Wafer Fixture, Wafer Aging Test Device with the Same, and Wafer Aging Test Method

Abstract

This application relates to the field of semiconductor detection technology, and particularly to a wafer fixture, a wafer aging test device having the same, and a wafer aging test method. The wafer fixture includes: a lower fixture for carrying a wafer; an upper fixture disposed above the lower fixture in a manner capable of being joined to the lower fixture; a sealing member disposed between the upper fixture and the lower fixture and surrounding the wafer, and when the upper fixture is joined to the lower fixture, the sealing member is squeezed by the upper fixture and the lower fixture in the vertical direction, so as to define a sealed chamber for accommodating the wafer with the upper fixture and the lower fixture; a second gas path communicating with the sealed chamber for supplying a protective gas to the sealed chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor testing technologies, and particularly to a wafer fixture, a wafer aging test device having the same, and a wafer aging test method. Background Art

[0002] After the wafer is manufactured, it is necessary to perform an aging test on the wafer in a high-pressure and high-temperature environment. To ensure the reliability of the aging test structure, it is necessary to keep the wafer under test in a sealed detection space with a stable air pressure during the test. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to solve at least one of the above technical problems, and to provide a wafer fixture, a wafer aging test device having the same, and a wafer aging test method.

[0004] In a first aspect, a wafer fixture is provided, including:

[0005] A lower fixture for carrying the wafer;

[0006] An upper fixture configured above the lower fixture in a manner capable of engaging with the lower fixture;

[0007] A sealing member disposed between the upper fixture and the lower fixture and surrounding the wafer. When the upper fixture engages with the lower fixture, the sealing member is squeezed by the upper fixture and the lower fixture in the vertical direction, thereby defining a sealed chamber for accommodating the wafer with the upper fixture and the lower fixture;

[0008] A second gas path communicating with the sealed chamber for supplying a protective gas to the sealed chamber.

[0009] In some possible embodiments, the sealing member includes:

[0010] A first ring, which is a rigid body detachably fastened to the lower fixture, and includes an outer ring body and an inner ring body integrally formed on the inner peripheral side of the outer ring body. A lower annular step surface and an upper annular step surface separated by the inner ring body are formed at the junction of the inner ring body and the outer ring body, and the lower annular step surface and the upper annular step surface define the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring body;

[0011] A second ring having a hollow cross-section, which is a flexible body disposed at the lower part of the inner ring body and elastically deformable, and is clamped between the inner ring body and the lower fixture in a deformed state abutting against the lower annular step surface;

[0012] A third ring with a hollow cross-section, which is a flexible body disposed above the inner ring body and capable of elastic deformation. When the upper clamp and the lower clamp are engaged, the third ring is clamped between the inner ring body and the upper clamp in a deformed state where it abuts against the upper annular step surface.

[0013] In some possible embodiments, the upper clamp includes:

[0014] A plurality of probes extending downward;

[0015] A protective convex ring extending over the entire circumference of the periphery of the plurality of probes and protruding relative to the lower surface of the upper clamp;

[0016] When the upper clamp and the lower clamp are engaged, the third ring is clamped between the inner ring body and the lower surface of the upper clamp in a deformed state where its outer peripheral portion abuts against the upper annular step surface and its inner peripheral portion abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the protective convex ring, and the protective convex ring contacts the lower clamp in the sealing chamber, and the probes contact the measurement points of the wafer in the sealing chamber.

[0017] In some possible embodiments, the sealing member further includes:

[0018] A connecting ring, which is a flexible body capable of elastic deformation and integrally connects the second ring and the third ring. The connecting ring defines a third ring groove extending over the entire circumference and opening to the outer peripheral side, and the inner ring body is closely inserted into the third ring groove.

[0019] In some possible embodiments, the lower clamp has a first ring groove opening upward, the first ring has a second ring groove opening downward, and the lower annular step surface defines the outer peripheral side wall surface of the first ring groove. The second ring is fitted into the ring space defined by the first ring groove and the second ring groove in a deformed state.

[0020] In some possible embodiments, the outer peripheral side wall surface of the first ring groove is flush with the outer peripheral side wall surface of the second ring groove, and the inner peripheral side wall surface of the first ring groove is offset from the inner peripheral side wall surface of the second ring groove.

[0021] In some possible embodiments, the inner peripheral side wall surface of the first ring groove is located on the outer peripheral side of the inner peripheral side wall surface of the second ring groove.

[0022] In some possible embodiments, the lower clamp has a first air port and a second air port located on opposite sides of the wafer and directly communicating with the sealing chamber. The second air path includes:

[0023] An openable and closable third ventilation joint,

[0024] Extending from the third ventilation joint to the third section of the first air port,

[0025] A closable fourth ventilation joint, and

[0026] A fourth section extending from the fourth ventilation joint to the second air port and in series communication with the third section via the sealed chamber.

[0027] In a second aspect, a wafer aging test device is proposed, including the wafer clamp as described in the first aspect.

[0028] In a second aspect, a wafer aging test method is proposed, which is applied to the wafer aging test device as described in the second aspect. The method includes:

[0029] Placing the wafer on the lower clamp;

[0030] Engaging the upper clamp with the lower clamp to form the sealed chamber;

[0031] After replacing the air in the sealed chamber with a protective gas, continue to fill the sealed chamber with the protective gas until the air pressure in the sealed chamber reaches a set value;

[0032] Heating the lower clamp to subject the wafer to an aging test in a set temperature environment.

[0033] According to the wafer clamp provided by the present application, the second ring and the third ring of the configured sealing member are flexible hollow-section rings. Therefore, they have excellent deformation ability, and after being compressed, they have a relatively large sealing contact area with the first ring, the first clamp, and the second clamp. Therefore, the above-mentioned sealed chamber with high airtightness can be provided, and further, during the aging test, the sealed chamber can maintain a relatively high and stable protective gas pressure, that is, a sufficiently high test pressure, to better inhibit the oxidation of the wafer. In addition, based on the state where the outer peripheral portion of the third ring abuts against the upper annular step surface and the inner peripheral portion abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the protective convex ring, it is sandwiched between the inner ring body and the lower surface of the upper clamp, thus cleverly using the protective convex ring to further increase the sealing performance at the third ring. Description of the Drawings

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of the present application and do not limit the present application.

[0035] Figure 1 is an exploded schematic view of a wafer clamp provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 2 is observed from another perspective Figure 1Schematic diagram, in which the handling handle and the fifth ventilation joint on the support frame are removed.

[0037] Figure 3 is Figure 2 Schematic diagram after the wafer fixture is clamped as shown.

[0038] Figure 4 is Figure 3 Cross-sectional schematic diagram.

[0039] Figure 5 is Figure 3 Another cross-sectional schematic diagram.

[0040] Figure 6 is Figure 5 Enlarged view of part X1.

[0041] Figure 7 Top view of the lower fixture.

[0042] Figure 8 Exploded schematic diagram of the upper fixture.

[0043] Figure 9 Three-dimensional schematic diagram of the sealing member.

[0044] Figure 10 is Figure 9 Side view.

[0045] Figure 11 is Figure 10 Cross-sectional view.

[0046] Figure 12 is Figure 11 Enlarged view of part X2.

[0047] Figure 13 Partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the sealing member provided by another embodiment of the present application.

[0048] Figure 14 Flowchart of the wafer aging test method provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0049] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0050] 100 - lower fixture, 200 - upper fixture, 300 - sealing member;

[0051] 1 - wafer carrying part, 1A - adsorption port, 1B - first air port, 1C - second air port, 1D - first annular groove;

[0052] 2 - first air path;

[0053] 3 - first ventilation joint;

[0054] 4 - second ventilation joint;

[0055] 5 - First section;

[0056] 6 - Second section;

[0057] 7 - Second air passage;

[0058] 8 - Third ventilation joint;

[0059] 9 - Fourth ventilation joint;

[0060] 10 - Third section;

[0061] 11 - Fourth section;

[0062] 12 - Support frame;

[0063] 13 - Circuit board, 13A - Through hole;

[0064] 14 - Probe;

[0065] 15 - Conductive contact;

[0066] 16 - Protective convex ring;

[0067] 17 - First ring, 171 - Outer ring body, 172 - Inner ring body, 17A - Lower annular step surface, 17B - Upper annular step surface, 17C - Second ring groove;

[0068] 18 - Second ring;

[0069] 19 - Third ring;

[0070] 20 - Connecting ring, 20A - Third ring groove;

[0071] 21 - Zero chuck;

[0072] 22 - Male head;

[0073] 23 - Female head;

[0074] 24 - Sealed chamber;

[0075] 25 - Fifth ventilation joint. Detailed implementation manners

[0076] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the described embodiments of the present application without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present application. It can be understood that, without conflict, some technical means described in the various embodiments herein may be replaced or combined with each other.

[0077] In the description of the present application, if there are terms such as "first", "second", etc., they are only used to distinguish the described objects and do not have any sequential or technical meanings. Thus, the objects defined with "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such objects. Moreover, for example, the term "first element" itself does not imply the existence of a "second element", and the term "second element" itself does not imply the existence of a "first element". In addition, similar terms such as "a" or "one" do not indicate a quantity limitation but rather indicate the existence of at least one, and "multiple" means not less than two.

[0078] In the description of the present application, the terms "comprising" and "having" indicate the existence of the described features, numbers, operations, elements, and / or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, operations, elements, and / or combinations thereof.

[0079] In the description of the present application, reference to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments", etc. means that in one or more embodiments of the present application, the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment are included. Thus, statements such as "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in other some embodiments", "in still other embodiments", etc. that appear in different places in this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in another way.

[0080] Figures 1 to 12 Shown is a wafer chuck provided by an embodiment of the present application. The wafer chuck can hold a wafer therein and provide a gas protection atmosphere for preventing oxidation, thereby helping a wafer aging test device to complete the aging test of the wafer in a high - temperature environment.

[0081] The wafer chuck mainly includes an upper chuck 200, a lower chuck 100, and a sealing member 300.

[0082] The lower chuck 100 includes a disk - shaped wafer - carrying portion 1 (chunk) for carrying the wafer upward. The upper surface of the wafer - carrying portion 1 has a plurality of adsorption ports 1A arranged densely, and a first gas path 2 provided in the lower chuck 100 is connected to these adsorption ports 1A. When the wafer is placed on the upper surface of the wafer - carrying portion 1, the negative pressure can be transmitted to each adsorption port 1A through the first gas path 2, thereby adsorbing and holding the wafer on the wafer - carrying portion 1 to stabilize the test position of the wafer in the wafer chuck.

[0083] The first gas path 2 includes a first ventilation joint 3 and a second ventilation joint 4 fixedly arranged on the same side of the lower fixture 100, a first section 5 extending from the first ventilation joint 3 to one side portion of the wafer carrier 1, and a second section 6 extending from the second ventilation joint 4 to the other side portion of the wafer carrier 1. The first section 5 and the second section 6 are connected in series through the space below the plurality of suction ports 1A. And the aforesaid one side portion and the other side portion are opposite to each other on a diameter of the wafer carrier 1. In implementation, the first ventilation joint 3 and the second ventilation joint 4 can be connected to an external negative pressure source, so as to provide negative pressure for adsorbing the wafer to the suction port 1A of the wafer carrier 1 via the first gas path 2 by using the negative pressure source.

[0084] The upper surface of the wafer carrier 1 further has a first air port 1B and a second air port 1C located on opposite sides of the aforesaid plurality of suction ports 1A, and the second gas path 7 arranged on the lower fixture 100 is connected to the first air port 1B and the second air port 1C. In implementation, the wafer under test positioned and placed on the wafer carrier 1 is located between the first air port 1B and the second air port 1C, that is, the first air port 1B and the second air port 1C are respectively located on opposite sides of the wafer under test. The second gas path 7 is used to provide a protective gas such as nitrogen around the wafer under test.

[0085] The second gas path 7 includes a third ventilation joint 8 and a fourth ventilation joint 9 fixedly arranged on the lower fixture 100, a third section 10 extending from the third ventilation joint 8 to the first air port 1B, and a fourth section 11 extending from the fourth ventilation joint 9 to the second air port 1C. The third section 10 and the fourth section 11 are connected in series through the sealed chamber 24. And the third ventilation joint 8, the fourth ventilation joint 9, the first ventilation joint 3 and the second ventilation joint 4 are arranged side by side on the same side of the lower fixture 100.

[0086] The upper fixture 200 is arranged above the lower fixture 100 in a manner capable of being engaged with the lower fixture 100. The upper fixture 200 includes a support frame 12, a circuit board 13 fixed to the lower side of the support frame 12, a plurality of probes 14 extending downward, and Figure 1 two handling handles shown but not marked in the figure. The support frame 12 can be made of metal, and its structural strength is significantly higher than that of the circuit board 13. The circuit board 13 includes conductive traces (not shown) and a plurality of conductive contacts 15 electrically connected to the aforesaid plurality of probes 14 respectively through the conductive traces. These conductive contacts 15 are arranged on the lower surface of the circuit board 13 and are arranged in four regions at the edge positions of the circuit board 13. The conductive contacts 15 in each region are distributed in a two-dimensional matrix shape.

[0087] The upper fixture 200 further includes a protective convex ring 16, which extends along the entire circumference around the periphery of the plurality of probes 14 and protrudes relative to the lower surface of the upper fixture 200. In this way, the protective convex ring 16 can not only protect the inner probes 14 after the upper fixture 200 is separated from the lower fixture 100, but also, when the upper fixture 200 moves downward and is about to engage with the lower fixture 100, keep a reliable safety distance between the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 by abutting against the upper surface of the lower fixture 100 (more specifically, the upper surface of the wafer carrying portion 1 of the lower fixture 100), that is, prevent the upper fixture 200 from being too close to the lower fixture 100, because their being too close may cause the circuit board 13 to rigidly contact the lower fixture 100 and be damaged, or may cause the contact force between the probes 14 and the wafer to be too large, resulting in damage to the probes 14 and the wafer, such as scratching the wafer.

[0088] The sealing member 300 is disposed around the wafer. When the upper fixture 200 engages with the lower fixture 100, the sealing member 300 is squeezed in the up and down direction by the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100, so as to define a sealed chamber 24 for accommodating the wafer together with the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100, and the aforementioned first air port 1B and second air port 1C are located in the sealed chamber 24 and are directly communicated with the sealed chamber 24. In this way, a protective gas such as nitrogen can be supplied into the sealed chamber 24 by means of the aforementioned second gas path 7, so that the wafer under test is in the atmosphere of the protective gas, preventing the wafer from being oxidized during the high-temperature aging test.

[0089] In this embodiment, the sealing member 300 is fixed to the lower fixture 100. Therefore, when the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 are separated from each other, the sealing member 300 is separated from the upper fixture 200.

[0090] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figures 9 to 12 , the sealing member 300 includes a first ring 17, a second ring 18 and a third ring 19.

[0091] The first ring 17 is a rigid body detachably fastened to the lower fixture 100 via the probes. In some embodiments, the first ring 17 may be an integral structure formed by molding with a high molecular plastic as the material. Such a first ring 17 has good electrical insulation, so as to avoid contacting with the electrical components or conductive components on the upper fixture 200 when the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 are clamped together, thereby affecting the test quality.

[0092] The first ring 17 includes an outer ring body 171 and an inner ring body 172 integrally formed on the inner peripheral side of the outer ring body 171, and a lower annular step surface 17A and an upper annular step surface 17B separated by the inner ring body 172 are formed at the joint of the inner ring body 172 and the outer ring body 171, and the lower annular step surface 17A and the upper annular step surface 17B define the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring body 171.

[0093] The second ring 18 is a flexible body with a hollow cross-section, which will undergo elastic deformation when stressed and recover the deformation due to its own elastic force when the stress is removed. The second ring 18 is disposed below the inner ring body 172 of the first ring 17, and based on the first ring 17 being screwed to the lower fixture 100, the second ring 18 is clamped between the inner ring body 172 of the first ring 17 and the lower fixture 100 in a deformed state abutting against the lower annular step surface 17A. The second ring 18 protrudes from the lower surface of the first ring 17 in its undeformed natural state.

[0094] The third ring 19 is disposed above the inner ring body 172 of the first ring 17 and is also a flexible body with a hollow cross-section, which will undergo elastic deformation when stressed and recover the deformation due to its own elastic force when the stress is removed. In some embodiments, the third ring 19 can be adhesively fixed to the inner ring body 172 via a high-temperature resistant adhesive to prevent the third ring 19 from detaching from the wafer fixture, especially the lower fixture 100. The cross-sections of the second ring 18 and the third ring 19 are both circular rings in their undeformed natural states, and the cross-section of the third ring 19 is formed larger than that of the second ring 18. The third ring 19 protrudes from the upper surface of the first ring 17 in its natural state.

[0095] When the upper fixture 200 is engaged with the lower fixture 100, the third ring 19 is clamped between the inner ring body 172 and the lower surface of the upper fixture 200 in a deformed state with its outer peripheral portion abutting against the upper annular step surface 17B and its inner peripheral portion abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the protective convex ring 16, and the protective convex ring 16 contacts the lower fixture 100 within the aforementioned sealing chamber 24, and the probe 14 contacts the measurement point of the wafer within the aforementioned sealing chamber 24, so as to transfer test signals between the circuit board 13 and the wafer. When performing an aging test, a plurality of conductive contacts 15 on the circuit board 13 are used for the external plurality of second probes to make one-to-one electrical contacts, and the second probe is electrically connected to a computer device via a conductive line to transfer the test signals from the wafer to the computer device, so that the computer device analyzes the relevant indicators of the wafer based on the test signals.

[0096] In the embodiment of the present application, the area of the circuit board 13 is set to be significantly larger than the area of the lower fixture 100, so that the aforementioned conductive contacts 15 can be arranged on the circuit board 13 at a sufficiently large pitch, increasing the pitch between the conductive contacts 15 on the circuit board 13, enabling these conductive contacts 15 to easily contact the aforementioned second probe, and ensuring the stability and safety during the aging test. Therefore, when observed in the up-down direction, the outer contour of the lower fixture 100 entirely falls inside the outer contour of the upper fixture 200, and further, all the conductive contacts 15 are located outside the lower fixture 100. It can be understood that configuring all the conductive contacts 15 on the circuit board 13 to be located outside the lower fixture 100 when observed in the up-down direction can more easily lead out the test signals from the conductive contacts 15, because the lower fixture 100 does not interfere with the up-down docking of the external second probe and the conductive contacts 15.

[0097] Since the second ring 18 and the third ring 19 are hollow-section rings, they have excellent deformation ability, and after being compressed, they have a relatively large sealing contact area with the first ring 17, the first fixture, and the second fixture. Therefore, they can provide the aforementioned sealing chamber 24 with high airtightness, and further enable the sealing chamber 24 to maintain a relatively high and stable protective gas pressure (test pressure) during the aging test, better inhibiting the oxidation of the wafer. Additionally, based on the state where the outer peripheral portion of the third ring 19 abuts against the upper annular step surface 17B and the inner peripheral portion abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the protective convex ring 16, it is clamped between the inner ring body 172 and the upper fixture 200, thus also ingeniously utilizing the protective convex ring 16 to further increase the sealing performance at the third ring 19.

[0098] In some other embodiments, the protective convex ring 16 can be omitted, and the rigid first ring 17 is directly used to keep a reliable safety distance between the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100, thereby protecting the probe 14 and the wafer during clamping. Through such a design, it helps to simplify the structure of the wafer fixture and reduce the manufacturing cost. However, compared with the Figure 6 scheme shown, the disadvantage is that when the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 are separated, the protection of the probe 14 is reduced.

[0099] Please review Figure 6, the lower fixture 100 (more specifically, the wafer carrier portion 1) has a first annular groove 1D with an upward opening, the first ring 17 has a second annular groove 17C with a downward opening, and the aforementioned lower annular step surface 17A defines the outer peripheral side wall surface of the second annular groove 17C. The outer peripheral side wall surface of the first annular groove 1D is flush with the outer peripheral side wall surface of the second annular groove 17C, and the inner peripheral side wall surface of the first annular groove 1D is offset from the inner peripheral side wall surface of the second annular groove 17C. More specifically, the inner peripheral side wall surface of the first annular groove 1D is located on the outer peripheral side of the inner peripheral side wall surface of the second annular groove 17C. The second ring 18 is fitted in a deformed state in the annular space with an approximately L-shaped cross-section defined by the first annular groove 1D and the second annular groove 17C. Through such a design, due to the shapes of the first annular groove 1D and the second annular groove 17C, the second ring 18 originally having a circular cross-section will undergo more complex deformation (for example, not a standard elliptical or racetrack-shaped deformation), thus contributing to obtaining a better sealing effect.

[0100] In some other embodiments, as Figure 13 shown, the sealing member 300 further includes a connecting ring 20, which is also an elastically deformable flexible body and integrally connects the second ring 18 and the third ring 19. The connecting ring 20 defines a third annular groove 20A extending in the entire circumference and opening toward the outer peripheral side, and the inner ring body 172 of the first ring 17 is tightly inserted into the third annular groove 20A. Through such a design, on the one hand, the detachment of the third ring 19 from the sealing member 300 can be inhibited, and even when the sealing member 300 is integrally detached from the wafer fixture, due to the inner ring body 172 being tightly inserted into the third annular groove 20A, the sealing member 300 can still maintain good structural integrity and prevent related components such as the third ring 19 from detaching from the sealing member 300. On the other hand, it also helps to enhance the sealing performance of the sealing member 300 for the sealing chamber 24. In particular, it helps to enhance the airtightness between the first ring 17, the second ring 18, and the third ring 19.

[0101] The thickness of the connecting ring 20 can be designed to be appropriately small so that when viewed in the radial direction, the connecting ring 20 is entirely located inside the first ring 17. Through such a design, it is possible to prevent the connecting ring 20 from contacting the upper fixture 200 or the lower fixture 100 and hindering the sufficient deformation of the third ring 19 and the second ring 18.

[0102] The engagement between the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 is achieved through four zero-point chucks 21. The zero-point chucks 21 include a mating male head 22 and female head 23, where the male head 22 is provided on the upper fixture 200 and the female head 23 is provided on the lower fixture 100. The zero-point chucks 21 have a locked state in which the male head 22 and the female head 23 are locked together and a released state in which the male head 22 and the female head 23 are released. In the locked state, the zero-point chucks 21 tightly engage the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 together, thereby forming a detection space for accommodating the wafer, namely the aforementioned sealed chamber 24, and the probe 14 contacts the detection points of the wafer within this detection space. In the released state, the locking of the male head 22 and the female head 23 is released, thereby allowing the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 to separate from each other.

[0103] The zero-point chucks 21 are pneumatically unlockable pneumatic chucks, which are configured to switch the zero-point chucks 21 from the locked state to the released state by inflating the male head 22 (providing positive pressure), and to keep the zero-point chucks 21 in the locked state by stopping the inflation of the male head 22. Specifically, a third air passage (not shown) provided on the upper fixture 200 is connected to the male heads 22 of these zero-point chucks 21 to inflate these male heads 22 using the third air passage. In the locked state, the third air passage is in a pressureless state, that is, in balance with the ambient atmospheric pressure. The movable member of the male head 22 engages with the female head 23, and the zero-point chucks 21 are in the locked state, preventing the male head 22 and the female head 23 from separating. When the male head 22 is inflated via the third air passage, the movable member of the male head 22 moves under the action of the gas pressure, thereby disengaging from the female head 23 and making the zero-point chucks 21 in the released state. When the inflation of the male head 22 is stopped, that is, when the pneumatic pressure for actuation is no longer applied to the male head 22, the movable member of the male head 22 returns to the position where it engages with the female head 23 (such as by the force of an elastic biasing member in the male head 22).

[0104] It can be understood that due to the use of pneumatic zero-point chucks 21, the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 can be quickly clamped together with precise relative positions, quickly separated, and the wafer fixture can always have an unchanged zero-point position, thus helping to improve the aging test efficiency.

[0105] The third air passage includes a fifth air connection joint 25 fixedly provided to the upper fixture 200. Four branch air passages (not shown) branch out from the fifth air connection joint 25, and these four branch air passages are respectively connected to the male heads 22 of the four zero-point chucks 21. In this way, by inflating only one fifth air connection joint 25, the unlocking of the four zero-point chucks 21 can be achieved simultaneously.

[0106] As described above, the area of the upper fixture 200 is significantly larger than that of the lower fixture 100. Therefore, there is a significant difference in the lateral dimensions between the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100, resulting in an unused invalid space formed around the lower fixture 100. This easily leads to a relatively large space occupied by the whole wafer fixture in the aging test cabinet, which is not conducive to the application of the wafer fixture. In order to effectively utilize the peripheral space of the lower fixture 100 and avoid further increase in the lateral dimension of the upper fixture 200, as Figure 1 shown, the first vent joint 3, the second vent joint 4, the third vent joint 8 and the fourth vent joint 9 are installed on one lateral side of the lower fixture 100, and the fifth vent joint 25 is installed on the upper side of the upper fixture 200.

[0107] In this embodiment, the circuit board 13 is fixedly stacked on the lower side of the support frame 12 via screws, and the aforementioned protective collar 16 is directly fastened to the support frame 12 via screws (i.e., there is a connection path between the protective collar 16 and the support frame 12 without passing through the circuit board 13). In addition, the male heads 22 of the respective zero-point chucks 21 are all fixed to the support frame 12. As a result, when the male head 22 of the zero-point chuck 21 is locked with the female head 23 to apply a pulling force that makes the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 approach each other, the reaction force generated due to the pulling force will not act on the circuit board 13, thus well protecting the circuit board 13. The circuit board 13 has four through holes 13A arranged equidistantly in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral side of the protective collar 16, and the male heads 22 of the four zero-point chucks 21 are respectively inserted into the through holes 13A to achieve engagement with the lower female head 23.

[0108] Moreover, on the electrical connection path between the probe 14 and the conductive contact 15, there is a wire (not shown) connected to the aforementioned conductive trace on the upper surface side of the circuit board 13. The wire crosses the back side of the protective collar 16 on the upper surface side of the circuit board 13 to connect the probe 14 and the conductive trace. By providing the wire, the separation of the circuit board 13 main body, the protective collar 16 and the probe 14 can be easily achieved, and further, the direct fixation of the protective collar 16 to the support frame 12 can be easily achieved.

[0109] The embodiment of the present application also provides a wafer aging test device including the above-mentioned wafer fixture and a method for aging testing a wafer using the wafer aging test device. The method includes:

[0110] S141, placing the wafer on the wafer carrier 1 in a manner that covers a plurality of suction ports 1A.

[0111] In this step S141, the placement angle and position of the wafer on the wafer carrier 1 can be accurately positioned by using a vision system, so that the wafer is placed on the wafer carrier 1 at a specified angular position, so that in subsequent operations, each probe 14 on the upper fixture 200 can accurately contact each measurement point on the wafer. In this step S141, the upper fixture 200 and the lower fixture 100 are not yet clamped together.

[0112] S142. After replacing the air in the suction port 1A and the first gas path 2 with a protective gas, air is pumped out of the first gas path 2 to generate a negative pressure at the suction port 1A, thereby sucking and holding the wafer on the wafer carrier 1.

[0113] This step S142 may specifically include:

[0114] S142a. Fill the first ventilation joint 3 with a protective gas at a first rate and pump air out of the second ventilation joint 4 at a second rate not less than the first rate.

[0115] Since the pumping rate of the second ventilation joint 4 is not less than the filling rate of the first ventilation joint 3, it is possible to avoid generating a positive pressure at the suction port 1A and causing an undesired position change of the already positioned wafer.

[0116] During the process of performing this step S142a, an oxygen zirconia oxygen analyzer can be used to detect in real time the concentration of oxygen (oxygen content) in the gas discharged from the second ventilation joint 4, thereby monitoring whether the original gas (i.e., air containing oxygen) in the suction port 1A and the first gas path 2 is exhausted. Additionally, the protective gas can be high-purity nitrogen.

[0117] S142b. In response to the oxygen concentration of the gas discharged from the second ventilation joint 4 being below a set concentration (for example, 200 PPM), control the first ventilation joint 3 to close. Since air continues to be pumped out of the second ventilation joint 4, a negative pressure is generated at each suction port 1A to suck and hold the wafer on the wafer carrier 1.

[0118] S143. In response to the air pressure at the second ventilation joint 4 dropping to a first set value, control the second ventilation joint 4 to close. That is, when the air pressure in the first gas path 2 drops to the first set value, the first gas path 2 is closed.

[0119] At this time, based on the fact that both the first ventilation joint 3 and the second ventilation joint 4 are in a closed state, and each suction port 1A of the wafer carrier 1 is covered by the wafer, a negative pressure closed space defined by the wafer, the suction port 1A, and the first gas path 1 is formed, and the oxygen content of the gas in this negative pressure closed space is extremely small. Therefore, in subsequent high-temperature aging tests, oxidation of the lower surface portion of the wafer can be effectively inhibited.

[0120] S144. Engage the upper fixture 200 with the lower fixture 100 to form the aforementioned sealing chamber 24, completing the clamping. Specifically, with the male heads 22 and female heads 23 of the four zero-point chucks 21 aligned, control the upper fixture 200 to move closer to the lower fixture 100 to a set position, thereby locking the male heads 22 and female heads 23 together.

[0121] At this time, the sealing chamber 24 for accommodating the wafer is formed, and the multiple probes 14 provided on the upper fixture 200 contact the respective measurement points of the wafer downward. Therefore, the probes 14 provide a certain pressing force towards the wafer carrier 1 to the wafer under test, and this pressing force helps the wafer to be held in a stable test position.

[0122] In this embodiment, the four zero-point chucks 21 are all arranged outside the sealing chamber 24 rather than inside the sealing chamber 24. Through such a design, on the one hand, it helps to simplify the structure of the wafer fixture; on the other hand, it can prevent the gas filled into the male heads 22 from accidentally entering the sealing chamber 24 during the operation and destroying the low-oxygen atmosphere in the sealing chamber 24. And thus, the gas used to control the locking and release of the zero-point chucks 21 does not need to use a dedicated protective gas, but air can be used, which helps to save the usage cost of the fixture.

[0123] S145. After replacing the air in the sealing chamber 24 with a protective gas, continue to fill the sealing chamber 24 with the protective gas until the air pressure in the sealing chamber 24 rises to a second set value.

[0124] In this embodiment, this step S145 may specifically include:

[0125] S145a. Fill the third ventilation joint 8 with the protective gas at a third rate and extract gas from the fourth ventilation joint 9 at a fourth rate not greater than (e.g., less than) the third rate.

[0126] Since the gas extraction rate of the third ventilation joint 8 is not greater than the gas filling rate of the fourth ventilation joint 9, it is possible to avoid generating a negative pressure relative to the adsorption port 1A in the sealing chamber 24, which may cause an undesired position change of the already positioned wafer. It can be understood that the protective gas filled from the third ventilation joint 8 enters the sealing chamber 24 through the third section 10 of the second gas path 7 and the first air port 1B, thereby pushing the air originally in the sealing chamber 24 out through the second air port 1C, the fourth section 11 of the second gas path 7, and the fourth ventilation joint 9. As this action continues, the proportion of the protective gas in the sealing chamber 24 becomes higher and higher, and the proportion of air becomes lower and lower, and the air in the sealing chamber 24 is replaced with the protective gas.

[0127] During the process of performing step S145a, an oxygen zirconia oxygen analyzer can be used to detect in real time the oxygen concentration in the gas discharged from the fourth vent joint 9, thereby monitoring whether the original gas (i.e., air) in the sealed chamber 24 has been exhausted. Additionally, the protective gas in step S146 can also be high-purity nitrogen.

[0128] S145b, in response to the oxygen concentration in the gas discharged from the fourth vent joint 9 being below a set concentration (e.g., 200 PPM), control the fourth vent joint 9 to close. Since inflation continues to the third vent joint 8, a positive pressure is generated within the sealed chamber 24.

[0129] S145c, in response to the air pressure in the sealed chamber 24 reaching a second set value (e.g., 0.6 Mpa), control the third vent joint 8 to close.

[0130] S146, heat the wafer carrier 1 so that the wafer undergoes an aging test in a set temperature environment.

[0131] In some embodiments, the wafer carrier 1 is heated by a heating plate that abuts against the lower side of the wafer carrier 1, so that on the one hand, heat is conducted through the wafer carrier 1 to the lower surface of the wafer, and on the other hand, heat is transferred through the wafer carrier 1 to the high-pressure protective gas within the sealed chamber 24, and then conducted by the high-pressure protective gas to the upper surface of the wafer and the probe 14, so that the wafer under test is surrounded by a controlled high-temperature environment as a whole to undergo an aging test. In this way, the wafer is heated and undergoes an aging test in a high-pressure environment protected by the protective gas. Additionally, it can be understood that during the process of performing this aging test, even though the air pressure in the adsorption port 1A may increase due to the temperature rise, resulting in a decrease in its adsorption force, the similarly heated high-pressure gas within the sealed chamber 24 will help press the wafer against the wafer carrier 1, and the probe 14 that contacts and presses the wafer downward will also help press the wafer against the wafer carrier 1, thereby well stabilizing the position of the wafer relative to the wafer carrier 1 and the probe 14, and avoiding relative displacement between the probe 14 and the wafer. Therefore, the aforementioned first set value for initially holding the position of the wafer does not need to be too small.

Claims

1. A wafer clamp, characterized in that: include: A lower fixture for holding the wafer; an upper clamp, arranged on an upper side of the lower clamp so as to be engageable with the lower clamp; A sealing member is disposed between the upper clamp and the lower clamp and is arranged around the wafer. When the upper clamp is engaged with the lower clamp, the sealing member is pressed by the upper clamp and the lower clamp along the up-down direction, thereby defining a sealed chamber for accommodating the wafer with the upper clamp and the lower clamp; a second gas path, connected to the sealed chamber, for providing a protective gas to the sealed chamber; The sealing member comprises: The first ring is a rigid body detachably fastened to the lower clamp, and includes an outer ring body and an inner ring body integrally formed on the inner circumference of the outer ring body, wherein a lower annular step surface and an upper annular step surface separated by the inner ring body are formed at the junction of the inner ring body and the outer ring body, and the lower annular step surface and the upper annular step surface define the inner circumference of the outer ring body; The second ring with a hollow cross section is a flexible body disposed at the lower part of the inner ring body and capable of elastic deformation, and is clamped between the inner ring body and the lower clamp in a deformed state abutting against the lower annular step surface; The third ring with a hollow cross-section is a flexible body that is arranged on the upper part of the inner ring body and can be elastically deformed. When the upper clamp is engaged with the lower clamp, the third ring is clamped between the inner ring body and the upper clamp in a deformed state abutting against the upper annular step surface.

2. The wafer clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper fixture comprises: A plurality of probes extending downward; A protective protruding ring extending over the entire periphery of the plurality of probes and protruding relative to the lower surface of the upper fixture; When the upper clamp is engaged with the lower clamp, the third ring is clamped between the inner ring body and the lower surface of the upper clamp in a deformed state with its outer circumference abutting against the upper annular step surface and its inner circumference abutting against the outer circumference of the protective convex ring, and the protective convex ring contacts the lower clamp in the sealed chamber, and the probe contacts the measured point of the wafer in the sealed chamber.

3. The wafer clamp according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The sealing member further comprises: The connecting ring is an elastically deformable flexible body and integrally connects the second ring and the third ring. The connecting ring defines a third ring groove extending around the entire circumference and opening to the outer circumference. The inner ring body is tightly inserted into the third ring groove.

4. The wafer clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower clamp has a first annular groove opening upward, the first ring has a second annular groove opening downward, and the lower annular step surface defines the outer peripheral side wall surface of the first annular groove, and the second ring is embedded in the annular space defined by the first annular groove and the second annular groove in a deformed state.

5. The wafer clamp according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outer peripheral side wall surface of the first annular groove is flush with the outer peripheral side wall surface of the second annular groove, and the inner peripheral side wall surface of the first annular groove is staggered with the inner peripheral side wall surface of the second annular groove.

6. The wafer chuck according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inner peripheral side wall surface of the first annular groove is located on the outer peripheral side of the inner peripheral side wall surface of the second annular groove.

7. The wafer chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower fixture has a first gas port and a second gas port located on opposite sides of the wafer and directly connected to the sealed chamber, and the second gas path includes: The third ventilation joint can be opened and closed. Extending from the third vent joint to the third section of the first air port, a fourth vent connector that can be opened and closed, and A fourth section extends from the fourth vent joint to the second air port and is connected in series with the third section via the sealed chamber.

8. A wafer aging test device, characterized in that: Comprising a wafer clamp as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A wafer aging test method, characterized in that: Applied to the wafer aging test device as claimed in claim 8, the method comprises: placing a wafer on the lower fixture; engaging the upper clamp to the lower clamp to form the sealed chamber; After replacing the air in the sealed chamber with the protective gas, continue to fill the sealed chamber with the protective gas until the air pressure in the sealed chamber reaches a set value; The lower fixture is heated so that the wafer undergoes an aging test in a set temperature environment.

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