Probe card positioning device

Abstract

To provide a probe card positioning device that facilitates positioning of a probe card and a device to be measured and enables improved positioning accuracy.SOLUTION: A probe card positioning device includes a probe card having a probe capable of electrically contacting an electrode of a device under test and a peephole, and imaging means for imaging the device under test through the peephole. The positional relationship between the probe and a specific peripheral portion of the peephole is known, and the probe card is positioned by aligning or bringing the specific peripheral portion close to a characteristic portion of the device under test within the field of view of the imaging means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a positioning device for a probe card. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 below proposes a technique in which a peephole is formed in a probe card, a small rod is protruded from the peephole, and the small rod is used as a mark for aligning the probe card with a semiconductor element. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-224270 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, there is a problem that the accuracy of the attachment position of the small rod affects the accuracy of positioning between the probe card and the semiconductor element.

[0005] An example of an object of the present invention is to provide a probe card positioning device that can easily position a probe card and a device under test and improve positioning accuracy. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a probe card positioning device, comprising: a probe card having a probe capable of electrically contacting an electrode of a device under test and an eye hole; an imaging means for imaging the device under test through the peephole; a positional relationship between the probe and a specific peripheral portion of the peephole is known; The probe card is positioned by bringing the specific peripheral portion into contact with or very close to the characteristic portion of the device under test in the field of view of the imaging means.

[0007] According to the above aspects of the present invention, the probe card and the device under test can be easily positioned, and the positioning accuracy can be improved.

[0008] Any combination of the above components and conversion of the present invention between methods, systems, etc. are also valid aspects of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a front cross-sectional view of a probe card positioning device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view of a probe card 10 in a probe card positioning device 1, seen from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A probe card positioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. For ease of explanation, the up-down direction is defined in Figure 1, and the X-Y direction is defined in Figure 2. As shown in these figures, the probe card positioning device 1 includes a probe card 10 having a plurality of probes 11 and a peephole 15, and a chip confirmation camera 20 as imaging means for imaging a semiconductor chip 30 through the peephole 15.

[0011] The probe card 10 has a configuration in which a plurality of probes 11 are arranged so as to penetrate vertically through a plate-like or sheet-like substrate 12, and an eye hole 15 is arranged at a position spaced apart from the plurality of probes 11. The substrate 12 may be a rigid substrate or a flexible substrate, but in the case of a flexible substrate, it is supported so as not to deform during measurement.

[0012] The semiconductor chip 30 is a device under test, and is the object whose electrical characteristics are measured using the probe card 10. The semiconductor chips 30 are regularly aligned and arranged on the wafer 40, and in the illustrated example have four electrode pads 31, with four corresponding probes 11 of the probe card 10 also arranged in a similar manner. The outer shape 32 of the semiconductor chip 30 is generally square or rectangular, and the positional relationship between the outer shape 32 and the electrode pads 31 is known.

[0013] 2, the chip confirmation camera 20 serving as an imaging means has a field of view capable of capturing an image of the periphery of the peephole 15 of the probe card 10 and an image of the semiconductor chip 30 seen through the peephole 15. In the field of view of the chip confirmation camera 20, the peephole 15 has linear peripheral portions 15a that are in contact with each of the four sides of the outer shape 32 of the semiconductor chip 30 or that can be closely opposed at a small interval. The positional relationship (distance and X-Y directions) between these specific peripheral portions 15a and the probe 11 is set in advance or is known by measurement. When the wafer 40 is movable in the X-Y directions, the probe card 10 and the chip confirmation camera 20 are fixed. When the wafer 40 is fixed, the probe card 10 and the chip confirmation camera 20 may be configured to move together in the X-Y directions.

[0014] In the configuration of the above embodiment, measurement of the semiconductor chip 30 is performed as follows. First, the wafer 40 is moved relative to the probe card 10 so that a specific semiconductor chip 30 to be measured on the wafer 40 is within the field of view of the chip confirmation camera 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral portion 15a of the peephole 15 is aligned with or closely faces each of the four sides of the outer shape 32 of the semiconductor chip 30 within the field of view of the chip confirmation camera 20. This allows the probe card 10 to be positioned relative to the semiconductor chip 30 and wafer 40. Since the positional relationship between the peripheral portion 15a and the probes 11 is known, the positional relationship between the probes 11 and the electrode pads 31 of the semiconductor chip 30 is determined. Based on this known positional relationship, the wafer 40 is moved the required amount in the X and Y directions so that the four electrode pads 31 face directly below the four probes 11. The probes 11 are then lowered relative to the wafer 40 to electrically contact the four probes 11 with the four electrode pads 31, and electrical characteristics are measured.

[0015] In the example of FIG. 1, the semiconductor chip 30 to be measured, imaged by the chip confirmation camera 20 through the peephole 15, and the semiconductor chip 30 located directly below the probe 11 are spaced apart in the X direction by twice the arrangement pitch P of the semiconductor chips 30, so it is sufficient to move the wafer 40 in the X direction by a distance of 2×P.

[0016] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.

[0017] (1) The probe card positioning device 1 uses a probe card 10 having a peephole 15 and probes 11 that can electrically contact electrode pads 31 of a semiconductor chip 30 as a device under test, and positions the probe card 10 by aligning a specific peripheral portion of the peephole 15 with or closely approaching a characteristic portion of the semiconductor chip 30 within the field of view of a chip checking camera 20. This allows for improved positioning accuracy compared to a structure in which a positioning member is added to the probe card 10. Also, the process of adding a positioning member is not required.

[0018] (2) The outer shape 32 of the semiconductor chip 30 on the wafer 40 is generally square or rectangular, and the positional relationship between the outer shape 32 and the electrode pads 31 is also known. Therefore, by configuring the peripheral portion 15a of the peephole 15 to coincide with or closely face each of the four sides of the outer shape 32 of the semiconductor chip 30 with a small gap, the probe card 10 can be positioned easily and accurately relative to the semiconductor chip 30.

[0019] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can also be adopted.

[0020] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the number of electrode pads on the semiconductor chip as the device under test matches the number of probes, but this does not necessarily have to be the same, and the number of probes may be increased to correspond to dummy pads or to enable simultaneous measurement of multiple semiconductor chips.

[0021] Furthermore, four specific peripheral portions are formed in the peephole to correspond to the four sides of the semiconductor chip as the device under test, but two specific peripheral portions may be formed in the peephole to correspond to two perpendicular sides of the semiconductor chip, and in this case too, positioning in the X and Y directions is possible.

[0022] In the above embodiment, the semiconductor chip, which is the device under test, is positioned relative to the probe card (in other words, the electrode pads of the semiconductor chip are positioned relative to the probe) by matching the outer shape of the device under test with a specific peripheral portion of the peephole formed in the probe card. However, the device under test may also be positioned relative to the probe card by matching a characteristic portion other than the outer shape of the device under test with a specific peripheral portion of the peephole.

[0023] Furthermore, even if the characteristic portion of the device under test and a specific peripheral portion of the peephole do not perfectly match, but are close to each other with a small gap, it is possible to position the device under test and the probe card (for example, when the small gap is sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the electrode pad).

[0024] In the above embodiment, the specific peripheral portion of the peephole has a straight portion of a certain length, but a pointed tip may also be used as the peripheral portion.

[0025] In the above embodiment, the peephole formed in the probe card is shaped to correspond to one semiconductor chip, but it may be shaped to include multiple semiconductor chips, or it may be shaped to include only the characteristic portion and its surroundings of one semiconductor chip.

[0026] Furthermore, although the probes are arranged to penetrate the substrate, in the case of a seed-type probe card, the probes that serve as contact points may be arranged only on the surface facing the device under test.

[0027] According to the present specification, there is provided a probe card positioning device having the following aspects.

[0028] (Aspect 1) a probe card having a probe capable of electrically contacting an electrode of a device under test and an eye hole; an imaging means for imaging the device under test through the peephole; a positional relationship between the probe and a specific peripheral portion of the peephole is known; A probe card positioning device that positions the probe card by matching the specific peripheral portion with or bringing the specific peripheral portion close to a characteristic portion of the device under test at a small interval within the field of view of the imaging means.

[0029] According to the above-mentioned first aspect, a probe card having a peephole and a probe capable of electrically contacting the electrodes of a device under test is used, and the probe card is positioned by aligning a specific peripheral portion of the peephole with or closely approaching a characteristic portion of the device under test within the field of view of the imaging means. This allows for improved positioning accuracy compared to a structure in which a positioning member is added to the probe card. Furthermore, the process of adding a positioning member is not required.

[0030] (Aspect 2) the characteristic portion of the device under test is an outer shape, A probe card positioning device that positions the probe card by matching the specific peripheral portion with the outer shape at multiple points or bringing the specific peripheral portion close to the outer shape at small intervals.

[0031] According to the above-mentioned aspect 2, since the positional relationship between the outer shape of the device under test and the electrodes is known, the outer shape is selected as a characteristic part of the device under test, and the peripheral part of the peephole is matched to the outer shape of the device under test or is closely opposed to it with a small gap, thereby making it possible to easily and accurately position the probe card relative to the device under test.

[0032] (Aspect 3) A probe card positioning device that positions the probe card by matching the specific peripheral portion with or bringing the specific peripheral portion close to two mutually perpendicular sides of the outer shape at a small interval.

[0033] According to the above-mentioned third aspect, the positional relationship between the outer shape of the device under test and the electrodes is known, and specific peripheral portions of the peephole are aligned with or closely spaced apart from two perpendicular sides of the outer shape, so that positioning in the X and Y directions can be performed with high accuracy.

[0034] (Aspect 4) A probe card having a probe capable of electrically contacting an electrode of a device under test and an eye hole, the device is mounted on a probe card positioning device having an imaging means for imaging the device under test through the peephole; In order to position the probe card by aligning a specific peripheral portion of the peephole with or closely approaching a characteristic portion of the device under test in the field of view of the imaging means, A probe card in which the positional relationship between the probe and the specific peripheral portion is known.

[0035] According to the above-mentioned fourth aspect, it is possible to provide a probe card that can improve the positioning accuracy without adding any positioning members.

[0036] (Aspect 5) a probe electrically connectable to an electrode of a device under test; a peephole that allows an imaging means to capture an image of the device under test; The peephole has a peripheral portion that allows the position of the probe card to be adjusted relative to the device under test by imaging through the peephole with the imaging means.

[0037] According to the above-mentioned fifth aspect, it is possible to provide a probe card that allows position adjustment without adding any positioning members. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1. Probe card positioning device 10 probe cards 11 Probe 15 Peephole 15a Peripheral area 20 Chip confirmation camera 30 Semiconductor chips 31 Electrode Pads 32 External shape

Claims

1. a probe card having a probe capable of electrically contacting an electrode of a device under test and an eye hole; an imaging means for imaging the device under test through the peephole; a positional relationship between the probe and a specific peripheral portion of the peephole is known; A probe card positioning device that positions the probe card by bringing the specific peripheral portion into contact with or very close to a characteristic portion of the device under test in the field of view of the imaging means.

2. the characteristic portion of the device under test is an outer shape, 2. The probe card positioning device according to claim 1, wherein the probe card is positioned by matching the specific peripheral portion with the outer shape at a plurality of points or by bringing the specific peripheral portion into close proximity with a small gap.

3. 3. The probe card positioning device according to claim 2, wherein the probe card is positioned by aligning the specific peripheral portion with or closely approaching two sides of the outer shape that are perpendicular to each other.

4. A probe card having a probe capable of electrically contacting an electrode of a device under test and an eye hole, the device is mounted on a probe card positioning device having an imaging means for imaging the device under test through the peephole; In order to position the probe card by aligning a specific peripheral portion of the peephole with or closely approaching a characteristic portion of the device under test in the field of view of the imaging means, A probe card in which the positional relationship between the probe and the specific peripheral portion is known.

5. a probe electrically connectable to an electrode of a device under test; a peephole that allows an imaging means to capture an image of the device under test; The peephole has a peripheral portion that allows the position of the probe card to be adjusted relative to the device under test by imaging through the peephole with the imaging means.

Images