Inspection system, inspection method, and shell structure

Abstract

This inspection system includes: a joining device that joins a substrate and a jig in a state of contact and electrical continuity between a conduction portion of the substrate and a contacting portion of the jig to form a shell structure exposing electrodes of the jig; a conveyance module which is connected to the joining device and which conveys the shell structure formed by the joining device; a determination unit that determines whether the joined state of the shell structure formed by the joining device is normal or abnormal; and an inspection device which is connected to the conveyance module and which inspects the substrate via the electrodes of the jig of the shell structure that is determined to be normal by the determination unit.

Description

Inspection system, inspection method, and shell structure

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an inspection system, an inspection method, and a shell structure.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a manufacturing method for forming a shell structure by joining a contact jig (contact substrate) to suppress the needle pressure applied to the substrate from the probe of the inspection device. The inspection device of the inspection system brings the probe into contact with the electrodes of the contact jig of the formed shell structure, transmits electrical signals to multiple semiconductor devices on the substrate, and inspects the electrical characteristics of each semiconductor device.

[0003] JP 2023-95494 A

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique for forming a shell structure using a substrate and a jig, and for efficiently and accurately inspecting the substrate of the shell structure.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an inspection system is provided that includes a joining device that joins a substrate and a jig while maintaining contact and electrical continuity between the conductive portion of the substrate and the contact portion of the jig, thereby forming a shell structure with the electrodes of the jig exposed; a transport module that is connected to the joining device and transports the shell structure formed by the joining device; a judgment unit that judges whether the joining state of the shell structure formed by the joining device is normal or abnormal; and an inspection device that is connected to the transport module and inspects the substrate via the electrodes of the jig of the shell structure that has been judged to be normal by the judgment unit.

[0006] According to one aspect, a shell structure is formed using a substrate and a jig, and the substrate of the shell structure can be inspected efficiently and accurately.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view before the formation of the shell structure; FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view after the formation of the shell structure; FIG. 3 is a plan view of a contact jig applied to the shell structure; FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the overall configuration of an inspection system according to a first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a bonding device of the inspection system; FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a shell structure determination device; FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an inspection method according to an embodiment; FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically showing the overall configuration of an inspection system according to a second embodiment; FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a contact portion of a contact jig according to a first modified example; FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a contact portion of a contact jig according to a second modified example.

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted.

[0009] First, to facilitate understanding of the inspection system 1 according to the present disclosure, a shell structure 100 created during inspection will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 shows the shell structure 100 according to an embodiment, with Figure 1A being a side cross-sectional view of the shell structure 100 before its formation, and Figure 1B being a side cross-sectional view of the shell structure 100 after its formation. Figure 2 is a plan view of a contact jig 110 applied to the shell structure 100.

[0010] The shell structure 100 is a structure that is prepared for the purpose of inspecting the substrate W and is disassembled after the inspection of the substrate W. The shell structure 100 is formed by joining the substrate W to be inspected and a contact jig 110.

[0011] The substrate W to be inspected may be a wafer on which a plurality of semiconductor devices, which are devices under test (DUTs), are arranged in a matrix. For example, the substrate W may be made of silicon, a compound semiconductor (SiC, GaAs, SiC, GaN, InP, etc.), etc. Note that the substrate W is not limited to a wafer, and may also be a carrier having semiconductor devices, a glass substrate, a single chip, an electronic circuit board, etc.

[0012] The substrate W includes a plate-shaped substrate body Wm and multiple conductive portions Wc. The substrate body Wm is circular in plan view and has multiple semiconductor devices inside. The diameter of the substrate body Wm is set to, for example, 30 cm. The substrate body Wm has one surface Ws1 facing the contact jig 110 and another surface Ws2 on the opposite side. Note that while FIG. 1A depicts the one surface Ws1 and the other surface Ws2 as flat, the one surface Ws1 and the other surface Ws2 may have irregularities depending on the semiconductor devices.

[0013] The plurality of conductive portions Wc are formed on one surface Ws1 of the substrate body Wm and are electrically connected to appropriate semiconductor devices on the substrate body Wm. Examples of the conductive portions Wc include electrode pads and metal bumps of the semiconductor devices. While FIG. 1A illustrates an example in which each conductive portion Wc is embedded within the substrate W, each conductive portion Wc may protrude from one surface Ws1 of the substrate W.

[0014] Each of the conductive portions Wc is made of a conductive metal material such as aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), etc. The conductive portions Wc are arranged side by side at intervals of, for example, 10 μm or less.

[0015] On the other hand, the contact jig 110 is releasably bonded to the substrate W. The contact jig 110 includes a jig body 111, a plurality of contact portions 112, and a plurality of electrode pads 113.

[0016] The jig body 111 is formed in a circular shape (see also FIG. 2) with approximately the same diameter as the substrate body Wm, and constitutes the portion to be joined to the substrate body Wm. The thickness of the jig body 111 is formed to be thicker than the thickness of the substrate body Wm. This jig body 111 has a recess 111c on the inside of the annular outer periphery 111o. The recess 111c is formed on one surface 111s1 of the jig body 111. Note that the jig body 111 may have a shape different from that of the substrate W, and may be formed, for example, in a circular shape with a larger diameter than the substrate W, or in a polygonal shape such as a square.

[0017] The jig body 111 is made of a material having, for example, a thermal expansion coefficient equivalent to that of the substrate body Wm in order to prevent misalignment between the substrate W and the contact jig 110 due to temperature changes in the shell structure 100. As an example, the jig body 111 may be made of a contact substrate made of the same material as the substrate body Wm. Alternatively, the jig body 111 may be made of a glass substrate having a thermal expansion coefficient equivalent to that of the substrate W, or a substrate in which a semiconductor substrate and a glass substrate are laminated.

[0018] The multiple contact portions 112 are pin-shaped members that extend linearly along the thickness direction of the jig body 111. The protruding end of each contact portion 112 comes into contact with a corresponding conductive portion Wc when the substrate W is joined to the contact jig 110. Therefore, each contact portion 112 is disposed at a position that allows it to face a corresponding conductive portion Wc of the substrate W.

[0019] Each contact portion 112 penetrates the thickness of the jig body 111 and protrudes into the recess 111c. The extension length of each contact portion 112 is approximately equal to or slightly longer than the thickness of the jig body 111. Therefore, the protruding end of each contact portion 112 is aligned with the opening of the recess 111c (one surface 111s1 of the jig body 111) or protrudes slightly beyond the opening. Furthermore, each contact portion 112 is elastically deformable upon contact with each conductive portion Wc. This allows each contact portion 112 to contact each conductive portion Wc of the substrate W with an appropriate needle pressure (contact pressure).

[0020] The plurality of electrode pads 113 are formed on the other surface 111s2 of the jig body 111. The plurality of electrode pads 113 are set at intervals greater than the intervals between the conductive portions Wc of the substrate W and / or at areas greater than the areas of the conductive portions Wc. For example, the intervals between the electrode pads 113 may be set to 50 μm to 500 μm. The electrode pads 113 are formed from a metal material such as Al or Cu. The metal material of the electrode pads 113 may be plated with gold (Au) or the like.

[0021] Each electrode pad 113 is electrically connected to each contact portion 112. Although Fig. 1 shows a configuration in which each contact portion 112 extends linearly and is connected to each electrode pad 113 on the other surface 111s2, the contact portion 112 may be bent or curved within the jig body 111. This allows electrical conduction between each conductive portion Wc and each electrode pad 113 via each contact portion 112, even if the spacing between each conductive portion Wc and the spacing between each electrode pad 113 differs.

[0022] Furthermore, the contact jig 110 insulates adjacent contact portions 112 from each other and adjacent electrode pads 113 from each other.

[0023] A bonding portion 120 is formed on the outer circumferential portion 111o of one surface 111s1 of the contact jig 110. The outer circumferential portion 111o projects from the bottom surface of the recess 111c and forms a ring-shaped circumferential portion, and the bonding portion 120 covers the entire projecting end surface of the outer circumferential portion 111o. The bonding portion 120, which will be described in detail later, may be formed from an adhesive or may be a modified layer obtained by modifying the surface of the jig body 111.

[0024] One surface 111s1 of the contact jig 110 is joined to one surface Ws1 of the substrate W via the joining portion 120, thereby forming a sealed internal space 101 in the recess 111c. Contact portions of each conductive portion Wc and each contact portion 112 are arranged in the internal space 101. By joining the substrate W and the contact jig 110 in a reduced pressure atmosphere, the internal space 101 can be maintained in a reduced pressure atmosphere. The shell structure 100 can suppress oxidation caused by exposing each conductive portion Wc to the atmosphere. Alternatively, the shell structure 100 may join the substrate W and the contact jig 110 in an inert gas atmosphere. This allows the shell structure 100 to maintain the internal space 101 in an inert gas atmosphere.

[0025] Furthermore, the contact jig 110 according to the present disclosure has a detection unit 115 that detects an index for determining the bonding state between the substrate W and the contact jig 110. Examples of indices for determining the bonding state include the pressure (needle pressure) applied to the substrate W from the contact portions 112 of the contact jig 110, and the internal pressure (vacuum level) of the sealed internal space 101. For this reason, the contact jig 110 has a plurality of needle pressure sensors 116 and a space pressure sensor 117 that configure the detection unit 115.

[0026] Each needle pressure sensor 116 has a sensor body 116a in the jig body 111 and a pin 116b protruding from the sensor body 116a into the recess 111c (see FIG. 1A). The needle pressure sensor 116 also has a connector 116c on the other surface 111s2 of the jig body 111 that is electrically connected to the sensor body 116a. Each needle pressure sensor 116 configured in this manner can detect the pressure (needle pressure) of the pin 116b against the substrate W under the control of a needle pressure measuring device 52 (see FIG. 5) connected to the connector 116c, which will be described later.

[0027] The spatial pressure sensor 117 includes a detector 117a exposed in the recess 111c on the jig body 111, and a connector 117b electrically connected to the detector 117a on the other surface 111s2 of the jig body 111. Each spatial pressure sensor 117 configured in this manner can detect the pressure (internal pressure) in the internal space 101 between the substrate W and the contact jig 110 under the control of a pressure measuring instrument 53 (described below) (see FIG. 5 ) connected to the connector 117b.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2 , the plurality of stylus pressure sensors 116 are provided at the center of the recess 111c and near the outer periphery 111o on all four sides of the recess 111c, for a total of five. Each stylus pressure sensor 116 detects the stylus pressure at its respective position, allowing the inspection system 1 to recognize the unbalanced load of each stylus pressure sensor 116. Meanwhile, one spatial pressure sensor 117 is provided at a midpoint between the two stylus pressure sensors 116. The number of stylus pressure sensors 116 is not particularly limited, and for example, only one may be provided. The arrangement of each stylus pressure sensor 116 and spatial pressure sensor 117 is also not particularly limited, and may be designed as desired.

[0029] The shell structure 100 formed in the inspection is basically configured as described above, and the inspection system 1 that forms this shell structure 100 and performs the inspection will be described below with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view that schematically shows the overall configuration of the inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0030] First Embodiment An inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment stocks a plurality of contact jigs 110 internally, and transports substrates W to respective locations within the inspection system 1 while forming and inspecting shell structures 100. After the inspection, the inspection system 1 dismantles the shell structures 100. The inspection system 1 includes a transport module 10, a reduction treatment device (plasma treatment device) 20, a position adjustment device 25, an adhesive application device 30, a bonding device 40, a shell structure determination device 50, an inspection device 60, a pre-peeling treatment device 70, a peeling device 75, a jig cleaning device 80, and a substrate cleaning device 85. The inspection system 1 also includes a controller 90 that controls the operation of each device.

[0031] The transport module 10 transports the substrate W through three regions: a formation region 11 where the shell structure 100 is formed, an inspection region 12 where the substrate W is inspected, and a disassembly region 13 where the shell structure 100 is disassembled. The formation region 11, the inspection region 12, and the disassembly region 13 each extend linearly. The transport module 10 connects the formation region 11 and the inspection region 12 orthogonally and also connects the inspection region 12 and the disassembly region 13 orthogonally, thereby forming a generally C-shape as a whole. The formation region 11, the inspection region 12, and the disassembly region 13 are not necessarily contiguous with each other, and some or all of them may be located at separate positions.

[0032] Each area of ​​the transport module 10 includes a floor frame 14 extending linearly and a transport device (not shown) that moves along the longitudinal direction of the floor frame 14. The floor frame 14 may be formed into a flat road surface or may have guide rails, depending on the transport mechanism of the transport device. The transport device transports the substrate W to a position opposite each device by moving on the floor frame 14 while supporting the substrate W with an arm (not shown). Furthermore, the transport device loads and unloads the substrate W between each device by moving the arm back and forth at the opposite positions of the devices.

[0033] To form the shell structure 100, the formation area 11 is connected to a reduction treatment device 20, a position adjustment device 25, an adhesive application device 30, a bonding device 40, and a shell structure determination device 50 in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction of the substrate W. In the formation area 11, each device is installed, for example, on both sides of a floor frame 14.

[0034] The transfer module 10 can reduce the pressure in the formation region 11 to a vacuum atmosphere, while maintaining the atmosphere in the inspection region 12 and the disassembly region 13. This allows the internal space 101 of the shell structure 100 to be easily placed in a vacuum atmosphere when the shell structure 100 is formed in the formation region 11. The inspection system 1 can also easily place the formation region 11 in a nitrogen (N ２ ) gas to create an inert gas atmosphere to suppress oxidation of the conductive portion Wc. In the inspection system 1, the region to be evacuated to a vacuum atmosphere is not limited to the formation region 11, and the vacuum atmosphere may be created over the formation region 11, the inspection region 12, and the disassembly region 13, for example.

[0035] The formation region 11 of the transfer module 10 forms a space sealed from the outside, and is equipped with load lock modules 15 at each of the entrance and exit of the formation region 11. For example, the transfer module 10 forms a sealed space over the entire length of the formation region 11 by side panels and a ceiling panel covering the floor frame 14. When the entrance load lock module 15 receives a substrate W transferred from the outside, it depressurizes the atmosphere from atmospheric to vacuum, after which the substrate W is removed by a transfer device inside the formation region 11. When the exit load lock module 15 receives a substrate W (shell structure 100) by a transfer device inside the formation region 11, it increases the pressure from vacuum to atmospheric, after which the substrate W is removed by a transfer device inside the inspection region 12.

[0036] On the other hand, inspection area 12 is connected only to inspection device 60. The transport device in inspection area 12 carries in shell structure 100 formed in formation area 11 and transports it to inspection device 60, and also transports shell structure 100 after inspection in inspection device 60 to disassembly area 13.

[0037] The dismantling area 13 is connected to a pre-peeling treatment device 70, a peeling device 75, a jig cleaning device 80, and a substrate cleaning device 85 in this order from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the substrate W in order to dismantle the shell structure 100. A buffer unit 16 is provided on the upstream side of the dismantling area 13 (or on the downstream or upstream side of the inspection area 12) to temporarily place the shell structure 100 in the inspection area 12. In the dismantling area 13, each device is also installed on both sides of a floor frame 14, for example.

[0038] The reduction treatment device 20 installed in the formation region 11 plasma-treats the substrate W to remove an oxide film formed on the surface of the conductive portion We of the substrate W before forming the shell structure 100. To this end, the substrate W is loaded into the reduction treatment device 20 with one side Ws1 facing upward (vertically facing upward). The reduction treatment device 20 may be a known device, for example, which supplies an etching gas to generate plasma to etch the surface of the aluminum conductive portion We. The type of etching gas may be selected appropriately depending on the material of the conductive portion We, and may include, for example, a hydrogen-containing gas or a chlorine-containing gas. Preferably, the etching gas is hydrogen gas, which does not require detoxification and does not corrode the device. After the oxide film is removed, the substrate W moves through the vacuum atmosphere in the formation region 11, preventing re-oxidation and allowing the shell structure 100 to be formed.

[0039] The position adjustment device 25 receives the substrate W from which the oxide film has been removed by the transport module 10, detects the positional deviation and circumferential orientation (posture) of the substrate W, and adjusts the positional deviation and posture of the substrate W in cooperation with the transport device in the formation region 11. In addition, the position adjustment device 25 inverts the substrate W, one side Ws1 of which faces upward, so that the one side Ws1 faces downward in order to bond the substrate W to the contact jig 110 in the bonding device 40. The transport device in the formation region 11 unloads the substrate W with the one side Ws1 facing downward and transports it to the bonding device 40.

[0040] The adhesive application device 30 receives the contact jig 110 transported by the transport device in the formation region 11, and applies an adhesive to the surface of the outer circumferential portion 111o of the contact jig 110 to form a bonded portion 120 (see FIG. 1A ). In this embodiment, a UV-curable resin is used as the adhesive. The adhesive application device 30 has, for example, a nozzle (not shown) for applying the adhesive, and forms the bonded portion 120 around the entire circumferential circumference of the protruding end face of the outer circumferential portion 111o. The transport device in the formation region 11 carries out the contact jig 110 on which the bonded portion 120 has been formed, and transports it to the bonding device 40.

[0041] Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view that schematically shows the bonding device 40 of the inspection system 1. As shown in Fig. 4, the bonding device 40 bonds the substrate W and the contact jig 110 inside a processing vessel 41. The bonding device 40 includes, inside the processing vessel 41, an upper chuck 42 that holds the substrate W, a lower chuck 43 that holds the contact jig 110, and a UV irradiation device 44.

[0042] The upper chuck 42 holds the other surface Ws2 of the substrate W from above, with one surface Ws1 of the substrate W facing downward. The upper chuck 42 is displaced up and down at a set position by a lifting mechanism (not shown). The lower surface of the upper chuck 42 serves as an attraction surface 42a capable of attracting the substrate W. A plurality of suction pipes are connected to the attraction surface 42a, and an attraction pressure for vacuum-attracting the substrate W is applied via the suction pipes. Note that the upper chuck 42 may be an electrostatic chuck that electrostatically attracts the substrate W.

[0043] The upper chuck 42 is provided with a plurality of holding pins (not shown) that are raised and lowered vertically by a drive unit (not shown) to vacuum-suck the substrate W. Each holding pin protrudes from a suction surface 42a of the upper chuck 42 and suctions the substrate W that has been placed at the substrate transfer position by the transport device. The upper chuck 42 raises each holding pin to vacuum-suck the substrate W horizontally on the suction surface 42a.

[0044] The lower chuck 43 holds the other surface 111s2 of the contact jig 110 from below, with one surface 111s1 of the contact jig 110 facing upward. The lower chuck 43 is supported by a movement mechanism (not shown) that moves horizontally and vertically relative to the upper chuck 42. The movement mechanism of the lower chuck 43 transports the contact jig 110 between a jig receiving position and a joining position facing the upper chuck 42.

[0045] The lower chuck 43 is provided with a plurality of lift pins (not shown) that move up and down in the vertical direction. Each lift pin rises toward and receives the contact jig 110 that has been carried into the jig receiving position by the transport device. The lower chuck 43 lowers each lift pin to horizontally vacuum-suck the contact jig 110 on the suction surface 43a. Note that the lower chuck 43 may also be an electrostatic chuck that electrostatically attracts the contact jig 110.

[0046] The bonding device 40 uses an upper camera 45 provided on the upper chuck 42 to capture images of the lower chuck 43 and the contact jig 110, and also uses a lower camera 46 provided on the lower chuck 43 to capture images of the upper chuck 42 and the substrate W. The bonding device 40 then uses the image information from the upper camera 45 and the image information from the lower camera 46 to align a reference point on the substrate W with a reference point on the contact jig 110, thereby adjusting the horizontal positions of the substrate W and the contact jig 110. Note that the bonding device 40 may also capture images of the substrate W and the contact jig 110 by inserting a bridge mechanism including the upper camera 45 and the lower camera 46 between the upper chuck 42 and the lower chuck 43.

[0047] Furthermore, the bonding device 40 uses the movement mechanism of the lower chuck 43 to raise the lower chuck 43, bringing the bonding portion 120 on the outer periphery of the contact jig 110 into contact with the outer periphery of the substrate W. This results in the substrate W and the contact jig 110 being integrated in the Z-axis direction. Note that the bonding device 40 may lower the upper chuck 42, or may move both the upper chuck 42 and the lower chuck 43.

[0048] The UV irradiation device 44 irradiates UV light when the substrate W and the contact jig 110 are bonded (for example, after the outer periphery of the substrate W comes into contact with the contact jig 110). A plurality of UV irradiation devices 44 are provided along the circumferential direction on the sides of the upper chuck 42 and the lower chuck 43, and irradiate UV light from the entire circumferential direction. Alternatively, the UV irradiation device 44 may be configured such that one or more devices irradiate UV light while moving along the circumferential direction. The bonded portion 120 between the substrate W and the contact jig 110 is hardened by receiving UV light from the UV irradiation device 44, thereby bonding the substrate W and the contact jig 110.

[0049] By operating as described above, the bonding apparatus 40 creates a shell structure 100 in which the substrate W and the contact jig 110 are bonded together in a vacuum atmosphere (or an inert gas atmosphere). The shell structure 100 does not expose the conductive portions Wc, while exposing the electrode pads 113 of the contact jig 110, thereby enabling inspection of the semiconductor device on the substrate W via the electrode pads 113. The inspection system 1 transports the shell structure 100 formed by the bonding apparatus 40 to a shell structure determination apparatus 50 using a transport device in the formation region 11, and determines the bonding state of the shell structure 100.

[0050] Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view that schematically shows the shell structure determination device 50. As shown in Fig. 5, the shell structure determination device 50 has a container 51 that contains the shell structure 100 (contact jig 110), a stylus pressure measuring device 52, a pressure measuring device 53, and a determination unit 54.

[0051] The needle pressure measuring device 52 is connected to the connector 116c of each needle pressure sensor 116 of the shell structure 100 carried into the container 51. The needle pressure measuring device 52 operates each needle pressure sensor 116 via the connector 116c, thereby measuring the needle pressure of each needle pressure sensor 116 of the shell structure 100 and transmitting the measurement information to the determination unit 54.

[0052] The pressure measuring device 53 is connected to the connector 117b of the spatial pressure sensor 117 of the shell structure 100 carried into the container 51. The pressure measuring device 53 operates each needle pressure sensor 116 via the connector 116c, thereby measuring the spatial pressure with the spatial pressure sensor 117 of the shell structure 100 and transmitting the measurement information to the determination unit 54.

[0053] The determination unit 54 determines the bonding state of the shell structure 100 based on the measurement information from the stylus pressure measuring device 52 and the measurement information from the pressure measuring device 53. The determination unit 54 may be provided in the controller 90 instead of being provided in the shell structure determination device 50.

[0054] For example, the determination unit 54 stores in advance a needle pressure allowable range for comparing needle pressures of the shell structure 100 and a spatial pressure allowable range for comparing spatial pressures of the shell structure 100. The determination unit 54 compares the measurement information of each needle pressure with the needle pressure allowable range, and determines that the bonded state is abnormal if each needle pressure is outside the needle pressure allowable range, and determines that the bonded state is normal if each needle pressure is within the needle pressure allowable range. Alternatively, the determination unit 54 may calculate the difference (unbalanced load) between the minimum and maximum values ​​of each needle pressure, and determines that the bonded state is abnormal if the difference exceeds a threshold, and determines that the bonded state is normal if the difference is equal to or less than the threshold. Furthermore, the determination unit 54 compares the measurement information of the spatial pressure with the spatial pressure allowable range, and determines that the bonded state is abnormal if the spatial pressure is outside the spatial pressure allowable range, and determines that the bonded state is normal if the spatial pressure is within the spatial pressure allowable range.

[0055] When the inspection system 1 determines that there is an abnormality in the bonding state of the shell structure 100, it disassembles the shell structure 100 and rebuilds the shell structure 100 without performing an inspection using the inspection device 60. This enables the inspection system 1 to stably inspect the substrate W by preventing abnormalities in the electrical characteristics of the substrate W that may occur due to an abnormality in the bonding state.

[0056] Returning to FIG. 3, the inspection area 12 of the inspection system 1 transports the shell structure 100 formed in the formation area 11 , and an inspection device 60 installed in the inspection area 12 inspects the substrate W of the shell structure 100 .

[0057] The inspection device 60 may include, for example, a device including a tester (not shown) and a probe card (not shown) held by the tester. The probe card has a plurality of probes (not shown) that can contact each of the electrode pads 113 exposed on the shell structure 100. The tester transmits electrical signals to the conductive portions Wc of the substrate W through the probes of the probe card, each of the electrode pads 113 and each of the contact portions 112 of the shell structure 100, and receives response signals from the substrate W, thereby inspecting the electrical characteristics of the semiconductor device on the substrate W. After inspection by the inspection device 60, the shell structure 100 is transported to the disassembly area 13 by a transport device in the inspection area 12.

[0058] When the shell structure 100 is transported by the transport device in the dismantling area 13, the pre-peeling treatment device 70 in the dismantling area 13 performs pre-treatment on the shell structure 100. For example, the pre-peeling treatment device 70 may be a hot plate device that heats the shell structure 100 to a target temperature. This target temperature is a temperature that can reduce the adhesive strength of the adhesive (UV curing resin) in the bonding portion 120. This brings the bonding portion 120, which bonds the substrate W and contact jig 110 of the shell structure 100, into a state where it can be easily peeled off.

[0059] The shell structure 100 of the pre-peeling treatment device 70 is transported by the transport device in the disassembly area 13, and the peeling device 75 in the disassembly area 13 peels off the substrate W and the contact jig 110. For example, this peeling device 75 may be a device that advances a blade into the bonding portion 120 from the side of the shell structure 100 and pulls the substrate W upward relative to the contact jig 110. This allows the substrate W to be smoothly peeled off from the contact jig 110.

[0060] The jig cleaning device 80 in the disassembly area 13 receives the contact jigs 110 that have been peeled off in the peeling device 75 and performs a process of removing the adhesive (bonded portions 120) adhering to the contact jigs 110. After removing the adhesive from the contact jigs 110, the inspection system 1 transports the contact jigs 110 to the adhesive application device 30, thereby enabling the contact jigs 110 to be reused for inspecting substrates W. Note that the inspection system 1 may have a storage module that stores a plurality of contact jigs 110, and may store the contact jigs 110 from the jig cleaning device 80 in the storage module and then transport the contact jigs 110 from the storage module to the adhesive application device 30.

[0061] The substrate cleaning device 85 in the disassembly area 13 transports the substrate W that has been peeled off in the peeling device 75 and performs a process of removing the adhesive (bonded portion 120) adhering to the substrate W. After removing the adhesive from the substrate W, the inspection system 1 transports the substrate W to the downstream end of the disassembly area 13, thereby unloading the substrate W from the transport module 10 and storing the substrate W in a carrier such as a FOUP.

[0062] The controller 90 of the inspection system 1 is a computer including a processor, memory, input / output interface, communication interface, etc. (not shown). The processor is one or a combination of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a circuit made up of a plurality of discrete semiconductors, etc., and executes and processes programs stored in memory. The memory includes a main storage device made up of a semiconductor memory, etc., and an auxiliary storage device made up of a disk, a drive, a semiconductor memory (flash memory), etc.

[0063] The controller 90 of the inspection system 1 controls the operation of the transport module 10 and each device to sequentially transport a plurality of substrates W to form a shell structure 100, and controls the inspection device 60 to sequentially inspect the substrates W in the shell structure 100. The controller 90 also controls the sequential peeling of the inspected shell structure 100 into the substrates W and the contact jig 110, and the removal of the substrates W.

[0064] The inspection system 1 according to the embodiment is basically configured as described above, and its operation (inspection method) will be described below with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the inspection method according to the embodiment.

[0065] In the method for inspecting the substrate W, the inspection system 1 executes the processing flow of steps S101 to S110 shown in FIG.

[0066] In the inspection system 1, first, the substrate W is transported by the transport module 10 to the reduction treatment device 20, and the oxide film on the conductive portion Wc of the substrate W is removed in the reduction treatment device 20 (step S101).

[0067] Next, the inspection system 1 transports the substrate W from the reduction treatment device 20 to the position adjustment device 25 using the transport module 10, and aligns the substrate W in the position adjustment device 25 and turns over the substrate W (step S102). As a result, one surface Ws1 of the substrate W faces downward in the vertical direction.

[0068] Then, the inspection system 1 transports the substrate W from the position adjustment device 25 to the bonding device 40 using the transport module 10, and the substrate W and the contact jig 110 are bonded to each other in the bonding device 40 to form the shell structure 100 (step S103: process (A)). In parallel with steps S101 and S102 (or before step S101), an adhesive is applied to the contact jig 110 in the adhesive application device 30, and the contact jig 110 is transported to the bonding device 40. As a result, the bonding device 40 can obtain the shell structure 100 in which the substrate W and the contact jig 110 are firmly bonded together via the bonding section 120.

[0069] After manufacturing the shell structure 100, the inspection system 1 transports the shell structure 100 from the joining device 40 to the shell structure determination device 50 and determines whether the joining state of the shell structure 100 is normal or not (step S104: process (B)). The normality or abnormality of the shell structure 100 is determined by the determination unit 54 based on the detection information of the detection unit 115 of the shell structure 100, as described above. If the joining state of the shell structure 100 is normal (step S104: YES), the inspection system 1 proceeds to step S105, and if the joining state of the shell structure 100 is abnormal (step S104: NO), the inspection system 1 proceeds to step S109.

[0070] In step S105, the inspection system 1 transports the shell structure 100 from the shell structure determination device 50 to the inspection device 60 using the transport module 10, and the inspection device 60 inspects the electrical characteristics of the substrate W via the shell structure 100 (step (C)). During this inspection, the inspection device 60 applies a large needle pressure from each probe to the electrode pads 113 of the shell structure 100, while applying a weaker needle pressure to the contact portions 112 of the conductive portions Wc of the substrate W. As a result, the inspection device 60 can suppress damage to the conductive portions Wc and properly inspect the substrate W.

[0071] After inspecting the substrate W, the inspection system 1 transports the shell structure 100 from the inspection device 60 to the pre-peeling treatment device 70 using the transport module 10, and heats the shell structure 100 in the pre-peeling treatment device 70 to reduce the adhesive strength of the adhesive (step S106).

[0072] Next, the inspection system 1 uses the transfer module 10 to transfer the shell structure 100 from the pre-peeling treatment device 70 to the peeling device 75, where the shell structure 100 is peeled into the substrate W and the contact jig 110 (step S107). The contact jig 110 peeled off by the peeling device 75 is transferred by the transfer module 10 to the jig cleaning device 80, where the adhesive is removed, and then transferred again by the transfer module 10 to the adhesive application device 30.

[0073] Meanwhile, the inspection system 1 transports the substrate W separated by the separation device 75 to the substrate cleaning device 85 by the transport module 10, and cleans the substrate W in the substrate cleaning device 85 to remove the adhesive (step S108). As a result, the substrate W returns to the state it was in before being carried into the inspection system 1, and is collected as the inspected substrate W.

[0074] Furthermore, if an abnormality in the bonding state of the shell structure 100 is determined in step S104 of the inspection method, the inspection system 1 does not perform the inspection but proceeds to a process of dismantling the shell structure 100. For this reason, the inspection system 1 transports the shell structure 100 from the shell structure determination device 50 to the pre-peeling treatment device 70 using the transport module 10, and heats the shell structure 100 in the pre-peeling treatment device 70 to reduce the adhesive strength of the adhesive (step S109).

[0075] Furthermore, the inspection system 1 transports the shell structure 100 from the pre-peeling treatment device 70 to the peeling device 75 using the transport module 10, and the peeling device 75 peels the shell structure 100 into the substrate W and the contact jig 110 (step S110: process (D)). The contact jig 110 peeled off by this peeling device 75 has the adhesive removed by the jig cleaning device 80, and is then transported to the adhesive application device 30, where an adhesive is applied. Furthermore, the substrate W peeled off by the peeling device 75 has the adhesive removed by the substrate cleaning device 85, and is then transported to the bonding device 40. As a result, the inspection system 1 can again bond the substrate W and the contact jig 110 in the bonding device 40 (step S104), and repeat the above-mentioned processing flow.

[0076] As described above, the inspection method forms the shell structure 100 in which the substrate W and the contact jig 110 are bonded together, thereby enabling stable inspection of the substrate W while suppressing damage to the substrate W. In particular, the inspection method determines the bonding state of the shell structure 100, thereby eliminating the need to perform inspection when there is an abnormality in the bonding state of the shell structure 100, thereby improving the throughput of the inspection as a whole.

[0077] The inspection system 1 and the inspection method of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, the inspection device 60 of the inspection system 1 is not limited to an apparatus that inspects the shell structures 100 (substrates W) one by one, but may be an apparatus that includes multiple stages (multiple) of inspection units that accommodate and inspect multiple shell structures 100.

[0078] Furthermore, the function of determining the bonding state of the shell structure 100 is not limited to the shell structure determination device 50. For example, the contact jig 110 may employ a detection unit 115 having a wireless communication function, and transmit detection information of the detection unit to the controller 90 via wireless communication. The controller 90 can determine whether the bonding state of the shell structure 100 is normal or abnormal based on the received detection information.

[0079] Second Embodiment FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically illustrating the overall configuration of an inspection system 1A according to a second embodiment. The inspection system 1A according to the second embodiment differs from the inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment in that the inspection system 1A does not use adhesive for the bonding portion 120 of the shell structure 100, but activates the surface of the outer peripheral portion 111o of the contact jig 110 and bonds it to the substrate W at room temperature. Therefore, the inspection system 1A includes a surface activation device 35 instead of the adhesive application device 30, and does not include the pre-peeling treatment device 70 (see FIG. 3). The transport module 10, reduction treatment device 20, position adjustment device 25, bonding device 40, shell structure determination device 50, inspection device 60, peeling device 75, jig cleaning device 80, and substrate cleaning device 85 of the inspection system 1A are the same as those of the inspection system 1 described above. Therefore, detailed descriptions of these devices will be omitted.

[0080] The surface activation device 35 of the inspection system 1A is, for example, a SiO ２ A modification process is performed to break the bonds between the Si atoms and form dangling bonds of Si, and then the one surface 111s1 of the contact jig 110 is hydrophilized. In the modification process, for example, oxygen gas is converted into plasma in a reduced pressure atmosphere and oxygen ions are supplied to modify the one surface 111s1. In the hydrophilization process, for example, pure water is supplied to the modified one surface 111s1 to attach OH groups to the dangling bonds of Si. This activates the surface of the outer periphery 111o of the contact jig 110. Note that the surface modification is not limited to being performed only on the contact jig 110, but may also be performed on the one surface Ws1 of the substrate W.

[0081] The bonding device 40 bonds one side Ws1 of the substrate W to one side Ws1 of the surface-modified contact jig 110 in an opposing relationship, thereby forming a shell structure 100 having a bonded portion 120 where the substrate W and the contact jig 110 are firmly bonded together. Therefore, the inspection device 60 can satisfactorily inspect the electrical characteristics of the substrate W of the shell structure 100, similar to the first embodiment.

[0082] The shell structure 100 is transported to the peeling device 75 in the disassembly area 13, and is peeled off into the substrate W and the contact jig 110 by the peeling device 75. The peeling device 75 can easily peel off the substrate W and the contact jig 110, which are bonded at room temperature by being hydrophilized, by inserting a blade (not shown) between them.

[0083] As described above, the inspection system 1A according to the second embodiment also makes it possible to easily form the shell structure 100 of the substrate W and the contact jig 110 and inspect the substrate W of the shell structure 100. In particular, the inspection system 1A eliminates the need for adhesive application, making it easier to flatten the bonding surfaces, and enables the substrate W and the contact jig 110 to be bonded with high precision.

[0084] Furthermore, the contact portion 112 of the contact jig 110 constituting the shell structure 100 is not limited to a pin shape that linearly protrudes into the recess 111c as shown in Fig. 1, but may be configured as a cantilever beam or a doubly supported beam. This configuration will be described below with reference to Figs. 8A and 8B.

[0085] 8A is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a contact portion 112A of a contact jig 110A according to a first modified example. The contact portion 112A of the contact jig 110A according to the first modified example has a crank-shaped L-shaped pin 118 that contacts the conductive portion Wc of the substrate W, and a support body 119A that supports the L-shaped pin 118. The support body 119A protrudes slightly from the bottom of the contact jig 110 and is formed in an L-shape that is bent midway, forming a cantilever beam that supports the L-shaped pin 118 on its side and top surfaces.

[0086] This support 119A elastically supports contact between the L-shaped pin 118 and the conductive portion Wc. The support 119A deforms appropriately when a differential pressure is applied to the space sealing the recess 111c from the other surface Ws2 of the substrate W and the other surface 111s2 of the contact jig 110, thereby maintaining contact between the L-shaped pin 118 and the conductive portion Wc. The contact jig 110A may include another columnar support 119C (see dotted line in FIG. 8A ) that bears the load when the differential pressure is large.

[0087] 8B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a contact portion 112B of a contact jig 110B according to the second modification. The contact portion 112B of the contact jig 110B according to the second modification has a crank-shaped L-shaped pin 118 that contacts the conductive portion Wc of the substrate W, and a support body 119B that supports the L-shaped pin 118. The support body 119B is formed in a C-shape with both ends connected to the bottom of the contact jig 110 and the middle spaced apart, forming a doubly supported beam that supports the L-shaped pin 118 on its side and top surfaces.

[0088] This support 119B also deforms appropriately when a differential pressure is applied to the sealed space of the recess 111c from the other surface Ws2 of the substrate W and the other surface 111s2 of the contact jig 110, thereby maintaining contact between the L-shaped pin 118 and the conductive portion Wc. The contact jig 110B may also include another columnar support 119C (see dotted line in FIG. 8B ) that bears the load when the differential pressure is large.

[0089] The technical ideas and effects of the present disclosure explained in the above embodiments will be described below.

[0090] The inspection system 1, 1A according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes a bonding device 40 that bonds the substrate W and a jig (contact jig 110) while bringing the conductive portion Wc of the substrate W into contact with and conductively connects the contact portion 112 of the jig, thereby forming a shell structure 100 with the electrodes (electrode pads 113) of the jig exposed; a transport module 10 that is connected to the bonding device 40 and transports the shell structure 100 formed by the bonding device 40; a judgment unit 54 that judges whether the bonding state of the shell structure 100 formed by the bonding device 40 is normal or abnormal; and an inspection device 60 that is connected to the transport module 10 and inspects the substrate W via the electrodes of the jig of the shell structure 100 that has been judged to be normal by the judgment unit 54.

[0091] As described above, the inspection system 1, 1A can inspect the substrate W while protecting it by inspecting the substrate W using the inspection device 60 after the shell structure 100 is formed by the bonding device 40. In particular, the inspection system 1, 1A uses the judgment unit 54 to judge the bonding state of the shell structure 100 formed by the bonding device 40, and inspects normal shell structures 100 using the inspection device 60. Therefore, the inspection system 1, 1A can prevent inspection abnormalities from occurring by inspecting a substrate W with an abnormal shell structure 100, thereby improving the inspection yield. Furthermore, it is not necessary to inspect a shell structure 100 that has an abnormality, which can improve the overall throughput of the inspection.

[0092] The transport module 10 also includes a formation area 11 having a bonding device 40, an inspection area 12 having an inspection device 60, and a disassembly area 13 for separating the substrates W and jigs (contact jigs 110) from the shell structure 100, and the jigs separated in the disassembly area 13 are transported to the formation area 11 for reuse. This allows the inspection system 1, 1A to reduce the number of jigs used for inspection and repeatedly inspect a plurality of substrates W, thereby reducing the cost of inspection.

[0093] The transfer module 10 also forms a sealed space for at least the formation region 11, and creates a vacuum atmosphere in the sealed space or supplies an inert gas to the sealed space, which allows the inspection system 1, 1A to bond the substrate W to the jig (contact jig 110) and seal the conductive portion Wc while suppressing oxidation of the conductive portion Wc of the substrate W.

[0094] Furthermore, when determining unit 54 determines that shell structure 100 has an abnormality, the shell structure is separated into substrate W and jig (contact jig 110) in disassembly area 13 without inspection by inspection device 60, and the separated substrate W and jig are transported to formation area 11, where shell structure 100 is formed again. In this way, inspection system 1, 1A can form shell structure 100 again and perform inspection for shell structure 100 in which an abnormality in the bonding state has occurred.

[0095] The disassembly area 13 also has a jig cleaning device 80 that cleans the jig (contact jig 110) after peeling. This allows the inspection system 1, 1A to successfully bond the substrate W and the jig even when the jig is reused.

[0096] Furthermore, the shell structure 100 has a sealed internal space 101 that houses the contact portion between the conductive portion Wc and the contact portion 112, and a detection unit 115 that detects an indicator of the bonding state for determination by the determination unit 54 is installed in the internal space 101. This allows the inspection system 1, 1A to easily obtain an indicator of the bonding state of the shell structure 100 by the detection unit 115.

[0097] The detection unit 115 also includes a needle pressure sensor 116 that detects the needle pressure that the contact portion 112 of the jig (contact jig 110) applies to the substrate W. By using the detection information from the needle pressure sensor 116, the inspection system 1, 1A can estimate the needle pressure applied to the conductive portion Wc and determine whether the bonding state is normal or abnormal.

[0098] The detection unit 115 also includes a pressure sensor (space pressure sensor 117) that detects the internal pressure of the internal space 101. This allows the inspection system 1, 1A to estimate the degree of vacuum in the internal space 101 by using the detection information of the space pressure sensor 117, and to determine whether the bonding state is normal or abnormal.

[0099] In addition, a shell structure determination device 50 that is connected to the detection unit 115 and determines whether the bonding state of the shell structure 100 is normal or abnormal is provided between the joining device 40 and the inspection device 60. This allows the inspection system 1, 1A to determine the bonding state of the shell structure 100 formed by the joining device 40 in the shell structure determination device 50 before transporting it to the inspection device 60.

[0100] The jig (contact jig 110) also has supports 119A to 119C that elastically support the contact portions 112A, 112B that come into contact with the conductive portions Wc in the shell structure 100. As a result, even if a pressure difference occurs between the internal space 101 and the outside of the substrate W and the jig, the supports 119A to 119C elastically support the contact portions 112A, 112B, thereby realizing contact of the conductive portions Wc and reducing the needle pressure.

[0101] A second aspect of the present disclosure is an inspection method for inspecting electrical characteristics of a substrate W, comprising: (A) a step of joining the substrate W and a jig (contact jig 110) while maintaining contact and electrical continuity between the conductive portions Wc of the substrate W and the contact portions 112 of the jig, thereby forming a shell structure 100 with electrodes (electrode pads 113) of the jig exposed; (B) a step of determining whether the bonding state of the shell structure 100 is normal or abnormal after step (A); and (C) a step of inspecting the substrate W via the electrodes of the jig of the shell structure 100 whose bonding state has been determined to be normal in step (B). Even in this case, the inspection method can accurately inspect the substrate W formed on the shell structure 100.

[0102] The inspection method also includes a step of separating the substrate W of a shell structure 100 whose bonding state has been determined to be abnormal in steps (D) and (B) from the jig (contact jig 110), and the substrate W separated in step (D) is subjected to steps (A) and (B), and further subjected to step (C) or step (D). As a result, the inspection method separates the substrate W of the shell structure 100 whose bonding state has been determined to be abnormal from the contact jig 110, and then the shell structure 100 can be formed again and inspected.

[0103] A third aspect of the present disclosure is a shell structure 100 formed by bonding a substrate W and a jig (contact jig 110), in which the substrate W has a conductive portion Wc, and the jig includes a contact portion 112 that contacts the conductive portion Wc and is located in a recess 111c on one surface 111s1 facing the conductive portion Wc, a bonding portion 120 that is bonded to the substrate W outside the recess 111c on the one surface 111s1, and an electrode (electrode pad 113) that is electrically connected to the contact portion 112 and located on a second surface 111s2 opposite the one surface 111s1, and the recess 111c is provided with a detection portion 115 that can detect an indicator of the bonding state between the substrate W and the jig. Even in this case, the shell structure 100 can recognize whether the bonding state is normal or abnormal through the detection portion 115, thereby improving the accuracy of inspection of the substrate W.

[0104] The inspection systems 1, 1A, inspection methods, and shell structures 100 according to the presently disclosed embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The embodiments may be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The features described in the above embodiments may be configured differently and may be combined within the scope of the appended claims.

[0105] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-207126, filed on December 7, 2023, with the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0106] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1, 1A Inspection system 10 Transfer module 40 Bonding device 54 Determination unit 60 Inspection device 100 Shell structure 110 Contact jig 112 Contact unit 113 Electrode pad W Substrate Wc Conduction unit

Claims

1. An inspection system comprising: a bonding device that bonds a substrate and a jig while bringing the conductive portion of the substrate into contact and conducting with the contact portion of the jig, and forms a shell structure with electrodes of the jig exposed; a transport module connected to the bonding device and transporting the shell structure formed by the bonding device; a judgment unit that judges whether the bonding state of the shell structure formed by the bonding device is normal or abnormal; and an inspection device connected to the transport module that inspects the substrate via the electrodes of the jig of the shell structure judged to be normal by the judgment unit.

2. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the transport module includes a formation area having the bonding device, an inspection area having the inspection device, and a dismantling area for peeling off the substrate and the jig of the shell structure, and the jig peeled off in the dismantling area is transported to the formation area for reuse.

3. The inspection system according to claim 2, wherein the transfer module forms a sealed space for at least the formation region, and creates a vacuum atmosphere in the sealed space or supplies an inert gas to the sealed space.

4. The inspection system of claim 2, wherein when the judgment unit judges that there is an abnormality in the shell structure, the shell structure is peeled off into the substrate and the jig in the dismantling area without being inspected by the inspection device, the peeled off substrate and jig are transported to the formation area, and the shell structure is formed again in the formation area.

5. The inspection system according to claim 2, wherein the disassembly area has a jig cleaning device that cleans the jig after peeling.

6. An inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shell structure houses the portion where the conductive portion and the contact portion come into contact and has a sealed internal space, and a detection unit is installed in the internal space for detecting an indicator of the bonding state for judgment by the judgment unit.

7. The inspection system according to claim 6, wherein the detection section includes a needle pressure sensor that detects the needle pressure applied to the board by the contact section of the jig.

8. The inspection system according to claim 6, wherein the detection unit includes a pressure sensor that detects the internal pressure of the internal space.

9. The inspection system according to claim 6, further comprising a shell structure determination device between the joining device and the inspection device, the shell structure determination device being connected to the detection unit and determining whether the joining state of the shell structure is normal or abnormal.

10. The inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the jig has a support for elastically supporting the contact portion in contact with the conductive portion in the shell structure.

11. An inspection method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a substrate, comprising: (A) a step of joining the substrate and a jig while maintaining contact and electrical continuity between the conductive portion of the substrate and the contact portion of the jig, thereby forming a shell structure with the electrodes of the jig exposed; (B) a step of determining, after the step (A), whether the bonding state of the shell structure is normal or abnormal; and (C) a step of inspecting the substrate via the electrodes of the jig of the shell structure whose bonding state has been determined to be normal in the step (B).

12. The inspection method described in claim 11, further comprising: (D) a step of peeling off the substrate and the jig of the shell structure whose bonding state has been determined to be abnormal in step (B), and performing steps (A) and (B) on the substrate peeled off in step (D), and further performing step (C) or step (D).

13. A shell structure formed by bonding a substrate and a jig, wherein the substrate has a conductive portion, and the jig includes: a contact portion in a recess on one side facing the conductive portion, which contacts and is conductive with the conductive portion; a bonding portion which is bonded to the substrate outside the recess on the one side; and an electrode which is electrically conductive with the contact portion on the other side opposite to the one side, and the recess is provided with a detection portion which can detect an indicator of the bonding state between the substrate and the jig.

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