Fixture for grinding and cleaning device

Abstract

To reduce a cost required for cleaning a probe, and preferably avoid a reattachment to a deposit removed from the probe.SOLUTION: A fixture 10 for grinding is configured to be mounted to a cleaning device 1 for removing a deposit adhered to a probe P in a probe card Pc to which a plurality of probes P contacted to a silicon wafer is distributed, and is configured to grind the deposit and remove it from each probe P. By a porous ceramic having a plurality of pores S10 provided so that an open part on a grinding surface (one surface Fa) to which each probe P is rubbed and an open part on a back surface (the other surface Fb) of a grinding surface are provided so as to be communicated, at least grinding surface (the one surface Fa) is formed in a flat plan shape.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a grinding jig for scraping off and removing adhesions from a probe arranged on a probe card, and a cleaning device equipped with such a grinding jig and configured to remove adhesions from the probe and clean it. [Background technology]

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing sites, electrical element circuits for multiple semiconductor chips are arranged side by side on one side of a wafer, and before they are individually separated, their electrical characteristics (presence or absence of manufacturing defects) are inspected. In this inspection, various electrical parameters are measured by connecting the inspection device main body (measurement unit) and the electrical element circuits via a probe card on which multiple probes are arranged to be brought into contact with the electrical element circuits to be inspected. In this case, with this type of probe card, residues and the like that adhered to the wafer surface during the manufacturing process become attached to the probes as they are repeatedly brought into contact with the multiple electrical element circuits. For this reason, there is a possibility that the original measurement value cannot be obtained due to the presence of the adhesions attached to the probes, leading to an erroneous judgment that the product is defective, and therefore it is necessary to periodically remove the adhesions attached to the probes.

[0003] On the other hand, the following patent document discloses a wafer test system (hereinafter also referred to as an "inspection device") configured to be able to inspect the electrical characteristics of a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter also referred to as a "wafer"). This inspection device is configured to include a wafer chuck (hereinafter also referred to as a "wafer holding unit") that holds a wafer to be inspected, a card holder (hereinafter also referred to as a "card holding unit") that holds a probe card, a probe card held in the card holding unit, a moving mechanism that moves the wafer holding unit and the card holding unit, and a cleaning plate for cleaning the probes (probe needles: connection terminals) of the probe card. In this inspection device, a configuration is adopted in which, with each probe of the probe card in contact with the cleaning plate, the two are moved, vibrated, or rocked relatively to each other, so that dust (adherent matter) attached to the tip of the probe is removed by the cleaning plate and the probe is cleaned. This makes it possible to avoid erroneous measurements (erroneous judgments) caused by the adhesion of foreign matter to the probes in this inspection device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-052199 A (Pages 6-18, Figures 1-14) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the inspection devices disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents have the following problems to be solved: Specifically, the inspection devices disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents employ a configuration in which each probe of a probe card is rubbed against a cleaning plate to grind and remove any deposits adhering to the probe from the probe.

[0006] In such a configuration, the deposits scraped off from the probes are accumulated on the surface of the cleaning plate, so that the cleaning ability of the cleaning plate (the ability to grind off deposits) gradually decreases. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically replace the cleaning plate or periodically clean the cleaning plate itself, which makes it difficult to reduce the cost required for cleaning the probes. In addition, in the configuration disclosed in the above patent document, there is a risk that the deposits ground off from the probes may reattach to the probes from the cleaning plate. In such a case, the presence of the reattached deposits may make accurate measurement (accurate quality judgment) difficult, or the deposits reattached to the probes may transfer from the probes to the wafer (electrical element circuit), and the presence of these deposits may result in the manufacture of defective semiconductor chips. For this reason, it is also necessary to solve this problem.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems to be solved, and has as its main object to provide a grinding jig and a cleaning device which can reduce the cost required for cleaning a probe and can effectively prevent adhesions removed from the probe from re-adhering to the probe. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the grinding jig described in claim 1 is configured to be attachable to a cleaning device that removes adhesions that have adhered to probes in a probe card having a plurality of probes arranged thereon that can be brought into contact with a silicon wafer, and is configured so that the adhesions can be ground and removed from the probes by rubbing the probes against the probes, and at least the grinding surface is formed in a flat, plate-like shape using porous ceramics having a large number of pores that are arranged so that an opening on the grinding surface side against which the probes are rubbed is connected to an opening on the back side of the grinding surface.

[0009] The grinding jig according to a second aspect of the present invention is the grinding jig according to the first aspect, wherein the pores are oriented so as to extend along the thickness direction of the grinding jig.

[0010] The grinding jig according to a third aspect of the present invention is the grinding jig according to the first aspect, wherein the back surface is formed flat.

[0011] The cleaning device described in claim 4 comprises a grinding jig described in any one of claims 1 to 3, a jig holding part configured to hold the grinding jig, and a suction machine that sucks air from the grinding surface of the grinding jig to the back surface through each of the air holes by sucking in air between the back surface of the grinding jig and the jig holding part, and is configured to be able to move the adhesion ground from the probe on the grinding surface to the back surface together with air from the grinding surface to the back surface. Effect of the Invention

[0012] In the grinding jig described in claim 1, at least the grinding surface is formed in a flat plate shape by porous ceramics having a large number of pores provided so that an opening on the grinding surface side where the probe is rubbed and an opening on the back side of the grinding surface communicate with each other. Also, in the cleaning device described in claim 4, the cleaning device includes the above-mentioned grinding jig, a jig holding part configured to be able to hold the grinding jig, and a suction machine that sucks air from the grinding surface of the grinding jig to the back side through each pore by sucking air between the back side of the grinding jig and the jig holding part, and is configured to be able to move the deposit ground from the probe on the grinding surface from the grinding surface to the back side together with the air.

[0013] Therefore, according to the grinding jig described in claim 1 and the cleaning device described in claim 4, the adhesion (grinding object) scraped off from the probe to the grinding surface can be moved from the grinding surface to the back side together with air through each air hole, so that the adhesion (grinding object) can be prevented from accumulating on the grinding surface, and the cleaning ability of the probe by the grinding jig (the grinding ability of the adhesion) can be maintained in a suitable state for a long period of time. In addition, it is possible to prevent the scraped adhesion (grinding object) from re-adhering to the probe, and therefore it is possible to prevent the adhesion (grinding object) from adhering from the probe to the inspection object (silicon wafer) and producing a defective product. In addition, it is not necessary to replace the grinding jig in a short period of time or to clean the grinding jig itself, so that the cost required for cleaning the probe can be sufficiently reduced.

[0014] In the grinding jig described in claim 2, the pores are oriented so as to extend along the thickness direction of the grinding jig. Therefore, according to the grinding jig described in claim 2 and the cleaning device equipped with the same, the length of the pores, i.e., the distance over which the adhering matter (the object to be ground) is moved from the grinding surface to the back surface, is a short distance approximately equal to the thickness of the grinding jig, so that clogging of the pores can be avoided. This allows the grinding jig to maintain the cleaning ability of the probe (the ability to grind the adhering matter) in an optimal state for a longer period of time.

[0015] In the grinding jig described in claim 3, the back surface is formed flat. Therefore, according to the grinding jig described in claim 3 and the cleaning device equipped with the same, when the flatness of the grinding surface is damaged due to long-term use, the back surface can be used as a new grinding surface, so that the grinding jig can be used continuously. This makes it possible to further reduce the cost required for cleaning the probe. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a cleaning device 1 and a probe card Pc. [Diagram 2] 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the internal structure of the grinding jig 10. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the internal structure of a plate body X. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the internal structure of a grinding jig 10a. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the "grinding jig" and the "cleaning device" will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] The cleaning device 1 shown in Fig. 1 is an example of a "cleaning device" and is configured to clean each probe P arranged on a probe card Pc, which is brought into contact with a silicon wafer to be inspected in the same manner as the probe card of the inspection device disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, as a processing object. Specifically, the cleaning device 1 includes a grinding jig 10, a filter 20, a holder 2, and a suction pump 3, and is configured to remove deposits attached to each probe P of the probe card Pc from the probe P.

[0019] The grinding jig 10 is an example of a "grinding jig configured to be attachable to a cleaning device" and is formed in a flat plate shape from porous ceramics having a porosity in the range of 50% to 70% (for example, 60% ± 10%), specifically, for example, from oriented continuous pore type porous ceramics in which the extension direction of each pore S10 is oriented in an arbitrary direction (Asuzac Corporation: [AZPV60]).

[0020] More specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the grinding jig 10 has pores S10 oriented so as to extend along the thickness direction (the vertical direction in both figures), and as shown in Figure 1, both the one face Fa and the other face Fb are processed so as to be flat, so that the openings of the pores S10 on the one face Fa side and the openings on the other face Fb side are connected to each other. In Figures 1 and 2, in order to facilitate understanding of the structure of the grinding jig 10, the diameters of the pores S10 are exaggerated and illustrated large, and the pores S10 are illustrated linearly along the thickness direction, but the actual pores S10 have a very small pore diameter and slightly meander in the thickness direction. In addition, there are pores S10 that are not connected from the one face Fa to the other face Fb, and pores S10 that branch in the thickness direction.

[0021] Here, among the "porous ceramics", there are "closed pore type porous ceramics" in which the pores Sx do not reach the surface of the plate X, as in the plate X shown in Fig. 3. Porous ceramics such as this plate X cannot "transfer air and attached matter from one surface Fa to the other surface Fb (or from the other surface Fb to the one surface Fa)" as described below, and therefore cannot be used as a material for constituting a "grinding jig".

[0022] In addition, in the grinding jig 10 of this example, both the first surface Fa and the second surface Fb are formed flat as described above. As a result, in the grinding jig 10 of this example, when the first surface Fa is repeatedly used as a "grinding surface" by a cleaning process described later and the flatness of the first surface Fa deteriorates, it is possible to turn the grinding jig 10 over and use the second surface Fb as a "grinding surface". In the following description, the first surface Fa is used as the "grinding surface" as an example.

[0023] The grinding jig 10 is manufactured, for example, by carrying out a raw material preparation step, a granulation step, a molding step, a freeze-drying step, a firing step, and a shaping step in this order. In this case, in the raw material preparation step, for example, a binder and a solvent are mixed with a main material such as alumina or SiC (silicon carbide), and the mixture is stirred and pulverized in a ball mill to produce a raw material slurry. In the granulation step, the raw material slurry produced in the raw material preparation step is set in a spray dryer device to produce granules of about 80 microns. In the molding step, the granules produced in the granulation step are packed into a mold and pressed to be processed into a flat plate shape.

[0024] In the freeze-drying process, the flat plate-shaped product formed in the molding process is freeze-dried in a vacuum to sublimate the moisture in the raw material, thereby generating numerous pores S10 in the product. In the firing process, the product with the pores S10 generated is fired in a furnace at about 1500°C to 1700°C to produce a sintered body. In the shaping process, the sintered body produced in the firing process is cut into a desired shape, and one surface Fa and the other surface Fb are polished and flattened. Through the above steps, the grinding jig 10 shown in FIG. 1 is completed.

[0025] As described later, the filter 20 is a foreign matter removal filter that separates the workpiece to be ground, which is passed through each pore S10 of the grinding jig 10 together with the air, from the air and prevents the adhering matter from being sucked into the suction pump 3, and is formed, for example, from a nonwoven fabric or a sheet-like open-cell resin. As shown in Fig. 1, for example, the filter 20 is disposed on the back side of the "grinding surface" of the grinding jig 10 (the other surface Fb side in the example of the figure) so as to be sandwiched between the grinding jig 10 and the holder 2.

[0026] On the other hand, the holder 2 corresponds to a "jig holder configured to be able to hold a grinding jig" and, as an example, is made of dense ceramics (solid ceramics with no pores) or closed-pore ceramics formed using the same raw material as the grinding jig 10, and is formed in a shallow dish shape at the upper opening of which the grinding jig 10 or the filter 20 can be attached. This holder 2 can also be made of various resin materials, metal materials, etc. instead of ceramics.

[0027] 1, in the case of the holder 2 in the cleaning device 1 of this example, the depth of the holder 2 is set so that when one surface Fa of the grinding jig 10 is used as the "grinding surface", a space S is generated on the other surface Fb, which is the "back surface", and the holder 2 and the suction pump 3 are connected so that this space S is communicated with the suction port of the suction pump 3. Note that in the actual cleaning device 1, the holder 2 is configured with a sealing device that closes the gap between the outer periphery of the grinding jig 10 and the upper edge of the holder 2, a fixing device that fixes the holder 2 in a fixed position, and the like, but in order to make the configuration of the cleaning device 1 easy to understand, illustrations and explanations of these are omitted.

[0028] The suction pump 3 is an example of an "suction machine" that sucks in the air in the space S formed between the grinding jig 10 and the holder 2 (an example of "air between the back surface of the grinding jig and the jig holding part"), thereby sucking air from one side Fa of the grinding jig 10 to the other side Fb through each air hole S10, thereby moving the adhesions ground from each probe P of the probe card Pc on the one side Fa of the grinding jig 10 together with the air from the one side Fa to the other side Fb (within the space S).

[0029] As an example, this cleaning device 1 can be used in either one of two ways: the cleaning device 1 is installed and used alone to process a probe card Pc removed from an inspection device (not shown) so that deposits can be removed from each probe P at any timing; and the cleaning device 1 is incorporated into an inspection device so that deposits can be automatically removed from each probe P every time the number of inspections by the inspection device (the number of probings of each probe P) reaches a specified number. Hereinafter, as an example, cleaning of the probe P in the usage form used alone will be described.

[0030] When cleaning the probe card Pc (each probe P) by the cleaning device 1, first, the operation of the suction pump 3 is started. At this time, the air in the space S is sucked by the suction pump 3, so that the air above the grinding jig 10 is sucked from one surface Fa of the grinding jig 10 toward the other surface Fb through each air hole S10, passes through the filter 20, and flows into the space S. Next, as shown in FIG. 1, each probe P of the probe card Pc is brought into contact with the one surface Fa of the grinding jig 10, and the probe card Pc is moved in the directions of arrows A and B along the one surface Fa relative to the grinding jig 10 (holding tool 2).

[0031] At this time, the probes P of the probe card Pc are rubbed against one surface Fa of the grinding jig 10, and the adhesions attached to each probe P (adhesion and dirt that was attached to the silicon wafer to be inspected and transferred to the probe P) are scraped off from the probe P and transferred to the grinding jig 10 (one surface Fa). In addition, the above-mentioned adhesions (hereinafter also referred to as "object to be ground") transferred to the grinding jig 10 (one surface Fa) are sucked into the space S through each air hole S10 together with the air sucked by the suction pump 3, and are separated from the air by the filter 20.

[0032] As a result, in the cleaning device 1 of this example, the workpieces scraped off from each probe P are not accumulated on the one surface Fa of the grinding jig 10 but move to the space S side and accumulate on the filter 20 (between the other surface Fb of the grinding jig 10 and the filter 20), so that the cleaning ability of the grinding jig 10 (the ability to grind off the adhering material from the probe P) can be maintained in a suitable state for a long period of time. When a large amount of workpieces are accumulated on the filter 20, the filter 20 is removed from the holder 2 together with the grinding jig 10 and replaced with a new filter 20. Furthermore, when the flatness of the one surface Fa of the grinding jig 10 decreases due to repeated use, the grinding jig 10 is inverted and attached to the holder 2 so that the other surface Fb can be used as a "grinding surface". This allows the cleaning ability to be maintained for a long period of time.

[0033] In this manner, in the grinding jig 10, at least the grinding surface is formed in a flat plate shape by porous ceramics having a large number of pores S10 provided so that the openings on the grinding surface (e.g., one surface Fa) side against which the probe P is rubbed and the openings on the back surface (e.g., the other surface Fb) side of the grinding surface communicate with each other. In addition, in the cleaning device 1, the grinding jig 10, the holder 2 configured to be able to hold the grinding jig 10, and the suction pump 3 configured to suck air from the grinding surface of the grinding jig 10 to the back surface through the pores S10 by sucking air between the back surface of the grinding jig 10 and the holder 2 (within the space S), and is configured to be able to move the deposit ground from the probe P on the grinding surface from the grinding surface to the back surface together with the air.

[0034] Therefore, according to the grinding jig 10 and the cleaning device 1, the "adhered matter (ground object)" scraped off from the probe P to the first surface Fa can be moved from the first surface Fa to the other surface Fb (inside the space S) together with the air through each pore S10, so that the "adhered matter (ground object)" can be prevented from accumulating on the first surface Fa, and thus the cleaning ability (the grinding ability of the adhering matter) of the probe P by the grinding jig 10 can be maintained in a suitable state for a long period of time. In addition, the scraped off "adhered matter (ground object)" can be prevented from re-adhering to the probe P, so that the "adhered matter (ground object)" can be prevented from adhering from the probe P to the inspection object (silicon wafer) and producing a defective product. In addition, the grinding jig 10 does not need to be replaced in a short period of time, and the grinding jig 10 itself does not need to be cleaned, so that the cost required for cleaning the probe P can be sufficiently reduced.

[0035] In addition, in this grinding jig 10, each pore S10 is oriented so as to extend along the thickness direction of the grinding jig 10. Therefore, according to this grinding jig 10 and cleaning device 1, the length of the pores S10, i.e., the distance over which the "adhered matter (ground matter)" is moved from one surface Fa to the other surface Fb, is a short distance approximately equal to the thickness of the grinding jig 10, so that clogging of the pores S10 can be avoided. This allows the grinding jig 10 to maintain the cleaning ability of the probe P (the ability to grind the adhering matter) in a suitable state for a longer period of time.

[0036] Moreover, the back surface of the grinding jig 10 is formed flat. Therefore, according to the grinding jig 10 and the cleaning device 1, when the flatness of the first surface Fa is damaged due to long-term use, the other surface Fb can be used as the "grinding surface", so that the grinding jig 10 can be continuously used. This makes it possible to further reduce the cost required for cleaning the probe P.

[0037] The configurations of the "grinding jig" and the "cleaning device" are not limited to the examples of the configurations of the grinding jig 10 and the cleaning device 1 described above.

[0038] For example, an example of use has been described in which the probe card Pc (probe P) is rubbed against the grinding jig 10 while the suction pump 3 is operating to suck in air, thereby removing adhesions from the probe P. However, the probe P can also be cleaned by rubbing the probe card Pc (probe P) against the grinding jig 10 while the suction pump 3 is stopped, and then operating the suction pump 3 to move the adhesions from one surface Fa to the other surface Fb (within the space S).

[0039] In addition, the grinding jig 10 formed of an oriented continuous pore type porous ceramic (AZPV60 by Asuzac Co., Ltd.) in which the extension direction of each pore S10 is oriented in an arbitrary direction (thickness direction of the grinding jig 10) has been described as an example, but the porous ceramic constituting the "grinding jig" is not limited to this, and can be composed of a non-oriented continuous pore type porous ceramic in which each pore S10a is continuous (for example, AZPW40 by Asuzac Co., Ltd., porosity: 40% ± 10%, etc.) as in the grinding jig 10a shown in FIG. 4. In the grinding jig 10a of such a configuration, the attachment can be moved together with air from the "grinding surface" of the grinding jig 10a to the "back surface" thereof through each continuous pore S10a, so that the same effect as the grinding jig 10 described above can be achieved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Cleaning device 2 Holder 3. Suction pump 10,10A Grinding jig 20 Filters Fa One side Fb other side Pc probe card P-Probe S space S10, S10a Pore

Claims

1. A grinding tool configured to be attachable to a cleaning device that removes deposits attached to probes in a probe card having a plurality of probes arranged thereon to be brought into contact with a silicon wafer, and configured to be capable of grinding and removing the deposits from the probes by rubbing the probes against the probes, A grinding jig in which at least the grinding surface is formed into a flat plate shape using porous ceramics having a large number of pores arranged so that an opening on the grinding surface against which the probe is rubbed and an opening on the back side of the grinding surface are connected.

2. 2. The grinding jig according to claim 1, wherein the pores are oriented so as to extend along the thickness direction of the grinding jig.

3. 2. The grinding jig according to claim 1, wherein the back surface is formed flat.

4. A grinding jig according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A jig holding portion configured to be able to hold the grinding jig; a suction device that sucks air between the back surface of the grinding jig and the jig holding part, thereby sucking air from the grinding surface of the grinding jig to the back surface through each of the air holes, a cleaning device configured to move the deposit ground off the probe on the grinding surface together with air from the grinding surface to the back surface.

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