Housing and prober

Abstract

To provide a housing for a prober and a prober to which the housing is applied, which can effectively reduce the influence of vibrations generated in each layer without lowering inspection throughput.SOLUTION: A housing 1 for a prober having a hierarchical structure in which a plurality of measurement units 30 are stacked in multiple stages includes a floor base 10 constituting the floor surface of each layer of the hierarchical structure, and side frame bodies 20 which are located on both sides of the measurement unit 30, and are arranged between the floor base 10 of one layer and the floor base 10 of another layer located above the one layer among the plurality of layers. The side frame body 20 includes a first side frame 21 erected on the floor base 10 of one layer and supporting the lower surface side of the floor base of another layer, and a second side frame 22 erected on the floor base 10 of one layer at a position different from that of the first side frame 21 and supporting a measurement unit constituent member arranged in the measurement unit 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a prober that inspects the electrical characteristics of multiple semiconductor devices (chips) formed on a semiconductor wafer, and in particular to a housing for the prober having multiple measuring units stacked in multiple stages, and a prober to which the housing is applied. [Background technology]

[0002] The semiconductor manufacturing process involves many steps, and various tests are performed at each step to ensure quality and improve yield. For example, at the stage where multiple semiconductor device chips are formed on a semiconductor wafer, wafer-level testing is performed in which electrode pads of the semiconductor device on each chip are connected to a test head, power and test signals are supplied from the test head, and signals output by the semiconductor device are measured by the test head to electrically test whether the semiconductor device operates normally.

[0003] Wafer-level testing is performed using a prober that contacts the electrode pads of each chip on the wafer with probes. The probes are electrically connected to terminals of a test head, which supplies power and test signals to each chip via the probes, and also detects output signals from each chip to determine whether they are functioning properly.

[0004] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, wafers are becoming larger and more miniaturized (integrated) to reduce manufacturing costs, and the number of chips formed on a single wafer is becoming significantly larger. As a result, the time required to inspect a single wafer using a prober is also increasing, and there is a demand for improved throughput.

[0005] Therefore, in order to improve throughput, multi-probing is being used, in which multiple probes are provided to enable simultaneous testing of multiple chips. In recent years, the number of chips being tested simultaneously has been increasing, and attempts are being made to simultaneously test all chips on a wafer. As a result, the tolerance for alignment between electrode pads and probes is becoming smaller, and there is a demand for improved positional accuracy in prober movement.

[0006] The easiest way to increase throughput is to increase the number of probers, but increasing the number of probers increases the installation area of ​​the probers in the production line. Furthermore, increasing the number of probers increases the equipment cost. Therefore, there is a need to increase throughput while suppressing increases in installation area and equipment cost.

[0007] To address these problems, a prober having multiple measurement units stacked in multiple stages has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). This prober has a hierarchical structure (multi-stage structure) in which multiple measurement units are stacked in multiple stages, so wafer-level inspection can be performed for each measurement unit, thereby improving throughput while suppressing increases in installation area and equipment costs.

[0008] On the other hand, Patent Document 3 discloses a technology in which an inspection device has multiple testers arranged in multiple levels, each level being provided with a transport stage that transports wafers to the testers on each level, and a controller that controls the movement of the transport stages on each level restricts the operation of transport stages on other levels when a transport stage on one level is in operation, thereby suppressing the effects of vibrations caused by the operation of transport stages on other levels. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-028296 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-181690 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2021-052065 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] In the probers disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, an alignment device (movable stage) is provided on each floor to detachably hold a wafer chuck and perform relative alignment between the wafer held on the wafer chuck and the probe card. This alignment device is configured to be movable between multiple measurement units arranged on each floor. When such a prober is configured using a housing (integrated housing) formed by combining multiple frames that form multiple compartments, the following problems arise.

[0011] That is, in the above-mentioned prober, each story is provided with an alignment device that can move between multiple measurement units, and when the alignment device is moved on one story, the vibrations caused by the movement of the alignment device are easily transmitted to the measurement units arranged on other stories via the frame that constitutes the housing, which may result in a deterioration in alignment accuracy, making it impossible to ensure sufficient contact accuracy between the wafer and the probes of the probe card, and may lead to a decrease in inspection accuracy.

[0012] On the other hand, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 3, when a transport stage on one of multiple levels is in operation, the operation of transport stages on other levels is restricted, which increases the time required to move the transport stages and may result in a decrease in inspection throughput.

[0013] Furthermore, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 3 is only effective against vibrations caused by movement of the transfer stage, and has the problem of being ineffective against vibrations that occur steadily due to other causes, such as vibrations caused by abnormalities in the test head on another floor.

[0014] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a prober housing having a hierarchical structure in which multiple measurement units are stacked in multiple levels, which can effectively reduce the effects of vibrations generated on each level without reducing the throughput of the test, and a prober to which this housing is applied. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] In order to solve the above problems, the following inventions are provided.

[0016] The prober housing of the first aspect is a prober housing having a hierarchical structure in which multiple measurement units are stacked in multiple stages, and comprises a floor base that forms the floor surface of each level of the hierarchical structure, and side frame bodies that are arranged between the floor base of one of the multiple levels and the floor base of another level that is located above the first level, and are located on both sides of the measurement units, and the side frame bodies have a first side frame that is erected on the floor base of the one level and supports the underside of the floor base of the other level, and a second side frame that is erected on the floor base of the one level at a position different from the first side frame and supports measurement unit components that are arranged in the measurement units.

[0017] In a prober housing according to a second aspect, the side frame body is arranged in a story other than the top story among the multiple stories of the first aspect, and by making the structure of the top story simpler than the stories other than the top story, the weight of the top story can be reduced and the structure of the entire housing can be stabilized.

[0018] The prober housing according to the third aspect is the same as that of the second aspect, and has a head plate having a holding portion for holding a measurement portion component, and the lower surface side of the head plate is supported by the second side frame.

[0019] A prober housing according to a fourth aspect is any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the second side frame is arranged in parallel to and adjacent to the first side frame.

[0020] A prober housing according to a fifth aspect is any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the measurement section component is a pogo frame, a probe card, or a test head.

[0021] A prober according to a sixth aspect includes a housing for a prober according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, and has at least two or more measurement units on one level, and a movable stage that can move the wafer to be inspected to each of the measurement units arranged on one level. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, in a prober housing having a hierarchical structure in which multiple measurement units are stacked in multiple levels, the effects of vibrations generated on each level can be effectively reduced without reducing the throughput of testing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view showing the overall configuration of a prober according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the prober shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram (front view) showing the internal structure of the measurement unit of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram (side view) showing the internal structure of the measurement unit of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a measurement unit. [Figure 6]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a test head, a pogo frame, a probe card, and a wafer chuck are integrated. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram (front view) showing another configuration example (comparative example) of the housing. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram (side view) showing another configuration example (comparative example) of the housing. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the effects of the housing according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the effects of the housing according to the present embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram (side view) showing a modified example of the housing according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a prober 100 according to this embodiment will be described, followed by a description of a housing 1 applied to the prober 100.

[0025] [Prober] First, the configuration of the prober 100 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is an external view showing the overall configuration of the prober 100. Figure 2 is a plan view of the prober 100 shown in Figure 1.

[0026] 1 and 2, the prober 100 according to this embodiment includes a loader section 114 that supplies and collects a wafer W (see FIG. 5) to be inspected, and a measurement unit 112 that is disposed adjacent to the loader section 114 and has a plurality of measurement sections 30. The measurement unit 112 has a plurality of measurement sections 30, and when a wafer W (to be inspected) is supplied from the loader section 114 to each measurement section 30, each measurement section 30 inspects the electrical characteristics of each chip on the wafer W (wafer-level inspection). The wafer W inspected by each measurement section 30 is then collected by the loader section 114. The prober 100 also includes an operation panel 121, a control device (not shown) that controls each section, and the like.

[0027] The loader section 114 includes a load port 118 on which a wafer cassette 120 is placed and a transfer unit 122 that transfers wafers W between the wafer cassette 120 and each measurement section 30 of the measuring unit 112. The transfer unit 122 includes a transfer unit drive mechanism (not shown) that is movable in the X and Z directions and rotatable in the θ direction (around the Z direction). The transfer unit 122 also includes a transfer arm 124, which can be extended and retracted back and forth by the transfer unit drive mechanism. An adsorption pad (not shown) is provided on the upper surface of the transfer arm 124, and the transfer arm 124 holds the wafer W by vacuum adsorption of the backside of the wafer W with this adsorption pad. As a result, the wafer W in the wafer cassette 120 is removed by the transfer arm 124 of the transfer unit 122 and transferred to each measurement section 30 of the measuring unit 112 while held on its upper surface. Furthermore, the inspected wafers W are returned from each measuring section 30 to the wafer cassette 120 via the reverse route.

[0028] Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams showing the internal structure of the measurement unit 112 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a diagram of the measurement unit 112 as seen from the front side (the loader section 114 side), and Figure 4 is a diagram of the measurement unit 112 as seen from the side.

[0029] 3 and 4, the measurement unit 112 has a hierarchical structure (multi-tier structure) in which a plurality of measurement parts 30 are stacked in multiple tiers, and the measurement parts 30 are arranged two-dimensionally along the X and Z directions. In this embodiment, as an example, four measurement parts 30 are stacked in the X direction, and three tiers are stacked in the Z direction.

[0030] The measurement unit 112 includes a housing 1 that defines a plurality of measurement sections 30. The housing 1 has a lattice shape formed by combining a plurality of frames in a lattice pattern. The configuration of the housing 1 will be described in detail later.

[0031] Each measurement unit 30 has the same configuration, and as shown in Figure 5, includes a head plate 44, a test head 43, a probe card 42, and a pogo frame 41 interposed between the test head 43 and the probe card 42.

[0032] The test head 43 is supported above the head plate 44 by a test head holder (not shown). The test head 43 is electrically connected to the probes 66 of the probe card 42, and supplies power and test signals to each chip for electrical testing, and detects output signals from each chip to measure whether it is operating normally.

[0033] The head plate 44 is supported by the housing 1, and has a pogo frame mounting portion 53 consisting of a circular opening corresponding to the planar shape of the pogo frame 41. The pogo frame mounting portion 53 has positioning pins 63, and the pogo frame 41 is fixed to the pogo frame mounting portion 53 after being positioned by the positioning pins 63. There is no particular limitation on the method for fixing the pogo frame 41, but a suitable method is, for example, to fix the pogo frame 41 by vacuum adsorption to the support surface (adsorption surface) of the pogo frame mounting portion 53 using a suction means (not shown). Note that mechanical fixing means such as screws may be used as fixing means other than vacuum adsorption.

[0034] The pogo frame 41 has a large number of pogo pins (not shown) that electrically connect terminals formed on the lower surface (the surface facing the pogo frame 41) of the test head 43 to terminals formed on the upper surface (the surface facing the pogo frame 41) of the probe card 42. Ring-shaped seal members 60 and 62 are formed on the outer peripheries of the upper surface (the surface facing the test head 43) and the lower surface (the surface facing the probe card 42), respectively, of the pogo frame 41. Then, a suction means (not shown) reduces the pressure in the space surrounded by the test head 43, the pogo frame 41, and the seal member 60, and in the space surrounded by the probe card 42, the pogo frame 41, and the seal member 62, thereby integrating the test head 43, the pogo frame 41, and the probe card 42 (see FIG. 6).

[0035] The probe card 42 has a large number of probes 66 corresponding to the electrodes of each chip on the wafer W. Each probe 66 is formed to protrude downward from the lower surface of the probe card 42 (the surface facing the wafer chuck 150) and is electrically connected to each terminal provided on the upper surface of the probe card 42 (the surface facing the pogo frame 41). Therefore, when the test head 43, the pogo frame 41, and the probe card 42 are integrated, each probe 66 is electrically connected to each terminal of the test head 43 via the pogo frame 41. Note that the probe card 42 in this example has a large number of probes 66 corresponding to the electrodes of all chips on the wafer W to be inspected, and each measurement unit 30 simultaneously inspects all chips on the wafer W held by the wafer chuck 150.

[0036] The wafer chuck 150 fixes the wafer W by vacuum suction or the like. The wafer chuck 150 is detachably supported by an alignment device 13 (described later) and is movable in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions by the alignment device 13. A ring-shaped seal member 64 is provided on the outer periphery of the upper surface (wafer mounting surface) of the wafer chuck 150. The space surrounded by the probe card 42, wafer chuck 150, and seal member 64 is depressurized by a suction means (not shown), thereby attracting the wafer chuck 150 toward the probe card 42. This causes each probe 66 of the probe card 42 to come into contact with the electrode pads of each chip on the wafer W, enabling testing to begin.

[0037] Inside the wafer chuck 150, a heating / cooling mechanism (not shown) is provided as a heating / cooling source so that electrical characteristic testing of chips can be performed at high temperatures (e.g., up to 150°C) or low temperatures (e.g., down to -40°C). Any suitable known heater / cooler can be used as the heating / cooling mechanism, and various types are conceivable, such as a double-layer structure with a heating layer of a surface heater and a cooling layer with a cooling fluid passage, or a single-layer heating / cooling device with a cooling pipe wrapped around a heater embedded in a thermal conductor. Instead of electrical heating, a device that circulates a thermal fluid or a Peltier element may also be used.

[0038] The measurement unit 112 further includes an alignment device 13 that detachably supports the wafer chuck 150. The alignment device 13 is provided for each level and is configured to be movable between the multiple measurement units 30 arranged on each level (each level) by an alignment device drive mechanism (not shown). That is, the alignment device 13 is shared by the multiple (four in this example) measurement units 30 arranged on the same level (level) and moves between the multiple measurement units 30 arranged on the same level. The alignment device 13 is an example of a "moving stage" in the present invention. After moving to each measurement unit 30, the alignment device 13 is fixed to a positioning and fixing device (not shown). The alignment device drive mechanism moves the wafer chuck 150 in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions to align the wafer W held on the wafer chuck 150 with the probe card 42 relative to each other. Although not shown in the figure, the alignment device 13 includes a needle position detection camera and a wafer chuck 150 for detecting the relative positional relationship between the electrodes of the chips of the wafer W held by the wafer chuck 150 and the probes 66. a It is equipped with an alignment camera.

[0039] Although the alignment device 13 adheres and fixes the wafer chuck 150 by vacuum suction or the like, any fixing means other than vacuum suction may be used as long as it can fix the wafer chuck 150, for example, mechanical means may be used. The alignment device 13 is also provided with a positioning member (not shown) so that the relative positional relationship with the wafer chuck 150 is always constant.

[0040] Next, an inspection method using the prober 100 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0041] When inspection is performed using the prober 100 of this embodiment, in the loader section 114, the wafer W in the wafer cassette 120 is removed by the transport arm 124 of the transport unit 122 and transported to each measurement section 30 of the measurement unit 112 while being held on the upper surface of the transport arm 124.

[0042] Meanwhile, in the measurement unit 112, the alignment device 13 provided for each story (each stage) moves to a predetermined measurement section 30, and the wafer chuck 150 is positioned on the upper surface of the alignment device 13 and fixed by suction.

[0043] Subsequently, the alignment device 13 moves the wafer chuck 150 to a predetermined transfer position. Then, when the wafer W is transferred from the transfer unit 122 of the loader section 114, the wafer W is held on the upper surface of the wafer chuck 150.

[0044] Next, the alignment device 13 moves the wafer chuck 150 holding the wafer W to a predetermined alignment position, and then detects the needle position from a needle position detection camera (not shown) and the wafer W. a The alignment camera detects the relative positional relationship between the electrodes of the chips of the wafer W held on the wafer chuck 150 and the probe 66, and based on the detected positional relationship, the wafer chuck 150 is moved in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions to align the wafer W held on the wafer chuck 150 with the probe card 42 relative to each other.

[0045] After this alignment is completed, the alignment device 13 moves the wafer chuck 150 to a predetermined measurement position (a position facing the probe card 42) and raises the wafer chuck 150 to a predetermined height (specifically, a height at which the seal member 64 formed on the upper surface of the wafer chuck 150 contacts the lower surface of the probe card 42 (the surface facing the wafer chuck 150)). At this time, it is preferable that suction by a suction means (not shown) be started before the seal member 64 contacts the lower surface of the probe card 42 (i.e., before the space surrounded by the probe card 42, the wafer chuck 150, and the seal member 64 becomes a sealed space). In this way, even when the wafer chuck 150 is raised, suction by the suction means is still being performed, making it possible to prevent the influence of a reaction force due to the compression of the space. Note that suction by the suction means may be started simultaneously with the seal member 64 contacting the lower surface of the probe card 42.

[0046] Thereafter, the alignment device 13 releases the fixation of the wafer chuck 150. As a result, the wafer chuck 150 is detached from the alignment device 13. Then, the suction by the suction means reduces the pressure in the space surrounded by the probe card 42, the wafer chuck 150, and the seal member 64, so that the wafer chuck 150 is drawn toward the probe card 42, the probe card 42 and the wafer chuck 150 come into close contact with each other, and each probe 66 of the probe card 42 comes into contact with the electrode pad of each chip on the wafer W with a uniform contact pressure.

[0047] As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the measurement unit 30 is in a state where the test head 43, the pogo frame 41, the probe card 42, and the wafer chuck 150 are integrated, and is ready to start wafer-level inspection.

[0048] Thereafter, power and test signals are supplied from the test head 43 to each chip on the wafer W, and signals output from the chips are detected to perform an electrical operation test.

[0049] Similarly, for the other measurement units 30, a wafer W is supplied onto the wafer chuck 150, and after the alignment operation and contact operation are completed in each measurement unit 30, simultaneous testing of each chip on the wafer W is performed sequentially. That is, in each measurement unit 30, power and test signals are supplied from the test head 43 to each chip on the wafer W, and signals output from the chips are detected to perform an electrical operation test.

[0050] When the inspection is completed in each measurement section 30, the alignment device 13 is moved to each measurement section 30 in sequence to retrieve the wafer chuck 150 holding the inspected wafer W.

[0051] That is, when the alignment device 13 moves to the measurement section 30 where the inspection has been completed, the alignment device 13 rises to a position where its upper surface abuts against the wafer chuck 150, and the reduced pressure in the space surrounded by the probe card 42, the wafer chuck 150, and the seal member 64 is released. Then, the alignment device 13 positions and fixes the wafer chuck 150 on its upper surface. Furthermore, the alignment device 13 moves the wafer chuck 150 to a predetermined transfer position, releases the fixed inspected wafer W from the wafer chuck 150, and transfers it to the transfer unit 122. The inspected wafer W transferred to the transfer unit 122 is held by the transfer arm 124 and returned to the wafer cassette 120 arranged in the loader section 114.

[0052] 3 and 4, in this embodiment, one wafer chuck 150 is assigned to each measurement unit 30, but the wafer chuck 150 may be shared among a plurality of measurement units 30. In this case, the alignment device 13 moves the wafer chuck 150 between the plurality of measurement units 30 that share the wafer chuck 150.

[0053] [Case] Next, a detailed description will be given of the configuration of the housing 1 applied to the prober 100 according to this embodiment. The housing 1 is an example of the "housing for a prober" in the present invention.

[0054] 3 and 4, the housing 1 of this embodiment is configured such that a plurality of sections corresponding to the measurement units 30 are formed on each floor by combining a plurality of frames in a lattice pattern. In this housing 1, the frames (side frame bodies 20) arranged on each floor (except the top floor in this embodiment) have a divided frame structure in order to effectively suppress vibrations (such as vibrations caused by movement of the alignment device 13 and vibrations constantly occurring in each measurement unit 30) generated in the prober 100. As will be described in detail later, the side frame body 20 arranged on one floor is made up of a first side frame 21 that supports the other floors arranged above, and a second side frame 22 that supports the measurement unit components (including the head plate 44, pogo frame 41, probe card 42, and test head 43) arranged in the measurement unit 30 on the first floor. 2 and In the following description, in Figures 3 and 4, the layers will be referred to as the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer, from bottom to top. In the example shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first layer is the bottom layer and the third layer is the top layer.

[0055] First, in the housing 1 of this embodiment, the configuration of the top layer is different from that of the other layers for reasons that will be described later. First, the configurations of the layers other than the top layer, that is, the first and second layers in Figures 3 and 4, will be described.

[0056] Each story except the top story has a floor base 10 that forms the floor surface of each story in the hierarchical structure, and a plurality of side frame bodies 20 provided between the floor bases 10 of each story. The floor base 10 is long in the X direction (the X direction is the longitudinal direction) and has a flat plate shape parallel to the XY plane, and is preferably formed in common between the measurement units 30 (compartments) provided on one story.

[0057] Preferably, the ceiling of a certain story other than the top story also serves as the floor base 10 of the story immediately below it. For example, in Figures 3 and 4, the floor base 10 of the third story also serves as the ceiling of the floor base 10 of the second story.

[0058] Preferably, a guide rail (not shown) for guiding the movement of the alignment device 13 in the X direction is provided on the upper surface of the floor base 10 of each story.

[0059] The multiple side frame bodies 20 are arranged between the floor base 10 of a certain story and the floor base 10 of another story located above that story, and are also arranged at both ends in the Y direction of the floor base 10 (both sides in the Y direction).

[0060] The side frame body 20 includes two types: a first side frame 21 and a second side frame 22 provided separately from the first side frame 21.

[0061] The first side frame 21 is, for example, a columnar shape extending in the Z direction. One end of the first side frame 21 is disposed at, for example, the end in the Y direction of the upper surface of the floor base 10 of a certain story, and the other end is disposed at, for example, the end in the Y direction of the lower surface of the floor base 10 of another story located above that story.

[0062] In other words, the first side frame 21 is erected on the upper surface (the surface on which the guide rails are formed) of the floor base 10 of a certain story, and supports the lower surface (the surface opposite to the surface on which the guide rails are formed) of the floor base 10 of another story located above that story.

[0063] Explaining with reference to Figure 4, for example, the first side frame 21 of the second story supports the floor base 10 of the third (top) story. In this way, by connecting multiple floor bases 10 in the Z direction using multiple first side frames 21, a multi-tiered tier structure is formed.

[0064] The second side frames 22 are erected on the upper surface of the floor base 10 of each story at positions different from the first side frames 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the second side frames 22 are installed in parallel at positions adjacent to the first side frames 21. The second side frames 22 are also arranged at regular intervals in the X direction, and more specifically, are arranged between the measuring units 30 and outside the measuring units 30 at both ends in the X direction.

[0065] Each second side frame 22 is, for example, substantially gate-shaped and includes two pillars 221 extending in the Z direction and a beam 222 spanning between the two pillars 221 and extending in the Y direction. The shape of the beam 222 is not necessarily a straight rod, but is changed as appropriate to match the shape and desired arrangement of the measuring unit components (described below). The two pillars 221 of the second side frame 22 are, for example, disposed near both ends of each measuring unit 30 in the Y direction.

[0066] The measurement unit components arranged in each measurement unit 30 on each level except the top level include a head plate 44, a pogo frame 41, a probe card 42, and a test head 43. The head plate 44 is a flat member arranged in the measurement unit 30, and has the pogo frame mounting portion 53 (see FIG. 5) as described above. The pogo frame 41 is fixed to the pogo frame mounting portion 53 of the head plate 44, and the test head 43 and the probe card 42 are integrated onto the top and bottom surfaces of the pogo frame 41 by suction means (not shown). In other words, the head plate 44 is a member that directly or indirectly supports the measurement unit components, the pogo frame 41, the probe card 42, and the test head 43.

[0067] The head plate 44 configured in this manner is supported by the second side frame 22 (more specifically, the beams 222). The position where the head plate 44 is supported by the second side frame 22 is preferably the underside of the head plate 44, but is not limited to this and may be another position (for example, the side of the head plate 44). As a result, the measuring unit components arranged in each measuring unit 30 on each level except the top level are each supported directly or indirectly by the second side frame 22, and the above-mentioned inspection is performed in each measuring unit 30.

[0068] In this way, on floors other than the top floor, a first side frame 21 that supports the floor base 10 of the upper floor and a second side frame 22 that supports the measurement section components arranged on that floor are provided separately.

[0069] Next, the configuration of the top floor will be described. The top floor comprises a floor base 10, a plurality of top-level side frame bodies 23, and a frame portion 24. In the top floor (the third floor in FIGS. 3 and 4), the top-level side frame body 23 may have the same configuration as the side frame bodies 20 of the other floors, as in a modified example described later (see FIG. 11). However, because there is no need to support the floor base 10 of the upper floor, there is no need to configure the side frame body 20 with two different frames (a first side frame 21 and a second side frame 22) as in the floors other than the top floor. Furthermore, simplifying the configuration of the top floor to reduce its weight will result in a more stable overall configuration of the housing 1.

[0070] For these reasons, the top side frame body 23 on the top floor has a simpler configuration than the side frame bodies 20 on the other floors. More specifically, the top side frame body 23 has both the function of supporting the ceiling (not shown) and the function of supporting the components of the measurement unit. In other words, it fulfills the functions of the first side frame 21 and the second side frame 22 in the side frame bodies 20 on the other floors.

[0071] 3 and 4, the top side frame body 23 is disposed at a position substantially corresponding to the second side frame 22, and has substantially the same shape as the second side frame 22. That is, the top side frame body 23 is erected on the upper surface of the floor base 10 of the top story, similar to the second side frame 22. The top side frame bodies 23 are also arranged at regular intervals in the X direction, and more specifically, are disposed between the measuring units 30 and outside the measuring units 30 at both ends in the X direction.

[0072] The top side frame body 23 is generally gate-shaped and includes two pillars 231 extending in the Z direction and a beam 232 extending in the Y direction between the two pillars 231. The upper end side of the pillars 231 extends beyond the beam 232 to the frame 24 that constitutes the ceiling of the top floor.

[0073] The shape of the beam 232 is changed as appropriate to suit the shape and desired arrangement of the components of the measurement unit. The two pillars 231 of the uppermost side frame body 23 are disposed near both ends of each measurement unit 30 in the Y direction, for example.

[0074] The measurement unit components arranged in each measurement unit 30 on the top level, like those on the levels other than the top level, include a head plate 44, a pogo frame 41, a probe card 42, and a test head 43. Also, like those on the levels other than the top level, the head plate 44 on the top level is a member that directly or indirectly supports the measurement unit components, that is, the pogo frame 41, the probe card 42, and the test head 43.

[0075] The head plate 44 on the top story is supported by the top side frame body 23 (more specifically, the beams 232). The position where the head plate 44 is supported by the top side frame body 23 is preferably the underside of the head plate 44, but this is not limited to this and other positions (for example, the side surfaces of the head plate 44) are also acceptable. As a result, the measuring unit components arranged in each measuring unit 30 on the top story are each supported directly or indirectly by the top side frame body 23.

[0076] The frame portion 24 connects the upper ends of the uppermost side frame bodies 23 in the Z direction, and a ceiling (not shown) is fixed to the frame portion 24.

[0077] 7 and 8 are diagrams showing another example (comparative example) of the configuration of a housing applied to a prober. Fig. 7 is a front view of the housing according to the comparative example, and Fig. 8 is a side view of the housing according to the comparative example. In the housing according to the comparative example shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the side frames 50 of each story have an integrated frame structure that has both the function of supporting the floor base 10 of the upper story and the function of supporting the measurement unit components.

[0078] For this reason, in the housing according to the comparative example, when the alignment device 13 moves on one story and causes vibrations in the floor base 10, the vibrations tend to propagate through the side frames 50 to the floor bases 10 on other stories located above or below that story. As a result, even after the movement of the alignment device 13 is completed, there is a problem in that it takes a long time for the vibrations caused by the movement of the alignment device 13 to settle.

[0079] In addition, in the housing of the comparative example, vibrations from the floor base 10 of one story are transmitted directly to the side frames 50 of other stories located above and below that story, causing the components of the measurement section supported by the side frames 50 of the other stories to vibrate, which has a negative impact on alignment accuracy and the results of wafer-level inspection.

[0080] On the other hand, the housing 1 according to this embodiment employs a split frame structure in which the first side frame 21 that supports the floor base 10 on the upper level and the second side frame 22 that supports the measurement unit components are separate bodies. Therefore, when the alignment device 13 moves on one level and vibrations occur in the floor base 10, even if the vibrations propagate along the first side frame 21 to the floor base 10 on another level, they are unlikely to propagate to the measurement unit components that are supported by the second side frame 22 that is separate from the first side frame 21.

[0081] This makes it possible to suppress adverse effects of vibrations caused by the movement of the alignment device 13 on one story on the results of wafer-level inspection and alignment accuracy on other stories located above and below that story.

[0082] Furthermore, according to the housing 1 of this embodiment, among the alignment devices 13 arranged on each floor, there is no need to restrict the operation of the alignment devices 13 on one floor while the alignment device 13 on the other floors is operating, so it is possible to effectively suppress the effects of vibrations caused by the movement of the alignment devices 13 without incurring the disadvantage of a decrease in the throughput of wafer-level inspection.

[0083] Furthermore, according to the housing 1 of this embodiment, by adopting the above-mentioned split frame structure, even if vibrations occur due to causes other than movement of the alignment device 13, such as an abnormality in one of the components that make up the measurement unit 30 (e.g., the test head 43), the influence of the vibrations on the measurement unit 30 on other levels can be prevented.

[0084] Next, the effects achieved by the housing 1 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a graph schematically showing the vibrations in the side frame 50 of a story located below a certain story when a vibration of a certain amplitude is applied to the floor base 10 of that story for a certain period of time in the housing according to the comparative example shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 10 is a graph schematically showing the vibrations in the second side frame 22 of a story located below that story when a vibration of a certain amplitude is applied to the floor base 10 of the housing 1 according to this embodiment for a certain period of time, as in the comparative example. The graphs in FIGS. 9 and 10 show the output waveforms of a vibrometer. In these graphs, the horizontal axis represents time in seconds, and the vertical axis represents output voltage (corresponding to the vibration amplitude) in mV.

[0085] In the graphs shown in Figures 9 and 10, the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the output voltage corresponds to the amplitude of vibrations that occur in the measurement section components of a floor located at a lower level due to the propagation of vibrations generated on a certain floor.

[0086] In the graph shown in Fig. 9, the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the output voltage of the vibrometer is approximately 129 mV, which corresponds to the amplitude of vibration in the second side frame 22 of the lower story in the housing of the comparative example. On the other hand, in the graph shown in Fig. 10, the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the output voltage of the vibrometer is approximately 71.656 mV, which corresponds to the amplitude of vibration in the second side frame 22 of the lower story in the housing 1 of the present embodiment. Comparing the amplitudes of both values ​​reveals that the housing 1 of the present embodiment can reduce the amplitude, i.e., the magnitude of vibration, by more than 40% compared to the housing of the comparative example.

[0087] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the configuration of the top floor is simpler than the remaining floors in order to reduce the weight of the top floor and stabilize the overall structure of the housing 1. However, the configuration of the top floor may be the same as the configuration of the remaining floors. FIG. 11 shows a schematic configuration diagram (side view) of a measurement unit 112 as a modified example, in which a housing 2 whose top floor has the same configuration as the remaining floors is used. A front view of the housing 2 according to this modified example is omitted because it is the same as FIG. 3. Naturally, the housing 2 according to this modified example can also achieve the above-mentioned effects.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the number of layers in the measurement unit 112 and the number of measurement sections 30 are not limited to the examples shown in FIGS.

[0089] [effect] As described above, according to the housing 1 of this embodiment, a split frame structure is employed in the side frame body 20, in which the first side frame 21 that supports the floor base 10 of the upper story and the second side frame 22 that supports the measurement unit components are configured as separate bodies. As a result, even if the alignment device 13 moves on a certain story, causing vibrations in the floor base 10 and propagating via the first side frame 21 to the floor bases 10 of the stories above and below, the vibrations are less likely to propagate to the measurement unit components that are supported by the second side frame 22 that is separate from the first side frame 21 on the stories above and below.

[0090] In turn, it is possible to suppress the influence of vibrations caused by the movement of the alignment device 13 on a certain story on the alignment accuracy and the results of wafer-level inspection on stories located above and below that story.

[0091] The housing 1 of this embodiment does not restrict the movement of the alignment device 13, so it is possible to maintain good throughput of wafer-level inspection using a prober while suppressing the impact of vibrations on alignment accuracy and the results of wafer-level inspection.

[0092] According to the housing 1 of this embodiment, the influence of vibration is reduced by adopting a split frame structure, so that the above effect can be achieved even if vibration occurs due to a cause other than movement of the alignment device 13, for example, an abnormality in the measurement unit 30.

[0093] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and various improvements and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1, 2...housing, 10...floor base, 13...alignment device, 20...side frame body, 21...first side frame, 22...second side frame, 23...uppermost side frame body, 24...frame portion, 30...measuring portion, 41...pogo frame, 42...probe card, 43...test head, 44...head plate, 50...side frame, 53...pogo frame mounting portion, 60, 62, 64...sealing member, 63...positioning pin, 66...probe, 221...pillar portion, 222...beam portion, 231...pillar portion, 232...beam portion, 100...prober, 112...measuring unit, 114...loader portion, 118...load port, 120...wafer cassette, 121...operation panel, 122...transport unit, 124...transport arm, 150...wafer chuck, W...wafer

Claims

1. A housing for a prober having a hierarchical structure in which a plurality of measurement units are stacked in multiple stages, and a movable stage configured to be movable between two or more measurement units arranged on the same stage, a floor base that constitutes the floor surface of each story of the storied structure; a side frame body disposed between the floor base of one of the plurality of stories and the floor base of another story located above the first story, and disposed on both sides of each of two or more measuring units disposed on the first story; Equipped with The side frame body is a first side frame that is erected on the floor base of the first story and supports the underside of the floor base of the other story; a second side frame that is erected on the floor base of the first story at a position different from the first side frame and that supports measuring unit components that are to be disposed in the measuring unit; and A housing for a prober, wherein each of the second side frames is gate-shaped and includes two pillars and a beam extending between the two pillars so that the moving stage can move between the two or more measurement units on the first floor.

2. The side frame body is disposed on a story other than the top story among the plurality of stories.

2. The prober housing according to claim 1.

3. a head plate having a holding portion for holding the measurement portion constituent member; The lower surface side of the head plate is supported by the second side frame.

3. The prober housing according to claim 2.

4. The second side frame is arranged adjacent to the first side frame. The prober housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The measurement unit component is a pogo frame, a probe card, or a test head.

5. A housing for a prober according to claim 1.

6. In the first story, the floor base is elongated in a first direction and is a flat plate parallel to a horizontal plane, In the first story, the moving stage is movable in the first direction, In the second side frame, the beam portion extends in a second direction different from the first direction in the horizontal plane.

6. A housing for a prober according to claim 1.

7. A prober housing according to any one of claims 1 to 6, Two or more measurement units are provided on the first floor, a moving stage that can move a wafer to be inspected to each of the two or more measurement units arranged on the first floor; Prover.

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