit for heating the top plate; a plurality of temperature sensors for acquiring the temperature of the top plate at desired measurement positions when viewed from above; and a positioning unit electrically connected to the temperature sensor, for positioning the temperature sensor at the measurement position when viewed from above, The positioning unit is composed of a flexible printed circuit board. A recess is formed on the back side of the top plate, and the temperature sensor is arranged inside the recess by the positioning unit.

2. The mounting table according to claim 1, wherein: The positioning unit has a convex portion protruding toward the placement surface of the top plate in a state of being arranged inside the concave portion at a position corresponding to the measurement position in a plan view. The temperature sensor is connected to the protrusion of the positioning unit.

3. The mounting table according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The positioning unit includes: a plurality of sensor connection components connected to the temperature sensors; A connection member for electrically connecting to the outside of the mounting table; and A transition component electrically connects the plurality of sensor connection components to the connection component.

4. The mounting table according to claim 3, wherein: The plurality of sensor connecting components are respectively connected to a plurality of temperature sensors.

5. The mounting table according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The plurality of temperature sensors are arranged along the circumferential direction of the top plate in a plan view.

6. The mounting table according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The temperature sensor includes at least one of a platinum resistance sensor and a transistor sensor.

7. The mounting table according to claim 6, wherein: The platinum resistance sensor is arranged at the center of the top plate when viewed from above. The plurality of transistor sensors are arranged along the circumferential direction of the top plate in a plan view.

8. The mounting table according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: It also has a cooling unit for cooling the top plate. The top plate, the cooling unit, and the heating unit are stacked in this order from the top.

9. An inspection device for inspecting a device to be inspected, characterized in that: include: a probe that is pressed against a device with a predetermined load during inspection of the device; and The mounting table according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An inspection method, using an inspection apparatus, wherein a plurality of devices to be inspected are brought into contact with probes for inspection, wherein: The inspection device includes a loading platform, and the loading platform includes: a top plate having a placement surface for the device; a heating unit for heating the top plate; a plurality of temperature sensors for acquiring the temperature of the top plate at desired measurement positions when viewed from above; and a positioning unit electrically connected to the temperature sensor, and positioning the temperature sensor at the measurement position when viewed from above, The positioning unit is composed of a flexible printed circuit board. A recess is formed on the back side of the top plate, and the temperature sensor is arranged inside the recess by the positioning unit. The inspection method includes: Step A, heating the top plate to a desired temperature using the heating unit; Step B, using the temperature sensor to obtain the temperature of the top plate; and Step C, calculating the temperature of the device to be inspected based on the measured temperature of the top plate, The step C of calculating the temperature of the device comprises: Step a, selecting the temperature sensor closest to the center of gravity of the device when viewed from above among the plurality of temperature sensors; and Step b: calculating the temperature of the device based on the temperature of the top plate measured by the selected temperature sensor.

11. The inspection method according to claim 10, wherein: In step a, other temperature sensors are also selected. In the step b, the calculated temperature of the device is compensated based on the temperature measured by the other temperature sensors.

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