Inspection device and inspection method

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of promoting miniaturization of a device while stably securing power at inspection of an inspection object.SOLUTION: An inspection device electrically inspects an inspection object. The inspection device comprises: a power supply module that supplies power to be used for the inspection; a secondary battery that is separately provided from the power supply module, and can charge and discharge power; and a power control circuit that electrically connects the power supply module, the secondary battery, and the inspection object. In addition, the inspection device comprises: a switch part that is provided in the power control circuit, and can switch a connection state of the power supply module, the secondary battery, and the inspection object; and a control part that sets the power to be used for the inspection, and controls the connection state of the switch part on the basis of the set power.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an inspection apparatus and an inspection method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an inspection apparatus including a plurality of testers (inspection units) that perform electrical inspection of a test object. This type of inspection apparatus includes a power supply circuit for supplying power used for inspection to each inspection unit.

[0003] In recent years, with the progress of high definition of wafers, the power used for wafer inspection has increased, and accordingly, the circuit scale and size of the power supply circuit applied to the inspection apparatus tend to increase. On the other hand, the inspection apparatus is required to be space-saving in consideration of the footprint of the factory where it is installed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique that can promote miniaturization of the apparatus while stably ensuring power during inspection of an inspection target.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an inspection device for electrically inspecting an object to be inspected, comprising: a power supply module for supplying power used for the inspection; a secondary battery provided separately from the power supply module and capable of charging and discharging power; a power control circuit for electrically connecting the power supply module, the secondary battery and the object to be inspected; and a switch unit provided in the power control circuit that can switch the connection state of the power supply module, the secondary battery and the object to be inspected. The power control circuit is provided inside or outside the said power control circuit. The system includes a control unit that sets the power used for the inspection and controls the connection state of the switch unit based on the set power. The control unit calculates the power consumption of the inspection, compares the calculated power consumption with the maximum output power of the power module, and switches the connection state of the switch unit so that only the power module's power is supplied to the inspection target without using the secondary battery's power if the power consumption is equal to or greater than the maximum output power, calculates the amount of replenishment power that the secondary battery will supply over the entire time series of the inspection, compares the calculated replenishment power amount with the secondary battery's charge level, and switches the connection state of the switch unit so that the secondary battery's power is supplied to the inspection target in addition to the power module's power if the secondary battery's charge level is equal to or greater than the replenishment power amount, while switching the connection state of the switch unit so that the power module's power is supplied to the secondary battery if the secondary battery's charge level is less than the replenishment power amount. Inspection equipment is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one embodiment, it is possible to ensure a stable power supply during inspection of the object being inspected while promoting miniaturization of the device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows the overall configuration of an inspection device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inspection device along its horizontal direction. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view along the vertical direction of the transport area and the inspection area. [Figure 4] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a test unit with a tester and probe card. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing the hardware configuration of the power supply circuit. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating the functional components of a control IC. [Figure 7] Figure 7(A) is an operational diagram showing an example where power is supplied to the wafer using only a DC / DC power supply. Figure 7(B) is an operational diagram showing an example where power is supplied to the wafer using both a DC / DC power supply and a battery. [Figure 8]Figure 8(A) is an operational diagram showing an example of supplying power from a DC / DC power supply to a battery. Figure 8(B) is an operational diagram showing an example of supplying power from a DC / DC power supply to both a wafer and a battery. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the inspection method of an inspection apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram showing the functional section of the control IC according to the first modified example. [Figure 11] Figure 11(A) is a block diagram showing the functional parts of a control IC according to a second modified example. Figure 11(B) is a block diagram showing the functional parts of a control IC according to a third modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes embodiments for implementing this disclosure with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are used for identical components, and redundant explanations may be omitted.

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an inspection apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, where (A) is a perspective view from the loading / unloading area 12 and (B) is a perspective view from the inspection area 14. The inspection apparatus 1 according to one embodiment performs electrical inspection of a wafer W, which is an example of a substrate. For example, the wafer W has a semiconductor device such as an LSI or semiconductor memory on its surface, which is the device to be inspected. Note that the substrate to be inspected is not limited to a wafer W, but may also be a carrier on which semiconductor devices are arranged, a glass substrate, a single chip, an electronic circuit board, etc.

[0011] The inspection device 1 has a rectangular housing 11, and within this housing 11 are multiple testers 20 for actually inspecting wafers W. The inspection device 1 also has a control device 30 (control unit) for controlling the operation of the inspection device 1, and an operating terminal 40 for the user to operate the inspection device 1.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the horizontal direction of the inspection apparatus 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 11 includes a loading / unloading area 12 for loading and unloading the wafer W between the outside and the inside of the housing 11, a transfer area 13 for transferring the wafer W in the loading / unloading area 12, and an inspection area 14 for inspecting the wafer W transferred from the transfer area 13.

[0013] In the loading / unloading area 12, a plurality of loading / unloading sections 12a are provided along the horizontal direction of the housing 11. Each loading / unloading section 12a includes a load port 15, an aligner 16, etc. A FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), which is a container for accommodating a plurality of wafers W, is set in the load port 15. The aligner 16 performs alignment of the wafer W. In addition, the loading / unloading area 12 has a loader 17 for loading and unloading the wafer W and the probe card PR (see FIG. 4) used in the tester 20 from the FOUP.

[0014] The transfer area 13 has a plurality of transfer stages 18 movable to the loading / unloading area 12 and the inspection area 14. Each transfer stage 18 is provided one by one on each tester line 14L in the inspection area 14 described later. The transfer stage 18 has a chuck device 18a for vacuum-sucking and positioning and fixing the wafer W, and is provided with a moving mechanism (not shown) movable in three-dimensional directions (X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, Z-axis direction).

[0015] The transfer stage 18 receives the wafer W in the FOUP set in the load port 15 from the loader 17 and transfers it to the inspection area 14. In addition, the transfer stage 18 transfers the wafer W whose inspection has ended from the inspection area 14 to the loading / unloading area 12, delivers the wafer W to the loader 17, and accommodates it in the FOUP. Further, the transfer stage 18 also transfers the probe card PR between the loading / unloading area 12 and the inspection area 14 when replacing the probe card PR of the tester 20.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the vertical direction of the conveyance area 13 and the inspection area 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the inspection area 14 has a plurality of testers 20 for inspecting the wafer W. Specifically, the plurality of testers 20 are arranged in a matrix in the horizontal and vertical directions (height direction: Z-axis direction) (see also FIG. 1(B)). Hereinafter, a group of the plurality of testers 20 arranged in the horizontal direction is referred to as a tester line 14L. The tester line 14L has four testers 20 in the horizontal direction, and the inspection apparatus 1 has three stages (multiple stages) of this tester line 14L in the vertical direction. That is, the inspection apparatus 1 includes twelve testers 20. Of course, the inspection apparatus 1 is not particularly limited with respect to the number of testers 20 constituting the tester line 14L and the number of stages of the tester line 14L.

[0017] Further, the inspection area 14 includes one camera 19 for each of the plurality of tester lines 14L. Each camera 19 moves horizontally along the corresponding tester line 14L, and images the position and the like of the wafer W conveyed by the conveyance stage 18 in front of each tester 20 constituting the tester line 14L.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an inspection unit 21 having a tester 20 and a probe card PR. As shown in FIG. 4, each tester 20 has a pogo frame 22 (test head) for mounting the probe card PR, and performs an electrical inspection of the wafer W in a state where the probe card PR is mounted. That is, in the inspection of the wafer W, the inspection apparatus 1 forms the inspection unit 21 by assembling the tester 20 and the probe card PR.

[0019] The main part of each tester 20 is installed via a base 20a on the upper part of the pogo frame 22 connected to the frame in the housing 11. Further, a probe card PR is mounted on the lower part of the pogo frame 22.

[0020] The probe card PR comprises a disc-shaped body 23, numerous electrodes 24 positioned on the upper surface of the body 23, and numerous contact probes 25 (contact terminals) connected to each electrode 24 and protruding downward from the lower surface of the body 23. Each contact probe 25 electrically contacts the electrode pads and solder bumps of each semiconductor device formed on the wafer W during wafer W inspection. Each contact probe 25 simultaneously inspects the electrical characteristics of numerous semiconductor devices by, for example, making contact with the entire surface of the wafer W at once.

[0021] The pogo frame 22 is formed in a substantially flat shape and has multiple through holes 26 near its center. A pogo block 27, consisting of numerous pogo pins, is inserted into each through hole 26. The pogo block 27 is connected to the test circuit of the main unit of the tester 20 and can also make contact with the numerous electrodes 24 of the probe card PR.

[0022] Furthermore, the pogo frame 22 has a vacuum mechanism 28 that creates a vacuum between the pogo frame 22 and the transport stage 18. The vacuum mechanism 28 includes a flange 28a that engages with the pogo frame 22 so as to be vertically movable, a bellows 28b that surrounds the space between the pogo frame 22 and the flange 28a, and sealing members 28c and 28d that surround the space between the pogo frame 22, the base 20a, and the probe card PR. In addition, a contact member 28e that can make airtight contact with the chuck device 18a is provided on the lower end surface of the flange 28a. The vacuum mechanism 28 attaches the base 20a and the pogo frame 22, and also attaches the chuck device 18a and the probe card PR to the pogo frame 22, by evacuating the space surrounded by the sealing member 28c using a vacuum pump (not shown).

[0023] Each tester 20 has a control board 29 inside that operates each component. The control board 29 is a built-in computer board for the tester that has one or more processors 29a, memory 29b, input / output interfaces (not shown), and electronic circuits. The one or more processors 29a are a combination of one or more of the following: CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), circuits consisting of multiple discrete semiconductors, etc., and execute programs stored in memory 29b. Memory 29b includes non-volatile memory and volatile memory and forms the storage section of the control board 29.

[0024] When the control board 29 receives a control command from the control device 30 while executing a program from the processor 29a, it controls each component according to the recipe stored in the memory 29b to perform an electrical inspection of the wafer W. The control board 29 then transmits the inspection results of the wafer W to the control device 30.

[0025] The control device 30 of the inspection device 1 is a control computer for the entire inspection device 1, having one or more processors 31, memory 32, input / output interfaces 33, and electronic circuits 34. The processor 31 is a combination of one or more of the following: CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, or circuits consisting of multiple discrete semiconductors. The memory 32 includes non-volatile memory and volatile memory and forms the storage unit of the control device 30.

[0026] The control device 30 is connected to the load port 15, aligner 16, loader 17, transport stage 18, camera 19, and tester 20 (see Figure 2 for all of these) via an input / output interface 33, enabling communication between them.

[0027] Furthermore, the control device 30 is connected to an operation terminal 40 provided on the housing 11 of the inspection device 1 via an input / output interface 33 (see Figure 1). The operation terminal 40 may be a touch panel 41 or the like, which constitutes the input / output device of the inspection device 1. The operation terminal 40 is not particularly limited, and may be a monitor, speaker, keyboard, mouse, etc. The control device 30 receives the inspection content of the inspection device 1 input by the user via the operation terminal 40, and outputs control commands to each component of the inspection device 1 based on this inspection content to perform electrical inspection of the wafer W. When the control device 30 receives the inspection results from each tester 20, it stores the inspection results in the memory 32 and displays the inspection results via the operation terminal 40 under the user's operation.

[0028] As described above, the inspection apparatus 1, based on the control of the control device 30, holds the wafer W in the loading / unloading area 12 with the transport stage 18 and moves the transport stage 18. The inspection apparatus 1 then positions the wafer W below the probe card PR of the tester 20 and brings the wafer W closer to the probe card PR. When the transport stage 18 contacts the flange 28a, a space is formed below the probe card PR surrounded by the probe card PR, the transport stage 18, the pogo frame 22, and the flange 28a.

[0029] When the control board 29 of the tester 20 receives a control command from the inspection device 1, it operates the vacuum mechanism 28 and creates a vacuum in the space sealed by the bellows 28b, thereby holding the chuck device 18a against the pogo frame 22. At this time, each electrode pad and each solder bump on each semiconductor device of the wafer W come into contact with each contact probe 25 of the probe card PR.

[0030] Subsequently, each test unit 21 (tester 20, probe card PR) outputs appropriate power or signals to each semiconductor device on the wafer W via the pogo pins and the contact probes 25 of the probe card PR, based on the control of the control board 29. The control board 29 then electrically tests the power or signals returning from the wafer W via the contact probes 25 and pogo pins in the main test circuit of the tester 20.

[0031] To supply the necessary power to the wafer W during the inspection of the wafer W described above, the inspection apparatus 1 is equipped with a power supply circuit unit 50, as shown in Figure 5, for each of the multiple inspection units 21. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the hardware configuration of the power supply circuit unit 50. For ease of understanding, Figure 5 schematically shows the state of the circuit in which the contact probe 25 of the probe card PR contacts the wafer W in a predetermined inspection unit 21, and power can be supplied to the wafer W.

[0032] The power supply circuit unit 50 includes a power supply unit 51 having multiple types of power supplies, and a power control circuit 60 that appropriately controls the power of the power supply unit 51 to supply power to the wafer W. For example, the power control circuit 60 is interposed between the tester 20 and the wafer W by being provided on a predetermined power supply board (not shown) within the tester 20. Alternatively, the power control circuit 60 may be attached to the control board 29 of the tester 20 or the probe card PR.

[0033] Specifically, the power supply unit 51 includes, as multiple power sources, a DC / DC power supply 52 (power module) provided inside the tester 20, and a battery 53 provided separately from the DC / DC power supply 52. ​​Both the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53 are connected to ground (earthed) via appropriate wiring.

[0034] The DC / DC power supply 52 is connected to the power distribution unit (not shown) of the inspection device 1 and receives power distributed from the main power supply (not shown) of the inspection device 1 at the power distribution unit. The main power supply of the inspection device 1 is connected to the external power supply (AC power supply) of the factory where the inspection device 1 is installed via an adapter (not shown). The inspection device 1 converts the AC power of the external power supply to DC power at the adapter and supplies DC power to the DC / DC power supply 52 via the main power supply and the power distribution unit.

[0035] The DC / DC power supply 52 is installed inside or near the tester 20 that supplies power, and supplies power to the power control circuit 60. The DC / DC power supply 52 also steps down or steps up the voltage supplied from the power distribution unit (primary side) to a test voltage corresponding to the wafer W test, and applies it to the power control circuit 60 (secondary side).

[0036] In this embodiment, the power supply unit 51, by using both a DC / DC power supply 52 and a battery 53, can reduce the maximum output power (or power at maximum efficiency) that the DC / DC power supply 52 can output to a level lower than the maximum power consumption during wafer W inspection. Therefore, the DC / DC power supply 52 can be made as small as possible, which in turn promotes a reduction in the size of each tester 20 and the overall size of the inspection apparatus 1.

[0037] The battery 53 is connected to the DC / DC power supply 52 and the wafer W via the power control circuit 60. Therefore, the battery 53 can be charged with power output from the DC / DC power supply 52 at appropriate times. The power stored in the battery 53 is used to compensate for any shortage in the output power of the DC / DC power supply 52 relative to the power consumption of the wafer W during inspection. The battery 53 may be installed inside the tester 20 or in an empty space outside the tester 20. To facilitate battery replacement by the user, it is preferable that the battery 53 be detachably mounted to the housing 11. Alternatively, the battery 53 may be installed outside the housing 11.

[0038] The battery 53 is configured to output the same voltage as the test voltage of the DC / DC power supply 52. ​​This type of battery 53 is not particularly limited, and any well-known secondary battery that charges and discharges power (lithium-ion battery, nickel-metal hydride battery, lead-acid battery, etc.) can be used. The power supply circuit 50 may also be configured to include a constant voltage circuit (not shown) between the battery 53, the DC / DC power supply 52, and the wafer W, and to reduce or increase the voltage in the constant voltage circuit to keep the voltage constant.

[0039] Meanwhile, the power control circuit 60 of the power supply circuit unit 50 controls the power supplied from the DC / DC power supply 52 to the wafer W, the power supplied from the DC / DC power supply 52 to the battery 53, the power supplied from the battery 53 to the wafer W, and so on. The power control circuit 60 includes a switch unit 61 that can switch the connection state of the DC / DC power supply 52, the battery 53, and the wafer W, a control IC 64 (control unit) that controls the operation of the switch unit 61, and a current detection unit 65 that detects the current supplied to the wafer W.

[0040] Furthermore, the switch section 61 of the power control circuit 60 has multiple switches (first switch 62, second switch 63). The first switch 62 is connected to the DC / DC power supply 52 via wiring 66a, to the current detection unit 65 via wiring 66b, and to the control IC 64 via wiring 66c. The second switch 63 is connected to the DC / DC power supply 52 and the first switch 62 via wiring 66d and wiring 66a, to the battery 53 via wiring 66e and wiring 66f, and to the control IC 64 via wiring 66g. Wirings 66a and 66d are connected at contact 67. The current detection unit 65 is connected to the wafer W via wiring 66h and to the control IC 64 via a pair of wirings 65w.

[0041] The power control circuit 60 having the above wiring 66a to 66h has a circuit structure in which a first switch 62 and a second switch 63 are connected in parallel to the DC / DC power supply 52. ​​The first switch 62 has a switching function to switch between the connection and disconnection of the primary side contact 67 and the secondary side current detection unit 65 and wafer W. On the other hand, the second switch 63 has a switching function to switch between the connection and disconnection of the primary side contact 67 and the secondary side battery 53. The hardware constituting the first switch 62 and the second switch 63 is not particularly limited, but for example, MOFSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors) can be suitably used.

[0042] In this case, the gate of the first switch 62 is connected to the control IC 64 via wiring 66c. The source of the first switch 62 is connected to the DC / DC power supply 52 via wiring 66a. The drain of the first switch 62 is connected to the current detection unit 65 (and the secondary wafer W) via wiring 66c. The first switch 62, wired in this manner, receives the connection signal from the control IC 64 at its gate, thereby conducting between the source and drain and supplying power from the power supply unit 51 to the wafer W. The first switch 62 also blocks the connection between the source and drain by not receiving the connection signal from the control IC 64 at its gate.

[0043] The gate of the second switch 63 is connected to the control IC 64 via wiring 66g. The source of the second switch 63 is connected to contact 67 via wiring 66d. The drain of the second switch 63 is connected to the battery 53 via wirings 66e and 66f and the control IC 64. The second switch 63, wired in this manner, receives the connection signal from the control IC 64 at its gate, thereby conducting between the source and drain and supplying power from the battery 53 to the wafer W. The second switch 63 also blocks the connection between the source and drain by not receiving the connection signal from the control IC 64 at its gate.

[0044] The control IC 64 mounted on the power control circuit 60 is an IC chip configured for power control, and can be a microcomputer such as an ASIC or FPGA. In addition to being connected to the first switch 62 and the second switch 63 described above, the control IC 64 is also connected to the tester 20, the battery 53, and the current detection unit 65. Furthermore, the control IC 64 is connected to ground (earthed) in the same way as the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53.

[0045] The control IC 64 controls the connection (on) or disconnection (off) of the first switch 62 and the on or off of the second switch 63 based on the test information transmitted from the tester 20. In addition, the control IC 64 according to this embodiment monitors and stores the charge state of the battery 53 (battery charge amount, battery SOC (state of charge), etc.) by detecting the current during charging or discharging of the battery 53 via the wiring 66e and 66f. The operation of this control IC 64 will be described in detail later.

[0046] The current detection unit 65 has a resistor 65r for detecting current, and a pair of wires 65w connected to the primary wiring 66b and secondary wiring 66h of the resistor 65r, respectively. The control IC 64 detects the current flowing through the wafer W by detecting the potential difference across the resistor 65r via the pair of wires 65w.

[0047] The control IC 64 executes a program pre-stored internally during wafer W inspection, thereby forming the functional section shown in Figure 6(A). Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the functional section of the control IC 64, where (A) is a block diagram and (B) is an explanatory diagram illustrating the functions of the power supply determination processing unit 74.

[0048] Inside the control IC 64, there are components for acquiring inspection information 71, acquiring the charge state 72, acquiring the current 73, determining the power supply 74, and controlling the switch 75.

[0049] The inspection information acquisition unit 71 acquires inspection information (inspection items, inspection procedure, power consumption, etc.) of the wafer W transported to the tester 20 from the tester 20. The inspection information acquisition unit 71 then stores the inspection information in the memory unit of the control IC 64 and outputs it to the power supply determination processing unit 74.

[0050] The power storage state acquisition unit 72 acquires information related to the power storage state of the battery 53 from the battery 53. The power storage state acquisition unit 72 may also be configured to detect the output current and input current of the battery 53 as power storage information and calculate the amount of battery power (or battery SOC), or it may obtain power storage state information by communicating with a control chip (not shown) inside the battery 53. Once the power storage information is acquired, the power storage state acquisition unit 72 stores it in the memory of the control IC 64 and outputs it to the power supply determination processing unit 74.

[0051] The current acquisition unit 73 acquires (calculates) the current supplied to the wafer W based on the detection signal from the current detection unit 65, stores it in the memory unit of the control IC 64, and outputs it to the switch control unit 75.

[0052] The power supply determination processing unit 74 sets the power distribution of the power supply unit 51 based on the inspection information and the power storage information, and also determines the operation of the switch unit 61 based on the power distribution. For this purpose, the power supply determination processing unit 74 has a power estimation function that estimates the power consumption during inspection, a power supply determination function that compares the maximum output power of the DC / DC power supply 52 with the power consumption, a power storage amount determination function that compares the replenishment power supplied by the battery 53 during inspection with the amount of power stored in the battery 53, and an operation setting function that sets the operation of the switch unit 61.

[0053] As shown in detail in Figure 6(B), the power supply determination processing unit 74 estimates (calculates) the power consumption required for the current wafer W inspection based on the inspection information of the wafer W received from the inspection information acquisition unit 71 in the power estimation function. For example, the power supply determination processing unit 74 has power consumption data for each of the multiple inspection items in advance and calculates the total power consumption for the inspection based on the inspection items acquired as inspection information. The power supply determination processing unit 74 also calculates the power consumption over the time series of the inspection. As an example, when the power supply determination processing unit 74 performs multiple inspection items at the same time based on the inspection procedure, it calculates the power consumption by summing the power consumption of the multiple inspection items. Note that the control IC 64 is not limited to a configuration in which it has data on multiple inspection items and power consumption in advance, but may also be configured to acquire the power consumption together with the inspection items as inspection information.

[0054] The power supply determination processing unit 74 then uses its power supply determination function to compare the power consumption over time with the maximum output power of the DC / DC power supply 52 that it has in reserve, and determines whether or not there is power consumption that exceeds the maximum output power (hereinafter also referred to as supplemental power). If there is supplemental power, it is necessary to supply power to the wafer W from the battery 53. On the other hand, if there is no power consumption that exceeds the maximum output power, the power supply determination processing unit 74 can set the power supply to not use the battery 53 using its operation setting function. Note that the parameter compared with the power consumption during inspection is not limited to the maximum output power; for example, it may be the power of the DC / DC power supply 52 at maximum efficiency.

[0055] If there is supplemental power, the power supply determination processing unit 74 calculates the supplemental power over the entire time series of the test using the stored energy determination function, compares the calculated supplemental power with the stored energy of the battery 53, and determines whether or not the battery 53 needs to be charged. The supplemental power is calculated by subtracting the maximum output power (or maximum efficiency power) of the DC / DC power supply 52 from the power consumption over the time series of the test. If the stored energy of the battery 53 is low according to this stored energy determination function, the control IC 64 determines whether to supply power (charge) from the DC / DC power supply 52 to the battery 53. Conversely, if the stored energy of the battery 53 is high according to the stored energy determination function, the control IC 64 can immediately supply auxiliary power from the battery 53.

[0056] The power supply determination processing unit 74 sets the power distribution using the operation setting function based on the power consumption, replenishment power, or amount of charge stored in the battery 53 calculated above, and sets the operation content of the switch unit 61 based on the set power distribution.

[0057] The switch control unit 75 then controls the on / off state of the first switch 62 and the second switch 63 based on the operation of the switch unit 61 set in the power supply determination processing unit 74. The power supply pattern of the power supply circuit unit 50 by the switch unit 61 will be described below with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

[0058] Figure 7(A) is an operation diagram showing an example where only the DC / DC power supply 52 is used to power the wafer W. For example, if the power supply determination processing unit 74 determines, using its power supply determination function, that the power consumption of the inspection is less than the maximum output power of the DC / DC power supply 52, it will supply power to the wafer W using only the DC / DC power supply 52 without supplying power from the battery 53. That is, the power supply determination processing unit 74 sets the operation to turn off the second switch 63 to reduce the power supply from the battery 53 to zero, and to turn on the first switch 62 to output power from the DC / DC power supply 52 in accordance with the time series of the inspection items.

[0059] The power supply circuit 50 supplies power to the wafer W from the DC / DC power supply 52 according to the power consumption of the test item by turning on the first switch 62 and turning off the second switch 63. Hereinafter, the mode in which power is supplied to the wafer W only from the DC / DC power supply 52 will also be referred to as the normal mode. As a result, the tester 20 can test the wafer W without using the power of the battery 53.

[0060] Figure 7(B) is an operation diagram showing an example of supplying power to the wafer W using the power from the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53. For example, the power supply determination processing unit 74, using its power supply determination function, determines that the power consumption of the inspection is equal to or greater than the maximum output power of the DC / DC power supply 52, and if the battery 53 has sufficient charge according to its charge storage determination function, it supplies power to the wafer W using the power from the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53. That is, the power supply determination processing unit 74 sets the operation to turn on the second switch 63 in order to supply power from the battery 53, and to turn on the first switch 62 in order to supply power to the wafer W using the power from the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53.

[0061] The power supply circuit 50 can supply power to the wafer W by combining the power from the DC / DC power supply 52 and the power from the battery 53 when both the first switch 62 and the second switch 63 are turned on. Hereinafter, power supply using both the power from the DC / DC power supply 52 and the power from the battery 53 will also be referred to as the high-output mode. As a result, the tester 20 can perform inspections stably even when the power consumption of the wafer W during inspection is high.

[0062] Figure 8(A) is an operation diagram showing an example of supplying power from the DC / DC power supply 52 to the battery 53. For example, if the power supply determination processing unit 74 determines, using its power storage amount determination function, that supplying power from the battery 53 to the wafer W in high-output mode would deplete the battery's power, it stops inspecting the wafer W and supplies power from the DC / DC power supply 52 to the battery 53. In other words, the power supply determination processing unit 74 sets the operation to turn on the second switch 63 in order to charge the battery 53, and to turn off the first switch 62 in order to cut off power supply to the wafer W.

[0063] The power supply circuit 50 allows the DC / DC power supply 52 to smoothly charge the battery 53 when the first switch 62 is turned off and the second switch 63 is turned on. Hereinafter, the mode in which the DC / DC power supply 52 stops supplying power to the wafer W and uses the power of the DC / DC power supply 52 to charge the battery 53 will also be called the full charge mode. In the full charge mode, when the amount of charge stored in the battery 53 becomes sufficient to cover the supplemental power (or when the amount of charge stored in the battery 53 becomes greater than a predetermined value greater than the supplemental power), the inspection device 1 will proceed to inspect the wafer W. This allows the inspection device 1 to avoid interruptions to the inspection due to insufficient power from the battery 53 during the inspection of the wafer W.

[0064] Returning to Figure 6(A), the switch control unit 75 may switch the switch unit 61 based on the current detected by the current detection unit 65 when controlling the on or off of the switch unit 61 based on the operation settings of the power supply determination processing unit 74. For example, the switch control unit 75 may monitor the actual current detected by the current detection unit 65 while the first switch 62 is on and the second switch 63 is off, and perform control such as turning on the second switch 63 when the current reaches a peak current that increases power consumption.

[0065] Furthermore, the switch control unit 75 may supply power to the wafer W using an intermittent waveform such as PWM control, based on the actual power supplied to the wafer W. This allows the power control circuit 60 to precisely adjust the power supplied to the wafer W. For example, when supplying power to the wafer W using both the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53, the switch control unit 75 can adjust the ratio of each power supply by appropriately switching the first switch 62 and the second switch 63 on or off. As an example, the switch control unit 75 can control the power supply so that 70% of the power from the DC / DC power supply 52 is supplied and 30% of the power from the battery 53 is supplied to compensate for the power consumption of the wafer W during inspection.

[0066] The inspection device 1 according to this embodiment is basically configured as described above, and its operation (inspection method) will be explained below with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the inspection method of the inspection device 1 according to one embodiment.

[0067] The control device 30 of the inspection apparatus 1 transports the wafer W to a predetermined inspection unit 21 (tester 20), and then starts inspecting the wafer W in the tester 20. At the start of the inspection of the wafer W, the control IC 64 first acquires inspection information of the wafer W from the tester 20 in the inspection information acquisition unit 71 (step S1).

[0068] Furthermore, the power supply determination processing unit 74 calculates the power consumption required for inspecting the wafer W based on the acquired inspection information of the wafer W using the power estimation function (step S2). For example, as described above, the power supply determination processing unit 74 calculates the total power consumption for the inspection of the wafer W, the power consumption in the time series of the inspection, etc.

[0069] Subsequently, the power supply determination processing unit 74 compares the power consumption calculated by the power supply determination function with the maximum output power (or power at maximum efficiency) of the DC / DC power supply 52 to determine whether the power consumption is less than the maximum output power (step S3). If the power consumption is less than the maximum output power (step S3: YES), the process proceeds to step S4, while if the power consumption is equal to or greater than the maximum output power (step S3: NO), the process proceeds to step S5.

[0070] In step S4, the power supply determination processing unit 74 sets the system to normal mode, which supplies power to the wafer W using only the DC / DC power supply 52 without using the battery 53. As a result, the switch control unit 75 turns on the first switch 62 while turning off the second switch 63 (see also Figure 7(A)). After step S4, the power supply circuit unit 50 can stably supply the power necessary for inspection to the wafer W from the DC / DC power supply 52.

[0071] On the other hand, if the power consumption exceeds the maximum output power, power from the battery 53 is required in addition to the power from the DC / DC power supply 52. ​​However, if the power from the battery 53 becomes insufficient during wafer W inspection, it will cause problems during inspection. For this reason, in step S5, the power storage status acquisition unit 72 acquires power storage information from the battery 53.

[0072] The power supply determination processing unit 74 then calculates the amount of supplemental power required for the entire wafer W inspection using its energy storage amount determination function and compares the calculated supplemental power with the amount of energy stored in the battery 53 (step S6). If the amount of energy stored in the battery 53 is greater than or equal to the supplemental power (step S6: YES), the process proceeds to step S7. On the other hand, if the amount of energy stored in the battery 53 is less than the supplemental power (step S6: NO), the process proceeds to step S8.

[0073] In step S7, the power supply determination processing unit 74 sets the wafer W to a high-output mode, supplying power from the battery 53 in addition to the power from the DC / DC power supply 52. ​​As a result, the switch control unit 75 controls the first switch 62 to turn on and the second switch 63 to turn on (see also Figure 7(B)). After step S7, the power control circuit 60 supplies power to the wafer W by combining the power from the DC / DC power supply 52 and the power from the battery 53, thereby stably supplying the power necessary for inspecting the wafer W. Note that the timing of supplying power from the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53 simultaneously may be throughout the entire inspection period, or only when performing inspection items that exceed the maximum output power of the DC / DC power supply 52.

[0074] Furthermore, if the battery's charge level is less than the replenishment power, in step S8, the power supply determination processing unit 74 sets the battery 53 to full charge mode before inspecting the wafer W. Therefore, the switch control unit 75 controls the first switch 62 to turn off while turning on the second switch 63 (see also Figure 8(A)). This allows the power control circuit 60 to supply power from the DC / DC power supply 52 to the battery 53 and charge the battery 53 before inspecting the wafer W.

[0075] Furthermore, in full charging mode, the power control circuit 60 turns off the first switch 62, thereby cutting off the power supply from the DC / DC power supply 52 to the wafer W until the battery 53 is fully charged, and temporarily suspending the inspection. As a result, the inspection device 1 can avoid unintentionally interrupting the inspection of the wafer W due to insufficient power.

[0076] Then, during charging of the battery 53, the control IC 64 repeatedly performs steps S5, S6, and S8 to continuously determine whether the amount of charge stored in the battery 53 has become equal to or greater than the replenishment power (or a predetermined value greater than the replenishment power). If it is determined in step S6 that the amount of charge stored in the battery 53 has become equal to or greater than the replenishment power, the process proceeds to step S7. As a result, the control IC 64 performs high-power mode when the amount of charge stored in the battery 53 is equal to the power required for inspection, thereby enabling stable inspection of the wafer W.

[0077] As described above, the inspection apparatus 1 and power supply method according to this embodiment can reliably ensure power during wafer W inspection by applying a DC / DC power supply 52 and a battery 53. In particular, even if the battery 53 has a large storage capacity, it can be sufficiently small compared to the DC / DC power supply 52 and can be installed in the available space of the housing 11. Therefore, the inspection apparatus 1 can achieve stable inspection of wafer W while promoting miniaturization and saving space.

[0078] It should be noted that the inspection apparatus 1 and power supply method described herein are not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. For example, charging of the battery 53 can be performed not only in conjunction with the determination of the wafer W inspection, but also when the tester 20 is in standby mode (when the wafer W is being transported, when it is in standby mode due to the operation of another tester 20, etc.). As an example, the inspection apparatus 1 may automatically charge the battery 53 when the battery 53's stored charge falls below a predetermined value (for example, battery SOC is 50%) and the tester 20 enters standby mode.

[0079] The inspection device 1 may be configured to supply more power to the wafer W from the battery 53 than from the DC / DC power supply 52 as needed. For example, if the DC / DC power supply 52 cannot be sufficiently powered from the main power supply due to overlapping inspections of multiple testers 20, or in the event of a power outage or power interruption due to a malfunction, the wafer W may be inspected using the power of the battery 53. Then, when power can be supplied to the DC / DC power supply 52, the system may switch from the power of the battery 53 to the power of the DC / DC power supply 52.

[0080] Furthermore, for example, the inspection device 1 may not only be configured to inspect multiple wafers W using multiple testers 20, as shown in Figure 1, but may also be a prober-type device that inspects each wafer W individually using a single tester 20. Also, the power module that supplies power to the wafers W is not limited to a DC / DC power supply 52, but may be a main power supply connected to an external power supply.

[0081] The inspection device 1 is not limited to a configuration in which the control IC 64 on the power supply board of each tester 20 controls the determination and distribution of power from the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53; similar control may be performed on the control board 29 or control device 30 of the tester 20.

[0082] The inspection device 1 is not limited to a configuration in which each of the testers 20 has a power supply unit 51 (DC / DC power supply 52, battery 53), but may also have a configuration in which one DC / DC power supply 52 and one battery 53 are provided within the housing 11, and power is supplied to the power control circuit 60 of each tester 20. In other words, the inspection device 1 may have a configuration in which multiple power control circuits 60 are connected in parallel to the power supply unit 51. Alternatively, the power supply unit 51 may have a configuration in which multiple batteries 53 are connected to one DC / DC power supply 52.

[0083] The following describes other variations (first to third variations) of the inspection device 1 and the power supply method, with reference to Figures 10 and 11. It should be noted that the configurations of the first to third variations described below can be applied individually, and can also be combined with the above embodiments.

[0084] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the functional components of the control IC 64A according to the first modified example. The control IC 64A according to the first modified example can implement modes such as normal mode, high output mode, full charge mode, low throughput mode, high throughput mode, and excess charge mode by coordinating with the tester 20 and the control device 30 of the inspection device 1. By selecting and executing multiple modes in this way, the control IC 64A can respond flexibly to the inspection of the wafer W.

[0085] Specifically, "low throughput mode" is an eco-mode that reduces power consumption during inspection by increasing the time required to inspect the wafer W compared to normal mode. For example, in low throughput mode, inspection items that can be inspected even when switched to low power are switched to low power, while inspection items with high power consumption are inspected one or a small number of semiconductor devices at a time.

[0086] "High-throughput mode" is a mode that shortens the time required to inspect wafer W by increasing the power consumption of the inspection compared to normal mode. For example, in high-throughput mode, items that can be inspected even when switched to high power are switched to high power, and operations such as inspecting many or all semiconductor devices simultaneously are performed. High-throughput mode may adopt a pattern that assumes power supply from both DC / DC power supply 52 and battery 53, or a pattern that assumes power supply from DC / DC power supply 52 only.

[0087] The "surplus charging mode" is a mode in which, when the power output to the wafer W is less than the maximum output power of the DC / DC power supply 52, the surplus power is supplied to the battery 53 to charge the battery 53. For example, when the battery 53 has a low charge level, the control IC 64A turns on both the first switch 62 and the second switch 63, as shown in Figure 8(B), to charge the wafer W and the battery 53 from the DC / DC power supply 52.

[0088] Here, the control IC 64A can estimate the charging period of the battery 53 based on the maximum battery capacity and current charge level of the battery 53. Furthermore, as described above, the control IC 64A recognizes the inspection items performed during wafer W inspection and their power consumption. Therefore, by appropriately selecting a mode in the mode selection function, the control IC 64A can optimize the shortening or lengthening of the inspection period, the reduction or increase of inspection power consumption, the timing of using the battery 53, and the timing of charging the battery 53, depending on the inspection items, the power consumption of each inspection item, and the charge level of the battery 53.

[0089] For example, if the control IC 64A determines, based on the inspection information, that the power consumption for inspecting wafer W can be reduced and that the battery 53 has a low charge level resulting in a longer charging period, it selects a low-throughput mode. This allows for a longer inspection time for wafer W, but enables good inspection of wafer W while minimizing power consumption by the battery 53.

[0090] For example, if the control IC 64A determines, based on the inspection information, that the power consumption for inspecting wafer W can be increased and that the stored charge of battery 53 is sufficiently greater than the power consumption for inspection, it selects high-throughput mode. This increases the power consumption for inspecting wafer W, but shortens the inspection time.

[0091] Alternatively, the control IC 64A selects the excess charging mode when the power consumption during wafer W inspection is less than the maximum output power of the DC / DC power supply 52 and the battery 53 has a low charge level. This allows the battery 53 to be charged while the wafer W is being inspected, making it easy to increase the battery 53's charge level.

[0092] Figure 11(A) is a block diagram showing the functional components of the control IC 64B according to the second modified example. The control IC 64B according to the second modified example includes a power consumption correction unit 76 that feeds back and stores the current value (actual power) detected by the current detection unit 65 during inspection, and corrects the power consumption of the inspection item based on the stored current value. For example, the power consumption correction unit 76 corrects the power consumption for each inspection item by performing multiple inspections of the wafer W and calculating the average value of each power consumption that has been fed back. As a result, the control IC 64 can further improve the accuracy of the power consumption for each inspection item it possesses.

[0093] Furthermore, if the power consumption of a test item is unknown, the control IC64B may supply the maximum output power to the wafer W to perform the test. After the test is completed, the power consumption used for each test item can be fed back to calculate the power consumption for each test item.

[0094] Furthermore, the power consumption monitoring by the control IC 64B may include not only the detection of current by the current detection unit 65, but also a voltage detection unit 68 that detects the voltage applied to the wafer W during inspection, and power consumption may be calculated based on the current detected by the current detection unit 65 and the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit 68. In addition, the control IC 64B may be configured so that the power consumption for each inspection item is set by the user via an operation terminal.

[0095] Figure 11(B) is a block diagram showing the functional components of the control IC 64C according to the third modified example. The control IC 64C according to the third modified example includes a battery degradation estimation unit 77 that estimates the need to replace the battery 53 based on the charge storage status obtained from the battery 53. The degradation estimation method used by the battery degradation estimation unit 77 can be a well-known method, such as using the charge and discharge curve of the battery 53. For example, the battery degradation estimation unit 77 performs periodic diagnostics on the battery 53, and when the charge and discharge efficiency of the battery 53 falls below a predetermined threshold, it notifies an alarm via the operation terminal 40 prompting the replacement of the battery 53. As a result, the inspection device 1 can maintain the charge storage performance of the battery 53 and stably supply power from the battery 53 during wafer W inspection.

[0096] The technical ideas and effects of this disclosure, as described in the embodiments above, are described below.

[0097] A first aspect of this disclosure is an inspection apparatus 1 for electrically inspecting an object to be inspected (wafer W), comprising: a power supply module (DC / DC power supply 52) for supplying power used for inspection; a secondary battery (battery 53) provided separately from the power supply module and capable of charging and discharging power; a power control circuit 60 for electrically connecting the power supply module and the secondary battery to the object to be inspected; a switch unit 61 provided in the power control circuit 60 and capable of switching the connection state of the power supply module, the secondary battery and the object to be inspected; and a control unit (control IC 64) for setting the power used for inspection and controlling the connection state of the switch unit 61 based on the set power.

[0098] As described above, the inspection device 1 can stably secure power for the inspection target (wafer W) during inspection by using the power from the power module (DC / DC power supply 52) and the power from the secondary battery (battery 53). Furthermore, even if the secondary battery has a large capacity to supply power for inspection, it can be made smaller than the power module. Moreover, because the secondary battery is separate from the power module, it can be installed in the available space of the inspection device 1. Therefore, the inspection device 1 can be made smaller even when a large amount of power is required for inspection.

[0099] Furthermore, the control unit (control IC 64) calculates the power consumption during inspection, compares the calculated power consumption with the maximum output power of the power supply module (DC / DC power supply 52), and switches the connection state of the switch unit 61 so that, if the power consumption is less than the maximum output power, only the power supply module's power is supplied to the object under inspection (wafer W) without using the power of the secondary battery (battery 53). In this way, by supplying only the power supply module's power to the object under inspection when the power consumption during inspection is less than the power supply module's maximum output power, the inspection device 1 can reduce the frequency of secondary battery use while stably performing inspections. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress the degradation of the secondary battery.

[0100] Furthermore, the control unit (control IC 64) calculates the amount of supplemental power to be supplied by the secondary battery (battery 53) when the power consumption exceeds the maximum output power, compares the calculated supplemental power with the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery, and switches the connection state of the switch unit 61 to supply power from the secondary battery in addition to the power from the power module (DC / DC power supply 52) to the object under test (wafer W) when the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery is equal to or greater than the supplemental power. On the other hand, if the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery is less than the supplemental power, it switches the connection state of the switch unit 61 to supply power from the power module to the secondary battery. As a result, even when the power consumption of the test is high, the test device 1 can supply power to the object under test by combining the power from the power module and the power from the secondary battery. In addition, if the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery is low, charging of the secondary battery is prioritized, so that the test device 1 can stably supply power to the object under test from the charged secondary battery.

[0101] Furthermore, when the control unit (control IC 64) supplies power from the power supply module (DC / DC power supply 52) to the secondary battery (battery 53), it switches the connection state of the switch unit 61 to stop supplying power from the power supply module to the object to be inspected (wafer W). In this way, by stopping the inspection of the object to be inspected when the secondary battery is being charged, the inspection device 1 can prevent the inspection from being interrupted due to insufficient power.

[0102] Furthermore, when the control unit (control IC 64) supplies power from the power module (DC / DC power supply 52) to the object under inspection (wafer W), it switches the connection state to supply excess power from the power module to the secondary battery (battery 53) to charge the secondary battery. As a result, the inspection device 1 can charge the secondary battery even while inspecting the object under inspection, thereby increasing the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery.

[0103] Furthermore, the inspection device 1 has a tester 20 that actually performs the inspection of the object to be inspected (wafer W), and the control unit (control IC 64) acquires inspection information, including the inspection items, from the tester 20 and calculates the power consumption based on the inspection items. As a result, the inspection device 1 can smoothly obtain the power consumption necessary for inspecting the object to be inspected.

[0104] Furthermore, the control unit (control IC 64) has pre-stored power consumption for each of the multiple inspection items of the inspection, acquires the actual power used during the inspection for each of the multiple inspection items, and corrects the power consumption for each of the multiple inspection items based on the actual power consumption for each of the multiple inspection items. As a result, the inspection device 1 can calculate the power consumption of the inspection with greater accuracy.

[0105] Furthermore, the control unit (control IC 64) selects from three modes based on the inspection information and the charge information of the secondary battery (battery 53): a normal mode in which the power module (DC / DC power supply 52) supplies power to the inspection target (wafer W); a low-throughput mode in which the inspection time is longer than the normal mode but the power used for inspection is reduced compared to the normal mode; and a high-throughput mode in which the inspection time is shorter than the normal mode but the power used for inspection is increased compared to the normal mode. As a result, the inspection device 1 can appropriately improve inspection efficiency or reduce power consumption during inspection by selecting the low-throughput mode or high-throughput mode as needed.

[0106] Furthermore, the switch unit 61 includes a first switch 62 that switches between connecting and disconnecting the power supply module (DC / DC power supply 52) and the object to be inspected (wafer W), and a second switch 63 that switches between connecting and disconnecting the wiring on the power supply module side of the first switch 62 and the secondary battery (battery 53). This allows the inspection device 1 to easily switch the connection status of the power supply module, the secondary battery, and the object to be inspected.

[0107] Furthermore, when supplying power to the object under inspection (wafer W) from the power supply module (DC / DC power supply 52) and the secondary battery (battery 53), the control unit (control IC 64) intermittently switches the connection and disconnection of the first switch 62 and the connection and disconnection of the second switch 63 to adjust the ratio of power from the power supply module and the secondary battery. As a result, the inspection device 1 can appropriately distribute the power from the power supply module and the secondary battery to the object under inspection.

[0108] Furthermore, a second aspect of this disclosure is an inspection method for an inspection apparatus 1 that electrically inspects an object to be inspected (wafer W), wherein the inspection apparatus 1 comprises a power supply module (DC / DC power supply 52) that supplies power for use in inspection, a secondary battery (battery 53) provided separately from the power supply module and capable of charging and discharging power, and a power control circuit 60 that electrically connects the power supply module and the secondary battery to the object to be inspected, and the method includes a step of setting the power to be used for inspection, and a step of controlling the connection state of a switch unit 61 provided in the power control circuit 60 that can switch the connection state of the power supply module, the secondary battery and the object to be inspected, based on the set power. Even in this case, the inspection method can promote miniaturization of the apparatus while stably securing power during inspection of the object to be inspected.

[0109] The inspection apparatus 1 and inspection method according to the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The matters described in the above-mentioned embodiments can be configured in other ways and combined in a non-consistent manner. For example, the objects to be inspected by the inspection apparatus 1 are not limited to substrates, but can be various objects requiring electrical inspection. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] 1. Inspection device 52 DC / DC power supply 53 batteries 60 Power control circuit 61 Switch section 64 Control ICs W wafer

Claims

1. An inspection device that electrically inspects the object to be inspected, A power supply module that provides the power used for the aforementioned inspection, A secondary battery capable of charging and discharging power is provided separately from the aforementioned power supply module, A power control circuit that electrically connects the power module and the secondary battery to the object to be inspected, The power control circuit includes a switch unit capable of switching the connection state of the power module, the secondary battery, and the object to be inspected, The power control circuit is provided inside or outside the power control circuit and includes a control unit which sets the power used for the inspection and controls the connection state of the switch unit based on the set power, The control unit calculates the power consumption of the test, compares the calculated power consumption with the maximum output power of the power supply module, When the power consumption is less than the maximum output power, the connection state of the switch unit is switched so that power is supplied to the object under inspection using only the power module, without using the power of the secondary battery. If the power consumption is equal to or greater than the maximum output power, the amount of replenishment power that the secondary battery will provide over the entire time series of the test is calculated, and the calculated amount of replenishment power is compared with the amount of energy stored in the secondary battery. When the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery is equal to or greater than the amount of replenishment power, the connection state of the switch unit is switched so that the power of the secondary battery is supplied to the object under inspection in addition to the power of the power module, When the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery is less than the amount of replenished power, the connection state of the switch unit is switched so that the power module supplies power to the secondary battery. Inspection device.

2. When the control unit supplies power from the power module to the secondary battery, it switches the connection state of the switch unit to stop supplying power from the power module to the object under inspection. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1.

3. When the control unit supplies power from the power module to the object under inspection, it switches the connection state to supply excess power from the power module to the secondary battery to charge the secondary battery. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1.

4. Having a tester that actually performs the inspection of the subject of inspection, The control unit obtains inspection information including the inspection items of the inspection from the tester and calculates the power consumption based on the inspection items of the inspection. The inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The control unit has in advance stored the power consumption for each of the multiple inspection items of the inspection, The actual power used in the inspection is acquired for each of the multiple inspection items, and the power consumption for each of the multiple inspection items is corrected based on the actual power used for each of the multiple inspection items. The inspection apparatus according to claim 4.

6. Based on the information related to the inspection and the energy storage information of the secondary battery, the control unit shall A normal mode in which the power supply module is supplied with power to the object to be inspected, A low-throughput mode that increases the time required for the inspection compared to the normal mode, while reducing the power used for the inspection compared to the normal mode, A high-throughput mode is selected, which shortens the time required for the inspection compared to the normal mode, while increasing the power used for the inspection compared to the normal mode. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned switch section is The system includes a first switch for switching between connecting and disconnecting the power module and the object under test, and a second switch for switching between connecting and disconnecting the wiring on the power module side of the first switch and the secondary battery. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The control unit, when supplying power to the object under inspection from the power module and the secondary battery, intermittently switches the connection and disconnection of the first switch and the connection and disconnection of the second switch to adjust the ratio of power from the power module and the secondary battery. The inspection apparatus according to claim 7.

9. A method for inspecting an inspection device that electrically inspects an object to be inspected, The inspection device, A power supply module that provides the power used for the aforementioned inspection, A secondary battery capable of charging and discharging power is provided separately from the aforementioned power supply module, The power control circuit electrically connects the power module and the secondary battery to the object under test, (A) A step of setting the power used for the inspection, (B) The power control circuit includes a step of controlling the connection state of a switch unit provided in the power control circuit, which is capable of switching the connection state of the power module, the secondary battery, and the object to be inspected, based on a set power, In step (A) above, the power consumption of the inspection is calculated, and the calculated power consumption is compared with the maximum output power of the power supply module. If the power consumption is less than the maximum output power, in step (B), the connection state of the switch unit is switched so that power is supplied to the object under inspection using only the power supply module, without using the power of the secondary battery. On the other hand, if the power consumption is equal to or greater than the maximum output power, the amount of replenishment power that the secondary battery will supply over the entire time series of the inspection in step (A) is calculated, and the calculated amount of replenishment power is compared with the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery. When the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery is equal to or greater than the amount of replenished power, in step (B), the connection state of the switch unit is switched so that the power of the secondary battery is supplied to the object under inspection in addition to the power of the power module, If the amount of charge stored in the secondary battery is less than the amount of replenishment power, in step (B), the connection state of the switch unit is switched so that the power of the power module is supplied to the secondary battery. Testing method.

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