Inspection device and inspection method
The inspection apparatus addresses the inefficiencies of conventional liquid media by using a partitioned tank for temperature control and vacuum evacuation, enabling efficient recovery and reducing energy consumption through simultaneous electrical inspection and drying.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DENSO CORP
- Filing Date
- 2023-02-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-11
AI Technical Summary
Conventional liquid media used for temperature treatment in semiconductor testing have high global warming potential and inefficient recovery methods.
An inspection apparatus and method utilizing a temperature-controlled tank with a partitioned chamber for efficient temperature control and vacuum evacuation, incorporating an electrical inspection unit and a recovery unit to recover the liquid medium and volatile gases.
Achieves efficient temperature control and recovery of liquid medium, reducing energy consumption and heat dissipation, while allowing simultaneous electrical inspection and vacuum drying, thereby enhancing energy savings and process efficiency.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus and an inspection method.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, a temperature characteristic test apparatus for testing the temperature characteristics of a measurement object such as a semiconductor device at a predetermined temperature is known. For example, in Patent Document 1, a fluorine-based inert liquid, which is a heat medium temperature-controlled to a predetermined temperature, is injected into a measurement chamber, and a semiconductor device is transported by a handler, immersed in the heat medium, heated, cooled, and an electrical temperature characteristic test is performed.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] While the liquid medium for performing temperature treatment is a fluid excellent in thermal conductivity and electrical insulation, it has a demerit of a high global warming potential.
[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an inspection apparatus and an inspection method capable of efficiently recovering a liquid medium.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] The inspection apparatus of the present invention performs electrical inspection of a workpiece (W) at a predetermined inspection temperature and comprises a temperature-controlled tank (20), an electrical inspection unit (30, 85), and a recovery unit (50). The temperature-controlled tank is capable of temperature control of the workpiece using a liquid medium and vacuum evacuation of the inside of the tank. The electrical inspection unit performs electrical inspection of the workpiece. The recovery unit recovers the liquid medium discharged from the temperature-controlled tank and the volatile gas discharged by vacuum evacuation. The inspection apparatus performs electrical inspection and vacuum drying of the workpiece in the temperature-controlled tank. The temperature-controlled tank has a partition wall (215) that divides the internal space of the tank body (21) into a liquid medium storage chamber (212) and a work chamber (213) where the workpiece is placed. The work chamber can be switched between a state filled with liquid medium and a vacuum state when the workpiece is placed inside. This allows for highly efficient recovery of the liquid medium used to regulate the temperature of the workpiece.
[0007] The inspection method of the present invention performs an electrical inspection of a workpiece (W) at a predetermined inspection temperature and includes a temperature control step (S13, S17, S33, S37), an electrical inspection step (S16, S18, S34, S38), and a vacuum drying step (S18, S39). In the temperature control step, the workpiece is temperature-controlled using a liquid medium. In the electrical inspection step, the workpiece is subjected to electrical inspection. In the vacuum drying step, the workpiece is subjected to vacuum drying. In the first embodiment of the inspection method, the temperature control process includes a cooling process (S13, S33) for cooling the workpiece and a heating process (S17, S37) for heating the workpiece, with the cooling process being performed in a low-temperature chamber (10). The cooled workpiece is then transported to a high-temperature chamber (20), where a low-temperature electrical inspection process is performed in the vacuum-sealed high-temperature chamber. After that, the workpiece is heated in the heating process, and a high-temperature electrical inspection process and a vacuum drying process are performed in the high-temperature chamber. In the second aspect of the inspection method, the temperature control process includes a cooling process (S13, S33) for cooling the workpiece and a heating process (S17, S37) for heating the workpiece. The cooling process and the low-temperature electrical inspection process are performed in a low-temperature chamber (80). After the low-temperature electrical inspection process, the workpiece is transported to a high-temperature chamber (20), where a heating process, a high-temperature electrical inspection process, and a vacuum drying process are performed. This achieves the same effect as an inspection device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] This is a system diagram showing an inspection apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing a low-temperature processing tank and a high-temperature inspection tank according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing a high-temperature inspection chamber according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This figure shows the state of the high-temperature inspection chamber according to the first embodiment before the installation of the lower jig. [Figure 6] This figure shows the state of the high-temperature inspection tank according to the first embodiment before the installation of the top lid unit. [Figure 7]This figure shows the state when the upper chamber of the high-temperature inspection chamber according to the first embodiment is being evacuated. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows the inspection method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a time chart showing the temperature changes of a workpiece in a low-temperature processing tank according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a time chart showing the temperature changes of a workpiece inside a high-temperature inspection chamber according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram showing a low-temperature inspection chamber and a high-temperature inspection chamber according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart showing the inspection method according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a time chart showing the temperature changes of a workpiece inside a low-temperature inspection chamber according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a time chart showing the temperature changes of a workpiece inside a high-temperature inspection chamber according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] The inspection apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following multiple embodiments, substantially identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.
[0010] (First Embodiment) Figures 1 to 10 show an inspection apparatus according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the inspection apparatus 1 comprises a low-temperature processing tank 10, a high-temperature inspection tank 20, an electrical inspection unit 30, and a recovery unit 50, and performs temperature characteristic inspection of workpieces W, such as ECU circuit board products and Sensemi products.
[0011] The low-temperature treatment tank 10 is configured to be able to cool the workpiece W conveyed into the tank in the liquid medium LM. The liquid medium LM is supplied from the liquid supply unit 11 to the low-temperature treatment tank 10. The liquid level height is detected by the liquid level gauge 71. The liquid medium LM in the low-temperature treatment tank 10 is circulated by the circulation pump 13 provided in the pipe 131 and returned to the low-temperature treatment tank 10 via the mixing nozzle 15. A strainer 132 and a filter 133 are provided in the pipe 131. Further, the liquid medium LM in the low-temperature treatment tank 10 is cooled by the low-temperature chiller 17 and the cooling coil 18.
[0012] The workpiece W cooled in the low-temperature treatment tank 10 is conveyed to the high-temperature inspection tank 20. By conveying in the dry air generated by the dry air generator 90, condensation of the workpiece W during conveyance can be prevented. Sensors such as a flow sensor (denoted as "FS" in the figure) and a pressure sensor (denoted as "PS" in the figure) are appropriately provided in the pipe.
[0013] The high-temperature inspection tank 20 is configured to be able to perform an electrical inspection related to the temperature characteristics of the workpiece W conveyed into the tank, heating up using the liquid medium LM, and evacuation. A liquid level gauge 72 and a vacuum gauge 73 are provided in the high-temperature inspection tank 20. The liquid medium LM in the high-temperature inspection tank 20 is agitated using the circulation pump 42.
[0014] The high-temperature inspection tank 20 is configured to be able to be evacuated by the suction pump 45. The gas mainly composed of the volatilized liquid medium LM (hereinafter referred to as "volatile gas") is recovered by the condenser 51. Further, the liquid medium LM brought into the high-temperature inspection tank 20 due to adhesion to the workpiece W or the like is returned to the low-temperature treatment tank 10 through the return pipe 46. A heat exchanger 461 is provided in the return pipe 46.
[0015] The liquid medium LM is supplied to the high-temperature inspection tank 20 from the backup tank 48 by the pressure pump 47. Also, the liquid medium LM in the high-temperature inspection tank 20 can be discharged to the condenser 51 via the pipe 53. Details of the high-temperature inspection tank 20 will be described later.
[0016] The backup tank 48 is supplied with liquid medium LM from the condenser 51 by a pump 49. The backup tank 48 is equipped with a heater 485 that raises the liquid medium LM to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 90°C). The backup tank 48 is equipped with sensors such as a liquid level gauge, a temperature controller, and an overtemperature gauge.
[0017] The recovery unit 50 includes a condenser 51, a gas holder 60, and a separation tank 65, etc. The condenser 51 stores the liquid medium LM discharged from the high-temperature inspection tank 20 and is configured to condense volatile gases that have been evacuated. The condensed liquid medium LM is stored vertically below the condenser 51. The condenser 51 is equipped with a heater 52 for heating the liquid medium LM, and the area above the liquid surface of the liquid medium LM is filled with saturated vapor from the liquid medium LM. The liquid medium LM is also supplied to the condenser 51 from the liquid supply unit 55. The condenser 51 is equipped with sensors such as a liquid level gauge, a temperature controller, and an over-temperature gauge.
[0018] The gas holder 60 can hold volatile gases, for example, by adsorption. When vacuuming the high-temperature inspection tank 20, to prevent the internal pressure of the condenser 51 from rising, dry volatile gases are discharged from the vertically upper side of the condenser 51 and held in the gas holder 60. The dry volatile gases stored in the gas holder 60 are returned to the high-temperature inspection tank 20 via the supply unit 27 when the high-temperature inspection tank 20 is repressurized. In other words, the recovery unit 50 in this embodiment is a completely sealed closed system, including the volatile gases. The dry medium gas discharged from the gas holder 60 is also supplied to the suction pump 45.
[0019] The separation tank 65 is supplied with a mixed steam of the medium and water discharged from the condenser 51. In the separation tank 65, the mixed steam is separated into liquid medium LM and water by specific gravity. The separated water is discharged out of the system, and the liquid medium LM is returned to the condenser 51.
[0020] In the manufacturing process of ECU board products and Sensemi products, a temperature characteristic test is performed in which an electrical probe is brought into contact with the workpiece W, such as an ECU board product, at low and high temperatures to confirm its electrical response in both low and high temperature conditions. For example, if the cold air furnace and hot air furnace are made into separate structures from the inspection equipment in order to eliminate the need for heat resistance in the inspection equipment, gas is used as the heat transfer medium, and a large amount of dry air is required, especially in the cold air furnace, resulting in significant heat loss other than the cooling and heating of the workpiece W.
[0021] Furthermore, instead of gas-based heating and cooling, a fluorine-based liquid medium LM can be used, for example. While liquid medium LM has excellent heat transfer and electrical insulation properties, it has a high global warming potential. Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature of the workpiece W is controlled using liquid medium LM, and the drying of the liquid medium LM adhering to the workpiece W and the recovery of volatile gases are performed using a vacuum drying method with high recovery potential.
[0022] In this embodiment, the high-temperature inspection chamber 20 is configured to be evacuated. Furthermore, an electrical inspection unit 30 is incorporated into the high-temperature inspection chamber 20, enabling electrical inspection of the workpiece W within the chamber. On the other hand, the low-temperature processing chamber 10 does not incorporate any electrical inspection equipment; therefore, the low-temperature electrical inspection of the workpiece W cooled in the low-temperature processing chamber 10 is performed in the evacuated high-temperature inspection chamber 20. By creating a vacuum, it is possible to block heat transfer due to convection and conduction, which have a significant impact among the three modes of heat conduction (convection, radiation, and conduction). Therefore, even within the high-temperature inspection chamber 20, the temperature change of the cooled workpiece W can be kept to approximately the same level as in ambient air.
[0023] Details of the high-temperature inspection tank 20 are shown in Figures 2 to 7. Figures 3 and others are schematic diagrams, and some hatching has been omitted in Figures 4 to 7 to avoid complexity. As shown in Figure 4, the high-temperature inspection tank 20 includes a tank body 21, an insulating material 23 provided on the outside of the tank body, and a heater 25, etc.
[0024] The tank body 21 is a welded structure formed in a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape, and the liquid medium LM is supplied from the backup tank 48 (see Figure 1). The inner bottom surface 211 of the tank body 21 is formed at an angle. The tank body 21 has a partition wall 215 that divides the internal space into a lower chamber 212 on the vertically lower side and an upper chamber 213 on the vertically upper side. The partition wall 215 is provided with a through hole 216 through which one end of the lower jig 32 can be inserted.
[0025] The lower chamber 212 and the upper chamber 213 are connected via pipes 41 and 43. Pipe 41 is equipped with a circulation pump 42, a strainer 411, valves 412 and 413, filters 415 and 416, etc. By driving the circulation pump 42, the liquid medium LM can be supplied from the lower chamber 212 to the upper chamber 213. A valve 431 is also provided in pipe 43.
[0026] A heater 25 is located in the lower chamber 212. The heater 25 is positioned on the upper, sloping side of the inner bottom surface 211 and is capable of heating the liquid medium LM. A pipe 53 that communicates with the condenser 51 is connected to the lowest part of the lower chamber 212. By opening the valve 531 provided in the pipe 53, the liquid medium LM in the tank body 21 can be discharged to the condenser 51.
[0027] The electrical inspection unit 30 includes a lower common connector 31, a lower jig 32, and an upper cover unit 35. The upper cover unit 35 includes a cover 36, a workpiece holding unit 37, an upper common connector 38, and an upper jig 39.
[0028] The lower common connector 31 is located in the lower chamber 212. The lower common connector 31 is connected to the test wiring 311 and outputs the detected values of the electrical inspection to a control unit (not shown) located outside the system. The lower jig 32 has a connector portion 321, a flange portion 322, and probe pins 325, etc. The connector portion 321 is provided on one end that is inserted into the through hole 216 and is connected to the lower common connector 31.
[0029] The flange portion 322 is formed to protrude outward, and when the connector portion 321 is inserted through the through hole 216, it comes into contact with the partition wall 215. An O-ring 219 is provided between the flange portion 322 and the partition wall 215. This ensures that the lower chamber 212 and the upper chamber 213 are liquid-tightly separated when the lower jig 32 is in place.
[0030] The probe pin 325 is provided at the end opposite to the connector portion 321, according to the workpiece W to be inspected. When the lower jig 32 is assembled to the tank body 21, the probe pin 315 is exposed to the upper chamber 213 and is provided so as to be able to contact the workpiece W held by the upper jig 39.
[0031] The upper lid unit 35 is provided so that it can be transported while holding the workpiece W by a transport device 95 (see Figure 2). The lid 36 is provided with an upper common connector 38, which is provided to close the opening 217 at the top of the tank body 21. An O-ring 368 is provided between the lid 36 and the tank body 21. An O-ring 369 is also provided between the lid 36 and the upper common connector 38.
[0032] The upper jig 39 has a connector portion 391 and probe pins 395, etc. The connector portion 391 is connected to the upper common connector 38. The probe pins 395 are provided so as to be able to contact the workpiece W when the workpiece W is held in the workpiece holding portion 37. The lower jig 32 and the upper jig 39 are used according to the workpiece W to be inspected.
[0033] Figures 4 to 7 show the state of the high-temperature inspection tank 20 at each stage of the process. Note that in Figures 5 to 7, the piping 41 and the circulation pump 42 and other components related to the circulation of the liquid medium LM between the upper and lower chambers are omitted. Figure 4 shows the state in which the electrical inspection unit 30 is assembled to the high-temperature inspection tank 20 and the workpiece W is immersed in the liquid medium LM in the upper chamber 213. Figure 5 shows the state before the lower jig 32 is assembled, and the lower jig 32 corresponding to the workpiece W to be inspected is installed in the tank body 21.
[0034] As shown in Figure 6, the high-temperature inspection tank 20 is supplied with liquid medium LM from the backup tank 48 (see Figure 1). Specifically, the liquid medium LM from the backup tank 48 is supplied to the upper chamber 213 and sent to the lower chamber 212 via piping 43. The workpiece W, cooled in the low-temperature processing tank 10, is transported to the upper chamber 213. In this embodiment, the tank body 21 has a double-bottom structure so that the lower chamber 212 is liquid-tight with the lower jig 32 and the partition wall 215. When transporting workpieces, the lower chamber 212 is filled with liquid medium LM, and the upper chamber 213 is empty of liquid medium LM.
[0035] As shown in Figure 7, once the lid 36 is closed and the upper chamber 213 is airtight, a vacuum is evacuated, and an electrical test is performed at a low temperature under vacuum. At this time, the lower chamber 212 remains filled with the high-temperature liquid medium LM.
[0036] Once the low-temperature electrical inspection is complete, dry volatile gas is supplied from the supply unit 27 to restore pressure in the upper chamber 213, and preheated liquid medium LM is supplied to the upper chamber 213, immersing the workpiece W in the liquid medium LM (see Figure 4). The heater 25 and circulation pump 42 are also driven to maintain the temperature of the liquid medium LM. Once the workpiece W has finished heating, the high-temperature electrical inspection, liquid discharge, and vacuum drying are performed in parallel. Performing the electrical inspection and vacuum drying simultaneously shortens the process time. Once vacuum drying is complete, the workpiece W is removed. Alternatively, liquid discharge and vacuum drying may be performed after the high-temperature inspection is complete.
[0037] When inspecting a workpiece W that can be inspected using the same lower jig 32 is repeated, the following steps are repeated: workpiece loading (Figure 6), low-temperature inspection in vacuum (Figure 7), workpiece heating (Figure 4), high-temperature inspection and vacuum drying (Figure 7), and workpiece removal (Figure 6).
[0038] The inspection method of this embodiment will be explained based on the flowchart in Figure 8. In S11, the workpiece W is transported, and in S12, it is placed into the low-temperature treatment tank 10. In S13, the workpiece W is subjected to low-temperature treatment in the low-temperature treatment tank 10. When the workpiece W has cooled to the cooling completion temperature Tc (for example, -35°C), it is discharged from the low-temperature treatment tank 10 in S14 and placed into the high-temperature inspection tank 20 in S15.
[0039] In S16, the upper chamber 213 is evacuated with the workpiece W in place, and an electrical inspection is performed at a low temperature. In S17, the workpiece W is immersed in the liquid medium LM in the upper chamber 213 without being moved, and high-temperature treatment is performed. When the workpiece W is heated to the heating completion temperature Th (e.g., 75°C), an electrical inspection is performed at a high temperature in S18. In parallel with the electrical inspection, the liquid medium LM is discharged from the upper chamber 213 and vacuum drying is performed. Once vacuum drying is complete, the workpiece W is discharged from the high-temperature inspection chamber 20 in S19.
[0040] Figure 9 shows the temperature profile of the workpiece W in the low-temperature processing tank 10. In Figure 9, the horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents temperature. The same applies to Figure 10 and Figures 13 and 14 described later. In the low-temperature processing tank 10, at time x11, the workpiece W is cooled from the cooling start temperature Tn (e.g., 20°C) to the cooling end temperature Tc (e.g., -35°C). When the cooling end temperature Tc is reached at time x12, the workpiece W is discharged from the low-temperature processing tank 10 at time x13. The temperature at the time of discharge is left to chance. The cooling end temperature Tc is set to be lower than the low-temperature inspection start temperature Td and higher than the freezing point of the liquid medium LM. In this embodiment, no electrical inspection is performed in the low-temperature processing tank 10. Therefore, cooling time can be secured independently of the inspection cycle, and energy saving can be achieved by reducing the refrigeration capacity.
[0041] Figure 10 shows the temperature profile of the workpiece W in the high-temperature inspection chamber 20. When the workpiece W is introduced into the high-temperature inspection chamber 20 from the low-temperature processing chamber 10 via a dry air environment, the upper chamber 213 is evacuated, and low-temperature electrical testing is performed from time x13 for the inspection duration (e.g., several tens of seconds). The low-temperature inspection start temperature Td (e.g., -25°C) is a temperature at which low-temperature electrical inspection performance can be guaranteed.
[0042] At time x14, once the electrical inspection is complete, the vacuum is stopped and the pressure inside the tank body 21 is restored. A high-temperature (e.g., 90°C) liquid medium LM is supplied to the upper chamber 213 to heat the workpiece W. The heating start temperature is determined by chance.
[0043] At time x15, when the heating completion temperature Th (e.g., 75°C) is reached, a high-temperature electrical inspection is performed. At the same time, the liquid medium LM in the upper chamber 213 is discharged and vacuum drying is performed. At time x16, the high-temperature inspection is completed, and at time x17, when the process is finished, the workpiece W is discharged from the high-temperature inspection chamber 20.
[0044] As described above, the inspection device 1 performs electrical inspection of a workpiece W at a predetermined inspection temperature and comprises a high-temperature inspection chamber 20, an electrical inspection unit 30, and a recovery unit 50. The high-temperature inspection chamber 20 is capable of temperature control of the workpiece W using a liquid medium LM and vacuum evacuation of the inside of the chamber. The electrical inspection unit 30 performs electrical inspection of the workpiece W. The recovery unit 50 recovers the liquid medium LM discharged from the high-temperature inspection chamber 20 and the volatile gases discharged by vacuum evacuation. The inspection device 1 performs electrical inspection and vacuum drying of the workpiece W in the high-temperature inspection chamber 20.
[0045] By using the liquid medium LM, the workpiece W can be efficiently temperature-controlled, reducing the energy, heat dissipation, and dry air consumption required for temperature treatment. Therefore, significant energy savings can be expected compared to cooling with a cold air furnace or heating with a hot air furnace. Furthermore, by providing a recovery unit 50 and vacuum-drying the workpiece W, the liquid medium LM used for temperature treatment of the workpiece W can be recovered with high efficiency. In addition, since a free board is not required by using a vacuum drying method, the height of the liquid tank in the high-temperature inspection chamber 20 can be reduced.
[0046] The high-temperature inspection tank 20 has a partition wall 215 that divides the internal space of the tank body 21 into a lower chamber 212 where a heater 25 is installed and an upper chamber 213 where the workpiece W is placed. The upper chamber 213 can be switched between a state filled with liquid medium LM and a vacuum state when the workpiece W is placed inside. In this embodiment, the high-temperature inspection tank 20 has a double-bottom structure, and by changing the liquid medium LM in the upper chamber 213, the vacuum of the upper chamber 213 can be performed with high efficiency.
[0047] The electrical inspection unit 30 performs electrical inspections in parallel with the vacuuming of the upper chamber 213. This allows for a reduction in process time.
[0048] The inspection device 1 includes a low-temperature processing tank 10 for cooling the workpiece W, in addition to a high-temperature inspection tank 20 for heating the workpiece W. The inspection device 1 performs low-temperature electrical testing of the workpiece W cooled in the low-temperature processing tank 10 in a vacuumed upper chamber 213, then fills the upper chamber 213 with a liquid medium LM to heat the workpiece W and performs high-temperature electrical testing.
[0049] This allows for appropriate low-temperature testing at relatively low temperatures and high-temperature testing at relatively high temperatures. Furthermore, it reduces the number of testers and testing fixtures compared to cases where testing fixtures are also provided on the low-temperature processing tank 10 side. In addition, by performing cooling separately from electrical testing, time can be allocated for cooling, making it possible to reduce the refrigeration capacity and further energy savings can be expected.
[0050] The recovery unit 50 includes a condenser 51 for condensing volatile gases and a gas holder 60 for storing volatile gases, and returns the dried volatile gases to the high-temperature inspection tank 20 when the high-temperature inspection tank 20 is repressurized. In other words, in this embodiment, a closed circulation system is used in which the recovered liquid medium LM is returned to the high-temperature inspection tank 20 when the pressure is restored, so the consumption of liquid medium LM can be reduced.
[0051] The inspection method of this embodiment is a method for performing an electrical inspection of a workpiece W at a predetermined inspection temperature, and includes a temperature control step of controlling the temperature of the workpiece W with a liquid medium LM, an electrical inspection step of performing an electrical inspection of the workpiece W, and a vacuum drying step of performing vacuum drying of the workpiece W.
[0052] The temperature control process includes a cooling process to cool the workpiece W and a heating process to heat the workpiece W. In this embodiment, the cooling process is performed in a low-temperature processing tank 10, the cooled workpiece W is transported to a high-temperature inspection tank 20, a low-temperature electrical inspection process is performed in the vacuum-sealed high-temperature inspection tank 20, the workpiece W is then heated in the heating process, and a high-temperature electrical inspection process and a vacuum drying process are performed in the high-temperature inspection tank 20. The high-temperature electrical inspection process and the vacuum drying process are performed simultaneously. This inspection method provides the same effects as the inspection apparatus 1 described above.
[0053] In this embodiment, the low-temperature processing tank 10 corresponds to the "low-temperature tank," the high-temperature inspection tank 20 corresponds to the "temperature-controlled tank" and the "high-temperature tank," the lower chamber 212 corresponds to the "liquid medium storage chamber," and the upper chamber 213 corresponds to the "work chamber." Furthermore, S13 and S17 correspond to the "temperature-controlled process," S13 to the "cooling process," S17 to the "heating process," S16 and S18 to the "electrical inspection process," and S18 to the "vacuum drying process."
[0054] (Second Embodiment) The second embodiment is shown in Figures 11 to 14. Figure 11 corresponds to Figure 2 of the first embodiment, and the inspection apparatus 2 of this embodiment comprises a low-temperature inspection chamber 80, a high-temperature inspection chamber 20, an electrical inspection unit 85, and a recovery unit 50 (not shown in Figure 11).
[0055] The electrical inspection unit 85 has, in addition to the components of the electrical inspection unit 30 of the above embodiment, a lower common connector 86 and a lower jig 87. The lower common connector 86 and the lower jig 87 are provided in the low-temperature inspection chamber 80, and the low-temperature inspection chamber 80 is configured to enable low-temperature electrical inspection. The upper jig 39, etc., are shared with high-temperature electrical inspection in the high-temperature inspection chamber 20. In the low-temperature inspection chamber 80, vacuuming is not performed from the viewpoint of the evaporation rate of the liquid medium LM, and therefore it is not a vacuum chamber, and there are no components related to vacuuming or liquid exchange. Therefore, the workpiece W after low-temperature inspection is placed in the high-temperature inspection chamber 20 without vacuum drying.
[0056] The inspection method of this embodiment will be explained based on the flowchart in Figure 12. The processes in S31 to S33 are the same as the processes in S11 to S13 in Figure 8. When the temperature of the workpiece W drops to the low-temperature inspection start temperature Td, a low-temperature electrical inspection is performed in the low-temperature inspection chamber 80 in S34. In this embodiment, since the low-temperature inspection is performed in the low-temperature inspection chamber 80, it is not necessary to lower the temperature below the temperature at which the low-temperature inspection is performed, taking into account the temperature rise due to transport, etc.
[0057] Once the low-temperature inspection is complete, the workpiece W is discharged from the low-temperature inspection chamber 80 in S35 and placed into the high-temperature inspection chamber 20 in S36. In S37, the workpiece W is subjected to a high-temperature treatment in which it is heated with the liquid medium LM. When the workpiece W is heated to the heating completion temperature Th, an electrical inspection is performed at high temperature in S38. Once the electrical inspection is complete, the liquid medium LM is discharged and vacuum drying is performed in S39. Once vacuum drying is complete, the workpiece W is discharged from the high-temperature inspection chamber 20 in S40.
[0058] Figure 13 shows the temperature profile of the workpiece W in the low-temperature inspection chamber 80. In the low-temperature inspection chamber 80, at a temperature of x21, the workpiece W is immersed in the liquid medium LM and cooled from the cooling start temperature Tn to the low-temperature inspection start temperature Td. At time x22, when the low-temperature inspection start temperature Td is reached, an electrical inspection is performed at a low temperature. At time x23, when the electrical inspection is completed, the workpiece W is discharged from the low-temperature inspection chamber 80 at time x24.
[0059] Figure 14 shows the temperature profile of the workpiece W in the high-temperature inspection chamber 20. When the workpiece W is placed in the high-temperature inspection chamber 20, at time x25, the workpiece W is immersed in the liquid medium LM and heated. At time x26, when the heating completion temperature Th is reached, an electrical inspection is performed at high temperature. At time x27, when the electrical inspection is completed, the liquid medium LM is discharged and vacuum drying is performed. Vacuum drying is performed at time x28. At time x29, when the process is completed, the workpiece W is discharged from the high-temperature inspection chamber 20.
[0060] In this embodiment, the inspection apparatus 2 performs a low-temperature electrical inspection of the workpiece W, which has been cooled in the low-temperature inspection chamber 80, in the low-temperature inspection chamber 80. Then, the workpiece W is transported to the high-temperature inspection chamber 20, where it is heated with a liquid medium LM, and a high-temperature electrical inspection is performed in the high-temperature inspection chamber 20.
[0061] In the inspection method of this embodiment, a cooling process and a low-temperature electrical inspection process are performed in a low-temperature inspection chamber 80. After the low-temperature electrical inspection process, the workpiece W is transported to a high-temperature inspection chamber 20, where a heating process, a high-temperature electrical inspection process, and a vacuum drying process are performed.
[0062] In this embodiment, electrical testing at low temperatures and electrical testing at high temperatures are performed in the low-temperature testing chamber 80 and the high-temperature testing chamber 20, respectively, allowing for electrical testing under more appropriate temperature conditions. Furthermore, it achieves the same effects as the above embodiment.
[0063] In this embodiment, the low-temperature inspection chamber 80 corresponds to the "low-temperature chamber". Also, S33 and S37 correspond to the "temperature control process", S33 to the "cooling process", S37 to the "heating process", S34 and S38 to the "electrical inspection process", and S39 to the "vacuum drying process".
[0064] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, the same liquid medium is used for both the low-temperature and high-temperature treatments. In other embodiments, the liquid medium used for the low-temperature treatment and the liquid medium used for the high-temperature treatment may be different. In the first embodiment, vacuum drying is performed simultaneously with the high-temperature electrical inspection, and in the second embodiment, vacuum drying is performed after the high-temperature electrical inspection. In other embodiments, vacuum drying may be performed after the electrical inspection using the inspection apparatus of the first embodiment, or high-temperature electrical inspection and vacuum drying may be performed simultaneously using the inspection apparatus of the second embodiment.
[0065] In other embodiments, the low-temperature chamber may be a "temperature-controlled chamber" capable of being evacuated, and the details of the apparatus may differ from those of the above embodiments, as long as electrical testing and vacuum drying are possible in the temperature-controlled chamber. Furthermore, the temperature profiles illustrated in the embodiments are merely examples and can be set arbitrarily. In summary, the present invention is not limited in any way to the above embodiments and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0066] 1, 2... Inspection device 10. Low-temperature processing tank (low-temperature tank) 20. High-temperature inspection tank (temperature-controlled tank, high-temperature tank) 30, 85... Electrical Inspection Department 50...Recovery Department 80. Low-temperature testing chamber (low-temperature chamber)
Claims
1. An inspection device that performs electrical inspection of a workpiece (W) at a predetermined inspection temperature, A temperature-controlled tank (20) capable of controlling the temperature of the workpiece using a liquid medium and evacuating the inside of the tank, An electrical inspection unit (30, 85) that performs electrical inspection of the aforementioned workpiece, A recovery unit (50) for recovering the liquid medium discharged from the temperature control tank and the volatile gas discharged by vacuuming, Equipped with, In the temperature-controlled bath, the workpiece is subjected to electrical testing and vacuum drying. The temperature control tank has a partition wall (215) that divides the internal space of the tank body (21) into a liquid medium storage chamber (212) and a work chamber (213) where the workpiece is placed. The work chamber is an inspection device that can switch between a state in which the workpiece is placed and a state in which it is filled with a liquid medium.
2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical inspection unit performs electrical inspection in parallel with vacuuming the work chamber.
3. The temperature control bath is a high-temperature bath for heating the workpiece, In addition to the high-temperature bath, a low-temperature bath (10) for cooling the workpiece is provided. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, after performing an electrical inspection of the workpiece cooled in the low-temperature bath at a low temperature in the vacuumed workpiece chamber, the workpiece chamber is filled with a liquid medium to heat it and perform an electrical inspection at a high temperature.
4. The temperature control bath is a high-temperature bath for heating the workpiece, In addition to the high-temperature bath, a low-temperature bath (80) for cooling the workpiece is provided. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, after performing an electrical inspection at a low temperature on the workpiece cooled in the low-temperature bath, the workpiece is transported to the high-temperature bath, heated with a liquid medium, and an electrical inspection at a high temperature is performed in the high-temperature bath.
5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the recovery unit includes a condenser (51) for condensing volatile gas and a gas holder (60) for storing volatile gas, and returns the volatile gas when the temperature control tank is restored to its original pressure.
6. An inspection method for performing an electrical inspection of a workpiece (W) at a predetermined inspection temperature, A temperature control step (S13, S17, S33, S37) in which the workpiece is heated using a liquid medium, An electrical inspection process (S16, S18, S34, S38) for performing electrical inspection of the aforementioned workpiece, A vacuum drying step (S18, S39) is performed to vacuum dry the workpiece, Includes, The temperature control process includes a cooling process (S13, S33) for cooling the workpiece, and a heating process (S17, S37) for heating the workpiece. The cooling process is performed in the low-temperature bath (10). An inspection method comprising: transporting the cooled workpiece to a high-temperature bath (20); performing the low-temperature electrical inspection process in the vacuum-sealed high-temperature bath; heating the workpiece in the heating process; and performing the high-temperature electrical inspection process and the vacuum drying process in the high-temperature bath.
7. An inspection method for performing an electrical inspection of a workpiece (W) at a predetermined inspection temperature, A temperature control step (S13, S17, S33, S37) in which the workpiece is heated using a liquid medium, An electrical inspection process (S16, S18, S34, S38) for performing electrical inspection of the aforementioned workpiece, A vacuum drying step (S18, S39) is performed to vacuum dry the workpiece, Includes, The temperature control process includes a cooling process (S13, S33) for cooling the workpiece, and a heating process (S17, S37) for heating the workpiece. The cooling process and the electrical inspection process at low temperature are performed in the low-temperature chamber (80). An inspection method comprising the following steps: after the electrical inspection step at a low temperature, the workpiece is transported to a high-temperature bath (20), and the heating step, the electrical inspection step at a high temperature, and the vacuum drying step are performed in the high-temperature bath.
8. The inspection method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the electrical inspection step and the vacuum drying step are performed simultaneously.