A probe station and a method for loading and unloading the probe station.

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor testing equipment technology, specifically a probe station and a method for loading and unloading the probe station. It includes a frame, an XY composite motion module, a lifting and feeding module, a robotic arm module, a pre-alignment module, and a carrying platform. The lifting and feeding module is mounted on the frame and is used to transport the material to be tested to the loading station. The robotic arm module includes a robotic arm that can slide along the Y-axis of the frame. The robotic arm is used to grab the material to be tested from the loading station and transfer it to the pre-alignment station, and to transfer the tested material back to the lifting and feeding module. The pre-alignment module is mounted on a Y-axis moving component. The Y-axis moving component drives the pre-alignment module to slide to the pre-alignment station, cooperating with the robotic arm module to achieve pre-alignment of the material to be tested. The carrying platform is driven to slide along the X and Y axes to the loading or unloading station, and cooperates with the robotic arm module carrying the material to be tested to achieve loading of the material to be tested and unloading of the material after testing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor testing equipment technology, specifically a probe station and a method for loading and unloading the probe station. Background Technology

[0002] In the wafer manufacturing process, the probe station is an important piece of equipment for inspecting wafers. A probe station generally consists of an inspection stage and a carrier stage. During inspection, the wafer to be inspected is placed on the carrier stage, and then the carrier stage moves the wafer to the corresponding inspection position on the inspection stage for testing.

[0003] To achieve automated loading and unloading of wafers on the probe station, existing technologies typically add a secondary machine to the side of the probe station, with a loading and unloading mechanism on the secondary machine. This mechanism picks up the wafers to be inspected, places them on the support table of the probe station, and removes the wafers from the support table after inspection. However, this solution of achieving automated wafer loading and unloading on the probe station by setting up a secondary machine has several problems. On the one hand, it significantly increases the floor space required for the probe station's inspection equipment. For enterprises, this means requiring a larger production space, thus increasing the cost of renting or purchasing space. On the other hand, adding a secondary machine also significantly increases the overall equipment cost, including the purchase cost of the secondary machine itself, installation and commissioning costs, and subsequent maintenance costs.

[0004] Meanwhile, most equipment on the market currently uses automatic loading and unloading methods, which, besides adding an auxiliary machine, also involve enlarging the original machine by at least one-third and installing an automatic loading structure inside. However, these methods cannot avoid the problems of significantly increasing the machine's footprint and cost.

[0005] Based on this, the present invention provides a probe station and a method for loading and unloading the probe station to overcome the above-mentioned defects. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The first objective of this invention is to provide a probe station that effectively reduces the footprint of semiconductor testing equipment, optimizes the spatial layout of the equipment, significantly improves the utilization rate of the robotic arm module, and reduces the overall equipment cost. In addition, the entire loading and unloading process is fully automated, which greatly improves the testing efficiency and intelligence level.

[0007] The present invention adopts the following technical solution: a probe station, comprising:

[0008] frame;

[0009] The XY composite motion module is composed of a Y-axis moving component and an X-axis moving component. The Y-axis moving component is movably mounted on the frame, and the X-axis moving component is movably mounted on the Y-axis moving component.

[0010] A lifting and feeding module is mounted on the frame and is used to transport the material to be tested to the loading station.

[0011] A robotic arm module is mounted on the frame; the robotic arm module includes a robotic arm that can slide along the Y-axis of the frame, the robotic arm being used to grab the material to be tested from the loading station and transfer it to the pre-alignment station, and to transfer the material after testing back to the lifting and feeding module;

[0012] A pre-alignment module is mounted on the Y-axis moving assembly. The Y-axis moving assembly drives the pre-alignment module to slide to the pre-alignment station, where it cooperates with the robotic arm module to achieve pre-alignment of the material to be tested.

[0013] A carrying worktable is mounted on the X-axis moving assembly to drive the carrying worktable to slide along the X-axis and Y-axis to the loading or unloading station, and cooperate with the robotic arm module carrying the material to be tested to realize the loading of the material to be tested and the unloading of the material after testing.

[0014] Furthermore, the lifting and feeding module includes:

[0015] A feeding lifting slide rail assembly is mounted on the frame;

[0016] A fixed base, which is movably disposed on the feeding lifting slide rail assembly;

[0017] A stroke doubling assembly, which is mounted on the fixed base;

[0018] A material box bottom plate is slidably mounted on the double stroke assembly and is connected to the double stroke assembly via a transmission. The double stroke assembly drives the material box bottom plate to slide out of the fixed seat. A material box is mounted on the material box bottom plate, and the material box is used to hold materials.

[0019] Furthermore, the lifting and feeding module also includes:

[0020] A first presence sensor is used to detect whether the material box is in place;

[0021] and / or a second in-situ sensor, the second in-situ sensor being used to detect whether the material has deviated from a predetermined position in the hopper.

[0022] Furthermore, the pre-alignment module includes a pre-alignment lifting mechanism and a pre-alignment rotating mechanism; the pre-alignment rotating mechanism is mounted on the pre-alignment lifting mechanism, and the pre-alignment lifting mechanism drives the lifting and lowering of the pre-alignment rotating mechanism.

[0023] The pre-alignment rotation mechanism includes a rotary motor mounted on the pre-alignment slide of the pre-alignment lifting mechanism, a pre-alignment stage mounted on the output shaft of the rotary motor, and a camera mounted above the pre-alignment stage. The camera is used to acquire information about the material to be tested, and the rotary motor drives the pre-alignment stage to rotate, thereby rotating the physical mark position of the material to be tested to a preset position.

[0024] Furthermore, the output shaft of the rotary motor is a hollow shaft, and the hollow part of the hollow shaft is used to accommodate the vacuum adsorption system pipeline of the pre-alignment stage.

[0025] Furthermore, the supporting worktable includes:

[0026] A support base, which is mounted on the X-axis moving assembly;

[0027] A support platform is mounted on the upper surface of the support base and is rotatably connected to the support base; the support platform is used to support materials.

[0028] A rotary drive assembly is fixedly mounted on the support base and is connected to the plate support stage for driving the plate support stage to rotate.

[0029] A top support assembly, which is mounted on the bearing base and is used to support the material on the support platform;

[0030] A plate-mount camera is used to acquire material information on the plate-mount.

[0031] Furthermore, the pre-alignment module is arranged opposite to the lifting and feeding module;

[0032] The probe station also includes several sensors, which are mounted on the pre-alignment module to identify the quantity and position of the material to be tested in the lifting and feeding module.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0034] The general working process of the probe station in this invention is as follows:

[0035] Material loading process: The lifting feeding module transports the material to be tested to the loading station. The robotic arm of the robotic arm module slides along the Y-axis of the frame to the loading station, grabs the material to be tested, and then moves to the pre-alignment station. At this time, the Y-axis moving component drives the pre-alignment module to slide to the pre-alignment station, cooperating with the robotic arm module to perform pre-alignment of the material to be tested. After pre-alignment is completed, the X-axis moving component and the Y-axis moving component work together to drive the carrier table to the loading station. The robotic arm places the pre-aligned material to be tested onto the carrier table, completing the loading operation.

[0036] Testing Process: Driven by the X-axis and Y-axis moving components, the supporting worktable moves to directly beneath the testing worktable. The testing worktable then inspects the material to be tested on the supporting worktable.

[0037] Material unloading process: After inspection, the supporting worktable moves to the unloading station under the drive of the XY composite motion module. The robotic arm of the robotic arm module grabs the inspected material and then transfers it back to the lifting and feeding module to complete the unloading operation.

[0038] As can be seen, the robotic arm in this probe station is used not only to pick up the material to be tested from the loading station and transfer it to the pre-alignment station, but also to transfer the tested material back to the lifting and feeding module, and to cooperate with the carrying worktable that can move along the X and Y axes. This allows for automatic loading and unloading of the probe station without the need for additional auxiliary machines. On the one hand, this effectively reduces the footprint of the semiconductor testing equipment and optimizes the spatial layout; on the other hand, it significantly improves the utilization rate of the robotic arm module and reduces the overall equipment cost. Simultaneously, the entire loading and unloading process is fully automated, greatly improving testing efficiency and intelligence.

[0039] In addition, a pre-alignment module has been added, which gives the probe station a pre-alignment function, further improving the accuracy of material positioning during the detection process and helping to improve detection precision and quality.

[0040] In summary, the probe station of the present invention achieves an efficient, intelligent, and accurate detection process through the collaborative design of its components, and has significant advantages in reducing equipment costs, reducing floor space, and improving detection efficiency and accuracy.

[0041] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for loading and unloading a probe station, applicable to the aforementioned probe station, wherein the method includes the following steps:

[0042] Material box loading: Place the material box containing the material to be tested into the lifting and feeding module, drive the double stroke component in the lifting and feeding module to slide the material box into place; drive the feeding lifting slide rail component in the lifting and feeding module to transport the material to be tested to the loading station;

[0043] Counting sensors: During the process of the material box being loaded and raised, several sensors identify the quantity and position of the material to be tested in the box.

[0044] Sample Retrieval: After the material to be tested is conveyed to the loading station, the robotic arm in the robotic arm module slides along the Y-axis to the position of the first material to be tested. Then, the material box in the lifting feeding module descends a preset distance, stopping the first material to be tested against the robotic arm. At the same time, the robotic arm vacuum system inside the robotic arm is activated to adsorb and fix the first material to be tested. Subsequently, the robotic arm slides along the Y-axis away from the material box to the pre-alignment station.

[0045] Pre-alignment: The Y-axis moving component drives the pre-alignment module, which works in conjunction with the robotic arm that adsorbs the first test material, so that both the first test material and the pre-alignment stage in the pre-alignment module are located at the pre-alignment station; then, the pre-alignment stage rises above the robotic arm, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the pre-alignment stage is turned on and the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned off, and the first test material is transferred to the pre-alignment stage; the camera in the pre-alignment module acquires information about the first test material, and the pre-alignment stage rotates the physical marker position of the test material to a preset position based on the above information; then, the pre-alignment stage descends, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the pre-alignment stage is turned off and the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned on, and the first test material is transferred to the robotic arm, completing the pre-alignment;

[0046] Loading: The X-axis and Y-axis moving components drive the carrier stage to slide to the loading station, coordinating with the robotic arm that adsorbs the first test material, so that both the first test material and the substrate in the carrier stage are located at the loading station; then, the top support component in the carrier stage rises above the robotic arm, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned off, and the first test material is removed from the robotic arm; the robotic arm moves away from the substrate along the Y-axis until it has completely removed the first test material, then the top support component descends, the first test material stops on the substrate, the vacuum system of the substrate is turned on, and the loading of the first test material is completed;

[0047] Testing: The first material to be tested is tested;

[0048] Unloading: After the inspection is completed, the robotic arm and the support platform in the carrier workbench move to the unloading station. The top support component on the support platform lifts up the first material that has completed the inspection, and at the same time the vacuum system of the support platform is turned off. The robotic arm extends between the first material and the support platform, the top support component descends, the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned on, and the first material is transferred and adsorbed onto the robotic arm.

[0049] Returning the material: The material box is moved to the unloading station, and the robotic arm in the robotic arm module slides along the Y-axis to transport the first material to the unloading station; then, the material box is raised a preset distance, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned off, the first material falls off the robotic arm, and the robotic arm returns to its initial position.

[0050] Furthermore, after the first material to be tested is loaded onto the film, the camera on the film receiving stage acquires information about the material on the film receiving stage; based on the above information, the rotation drive assembly is activated to drive the film receiving stage to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the first material to be tested. Attached Figure Description

[0051] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the probe station in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the lifting material supply module structure;

[0054] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the middle panel and robotic arm module structure;

[0055] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the pre-alignment module structure;

[0056] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the load-bearing workbench structure Figure 1 ;

[0057] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the central support platform and top support assembly;

[0058] Figure 7 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the load-bearing workbench structure Figure 2 ;

[0059] The components include: frame 1, panel 10; Y-axis moving assembly 2; X-axis moving assembly 3; lifting and feeding module 4, feeding and lifting slide rail assembly 40, fixed base 41, double stroke assembly 42, material box base plate 43, material box 44, limit block 45, limit boss 46, first in-situ sensor 47; robot arm module 5, robot arm 50; pre-alignment module 6, pre-alignment lifting mechanism 60, pre-alignment slide 601, pre-alignment rotation mechanism 61, rotary motor 611, output shaft 612, pre-alignment stage 613, camera 614; bearing worktable 7, bearing base 70, plate support stage 71, rotation drive assembly 72, top support assembly 73, power drive component 731, top plate component 732; and multiple sensors 8. Detailed Implementation

[0060] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0061] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1 To be continued Figure 7 The invention will be described in detail with specific embodiments:

[0062] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the present invention provides a probe station, which includes:

[0063] Frame 1 serves as the basic support structure for the entire equipment, providing a stable platform for the installation and operation of other components;

[0064] The XY composite motion module consists of a Y-axis moving component 2 and an X-axis moving component 3. The Y-axis moving component 2 is movably mounted on the frame 1, and the X-axis moving component 3 is movably mounted on the Y-axis moving component 2, enabling two-dimensional planar motion. It should be noted that the X-axis moving component 3 and the Y-axis moving component 2 are linear drive mechanisms, such as cylinder components, electric telescopic rod components, or electric lead screw transmission components, etc., and no specific limitation is made in this invention.

[0065] The lifting and feeding module 4 is mounted on the frame 1 and is used to transport the material to be tested to the feeding station, providing material input for the entire testing process.

[0066] A robotic arm module 5 is mounted on the frame 1. The robotic arm module 5 includes a robotic arm 50 that can slide along the Y-axis of the frame 1. The robotic arm 50 is used to grab the material to be tested from the loading station and transfer it to the pre-alignment station, and to transfer the material after testing back to the lifting and feeding module 4.

[0067] The pre-alignment module 6 is mounted on the Y-axis moving component 2. The Y-axis moving component 2 drives the pre-alignment module 6 to slide to the pre-alignment station, where it cooperates with the robot arm module 5 to achieve pre-alignment of the material to be tested.

[0068] The carrying worktable 7 is mounted on the X-axis moving assembly 3 to drive the carrying worktable 7 to slide along the X-axis and Y-axis to the loading station or unloading station, and cooperate with the robotic arm module 5 carrying the material to be tested to realize the loading of the material to be tested and the unloading of the material after the test is completed.

[0069] A testing workbench is mounted on the frame 1 and positioned above the supporting workbench 7 to detect the material to be tested on the supporting workbench 7. It should be noted that the testing workbench in the probe station is positioned above the supporting workbench 7, meaning that the supporting workbench 7 is vertically located below the testing workbench. The supporting workbench 7 can move horizontally under the drive of the X-axis moving component 3 and the Y-axis moving component 2 to move out of direct contact with the testing workbench for loading and unloading materials and to move directly below the testing workbench for material testing. This application embodiment does not limit the specific structure of the testing workbench; it can be understood that the testing workbench is equipped with corresponding testing instruments and equipment.

[0070] The general working process of the probe station in this invention is as follows:

[0071] Material loading process: The lifting feeding module 4 transports the material to be tested to the loading station. The robotic arm 50 of the robotic arm module 5 slides along the Y-axis of the frame 1 to the loading station, grabs the material to be tested, and then moves to the pre-alignment station. At this time, the Y-axis moving component 2 drives the pre-alignment module 6 to slide to the pre-alignment station, cooperating with the robotic arm module 5 to perform pre-alignment operation on the material to be tested. After pre-alignment is completed, the X-axis moving component 3 and the Y-axis moving component 2 work together to drive the carrier table 7 to move to the loading station. The robotic arm 50 places the pre-aligned material to be tested onto the carrier table 7, completing the loading operation.

[0072] Testing Process: Driven by the X-axis moving assembly 3 and the Y-axis moving assembly 2, the supporting worktable 7 moves to directly below the testing worktable. The testing worktable then tests the material to be tested on the supporting worktable 7.

[0073] Material unloading process: After inspection, the carrying worktable 7 moves to the unloading station under the drive of the XY composite motion module. The robotic arm 50 of the robotic arm module 5 grabs the inspected material and then transfers it back to the lifting feeding module 4 to complete the unloading operation.

[0074] As can be seen, the robotic arm 50 in this probe station is used not only to pick up the material to be tested from the loading station and transfer it to the pre-alignment station, but also to transfer the tested material back to the lifting and feeding module 4, and to cooperate with the carrying worktable 7 that can move along the X and Y axes. This allows for automatic loading and unloading of the probe station without the need for additional auxiliary machines. On the one hand, this effectively reduces the footprint of the semiconductor testing equipment and optimizes the spatial layout; on the other hand, it significantly improves the utilization rate of the robotic arm module 5 and reduces the overall equipment cost. Simultaneously, the entire loading and unloading process is fully automated, greatly improving testing efficiency and intelligence.

[0075] In addition, a pre-alignment module 6 has been added, which gives the probe station a pre-alignment function, further improving the accuracy of material positioning during the detection process and helping to improve detection precision and quality.

[0076] In summary, the probe station of the present invention achieves an efficient, intelligent, and accurate detection process through the collaborative design of its components, and has significant advantages in reducing equipment costs, reducing floor space, and improving detection efficiency and accuracy.

[0077] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, such as Figure 1 , 2 As shown, the lifting and feeding module 4 includes:

[0078] The feeding lifting slide rail assembly 40 is mounted on the frame 1 and provides vertical support and guide rail for the entire lifting feeding module 4.

[0079] The fixed base 41 is movably disposed on the feeding lifting slide rail assembly 40 and can move vertically up and down along the feeding lifting slide rail assembly 40.

[0080] The stroke multiplier 42 is mounted on the fixed base 41 and plays a key role in stroke amplification.

[0081] Material box bottom plate 43 is slidably mounted on the stroke doubling component 42 and is connected to the stroke doubling component 42 by transmission. The stroke doubling component 42 drives the material box bottom plate 43 to slide out of the fixed seat 41, which facilitates the replacement of the material box 44. The material box 44 is installed on the material box bottom plate 43 and is used to hold materials.

[0082] It should be noted that the specific structures of the feeding lifting slide rail assembly 40 and the stroke doubling assembly 42 are not limited in this invention. It is understood that the feeding lifting slide rail assembly 40 can be a lead screw, and the fixed seat 41 can be mounted on the lead screw via a threaded sleeve, achieving a movable configuration. It is also understood that the stroke doubling assembly 42 typically employs a specific mechanical structure, such as a gear and rack mechanism, linkage mechanism, or pulley system, to amplify the movement distance of the material box bottom plate 43 on the fixed seat 41 when the plate moves a limited distance. In this embodiment, the driving power for the stroke doubling assembly 42 is a cylinder.

[0083] The stroke-doubling component 42 plays a core role in the lifting and feeding module 4, enabling the material box base plate 43 to extend and retract a relatively large distance with a relatively small travel stroke. The stroke-doubling component 42 drives the material box base plate 43, amplifying its limited travel distance through a unique transmission mechanism, thereby driving the material box 43 to achieve significant displacement. Previously, achieving the same range of motion for the material box 43 often required a long travel path for the base plate, which undoubtedly occupied a large amount of horizontal space. The use of the stroke-doubling component 42 eliminates the need for excessive space on the probe station for the material box 43's movement, greatly simplifying the overall layout. On one hand, it facilitates the miniaturization of the probe station, reducing the equipment's footprint; on the other hand, within the limited installation space, it allows for more space for key components such as the robotic arm module 5 and the pre-alignment module 6, significantly improving the equipment's space utilization. In addition, in terms of feeding efficiency, based on the stroke amplification characteristics of the double stroke component 42, the material box 43 can quickly extend to the designated position, such as accurately reaching the loading station, which creates favorable conditions for the robot arm module 5 to quickly grasp materials.

[0084] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, the lifting and feeding module 4 further includes:

[0085] First in-situ sensor 47, the first in-situ sensor 47 is used to detect whether the material box 44 is in place;

[0086] The second in-situ sensor is used to detect whether the material deviates from the predetermined position of the material box 44, that is, to detect whether the material has exceeded the material box 44, so as to prevent the material from being damaged during the working process. The second in-situ sensor can be a through-beam sensor.

[0087] Specifically, in some more detailed embodiments, the material box base plate 43 is a rectangular material box base plate, and three limiting blocks 45 are provided on its upper surface. The three limiting blocks are respectively set at three directional positions on the material box base plate 43, serving as the placement alignment reference for the material box 44, and also playing a role in fixing the position of the material box 44 during the working process. In this embodiment, the installation positions of the three limiting blocks 45 are adjustable to adapt to the size of material boxes 44 of different sizes, improving versatility. In addition, the three limiting blocks 45 are arranged in a U-shaped manner, and the two limiting blocks 45 facing each other extend outward from the side near the opening end of the U-shape to form a limiting protrusion 46, which is used to abut against the outer wall surface of one side of the material box 44.

[0088] More specifically, an automatic baffle (not shown in the figure) can be installed in the lifting and feeding module 4. The automatic baffle extends automatically as the bottom plate 43 of the material box moves to prevent the material in the material box 44 from being shaken out. After the material box slides into place, the automatic baffle retracts away from the material box 44 to avoid affecting the return of the material box 44.

[0089] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, such as Figure 1 , 4 As shown, the pre-alignment module 6 includes a pre-alignment lifting mechanism 60 and a pre-alignment rotation mechanism 61; the pre-alignment rotation mechanism 61 is mounted on the pre-alignment lifting mechanism 60, and the pre-alignment lifting mechanism 60 drives the pre-alignment rotation mechanism 61 to rise and fall.

[0090] The pre-alignment rotation mechanism 61 includes a rotary motor 611 mounted on the pre-alignment slide 601 of the pre-alignment lifting mechanism 60, a pre-alignment stage 613 mounted on the output shaft 612 of the rotary motor 611, and a camera 614 mounted above the pre-alignment stage 613. The camera 614 is used to acquire information about the material to be tested, and the rotary motor 611 drives the pre-alignment stage 613 to rotate, rotating the physical mark position of the material to be tested to a preset position to achieve pre-alignment.

[0091] By acquiring precise information about the material to be tested through camera 614 and using rotary motor 611 to precisely rotate and adjust the material, it is ensured that the physical marking position of the material matches the preset position before entering the formal testing process. This greatly improves the accuracy of probe contact with the material during subsequent testing, reduces testing errors caused by material position deviations, and thus significantly improves the overall testing accuracy of the probe station, ensuring the reliability of the test results.

[0092] The pre-alignment module 6, in conjunction with components such as the robotic arm module 5 and the carrying worktable 7, makes the collaborative work between these components smoother and ensures the efficient and accurate operation of the probe station, thereby improving the overall performance of the probe station.

[0093] Specifically, the pre-alignment lifting mechanism 60 consists of a lead screw motor and a linear guide structure, ensuring the stability of the material lifting process. Furthermore, in this invention, the lead screw motor and rotary motor 611 of the pre-alignment lifting mechanism 60 are arranged side-by-side, which can significantly reduce the spatial proportion in the height direction.

[0094] The output shaft 612 of the rotary motor 611 is a hollow shaft. The hollow part of the hollow shaft is used to accommodate the vacuum adsorption system pipeline of the pre-alignment stage 613, which facilitates the negative pressure adsorption design of the pre-alignment stage 613. At the same time, it also makes the structural layout more compact and saves space.

[0095] It should be noted that when the material to be tested in this invention is a wafer, the camera 614 can be used to obtain the orientation information of the wafer's flat edge (physical marking), and the pre-alignment stage 613 can rotate the wafer to the preset flat edge orientation based on the above information.

[0096] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, such as Figure 5 , 6 As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the supporting worktable 7 includes:

[0097] A support base 70 is mounted on the X-axis moving assembly 3;

[0098] A support platform 71 is mounted on the upper surface of the support base 70 and is rotatably connected to the support base 70; the support platform 71 is used to support materials.

[0099] A rotary drive assembly 72 is fixedly mounted on the support base 70 and is connected to the plate support stage 71 for driving the plate support stage 71 to rotate.

[0100] A top support assembly 73 is mounted on the bearing base 70 and is used to support the material on the support platform 71.

[0101] A plate-mount camera is used to acquire material information on the plate-mount 71.

[0102] It should be noted that the specific structures of the rotary drive assembly 72 and the top support assembly 73 are not limited in this invention, and can be selected by those skilled in the art based on actual conditions. It is understood that in this embodiment, the rotary drive assembly 72 consists of a drive motor and a conveyor belt assembly, driving the wafer support stage 71 to rotate, but this invention is not limited to this. It is understood that when the material in this invention is a wafer, the position of the light-receiving assembly during optical testing of wafers of different chips places spatial and structural requirements on the support stage 7.

[0103] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the top support assembly 73 can be composed of a power drive component, a pin lifting screw, a pin lifting guide rail, and pins. The power drive component drives the pin lifting screw to rise and fall, and the pin lifting guide rail provides guidance to ensure the stability of the pin lifting screw's movement. Multiple pins are provided at the end of the pin lifting screw furthest from the power drive component. Initially, the pins are hidden below the support platform 71. When the pin lifting screw rises, the pins extend through and out of the upper surface of the support platform 71, thus lifting the material. At this time, the corresponding support platform 71 is a circular plate. In this embodiment, the pins are located below the support platform 71.

[0104] In another embodiment, such as Figure 7 The top support assembly 73 can be composed of a power drive component 731 and a top plate component 732. Correspondingly, the support platform 71 is a hollow annular structure, and the two top plate components 732 are symmetrically arranged on the outside of the hollow annular structure. The power drive component 731 drives the top plate components 732 to rise and fall, thereby lifting the material. In this embodiment, the top plate component 732 is positioned above the support platform 71.

[0105] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, the pre-alignment module 6 is arranged opposite to the lifting and feeding module 4; the probe station also includes a number of sensors 8, which are disposed on the pre-alignment module 6 and used to identify the quantity and position of the material to be tested in the lifting and feeding module 4. In this invention, the number of sensors 8 can be an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor, but is not limited to these. By setting the number of sensors 8 to identify the quantity and position of the material to be tested in the material box 44, the probe station control system can control the movement of the robotic arm module 5 based on the sensing information from the number of sensors 8, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the wafer gripping position.

[0106] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the top of the frame 1 is provided with a panel 10, and the robotic arm module 5 is mounted on the panel 10. Mounting the robotic arm module 5 on the panel 10 effectively utilizes the space at the top of the frame 1. Without occupying additional space, it increases the mounting position of the robotic arm, improving space utilization efficiency. In this invention, the specific structure of the robotic arm module 5 is not limited; it can be selected by those skilled in the art based on actual conditions, as long as it includes a robotic arm 50. In the embodiment, the robotic arm module 5 consists of a drive motor and a linear drive component, enabling the robotic arm 50 to slide along the Y-axis. The robotic arm module 5 is equipped with a vacuum system for the robotic arm, that is, through a negative pressure pipeline design, it achieves the adsorption of materials and detects air pressure to determine the position of the materials on the robotic arm 50.

[0107] Based on the aforementioned probe station, this invention further proposes a method for loading and unloading the probe station, applicable to the aforementioned probe station. The method for loading and unloading the probe station includes the following steps:

[0108] Material box loading: The material box 44 containing the material to be tested is placed into the lifting feeding module 4. At this time, the first in-situ sensor 47 detects and identifies the material box 44 and feeds the information back to the control system. The control system drives the stroke doubling component 42 in the lifting feeding module 4 to slide the material box 44 into place. Then, it drives the feeding lifting slide rail component 40 in the lifting feeding module 4 to transport the material to be tested to the loading station. It should be noted that the material to be tested can be placed in the material box 44 by manual loading or automatic loading by AGV.

[0109] Counting: During the process of loading the material box 44 to be tested and rising, the counting sensor 8 identifies the quantity and position of the material to be tested in the material box 44, and feeds the above quantity and position information back to the control system to ensure the accuracy of the material gripping position of the subsequent robotic arm module 5.

[0110] Retrieval: After the material to be tested is conveyed to the loading station, the robotic arm 50 in the robotic arm module 5 slides along the Y-axis to the position of the first material to be tested, that is, the robotic arm 50 extends into the material box 44 to retrieve the material to be tested from below. Then, the material box 44 in the lifting feeding module 4 descends a preset distance, stopping the first material to be tested against the robotic arm 50. At the same time, the robotic arm vacuum system inside the robotic arm 50 is activated to adsorb and fix the first material to be tested. Subsequently, the robotic arm 50 slides along the Y-axis away from the material box 44 to the pre-alignment station. It should be noted that the preset distance can be set by the art based on the actual situation.

[0111] Pre-alignment: The Y-axis moving component 2 drives the pre-alignment module 6, which in turn works with the robotic arm 50 to adsorb the first test material, so that both the first test material and the pre-alignment stage 613 in the pre-alignment module 6 are located at the pre-alignment station. Then, the pre-alignment stage 613 rises above the robotic arm 50. At the same time, the vacuum system of the pre-alignment stage 613 is turned on, and the vacuum system of the robotic arm 50 is turned off. The first test material is transferred to the pre-alignment stage 613. The camera 614 in the pre-alignment module 6 acquires information about the first test material. Based on the above information, the pre-alignment stage 613 rotates the physical marker position of the test material to a preset position. Then, the pre-alignment stage 613 descends, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the pre-alignment stage 613 is turned off, and the vacuum system of the robotic arm 50 is turned on. The first test material is transferred to the robotic arm 50, completing the pre-alignment.

[0112] Loading: The X-axis moving component 3 and the Y-axis moving component 2 drive the carrying platform 7 to slide to the loading station, and the robotic arm 50, which works together to adsorb the first test material, so that the first test material and the substrate 71 in the carrying platform 7 are both in the loading station; then, the top support component 73 in the carrying platform 7 rises above the robotic arm 50, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the robotic arm 50 is turned off, and the first test material is removed from the robotic arm 50; the robotic arm 50 moves away from the substrate 71 along the Y-axis until it has completely removed the first test material, then the top support component 73 descends, the first test material stops on the substrate 71, the vacuum system of the substrate 71 is turned on, and the loading of the first test material is completed.

[0113] Inspection: The first material to be tested is inspected; the carrying worktable 7 can be moved horizontally under the drive of the X-axis moving component 3 and the Y-axis moving component 2, and moved to directly below the inspection worktable to inspect the material.

[0114] Unloading: After the inspection is completed, the robotic arm 50 and the support table 71 in the support worktable 7 are both moved to the unloading station. The top support component 73 on the support table 71 lifts up the first material that has completed the inspection, and at the same time the vacuum system of the support table 71 is turned off. The robotic arm 50 extends between the first material and the support table 71, the top support component 73 descends, the vacuum adsorption system of the robotic arm 50 is turned on, and the first material is transferred and adsorbed onto the robotic arm 50.

[0115] Returning the material: The material box 44 is moved to the unloading station. The robotic arm 50 in the robotic arm module 5 slides along the Y-axis to transport the first material to the unloading station. Then, the material box 44 is raised a preset distance. At the same time, the vacuum system of the robotic arm 50 is turned off, the first material falls off the robotic arm 50, and the robotic arm 50 returns to its initial state. Meanwhile, all other components return to their initial state, waiting for the next cycle.

[0116] In this invention, the loading and unloading method, from loading the material box 44, counting the pieces, picking up the pieces, pre-aligning, loading the pieces, detecting, unloading the pieces and returning the pieces, the entire process is completed by the control system in a unified and coordinated manner. This reduces manual intervention, improves production efficiency, and reduces errors and defect rates caused by human factors.

[0117] Meanwhile, the multiple sensors 8 provide feedback on the quantity and position of the material, ensuring that the robot can accurately grasp the material; the pre-alignment module 6 uses the camera 614 to identify and rotate to ensure that the physical marking position of the material is accurate, so that the material can be accurately placed on the substrate 71 during the loading process, which greatly improves the accuracy of the material position during detection, thereby improving the detection accuracy.

[0118] In addition, the components work together, such as the double stroke component 42 of the lifting and feeding module 4 sliding out quickly, the robotic arm module 5 moving rapidly along the Y-axis, and the carrying worktable 7 sliding precisely in the X and Y axis directions, which greatly shortens the transfer time of each material between different workstations, speeds up the overall loading and unloading speed, and meets the high-efficiency requirements of large-scale testing.

[0119] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, after the first material to be tested is loaded onto the film, the film receiving stage camera acquires the material information on the film receiving stage 71; based on the above information, the rotation drive component 72 is activated to drive the film receiving stage 71 to rotate, and the position of the first material to be tested is adjusted by rotation, so as to achieve further fine adjustment of the material and improve the accuracy of loading.

[0120] The present invention has been further described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be understood that the specific description herein should not be construed as limiting the nature and scope of the present invention. Various modifications made to the above embodiments by those skilled in the art after reading this specification are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A probe station, characterized in that: It includes: frame; The XY composite motion module is composed of a Y-axis moving component and an X-axis moving component. The Y-axis moving component is movably mounted on the frame, and the X-axis moving component is movably mounted on the Y-axis moving component. A lifting and feeding module is mounted on the frame and is used to transport the material to be tested to the loading station. A robotic arm module is mounted on the frame; the robotic arm module includes a robotic arm that can slide along the Y-axis of the frame, the robotic arm being used to grab the material to be tested from the loading station and transfer it to the pre-alignment station, and to transfer the material after testing back to the lifting and feeding module; A pre-alignment module is mounted on the Y-axis moving assembly. The Y-axis moving assembly drives the pre-alignment module to slide to the pre-alignment station, where it cooperates with the robotic arm module to achieve pre-alignment of the material to be tested. A carrying worktable is mounted on the X-axis moving assembly to drive the carrying worktable to slide along the X-axis and Y-axis to the loading station or unloading station, and cooperate with the robotic arm module carrying the material to be tested to realize the loading of the material to be tested and the unloading of the material after the test is completed. The pre-alignment module includes a pre-alignment lifting mechanism and a pre-alignment rotation mechanism; the pre-alignment rotation mechanism is mounted on the pre-alignment lifting mechanism and drives the lifting and lowering of the pre-alignment rotation mechanism through the pre-alignment lifting mechanism. The pre-alignment rotation mechanism includes a rotary motor mounted on the pre-alignment slide of the pre-alignment lifting mechanism, a pre-alignment stage mounted on the output shaft of the rotary motor, and a camera mounted above the pre-alignment stage. The camera is used to acquire information about the material to be tested, and the rotary motor drives the pre-alignment stage to rotate, thereby rotating the physical mark position of the material to be tested to a preset position.

2. The probe station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting and feeding module includes: A feeding lifting slide rail assembly is mounted on the frame; A fixed base, which is movably disposed on the feeding lifting slide rail assembly; A stroke doubling assembly, which is mounted on the fixed base; A material box bottom plate is slidably mounted on the double stroke assembly and is connected to the double stroke assembly via a transmission. The double stroke assembly drives the material box bottom plate to slide out of the fixed seat. A material box is mounted on the material box bottom plate, and the material box is used to hold materials.

3. The probe station according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting and feeding module also includes: A first presence sensor is used to detect whether the material box is in place; and / or a second in-situ sensor, the second in-situ sensor being used to detect whether the material has deviated from a predetermined position in the hopper.

4. The probe station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The output shaft of the rotary motor is a hollow shaft, and the hollow part of the hollow shaft is used to accommodate the vacuum adsorption system pipeline of the pre-alignment stage.

5. The probe station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support worktable includes: A support base, which is mounted on the X-axis moving assembly; A support platform is mounted on the upper surface of the support base and is rotatably connected to the support base; the support platform is used to support materials. A rotary drive assembly is fixedly mounted on the support base and is connected to the plate support stage for driving the plate support stage to rotate. A top support assembly, which is mounted on the bearing base and is used to support the material on the support platform; A plate-mount camera is used to acquire material information on the plate-mount platform.

6. The probe station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pre-alignment module is arranged opposite to the lifting and feeding module; The probe station also includes several sensors, which are disposed on the pre-alignment module and used to identify the quantity and position of the material to be tested in the lifting and feeding module.

7. The probe station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the frame is provided with a panel, and the robotic arm module is mounted on the panel.

8. A method for loading and unloading a probe station, applied to the probe station according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The loading and unloading method of the probe station includes the following steps: Material box loading: Place the material box containing the material to be tested into the lifting and feeding module, drive the double stroke component in the lifting and feeding module to slide the material box into place; drive the feeding lifting slide rail component in the lifting and feeding module to transport the material to be tested to the loading station; Counting sensors: During the process of the material box being loaded and raised, several sensors identify the quantity and position of the material to be tested in the box. Sample Retrieval: After the material to be tested is conveyed to the loading station, the robotic arm in the robotic arm module slides along the Y-axis to the position of the first material to be tested. Then, the material box in the lifting feeding module descends a preset distance, stopping the first material to be tested against the robotic arm. At the same time, the robotic arm vacuum system inside the robotic arm is activated to adsorb and fix the first material to be tested. Subsequently, the robotic arm slides along the Y-axis away from the material box to the pre-alignment station. Pre-alignment: The Y-axis moving component drives the pre-alignment module, which works in conjunction with the robotic arm that adsorbs the first test material, so that both the first test material and the pre-alignment stage in the pre-alignment module are located at the pre-alignment station; then, the pre-alignment stage rises above the robotic arm, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the pre-alignment stage is turned on and the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned off, and the first test material is transferred to the pre-alignment stage; the camera in the pre-alignment module acquires information about the first test material, and the pre-alignment stage rotates the physical marker position of the test material to a preset position based on the above information; then, the pre-alignment stage descends, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the pre-alignment stage is turned off and the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned on, and the first test material is transferred to the robotic arm, completing the pre-alignment; Loading: The X-axis and Y-axis moving components drive the carrier stage to slide to the loading station, coordinating with the robotic arm that adsorbs the first test material, so that both the first test material and the substrate in the carrier stage are located at the loading station; then, the top support component in the carrier stage rises above the robotic arm, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned off, and the first test material is removed from the robotic arm; the robotic arm moves away from the substrate along the Y-axis until it has completely removed the first test material, then the top support component descends, the first test material stops on the substrate, the vacuum system of the substrate is turned on, and the loading of the first test material is completed; Testing: The first material to be tested is tested; Unloading: After the inspection is completed, the robotic arm and the support platform in the carrier workbench move to the unloading station. The top support component on the support platform lifts up the first material that has completed the inspection, and at the same time the vacuum system of the support platform is turned off. The robotic arm extends between the first material and the support platform, the top support component descends, the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned on, and the first material is transferred and adsorbed onto the robotic arm. Returning the material: The material box is moved to the unloading station, and the robotic arm in the robotic arm module slides along the Y-axis to transport the first material to the unloading station; then, the material box is raised a preset distance, and at the same time, the vacuum system of the robotic arm is turned off, the first material falls off the robotic arm, and the robotic arm returns to its initial position.

9. The method for loading and unloading the probe station according to claim 8, characterized in that: After the first material to be tested is loaded onto the film, the camera on the film receiving stage acquires information about the material on the film receiving stage. Based on this information, the rotation drive assembly is activated to drive the film receiving stage to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the first material to be tested.

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